Traeger Ironwood Gen 1 vs Gen 2 Differences

The Ironwood is Traeger’s mid-range pellet grill/smoker. The Ironwood sits above the Pro Series but below the Timberline. Well, there is now a new second generation of Ironwood grills which share a lot of similar features/designs to the Gen 2 Timberline models. For this article, we’re going to look at the similarities and differences between the Gen 1 and Gen 2 Traeger Ironwood models. Notably, there has been a jump in price, so are these Gen 2 models worth it?

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Introduction To The Traeger Ironwood Gen 1 vs Gen 2

It would appear, as is the case with the other older Traeger models they will continue to sell Ironwood Gen 1 models alongside these new Ironwood Gen 2 models.

Therefore, I think these comparison articles are important for anyone interested in purchasing one of these Traeger Ironwood models to understand the differences.

If you need to familiarise yourself with the Ironwood Gen 1, I have several articles, such as Pro Series Gen 2 vs Ironwood Gen 1 and the Ironwood Gen 1 vs Timberline Gen 1.

Anyway, now let’s get into discussing the improvements of these new Gen 2 Ironwood models vs their cheaper Gen 1 Ironwood siblings. To start, I’ve produced the tables below.

Traeger Ironwood 650 (Gen 1) vs Ironwood (Gen 2)

Traeger Ironwood 885 (Gen 1) vs Ironwood XL (Gen 2)

Ironwood Gen 1 vs Gen 2 Differences & Similarities

Ok, so after you have browsed the tables above, you should have noticed a couple of things. Most notably, you will have seen there is a $500 premium jumping from a Gen 1 to a Gen 2 Ironwood model.

You may have also seen features referenced, such as ‘EZ Clean’ and ‘BT Meat Probe’, that may mean nothing to you currently. No worries, we’re going to discuss those features below.

First, let’s discuss where these Gen 1 and Gen 2 models are similar, their temperature control, temperature range and cooking areas.

Temperature Control & Cooking Areas

Both generations of the Ironwood run on a PID temperature algorithm which can manage the internal temperature to within 5 degrees of the set temperature.

Furthermore, all Gen 1 and Gen 2 Traeger Ironwood models feature the same 180 to 500 temperature range. Hence, when grilling burgers, for instance, they will benefit from GrillGrates and Charcoal pellets.

It’s also worth noting all of the Ironwood models above feature Super Smoke which is Traeger’s branded Smoke Mode to increase smoke production at lower temperature settings.

Hence, when it comes to temperature control & range, all of the Gen 1 and Gen 2 Ironwood models are identical. But what about their cooking areas?

As you can see from the tables above with the smaller models (650 vs Ironwood), there is actually more cooking area overall and on the main grate with the Gen 1 Ironwood 650.

However, on the larger models (885 vs Ironwood XL), its actually the Gen 2 model, which gives the larger overall cooking area and larger main grate.

Then again, the square-inch differences are not really that significant between the Gen 1 and Gen 2 Ironwood models. Let’s now discuss some more notable differences.

Semi-Insulated (Gen 1) vs Fully Insulated (Gen 2)

So for me, this is the most significant difference between the Traeger Gen 1 Ironwood models and the Gen 2 Ironwood models, the extent of twin-wall insulation.

Both of the Gen 1 models feature twin-wall insulation on the sides of the cooking chamber. However, the lid and the rest of the cooking chamber are single-wall steel (uninsulated).

However, just like the Gen 2 Timberline models, which these new Gen 2 Ironwood models share a lot of their design with, the entire cooking chamber is twin-wall insulated.

So why is this a big difference, and why should you care that the Gen 2 Ironwood models now feature full twin-wall insulated construction?

Well, for a couple of reasons really. The first is reduced pellet usage. With a fully insulated cooking chamber, Gen 2 Ironwood models can hold onto more of the heat produced.

However, beyond just saving you money on pellets, a twin-wall insulated cooking chamber actually cooks better food as the temperatures across the cooking chamber are more consistent.

So let’s say, for instance, you are smoking a large brisket, well with more consistent temperatures across the entire cooking chamber, you will get a more consistently cooked brisket as a result.

Ironwood Gen 2 EZ-Clean Functionality

In the tables above, you may have noticed a reference to ‘EZ-Clean’ as a feature found on the Gen 2 Ironwood models but not the Gen 1 Ironwood models.

However, you may not be aware of what EZ-Clean actually refers to and the benefits it provides, so let’s discuss that now.

On Gen 1 Ironwood models, there was a grease tray that led to a grease bucket. To clean the ash meant removing the cooking grates/grease tray and getting in there with a shop vac.

However, on the Gen 2 Ironwood models with EZ-Clean, grease and ash management have been combined into one with the removable EZ-Clean cup.

Those of you who are pellet grill/smoker nerds like myself may be aware that Weber integrated a combined grease/ash management solution in their SmokeFire pellet grills/smokers.

With the Weber solution, ash and grease are allowed to mix before they leave the pellet grill (not a great idea), which can lead to potential grease fire issues if not cleaned regularly.

However, Traeger’s EZ-Clean solution is a much better design, as the grease and ash are kept separate until they actually get into the ash cup for quick/easy removal and replacement with a new foil cup.

BT Meat Probe (MEATER) Functionality

In the tables above, you may have noticed I show that Gen 2 Ironwood models are ‘BT Meat Probe’ compatible. That BT refers to Bluetooth connectivity.

While the Gen 2 Ironwood models can use two wired meat probes, the control panel can also connect to Bluetooth meat probes, for instance, a MEATER probe.

In 2021 Traeger actually purchased MEATER, and integration first appeared with the Gen 2 Timberline. Now, Traeger has integrated MEATER functionality into the Gen 2 Ironwood models.

The New Touchscreen Controller

So finally, let’s quickly discuss the new touchscreen controller found on the Gen 2 Ironwood models.

As shown in the tables above, in terms of temperature range, accuracy and additional functionality (Super Smoke), all Gen 1 and Gen 2 Ironwood pellet grills/smokers have the same functionality.

What the new touchscreen control panel brings to the table is, for one, its easier to actually read compared to the monochrome control panel of the Gen 1 Ironwood models.

Furthermore, the new full-colour display is able to communicate more information than the Gen 1 control panel. For instance, with on-screen recipe instructions etc.

Final Thoughts On The Traeger Ironwood Gen 1 vs Gen 2…

Right, so first, the good points. I really like the fact the Ironwood Gen 2 models are now fully-insulated. As I’ve stated above, that’s their biggest benefit for me over the Gen 1 models.

Second, I do like the EZ-Clean functionality, and the full-color touchscreen is a notable improvement over the monochrome control panel found on the Gen 1 models.

However, there has been no improvement in temperature range over the Gen 1 Ironwood models and no improvement in grilling/searing performance.

Besides a small increase in the cooking area on the Gen 2 Ironwood XL over its predecessor, there is also no additional cooking area provided, its actually less on the smaller model.

Therefore, on the smaller models, the $500 increase is harder to justify compared to the $500 increase of the larger Ironwood XL, which I think makes it the better value.

Next, I’m going to compare the new Gen 2 Ironwood models to the Gen 2 Timberline models in terms of value which I think should be interesting…

That’s it! Thanks for reading. I hope you found the comparison above useful if you are thinking about picking up an Ironwood model. As always, also check out my Pellet Grill/Smoker Guide. 🙂

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