If you’re not a charcoal griller like most, nowadays, there are so many other types of grills to choose from. Whether it be gas, pellets, hybrids, and so on, there’s a wider spectrum of options.
And with that increasing number of options, there have been also an increasing number of companies that manufacture grills. That’s not anything new, but with the direct-to-consumer model being on the rise, there are, now, more options than ever.
Traeger and Pit Boss are two brands which often come up for those looking to get into pellet grilling. They’re often compared as well, and it is easy to see why.
Anyways, we break down how each is built, what features it has, and is it a good option in your particular case.
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How Are They Different?
With some many comparisons of these two companies (including this one), it’s hard really to point at to what extent the solutions from each company are different.
The reason I’m saying this is because many associate and assume that these two brands are somewhat in the same ballpark in terms of what they offer because of those comparisons. That is far from the truth though.
They’re in a different price range, and anything that is in a different price range, tends to be different in terms of what you get, at least that’s the way it should be.
In this instance, Pit Boss is the more budget-friendly option, whereas Traeger offers a much more enthusiast-level gear. However, we see this changing in the last couple of years because Traeger have introduced more budget-friendly options like the Traeger Pro Series.
Table Comparison of Traeger & Pit Boss
For clarity’s sake, we wanted to see how well each company does on a few variables which might, practically speaking, be important to the consumer. So, what follows is a side-by-side comparison of the leading brands for pellet grills, Traeger and Pit Boss:
| Traeger VS Pit Boss : Pellet Grills |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Craftsmanship | Amazing 5/5 | Very Good 4/5 |
| Value | Good 3/5 | Just Right 5/5 |
| Price Range | Expensive – $$ | Budget-Friendly – $ |
| Return Policy | 45-day return policy | 60-day return policy |
| Warranty | 3-year Warranty U.S. Only | 5-year Warranty |
| Grill Line-Ups | Ironwood Pro Series | Navigator Mahogany Sportsman Tailgater Platinum Regular |
| Get A Grill Today: |
Like I said, the main difference, or at least the most obvious one is the fact that the two brands offer solutions at different price-points. Which does inevitably translate to some compromises here and there, for Pit Boss especially, to get to a desirable price range.
But Pit Boss does still have an amazing value, and great price-to-performance ratio.
Traeger Review
Customer reviews for Traeger gear are stellar. That isn’t surprising given the prices, but it isn’t as though Traeger had some major bumps in the road.
After switching manufacturing from the U.S. to China, they did suffer a minor quality deficit to previous models. But when reports came flooding in for this issue, Traeger did a good job to get on top of the issue really quick.
Quality and craftsmanship slowly started to get back to normal, and Traeger nowadays is still the pillar of performance and quality.
Traeger was also among the first ones to offer pellet-only grills.
Nevertheless, what is positive with Traeger is the fact that they’ve now increased the spectrum of options. There are quite a handful of new grill models, which are all in different price ranges.
If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, or an option which isn’t enthusiast grade, Traeger Pro 575 fits the bill. But if you’re looking to use the grill very often and you need something that packs a lot of performance, Traeger Ironwood Series 885 is what you need.
Obviously, the price for former and the latter are very different, and there are different things you get with each one.
All of their models also come with a free ornament, BBQ sauce, rib rub, chicken rub, pork rub, a full-length cover, and a Traeger hat to get fully in character as a master griller. This may be limited time, but from what I can tell, they include complimentary stuff regularly.
Anyways, if you’re looking to invest into a Traeger grill, here’s a list of the pros and cons:
PROS
- A lot of models to choose from
- Quality and craftsmanship are impeccable
- They’ve got some of the best designed pellet grills
- Friendly customer support
- Can be controlled and monitored with the Traeger app
CONS
- Lack of different color or design options
Pit Boss Review
As I stated a couple of times before, Pit Boss is widely known as the budget-friendly option. But still, it isn’t as though you’re missing out on much if you go with Pit Boss.
NOTE: Some of the models available on the Pit Boss website cannot be ordered, or in clearer terms, bought online. They can only be bought at Lowes or Walmart.
Even though there are quite a few models which are not available to online customers, the best ones are available in my opinion. I assume that the unavailable models online will be added in the future though.
Anyways, even the most kitted-out wood pellet grill at Pit Boss is only a couple of hundred more expensive than Traeger’s cheapest grill. I have to be honest, the craftsmanship and quality isn’t as impressive as Traeger, but for most people, Pit Boss grills will do just fine.
It feels durable enough to last for a decade, especially if you’re not a grilling enthusiast. It is probably one of the best value deals for pellet grills out there.
And it’s not like there isn’t an enthusiast-grade models at Pit Boss. The Pit Boss Navigator 1150 grill has all the bells and whistles you’ve come to expect from enthusiast-level grills. Its price is very impressive as well. It comes in just shy from $1,000, but for that gear, it’s a very good deal.
It has a cooking temperature of 180° to 500°F, with 1,158 square inches of cooking surface. It can also be controlled remotely like the Traeger grills.
Here are the pros and cons with Pit Boss pellet grills:
PROS
- Great value
- A lot of options
- Interesting and practical designs
- 5-year warranty
- A respectable return window
CONS
- Some models can be only bought at Lowes or Walmart
Traeger’s Grill Line-Up Explained
It can be overwhelming and even confusing when shopping for grills. Grill manufacturers usually use some interesting names for the model line-ups. In the case of Trager, those are: Ironwood Series and Pro Series.
There are obvious differences between both, the most obvious one being the price. Ironwood grills are usually more expensive than the Pro Series.
Ironwood Grills. This one is pretty easy to explain. Ever had the host show you around and show off his or her state-of-the-art grill? This is that grill, the ‘conversation-starter’. The pinnacle of grilling performance, with hundreds of features, some more useful than others.
Pro Series. The Pro Series grills are also in the same category as the Ironwood grills, but they’re obviously more performance-only oriented, rather than show-offy. They’re much more affordable, but they’re still way better than your average pellet grill.
Pit Boss’ Grill Line-Up Explained
Pit Boss is definitely up there in terms of confusion for which line-up offers what. There’s the: Navigator Series, Mahogany Series, Sportsman, and Tailgater.
The Navigator Series is absolutely top-of-the-line. It isn’t as high-end as Traeger’s Ironwood Series, but they’re very surprisingly good considering the price.
The Mahogany Series is confusing. You’ve got your best of the best grills, and those which are budget-friendly. They’re similar to the Navigator Series, but obviously have some discrepancies.
Lastly, the Sportsman and Tailgater Series. Both are usually less high-end, and more of “just get the job done”. Because of this, they’re also much cheaper.
Head-To-Head – Traeger VS Pit Boss
Now that we have most of the important information out of the way, maybe it’s time to see whether you’re a Traeger griller or a Pit Boss griller. This can be concluded by going over use-cases and whether it makes sense in your scenario.
I’ll start off by saying that the best VALUE deal at the moment is Pit Boss no doubt.
Most people would be looking for a grill that will endure the weekend get-together, which Pit Boss can do easily. Plus, if you’re not into grilling that much, with Pit Boss, it is just about getting the job done. Whereas Traeger, well, that’s for more enthusiast grillers.
Traeger designs and features aren’t usually that necessary, but if you’re into grilling, it is appealing. Like I said, Pit Boss is the budget-friendly option that will do its job nicely, whereas Traeger is the ‘no compromises’ option, which will get you the most features, options, grilling performance, durability, and so on.
Final Verdict: Which One Is For Me?
If you’re on the fence about either one of these companies, don’t be. They’ve had some questionable models in the past of course, but at the moment, they’re two of the best pellet grills on the market.
I suggest going with Pit Boss if you’re new to grilling or if you just want something that can handle hosting a BBQ party weekly. Pit Boss is an incredible value, it has great price-to-performance ratio, and it’s more beginner-friendly.
If you have had your fair share of grills before, and you want an upgrade to the grill you were using before, Traeger is a very good option.
It is definitely one of the best options, jam-packed with features, with sublime quality and craftsmanship. You get the sense that grilling is an art if you use Traeger, no matter the grill model. Very impressive by Traeger.
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