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Key Features
- The simple grease drain management system draws all of your excess liquids into a bucket underneath
- EZ-Fold legs fold up and let you wheel the grill onto your tailgate for game day
- Features a Keep Warm Mode that ensures the food will still be hot coming off the grill
- Large capacity hopper allows you to hold up to 8 lbs of pellets at once
Traeger Tailgater: Convenient, Compact, and Full of Flavor
The Tailgater by Traeger offers the convenience and rich flavor of a wood burning pellet grill in a more compact size. With a smaller footprint and legs that fold flat, the Tailgater black 20-inch pellet grill is perfect for apartment balconies, tailgating, or anywhere else you want to bring the wood-fired flavor.
Designed for Portability, Built to Last
This grill is constructed of a powder coated steel and boasts 19,500 BTUs of cooking power. The 300 square inches of porcelain coated grilling surface produces excellent sear marks, while being easy to clean. Features EZ-Fold legs that offer maximum portability, letting you quickly place the grill in the bed of your truck, the back of your SUV, or the trunk of your car and be on your way.
Low and Slow or Searing Hot: This Traeger Does It All
The versatility of this pellet grill allows you to smoke at temperatures as low as 180 degrees and then crank it up to 450 degrees to sear to perfection. The Digital Arc Controller displays the temperature inside the grill on the bright orange LED panel and is monitored by a resistance temperature detector probe which keeps the preset temperature in 5-degree increments. Keep Warm Mode maintins the hot temperature of the food for when it comes off the grill.
Easy to Start, Safe to Use
Traeger grills feature an auto-start system that is simple and safe to use. The natural airflow inside of the grill allows for convection cooking, so you can bake a pizza right on your grill or slow smoke a large brisket. Turning and flipping different kinds of meat will be necessary at high temperatures.
Efficient Pellet Consumption
When you turn on the grill, the auger begins to feed pellets into the firepot while the draft induction fan feeds air into it. The igniter rod is activated and glows red hot for the first four minutes to ignite the pellets in the firepot. These cost-effective pellets burn at a rate of only 2 lbs per hour on high heat, 1 lb per hour on medium heat, and only 1/2 lb per hour when smoking.
Traeger Tailgater FAQ
Can you smoke with a Traeger Tailgater?
Yes, indeed! The Tailgater can maintain temperatures as low as 180 degrees, so low-and-slow is no problem.
Can you fit a brisket on a Tailgater?
The cooking grid dimensions are 20-in x 15-in, so all but the largest briskets should fit with no problem. Note that you do need to keep an inch or two free on each side to allow for air circulation.
Can you cook a steak on a Traeger Tailgater?
The Tailgater can cook as hot as 450 degrees, which is the sweet spot for grilling and searing a steak, so yes!
Does the Tailgater have WiFi?
The Tailgater doesn't have WiFi. It's meant for portable use, where there often isn't available WiFi. We recommend using a wireless Bluetooth meat thermometer if you feel the need to wander while your cook is ongoing.
Is the Traeger Tailgater electric?
The Tailgater does require a standard 120 volt AC current and has a 3-prong plug.
How long can you cook on a Tailgater without reloading the pellets?
The hopper has an 8 lb. capacity, so you should be able to go for 4 hours on high heat, 8 hours on medium heat, and about 16 hours when smoking.
Legal disclaimers and warnings
Product packaging, owners’ manuals, installation instructions, and/or operating instructions may include more information than what is shown on our website. The content on our site is intended to be used for reference purposes only. Please fully read all included manuals and documentation before installing or using this product. WARNING for California residents: this product may contain chemical(s) known to the state of California to cause birth defects, cancer, or other reproductive harm.
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Warranty
Refer to manufacturers manual for full warranty details.
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Customer Reviews
120 reviews
Des Moines, IA
Jan 27, 2021
Don't buy a Traeger I have a Bronson and a ranger and have major fires in both. The ranger I was down every time with dawn soap and still have problems with fires every once in a while. When talking to other people they are complaining of the same problem. Traeger has a problem and doesn't want to admit it. They told me I had a grease fire no kidding when it heats up and sizzles the grease off. Plug it back in it will go up over 500 degrees when set on smoke.
20 of 25 found this review helpful
Florida
Jan 13, 2021
Used this grill twice. The heat went over 500 degrees when it was set at 200. I went down stairs to set the grill in flames. I called service to ask what I could do. Talked to someone from India after a 45 minute wait. When I didn't praise their product, they promptly hung up on me.
3 of 4 found this review helpful
Montana
Nov 19, 2020
I have owned a Traeger since they were made in house (USA). Always have been impressed with the simplicity and the quality of Traeger grills........ until now. I decided to try out the new generation of these grills so I bought the tailgater. Putting it together was simple, however, upon starting the seasoning process I realized the fan and the hot tip were completely shot. Called Traeger and they were very helpful and said they would send me new parts. Instead I returned the unit and got my money back. These grills used to be so simple and fired up every time. Traeger has a quality control problem they need to address. Unfortunately I have decided to buy from a different manufacturer now.
25 of 29 found this review helpful
USA
Oct 25, 2020
First off the the food that has come off has been very good. The problem is that the pellets did/do not feed properly from the hopper (I've checked and double checked the install of the hopper to ensure it was mounted properly.). This has caused the fire to go out multiple times while cooking and resulted in babysitting the grill to ensure the pellets continued to feed. Even doing this did not prevent the issue as walking away for 15 minutes could result in the fire going out. The most recent time I used the grill the pellets again did not feed properly and the fire went out. Unfortunately; while trying to restart the grill too many pellets were feed into the fire box. This caused a fire inside the grill area which burned hot enough to bake off the black paint. The grill should be salvageable after cleaning and sandblasting the effected areas off paint and repainting with high heat paint.
7 of 8 found this review helpful
Fort Scott KS
Oct 17, 2020
I have read some reviews it says it doesn't hold temperature I am not experiencing that same thing. I have a brisket in right now set the temperature at 215 and it has been holding plus or minus 2Degrees. 3rd time using it and its held true every time. Love it
2 users found this review helpful
Long Beach, CA
Sep 27, 2020
So far so good. The meats we have grilled have been so deliciously smoked and perfect temp every time. We used to have a smoker that wood burning and just such a hassle to keep the temps low. This Traeger grill..you set the temp and forget it!! Best purchase we have made in 2020.
4 of 5 found this review helpful
Chandler, Arizona
Sep 21, 2020
Traeger always succeeds with making great grills. Only concern would be the legs, a bit cumbersome to fold up and down. But all things considered a great portable traeger.
1 user found this review unhelpful
Midland, Texas
Sep 19, 2020
Shuts off constantly in the middle of cooking regardless if it was just cleaned out. Worked for the first year great so I take it the components just wear down. Not worth the money.
7 users found this review helpful
Cumberland WI
Sep 12, 2020
I have had this grill for about 8 months now. I have owned a wide variety in pellet grills. I have two Scouts, which I struggled to maintain a temp with. If I just went to use those for grilling and baking, it would be fine but smoking I couldn't keep a good temp in colder outdoor temps However, this is a review on the tailgater, and for the price and portability there IS NOT a better grill than this one. I can set this on smoke while I am out hunting, or just simply away from the grill for 6 plus hours. You dont EVER have to worry about temperature fluctuations with this grill. Just set the temp, walk away and come home to 5 star food. I have BAKED anything from cinnamon rolls, corn bread, cakes, to smoking anything from fish, to wild wild game, beef, bison ect.. If you are going to read any reviews, dont let ANY negative reviews push you away. Like i said, this is the 5th pellet grill that I have added to my collection. I have a pit boss, 2 scouts, Pro Series 34, Pro Series 22. My father is a huge Bradley vertical smoker fan, I let him barrow this grill for the day to do a brisket. He had nothing but POSITIVE things to say about this. If I could change anything on this grill, my only improvement would be to make the hopper a little steeper to help with the occasional bridging in pellets, and adding a pellet drop out door for ease of changing pellets. I will say, I have NEVER in four years needed to order a single part of my Traegers. After cooking with mine, three of my family members went out and purchased them as well. BUT, for the price point this grill is, you cannot expect everything to be the way you want it! DO NOT HESITATE IN GETTING THIS GRILL.
22 users found this review helpful
Lake Elsinore, CA
Aug 22, 2020
We have had this smoker for about 2 years and have enjoyed every minute of it. Our thermostat has recently gone out, but I called the help line and they are having the new part shipped out right away. 5 stars for customer service too!!!
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Compare Similar Items
Current Item | ||||
Class | Entry-Level | Practical | Entry-Level | Practical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Size | Small (0 - 26") | Small (0 - 26") | Small (0 - 26") | Small (0 - 26") |
Primary Color | Black | Black | Black | Gray |
Made In USA | No | No | No | No |
Configuration | Portable | Portable | Portable | Portable |
Exterior Material | Powder Coated Steel | Powder Coated Steel | Powder Coated Steel | Powder Coated Steel |
Burger Count | 12 | 9 | 6 | 9 |
Fuel Type | Pellets | Pellets | Pellets | Pellets |
Collection | Portable | Prime 2.0 | Portable | Emberwood |
Hopper Capacity | 8 Pounds | 9 Pounds | 8 Pounds | 8 Pounds |
Quick Ship | Yes | No | -- | Yes |
Total Cooking Capacity | 300 Sq. Inches | 344 Sq. Inches | 184 Sq. Inches | 282 Sq. Inches |
Controller Type | Digital | SmartPhone App | Digital | Analog |
Max Temperature | 450 F | 550 F | 450 F | 500 F |
Cart Assembly | Some Assembly Required | Some Assembly Required | -- | -- |
Side Shelves | No | No | No | No |
WiFi/Bluetooth Enabled | None | WiFi & Bluetooth | None | None |
Cooking Grid Dimensions | 20 X 15" | 17 3/4 X 12 4/5" | 15 X 12" | 14 4/5 X 15" |
Side Burner | None | None | None | -- |
Grill Lights | None | None | None | None |
Spring Assisted Hood | No | No | No | No |
On Wheels | Yes | No | No | No |
Series | Tailgater | Trek | Ranger | 15" |
Cooking Grate Material | Porcelain Coated Steel | Stainless Steel | Porcelain Coated Steel | Cast Aluminum |
Commercial-Grade Multi-User | No | No | No | No |
Marine Grade | No | No | No | No |
Width | 37" | 34.25" | 21" | 26.7" |
Height | 36" | 24" | 13" | 15.7" |
Depth | 18" | 18" | 20" | 22.7" |
Weight | 60 lbs | 64 lbs | 60 lbs | 47 lbs |
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Once shipped, items usually arrive within 3-5 business days. While UPS and FedEx are our carriers for smaller items, be aware that larger items and orders are shipped via freight. The freight process is a bit more complicated than what we've all come to expect for small parcels, so it's important that you're prepared and understand what's required of you well before delivery day.
- Most freight products ship on a pallet
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Carriers that schedule delivery appointments require you to be home for delivery and provide your signature. The delivery is made with a semi-truck with lift gate services, and the shipment is dropped off at the curb. If you authorize the shipping company to leave the delivery without a signature, BBQGuys can't be held responsible for damages that occur during delivery. As complicated as this process may seem, we've only scratched the surface here — please review our detailed guide to freight delivery so there are no surprises when a freight shipment heads your way.
For carriers that deliver without an appointment:
Carriers that deliver without an appointment don't require you to be home or set up a delivery window, and you aren't required to sign for the pallet(s). Instead of scheduling an appointment, arranging your schedule to be home for the delivery, and signing to confirm receipt, you can sit back and let your items come to you. If you're home at the time of the drop-off, you can request the driver place your delivery in the garage; if you're out of the house, the driver will leave it near the garage or doorstep.
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