Traeger Ranger vs Traeger Tailgater
$479.99 for 176 sq in against $444.87 for 300. The Tailgater is bigger and cheaper; the Ranger is the one with a real warranty.
We pick the Traeger Tailgater Pellet Grill
The Tailgater gives you 124 more square inches for $35 less ($1.48 per square inch against $2.73), and that settles it for most buyers. Both top out at 450 F, both are pellet grills you can lift into a car. The Ranger is the smaller, denser package: 176 sq in, 16,000 BTU, 60 pounds, a cast iron griddle in the box, and three years covering the auger, fan and controller with no carve-outs. The Tailgater puts 300 sq in on an axle and two wheels at 62 pounds, and gives the fan, hot rod and auger motor one year.
What actually differs
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Nearly twice the grate, for less money
300 sq in against 176, at $444.87 against $479.99. Traeger says three rib racks fit the Tailgater; the Ranger is one small grate.
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The warranty inverts the price
The Tailgater headline is seven years, but the fan, hot rod and auger motor carry one, and those are the parts that actually stop a pellet grill. The Ranger covers those three for three years with no carve-outs, which is the better promise on the cheaper mechanism.
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A case against a cart
The Ranger is 21 inches across with two lid latches and a griddle included; the Tailgater folds to 18 inches high in five steps and rolls. One goes in a boot, the other goes to a tailgate.
How they score, category by category
The Traeger Ranger scores higher in 3 categories, the Traeger Tailgater in one. 2 are level.
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Heat Performance
Counts for 25% of the scoreTraeger Ranger 8.0Traeger Tailgater 8.0Level: within a tenth of each other.
Why the Traeger Ranger scores 8.016,000 BTU over one small grate smokes properly, but 450 F is roasting heat and the griddle exists to cover for it.
Why the Traeger Tailgater scores 8.0A barrel this size smokes properly across 300 sq in, but 450 F is the ceiling and no searing tool is included.
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Long-term Reliability
Counts for 20% of the scoreTraeger Ranger 7.5 Better by 1.0Traeger Tailgater 6.5Why the Traeger Ranger scores 7.5Three years covers the auger, fan and controller with no carve-outs, yet Traeger's own service page files this grill nowhere.
Why the Traeger Tailgater scores 6.5
Seven years on the body, one on the fan, hot rod and auger motor, which are the parts that stop a pellet grill.
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Build Quality
Counts for 18% of the scoreTraeger Ranger 9.0 Better by 1.0Traeger Tailgater 8.0Why the Traeger Ranger scores 9.060 lbs of steel, a cast iron griddle and two lid latches inside a case 21 in across.
Why the Traeger Tailgater scores 8.0
62 lbs of barrel on an axle and two wheels, though Traeger names no metal beyond the grate coating.
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Ease of Use
Counts for 15% of the scoreTraeger Ranger 9.0 Better by 2.0Traeger Tailgater 7.0Why the Traeger Ranger scores 9.0Three assembly steps and a screwdriver, six buttons, no network or firmware, though it must go cold before travelling.
Why the Traeger Tailgater scores 7.0
Five buttons and no network to join, against a buy page that links the wrong manual and a fold needing eight screws.
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Value
Counts for 12% of the scoreTraeger Ranger 7.0Traeger Tailgater 9.5 Better by 2.5Why the Traeger Tailgater scores 9.5$1.48 per square inch against $2.73 for the Ranger, and $35.11 less money than that smaller grill.
Why the Traeger Ranger scores 7.0
$479.99 buys 176 sq in and no connectivity, with Traeger's own Tailgater sitting $20 further up the same selector.
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Maintenance
Counts for 10% of the scoreTraeger Ranger 7.5Traeger Tailgater 7.5Level: within a tenth of each other.
Why the Traeger Ranger scores 7.5Everything lifts out in seconds, but the hopper has no release door and wet pellets will jam the auger.
Why the Traeger Tailgater scores 7.5Grate, tray and bucket all lift out, but the hopper cannot be emptied and ash is due every 20 hours.
See all six scores in one table
| Category | Traeger Ranger | Traeger Tailgater |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Performance (25%) | 8.0 | 8.0 |
| Long-term Reliability (20%) | 7.5 Better | 6.5 |
| Build Quality (18%) | 9.0 Better | 8.0 |
| Ease of Use (15%) | 9.0 Better | 7.0 |
| Value (12%) | 7.0 | 9.5 Better |
| Maintenance (10%) | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| Avid Griller Score | 8.1 | 7.7 |
Both reviews are scored on the same six weighted categories, on the same 0 to 10 scale, and each reason is the one that review gave. A category is marked better only where the two differ by a tenth or more. How we score →
Where the spec sheets differ
Quoted from each maker's own specifications, as each review records them. Figures the two products publish identically are left out, so only the differences are listed.
Which one is for you
You want the smallest hard case, a griddle in the box, and cover on the parts that fail.
Check price →You want the most cooking area per dollar in a portable Traeger, and 300 sq in over 176.
Check price →Every score and figure on this page comes from our own reviews of these two products, linked above. We have not tested them side by side in one place; the comparison is between two full reviews, each built from the maker's published specifications and documentation. Prices move, and the ones quoted are the ones each review checked on its own date.