• Pellet storage

• Ash vacuum cleaner

• Grill cover

• Nice to have: Extended front tray

• Nice to have: Insulation Blanket

Pellet storage

You’re probably used to storing charcoal, or other types of fuel for your BBQ, so what makes storage pellet any different?

Keeping pellets dry is key. Once pellets start to take on moisture, they will swell up and expand, giving the potential to clog up your auger. Whilst there are tricks and tips you can utilise to clear your auger jam, it’s advisable that you don’t let it get that far! 

Traeger StayDRY pellet bins - £24

Introduced in 2021, these stackable pellet bins are the perfect way to keep your pellets in pristine condition. Simply empty the contents of your pellet bag into the bin, and close the lid for an air-tight seal. With provided labels, you’re able to identify the contents easily each time as well. 

YETI loadout bucket & lid - £39 + £29 lid

As with everything that YETI do, you’re getting a premium product that’s overengineered to cover for every use case. The loadout bucket fits 2 bags of 9kg pellets, and with the lid (sold separately) you’ll get an air-tight seal, protecting your pellets. Whilst the most expensive of all the options, the YETI loadout can also be used for a variety of other use cases when not storing pellets. 

Traeger pellet metal storage bucket - £15 + £18 lid

The traditional Traeger pellet metal storage bucket certainly provides the most authentic look! It holds an entire bag of pellets (9kg/20lbs) and gives you access to top up your hopper easily. Also with a lid & filter kit (sold separately: see below), you’re able to turn your metal bucket into a sealed unit that also separates any dust that may have gathered in your pellet bag.

Traeger lid & filter kit - £18

Whilst it was made to measure for the metal storage bucket (see above), the Traeger lid & filter turns any 4.5l bucket into a pellet storage system. The lid comes with a handy spout that enables you to refill quickly without any mess.

Ash Vacuum cleaner

Whilst not the sexiest of BBQ purchases, even a dedicated ash vacuum cleaner will be essential in the long-term maintenance of your pellet grill. 

The way the Traeger (and most other pellet systems) work is by utilising an auger to draw pellets from the hopper into a fire chamber. It’s here where a plate is heated up to burn the pellets to give you your desired temperatures. What’s left after the burn is a fine residue of ash from the pellets. Whilst similar to the way that burning charcoal and wood will give you a collection of ash, there is no way for the ash to escape within the sealed unit. This is also the #1 attributor for a fire to occur within your unit (alongside not doing a regular clean down of your grill!).

This means as a pellet grill owner, it’s a fact of life that you’ll have to remove your grates and drip tray to remove the ash every so often. You’ll also be tempted to use the home vacuum cleaner - but be wary, as the ash is rather fine, it can clog up your traditional home vacuum cleaners very quickly! 

Grill cover

If your BBQ is outside and has to face the elements, this is a must-have! Whilst the electronics are all protected inside of the unit giving you all-weather grilling, the cover will keep everything safe and dry whatever the weather. 

NICE TO HAVES

Extended front tray

Unless you’ve opted for the Timberline range, you’re limited to having only shelf space on the side and on top of the hopper. To utilise the additional real estate in front of your grill, you’re able to purchase an extended front tray that will fold away when not in use and fit snugly under your existing cover. 

Insulation blanket: Pro series

If you’ve opted for the pro series, it’s only got single-lined insulation (as opposed to the double walled insulation on the ironwood & timberline ranges). This means that to help you keep temps in the colder months, there is an insulation blanket that wraps around your unit to give you an additional layer of protection from the elements.