Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I purchased my Traeger grill about 2 months ago based on a recommendation, and I would not recommend a Traeger grill to anyone due to quality control issues. The design of the grill is fine, but the poor quality of Chinese construction has made use of this grill an exercise in frustration. I think Traeger is trying to mass produce a grill at an affordable price by sacrificing quality, but there comes a point where the grill isn't worth buying regardless of cost. If it is always broken there's no sense in owning it. After owning the grill for three weeks one of the handles attached to the grill came loose. The attachments are concealed, so I contacted Traeger to make sure I would not void the warranty if I disassembled the grill and re-attached the handle. Traeger out-sourced its customer service department staff, and although the new support staff are friendly, they apparently know little about how the grill is assembled. It took three phone calls before I talked with someone who understood how the grill was assembled and who could tell me how to dis-assemble the grill as needed. With some effort I was able to tighten the handle. Two weeks later I started the grill, waited for it to pre-heat and put on the salmon steaks. When I checked on the grill 5 minutes later I found smoke billowing out of the pellet hopper - and the actual BBQ was cold. I turned off the grill and scooped smoldering pellets out of the hopper. The gasket that seals the hopper to the auger had come loose and was slowing being pulled into the auger that feeds the grill. This lack of an airtight seal caused a backdraft. To me this is a safety issue. The grill was / is not usable until Trager sends a new gasket. The replacement will require more disassembly. I've ordered the replacement gasket 4 times and have yet to receive it. The first time it wasn't shipped. The second time I was shipped the wrong part. The third time it was never shipped although I was told it would ship via overnight freight. The 4th time it was shipped regular mail although I was told it would be shipped overnight. I have yet to receive it. Traeger is obviously experiencing growing pains, and in the process is sacrificing quality control. Until these issues are all resolved I would not recommend this product, and would suggest that a potential buyer look at other more dependable products. The company's intentions seem to be good, but the outcome is not.