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Summary
Traeger is synonymous with wood pellet grilling.
Flatrock is a pretty straightforward product.
It has a 33-inch wide cooking space with three distinct heating areas.
There are two side shelves that fold down to make the unit compact when not in use.
There’s also an attached lid to cover the griddle when not in use.
Related:What is a Smart Grill and Should You Buy One?
I loved the all-in-one clean-up system on the grill.
And here on the flat-top grill, it worked equally as well.
On the top, the square opening for grease is a generous size.
The three U-shaped burners were enough for me when cooking for a family of four.
The three cooking areas felt substantial for food.
If you prefer portability, there’s a slot for a 9V battery to power the igniter.
With multiple attempts to resecure it, that detail felt poorly designed.
It was an unfortunate error for an otherwise clever idea for keeping a tank in place.
It was hot and ready to go within a couple of minutes.
Underneath the cooking surface, there are three distinct areas divided by insulated walls.
The U-burners are also supposed to heat more evenly.
The foldable side tables were convenient and includedTraeger’s Pop-and-Lock attachmentfor accessories.
Each side area is substantial and can fit three or four plates at a time.
I didn’t even lift the left side into place.
Cooking burgers on the Flatrock was easier and tasted better than I had assumed.
Crafting burgers on the grill made me feel like a cook at Five Guys or Smash Burger.
Cheeseburgers remained juicy and cooked evenly on this new Traeger grill.
I also tried vegetables and other proteins, each cooking as expected.
Keep that in mind if you’re newer to the outdoor griddle space.
Cleaning Trager’s Flatrock Griddle
As easy as cooking was, cleaning aflat-top grillwas ten times worse.
Cleaning a flat-top grill involves scraping the food bits and grease off.
The large opening on this particular Flatrock grill made getting all the mess down fairly straightforward.
The handle made the bucket easy to hold and less likely for grease to spill out.
I liked that it was a large bucket that held plenty of debris.
Keeping the Flatrock clean and ready to go did take a few cooking sessions to get a routine down.
After I bought a few proper cleaning tools, the process gradually took less time.
But this isn’t only a Traeger issue.
You’ll run into this with any flat-top grill.
Should You Buy the Traeger Flatrock?
I don’t think anyone who decides to buy aTraeger Flatrock grillwill be disappointed.
It was a great experience that compliments a smoker grill perfectly.
There are two main sticking points, however, which make the Flatrock less than compelling.
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 large when standing in front of it.
This probably isn’t the product for an apartment dweller or someone with limited patio space.
Plus, when paired with another Traeger grill, the two together could begin to crowd any suburban backyard.
The biggest consideration with this grill is the price.
At $900, it’s a premium price compared to other products on the market.
It will serve you well in making lots of different types of food.
But the retail price makes me hesitant to say this is the one flat-top grill for everyone.
