Wood pellets grills are a good addition to every house because they combine everything you love about a smoker and a standard grill. We will cross-reference Pit Boss vs Traeger grills and explain how they vary.
Traeger and Pit Boss are among the first companies to mass-produce wood pellet grills and are the most popular. Pellet grills are very versatile. You can smoke things like pork, chicken, sausage or sear a good steak.
Because they are so simple to use, these grills are ideal for big gatherings and everyday cooking. Consumers recognize the value of a good pellet grill and often compare the two most prominent brands in the market. In this article, we compare two of the most popular brand, the Pit Boss and Traeger brands. We will show you the main differences and their most popular grill series.
Which is better: Traeger or Pit Boss?
Trager and Pit Boss are leaders in the pellet grilling markets. This guide compares these two brands and reviews their top sellers. You will learn about each brand’s history and what makes them stand out.
You will discover which pellet grill brand is the best for you by the end of this guide so you can make confident shopping decisions when purchasing a pellet grill.
Based on our own research and personal experience with both Pit Boss and Traeger, we conclude that Trager is the better brand for a number of reasons. For starters, Traeger’s emphasis on invocation and quality puts them ahead of the competition. Traeger, for example, introduced the D2 controller with TruboTemp technology, which intelligently monitors the grill and adjusts temperature based on variables such as when the grill lid is opened. Traeger grills outperform the competitors in terms of quality.
Pit Boss, on the other hand, should not be overlooked. Pit Boss offers nice grills, but their quality and technology are not yet on pace with Traeger. Pit Boss, on the other hand, has been launching new barbecue models with improved technology and quality. Pit Boss also has a larger selection of low-cost grills.
When Comparing and Putting these two Grill Brands Head to Head
When comparing any product, but especially grills, we err on the side of caution. Why? To begin, there are pricing disparities to consider. Because not every grill manufacturer produces BBQ grills in the same price ranges, comparing a $500 grill to a $1200 grill is not fair.
Likewise, there are model year changes that must be considered. For example, comparing Traeger’s current models to Pit Boss’s 2000 models would not be a fair comparison. In this post, we will compare the most recent models of each brand to ensure that we look at their new improvements and features.
We focus our emphasis on these comparison areas
- Quality
- Technology features
- New Model Years Impormemnts
- Technology impormemnts
- Warranty and Customer Support
Continue reading to learn more about why and how we compared these two grill manufacturers.
Pit Boss vs Traeger Wood Pellet Grill – The Brands
In the next part of this article, we will dive deeper into the difference between these two brands or you can skip ahead in our breakdown of the most popular grills from each company.
Overview of Traeger Brand and History
Traeger Grills was founded n 1985 and licensed in 1986 after Joe Traeger developed his original concept after much experience building and selling wood pellet burning stoves. Patenting his new grill design created a monopoly for Traeger, who built a premium brand and dominated the pellet grill market for years.
When their patent expired in 2006, other BBQ grill manufacturers entered the market, sparking innovation and price competition. Traeger upholds its premium quality reputation and is known as the originals in the pellet grill industry.
Trager grills were Initially built in the USA but moved their manufacturing to China as the majority of other competitors. Traeger has become the best-known manufacturer of all pellet grills selling about $300 million worth of grills a year.
Traeger exploded in popularity in 2014 after Jeremy Andrus joined and relocated the business to Salt Lake County. The company is now headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is growing rapidly. [1]
The first Traeger grill was introduced in 1988. Today’s grills are much more sophisticated, including the most recent electronics, WiFi technology for an automated, more user-friendly experience.
Overview of the Pit Boss Brand and History
Pit Boss is a subsidiary of Dansons Ltd., established in 1999. The company is best known for a variety of inexpensive but high-quality pellet grills. The same company manufactures the famous Louisiana Grills and other popular grill brands and accessories.
Pit Boss grills are manufactured in China, but some of their products are also produced in the USA and Canada.
In a surprising twist of destiny, Joe Traeger joined the company in 2018 and was working on the brands Louisiana Grill and Pit Boss.
The company is headquartered in Alberta, Georgia, where Pit Boss continues to innovate and develop new grills.
Traeger Grills Series
Traeger recently refreshed its grill lineup and now uses a model number representing each new model’s cooking surface or square inches of cooking space.
For example, the Pro 700 includes 770 square inches of cooking space. This is the main difference from older Traeger models, where the model numbers correlate to the dimensions of the main rack.
Some retailers like Amazon are now stocking the older models and new models sold directly at Traeger.com. These days Traeger produces three main series of pellet grills and a few other popular models.
Traeger Pro Series ( $ )
The Traeger Pro Series is the company’s entry-level pellet grills. Like the rest of the models, the Pro Series Grill will feature WiFire and TurboTemp technologies plus the D2 controller technology.
Traeger Ironwood Series ( $$ )
The Traeger Ironwood Series includes extra insulation ( double sidewall ) to maximize heat retention and efficiency. The Ironwood 885 cooking area is 885 square inches. The series includes WiFire technology TurboTemp technology and two porcelain-coated steel grill grates.
We recommend the Grill for novices and expired grilles alike because of the Pro Series pellet level detection sensor. A feature and will put the beginner’s mind at ease.
Traeger Timberline Series ( $$$ )
The Timberline series is Traeger’s most expansive and top-of-the-line grills. The biggest grill in this series offers around 1300 square inches of cooking area. Enough space to cook four turkeys! Timberline’s hopper is one of the largest at a capacity of over 24-pounds of wood pellets.
These grills also feature stainless steel grates, a hidden grease pan, and a magnetized bamboo cooking board. In short, this is Traeger top of the line series, and you get all the bells and whistles, including WiFi.
Popular Traeger Wood Pellet Grills
Traeger Pellet Grills Pro Series 780
The Trager 780 is a crowd favorite and for many reasons. But primarily because it offers an amazing value for dollar. Very few grills come with this many features and modern technology.
The Pro 780 is WiFi-enabled and can be controlled using Alexa or with an app on your mobile phone. You can control every aspect of the grill and now the pellet level right from your phone.
The D2 controller is where this grill outperforms the competition. The D2 controller is smart. For example, when you open the grill lid or need to achieve temperatures fast, the controller can regulate a variable-speed fan and agitate the pellet fire less or more.
Trager’s Turbo temp technology is also a standout feature among BBQ wood Pellets. TurboTemp Technology reduces startup time and combined with the D2 controller; it can recover and get to set temperature faster than most pellet grills.
Traeger Ranger
Outdoor cooking is becoming increasingly popular, and the Traeger Ranger is one of the coolest portable pellet grills on the market. Not only is it small, light, and easy to carry, it is pretty capable and produces adequate heat for a grill this size.
Our portable grills guide gets into the details of this superb quality pellet grill.
Other Traeger products
TraegerTV is a YouTube page full of helpful videos and step-by-step instructions. The brand also offers lots own line of wood pellets, including pecan, mesquite, maple, hickory, and cider. The hickory smoke flavor is one of my favorite flavors.
Top Pit Boss Grills Series
Pit Boss also offers an extensive lineup of grill series and models. The Sportsman series is well known and very popular. The Sportsman series is packed with features, are affordable, and some even portable.
Pit Boss Sportsman Series ( $)
The Sportsman series offers grills in many sizes, is versatile, and are priced reasonably. The Sportsman series offer a grill for everyone, including a portable Pellet Grill that features folding legs and rolling wheels.
The biggest Pit Boss Sportsman has nearly 850 total square feet of cooking space and offers great options for cooking, grilling, smoking, roasting, baking, or braising.
Pit Boss Navigator Series ( $$ )
The Navigator series grills offer top-tier features and a large cooking surface. The biggest grill in the Navigator series offers upwards of 1100 square inches of cooking space and a 32 pound pellet hopper. Yes, this is a big boy.
Pit Boss MAHOGANY Series ( $$ )
The Mahogany series are top grills with elegant Mahogany metal accents but also offer a good array of features and storage. These grills are available in different sizes and hopper capacity.
Pit Boss Pro Series ( $$ )
Pit Boss recently introduced its Pro series and with it introduced new technology and build quality improvements. The first thing you will notice is a nice powder coat finish and sturdy grill legs and surfaces.
The Pit Boss Pro series comes with built-in wireless and is ready to connect to your mobile phone. Older Pit Boss models require the purchase of a separate WiFi controller.
Other Pit Boss products
Pit Boss also offers charcoal grills, griddles, grill grills, and vertical smokers. They sell everything a novice needs, as well as everything a professional would dream of owning.
Pit Boss also offers their own lineup of wood pellets flavors, including pecan and oak blends, maple blends, fruitwood blends mesquite, and their competition blend.
Popular Pit Boss Grills
Pit Boss Austin XL 1000 Sq. In. Pellet
The Pit Boss Austin is a big boy and offers good features such as meat probes and a lot of cooking space. You also get a nice side table and multiple cooking racks.
Pit Boss SPortsman 820
With their lightweight build and affordability, the Sportsman grills have become a popular choice.
Comparison of Pit Boss and Traeger
When comparing Traeger with Pit Boss, it’s important to focus on the quality, durability, and versatility of the grill. Both Trager and Pit Boss have their own distinct advantages and disadvantages, thus comparing the two is difficult. In this Traeger vs Pit Boss article, we focus on technology, features, and quality comparisons.
Pit Boss Vs Traeger – Main Differences Between The Two
Added features, Technology, bells and whistles – Edge Traeger
Most Pit Boss grills come standard with lower storage racks which is a plus in any grill. In comparison, Traeger focuses more on technology and features like meat probes with digital controllers and automation.
All new Traeger models feature the D2 direct drive controller with variable speed fans and augers. This is a giant leap in pellet grill technology and allows for very precise temperature control.
Traeger’s D2 technology with TruboTemp is a leading feature and gives the edge to Trager Pellet Grills in the features category.
Hopper size – Equal
The average size of a wood pellet bag is 20 pounds. The leverage pellet grill will burn roughly one pound of pellets per hour, meaning a 20 pound capacity hopper should power your grill for about 20 hours. Pellet smokers burn pellets at slower rates because they cook at lower temperatures.
Both Pit Boss and Traeger have grills with hopper sizes ranging in size and average of about 20 pounds. So in this category, both companies offer you about the same convenience, but keep in mind that pellets need to be stored in a proper pellet container and not in the hopper. Meaning, a 50 pound hopper might not do you any good.
Temperature Range ( Pit Boss for Searing – Traeger Wins in Temperature Control )
Most pellet grill brands build their grill’s fireboxes in a way that a cover or heat shield is covering the flames. This is great because indirect heat won’t touch and burn the meats but might make it difficult to sear a steak.
Pit Boss has overcome this problem by implementing a sliding panel at the center of the heat deflector found in most of its grills. This plate slides and lets flames heat the meat, just like in a charcoal grill allowing for direct flame grilling.
However, the Treagers D2 controller offers more accuracy in overall temperature control, which is also a plus. Both brands offer a wide temperature range from 180 to 500 degrees which is good for both grilling and smoking meats.
Build quality and construction – Edge Traeger
Traeger Grills are often found with powder-coated steel and stainless steel construction. Fit and finish seem better with Traeger overall in terms of stronger construction and better features. Some Pit Boss models are significantly better than others but lack the consistency of Traeger.
Traeger mid-range grills have double-wall insulation and the highest-level even further insulation to improve heat retention and temperature control.
Quality is an important factor, but it also adds to the cost of the grill. The better the materials, the better the quality, the higher the grill price will be.
Pit Boss has managed to find a good balance between quality and cost, but if quality is important to you, then Traeger pellet grills have a slight edge over Pit Boss.
Cooking Space – Equal
This is another area where both companies provide plenty of grill models, with various cooking spaces options.
If you want to use your wood pellet grill as a smoker, then make sure you get a large grill since smoking meats occupies space for long periods of time, making it hard to fit other foods like vegetables or side dishes.
Temperature control – Edge Trager
Traeger’s Pro series grills are more economical. They offer less heat insulation than the Ironwood and Timberline series, which has double-wall side insulation for improved superior heat retention in colder conditions.
Pit Boss has done a great job at insulating their grills and smokers, including adding gaskets to their smoker doors. Yet Trager has an edge here because of the combination doubled-walled grills with the accuracy of the D2 drive system, and the results are kitchen oven-like temperature accuracy and control.
Both Traeger and Pit Boss offer well-insulated smokers with sophisticated digital controllers that provide good steady temperatures in most weather conditions.
Extra features and Product Options – Edge Treager
Both companies offer mobile phone apps to monitor and control their grills. Traeger’s app can control the different Smoke Modes, the Turbo Temp feature, and has a low pellet alert.
Comparing Pit Boss tech features to Traegers is a bit difficult because, at times is not comparing apples to apples. But Trager grills include more advanced tech features and a comprehensive mobile app. I mean, Traeger grills can connect to Alexa!
Still, Pit Boss offers the basic features you would expect in a mobile app.
Other brands to consider
We published a comprehensive guide on the top performing pellet grills and smokers and these brands are listed in our in-depth guide to the top pellet grills and smokers.
Z Grills
There are several pellet grills on the market, as well as a few newcomers. A number of pellet smoker and wood pellet grill manufacturers, such as Z Grills, have been hard at work building great grills.
As a result, Z grills are an ideal middle ground wood pellet grill, combining the quality and technology of Trager with the price of Pit Boss.
Camp Chef
Camp Chef is a low-cost, high-quality pellet grill manufacturer. A lot of Camp Chef’s other grills and smokers reflect its focus on building the best outdoor cooking equipment.
Our overall winner Pit Boss vs Traeger
Cooking with wood pellet smokers or other pellet grills is just unattainable on a gas grill. By now, I’m sure you know that. If you are researching and looking for your first pellet grill, a Traeger will welcome you with open arms. Thanks to their innovative features, these grills are high-quality, long-lasting, and easy to use for everyone.
For those outdoor cooking enthusiasts with on a budget are not wanting to spend too much money on a grill, Pit Boss stands out for offering great value for money.
Pit Boss and Traeger are solid options, but our winner in this comparison article is Traeger.
Why? Temperature management is just as crucial as quality. Despite the addition of modern technologies and gadgets, Trager has managed to maintain its grill’s excellence.
Cast iron grates, a large cooking surface area, and shiny tables are useless unless your grill can cook and cook well.
Which Pellet Grill Should you buy?
Traeger and Pit Boss manufacture the most popular pellet grills on the market today, but brands like Z Grills are moving up fast and sell amazing grills, including the very popular 700 series.
If you are looking for the best quality and top technology, then Traeger will deliver but if you are looking for the best value per dollar, Z Grill is a brand you should look into.
If you are in the market for an affordable pellet grill, Pit Boss offers many options. Pit Boss also offers good vertical pellet smokers, and Pit Boss makes a great portable grill too!
Is Traeger worth it the extra bucks?
Traeger quality, features, and performance are definitely with the extra bucks.
Traeger grills represent the Ultimate Outdoor cooking and provide a relatively effortless grilling experience. Traeger has made significant advancements in temperature management and now stands tall above the competition.
A Traeger grill vs. PIT BOSS comparison might seem subjective, but fresh research shows that Traeger offers greater quality and technology when put against other brands.
Top Traeger grills are constructed to last, have a vas variety of features, and are dependable.
A Pit Boss pellet grill vs Traeger side-by-side picture will reveal many similarities, but the difference is clear in performance and quality.
One Last Word
When shopping for a new grill, your budget and cooking preferences should take precedence over any purchase decision. One thing is for certain: there is no doubt about it. Grilling with wood pellets is a great experience. You get the flavor of a wood-fired oven with the convenience of an oven in your kitchen.
Refrences:
[1] https://hbr.org/2019/03/traegers-ceo-on-cleaning-up-a-toxic-culture
