Traeger and Pit Boss are the two biggest names in pellet grills, and they take different approaches. Traeger sells the more refined grill, with longer warranties and Wi-Fi on most of its lineup. Pit Boss sells more grill for the money: more cooking space, a hotter top temperature on its budget models, and a Flame Broiler that lets you sear over an open flame.
The short answer: buy a Pit Boss if you want the most cooking space per dollar and real searing without a second grill. Buy a Traeger if you want the longer warranty, Wi-Fi control at a lower price, and an easier cleanup system. For most backyard cooks, the deciding question is whether you want to sear steaks on your pellet grill. Only Pit Boss lets you do that out of the box.
We compared each brand’s best-selling models at two price points: the Traeger Woodridge against the Pit Boss Navigator 850 around $800 to $900, and the Traeger Pro 22 against the Pit Boss 700FB2 around $450 to $550.
Traeger Woodridge vs. Pit Boss Navigator 850 specs
| Spec | Traeger Woodridge | Pit Boss Navigator 850 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | About $900 | About $780 |
| Cooking space | 860 sq. in. | 932 sq. in. |
| Temperature range | 180 to 500°F | 180 to 500°F |
| Direct-flame searing | No | Yes, Flame Broiler |
| Hopper | 24 lb | 30 lb, with viewing window |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi (WiFIRE app) | Wi-Fi and Bluetooth |
| Meat probes included | 1 | 2 |
| Cleanup | Grease and ash keg | Grease tray |
| Weight | 182 lb | 175 lb |
| Warranty | 10-year limited | 5-year limited |
Best traeger
Traeger Woodridge
An 860-square-inch Wi-Fi pellet grill with a 500°F max, a 24 lb hopper, an ash keg, and a 10-year limited warranty.
Best pit boss
Pit Boss Navigator 850
A 932-square-inch Wi-Fi and Bluetooth pellet grill with a Flame Broiler, a 30 lb hopper, two meat probes, and a 5-year warranty.
Price and Cooking Space: Pit Boss Gives You More
At every price point we looked at, Pit Boss gives you more room to cook. The Navigator 850 has 932 square inches of cooking space for about $780, while the Woodridge has 860 for about $900. The gap is wider on the budget models: the Pit Boss 700FB2 has 747 square inches for about $460 on Amazon, and the Traeger Pro 22 has 572 for about $550.
Cooking-space totals usually include the upper rack, so the main grate is smaller than the headline number. Still, if you regularly cook for a crowd or smoke several pork butts at once, Pit Boss stretches your budget further.
Searing: Pit Boss’s Flame Broiler Is the Biggest Difference
Most pellet grills cook only with indirect heat. A fan circulates hot air and smoke around the food, which is ideal for low-and-slow smoking and roasting but makes it hard to get a dark crust on a steak.
Pit Boss’s Flame Broiler solves that. A lever slides open a plate over the fire pot so food on that part of the grate cooks directly over the flame, which Pit Boss says reaches up to 1,000°F. Both Pit Boss grills in this comparison have it.
The Traegers here don’t have a direct-flame option. In our Traeger Pro 575 review, we suggested searing steaks in a cast iron pan instead. If you already own a gas grill or a griddle for searing, this matters less. If you want one grill that does everything, it’s the strongest reason to choose Pit Boss.
Temperature Range and Smoke Flavor
The Woodridge and Navigator 850 both run from 180 to 500°F. On the budget models, Pit Boss has the edge: the 700FB2 reaches 500°F with 5-degree adjustments, while the Pro 22 tops out at 450°F and Traeger lists it as holding within 15 degrees of your set temperature.
Smoke flavor depends more on the pellets you burn and how long you cook than on the brand. Both brands burn hardwood pellets in a fire pot and use a fan for convection, so expect similar results at the same temperature. In our Pro 575 review, the Traeger reached 350°F in just under 10 minutes and held its temperature without babysitting.
Wi-Fi and App Control
Traeger puts Wi-Fi on more of its lineup. Its WiFIRE app lets you change the temperature, watch your meat probe, and get alerts from your phone on the Woodridge and the newer Westwood, which costs about $700 on Traeger’s site.
Among the Pit Boss grills we looked at, Wi-Fi comes on the Navigator series. The Navigator 850 has both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but the budget 700FB2 has a digital controller with no app. The Pro 22 has no Wi-Fi either, so neither budget pick lets you check on a long smoke from the couch.
Hopper Size and Long Cooks
A bigger hopper means fewer refills on overnight brisket cooks. The Navigator 850 holds 30 pounds of pellets and has a window so you can check the level at a glance. The Woodridge holds 24 pounds.
On the budget models, the 700FB2 holds 21 pounds and the Pro 22 holds 18. Any of them can handle a typical all-day smoke.
Cleanup
Traeger’s newer grills are easier to clean. The Woodridge collects grease and ash in one EZ-Clean keg for quick disposal. The Pit Boss grills and the Pro 22 send grease to a tray and bucket, and their ash has to be vacuumed out of the fire pot from time to time. In our Pro 575 review, a shop vac made quick work of the fine ash.
Warranty
Warranty is where Traeger pulls clearly ahead. The Woodridge comes with a 10-year limited warranty, and Traeger’s newer non-connected grills, like the Pro 22, carry 7 years. Pit Boss offers up to 5 years on select pellet grills, including both models here, and 3 years on its Carbon Series.
Both are limited warranties, so coverage varies by part. Check the terms for the specific model you buy.
The Budget Matchup: Traeger Pro 22 vs. Pit Boss 700FB2
Traeger Pro 22 vs. Pit Boss 700FB2 specs
| Spec | Traeger Pro 22 | Pit Boss 700FB2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | About $550 | About $460 |
| Cooking space | 572 sq. in. | 747 sq. in. |
| Temperature range | 180 to 450°F | 180 to 500°F |
| Direct-flame searing | No | Yes, Flame Broiler |
| Hopper | 18 lb | 21 lb |
| Wi-Fi | No | No |
| Weight | 102 lb | 119 lb |
| Warranty | 7-year limited | 5-year limited |
The Pit Boss 700FB2 wins on paper. It costs about $90 less, has about 30% more cooking space, runs 50 degrees hotter, and adds the Flame Broiler. The Traeger Pro 22 has a longer track record, with nearly 2,500 Amazon ratings and a 4.5-star average, plus the longer warranty.
Best budget pellet grill
Pit Boss 700FB2
A 747-square-inch pellet grill with a Flame Broiler, 180 to 500°F range, 21 lb hopper, and 5-year warranty.
Best budget traeger
Traeger Pro 22
Traeger's classic 572-square-inch pellet grill, with a 450°F max, an 18 lb hopper, a meat probe, and a 7-year limited warranty.
What About the Traeger Pro 575?
The Pro 575 we reviewed is no longer part of Traeger’s lineup. The closest current Traeger is the Westwood, which costs about $700 on Traeger’s site and has 653 square inches of cooking space, WiFIRE, an 18-pound hopper, a 450°F max, and a 7-year limited warranty. A larger Westwood XL adds 823 square inches for about $800.
The Pro 780 is still sold on Amazon for about $800, but at that price the Woodridge gives you more cooking space, a 500°F max, and the ash keg for about $100 more.
Which Should You Buy?
Buy the Pit Boss Navigator 850 if you want the most capable grill for under $800. It has more cooking space, a bigger hopper, two meat probes, Wi-Fi, and the Flame Broiler for searing.
Buy the Traeger Woodridge if you value an easier cleanup and a 10-year warranty, and you sear on a separate grill or in a cast iron pan.
Buy the Pit Boss 700FB2 if you want the best value under $500. It gives you more grill than the Traeger Pro 22 for less money.
Buy the Traeger Pro 22 if you want a proven, no-frills Traeger with a longer warranty and don’t need Wi-Fi.
For more options, including Weber and portable models, see our guide to the best pellet smokers.
