Page : Safety Information
Pit Boss Vs Traeger Wood Pellet Grill Head To Head
I always try and avoid coming out and saying one grill is definitely better than another.
Its very hard to compare grills fairly. For example, if one gill costs $500 and another costs $1000, is it fair to say that the $1000 grill is better?
Youve also got a situation where each brand is constantly updating its line-up and grill construction.
So a review you read might be talking about the 2016 Pit Boss which is no longer sold.
So with that caveat in mind, here are some general differences between Traeger and Pit Boss that most people agree on.
- Pit Boss grills utilize a slide and sear system to give you a small searing zone directly above the fire pot.
Now that you know a little more about both brands, youre best option is to narrow down which Traeger or Pit Boss model you would buy, and then you can compare the features of each specific grill.
I suggest comparing grills in these 6 categories:
With the Traeger Pro 575 you will be paying more for a smaller grill, but you get the WiFIRE system to control the grill via an App, plus a more advanced control system.
With the Pit Boss Sportsman 820 you save a bit of money, get a larger grill which has some nice usability features like the slide plate for grilling and removable side shelf to help with prep work.
In the next section, we go into a bit more detail about the two brands, or you can skip ahead to see our break down of all the most popular grills from each company.
A To Z List Of Pellet Grill/smoker Brands
Back in 2007 when I first become aware of pellet grills and smokers the only brand I was really aware of was Traeger. Traeger is really where this whole concept of cooking with pellets started in the 1980s. It was a slow burner but since the 2010s is really when pellet grills and smokers started to get mainstream awareness, discussed alongside gas and charcoal grills. There are now over 30 pellet grill/smoker brands that Im aware of, and the link above goes to my A to Z list of brands article.
Now, you may already be aware of a few of the other brands such as Pit Boss, Camp Chef, Z Grills and Im sure you are aware of Weber, though you may not have known they have entered the pellet grill game. However, they are now many, many more brands to look into. Some may be what are commonly referred to as Traeger clones, but many others are offering their own unique designs and features.
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Key Features Of The Pit Boss Pro Series Combo Grill
Combo grills are great options for people who want the flexibility to do slow cooking with wood smoke and be able to do some quick grilling over an open flame.
Here is a promotional video for the earlier version of this grill from Pit Boss. The only meaningful difference between the older model and the current model is the upgraded controller on the pellet grill side .
Reviews From Grill Buyers
I compiled all of the reviews left for this grill from the Lowes website.
This grill has over 400 reviews available which I consider to be a large enough data set to be reliable.
The grill has received 63% 5 star and 14% 4 star reviews which combine to give a Customer Satisfaction Rating of 77% which is pretty standard for Pit Boss products. On the flip side, when you combine the 1 and 2 star reviews you find that 16% of people hate the grill.
The biggest complaints about the grill fell into three main categories:
Some of the representative negative reviews are posted below.
Absolute junk. Bought this grill 2 years ago . The gas side started giving problems after about a year and then stopped working. Kept using the pellet side until the auger quit this week. The metal is burning through and really all the internal parts are falling apart. Cant believe I paid this much and it only lasted 2 years.
This grill has now broken 3 times in the past 6 months and is not even a full year old. Ive had to do multiple repairs myself, all a waste of time because of this sub par product.
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Pro Series 1600 Vs Platinum Lockhart
There appears to be a bit more of a difference in the typical price point between these two Pit Boss pellet grills, the Pro Series 1600 is priced about $50 more than the Platinum Lockhart.
However, its close enough for these two models to be fairly compared, so which one comes out on top?
While the Pro Series 1600 is a standard horizontal pellet grill/smoker, the Platinum Lockhart is very different, its a horizontal grill and vertical smoking cabinet hybrid.
Again, while the control panels have a different appearance, they offer the same functionality/temperature range etc.
As the Platinum Lockhart is typically priced slightly below the Pro Series 1600 , youre getting more grill for the money: Images Lowes.com& Walmart.com
First, lets discuss the main grate for burgers/steaks etc. Well, this is a win for the Pro 1600, offering a 615 sq.in main grate, whereas the Platinum Lockhart provides only 513 sq.in.
However, when it comes to the overall cooking area, the Pro 1600 cannot compete with the Lockhart and its massive 2,136 sq.in.
Add on top the larger 40 lb pellet hopper on the Lockhart compared to 32 lbs on the Pro 1600 it may seem like an easy win for the Lockhart.
Well, maybe, but then again, its a very large, heavy grill. Therefore, its only really going to be the better option for you if you have the space for it.
How To Contact Pit Boss
If you need any other information that wasnt included in this Pit Boss smoker review, the brand recommends you log into your Pit Boss account at pitboss-grills.com, register your product, and then click Start a Case.
From there, make your query and include pictures if applicable. Pit Boss will respond as soon as possible. Alternatively, you can call 480-923-9630.
Here are some more ways to grill and smoke your favorite foods just in time for summer:
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Page 2: Understanding The Control Board
So How Does The Pit Boss Grill Work
Before I got my Pit Boss grill, I had no clue how a Pit Boss grill worked. In fact, I made a lot of mistakes when I got my Pit Boss Pro 820. Since owning it, Ive learned quite a bit, and have even cooked several different meals on it.
You can check out myYouTube channel where I share some of the meals Ive prepared as well as other beginner videos to help you learn how to use your Pit Boss grill.
Lets quickly discuss the most important parts of a pellet grill, regardless of the brand you own.
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Page : Grill Replacement Parts
A To Z List Of The Best Bbq Wood Pellets
A pellet grill/smoker is only as good as the BBQ pellets you put into it. The type/quality of the BBQ wood pellets you use will impact temperature performance and smoke flavour. There are many pellet flavours including Apple, Hickory, Mapel, Oak and Walnut to name but a few. However, some brands are hardwood blended pellets whereas others are 100% single wood species.
In this article, I provide details on over 20 brands of BBQ wood pellets, their range of flavours, whether they are 100% single wood species or hardwood blended pellets, their typical price and where they are available. I also provide tips on how to get the best deal when buying BBQ wood pellets and how to test pellet quality. Finally, I discuss the new kid on the block, charcoal pellets and their special attributes compared to all other hardwood BBQ pellets.
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How Do I Return To Pit Boss
Unused Pit Boss items can be returned up to 60 days after your purchase. If youre not happy with your Pit Boss grill smoker combo or any other order, follow the steps below to make a successful return.
Pro Series Vs Platinum Similarities And Small Differences
While the Pit Boss Pro Series and Platinum models have very different appearances, all of the models above from both ranges are very similar in a couple of important aspects.
For instance, all of the horizontal pellet grills offer the same temperature range of 180 to 500 degrees and all offer direct-flame access which is controlled by an external lever.
Previous Pit Boss models required you to lift up the cooking grates to slide open the direct-flame feature.
On the topic of grates, all of the grills above in both the Pro Series and Platinum range feature porcelain-coated cast-iron grates, which provide excellent heat retention to aid grilling/searing performance.
While the layout/appearance of the Pro Series control panel is different to the Platinum , they are both operating on the same PID platform with Bluetooth/WiFi connectivity: Images PitBoss-Grills.com
All of the Pro Series and Platinum models above also feature a control panel running a PID temperature control algorithm and Bluetooth/WiFi connectivity for the Pit Boss SmokeIT app.
When the Platinum range first launched, it only had Bluetooth connectivity. However, the Platinum range has since been updated to offer WiFi connectivity as well.
So as you can see, there are a lot of similarities between the Pro Series and Platinum range. However, if you have browsed my tables above, you may have noticed a few differences as well, so lets discuss them.
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Pro Series 850 Vs Plantinum Laredo
First, well compare the smallest horizontal pellet grills/smokers from each range.
As you can see from the tables above, the Pro 850 and Platinum almost have an identical price point, just a few dollars between them. Therefore, its appropriate to compare them directly.
As Ive discussed above, while the control panels have a different appearance, they are running the same technology and have the same temperature range as shown in the tables above.
Furthermore, both offer direct flame access for grate surface temperatures in excess of 650 degrees when in use.
The Pit Boss Pro 850 and Platinum Laredo are directly comparable in price, but the Laredo comes out on top with its features: Images Lowes.com& Walmart.com
While both grills have a very similarly sized main cooking grate, with the Pro 850 having the slight edge, its actually the Laredo, which offers the larger overall cooking area by 156 sq.in.
The reason is the upper rack on the Laredo is larger, and you can see why by looking at the shape of its cooking chamber/lib in the images above.
To solidify the Pit Boss Platinum Laredo as being the better deal for the same price, it comes with a larger 26 lb pellet hopper compared to the Pro Series 850, which only has a 20 lb hopper.
Therefore, for the same price point, the Platinum Laredo is the better deal.
Pellet Hopper And Ash/grease Management
The Combo has a pellet hopper with a 22 pound capacity. I like the size of this hopper because when you get down to just a pound or two of pellets then you can dump the full contents of a 20 pound bag of pellets into the hopper.
Each cooking chamber has its own grease management system. The pellet grill drains into a drip bucket underneath the grill while the gas fired side of the grill has a removable grease try that slides out from the side of the grill.
There is no advanced ash management system for this Combo grill so you will need to use a Shop Vac to clean out the fire pot and the body of the chamber after every few uses.
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Introduction To The Pit Boss Pro Series Vs Platinum Range
Before we go any further, you need to be aware that this comparison revolves around the second generation of Pit Boss Pro Series models.
If you are not aware of the difference, I would first encourage you to read my Pit Boss Pro Series Gen 1 vs Gen 2 article.
Secondly, there are a couple of Pro Series models Im not referencing in this article, namely the Pro Series Portable 150 tabletop pellet grill, and the small Pro Series 600, as there are not currently Platinum series equivalent models.
The same goes for the Pit Boss Pro Series Elite 1600, as that pellet grill is far more expensive than any Platinum Series model at $1,299.
Before I start to discuss the similarities and differences between Pro Series and Platinum models, Ill provide some of the key specs/features of the different models and their typical price points.
Why You Should Trust Us
Our mission is to help you make better, more informed purchase decisions.
Our team spends hours researching, consulting with medical experts, gathering insight from expert professionals, reviewing customer feedback, and analyzing products to provide you with the information you need.
Pit Boss Grills was established in Phoenix, Arizona, by grill lover Dan Thiessen and his sons, Jordan and Jeff. The clan had founded their company Dansons, Inc. together in 1999, and made Pit Boss a subsidiary of that existing business.
The brand is built around providing high-quality grills for an amazing price that beats out classic barbecues. As someone whos shied away from buying a BBQ because of the price before, I really respect this.
Pit Boss defines their mission as, being Bigger. Hotter. Heavier.than the competition at a better value, and constantly striving to improve.
Another aspect of the business is creating a community around outdoor cooking, backyard barbeques, and neighborhood block parties, which they participate in by offering exclusive Pit Boss recipes on their website.
Hungry for more? Lets chew over the highlights of the Pit Boss brand.
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Pit Boss Classic Wood Pellet Grill Review
Pit Boss Classic Wood Pellet Grill
They call it classic for a reason. I think the Pit Boss Classic Wood Pellet Grill is the perfect family grill, ideal for groups of four to six.
The attractive two-toned design will make this a handsome addition to your backyard, but lets be honestif it cant cook, then I dont think prettiness is gonna help it.
Luckily, the Pit Boss Classic has you covered with a digital control board that allows you to select the cooking style you want: grill, smoke, bake, roast, sear, roast, braise, BBQ, or char-grill.
Get grilling today with the Pit Boss Classic Wood Pellet Grill, currently available exclusively through Walmart for $400. Walmart also offers an assembly service for an extra $60.
What customers are saying:The pit boss classic is my first smoker and I should have purchased one a long time ago. The quality of the grill is really good. Assembly is easy. Cant wait to try many different meats and recipes.
Pit Boss Lexington Wood Pellet Grill
A more compact version of the Classic, the Pit Boss Lexington Wood Pellet Grill is a trim, two-tiered grill that gives you 540 square inches of cooking space .
I think its a great starter grill that can manage any number of delicious cooks, like the Pit Boss smoked tri tip.
Like its bigger brother, the Lexington allows you to select your cooking method on its digital control board.
You can grab this beauty from Walmart for the sale price of $245, regular price $297.