How Long Do Traeger Pellets Last?

Learn how long Traeger pellets last when used regularly, whether you can leave them in the hopper, and the right way to store them long term.

If you’ve recently purchased a Traeger pellet grill or are new to pellet grilling you may be wondering how long those pellets you got along with it will last you.

We are going to try and answer this question in 3 ways:

How long does a bag of Traeger Pellets last when you are grilling regularly?
Can you store Traeger pellets in the hopper?
What is the best way to store Traeger pellets?

Lets go!

How Long Does a Bag of Traeger Pellets Last?

How Much do Traeger Pellets Cost?

If you are wondering how long a bag of pellets will last, its probably because you are trying to figure out how much you will need to spend on pellets and how often, depending on how much grilling you do.

So it’s important to look at pricing for different pellets as well.

Traeger brand pellets generally come in 20 lb bags, and will run you about $19 at a local big box hardware store as of the time of this writing.

You can also find other off brand pellets, mainly online, that will work in your Traeger that are generally priced less per pound.

For instance, we are big fans of the Bear Mountain Brand, and you will generally find brands liek these to be significantly less expensive than the Traeger brand pellets.

Bear Mountain BBQ All-Natural Hardwood Smoky Gourmet Blend Pellets, 40 lbs

Check Price on Amazon

Just always make sure to check whatever brand you are buying is compatible with ALL pellet grills.

How Many Traeger Pellets are Burned per Hour?

Now that you know how much per pound the pellets will likely cost you, let’s take a look at how long those Traeger pellets will last when you are using them regularly.

A Traeger grill burns roughly 1-3 lbs of pellets per hour, depending on your temperature setting.

So estimate about 1 lb per hour for low and slow smoking, and 3 lbs per hour for hot and fast direct grilling.

So if you average that out to about 2 lbs per hour, a 20 lb bag will last roughly 10 hours, or cost about $2/hour if you are buying official Traeger brand pellets.

Compare that to the cost of a liquid propane tank or a bag of large bag of charcoal, and you quickly realize how expensive using pellets can be relatively speaking.

They ARE however, much more convenient with their “set it and forget it” temperature and smoke control technology.

Can I Leave Traeger Pellets in the Hopper?

Another common question people have is whether or not, and for how long, they can leave Traeger pellets in the hopper before they go bad.

While it would be very convenient to leave a large batch of pellets right in the hopper of your Traeger for whenever you feel like firing it up, its unfortunately not the best practice.

With your Traeger exposed to rain, snow, humidity, and fluctuating temperatures, the pellets you leave in the hopper will quickly soften and not burn as well.

If left in there long enough, they can even rot and mold, clog up the auger, and make a mess the next time you start the grill.

Pellets are best stored in a very dry, room temperature environment, such as a 5 gallon bucket with a sealable lid indoors.

Sealable Bucket, 5 GAL

Heavy-duty bucket and lid offer a variety of uses, both aquatic & non-aquatic
5 gallon capacity
Features a sturdy metal handle & plastic grip for carrying

Check Price on Amazon

This will maximize the life of your pellets by not exposing them to moisture like they can in the hopper of your Traeger outdoors day in and day out.

It is best practice to always empty your hopper after using ANY type of pellet grill, Traegers included. Otherwise the pellets left in the hopper can mold and rot and eventually clog up your auger and make a mess.

You should also “burn off” the remaining pellets left in the auger after emptying the jhopper.

Detailed instructions on how to do this can be found here.

How Long Does a Bag of Traeger Pellets Last when Stored?

If stored properly in a dry, sealed bucket indoors at room temperature, your Traeger pellets should last many months, if not years.

But if you smoke food as often as we do around here, they should never have to make it that long!

However, this brings up a good final point about storage:

Never store Traeger pellets in the bag they came in.

Even if stored indoors, there is more moisture in the air than you realize, and over time it can seep into the bag of pellets and ruin them.

This is especially true in the hot and wetter summer months when you may be opening and closing the bag frequently to add more pellets to your hopper or a pellet tube.

Wood pellets are basically compressed sawdust held together with a glue liek compound, so moisture is not their friend, even in small amounts.

Don’t expect an opened bag of Traeger pellets to last more than a few months without starting to soften if kept in a tight dry sealable bucket.