In addition to Traeger’s handy app that allows you to control and monitor the grill remotely, the Ironwood series grills ship with a pellet sensor. This add-on keeps tabs on your fuel supply, so you don’t have to worry about running out. The app also houses a wealth of recipes, which you can send directly to the grill from your phone. The Ironwood has a barrel-shaped design, which circulates smoke and heat before it exits the exhaust port on the back, and a small side shelf to rest supplies on as needed. And because the grill has an internet connection, you’ll be privy to regular firmware updates that improve grill performance. 

Buy Ironwood Series at Traeger – from $1,200

Buy Ironwood 650 cover at Amazon – $80 

Buy Ironwood 885 cover at Amazon – $71

Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560

Billy Steele/Engadget

For the most part, built-in WiFi connectivity is for pellet grills. More often than not, if you want the same feature on a charcoal grill, you’ll have to settle for a separate purchase. Masterbuilt’s Gravity Series 560 is one exception. It’s a gravity-fed charcoal grill you can monitor from your phone.

Another key thing here is price. The 560 is $499: hundreds of dollars less than a lot of WiFi-enabled pellet grills, and less than half of what you’d pay for an Ironwood. The build quality isn’t quite up to Traeger’s standards, but the performance is great. In seven minutes, the 560 can be at smoking temperature (225 degrees), and the grill can hit a blazing hot 700-degree searing temp in less than 15. Plus, the fuel source is easier to find. Almost every grocery store carries charcoal while, despite the popularity of pellet grills, you still have to visit a hardware, sporting goods store or go online to buy pellets.

You will have to make some sacrifices here, though. For starters, the app isn’t as full-featured as those that come with some connected pellet grills. You can basically only monitor things, not make any adjustments. Second, some components of the grill are rather flimsy, especially the sides of the charcoal hopper. Even with those caveats, getting a grill that can reliably do low-and-slow BBQ and high-heat searing — and that also uses a common fuel source — is an interesting proposition at this price. 

Buy Gravity Series 560 at Home Depot – $500

Buy 560 cover at Masterbuilt – $50

Weber iGrill series

Billy Steele/Engadget

I’ve been using the Weber iGrill Mini for years now. Until I added it to my grilling arsenal, I had a bad habit of overcooking steaks. And in my defense, it’s really easy to do if you don’t have some type of thermometer. With the iGrill, you can insert a food probe before you start cooking, select your meat or seafood, pick your desired doneness and an app will alert you when the food is ready. It will also warn you when you’re getting close. And if you like a manual route, you can skip the food preset entirely and just go by internal temperature. The iGrill also lets you use a probe to monitor ambient grill temps, should you need to do so. 

Weber offers a range of options here, starting with the single-probe iGrill mini (under $50). The iGrill 2 can support up to four probes at once, as does the iGrill 3, which is specifically for use with some of Weber’s gas grills. Those are both $100.

Buy iGrill Mini at Amazon – $35

Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub

Billy Steele/Engadget

Weber won Engadget’s Best of CES 2020 award for Best Connected Home product with the Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub, and for good reason: The standalone cooking device offers all of the smart features of WiFi connectivity on literally any grill. The Weber Connect app has step-by-step guidance for a range of meats and seafood, so you have a sous chef on your phone at all times. What’s more, the Hub features June’s software that uses algorithms to estimate completion times and tells how long until the next phase of cooking. 

The Weber Connect app is somewhat limited in terms of presets right now, but you can opt for a manual mode to bypass the software guidance. The company has committed to adding more profiles, so you should see new items pop up in the app over time. The Hub ships with two probes — one food and one ambient temp — but it can support up to four simultaneously.

Buy Grilling Hub at Amazon – $130

Buy meat probe at Weber – $15

Buy ambient temp probe at Weber – $15

Thermoworks Smoke X2 and X4

Billy Steele/Engadget

If you already have a grill or smoker you like, and you don’t need the fancy app-based guidance of Weber Connect, Thermoworks’ newly redesigned Smoke X thermometers are worth a look. These devices give you the ability to watch food and grill temperatures without having to venture outside. They use RF wireless technology to relay info from the hub at your grill to a handheld receiver. You can set high and low temperature alarms yourself, so this is a completely customizable device for more experienced users. 

Thermoworks says the Smoke X has a line of sight range of up to 6,562 feet (1.24 mile). I’m not sure you’d want to trek that far away while cooking, but the increased signal strength means you won’t have to worry about walls and other obstacles around your house. The Smoke X also has a long battery life. Because it doesn’t rely on WiFi, it can last up to 330 hours on two AA batteries (1,800 hours for the receiver, Smoke X2). The device duo is also protected against outdoor hazards with an IP66 splash-proof rating. Lastly, the Smoke X2 and Smoke X4 ship with all the probes you’ll need, so you don’t have to make any additional purchases there. 

Buy Smoke X at Thermoworks – from $170

Thermoworks Thermapen Mk4

Billy Steele/Engadget

I get it: not everyone needs or wants to keep tabs on what’s cooking from afar. No shade there, but you do need a reliable thermometer to confirm when your food is done. I’ve been using the Thermoworks Thermapen Mk4 for a while now and it’s the best instant-read option I’ve found. There are cheaper models available elsewhere, but the Mk4 has a backlit display that rotates based on how you’re holding it. It also has motion sensing activation, so it automatically turns on when you pick up and shuts off after you put it down. The Mk4 is waterproof with an IP67 rating, so you don’t have to worry about getting it wet when you’re saucing chicken. 

Buy Thermapen Mk4 at Thermoworks – $99

Anova sous vide

Billy Steele/Engadget

A sous vide device might seem out of place in a grilling guide, but hear me out. Since I started using an Anova Precision Cooker as part of my steak process, I’ve massively upped my game. Steaks are tender and juicy, with edge-to-edge doneness that’s difficult to achieve on a hot-and-fast grill. Basically, I sous vide for a couple hours (or more) and then sear the steaks on a grill to finish them off. Perhaps the best part is you don’t have to invest a ton to get one of these app-connected machines (they start at $99 from Anova), and they’re great for cooking other things, too. 

In order to make the most of your sous vide setup, you’ll want to also invest in a vacuum sealer. I have the FoodSaver FM2000, a model that doesn’t have some of the flashy features of more expensive units, but it does the basics just fine. Plus, you can use this to seal leftovers for the freezer or store other goods you don’t want air to get to. I’ve also found vacuum-sealed packs handy for reheating things like pulled pork. With sous vide, the meat doesn’t dry out like it would in the microwave. What’s more, the pouches are great for marinating, which is essential for cuts that aren’t very tender, or just imparting flavors over time. Sure, you could just use Ziploc bags, but I’ve done that, and the FoodSaver is worth the investment. 

Buy Anova sous vide at Anova –  from $99

Buy FoodSaver FM2000 at Home Depot – $83

When Traeger announced its 2019 lineup, it included its so-called WiFire wireless connectivity on every model. However, the sensor that monitored your pellet supply so you didn’t have to worry about running out was reserved for the priciest grills: the Timberline 850 and Timberline 1300. As I’d discover in November, the more affordable Ironwood and Pro Series grills were designed to accommodate the sensor, it just wasn’t included on those models.

It’s unclear if Traeger is simply including the sensor in the box or if it’s installed on the Ironwood grills already. Even if it’s not, the installation process is quick and easy, and should take you 10 minutes or less to attach and connect.

And yes, a pellet sensor is a handy addition to these grills. Without it, you have to walk out to the grill, lift the pellet hopper lid and manually inspect things. With this sensor, the grill automatically monitors how much is left in that container and displays a percentage inside the Traeger app. That info is shown alongside things like grill temperature, probe temperature, cook timers and more. When you’re running low, the app will send you a notification so you know its time to add more or make a quick run to the store.

GRILL ALL THE THINGS

If you’re having friends over, a good host always provides some eats. And when it comes to entertaining in the backyard, that usually involves a grill. There’s a literal truckload of options to choose from, and you can snag a solid setup for under $100 if you’re on a budget. However, if you’re looking to impress with your grill game, these selections should do just that.

Traeger Ironwood 650

Traeger got a head start on barbecue season back in the spring when it introduced three new WiFi-enabled pellet grills. The Ironwood Series is the middle ground between the more affordable Pro Series and the pricier (and more equipped) Timberline range. Though the Timberline has some extra features, they aren’t essential for most people, and you can cook some insane food without them — while saving a few hundred dollars in the process. (More money for brisket!) These grills aren’t just for smoking either. With a temperature range up to 500 degrees, you can use them as your regular grill for burgers, brats or even pizza. You can even bake dessert on these things.

Most importantly, the Ironwood Series offers Traeger’s so-called Wi-Fire technology which allows you to monitor and control your grill remotely over WiFi. For low-and-slow barbecue cooks that take 8-to-12 hours, this is a game changer. The app also houses a wealth of recipes, which you can send to the grill in a few taps. With its latest models, Traeger introduced a D2 Direct Drive system that powers the grill. The tech offers features like Turbo Temp that make the machines run more efficiently, come to temperature quickly and recover faster when you open the lid to check on things.

I’m still using the Ironwood 650 months after my review and it continues to be a barbecue workhorse. If you need more room to work, the Ironwood 885 gives you more grill space for an additional $200.

Buy Ironwood 650 – $1,200

Weber iGrill Mini

I get it: A lot of you probably already have a grill you like. However, I’ve found that Weber’s iGrill Mini is a revelation for cooking to the proper temperature consistently. Sure, you can use an instant-read thermometer, but that requires repeatedly poking your food, and even then it can be hard to know when to check based on the outside. With the iGrill Mini, you set a probe at the beginning and that’s it. No poking, and no guesswork.

Select your type of meat, specific cut and desired temperature/doneness in the Weber app. The software and iGrill Mini does the rest. Like the iGrill 3, the app alerts you when your food is nearly ready so you can pull it off at the perfect moment. I used to overcook steaks all the time; I was truly terrible at it. I’ve been using the iGrill Mini for a few years now, and I haven’t cooked a New York strip past medium since. I’ve also used it a lot for low-and-slow cooks like pork shoulders, and it does very well for longer smoke sessions too. The Mini only has one probe though, so if you need more, you’ll have to splurge for another iGrill model.

Buy iGrill Mini on Amazon – $25

HOLD MY BEER

It’s summertime. It’s, as the kids say, hot AF. You’re going to need a drink while you’re enjoying the backyard. These selections will keep the liquids cool while you imbibe so you aren’t running to the fridge every 10 minutes for a refill.

Otterbox Venture 45 Cooler

An Otterbox… cooler? Yep! The company that protects your phone from drops and general damage is in the cooler game, taking on the likes of Coleman and Yeti. With its Venture coolers, the company promises up to 14 days of ice retention — four days more than the popular Yeti claims. Just to be thorough, I put that rating to the test with a Venture 45 full of ice in my shaded, but non-air-conditioned, garage. In the end, there was still ice in this thing six days later, and that’s after nearly a week of outside temps in the low-to-mid 90s. I’m confident the 14-day rating would be not problem with milder ambient temps.

Otterbox also offers a range of accessories for the Venture 45 to help you make the most of it. A pricey set of wheels ($249.99) will keep you from having to carry a heavy load. There’s also a side table, drybox and separator options you can tack on as additional purchases. The Venture 45 comes with a bottle opener and dry storage tray, so you do get some useful items without handing over more cash.

Buy Venture 45 Cooler on – $300

Miir Howler/Growler (32 or 64oz)

Most breweries (and bottle shops with draft) fill growlers, and a stainless steel option not only cuts down on waste, but it will also keep your beer cold for a while. My go-to is the Miir Howler. It’s a 32-ounce growler that’s double-wall vacuum-insulated to keep your cold liquids cold and your hot ones hot. I like the smaller size because it’s easier to carry, and I rarely have a need for 64 ounces of beer (in one container). In addition to having beer for a small get-together, this is super easy to take along to someone else’s house as needed. If you do need more capacity, Miir does makes a 64-ounce version for $49.

I’ve been using one of these for several months now, for both beer and as a water bottle for outdoor activities. It does a good job of keeping things cold for a few hours, and most importantly, it does so without a cooler or ice. Even during a day in the sun when temps were in the high 80s, the Howler retained ice and kept water cold enough to be effective at cooling me down.

Buy Miir Growlers on Amazon – $42.95+

MUSIC

At the very least, backyard entertainment must include some tunes. Sure, you could drag your indoor setup out on the deck, but there are plenty of options that are much more durable, and that don’t require risking your everyday gear. Plus, you won’t need to stay in WiFi range in order to keep the music going without a cable. And these are a lot more portable.

Denon Envaya Pocket

This Bluetooth speaker is small enough you can take it on nearly every outdoor adventure, even if you’re only headed out back. The Denon Envaya Pocket DSB-50BT is a solid alternative to the UE Boom series we also really like, and it has some similar features. Most notably, you can pair two of them together for stereo sound. The Envaya Pocket is also IP67-rated dust- and waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about breaking it when it meets the elements.

Denon promises up to 10 hours of battery life, which will last well after your guests have worn out their welcome. There’s a 3.5mm audio jack should you need it and on-board controls if you leave your phone elsewhere. A battery indicator lets you know about how much juice you have left and a built-in mic gives you access to Siri without having to reach for your iPhone. Sadly, you will still have to reach for the speaker.

Buy Denon Envaya Pocket on Amazon – $99

DemerBox DB2

There are rugged speakers, and then there’s the DemerBox DB2. This audio accessory looks like a Pelican protective case (and it even doubles as one too). Speaking of dry, the DB2 comes with a port plug that makes it fully waterproof. This means your phone, keys, wallet and more can stay safe when you’re at the pool or beach — in addition to any cookout when there’s a threat of rain.

The DB2 lasts over 40 hours between charges, which makes it a solid option for a weekend of camping, on top of being a great backyard companion. The speaker can blast tunes via Bluetooth or wired with a 3.5mm aux cable. And if you decide to store your phone inside, there’s a volume control on the outside so you don’t have to pop the DemerBox open to make an adjustment. You can also pair up to six of these together, if one isn’t loud enough (it probably is!).

Buy DemerBox – $279+

FUN & GAMES

Spending time in the backyard usually involves more than just food and drink. You’re going to need something to pass the time while the burgers cook or a post-dinner activity so you can properly relax. We’ve got you covered for both.

Spikeball Kit

Cornhole and ladder golf are fun, but it’s time to change it up. Spikeball is all the rage these days, and rightfully so. It’s great for the backyard and beyond, and it’s way more entertaining than tossing some bean bags. This standard kit is for 2-on-2 play, so it’s perfect for a small group or rotating teams at a larger gathering.

If you’re unfamiliar, in Spikeball, your team (pair, in this case) has three touches to return a serve or play by spiking the ball on the net. There’s no set position once the ball is served, so you can move around however you need to in order to keep things going. When the ball hits the rim or ground, bounces more than once or you fail to spike in three touches, the opposing team gets a point. What I like most about it is, kind of like volleyball, you can get as competitive or casual as you want. If you want to keep things chill you can, but if you want to go hard, you can certainly do that too.

Buy Spikeball on Amazon – $60

Epson Home Cinema 2100 projector

When the weather is nice after dark, an outdoor projector will help you enjoy being in the backyard without missing the big game or a good opportunity for a movie. Epson’s Home Cinema 2100 is well-equipped for just that, offering 2500 lumens of brightness and 1080p resolution. In fact, you can expect full HD resolution at a distance of up to 11 feet. That’s a 132-inch diagonal picture.

The projector has two HDMI ports for connecting whatever device you want to play or stream from, which includes a Chromecast, Roku or Apple TV (if you’re close enough to your router to get good WiFi signal). There is a built-in speaker, but you’ll probably want to use the stereo mini output to hook this up to something that will provide better (and louder) sound. And if you’d prefer to use a computer, there’s a VGA connection as well — projectors are also used for work, after all.

You’ll still need a screen or sheet to project onto, but this is the biggest piece of gear you’ll need for an outdoor cinema when the sun goes down.

Buy Epson Home Cinema 2100 on Amazon – $667

SET THE MOOD

The party doesn’t stop when the sun goes down, so you need a lighting solution that looks good but can also be controlled as part of your smart-home setup. Options for connected outdoor lights are lacking without a second piece of gear, but we’ve got the best options for something that looks good and won’t break the bank.

Brightown Edison String Lights

There are seemingly endless options for outdoor string lights, literally in all shapes and sizes. The Edison bulbs will likely work well in most backyards. They don’t look as cheap as some of the others, and they’re not crazy expensive. Brightown is a company I came across on Amazon, mostly due to the reviews. And while some items you find that way can be duds, these lights hold up well.

Buy Edison String Lights on Amazon – $44

TP-Link Kasa Outdoor Smart Plug

Connectivity isn’t a standard feature for outdoor string lights, so you’ll need some type of smart plug to do the job. TP-Link’s Kasa Outdoor Plug offers WiFi connectivity so you can control the ambiance without having to step outside and physically plug the things in. It has two outlets, both of which are IP64-rated against dust and water splashes — plus there are caps to keep them covered when not in use.

This Kasa plug works with Alexa, Google Assistant and Cortana, so you can control your outdoor lights with your voice as well. There’s a companion app from TP-Link too, which enables grouping with other smart devices and more. Of course, you can use this smart plug with other items besides string lights, which makes it a solid purchase for your backyard whether you need illumination or not.

Buy Kasa Smart Plug on Amazon – $33

The numbers in Traeger’s product names correspond to their cooking surface area. For example, the Pro 575 offers 575 square inches of grilling space. Keep that in mind as I run through the new models.These grills also offer temperature ranges that make them ideal for both slow-cooked barbecue and high-temperature searing. They use electricity to heat and burn the wood pellets, so they do require access to an outlet, or least an extension cord.

Traeger’s Pro Series has been the company’s option for a wood pellet grill large enough to cook a considerable amount of food while not completely emptying the savings account. You could call it the mid-range option — there are cheaper and smaller as well as pricier and larger options from Traeger. Two new models, the Pro 575 and Pro 780, still do just that, but the main addition here is WiFi. This means you’ll get the added benefit of remote control/monitoring and the ability to send recipes from the Traeger app.

The new Pro Series grills also have Traeger’s D2 Direct Drive that employs a new fan and auger to keep the smoke rolling. The auger can also be reversed if it encounters a pellet jam. Traeger says the D2 setup also helps grills get hotter faster (or TurboTemp), and these new Pro Series models will go up to 450 degrees. Perhaps the best part is the new Pro 575 and Pro 780 will remain at the current Pro Series pricing of $800 and $1,000 respectively. The existing non-WiFi Pro Series models, the Pro 34 and Pro 22, are now $750 and $650 respectively.

The Ironwood Series is an entirely new entry to Traeger’s lineup, and the mid-range option for these new WiFire-equipped models. The Ironwood 650 and Ironwood 885 have a pill-shaped design that’s similar to the Timberline Series. That construction enables so-called DownDraft Exhaust and TRU Convection features to help optimize cook times, according to Traeger. Those two items debuted on the Timberline as well, so it’s nice to see those features make their way to more affordable grills.

The Ironwood 650 with a front shelf that’s unfortunately not included

The Ironwood Series also offers the Super Smoke mode from the Timberline, an option that increases smoke production at the push of a button. And yes, you can switch it on from the Traeger mobile app. Ironwood grills also have a handy Keep Warm mode should you need it (also on the Timberline). D2 Direct Drive is here as well, and these two models can cook at temperatures between 165 and 500 degrees. Basically, the Ironwood Series offers much of what you’d get with the pricier Timberline, but with smaller grills at more affordable prices. The Ironwood 650 is $1,200 while the Ironwood 885 is $1,400.

Lastly, the Timberline Series that debuted in 2017 is back, but with some notable improvements. The sizes are still the same, the Timberline 850 and massive Timberline 1300, but both units now have that improved D2 Direct Drive the Pro and Ironwood Series also employ. The main addition here is a pellet-sensing feature that monitors the level of wood pellets in the hopper so you don’t have to worry about running out.

The Timberline 850

That’s typically not a problem unless you don’t fill the hopper before a cook or have something that takes much longer to finish (brisket, for example). However, as someone who has run out and had to deal with restarting the grill in the middle of cooking, this tool should save some headaches. The pellet-sensing tech will also keep track of levels in the app, so you can check your supply while you’re out shopping.

Like before, the Timberline Series also offers three removable grill grates to help you maximize the cooking space. These new Timberlines are more expensive than the first pair though: the Timberline 850 is $1,800 and the Timberline 1300 is $2,000.

Both the new Pro Series and the Ironwood models are available now. The new Timberline Series is up for preorder and ships in 4-6 weeks.

Even with the other updates, the WiFi connectivity is still the main attraction across Traeger’s line of new grills. The company isn’t the only one building grills than you can control or keep an eye on remotely though. For example, Green Mountain and Rec Tec both have WiFi-enabled models, and in some cases, the options from these two are more affordable than Traeger. I can’t speak to the quality as I haven’t used them, but just know you have options if you’re looking for a connected wood-pellet grill this spring.