Timberline XL

[ARCEE]

I ran a ThermoWorks temp logger (runs a continuous graphing capture at 1 minute intervals) on my Whirlpool electric range oven for 4 hours at 375 degree setting. It was an eye opener.

The swings in the XL are much smaller than my homes 2017 electric range oven.

My comment above was strictly to compare what I see in the TL 1300 and TL 850 vs my new XL. It was not meant as a disparaging remark. This was only meant as an observation on a grill I have owned for 2.5 weeks now. Still a work in progress.

I LOVE the XL for many many things. We will see how it proves out "under fire" (pun intended).

v/r RCH

 

[miguelb]

I am a big fan of the induction cooktop top.

I do have a question, how improved is the drip / ash system?

Congratulations to both of you on the Timberline XL. Can't wait to hear more.

 

[ARCEE]

Man, you have hit something I LOVE LOVE LOVE. I find there is NO WAY for grease to escape anywhere other than to go where it is designed.

The top layer is the drip tray. It gets absolutely skunky during bigger longer cooks (think 60 pounds of pork butts for 20 hours). Great news, hit the whole thing with the Trager Spray cleaner, lift out the ash plug (wrong name but you get the idea) and just scrape it all down the hole. It goes directly down a tube into the Ash Keg (bucket). No where for it to escape to. It works. The Ash Keg is easy to get on and off.

Next layer up is the heat shield and it is wall to wall, but, with a seam to the inside of the tub. I really have had no grease get to the bottom tub. A small whisk broom lets me move any errant ash down the capture hole. I did pull my 1 gallon Harbor Freight shop vac for the first cleaning. Not really needed. I bought a cheap small straw whisk broom. It is faster and honestly all that is needed.

The bottom most layer is functionally a wall to wall tub. I have found NO WAY for anything to escape this last layer.

I also love the grill lights, but not for the lights. This is also the signal for open hood. No more turbo mode when you are trying to wrap multiple briskets and your computer is calling for a relight (over filling the pellet cup with resulting huge high temp burst).

Still learning, but, they may have really hit a home run.

I bought the Lodge 11" Chefs Collection grill pan for the induction burner. Square shape and slightly wider ridges and gaps (easier to clean). It does hit 650+ on the induction burner. It just begs for reverse searing. Also can simmer a pot of sauce with a steel pan over 5" diameter.

What's not to like.

v/r arcee

 

[Bills Mafia 302]

I am finding the same temp swings on my XL. Like you I have a 1300 sitting right next to it. I feel that I get more smoke intensity in the XL.

I talked to a Traeger Tech about the temp swings in the XL compared to the 1300. He said the XL should have the superior temp control. Doesn't look that way to me.

The XL is cooking well, it is just not "logging" as tightly as my 1300 does.

Thanks ARCEE, glad I’m not the only one, I agree the thing cooks great and I’m experiencing more smoke. Even at temps like 450 degrees I’m seeing and smelling smoke, which I like. Temp swings haven’t been a problem so far, maybe I just need to stop looking at it so much lol. Another thing I noticed is it fires up in no time, by the time you hit the start fire button it’s almost immediately I see it smoking, love that. Have a great day guys, doing a flank steak tonight for tacos

 

[RayClem]

I ran a ThermoWorks temp logger (runs a continuous graphing capture at 1 minute intervals) on my Whirlpool electric range oven for 4 hours at 375 degree setting. It was an eye opener.

The swings in the XL are much smaller than my homes 2017 electric range oven.

My comment above was strictly to compare what I see in the TL 1300 and TL 850 vs my new XL. It was not meant as a disparaging remark. This was only meant as an observation on a grill I have owned for 2.5 weeks now. Still a work in progress.

I LOVE the XL for many many things. We will see how it proves out "under fire" (pun intended).

v/r RCH

Your electric oven probably has an on-off thermostat controller. If the temperature is below the setpoint, the burner turns on and stays on until you are above the setpoint at which point it will turn off. As a result, there will be an overshoot. The temperature will oscillate back and forth around the setpoint.

The Timberline and Ironwood grills have an electronic controller that is far more sophisticated than the simple thermostat in your oven. It is a PID controller which stands for proportional-integral-derivitave. Until recently, this type of controller was found in sophisticated industrial applications, but rarely in consumer goods. This controller can turn the auger feeder on and off, but it can also regulate the speed of the direct drive auger. This results in very precise control. However, If you bump up the temperature setpoint for the grill (let's say 225-275, there will be an overshoot of the new temperature, but it will soon settle down.

Although that technology could be used in an electric over, due to the amperage of the heating elements, it might be expensive to do so.

Remember that a few generations ago, cooks controlled the temperature of their ovens by throwing another stick of firewood or lump of coal onto the fire. In fact, that is exactly how offset smokers still work.