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If you've been circling the Traeger lineup looking for the "new" Costco Traeger, you've probably run into the Ridgeline XL and wondered what makes it different from everything else with a Traeger badge on it. Short answer: not much. The Ridgeline XL (model TFB78GVJ) is a Costco-exclusive version of the Traeger Pro 780 — same 780 sq in barrel body, same hopper, same controller — dressed up with a cover, a folding shelf, and black trim.
That's not necessarily a knock. Costco's return policy is generous, the bundle adds real value, and the Pro 780 platform is a proven cooker. But calling this a "new 2026 lineup" grill is marketing noise, and it's worth knowing exactly what you're buying before you load it into a cart. There's also a second point of confusion this review needs to clear up: the Redland XL is a completely different grill, not a regional name for the same one.
Traeger Ridgeline XL — Specs at a Glance
| Spec | Traeger Ridgeline XL (TFB78GVJ) |
|---|---|
| Total cooking area | 780 sq in |
| Hopper capacity | 18 lb, with clean-out for pellet swaps |
| Temperature range | 165–500°F (real-world ceiling closer to 450°F) |
| Controller | D2 Direct Drive with WiFIRE (2.4GHz only) |
| Power | 120V AC, 95 watts |
| Included with grill | Full-length cover, folding front shelf, 1 meat probe |
| Construction | Porcelain-coated steel grates, two tiers |
| Weight | ~145 lb |
| Dimensions | 49"W × 27"D × 55"H |
| Warranty | 7-year limited (component coverage varies) |
| Retailer | Costco exclusive — not sold on Amazon |
Quick verdict: The Ridgeline XL cooks exactly like a Traeger Pro 780, because it is one, with a cover and shelf thrown in as a Costco bundle. It's a solid, unremarkable mid-size pellet grill at a clearance-adjacent price — but the newer Woodridge platform gets you a bigger hopper, an easier cleanup system, and a longer warranty for a similar investment.
Traeger Ridgeline XL — Overview & First Impressions
The confusion around this grill starts with the name. "Ridgeline" sounds like it should sit somewhere in Traeger's current lineup next to Woodridge, Ironwood, and Timberline — like a genuinely new platform built for the 2026 catalog. It isn't. Traeger's actual new releases this year are the entry-level Westwood and Westwood XL grills, which launched in April 2026, and the Irontop 2-Burner and 4-Burner griddles that followed the same month. The Ridgeline XL predates all of that — it's been sitting at Costco since roughly early-to-mid 2025, quietly clearing Pro 780 inventory under a warehouse-exclusive name.
Unbox one and the family resemblance to the Pro 780 is immediate: the same barrel-shaped hood, the same two-tier grate layout, the same D2 controller housing. Costco's version adds black-accented handles and a grease bucket, plus two genuinely useful inclusions — a full-length cover and a folding front shelf, both of which are sold separately on the retail Pro 780. That's the entire differentiation.
Specs & What's in the Box
Inside the box: the grill body, two porcelain-coated steel cooking grates (780 sq in combined), one wired meat probe, the folding front shelf, and the fitted full-length cover. The 18 lb hopper includes a clean-out door so you can swap pellet flavors without burning through a full bag first — a small but genuinely handy feature carried over from the Pro 780.
The controller is Traeger's D2 Direct Drive system with WiFIRE connectivity, meaning you get app-based temperature monitoring and adjustment from a phone. One caveat worth flagging before you buy based on the app promise: WiFIRE pairs to 2.4GHz networks only. If your router only broadcasts a combined or 5GHz-steered SSID, you'll need to split bands or create a dedicated 2.4GHz network for the app to connect reliably.
Ignition is electric push-button auto-start — no manual lighting required. Power draw is modest at 95 watts on a standard 120V outlet, so there's no special electrical setup involved.
Build Quality & Durability
Because the Ridgeline XL shares its chassis with the Pro 780, its long-term durability profile is also shared — for better and worse. The porcelain-coated steel grates and 18-gauge body hold up fine under normal backyard use, and the D2 controller platform has years of field data behind it at this point.
That field data isn't spotless. Owners across the Pro 780/D2 controller generation report a recurring cluster of issues: igniter error codes, display panel failures, temperatures that drift below the setpoint on cold or windy days, and paint peeling at the lid and firebox after repeated high-heat cooks — cosmetic damage that Traeger typically doesn't cover under warranty. None of this is unique to the Ridgeline XL; it's the same failure pattern documented across Pro 780 units sold at retail.
On warranty specifically: Traeger advertises 7 years on the Ridgeline XL, which sounds generous next to the standard 3-year coverage on most Pro-series grills. In practice, that headline figure typically applies to the main body and legs, while electrical components — controller, igniter, auger motor — carry much shorter coverage, often just 1 year. Read the fine print before treating "7-year warranty" as a blanket promise.
Performance — What It's Actually Like to Cook On
The 165–500°F range on paper matches most mid-size Traegers, but real-world testing on the Pro 780 chassis consistently tops out closer to 450°F rather than the full 500°F — worth knowing if you're planning on high-heat searing rather than low-and-slow smoking. TurboTemp helps recovery speed after opening the lid, which matters more on a barrel-style single-wall grill like this one than on the insulated Ironwood or Woodridge lines.
Two hardware limitations show up repeatedly in owner feedback. First, the 18 lb hopper is genuinely undersized relative to standard 20 lb pellet bags — you can't dump a full bag in without spillover, which is a small daily annoyance more than a functional flaw. Second, the grease bucket is an open, side-mounted design that's been flagged as an easy target for animals overnight, and the ash cleanout still requires a shop vac rather than the tool-free dump systems on newer Traeger platforms. Reports of uneven cooking — including one account of a tri-tip cooking soft on top relative to the bottom — track with the barrel body's known convection limitations versus insulated double-wall designs.
None of this makes the Ridgeline XL a bad cooker. It smokes ribs, roasts chicken, and holds a steady low temperature the way any Pro-class Traeger does. It just isn't doing anything the Pro 780 hasn't already done for years.
Ridgeline XL vs Pro 780 vs Woodridge — Which Is Actually the Better Buy
This is the question that matters more than any spec sheet: is the Costco bundle actually the smart move, or are you paying for a badge?
| Grill | Cooking area | Hopper | Warranty | Key advantage | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgeline XL (TFB78GVJ) | 780 sq in | 18 lb | 7-yr (components vary) | Bundled cover + shelf, clearance-adjacent pricing | Costco only |
| Pro 780 (TFB78GLE) | 780 sq in | 18 lb | 3-yr | Identical cooking performance, no bundle markup avoidance needed | Check on Amazon |
| Woodridge (TFB86MLH) | 860 sq in | 24 lb w/ full-bag clean-out | 10-yr | Larger hopper, EZ-Clean grease system, rear-vented smoke flow | Check on Amazon |
The honest read: the Ridgeline XL and the retail Pro 780 cook identically, so the only real question is whether the included cover and shelf are worth the Costco premium over buying a bare Pro 780 and adding those accessories separately — often close to a wash. The Woodridge, meanwhile, is a newer platform sitting in roughly the same price bracket with a genuinely larger hopper that fits a full 20 lb bag, a closed EZ-Clean grease and ash system that skips the shop-vac routine, and a 10-year warranty against the Ridgeline's 7. If you're choosing between the two for similar money, Woodridge is the stronger buy on hardware alone.
Traeger Redland XL — not the same grill. This is the mix-up worth settling once and for all: the Redland XL (model TFB89BVH) is a separate Costco-exclusive grill built on the larger, Ironwood-class body — 885 sq in of cooking space with Super Smoke mode, versus the Ridgeline XL's Pro-class 780 sq in and no Super Smoke. They share a retailer and a naming convention, nothing else. If you see "Redland XL" and "Ridgeline XL" listed at different prices at your local warehouse, that's not a typo or a regional variant — they're different grills at different tiers. The Redland XL runs in a higher price bracket, generally just under $1,000, reflecting the bigger cook chamber and extra smoke feature. Like the Ridgeline XL, it's not sold on Amazon.
If you want the step-up experience the Redland XL is chasing without the Costco-exclusive naming confusion, the retail-available Woodridge Pro (970 sq in, Super Smoke, pellet sensor) covers similar ground and sits in a comparable price bracket, typically just over $1,000.
Recommended Upgrades / Best Accessories
The Ridgeline XL already ships with its cover and front shelf, so skip those. What's actually worth adding:
- Drip tray liners (BAC520, 5-pack) — the Pro 780 body uses Traeger's "size C" aluminum liner, not the EZ-Clean keg system found on Woodridge and Ironwood grills. Swap every few cooks to cut down on the shop-vac ash cleanout.
- StayDRY Pellet Bin (BAC637) — a 22 lb airtight storage bin solves the "18 lb hopper can't fit a full 20 lb bag" problem by giving you somewhere sealed to store the overflow between cooks.
- GrillGrate Sear Station — the Pro 780's porcelain grates dissipate heat evenly, which is good for smoking and bad for searing. GrillGrate's hard-anodized panels concentrate heat at the surface for a real crust on steaks.
- MEATER Plus — because the D2 controller on this grill isn't a touchscreen unit, it won't pair with Traeger's newer wireless probes (those are built for the Ironwood/Timberline/Woodridge touchscreen ecosystem). A standalone Bluetooth probe like MEATER Plus works independently of the grill's own app.
Who Should Buy the Traeger Ridgeline XL?
Buy it if: you're a Costco member who wants a proven 780 sq in Traeger, values having the cover and shelf bundled in rather than bought separately, and you're comfortable knowing you're buying last-generation hardware at a clearance-adjacent price.
Skip it if: you're choosing between this and the Woodridge at similar money — the bigger hopper, easier cleanup, and longer warranty make Woodridge the better hardware for a comparable outlay. Also skip it if you specifically want Super Smoke mode or more than 780 sq in of space; that's the Redland XL's territory, not this one's.
Perfect for: backyard cooks doing weekend ribs, chicken, and the occasional brisket who want app-based monitoring and don't need cutting-edge Traeger features.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is the Traeger Ridgeline XL the same as the Pro 780?
Yes, functionally. It shares the same 780 sq in cooking area, 18 lb hopper, and D2 WiFIRE controller as the Traeger Pro 780. The Costco-exclusive Ridgeline XL adds a bundled full-length cover, a folding front shelf, and black trim accents — extras that are sold separately for the retail Pro 780.
Q: Is the Traeger Redland XL the same grill as the Ridgeline XL?
No. They're separate models sold at the same retailer. The Redland XL is built on Traeger's larger, Ironwood-class body with 885 sq in of cooking space and Super Smoke mode. The Ridgeline XL is the smaller, Pro-class 780 sq in body without Super Smoke. They sit in different price brackets, with the Redland XL running higher.
Q: Can I buy the Traeger Ridgeline XL on Amazon?
No. It's a Costco-exclusive model and isn't listed on Amazon. If you want a functionally identical grill available through Amazon, the retail Traeger Pro 780 is the closest match.
Q: Is the Traeger Woodridge a better buy than the Ridgeline XL?
For similar money, generally yes on hardware. The Woodridge has a larger 24 lb hopper that fits a full pellet bag, an EZ-Clean grease and ash system that avoids shop-vac cleanup, and a 10-year warranty compared to the Ridgeline's 7-year (with shorter coverage on individual components).
Q: Does the 18 lb hopper fit a full 20 lb bag of pellets?
No. Owners consistently report that a full 20 lb bag overflows the 18 lb hopper. You'll either need to pour off the excess or store the overflow in a sealed bin like Traeger's StayDRY pellet container.
Q: Is the Ridgeline XL part of Traeger's new 2026 lineup?
No. Traeger's actual new releases in 2026 are the Westwood and Westwood XL grills (launched April 2026) and the Irontop griddle series. The Ridgeline XL has been available at Costco since roughly early-to-mid 2025 and is a rebadge of the existing Pro 780, not a new platform.
Conclusion & Final Verdict
Strip away the Costco-exclusive naming and the Traeger Ridgeline XL is a Pro 780 with a cover and shelf thrown in — a perfectly capable 780 sq in pellet grill, not a new flagship, and not a preview of where Traeger's lineup is headed in 2026. If you're a Costco shopper who values the bundled extras and the warehouse return policy as a safety net, it's a reasonable buy at its typical under-$800 clearance pricing. If you're cross-shopping on price alone, the newer Woodridge platform is the stronger hardware for similar money, and anyone specifically hunting for the bigger, Super-Smoke-equipped Costco option should be looking at the Redland XL, not this one.
For a wider view of where these models sit in Traeger's full catalog, see our Traeger brand guide, our breakdown of the Ironwood 885 vs Ironwood XL size question, and our Traeger vs Pit Boss comparison if you're still weighing brands before committing to a Costco run.
