How Often To Change Traeger Drip Tray Liners [Explained]

Traeger drip tray liners are helpful and make the grill cleanup workflow a breeze. It collects all the oil and grease and never let them reach the drip pan. Whenever you need, just put off the liner and clean the gunks inside of your grill. 

But the defect of Traeger drip tray liners is- they get melted at smoker’s high temperatures. As the liners from Traeger are expensive, most Traeger owners ask this question- how often to change Traeger drip tray liner?

They ask this question to figure out how many bucks they need to spend on the liner. 

Here in this article, we will provide the answer to your question. Also, we will break down why using a drip liner is not a wise decision. So, continue to read.

How Often To Change Traeger Drip Tray Liners?

Every Traeger grill owner changes the drip tray liners after almost every cook. They claim the Traeger drip tray liner melting at 450. Indeed, you need to replace the drip tray liners every five cooks or after a long and big cook. 

As the drip tray liners melt down at high temperatures, we suggest you use foil as a Traeger drip tray liner alternative. Foil is affordable, and you can change it with every other cook. 

Just get a heavy-duty roll from Costco or other reliable brands. Then, form it around the outside and transfer it to the inside of your grill. After every couple cooks or whenever it looks bad, change the foil.

Actually, it depends on what you cooked last time to replace the foil with a new one. 

However, you don’t need to put foil in the grill if you have a well-seasoned drip tray. Whenever the gunks form on the tray, take an old putty knife to scrape away the gunks. Or, you can crank up the heat if there is anything greasy on the drip tray. Then, brush the char off. 

Can You Use Foil Instead Of Traeger Liner?

Yes, you can use foil instead of Traeger drip tray liner. Indeed, it will be a better option to place foil on the drip tray instead of putting a Traeger liner. You can flatten the foil and wrap it around the edges and corners. And the best part is- foil is more affordable than Traeger liners. 

What you need to do is- just purchase heavy-duty aluminum foil from Costco. When you put the foil on, make sure you put 5/6 layers on at once. As a result, you can easily peel the used one off and get a new and fresh layer for the next 10/12 cooks. 

How Often To Replace Grill Drip Pan?

If you use a disposable drip pan, you should change it after every cook. On the other hand, you don’t need to replace the grill drip pan before 6 months of cooking if you wrap up the pan with foil or liners. 

When anything greasy forms, just crank up the heat to burn off every deposit inside your grill. Then, scrape away the char with a brush. Therefore, you should clean the interior of your grill before and after every cook. 

We recommend you cover the drip pan with aluminum foil to minimize the frequency of changing the grill drip pan. And change the pan when it looks really bad, and a lot of gunk forms on it. 

When it comes to Traeger drip pan replacement, follow the below steps to change the pan. 

  • Make sure you turn off your Traeger and unplug it from the electric outlet. Leave it for a few minutes to let it cool down. 
  • Open the lid, pull out the grill grate, and place it next to the grill.
  • Remove the mini bucket and take it next to the grill grate.
  • Now, remove the drip tray from the unit and replace it with a new one.
  • Finally, put everything back into your grill to finish the workflow. 

How Do I Stop My Traeger Dripping Pan From Rusting?

The only way to stop your Traeger dripping pan from rusting is to maintain the pan properly. Take care of the pan as you treat your cast iron pan.

Before cooking, spray oil inside the pan. Then, season it properly. Finally, clean the dripping pan after finishing your cooking. It will keep your smoker and dripping pan from rusting. Here are some effective tips to clean the Traeger drip pan evenly.

  • Start with removing the grill grates and the cooking racks.
  • Use a putty knife or a scraper to brush away the grease or gunk.
  • Take a cloth to wipe away the dirt and grease deposits.
  • Rinse the drip pan with water.
  • Finally, leave it to air-dry. Once the pan gets dried, put it back into your grill. 

Conclusion

As the Traeger drip tray liner gets melted at 450, you need to change the liner after every cook or every five cooks. Also, you should replace the liner after every long and big cook.

We recommend you use foil instead of the liner as Traeger drip tray liner is expensive and doesn’t last long. Just wrap the drip pan with foil and start your cooking. Using foil to cover the pan will help you in the long run as they are affordable. 

On the other hand, you can go with the reusable drip tray liner if you make up your mind to put a liner on the drip tray. But still, the foil will be an efficient and affordable option. 

About William

William is the founder of Fireplacehubs.com. He has real life practical skills in fixing smoker & heating appliance issues. He loves to share his knowledge & helps others in fixing their appliances & saving their money. William firmly believes that anyone can repair his or her unit with the correct guidance & knowledge. See more at about us.

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