Traeger Ironwood 885 Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker, 885 Sq In, WiFi

Why it's worth it

885 square inches of pellet-fired cooking space, controlled from a phone anywhere with a signal, with Super Smoke mode for heavier smoke flavor. This is the milestone gift for someone who cooks outside constantly and doesn't own a pellet grill yet.

Picture the person who spends predawn hours crouched next to a smoker, nudging vents to hold a temperature. The Ironwood 885 replaces all of that with a dial and an app. It burns hardwood pellets, holds its setpoint with Traeger's D2 controller, and runs anywhere from 165 to 500°F. They set it and go back to bed.

The app is the part that actually changes their weekend. WiFIRE lets them watch grate and probe temperatures from anywhere and change the setpoint without walking outside. That sounds like a gimmick until you've spent a Saturday tethered to a firebox. Owners coming over from charcoal say the same thing repeatedly: they cook more often now, because a brisket no longer eats the entire day.

From our review of 7 gifts for grill masters and bbq lovers

What we like

• +Picture the person who spends predawn hours crouched next to a smoker, nudging vents to hold a temperature
• +The app is the part that actually changes their weekend
• +There's room here for a crowd
• +It's also a gift with presence

What to know

• –It asks a lot of the recipient before it earns its keep: an outdoor spot, a power outlet within reach, and somewhere to stash…
• –Pellet grills also run cooler than a hot charcoal fire