Best Traeger Grills: 6 Models Compared

Our pick for the best Traeger grill is the Tailgater, a portable model with folding legs, 300 sq in of grate space, an 8 lb hopper, and a Smoke setting to 450°F, per Traeger. It is the pick for cooks who want real wood-pellet smoke at a tailgate, a campsite with power, or on a small balcony, and it sits in Traeger’s current lineup. It is also the smallest grill here, so if you regularly cook for a family or a crowd at home, start with the Woodridge, Woodridge Pro, or Woodridge Elite, or the insulated Ironwood 885, and use the table below to see what each one adds.

This is a comparison inside one brand. The question is not whether Traeger makes a capable pellet grill but which Traeger fits your cooking: a 62 lb Tailgater with legs that fold for the trunk, a Pro 22 with no app at all, three Woodridge models that share a 24 lb hopper, or the insulated Ironwood 885. Picking the best pellet grill inside one brand comes down to size, controls, and smoke features, so that is how we compare them. Specs come from Traeger’s product pages and owner’s manuals, or, where we say so, from the Amazon listing for that exact grill.

This guide is general product information, not repair or electrical safety advice. Follow the safety instructions in your product’s manual, supervise children, and contact the manufacturer or an authorized service center if a product sparks, overheats, or has a damaged cord.

Propane and charcoal grills are for outdoor use only (NFPA), and no grill should be used inside a home, garage or camper because of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning (CDC); for pellet and wood-fired models, follow your manual.

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Our Top Traeger Picks

• Best Overall (and Best Portable): Traeger Tailgater. The only model here with folding legs and the lightest at 62 lb, with a Digital Arc controller and Keep Warm Mode, per Traeger.
• Lightest App-Connected Pick: Traeger Woodridge. At 138 lb, the lightest of the four models with WiFIRE, and it keeps the same 24 lb hopper as the larger Woodridge models, per Traeger.
• Best for Big Batches: Traeger Woodridge Pro. 970 sq in, tied with the Elite for the most grate space here, plus Super Smoke and a pellet sensor, at 47 lb less than the Elite, per Traeger.
• Best for Searing and Side Dishes: Traeger Woodridge Elite. The only model in this guide with a side burner, and one of two with an insulated body, per Traeger.
• Best for Low-Temperature Smoking: Traeger Ironwood 885. Super Smoke usable from 165°F, against 185°F on the Woodridge Pro and Elite, per the owner’s manuals, plus an insulated dual-wall body.
• Best Without WiFi: Traeger Pro 22. The larger of the two models without app control: 572 sq in and an 18 lb hopper, against the Tailgater’s 300 sq in and 8 lb, per Traeger.

Traeger Models Compared

Read the table left to right as a buying checklist: where the model sits in Traeger’s lineup, how much food fits, how long a hopper lasts, whether you can run it from your phone, and how it handles low-and-slow smoke. “Not listed” means neither Traeger nor the listing gives that feature for that model.

How We Chose

We searched Amazon US for Traeger grills, Traeger pellet grills, and the Woodridge, Pro Series, Ironwood, and Tailgater names. Those searches return a lot of Traeger-branded items that are not grills, so we removed pellets, sauces, tongs, pellet storage bins, and other accessories. To stay in, a grill needed a new-condition offer on Amazon US, at least 30 owner ratings with an average of 4.0 or higher, and a US-market configuration. All six run on household current: Traeger lists 120V AC for the Ironwood 885, Pro 22, and Tailgater, and none of the six listings shows a 220 to 240 volt rating or a non-US plug.

We then read each model’s page on traeger.com and its owner’s manual, noted where Traeger places the model in its menus, and used the maker’s numbers wherever the listing disagreed. We also checked each model name against the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s recall database, and none of the six matched. Traeger’s two recalls there involve other products: the Scout and Ranger portable pellet grills (grease could leak from the drip tray, per CPSC) and the Flatrock flat top propane grills.

Best Overall goes to the highest-rated model among those with a large pool of owner ratings, and we do not give the same grill that title in more than one of our guides. The Pro 22 and the Ironwood 885 would otherwise qualify here, but each already holds Best Overall in another PelletSmokeLab guide, and the three Woodridge models do not yet have enough owner ratings on Amazon for this title. That passes it to the next qualifying model, the Tailgater, which makes this a small, portable winner. It suits a small household, a tailgate crew, or anyone short on space; if you regularly cook whole briskets, several racks of ribs, or for a crowd, the larger models below are the better fit, and each of their titles rests on a number you can check in the table. The list runs Best Overall first, then the three Woodridge models from smallest to largest, then the two Legacy Grills models. Each card shows a PelletSmokeLab Score, calculated with the published method on our How We Review page. Price, brand, and commission play no part in it.

The Six Traeger Models, One by One

Traeger Tailgater: Best Overall, and the one that travels

The Tailgater takes Best Overall here, and it is a small grill by design: it is for game days, campgrounds with power hookups, and apartment balconies where the lease allows a grill. Traeger’s Tailgater page lists 300 sq in, an 8 lb hopper, a Smoke setting to 450°F, a Digital Arc controller with Keep Warm Mode, one meat probe, 120V AC at 250 watts, legs that fold for travel, and 62 lb total weight. Traeger’s portable lineup page rates it for 2 chickens, 3 rib racks, or 12 burgers, which is enough for a small household or a tailgate group.

It still needs an outlet: the owner’s manual calls for a grounded outlet with GFCI protection. An 8 lb hopper also means more refills on a long smoke than any other model here. Choose another model if you camp off-grid, cook for more than a small household at home, want app control, or plan long smokes of large cuts: the base Woodridge gives you nearly three times the grate area (860 against 300 sq in) and three times the hopper, and the Woodridge Pro and Ironwood 885 add Super Smoke.

Traeger Woodridge: the entry to the current lineup

The base Woodridge suits a family that wants app control without buying the biggest grill in the lineup. Traeger’s Woodridge page puts 520 sq in on the lower rack and 340 sq in on the upper one (860 in total), with a 24 lb hopper, a top temperature of 500°F, WiFIRE, one wired probe plus support for Traeger’s Bluetooth meat thermometers, the EZ-Clean Grease and Ash Keg, and a 10-year limited warranty. At 138 lb it is 36 lb lighter than the Woodridge Pro, which matters if you roll the grill out of a garage each weekend.

What you give up is fine control at the grill. Traeger lists Super Smoke and the pellet sensor on the Pro and Elite, not here, and the base Woodridge owner’s manual says its Keep Warm mode is available only through the app. Choose another model if you want a smoke-boost button or a fuel gauge you can check from the couch.

Traeger Woodridge Pro: more room and a smoke button

The Woodridge Pro is the pick for cooks who regularly fill the grill for a crowd, say ribs on the lower rack and wings on the upper one for a graduation party. Its Traeger page lists 970 sq in, with a 585 sq in lower rack that gives you 65 sq in more on the main level than the base Woodridge. Traeger adds Super Smoke Mode, a digital pellet sensor that reports to the app, Keep Warm Mode, and a folding side shelf; the owner’s manual rates that shelf for 50 lb and allows Super Smoke only between 185°F and 225°F.

Two notes before you buy. First, the Amazon listing’s food-capacity claims (7 chickens, 9 rib racks, or 7 pork butts) do not match Traeger’s page (6 chickens, 8 rib racks, or 8 pork butts), so plan by square inches instead. Second, the Pro has no insulated body; Traeger reserves that for the Elite. Choose another model if your patio cannot take a grill that is 67 in wide by the listing’s measurement.

Traeger Woodridge Elite: a side burner beside the smoke

The Elite fits the cook who reverse-sears steaks, simmers a mop sauce, or fries potatoes while a pork butt smokes. Per the Woodridge Elite page, the Elite carries over everything on the Pro (970 sq in, the 24 lb hopper, Super Smoke, the pellet sensor, Keep Warm) and layers on grill body insulation, a closing cabinet, and a side burner. The Elite owner’s manual describes that burner as electric, with a glass top and LO, MED, and HI settings, powered through the grill; it shuts off on its own after 10 minutes if switched on but unused, and it stops heating if cookware is lifted off for more than 10 seconds.

All of that adds weight: 221 lb per Traeger, 47 lb more than the Pro. The manual also calls for a heavier extension cord than the base Woodridge, No. 16 AWG against No. 18, if you use one at all. Choose another model if you already own a gas side burner or griddle, or if the grill has to climb a step to reach the patio.

Traeger Ironwood 885: the lowest smoke settings, from an older line

Pick the Ironwood 885 if you want the lowest smoke settings in this group and one grill that covers overnight pork shoulder in January and weeknight chicken thighs at high heat. Per its Traeger product page, it combines insulated dual-wall construction, WiFIRE, a D2 controller you can set in 5°F increments, a pellet sensor in the hopper that warns you when fuel runs low, and a lower grate with two positions: closer to the fire for searing, farther from it for slow smoking. It is the only model here where Traeger prints a starting point as low as 165°F, and the owner’s manual limits Super Smoke to the 165°F to 225°F window. The hopper holds 20 lb, 4 lb less than any Woodridge.

The catch is its place in the lineup. On Traeger’s site, the 885 appears in the Legacy Grills menu, and its product description begins with “Our original Ironwood grills.” Nothing on the page says discontinued; availability may change. Warranty wording also differs by source: the 885 page FAQ mentions a 3-year warranty, while Traeger’s service page describes a 7-year limited warranty for some later Ironwood units, so confirm coverage with the seller and keep your receipt. Choose another model if you want the newest design, a 10-year warranty, or a grill under 175 lb.

Traeger Pro 22: no app, fewer things to learn

The Pro 22 is for the cook who wants to set a dial and walk away, not pair a phone. Per the Pro 22 page, it runs from a low Smoke setting to 450°F on 572 sq in over two grates, holds 18 lb of pellets, includes one meat probe, and draws 120V AC at 250 watts. Traeger states plainly that it is not equipped with WiFIRE. According to the Amazon listing, the low end is 180°F and the controller keeps the grill within 15 degrees of the set temperature in either direction.

It shares the Legacy Grills menu with the Ironwood 885. Its page calls it “the original Pro Series (Gen 1)” and adds “Only available at your local retailer.” Availability may change. Its 450°F ceiling is 50°F below the other full-size models here. Choose another model if you want app alerts, Super Smoke, or more searing headroom.

How to Choose a Traeger Grill

Portable or backyard

Start with where the grill lives. If it rides in a car, only the Tailgater makes sense; every other model here weighs over 100 lb by Traeger’s or the listing’s figures. If it stays on a patio, check width before anything else. The listing puts the Woodridge Pro and Elite at 67 in wide, the base Woodridge at 50 in, and the Ironwood 885 at 53 in. The Woodridge manuals ask for at least 20 in of clearance from combustibles such as railings and siding, and the Ironwood 885 and Pro 22 manuals ask for 18 in, so add that to every side you plan to back against a wall.

How many people you cook for

Grate area is the cleanest way to compare, because food-count claims differ between Traeger’s pages and the Amazon listings for some models. For one or two people, or a couple who cooks for friends now and then, the Tailgater’s 300 sq in covers dinner. For a family of four or five, the Pro 22 at 572 sq in is nearly double that, and the base Woodridge at 860 sq in goes further; the Woodridge manual describes that space as room for party-sized orders of T-bones or ribs with space left for side dishes. If you host often or batch-cook for the week, the Woodridge Pro and Elite at 970 sq in, or the Ironwood 885 at 885 sq in, are the sizes to look at. Look at the lower rack, too: the Pro and Elite give you 585 sq in on the main level, where large cuts sit.

App control or a simple controller

Four models have WiFIRE: the Ironwood 885 and all three Woodridge models. The app lets you change the set temperature and watch the probe from inside the house, and on the 885, Pro, and Elite it also reports pellet level. The Woodridge, Woodridge Pro, and Woodridge Elite manuals say the grill cannot connect to a 5 GHz network, so check that your router offers a 2.4 GHz band that reaches the patio. If you would rather not deal with an app at all, the Pro 22 and Tailgater use controls on the grill only.

Smoke features and cold weather

If you are shopping for the best Traeger smoker, the features that matter are Super Smoke and insulation. Super Smoke is limited to low temperatures on every model that has it (165°F to 225°F on the 885 to 185°F to 225°F on the Woodridge Pro and Elite, per the manuals), so it helps on ribs and pork shoulder, not on burgers. Traeger’s product-page FAQs explain why the low band matters: cooking in the 165°F to 225°F range gives more smoke flavor than cooking hotter. For winter cooks, Traeger says insulated construction locks in heat for consistency even in cold conditions, and it lists insulation only on the Ironwood 885 and the Woodridge Elite.

Legacy or current lineup

Traeger groups the Ironwood 885 and Pro 22 under Legacy Grills, while the Woodridge models and the Tailgater sit in its current menus. Neither page uses the word discontinued, yet availability may change, so choose a Woodridge if you want a model from Traeger’s current menus, which Traeger introduces as “all-new.” If you want the longest warranty in this group, Traeger lists a 10-year limited warranty for all three Woodridge models.

Budget without guessing at prices

We do not quote prices because they change too often to stay accurate. What we can tell you is what each step buys. Within the Woodridge Series, the Pro adds 110 sq in, Super Smoke, a pellet sensor, Keep Warm on the controller, and a side shelf; the Elite adds a side burner, insulation, and a cabinet on top of that. If you will not use those extras, the base Woodridge gives you the same hopper, the same WiFIRE, and the same 10-year warranty. Between the two non-WiFi models, the Pro 22 gives you nearly twice the grate area of the Tailgater (572 against 300 sq in) and more than twice the hopper.

Power at the grill

Every Traeger here plugs in. The manuals call for a grounded outlet with GFCI protection, and they name different extension cord gauges: No. 14 AWG for the Pro 22 and Tailgater, No. 18 for the base Woodridge and Woodridge Pro, and No. 16 for the Woodridge Elite. Plan the cord run before the grill arrives so you are not improvising on cook day.

Who Should Look Elsewhere

• You have no outdoor outlet. All six need 120V household power. A charcoal or propane grill avoids the cord.
• You mostly sear steaks. The Pro 22 and Tailgater top out at 450°F and the rest at 500°F, per Traeger. If high-heat searing is the main job, compare those ceilings with the gas grill or griddle you are considering.
• You want Traeger’s newest flagship lines. This guide covers six Traeger grills that met our criteria on Amazon US; the current Ironwood, Ironwood XL, and Timberline lines are not part of this comparison.
• You want to compare brands. Every pick here is a Traeger, so if you are open to Pit Boss, Z Grills, or Camp Chef, judge them on the same points: grate area, hopper size, smoke mode, and app control.

FAQ

What is the best Traeger grill?

Of the six models we compared, the Tailgater earns Best Overall under our rules: it is in Traeger’s current lineup, folds for travel, and weighs 62 lb, per Traeger. It is a small grill, though. For a full-size backyard Traeger, the Woodridge Pro gives you 970 sq in and Super Smoke, and the Ironwood 885 adds insulation and the lowest Super Smoke setting here.

What is the best Traeger smoker?

Every Traeger here smokes, but the models built around low-and-slow cooking are the ones with Super Smoke and insulation. The Ironwood 885 and Woodridge Elite have both, per Traeger; the Woodridge Pro has Super Smoke without insulation.

Which Traeger grills have WiFi?

In this guide, the Ironwood 885, Woodridge, Woodridge Pro, and Woodridge Elite have WiFIRE. Traeger says the Pro 22 and Tailgater are not equipped with WiFIRE.

What is the best Traeger pellet grill for a small family?

For three or four people, the Pro 22 (572 sq in, no app) or the base Woodridge (860 sq in, WiFIRE) covers most meals. The Tailgater works for two people or for travel, but its 8 lb hopper needs more refills on long cooks.

Are Traeger’s Legacy Grills discontinued?

Neither the Ironwood 885 page nor the Pro 22 page we read uses the word discontinued. Both models sit in Traeger’s Legacy Grills menu, and the Pro 22 page adds a note that it is sold through local retailers. Availability may change, so confirm the listing shows the grill sold new before you order.

Final Thoughts

The Tailgater is our Best Overall Traeger for cooks who want wood-pellet smoke in a grill they can carry to a tailgate or fit on a small balcony. If the grill will live on a patio and feed a family, choose by the extras you will actually use: the base Woodridge for app control at the lowest weight, the Pro for space and Super Smoke, the Elite for the side burner and insulation, and the Ironwood 885 for the lowest smoke settings and an insulated body. The Pro 22 suits cooks who want a full-size grill with no app.

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