Traeger Timberline vs Cookshack Fast Eddy's PG500
vs
Quick take: The Traeger Timberline costs $250 less; the Traeger Timberline offers more cooking space (880 vs 784 sq in); the Cookshack Fast Eddy's PG500 reaches a higher max temp (600 vs 500°F).
| Spec | Traeger Timberline | Cookshack Fast Eddy's PG500 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$3,500 | ~$3,750 |
| Rating | 3.7★ (318) | — |
| Type | Pellet Grill | Pellet Grill |
| Cooking Area | 880 sq in | 784 sq in |
| Max Temp | 500°F | 600°F |
| Fuel Type | Wood Pellets | Wood Pellets |
| Build Material | Stainless Steel | 304 Stainless Steel |
| Hopper Capacity | 22 lb | — |
| Burners | 1 | — |
| WiFi / App | Yes | No |
| App control | Yes | No |
| Meat probe | Yes | Yes |
| PID controller | No | Yes |
| Side burner | Yes | No |
| Rotisserie | No | No |
| Searing | No | Yes |
| Dimensions | — | — |
| Weight | 238 lbs | 330 lbs |
| Warranty | 10 years | — |
Pros & cons
Traeger Timberline
- ✓Induction side cooktop needs no propane and holds real searing heat, unlike a pellet sear zone
- ✓Four thermometer channels out of the box — two wired, two wireless MEATER probes
- ✓Three-rack layout gives more usable tiers than any two-rack grill of similar square inches
- ✓Stainless construction and a gasketed, soft-close lid hold temperature through wind and cold better than painted steel
- ✓Same 10-year warranty as the rest of the current Traeger line
- ✓$500 less than the Timberline XL for the same hardware in a smaller body
- ✗3.7 out of 5 across 318 reviews on Traeger's own store; controller and app reliability are the recurring themes
- ✗500°F ceiling is no higher than an $899 Woodridge — the premium buys build and features, not heat
- ✗22 lb hopper is the same as the Ironwood at nearly double the price
- ✗Induction cooktop is a 120V draw on the same circuit as the grill, which can trip a shared outdoor breaker
- ✗At $3,500 it is squarely in Yoder and MAK welded-steel territory, where the steel is thicker and the electronics simpler
Cookshack Fast Eddy's PG500
- ✓Charbroiler direct-fire zone is unique among pellet grills and produces char that no diffuser-based design can match
- ✓Four separate zones — direct grate, indirect rack, top rack and warming drawer — let a whole meal cook at once
- ✓Built and serviced in Oklahoma by a company that has made commercial smokers since 1962, with real parts support
- ✓304 stainless throughout rather than powder-coated steel, so it will outlast most of this catalog
- ✓Efficient at 1.2-2 lbs of pellets per hour at 400°F despite its size
- ✓Sold direct by the manufacturer, so there is no dealer markup or channel confusion
- ✗$3,750 is near the top of this entire catalog and roughly triple a well-equipped Traeger or Recteq
- ✗Non-insulated cabinet, so cold-weather and overnight efficiency suffer relative to insulated competitors at half the price
- ✗No WiFi or app control at all — a serious omission at this price in 2026
- ✗330 lbs means delivery and placement are a project, and it will not be moved afterwards
- ✗Cookshack does not publish hopper capacity or full dimensions, making planning harder than it should be