If you’re a heavy tailgater like me, you probably know the true value of a grill. Nothing is better than the sound of a sizzling grill, while having a couple of cold ones with your friends outside the stadium. But things can go south pretty fast if you don’t have a reliable grill, which is probably why you’re checking out a couple of Traeger Renegade Pro Grill reviews. 

After some extensive research, we feel this Traeger Renegade Pro Grill review will get you closer to a decision on whether this is the right grill for you. Unfortunately, not everything’s frosty about it, so you may want to read along carefully!

About Traeger Grills:

Company Highlights

• Company Name: Traeger Grills
• URL: Traegergrills.com
• Address: 1215 E Wilmington Ave, Salt Lake City, UT 84106, USA
• Founder: Joe Traeger

Joe Traeger developed the first Traeger pellet grill in 1985, having drawn inspiration from the invention of pellets as an alternative fuel source during the oil crisis of 1973. The company’s current CEO Jeremy Andrus acquired the company in 2014, and they are currently headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, US.

Traeger Renegade Pro Grill Features:

Feature Highlights

• Fuel Source: Wood pellets
• Cooking Capacity: 380 Square Inches
• Construction: Powder-Coated Steel
• Elevation: Stand Up
• Size & Weight: 39”L x 27”W x 50”H, 137lbs
• Assembly: Required

A grill’s features will tell you right off the bat whether or not it’s worth the investment. It’s actually not that hard to figure out a grill’s potential based on its features. So let’s take a closer look at what the Traeger Renegade Pro is made of:

Powder-Coated Stainless Steel Construction – The first thing you’ll notice about the grill is that it looks really strong. It should be, as it’s made of painted steel, apart from the stainless steel handle. Coated steel is also great for retaining heat, otherwise you’ll require a shitload of pellets to keep the grill lit.

Porcelain Ceramic Cooking Grates with warming rack – You’ll be cooking on ceramic steel grates, which are fairly easy to clean, durable and work great under extreme heat.

Precision Temperature Control – It’s nearly impossible to burn your food with this grill. There’s a digital heat controller system that attaches to the left side of the grill. You can switch from hot and fast to low and slow at the press of a button, and digitally control the heat using two probes and a knob. That’s nothing new with Traeger grills, although you may not achieve that level of cooking accuracy with most other pellet grills.

6-in-1 Barbecuing Capability – You can smoke briskets, bake buns, grill steaks, braise chicken, BBQ or roast some ribs – see where I’m going with this? There’s basically nothing you can’t do with this grill!

Other Notable Features:

• Drain tray
• Folding table sold separately
• Sawhorse Chassis for stability
• Side Lift Bar
• All-Terrain Wheels
• Electronic auto-start ignition
• Heat shield inside the cookbox

Traeger Renegade Pro Grill Cleaning & Maintenance:

There are all sorts of bad things that can happen if you don’t clean your grill. From rust buildup to grease fires, don’t start pointing fingers if you don’t regularly clean your grill. With the Traeger Renegade Pro, they recommend you clean the entire grill after every third use and the grates after every use. So to clean it, here’s what you do:

Exterior cleaning – Coated steel doesn’t require soap and water, a good scrub with a soft grill brush should do it. You can wipe off grease on the temperature control unit and handle with a cloth and stainless steel cleaner.

Interior Cleaning – To clean the interior, remove the grates first after the grill cools off. The grates are made of porcelain ceramic, so you can just wipe off grease and food residue with a paper towel. Next, remove the drip pan.

Hack: Cover the drip pan with aluminum foil prior to grilling, then peel the foil off and you’re left with a clean drain tray. In any case, the drip tray is all stainless steel, so soapy water, a scouring pad and grill brush should clean it.

In the cookbox, you should have pellet ash that you can just wipe away or maybe vacuum up, and you’re done!

Storage – The grill won’t rust easily if you keep it clean and dry. Always use a grill cover to protect any grill you own. This unit’s heavy-duty, all-weather cover is available on Amazon.com for around $50.

Traeger Renegade Pro Grill Portability:

So now for the big question, is the Traeger Renegade Pro tailgate-friendly? Well it weighs 137 pounds, so it’s definitely not the lightest grill you’ll find. But it has two wheels and a lifting handle, meaning it would be fairly easy to move around. Again, it’s not as huge as the Blackstone Griddle, but it’s bigger than average, measuring 39”L x 27”W x 50”H. That’s slightly larger than a normal kitchen oven.

But the silver lining to that size is you can roast two 20-pound turkeys or 30 burgers at once. The best way to use the grill while tailgating is to tear it apart and reassemble it onsite. I know, that sounds like a lot of work, but once it’s set up, you’re in for a treat!

Traeger Renegade Pro Grill Warranty:

Well, with the Traeger Renegade Pro you get 3 years limited warranty. Then again, warranty issues almost always never come up until they actually do. You don’t want to be left out in the cold when crap happens, right? I would recommend you buy the grill on Amazon.com where you get hassle free returns and reliable customer service.

Traeger Renegade Pro Grill Accessories:

Without any accessories, the Traeger Renegade Pro Grill is just a 60 pound furnace in the shape of a drum with something to cook on. The grill doesn’t come with any accessories, which to me is a bummer. But they do sell some after-market accessories like:

• Folding shelf
• Grill basket
• Rib rack
• Grease bucket
• Tongs and spatula
• Pellets

These accessories and flavor variations of the trademarked Traeger pellets are available on Amazon.com. So you can score great deals on them like discounts and free shipping with the 1-3 Day Amazon Prime Delivery.

Traeger Renegade Pro Grill Replacement Parts:

First, don’t buy a grill with no service parts, unless you really have to. You want to have options if something breaks. So, with the Traeger Renegade Pro Grill, you can replace the following.

• Digital Pro Controller
• Induction fan kit
• Cooking grate or sear station
• Auger Motor
• Fuse
• Power cord
• Temperature sensor

If you’re shopping online, you can get the digital controller, induction fan kit and cooking grates on Amazon.com for the best price and Free shipping if you’re a Prime member.

Traeger Renegade Pro Grill Cost:

Price is a huge factor when shopping for grills. You want the best price without compromising on things like quality, after-sales service, warranty and returns. Well, the Traeger Renegade Pro costs around $750 at the time of this review. If you’re comparing prices like I always do, Amazon.com would take the day, as you’re guaranteed FREE shipping if you’re a Prime member and there are always discounts and offers to take advantage of.

What Do We Like?​

The Traeger Renegade Pro Grill has a couple of “pleasure points” that really stood out while writing this review:

• You can cook almost anything on it – As mentioned earlier, you can accurately bake, BBQ, braise, roast or smoke with this grill. Try doing all that with a propane grill. Anyway, the Traeger Renegade is like having 6 grills in one in addition to the large cooking area, probably explaining the $750 price tag.

• Pellet grills produce tastier meals – If you’re moving on from a propane or electric grill, you’ll definitely love the taste and flavor of your meals henceforth. There are so many pellet flavors from Traeger, from Hickory to Winemaker, and my favorite, the Signature Blend. Best part is they’re available on Amazon, which makes it super convenient to buy them.

• Easy to clean and maintain – You don’t need to go out of your way to clean the Renegade Pro. The grates are non-stick and the body is all coated steel, meaning all you really need is a good grill brush and paper towel to clean the grill.

Traeger Renegade Pro Grill Complaints:

They say a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. So, if you’re planning on buying the Traeger Renegade Pro, perhaps you’re better off knowing a few of its drawbacks:

You need lots of pellets – So here’s the deal. Pellets are great, but you need tons of these, especially if you’re cooking in high heat. The Renegade Pro can top 450 degrees max, and pellets tend to burn off quickly. On one hand, a $20, 20lb bag of pellets provides around 12 hours of solid heat. On the other hand, a 20lb, $20 propane tank lasts for at least 18 hours. So it may cost more to run a pellet grill compared to a propane one.

Broken on arrival – A good number of customers say they got their grill with the control knob broken. Others say it broke during assembly. You could, of course, replace it but overall it seems this part is weak, based on most negative reviews about the grill.

Other Tailgating Grills to Consider:

If you’re still sitting on the fence about whether to buy this grill, you can check out these Traeger Renegade Pro Grill alternatives:

• Cuisinart CGG-888 Cooking Center – Almost same size but cheaper, uses propane
• Coleman RoadTrip LXE – Better heat control, lighter, more portable
• Weber Jumbo Joe – Round, charcoal-based table-top alternative

Should You Buy The Traeger Renegade Pro Grill?

Traeger grills are known for the cutting edge technology they use while making grills. Pellet grills are generally more expensive than charcoal and propane grills, but you’ll love the flavor in your food. But there’s a reason why 4 out of 5 people love the Traeger Renegade Pro Grill. It’s obviously strong and durable, multi-functional and ideal for precision grilling. I have mixed feelings about its portability, though. It does have wheels, but you can’t just throw it in the trunk without dismantling it, unless you have a truck. But all in all it’s an amazing grill well worth the money.

You can get it on Amazon.com where you’re guaranteed FREE shipping if you’re a Prime member, besides the other great deals and offers Amazon is known for.

What’s Hot

• Multi-functional
• Strong and durable
• Flavorful
• Easy to clean

What’s Not

• Weak control knob
• Expensive to run
• Not as portable

Well, that’s all from me about the Traeger Renegade Pro Grill. If you still have questions about the grill, you can find answers on the product’s Amazon page. Finally, we would love to hear from you if you have thoughts about this or any other grill you’ve had an experience with. So feel free to leave your two cents down below!

Chris