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The short answer
The Traeger Tailgater 20 is the best portable pellet grill for most people. It has about 300 square inches of cooking space, an 8 lb hopper and folding legs that collapse so it fits in a trunk, at about 60 pounds. If you want WiFi and the option to run off a 12V car outlet, the Green Mountain Grills Trek Prime 2.0 is the pick. For the lightest, cheapest option, the tabletop Pit Boss 150 weighs about 43 pounds and includes Pit Boss’s Flame Broiler for searing.
Our picks at a glance
| Pick | Model | Cooking area | Hopper | Weight | Best for | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Traeger Tailgater 20 | About 300 sq in | 8 lb | About 60 lb | Tailgates, camping, small patios | Check price |
| Best with WiFi + 12V | Green Mountain Trek Prime 2.0 | 344 sq in (226 main) | 9 lb | About 64 lb | RV and off-grid camping | Check price |
| Best lightweight | Pit Boss 150 | 256 sq in | 7 lb | About 43 lb | Car camping, budget | Check price |
| Best tabletop Traeger | Traeger Ranger | About 176–184 sq in | 8 lb | About 60 lb | RVs, boats, balconies | Check price |
| Best large portable | recteq Road Warrior 340 | 340 sq in main, 510 total | 14 lb | About 85 lb | Feeding a crowd away from home | Check price |
| Best capacity for the weight | Camp Chef Pursuit 20 | 501 sq in total (253 lower + 248 upper) | Check listing | Check listing | Two-rack cooks on the go | Check price |
Specs are from manufacturers, retailers and published reviews. Sources sometimes differ slightly on cooking area and weight. Check the current listing.
How we picked
We compared manufacturer and retailer specs, owner reviews and published reviews of portable pellet grills. Portability involves trade-offs: smaller hoppers, less cooking space and less insulation. We weighted real-world weight and carrying ease, cooking area for the weight, temperature control, hopper size, power options (12V matters for camping), and how well each grill handles wind and cold.
1. Traeger Tailgater 20 — Best overall
The Tailgater 20 is a full pellet grill on folding legs. It has about 300 square inches of cooking space, enough for a few racks of ribs, a pork butt or a dozen burgers, and an 8 lb hopper. The folding legs collapse so the grill fits in a trunk or truck bed. It weighs about 60 pounds. Smoke flavor and temperature control are classic Traeger.
Who it’s for: tailgaters, campers, and anyone with a small patio who wants full-size pellet cooking.
Good to know: reviewers say the folding legs are fiddly, and the small hopper needs topping up on long cooks. It needs 120V power, so plan for a generator or power station at a campsite.
Check the Traeger Tailgater 20 on Amazon
2. Green Mountain Grills Trek Prime 2.0 — Best with WiFi and 12V
Green Mountain Grills built the Trek (formerly the Davy Crockett) for camping. It runs on 12V DC power, so you can power it from a vehicle or battery as well as a standard outlet. Retailer specs list 344 square inches (226 main plus a 118 square inch upper rack), a 9 lb hopper, a 150–550°F range in 5-degree increments, and about 64 pounds. WiFi and Bluetooth through the GMG Prime 2.0 app let you monitor the cook from your campsite chair. Green Mountain offers a 3-year limited warranty.
Who it’s for: RV owners, overlanders and campers without reliable 120V hookups.
Good to know: the AC cord is included but some retailers note the DC power cord is not, so check the listing. Reviews mention occasional temperature swings.
Check the GMG Trek Prime 2.0 on Amazon
3. Pit Boss 150 — Best lightweight
The Pit Boss 150 is a tabletop pellet grill that weighs about 43 pounds, the lightest grill on this list. It has 256 square inches of cooking space, a 7 lb hopper and a 180–500°F range. Pit Boss’s Flame Broiler lever lets you open the diffuser for direct-flame searing, which most portable pellet grills cannot do.
Who it’s for: car campers, small households and anyone on a budget.
Good to know: it has no WiFi, and the small hopper limits unattended cooks. Place it on a stable, heat-safe surface.
Check the Pit Boss 150 on Amazon
4. Traeger Ranger — Best tabletop Traeger
The Ranger is Traeger’s briefcase-style tabletop grill. Retailers list about 176–184 square inches of grilling area, an 8 lb hopper and about 60 pounds. It comes with a cast iron griddle, a meat probe, a Keep Warm mode, and a latching lid for transport. It is compact enough for an RV, a boat or a small balcony where pellet grills are allowed.
Good to know: it is heavy for its small cooking area, and it has no WiFi or Bluetooth. The smaller cook chamber limits big cuts.
Check the Traeger Ranger on Amazon
5. recteq Road Warrior 340 — Best large portable
When you need to feed a crowd away from home, the Road Warrior is the biggest grill here. Retailer specs list 340 square inches on the main grate (19.5″ x 15″) plus a 170 square inch secondary rack, 510 in total, a 14 lb hopper, stainless exterior, folding legs, wheels and side shelves. Retailers list a maximum temperature of 700°F, high for a pellet grill. It weighs around 85 pounds.
Good to know: it is portable in the “fits in a truck bed” sense, not the “carry it to the beach” sense. Retailers list no WiFi on the current Road Warrior, so check the listing if app control matters.
Check the recteq Road Warrior 340 on Amazon
6. Camp Chef Pursuit 20 — Best capacity for the weight
The Pursuit 20 uses a two-tier design to pack 501 square inches of total rack space (253 lower plus 248 upper) into a portable grill on folding legs. Published reviews praise its build quality, PID temperature control, dual meat probes and Camp Chef’s Smoke Control setting, and say it heats quickly.
Good to know: reviewers noted minor issues with the controller and hopper connection. Check the current listing for weight and hopper size.
Check the Camp Chef Pursuit 20 on Amazon
Portable pellet grill buying checklist
- Weight and carrying: 40–65 pounds is typical. Check whether it has handles, wheels or folding legs, and whether one person can lift it into your vehicle.
- Power source: all pellet grills need electricity for the auger, fan and igniter. At campsites without hookups, choose a 12V-capable grill (GMG Trek) or bring a portable power station or inverter generator.
- Hopper: small hoppers (7–9 lb) need topping up on long cooks. Bring a sealed bucket of extra pellets.
- Cooking area: about 250–300 square inches feeds four to six people. Go larger for groups.
- Wind and cold: thin portable grills lose heat fast. Set up out of the wind and expect more pellet use in cold weather.
- Searing: most portable pellet grills top out around 450–500°F. The Pit Boss Flame Broiler and recteq’s higher max temperature help with steaks.
- Rules: check campground, stadium and park fire rules before you go. Some ban open flames during fire season.
Safety notes
Set the grill on a stable, level, non-combustible surface, away from tents, awnings and dry grass. Never use a pellet grill inside a tent, RV, garage or enclosed space because of carbon monoxide. Let it complete its shutdown cycle before packing it up, and transport it only once fully cool.
FAQ
What is the best portable pellet grill?
The Traeger Tailgater 20 is the best all-round portable pellet grill thanks to its roughly 300 square inches of cooking space, folding legs and Traeger temperature control. For WiFi and 12V power, choose the Green Mountain Grills Trek Prime 2.0.
Can a portable pellet grill run without electricity?
No. Pellet grills need power for the auger, fan and igniter. Some, like the Green Mountain Trek, run on 12V DC from a vehicle or battery. Others need a 120V outlet, a portable power station or an inverter generator.
How much does a portable pellet grill weigh?
Most weigh roughly 40–85 pounds. The Pit Boss 150 is about 43 pounds, the Traeger Tailgater and Ranger about 60 pounds, and the recteq Road Warrior 340 around 85 pounds.
Can you smoke a brisket on a portable pellet grill?
Yes, on larger portables like the Tailgater, Trek or Road Warrior, though a full packer brisket may need trimming to fit. Plan to refill the small hopper during a long cook.
Is a portable pellet grill good for a small patio?
Yes. A portable pellet grill like the Tailgater or Pit Boss 150 gives small-space owners real wood-fired smoking in a compact footprint. Check your HOA, lease and local fire rules first.