I got a call from my wife who was panicking. The Traeger temperature was going down and she didn’t know what to do. She had checked to make sure there were enough pellets, and it was full. Then she turned it off and turned it back on again, attempting to relight it, and that didn’t work. I hurried home and took things apart. The auger was turning, but no pellets were coming out. I took out all the pellets and when I got to the bottom, the hole leading to the auger was completely caked and clogged with sawdust. My Traeger pellets had turned to sawdust, and stopped feeding the fire.

Is The Sawdust in Wood Pellet Bags a Problem?

Every bag of pellets is going to have sawdust. Pellets get jostled, rub against each other, break down, and are just part of the process. The problem isn’t having sawdust get in the system. The problem is having too much sawdust in your pellet box, or having your pellets go bad.

Can Traeger Wood Pellets Turn to Sawdust?

Water or moisture can cause wood pellets to to bad and to turn to sawdust. Humidity can break down pellets slowly as well. If your pellets are more brittle and swollen, and not the firm pellets, they should be discarded and not used.

Additionally, you should run high quality wood pellets. The pellets that my wife had turn to sawdust were some cheap no name pellets I picked up from Walmart that I was experimenting with. I’ve never had a problem with Traeger brand pellets. You don’t have to buy Traeger brand, but if you’re buying cheap, no name pellets, you are more prone to have problems. The quality control just isn’t there.

What To Do if Your Traeger Pellets Turn to Sawdust

If your Traeger Pellets turn to sawdust, you need to get that sawdust out. Dispose of your pellets if they’ve gotten moisture in them. Whey I had the sawdust problem, my pellets were still good (well, as good as cheap pellets can be). I got a colander from the kitchen and separated out all the sawdust from the pellets. I threw away the sawdust, and put the pellets back into the Traeger.

What Pellets Are Least Likely to Turn to Sawdust

My default pellets, when I’m not running experiments, or trying to pair a specific wood with something I’m smoking, is the Traeger Signature blend. Honestly, the Traeger pellets are just quality pellets. They cost a bit more, but they burn better, and they hold their shape better. It’s a better constructed product, plain and simple. I’ve tried several other pellet types, and nobody comes close. If you’re looking for the best budget option, Sam’s Club has a good option, but Traeger’s is still better. Traeger’s cost a bit more, but they earn their money.

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