Griddle Sizzle Instead of Smoke – Review Geek

Traeger is synonymous with wood pellet grilling. But instead of getting bogged down by previous expectations, his new propane-fueled Flatrock grill tries to add the missing piece to his cooking arsenal.

A Traeger Propane Flat Top Grill

While Traeger focuses on making wood pellets, it doesn’t have to be defined by that. There is a small group of people who can choose between a smoker grill and a flat top grill, but for the most part this new cooking surface only complements Traeger’s other products.

Flatrock is a fairly simple product. It has a 33-inch wide cooking area with three different heating zones. There are two side shelves that fold down to make the device compact when not in use. There is also a cover that covers the grill when not in use. However, it wouldn’t be a Traeger product if the company didn’t add its own twist to it. Underneath is a grease gun (the same style created for the last Timberline smoker) and a hook to hold the propane tank.

When Traeger announced Timberline, it specifically referred to it as a halo product, noting that its features would extend to other products. I loved the all-in-one grill cleaning system. And here, on the flat top grill, it worked just as well. At the top, the square opening for grease is oversized.

Three U-shaped burners were sufficient for me when cooking for a family of four. If you are smoking a main course and pairing this grill with another Traeger product, the three heating areas should have enough room to cook the sides. Three cooking areas were substantial for food.

Some other niceties include a flame sensor and a fuel sensor, but these features require the Flatrock to be plugged into an electrical outlet. If you prefer portability, there is a slot for a 9V battery to power the lighter.

The Flatrock moved smoothly with four wheels and a propane tank handle, which meant the unit was fully mobile. There is a piece of curved metal under the flatrock that keeps the propane tank from swinging around, but it kept leaking for me. With many attempts to restore it, the detail seemed poorly formed. It was an unfortunate mistake for an otherwise clever idea to keep the tank in place.

I also noticed that the interior enamel (or whatever the finish is) chipped in a few spots when I opened the shipping box. Shipping on a grill weighing around 200 pounds will vary and is largely out of Traeger’s control, but that was what I noticed with this grill.

Cooking burgers and eggs on a flatrock grill

It only took a few twists of a knob to light the Flatrock grill, first the propane tank and then the burners. It was hot and ready to go within minutes.

Below the cooking surface there are three distinct areas separated by insulated walls. The goal here is to be able to apply high heat to one third of the flat surface without it spreading to the adjacent area. U-burners are also supposed to heat more evenly. I had no problem cooking with the entire surface, and I didn’t notice any unheated areas.

Folding side tables were convenient and included Traeger’s Pop-and-Lock attachment for accessories. This cross-functionality will be convenient for existing Traeger owners, but I don’t know how many people will commit to accessories that need to be removed regularly. There is no storage in the Flatrock, so all accessories will most likely have a home in the kitchen.

More often than not, I only used one of the side tables when setting out food and tools. Each side area is substantial and can accommodate three or four plates at a time. For example, when I made bacon and eggs one morning, the surface on the right held everything I needed. I didn’t even lift the left side in place.

Making a burger at Flatrock was easier and tastier than I thought it would be. Making burgers on the grill made me feel like a chef at Five Guys or Smash Burger. The cheeseburgers stayed juicy and cooked evenly on this new Traeger grill. I also tried vegetables and other proteins, each cooked as expected. Bread and donuts cooked well on the low burner, not getting the same heat from the neighboring spot.

One thing I didn’t expect was that flat top grills use special cooking tools like long spatulas, graters, heavy duty presses, etc. that are hard to replicate with other grilling tools. Keep that in mind if you’re newer to the outdoor grilling space.

While cooking was generally quick and simple, the flip side of the coin was that the Flatrock took a bit more to clean up than the Timberline smoker.

Cleaning Trager’s Flatrock Griddle

As easy as it was to cook, cleaning a flat grill was ten times worse. Cleaning a flat-top grill involves scraping off bits of food and removing grease. The large opening of this particular Flatrock grill made all the messes pretty clear. The shot between the top of the grill and the waste bucket also needed to be cleaned, which wasn’t nice either.

I loved the EZ-Clean Grease and Ash Keg on Timberline’s newest smoker. And while there’s no ash to collect, it makes sense that the company is reusing the same design. The handle made the bucket easier to hold and less likely to spill grease. I liked that it was a big bucket that held a lot of debris.

Keeping the Flatrock clean and ready took several cooking sessions to get the routine right. After I bought some decent cleaning tools, the process gradually took less time. But this isn’t just Traeger’s problem. You will run into this with any flat top grill.

Must buy Traeger Flatrock.

I don’t think anyone who decides to buy a Traeger Flatrock grill will be disappointed. It was a great experience that compliments the smoky grill perfectly. However, there are two major sticking points that make Flatrock less than convincing. The first is the size and the second is the price.

With the side shelves fully extended, the Flatrock stretches 74 inches wide and 27 inches deep. It felt big when standing in front of it. This is probably not the product for an apartment dweller or someone with a limited balcony. Plus, when paired with another Traeger grill, the two together can get the crowd started on any suburban patio.

The biggest consideration with this grill is the price. At $900, it’s a premium price compared to other products on the market. There are neat Pop-and-Lock accessories, the side shelves fold down, and the build of the U-burners was excellent, but it was still a little hard to justify the high premium price. There’s no Wi-Fi connection to the Trager app, which makes it a smart grill, and the flame and fuel sensors require the grill to be plugged in. Also, the propane tank guard kept sliding out of its intended secure clip so that the tank moved a bit.

If money is not a concern, or you can find Flatrock on sale, I absolutely recommend it. It will serve you well for cooking many different types of food. But the retail price makes me hesitant to say this is the flat top grill for everyone.