Traeger Grills vs Pit Boss Grills Comparison

Compared to traditional gas and charcoal grills, wood-pellet grills provide an entirely different flavor to your food. Slow cooking at low temperatures is a breeze with these appliances. You also may want to consider Pit Boss and Traeger wood-pellet smokers if you want to try out a new grilling method with your backyard barbecue.

Traeger and Pit Boss are two popular brands you may want to consider if you want to experience the rich, smokey flavor that pellet grills provide. Here is a comparison we put together after comparing features and reading user reviews for Traeger and Pit Boss pellet grills. In order to help you select the best product for your needs, we’ve compared some of the best-selling products from each brand.

History of Traeger

The first pellet-burning stoves were introduced to the public in the early 1980s by Joe Traeger and Jerry Whitfield. In the course of experimenting with wood-burning stoves, Joe Traeger became inspired to develop his concept. A pellet grill was developed by him in 1985, and he patented it in 1986. In their first grills, Traeger used a three-position temperature controller that users could adjust between low, medium, and high temperatures.

Traeger has been the only pellet grill manufacturer for twenty years. His family continued to run a small business that distributed pellet grills to several stores. Traeger’s pellet grill patent expired in 2006, so other companies began manufacturing them. The technology created by Traeger was then copied by a great number of companies. A Florida company purchased Traeger Grills from Traeger and his son, Brian, in 2006.

It was many years before Traeger and his son was hired by Dansons, a company that was the owner of Pit Boss Grills and Louisiana Grills among other grill companies. With over 200 million pellet grills sold worldwide today, Traeger has remained one of the most popular pellet grill manufacturers in the world.

History of Pit Boss

The company was founded in 1999 as a subsidiary of Dansons Inc. As one of the first companies to compete with Traeger’s pellet grills, Pit Boss was also a pioneer in the industry. Our company is family-oriented and is dedicated to providing quality craftsmanship and grills that last a lifetime.

Furthermore, Pit Boss produces an enormous variety of pellet grills. There are now more than 20 pellet grills to choose from, including a pellet and gas grill combo to enhance grilling. It is often claimed by Pit Boss that their pellet grill products are more affordable than Traeger’s.

They continue to give something more to all their subscribers, which sets Pit Boss apart from the competition. Throughout their careers, they have strived for improvement. As if their fates were intertwined, Traeger and his son then sold Traeger Grills to another company in 2006 after which they joined Dansons in 2018.

List Traeger Grills

Traeger Grills Pro Series 575 Wood Pellet Grill

Whether you’re looking for a grill to serve a large family or a small party, the Traeger Pro 575 is the right choice. The pellet hopper holds 18 pounds of pellets and has 575 square inches of cooking surface. With this grill, you can serve up to 8 to 12 people hotdogs or hamburgers at once.

Temperatures can be adjusted in 5-degree increments, so you can exercise precise control over the grilling process. It’s possible to set the temperature range of the Pro to as high as 500 degrees with the D2 Drivetrain. Your smartphone can control the Traeger Pro’s settings from a distance thanks to WiFIRE Technology. It takes less time to cook brisket on the grill all day since it doesn’t need to be constantly tended while it slowly smokes.

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Traeger Grills Ranger Portable Wood Pellet Grill

When it comes to transporting your pellet grill, Traeger has got you covered. The cooking space on the Ranger is 176 square inches, and the pellet storage capacity is 8 pounds. There’s a latching lid that makes transportation easy, as well as a keep-warm mode to prevent food from freezing. The Ranger weighs 60 pounds, which is a bit heavier than other legless grills. However, its cast iron griddle contributes most to the weight.

This pellet grill also runs on electricity and must be plugged in, just like all of these other pellet grills. Therefore, it cannot take the place of a true camp stove. A Ranger Pellet Grill can however be used wherever there is an electrical outlet, giving you a great grilling experience wherever you are.

Traeger Grills Pro Series 780 Wood Pellet Grill

It can be an ideal solution for large parties if you are looking for a Traeger behemoth. You will never run out of cooking space with 780 square inches available. An auger is operated by a brushless DC motor using Traeger’s D2 Direct Drive system, which is at the heart of the Traeger Pro 780. By using a variable-speed motor, precise temperatures are maintained and auger blockages are avoided.

Additionally, this new generation of Traeger pellet grills features a PID controller with new functionality. A five-degree tolerance for temperature control can be maintained with finer granular control of your cooking temperatures, whether you’re going for a low smoke or a burning grill or sear.

There is also WiFi support on the Pro 780. By using the Traeger app during cooking, you can view the progress from a distance, eliminating the need to stay tethered to the grill. With the package, you get one meat probe and the app contains a number of recipes you can use.

Traeger Grills Tailgater 20 Portable Wood Pellet Grill

Traeger Tailgater employs excellent materials and craftsmanship without compromising on features or frills. There is no nonsense to this product, and it does what it’s advertised to do. It provides 300 square inches of cooking space and weighs only 62 pounds while offering 300 square inches of cooking space. The maximum temperature is 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Heavy-gauge steel construction ensures durability for years to come.

In the Traeger Tailgater, the updated controller features an LCD display and a host of granular controls to improve the user experience. This is different from the knob-style controls you are used to on most grills, but it is not too challenging to learn. Also included is support for the Traeger meat probe, which can be added directly to the programmable controller. Separately, you will have to purchase this accessory.

Pellets can be stored in the hopper for up to 8 pounds at a time. Despite their porcelain coating, the cooking grates are easy to clean and provide excellent heat transfer. Additionally, the ash collection system is robust and only needs to be cleaned every so often. The instructions provided make setting it up relatively straightforward. Overall, this is an outstanding product that is truly portable.

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List Pit Boss Grills

Pit Boss 700 Square Inches Pellet Grill

As a top-selling grill, the Pit Boss 700FB is no longer available as Pit Boss has introduced the Sportsman and Navigator ranges. With 700 square inches of cooking surface, the Pit Boss 700FB lives up to its name. You would have to spend double on the Traeger Pro 780 to get the same amount of space.

The 700FB does give up some features like WiFi connectivity, but the price difference alone makes it an extremely appealing buy for mid-sized to large pellet smokers. Despite this, this grill does provide plenty of options for cooking hot food. Besides its ability to hit 600°F, it’s also equipped with a flame broiler system that uses a slide-plate to get direct flame grilling.

Due to the standard digital controller, you can expect a little more fluctuation in temperature. Sportsman’s control unit does not have a side or front shelf, and there is no side shelf. Besides that, the features of this grill are similar to the ones we covered in the Pit Boss review.

Pit Boss Austin XL 1000 sq. in. Pellet Grill

With a copper-colored cooking chamber lid, hopper lid, and chimney cap, the Austin XL grill looks sharp. A rugged, sturdy cart with four wheels lets you move easily, and two large roller blade-style wheels ensure smooth movement. A more robust digital controller is attached to the large hopper than Pit Boss offers on the lower-end models.

You get two probes in the box, and there are two ports for meat probes. Simple dials for preset temperatures are maintained, including an optional Smoke setting for intense smoking at low temperatures. Another feature that makes Pit Boss grills stand out is their sear zone. To grill directly over the flames, just slide the panel into the middle of the heat deflector.

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Pit Boss 5-Series Vertical Pellet Smoker

The number of companies offering vertical pellet smokers is limited. There may be something cool about the old-school drum-shaped design that appeals to people. The vertical design allows you to fit a lot more cooking area in a smaller footprint, and we think that’s a shame. Pit Boss offers three series of vertical smokers: 3 series, 5 series, and 7 series.

A Traeger smoker is not really an alternative to the Pit Boss Vertical smokers. Featuring a prominent window door and a stylish copper color, each smoke is similar in design. Alternatively, these might be called Copperhead Pellet Smokers. Pit Boss 5 series provides 1,659 square inches of cooking space and a 40lb hopper, which is more than ample for most people.

This cooking space consists of five racks that can be adjusted according to your needs. You won’t have all 1659 square inches available if you are cooking something large such as a turkey or brisket. Unlike some pellet cookers, the huge hopper allows you to cook without refilling for up to 24 hours. It has been reported that some people have experienced problems with this smoker.

Pit Boss Portable Tailgate Grill

When you’re tailgating, RVing, camping, or just enjoying the outdoors, you’ll love having this portable grill with you. Due to its collapsing legs, it can either stand at full height or be folded down so that it can be used on the back of a truck. The weight of this item is still close to 90 pounds, despite its portability!

On this little grill, you’ll find many of the same features that come with Pit Boss’s big boys, including the ability to connect two meat probes to the digital thermostat. It’s important to note that the heat deflector is equipped with a sear zone in the middle.

But you do have to give up the cast iron grates to replace them with steel ones. Additionally, the hopper is just a small 5-pounder, so if you plan on smoking for a long time, be sure to have extra pellets on hand. Besides flame-broiling steaks and burgers, this unit can add a little smoke to chicken wings, ribs, or fish that’s been caught that day.

Grilling with Traeger or Pit Boss

Some pellet grills feature separate fireboxes for smoking meats, vegetables, and other ingredients that you can smoke simultaneously with your barbecue. Following is a breakdown of how Pit Boss and Traeger compare in each of these categories.

Construction and Quality

Every griller or interested person should make sure they keep an eye out for this category. Basically, the design of your pellet grill will influence how much time you’ll spend using it and how long it will last. The steel or stainless steel used in Pit Boss grills is 14 gauge, which is an excellent quality for pellet grills. Additionally, Pit Boss grills feature double walls.

The Traeger pellet grill, on the other hand, is often made of stainless steel and powder-coated steel. A double-sided wall and a full double wall are included in their grills for better heat retention. In comparison to Pit Boss, Traeger grills are much stronger and have better designs when it comes to the finish.

Temperature Range

There is little difference between Pit Boss and Traeger in terms of the temperature range. From both manufacturers, you can choose from girls with temperatures ranging from 165oF to 500oF. Because wood pellet grills don’t use direct heat, they reach hot enough for searing, but you can’t really sear – which is a disappointment for those who love searing.

A Traeger grill, however, allows users to vary the temperature within a five-degree range. Cooking at precisely the right temperature can be achieved with this. Pit Boss offers a solution for the slight disadvantage Traeger grills have when it comes to searing.

There is generally a sliding panel located at the center of a heat deflector from Pit Boss. Over the fire pot, you will find rows of slits when you open it. As the flames rise through the slits, users can sear their meat as much as their hearts desire. Pit Boss grills are not suitable for grilling at temperatures higher than 260oF. Depending on your preference, you will probably choose either precision or searing.

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Cooking Space

Users determine the type of cooking space they need based on their needs. It’s important to choose a pellet grill that best suits your lifestyle and to consider how often you will use it. With Pit Boss, you can choose from a variety of cooking spaces and sizes. Pit Boss has a range of grills ranging from 1,600 square inches to medium-sized family grills and even small portable grills.

In contrast, Traeger offers six different sizes of cooking space, such as their low-end mid-sized grill with a 1,300 square inch surface. A Traeger grill comes in three different models from three different series. There are different cooking surfaces available for each model. In terms of pellet grills, both companies can offer a variety of options. However, Pit Boss can offer their buyers a wider variety of options.

Hopper Size

The size of the pellet grill’s hopper should always be taken into account when choosing it. Considering that a typical wood pellet bag weighs about 20 pounds, you should choose a grill that can hold at least 20 pounds. Among the Traeger models, two have 18-pound hoppers, two have 20-pound hoppers, and the rest have 24-pound hoppers.

There is a disadvantage to the 18- and 24-pound hoppers since most people will have oddly sized pallet bags as a result. Pit Boss models, on the other hand, come with five-pound, 20-pound, 31-pound, and 55-pound hoppers. In my opinion, the 20-pound hopper is the best, whereas the 31-pound hopper will cover a bag and a half more or less.

Control System

All Traeger models have Wi-Fi connectivity and variable-speed fans with drive controllers. You can connect your griller to your personal Wi-Fi with the Wi-Fi feature, or what they call Wi-Fire. It is possible to use the app wherever you are to control your smoking completely. Although Pit Boss models come with a dial-in digital control with LED readout, they do not yet have WiFi.

Storage

In addition to adding storage, you can make your kitchen more spacious and easier to use. Both manufacturers offer pellet grills that have the right type of storage built in. Most Pit Boss grills include removable side shelves that can be removed. You can fold the front shelf on Traeger models, which is very useful, but you have to purchase it separately.

Cost

Price comparison is certainly an important factor that most homeowners often take into consideration. Regardless of the manufacturer that you choose, each model they offer will have a different price. Whether you’re on a budget or on a tight schedule, Pit Boss will have a model that’s right for you. We say Traeger is better if you prefer better construction and are ready to invest in a higher-end grill regardless of price.