Pit Boss vs Traeger (2026): Which Pellet Grill Is Worth It?

Pit Boss and Traeger are two of the biggest names in pellet grills. Both sell Wi-Fi smokers you can run from your phone, both burn hardwood pellets, and both have a grill at nearly every price. The real question is what your money buys at each level: more cooking space and features, or a longer warranty and a more refined grill.

So we matched them tier by tier, entry, mid-size and large, using only current Wi-Fi models on each brand's own site. For each pair we compared price, total cooking area, hopper size, temperature range, warranty and return terms, then worked out what 100 square inches of cooking space costs. If you smoke the venison you process, that's the number that tells you how much backstrap, sausage and jerky fits in one cook. Every price and spec was checked on pitboss-grills.com and traeger.com on September 24, 2026.

How we compared Pit Boss and Traeger

This is a research-based comparison, not a cook-off. We haven't cooked on these six grills side by side for this article. We picked each brand's current, in-stock Wi-Fi grills and paired them by size and price: Pit Boss Sportsman 850 vs Traeger Westwood, Navigator 850 vs Woodridge, and Navigator 1300 vs Woodridge Pro. Cooking area is each brand's own published total across all grates. We quote Traeger's on-site ratings; Pit Boss's review widget only loads in a browser, so we don't quote Pit Boss ratings.

One more note: Traeger's Ironwood and Timberline lines were listed out of stock on Traeger's site when we checked, so we left them out.

Price vs price: three matched tiers

Prices and total cooking areas from pitboss-grills.com and traeger.com, September 24, 2026. All six grills have Wi-Fi app control. Cooking area is each brand's own total across all grates. Prices change often.

Pit Boss is cheaper per square inch at all three tiers, by about 18% at entry and mid-size and 37% at the large end. The gap grows with size because Pit Boss's big grills add space faster than their price goes up, while the Woodridge Pro adds features without much more room than the base Woodridge.

Head-to-head, tier by tier

Entry (Wi-Fi)

Pit Boss Sportsman 850 vs Traeger Westwood: $88.34 vs $107.20 per 100 sq in

Traeger's new Westwood is the cheaper sticker at $699.99: 653 sq in, an 18 lb hopper, 180–450°F, WiFIRE app control, a wired meat probe, side and bottom shelves, and a 7-year warranty. Traeger's site shows 4.6/5 from 22 reviews so far.

For $50.00 more, the Pit Boss Sportsman 850 gives you 849 sq in (30% more space), a 21 lb hopper, Wi-Fi plus Bluetooth, 180–500°F, and Pit Boss's Flame Broiler lever, which opens the grill to direct flame for searing at up to 1,000°F by Pit Boss's figure. Pit Boss markets the Sportsman line as "made for the hunt," with tool hooks and a folding front shelf. Warranty is 5 years. Per 100 sq in, it's $88.34 vs $107.20.

If you want more room from Traeger at this level, the Westwood XL is $799.99 for 823 sq in, still less space than the Sportsman 850.

Pit Boss Sportsman 850 → Traeger Westwood →

Mid-size

Pit Boss Navigator 850 vs Traeger Woodridge: $85.84 vs $104.65 per 100 sq in

This is the closest matchup on price. The Pit Boss Navigator 850 is $100.00 cheaper than the Traeger Woodridge ($799.99 vs $899.99) and bigger: 932 sq in vs 860, with a 30 lb hopper vs 24. It adds Bluetooth alongside Wi-Fi, 5-degree temperature steps, a rapid igniter, a hopper clean-out, a removable burn pot for ash cleanup and the Flame Broiler for searing.

The Woodridge answers with Traeger's 10-year limited warranty (double Pit Boss's 5), the EZ-Clean grease and ash keg, a hopper clean-out, WiFIRE control, Bluetooth meat-thermometer compatibility and Traeger's P.A.L. and ModiFIRE accessory systems. It weighs 138 lb and tops out at 500°F. Traeger's site shows 4.2/5 from 121 reviews. Per 100 sq in: $85.84 for Pit Boss, $104.65 for Traeger.

Pit Boss Navigator 850 → Traeger Woodridge →

Large

Pit Boss Navigator 1300 vs Traeger Woodridge Pro: $75.24 vs $118.56 per 100 sq in

At the big end the gap is widest. The Pit Boss Navigator 1300 is $150.00 cheaper than the Traeger Woodridge Pro ($999.99 vs $1,149.99) and has 37% more cooking space: 1,329 sq in vs 970. That's $75.24 vs $118.56 per 100 sq in. The hopper is 30 lb vs 24.

The Woodridge Pro's case is features and warranty: Super Smoke mode, Keep Warm mode, a pellet sensor that shows your pellet level in the Traeger app, a folding side shelf, EZ-Clean keg and a 10-year warranty. It's the most-reviewed Traeger in this comparison: 4.4/5 from 214 reviews on Traeger's site. If pure space per dollar is the goal, Pit Boss's Sportsman 1100 is $849.99 for 1,610 sq in, the most space per dollar we found from either brand.

Pit Boss Navigator 1300 → Traeger Woodridge Pro →

Everything else, side by side

Where Pit Boss wins

• More space for the money at every tier: $88.34, $85.84 and $75.24 per 100 sq in vs $107.20, $104.65 and $118.56.
• Bigger hoppers: 21–30 lb vs 18–24 lb, so fewer refills on overnight smokes.
• Direct-flame searing with the Flame Broiler lever, for steaks and backstrap.
• A longer return window: 60 days vs Traeger's 45.

Where Traeger wins

• Warranty: 10 years on the Woodridge line and 7 on the Westwood, vs Pit Boss's 5.
• Easier cleanup with the EZ-Clean grease and ash keg.
• Smoke and convenience features on the Woodridge Pro: Super Smoke, Keep Warm and an in-app pellet sensor.
• A bigger accessory ecosystem (P.A.L. rail, ModiFIRE) and a flat, published $49.99 grill shipping rate.

Which should you buy?

Buy Pit Boss if you want the most grill for your money, cook big batches, or want real searing without a second grill. The Navigator 850 is the value sweet spot, and the Navigator 1300 gives you 1,329 sq in for under $1,000. If you're filling the grill with game after a good season, that space matters.

Buy Traeger if you plan to keep the grill a decade and want the warranty to match, or you care most about easy cleanup and smoke features. The Woodridge (10-year warranty) is the one we'd pick, or the Woodridge Pro if Super Smoke and the pellet sensor matter to you.

Want something built heavier than either? Our Grilla Silverbac review covers an insulated, stainless-lid alternative. Processing your own deer first? See our best meat grinders for deer hunters, and for the rest of the backyard and camp kit, our camping must-haves.

Frequently asked questions

Is Pit Boss as good as Traeger?

On paper, Pit Boss gives you more cooking space, bigger hoppers and direct-flame searing for less money at every tier we compared. Traeger counters with longer warranties (7 to 10 years vs 5) and features like the EZ-Clean keg and Super Smoke. Which is "better" depends on whether you value space and price or warranty and polish.

Which is cheaper, Pit Boss or Traeger?

Per square inch, Pit Boss at every tier: $88.34 vs $107.20 per 100 sq in at entry level, $85.84 vs $104.65 mid-size and $75.24 vs $118.56 large. At entry level, the Traeger Westwood has the lower sticker price ($699.99 vs $749.99) but much less space.

Which has the better warranty?

Traeger. The Woodridge line carries a 10-year limited warranty and the Westwood 7 years. Pit Boss's Wi-Fi grills carry up to a 5-year limited warranty.

Can a Pit Boss or Traeger sear a steak?

Both reach 500°F on the mid and large models (the Traeger Westwood tops out at 450°F). Pit Boss adds a Flame Broiler lever that opens the grill to direct flame, which Pit Boss rates at up to 1,000°F.

What's the return policy for each?

Pit Boss: 60 days on direct orders, unused and in original packaging; shipping both ways isn't refunded. Traeger: 45 days from shipment, unused and unassembled in original packaging; you pay return shipping and original shipping isn't refunded. Dealer purchases follow the dealer's policy.

Do Pit Boss and Traeger grills have Wi-Fi?

All six grills in this comparison do. Pit Boss's Sportsman 850 and Navigators have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth with the Pit Boss app; Traeger's Westwood and Woodridge models use WiFIRE with the Traeger app.

The bottom line

Pit Boss vs Traeger comes down to what you value. Pit Boss gives you more grill for the money at every tier: 18% to 37% less per square inch, bigger hoppers and a flame broiler for searing. That's why the Pit Boss Navigator 850 is our value pick. Traeger costs more for the same space but backs its Woodridge grills for 10 years and adds cleanup and smoke features that make daily use easier. If you'll run it hard for a decade, the Traeger Woodridge earns its premium. Either way, buy the size you'll grow into.

Talk soon,
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