Ava AbbottTraeger Grills is a manufacturing company that develops wood pellet grills, wood pellets, sauces, spices, and grilling accessories. The company was founded in 1985 by Joe Traeger to produce and sell his iconic Traeger pellet grill. The founder patented his innovation in 1986 and sold its first commercial pellet grill in 1988.
In 2006, the Traeger family sold the company to a Florida venture capitalist for $12.4 million. Jeremy Andrus and Trilantic Capital Partners acquired Traeger Grills in 2014. The new owners moved Traeger Grills’ headquarters to Salt Lake City, Utah.
In 2021, Traeger Grills went public in a $424 million IPO. The grill specialist has 140 employees with about $770 million in revenue for fiscal 2021. [1]
Traeger’s wood pellet grills use all-natural hardwood fuel and motor-driven augers to regulate heat and infuse flavorful smoke into foods. Users can grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and barbecue on one cooking system.
The company dominated the market until its pellet grill patent expired in 2006. After acquiring Traeger, Jeremy Andrus focused on developing grills that create memorable and emotional experiences.
This component of Traeger’s brand can help the company fend off strong competitors, such as Char-Broil, Weber, and Camp Chef. [2]
Here is an in-depth analysis of top Traeger Grills’ competitors and alternatives:
1. Weber Inc.
Year founded: 1991
Headquarter: Palatine, Illinois
Weber is the world’s leading barbecue brand that offers grills, smokers, and accessories. The company went public in May 2021 and started trading on the NYSE a week after Traeger’s $424 million IPO.
Weber’s IPO raised about $250 million, less than half the intended $797 million at a valuation of $5 billion. But the company generated $963.3 million within six months in 2021, about $200 million more than Traeger’s annual revenue. [3]
The main competitive advantage for Weber over Traeger is its comprehensive product portfolio. Outdoor cooking enthusiasts can access Weber’s gas, electric, and charcoal barbecue grills across 78 countries.
In Oct 2021, Weber opened a 50,000-m2 manufacturing and distribution hub in Europe. The company also acquired June Life Inc. in 2021 to accelerate its development of Weber Connect™ technology. Weber is the most innovative Traeger competitor. [4]
2. Char-Broil, LLC
Year founded: 1948
Headquarter: Columbus, Georgia
Char-Broil is a private company that manufactures outdoor grilling products. The company offers charcoal, gas, and electric grills. It also sells smokers, parts, accessories, and grill cleaning solutions.
In 2021, Char-Broil had around 200 employees. The grill specialist serves customers in the US and generates $70 million annually.
Char-Broil is one of the oldest grill manufacturers, with over 70 years of experience in the sector. The company developed the first cast iron charcoal grill in the 1940s under W.C. Bradley Co.
In Dec 2021, Char-Broil introduced Char-Broil Cruise™ Gas Grill. This next-gen gas grill can set and maintain a cooking temperature from start to finish. Char-Broil is the top Traeger competitor across the board. [5]
3. Dansons Inc.
Year founded: 1999
Headquarter: Memphis, Tennessee
Dansons Inc. owns and supplies Pit Boss Grills, Country Smokers, and Louisiana Grills. All three brands compete with Traeger in different segments across the pellet grill market. In 2021, Dansons had 160 employees and made around $58 million in revenue.
Dansons and Traeger have a long-standing rivalry. In 2018, Joe Traeger and his son Brian joined Dansons to work on the Pit Boss and Louisiana grill brands. The family had sold their names and likenesses in 2006 along with Traeger Grills’ assets.
In July 2019, Traeger Pellet Grills sued Joe and Brian after Dansons used their photos for marketing purposes. Pit Boss manufactures affordable pellet grills, including the Classic 700 and Austin XL 1000. But the company also offers next-gen grills like Platinum Lockhart and Platinum KC Combo. Dansons’ Louisiana Pellet Smokers also compete against Traeger’s products. With these two brands, Dansons can challenge Traeger Grills across the board. [6]
4. Camp Chef
Year founded: 1990
Headquarter: Cache Valley, Utah
Camp Chef is an industry-leading grill manufacturer, operating under Vista’s Outdoor Products division. The company produces high-quality pellet grills that provide cooking efficiency in almost any outdoor environment.
With $38 million in revenue, Camp Chef still has a long to catch up to Traeger Grills. The company has around 50 employees, about half of Traeger’s workforce.
Both Camp Chef and Traeger offer different models of pellet grills. But Camp Chef also makes its flagship Woodwind series that combines advanced features of the top grills on the market.
Its wood pellet smokers, such as SmokePro PG24MZG, use a patented ash clean-out system. This feature makes Camp Chef’s smokers easier to clean than other options.
In 2021, pellet grills from Traeger and Camp Chef were ranked the best-selling grills by Consumer Walk for Black Friday. Camp Chef is a worthy Traeger competitor and alternative. [7]
5. Recteq
Year founded: 2009
Headquarter: Evans, Georgia
Formerly Rec Tec, recteq manufactures pellet grills with aesthetically pleasing designs. All recteq pellet grills have Wi-Fi connectivity and PID controllers. The company has around 25 employees, with estimated annual revenue of $5 million.
Recteq offers three grill models: small RT-340, mid-sized RT-590, and large RT-700. The RT-340 comes with a two-year warranty, the RT-590 has four years warranty, and the RT-700 is covered for six years. In comparison, Traeger’s grills have a three-year coverage. So, RT-590 and RT-700 provide better coverage than Traeger.
In 2020, recteq embraced lifestyle branding. The company now provides recteq-branded hats, hoodies, license plates, beanies, and koozies. These products can transform customers into members of the recteq collective, increasing recteq’s competitive advantage over Traeger. [8]
6. Green Mountain Grills
Year founded: 2006
Headquarter: Reno, Nevada
Green Mountain Grills (GMG) produces pellet grills of different sizes. The company offers three models: portable Davy Crockett grill, mid-sized Daniel Boone grill, and large Jim Bowie grill. In 2021, GMG had 28 employees and generated around $5 million in revenue.
Both GMG and Traeger offer pellet grills. But Green Mountain grills have Wi-Fi connectivity, enabled using GMG’s server mode. GMG’s Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone, and Jim Bowie pellet grills have two product lines: Choice and Prime.
All Prime models and Daniel Boone Choice are Wi-Fi enabled. In 2021, Traeger and Green Mountain pellet grills were top-ranked in Retail Egg’s Black Friday Grill Deals. Green Mountain Grills is one of the top Traeger competitors in the pellet grills market. [9]
7. Z Grills
Year founded: 2017
Headquarter: Burlingame, California
Z Grills is a pellet smoker manufacturer operated by a Chinese company. The company helped build barbecue grills for Traeger and other companies for decades. In 2017, Z Grills launched its own line of grills after a successful crowdfunding campaign.
Z Grills manufactures pellet smokers in China and sells directly to US consumers via distribution centers in California. This approach reduces operational costs while guarantying product quality.
So, Z Grills customers get high-quality pellet smokers at a lower price than Traeger. Z Grills offers four pellet grill series: Basic, 600, 700, and 1000. They are similar to the Traeger Generation 1 Pro Series but cheaper. Z Grills provides affordable alternatives to Traeger grills. [10]
8. Memphis Grills
Year founded: 2009
Headquarter: Bloomington, Minnesota
Memphis Grills manufactures multi-purpose units that allow users to barbecue, smoke, and grill on one cooking system. The company offers two grill models, Pro and Elite Pellet Grills. Both compete with Traeger’s wood pellet barbecues and grills.
Memphis Grills’ Pro and Elite pellet barbecues are WiFi-enabled, like the latest Traeger models. Both feature dual hoppers and double-layered stainless steel, ideal for the backyard. But the Pro model has a smaller pellet hopper and cooking capacity than the Elite.
The Pro model offers 12 hours of uninterrupted cooking, while the Elite cooks for 24 hours and provides slow smoking for around 16 hours. Memphis Grills is one of the best Traeger alternatives for backyard barbecue, smoker, and grill. [11]
9. Yoder Smokers
Year founded: 2007
Headquarter: Hutchinson, Kansas
Yoder manufactures competition-grade, high-end smokers. All its smokers are American-made and come with extra headroom and customization options. Best of all, users can customize Yoder smokers with optional cooking grates, gauges, and shelves.
Yoder Smokers YS640S Pellet Grill competes with Traeger Timberline 850. Both are cutting-edge grills, Wi-Fi enabled, and high-end. But Yoder YS640S has several unique features, including the smokestack, Variable Displacement Damper, and digital temperature controller. Yoder YS640S is the best high-end alternative to Traeger Timberline 850. [12]
10. Grilla Grills
Year founded: 2012
Headquarter: Holland, Michigan
Grilla Grills is a family-owned grill company that sells directly to consumers. This approach cuts out the middle man, lowering the price of its products. Grilla Grills’ flagship product is the Silverbac, featuring double-walled steel insulation, stainless-steel grates, and 12-gauge lids.
Silverbac has three models: Pro, Alpha, and All-Terrain. Both Pro and Alpha have temperature controllers. And all three models come with a four-year limited warranty, while Traeger offers a three-year coverage.
They are high-quality and durable but cost less than Traeger grills. Overall, Grilla Grills is a cost-effective Traeger alternative. [13]
References & more information
- Traeger, Inc. (2021, Nov 15). Traeger Announces Third Quarter Fiscal 2021 Results. Business Wire
- Knox, D. (2021, Jan 5). How Traeger Grills Relaunched a 26-year-old Business. Forbes
- Singh, P. (2021, Aug 5). Weber CEO describes the new smart grill lineup as stock pops in market debut. CNBC
- Weber Inc (2021, Oct 7). Weber Opens its new European Manufacturing and Distribution Center. Business Wire
- Char-Broil, LLC (2021, Dec 7). Char-Broil Dials Up the Next Generation of Grilling with the Cruise™ Gas Grill. PRNewswire
- Clements, J. (2021, Oct 5). Pit Boss VS Traeger: Which Pellet Grill Should You Buy? Smoked BBQ Source
- Consumer Walk (2021, Nov 22). Traeger, Camp Chef, and More Ranked by Consumer Walk. Business Wire
- Cline, D. (2021, Aug 8). REC TEC Grills embraces ‘lifestyle’ branding. Augusta Chronicle
- Retail Egg (2021, Nov 23). Black Friday Grill Deals: Pit Boss, Green Mountain, and More Sales Researched by Retail Egg. Business Wire
- Wright, J. (2022, Jan 10). Z Grills Review: Which one is right for you? Food Fire Friends
- BBQ Everything (2021, Dec 3). Memphis Grill Review: Pro and Elite Pellet Barbecue. Burning Brisket
- Cooking Pros (2021, Jan 31). YS640 Yoder Review: Sturdy and Reliable Pellet Grill for Outdoor Kitchen. Outdoor Cooking Pros
- Clay, D. (2022, Feb 17). Grilla Grills Silverbac Review: Pictures, Guide, How-to. Barbecue FAQ
- Featured Image by Paul Hermann
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Kevin Johnson
Brianna Parker
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