This spring, I upgraded my Traeger Grill from the Pro 22 to the new Ironwood 885. The new grill upgraded all the components adding a new variable-speed fan and auger; an insulated barrel to keep heat in better, downdraft rear venting; and bigger pellet hopper.

After receiving the grill and assembling it, I created a video showing the initial fire-up and seasoning.

After a month of cooking on the grill, I noticed that the lid didn’t fit the barrel very well. I called Traeger to discuss the situation and the representative confirmed that this was unusual and the initial batch of Ironwoods did have defective lids that didn’t fit the barrel. The defective lid not only lets a lot of smoke out, but also heat. See my video below:

At this point, I am still waiting for the replacement lid to install on my Traeger. Apparently Traeger has been overwhelmed with orders that replacement parts have been backordered for over a month. As soon as I receive the parts, I’ll post a new update with video.