Traeger Tailgater 20 Review [An Affordable & Portable Wood Pellet Grill]

Portability is a common requirement in grills, even large outdoor models that will be mostly kept outdoors.

Apart from being able to move it out of the rain or direct sunlight for a comfortable grilling experience, you may also have to take it on a camping trip.

All in all, this model measures 36 x 37 x 18 inches. It's more than enough to provide a decently sized grilling area, but also to feel compact and easy to move.

It only weighs 62 pounds and features 2 wheels on one of the sides. You can just lift one side up a little and pull or push it around. It has a convenient handle to ensure a safe movement.

Furthermore, the grill comes with foldable legs. They carry the EZ Fold technology. In other words, you can also pack it, dump it in your car and take it on your camping trip.

Most users of this grill out there boasts on the unique aroma this model comes with. Simply put, it operates with wood pellets.

Unlike other similar models, it has an 18 pound hopper capacity. Once it's on, the grill will work for longer times than those units with narrow and compact hoppers. Fill the hopper, set the desired temperature and the Traeger grill will take care of everything else.

Wood is superior to charcoal and gas for a few different reasons. While all these options are efficient, gas will leave an unpleasant aroma over your food.

Charcoal is quite handy if you want a strong flavor, but it tends to smoke the meat too much. Wood simply tastes better due to the unique wood fired taste.

It's a natural earthy aroma that no other type of fuel can achieve. It's inexpensive, cooks the food evenly and doesn't release as much smoke as charcoal.

Versatility is often overlooked when hunting some Traeger reviews for more clues. After all, a grill is supposed to grill food only.

Well, this model goes a bit further than that and provides multiple cooking options based on the recipe or your preferences. You can cook food fast, slow, at low temperatures, high temperatures and so on.

In fact, the grill features 6 different cooking options for those who want to impress friends or change styles every once in a while.

Although grilling is the main function, you can also smoke, bake, braise, roast and barbecue food.

Each option comes with its own specifications in terms of results. The versatility of this grill allows you to try a series of different recipes and cooking styles.

While most people buy it for the actual grilling capacity, it becomes the main cooking appliance for many of them due to its versatility.

If you want to see more grill options, check out our article on the best grills for under 500.

The Tailgater model allows covering the food for extra protection, but it also features a few small things to make your life easier.

For example, the automatic shutdown process is based on a convection process. Once you're done cooking, the process will keep the induction fan running for 10 minutes extra.

Don't be surprised if you hear it running once you finish, as it will turn itself off soon. Its main role is to blow all the residual ash away from the fire pot for maintenance.

Whether you try to protect the environment or just keep your bills under control, the Tailgater model comes with a decreasing wattage requirement as you keep cooking.

It requires 300 watts of power during the first 4 minutes. The requirements are gradually reduced until you reach 50 watts only.

When using the grill on a camping trip, the lack of electricity will be an issue in setting temperatures. However, you can still rely on the high capacity grilling area by doing everything manually.

There are no doubts about it – while it's portable, this grill is not too lightweight. With 62 pounds of weight, you might need someone to help you folding legs and loading it into your car.

Pulling or pushing it around won't be so hard though. The extra weight can only mean one thing – quality. The grill exterior is made from 20 gauge still. It is durable and powder coated for a nicer appearance.

As for the grates, they're made from porcelain enamel steel. The cover is bronze coated for a more luxurious look.

There aren't too many small features as the grill is quite straightforward – you don't need any prior experience. However, there are a few things you can buy to make it better.

For example, Traeger also sells an add-on side tray. Its main role is to take sauce drippings when you put or take out food.

Although some manufacturers make this feature a default, the good news is it's not too expensive.