Traeger wins if you smoke low-and-slow regularly and want the most polished app experience — Super Smoke Mode, a tighter-holding D2 controller, and warranties up to 10 years justify the higher price. Pit Boss wins on value and versatility — bigger hoppers, direct-flame searing up to 1,000°F, and prices starting under $500 make it the pick for anyone who grills hot as often as they smoke. Both brands refreshed their lineups in 2026: Traeger launched the budget-friendly Westwood series in April, its cheapest WiFi-connected grill ever, while Pit Boss rolled out an updated LCD digital controller on the Navigator 850.
| Spec | Traeger Ironwood 885 Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker 9.2/10 | Pit Boss Navigator 850 WiFi & Bluetooth Wood Pellet Grill 8.9/10 | Traeger Woodridge Pro Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker 9/10 | Traeger Westwood Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker 8.6/10 | Pit Boss 700FB2 Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker 8.3/10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cooking_area | 885 sq in (main rack + second-tier rack) | 932 sq in | 970 sq in (585 primary + 385 secondary) | 653 sq in (dual-tier) | 747 sq in (2-tier) |
| temperature_range | 165-500°F | 180-500°F (flame broiler sears to 1,000°F) | 180-500°F | 180-450°F | 180-500°F (flame broiler sears to 1,000°F) |
| hopper_capacity | 20 lb | 30 lb | 24 lb, EZ-Clean cleanout | 18 lb | 21 lb |
| smart_features | WiFIRE app control, Super Smoke Mode, D2 direct drive controller | WiFi + Bluetooth, LCD digital controller | WiFIRE app control, Super Smoke Mode | WiFIRE app control | — |
| dimensions | 53"W x 27"D x 47"H | — | — | — | — |
| warranty | 3-year limited | 5-year limited | 10-year limited | 7-year limited | 5-year limited |
| Rating | 9.2/10 | 8.9/10 | 9/10 | 8.6/10 | 8.3/10 |
Prices change daily — tap Check Price for the current Amazon price.
Prices change daily — tap Check Price for the current Amazon price.
Head-to-Head Breakdown
Price and Value Tiers
Pit Boss owns the budget end of this comparison. The 700FB2 undercuts every Traeger here by hundreds of dollars while still offering a digital controller and direct-flame searing — features Traeger reserves for pricier models. The Navigator 850 sits in the middle, splitting the gap between Traeger’s Westwood and Woodridge Pro while adding more cooking area and hopper capacity than either. Traeger’s new Westwood narrows that value gap somewhat as the brand’s most affordable connected grill ever, but the Ironwood 885 and Woodridge Pro both still command premium pricing for their smart features and build quality.
App Control and Smart Features
Traeger’s WiFIRE ecosystem is the more mature product here. All three Traeger grills in this comparison include WiFIRE app control, and owner and reviewer feedback consistently rates the app’s interface and connection stability above Pit Boss’s WiFi + Bluetooth system. Pit Boss closed some of that gap for 2026 by adding an LCD digital controller to the Navigator 850, replacing the brand’s older dial-based controls, but reviewers still describe Pit Boss connectivity as less consistent than Traeger’s.
Cooking Area and Hopper Capacity
The Woodridge Pro leads every grill here at 970 sq in, followed closely by the Navigator 850 at 932 sq in. On hopper size, Pit Boss’s Navigator holds the advantage with a 30 lb capacity — a third larger than the Woodridge Pro’s 24 lb and half again the Ironwood’s 20 lb. A bigger hopper means fewer mid-cook refills on a 12-hour brisket session, which matters more the longer and hotter you smoke.
Temperature Range and Searing
This is where the two brands diverge most. Both Pit Boss grills include a flame broiler slide that exposes food directly to the firepot, reaching up to 1,000°F for a genuine sear. Every Traeger in this comparison caps out at 450-500°F with no direct-flame option, since Traeger’s enclosed firepot design prioritizes even, indirect heat over searing power. If steaks and burgers are as important to you as smoked meats, that’s a real functional gap, not just a spec-sheet number.
Warranty Coverage
Warranty length doesn’t track neatly with price in this comparison. The Woodridge Pro carries a 10-year limited warranty — the longest here by a wide margin — while the pricier Ironwood 885 is covered for just 3 years. The Westwood splits the difference at 7 years. Both Pit Boss grills carry the brand’s standard 5-year coverage, which beats the Ironwood but trails the two mid-range and budget Traeger models.
Reliability and Owner Feedback
Reviewers and owner communities generally credit Traeger’s D2 controller and Super Smoke Mode with steadier temperature holding on long, low-and-slow cooks, which is why sites like Taste of Home and Smoked BBQ Source recommend Traeger specifically for brisket, ribs, and pork butt. Pit Boss earns its reputation on higher-temperature, everyday grilling, where its bigger hoppers, flame broiler, and lower price make it the better fit for anyone who isn’t running marathon smoking sessions every weekend.
A Closer Look at Each Pick
1. Traeger Ironwood 885
The Ironwood 885 is Traeger’s answer for dedicated low-and-slow smokers who want the brand’s most refined temperature control. Super Smoke Mode ramps up real wood smoke output at the push of a button, and the D2 direct drive controller keeps temperatures steady enough that reviewers routinely point to it as the reason to pay a Traeger premium in the first place. The trade-off is a 3-year warranty that’s noticeably shorter than either of the other two Traeger models in this lineup, despite the Ironwood carrying the highest price tag of the three.
2. Pit Boss Navigator 850
The Navigator 850 is Pit Boss’s strongest argument against paying Traeger prices. A 30 lb hopper, 932 sq in of cooking space, and a flame broiler slide for true 1,000°F searing all undercut the Ironwood on price while beating it on raw capacity. The 2026 update to an LCD digital controller narrows Pit Boss’s long-standing tech gap with Traeger, even if the WiFi app itself still isn’t quite as polished.
3. Traeger Woodridge Pro
Traeger Woodridge Pro Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
If cooking capacity matters more than anything else, the Woodridge Pro wins outright at 970 sq in — enough for 8 rib racks or 8 pork butts in a single load. Its 10-year limited warranty is also the standout spec in this entire comparison, more than triple the Ironwood’s coverage from the same brand. The trade-off is a 67-inch-wide footprint that needs real patio space, and no direct-flame sear option.
4. Traeger Westwood
Launched in April 2026 as Traeger’s most affordable app-connected grill ever, the Westwood replaces the brand’s older Pro 575 and Pro 780 lineup at a lower price point. It keeps full WiFIRE control and a meat probe, and its 7-year warranty actually beats both Pit Boss models here. The compromise is a 450°F ceiling — the lowest in this comparison — and the smallest hopper of the three Traeger grills.
5. Pit Boss 700FB2
The 700FB2 is the entry point into either brand’s lineup, priced roughly $200 under the Westwood and over $500 under the Ironwood. It still includes an LCD digital controller and the same flame broiler slide as the pricier Navigator, delivering 1,000°F direct-flame searing most budget pellet grills skip entirely. What it gives up is WiFi connectivity — there’s no app monitoring at this price, just onboard digital control.
Who Should Buy What
Buy the Ironwood 885 or Woodridge Pro if brisket, ribs, and pork butt are your main event. Traeger’s Super Smoke Mode and D2 controller show up most clearly on long, low-and-slow cooks, and the Woodridge Pro’s 970 sq in and 10-year warranty make it the pick for anyone cooking for a crowd regularly.
Buy the Navigator 850 if you want one grill that smokes and sears equally well. Its 30 lb hopper and flame broiler slide cover both use cases without forcing a compromise, at a lower price than either premium Traeger.
Buy the Westwood if you want Traeger’s app ecosystem on a tighter budget. It’s the cheapest way into WiFIRE control, even with a lower temperature ceiling than the other two Traeger models.
Buy the 700FB2 if price is the deciding factor and you don’t need app connectivity. It undercuts every other grill here while still offering direct-flame searing most entry-level pellet grills don’t include.
Round out either setup with a grill cover sized for your model and a starter set of grill tools and accessories — tongs, an instant-read thermometer, and a grate brush cover both brands equally.
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FAQ
Is Traeger or Pit Boss better overall?
Neither brand wins outright — it depends on how you cook. Traeger’s Super Smoke Mode and D2 controller give it an edge for low-and-slow smoking and app connectivity, while Pit Boss offers larger hoppers, direct-flame searing, and lower prices across the board. Frequent smokers tend to prefer Traeger; everyday grillers who smoke occasionally tend to prefer Pit Boss.
Can Pit Boss grills sear as well as a gas grill?
Pit Boss’s flame broiler slide opens the firepot for direct flame contact up to 1,000°F, which comes close to gas grill searing performance. No Traeger grill in this comparison has an equivalent feature — Traeger’s enclosed firepot design tops out at 450-500°F with indirect heat only.
Why does the cheaper Traeger have a longer warranty than the expensive one?
Warranty length on Traeger grills doesn’t scale directly with price. The Woodridge Pro carries a 10-year limited warranty and the Westwood carries 7 years, while the pricier Ironwood 885 is covered for only 3 years. Check the specific model’s warranty term before buying rather than assuming the most expensive option has the best coverage.
Do Pit Boss grills have WiFi like Traeger?
Some do. The Navigator 850 in this comparison includes WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity with an LCD digital controller, though owner reviews still rate Traeger’s WiFIRE app as more reliable and polished. Budget models like the 700FB2 skip WiFi entirely and rely on onboard digital controls only.
How much bigger is a pellet grill hopper worth in practice?
A larger hopper means fewer refills on long cooks. The Navigator 850’s 30 lb hopper can run roughly 50% longer between refills than the Ironwood 885’s 20 lb hopper on an equivalent low-temperature smoke, which matters most on overnight brisket or pork shoulder cooks that run 10+ hours.
Which brand is easier for a first-time pellet grill owner?
Both brands offer app-connected models with set-and-forget temperature control, which flattens the learning curve compared to charcoal or gas. The Traeger Westwood and Pit Boss 700FB2 are the most budget-friendly entry points from each brand, letting a new owner learn pellet grilling without the highest financial commitment.
The Bottom Line
For dedicated low-and-slow smoking with the most reliable app experience, the Traeger Ironwood 885 and Woodridge Pro justify their higher prices — the Woodridge Pro in particular pairs the largest cooking area in this comparison with a 10-year warranty no other grill here matches. For buyers who want to smoke and sear on one grill without the Traeger premium, the Pit Boss Navigator 850 delivers the best all-around value, and the Pit Boss 700FB2 is the clear pick if budget is the deciding factor.