The Ukiah Tailgater II is one of the most unique and fun outdoor products that I have been able to use. The Tailgater II is a Bluetooth speaker system equipped fire pit, with one catch, the flames beat to the music. Ukiah’s “Reactive Flame Technology” allows the propane fueled flames to beat along with the 100 watt sound system. An entertaining fire show that you and your guests will enjoy.
The Tailgater II weighs in at 34 lbs and came well packaged in a solid box. It is powder coated steel that comes in either black or burnt bronze. At 17” tall, the fire pit comes just a bit below my knees and is standard height for fire pits on the market. Assembly was simple, with the exception of installing the igniter battery, which still took less than one minute to complete.
The fire pit comes with a detachable hose that connects to your 20 lb propane tank. To charge the 30+ hours of sound, a charging cable is packaged, and a magnetic lid, cover, cover and tank cover are also included. The tabletop tank cover is oddly one of my favorite features. The tabletop makes that once annoying tank have a purpose, a useful, makeshift table.
I will admit, I am great with grills and fire pits, but I am not an audiophile. That being said, I love the sound. The Tailgater II has two marine grade speakers and a subwoofer. The speaker system has plenty of sound for its outdoor purpose and tested out right at 110 dB. Honestly, I do not set the volume over ½ to not bother my neighbors.
Bluetooth setup was a cake walk. If you have ever connected a Bluetooth device before, the process is exactly the same. I was able to connect the Tailgater II to my Pixel 7 in a matter of seconds. The fire pit reconnects to my phone whenever I turn it on in its vicinity. The Bluetooth range is rated up to 60 feet and I have had no connection issues personally.
Along with the sound, the flame is great. The pit has a dial that allows the flame to be adjusted from low to high. It also has a “Beat to Music” setting that drops the flame very low but will dance with the music to full flame. To get the full imagery of the dancing flames the “Beat to Music” setting is necessary. In comparison to a wood fire pit, the Tailgater II unsurprisingly puts off a bit more heat. Even when not using the “Beat to Music” setting, I rarely take the pit much higher than low heat.
The portability of the Tailgater II is one of its major benefits. The lightweight design, with two handles, and detachable hose make the fire pit simple to move. The magnetic lid also keeps anything from damaging the pit’s burners. The Tailgater II is easily moved from your home to the ballpark, camp site, or a summer BBQ.
In all, the Tailgater II has been one of the most fun products I’ve used. The speaker system is great indoors and out; I store the pit in my shop and use the sound system while working on BBQ’s and working out. The “Reactive Flame Technology” is not something you will find elsewhere and adds massive entertainment to a product that is not known for it. The Tailgater II is a conversation piece that can be appreciated and enjoyed by all ages. I have used mine on the porch with friends and family and have plans to bring it camping this summer and to next year’s Beaver Football tailgates.
Andrew Koster 