I bought the Pit Boss Pro Series II 850 from Lowes 499. With my military discount 460 out the door. I could not be happier a rock solid smoker, a lot of bang for the buck.
PIT BOSS...IS BOSS!!! I can hardly ever find what I personally consider one of the most important factors in purchasing one of these machines....THE WARRANTY!!! I can't speak for Traeger...but from personal experience, Pit Boss stands by thier warranty, no questions asked! I purchased the 850 going on 5 years ago, gone through two sets of grilling surfaces, a firebox, a fan motor AND a heating element. Pit boss customer service was OUTSTANDING and replaced all the above mentioned parts, free of charge and no questions asked! Great American company who offers veteran discounts and actually cares about it's customers
My ZGrill 700 has basically the same features and still a larger cook space than the Traegar 22 and comes in at $120 less. When I step up in a pellet grill, it'll be either a Pit Boss or GMG. But for a 1st pellet cooker, I'm pleased.
@GrillSergeant - Thanks for the detailed review. I really liked you picked two grills at the same price point! I purchased a Traeger Timberline 850 in 2017 at the recommendation of a friend (who is competition BBQ guy). I'm looking to upgrade and this review really shows the value that Pit Boss brings to the table. Fun fact: Joe Traeger, creator of the pellet grilling industry, joined the Pit Boss crew in ~2018 to help elevate the Pit Boss grills.
I have an older PB Pro Series, same size, purchased in 2018 or 2019, I think. It was on sale for $449 AND they honored the 10% vet discount on top of that so I got it for a little over $400. It has the older control panel without WiFi or Bluetooth. It also lacks the easy access to the fire-pot, so it’s a bit of a pain to clean. Also the lever to open the sear panel is on the right side of the grill, away from the hopper. It’s been pretty good, I’d say. It HAS flamed out on a few occasions during a long cook, but that was as much on me for not maintaining the fire-pot cleanliness. I’d probably get one again for the BT and WiFi and the easy access panel, but I don’t see this current PB needing replacement anytime soon. Yeah, I’ve drooled over the Timberline XL, the Recteq and others, but instead of upgrading the pellet grill at a HUGE cost, I’d rather upgrade our ancient natural gas grill to a modern built in. It seems like one of the newest trends is a flat op. Don’t waste your money! Get a giant cast iron griddle or a set of Grill-Grates and set it atop your gas grill or kettle or even the pellet grill.
I have the pitboss 1250 competition and it's a beast. I can easily cook six baby back ribs on this thing and probably a pork butt at the same time and probably even some jalapeno poppers up top for it's got three different levels in it. The hopper I can fill up and it usually goes at least 8 hours I use a smoke tube and always set my pellet smoker it's about 190 for the first hour or two so I'm getting maximum smoke between the smoke tube and the smoker itself. It does have bluetooth capability which I tried it on my Samsung s21 and my Apple phone and easily 100 ft away and can control it every now and then it will lose connection but go right back but I'm in a double brick building. There is no smoke stack it's literally just holes in the back of the unit but I have not had any issues. I've cooked probably 10 briskets and all of them have come out perfect at least the way I feel I like my brisket and the people that I've fed with it. The one thing I always do I pull it off before it gets right to 203 usually about 200 or 195 and then I put it in a cooler put cardboard on top of it and sheets and let it sit in there for about 3 or 4 hours if not longer and it comes out perfect every time a great smoke ring you can cut it and it doesn't fall apart until it hits your mouth. The burn pot is very easy to clean one latch and pull it out you dump it out it has dual temperature probes with it but so far have been accurate. I know I've never tried any other pellet smoker but I needed something that could feed a lot of people and almost forget about having to watch it all day long and I paid a total of $799 and it's been well worth it like I said I know pit Boss has made a quality smoker one day maybe I'll try trigger but to me from what I've seen it's like buying a Harley when you can go down the street and actually get more bike for less money traeger just has that name.
If the wifi option is important to you, better get a pit boss soon. Traeger is going hard after the patent for grill connectivity. Plus some of the Traeger brothers hightailed it to Danson's (the parent company of Pit Boss) so it's personal. Right now, Pit Boss is eating Traegers lunch.
I’d like to see another temperature test on the Pitboss pro series. I have that exact grill and it is a piece of garbage. If I set it to 300, it reads 280-300 on the left side of the grill and around 150 on the right side of the grill.
i went to home depot this evening and looked at traeger. i wasn't impressed and couldn't get anyone to help me, so i went to lowes. I looked at pit boss and was very impressed. I purchassed the pb850 for 599. The larger one was $100 more. It is a year later, though. I get mine delivered Sunday afternoon, completely assembled. To me, it was a no brainer.
The wheels on the Pit Boss are a lot more rugged with bearings. The Traeger has the cheap wheels that bend and buckle when you move it. The Pit Boss also has caster wheels the Traeger has legs. You can move the Pit boss without having to tilt up the whole grill.
I was torn between the two luckily I found a Traeger at a yard sale for a good price. To me the Traeger feels like it’s made better. The Pit Boss does have a lot of features for the price. I’m wondering about longevity.
My first treager last 3 years with a new hopper after the first year. I got 2 years out of a cebelas one, auger broke the shear pin a bunch of times now it won't get past 320 no matter how clean I get it. Pit boss here I come
Just picked up a traeger for really cheap to try out pellet grills. I have literally only owned Weber kettles since my first house. I saw your pit boss at Lowe’s and very impressed with quality. They seem like the better grill. One of the company’s must spend a lot on marketing. All that being said I don’t think I can replace my kettles. Lol.
Since Traeger was first, their name had been around longer. Just like a Mercedes-Benz, marketing. (Great car just over priced and status symbol, JMHO) Rolex, Mont Blanc just to name a few, marketing and status.
Hmmm I don't see a comparison! Pit Boss is the hands down 🏆😅. Twice the size, made stronger, better features for the same price. Great video and thanks
Pit boss all the way, I own 2, and a gmg Davey crocket for camping. The gmg definitely has better temp management but the open sear ability on pit boss is the ticket! On steak or even tri tip for a reverse sear. On a side note mr traeger works at pit boss now so…..
I've had my Pit Boss for 4 years. Gone through 2 wheels that broke and a heating element that broke. Got tired of it and went with a Traeger. Just don't hear about the issues with a Traeger. More expensive but you get what you pay for. Guess I will see.
Hey Doug! Yeah I don’t have experience with older model Pit Boss machines but just from the looks of it the Pro Series looks and runs a lot better than the older models. Have fun with your new smoker, what do you enjoy cooking?
New pit boss are totally better. Guy who started traeger sold it few years back and than went to work for pitboss . You can Google it they are actually sueing him.
Yep. At the end of the day if you have BBQ skills it really does not matter what pellet grill you are on, that being said just from a specs standpoint the Pit Boss is WAY better built, dollar for dollar.
I have the PB 850 and I love it!! I was considering Traeger but the price is what made me reconsider. I’m thinking about getting a PB vertical smoker as well!
I habe the pb 850 and just bought the pit boss pro series vertical smoker and absolutely love it. However I just got a smoke tube. And man what a game changer. If I had to get rid of both and go with one. I'd go 100 percent for the pb pro series 1150 with a smoke tube. These smoke tubes throw more smoke than any of these $1k+ traegers lol
I'm so glad I came across this video before I purchased anything. I am looking to get a smoker for my Fiancé for his first Father's Day. How do the Apps compare?
One thing I would have liked to see a comment on is the wheels and their functionality. Looked like Traegor only had 2 big wheels where Pitboss had 2 big wheels and 2 castors. Which would be much easier to move around and lock in place.
I own the small treager and it does not move without falling over, spilling pellets and injuring someone. It is so lopsided for weight with that hopper- it takes two of us to move it
@@GrillSergeant I’m looking at online reviews though. Traeger looks much higher Vs Pitt Boss. A lot of temp issues with Pitt Boss. Also the Pitt Boss 1150 is $699 Lowes vs. Bigger Traeger 34 Pro $699
@@9eRw1n I can only speak from personal experience with my Pit Boss smokers, I love mine and have had zero temp swing issues. I love my Competition Series 1600
@@GrillSergeant my friend, I have nothing against pellet smokers, just not my thing. You're buddy Jared tried demeaning me for using a Masterbilts electric smoker 3 yrs ago. The point of that video was to show the results you can get even with that. If you can cook, it doesn't matter what you use. I'll cook on a city park hibachi and get better results than 90% of the folks out there, because I've been Grill Ng and smoking for 43 years. I've made all the mistakes 10x over, but never have I been a Condescending prick to anyone. I support you and anyone else putting out BBQ content, it's the only way we make this community grow. I truly appreciate what you do👍🏼🔥🇺🇸
Pit Boss definitely has the bang for the buck. Got my Austin XL at Wal-Mart for $449.00. Too bad it doesn’t have the removable fire pot, but it’s still easy to clean compared to my old stick burner. I’m not sure why Traeger is so expensive.
Got the same one at Walmart and have had nothing but issues. Broke 2 of the front wheels and had to replace the heating element. Just went out again. I'm done with it.
As a previous Traeger user, I recently made the switch to Asmoke and it truly has been a game-changer. The precise temperature control and the ASCA technology ensure perfect and efficient cooking every time, making it indeed the #BestBangForTheBuck. The wood pellet variety adds a unique smoky flavor that I haven't experienced with Traeger. The fact that it's portable and battery-powered is a huge plus. I've taken it on camping trips and it's fantastic not having to worry about finding a power source. Plus, the Asmoke app is user-friendly, offering remote temperature adjustment and food temperature monitoring. The switch to Asmoke has elevated my grilling experience to a whole new level. Highly recommend! #Asmoke.
Good video, but dated now. These two grills are not even close in price now. The 1150 (v2 albeit) is still $599, but the Pro-22 is $389. I did a lot of research before buying my first smoker 4 months ago. I was really on a fence between Pit Boss and Traeger, but ended up getting the Pro-22 (a friend had one and loved it....that swayed me). I am not unhappy with the purchase; the Traeger works great and seems to be of good quality. And it was quite affordable for a Traeger. But if I were to do it over, I would likely get a Pit Boss, and get a bigger smoker in general. It's only my wife and I, so I didn't think I needed more grill surface space than the 22. But it gets crowded quick when you start also putting on smoke tubes and a humidity tray. I would probably get the Pit Boss 850 ($549) with all the features and it's bigger size than the comparably priced Traeger models Pro-34 or Pro-575.
Pretty sure the owner of pit boss used to work for traeger....can't remember the whole story but he left bc he could do it better or something....pit boss pro series user and love it ....
All that's missing is a heat evenness test - maybe with biscuits - and a cooking test. How does a spachcocked chicken in each compare? How about a pork shoulder? Or ribs? Or a brisket? Numbers and measurements are fine, but how well do they cook?
@@sourdoughhome2571 No problem! I just moved to Texas and got the new Pit Boss Competition Series 1600 and that so far is my favorite smoker to cook on!
I appreciate your honesty on the pit boss pro series 1150 but I’ve had one and it is a nice pit but I have had to call pit boss to replace the PID controller because it had caught fire twice in the one year. I’ve owned it so you guys Are not looking at the proper reviews on these smokers I’ve had my trigger for two years and have not had any problems just like this video where he put the the monitor in the pit balls in the middle of the pit since day one that I had mine it never ran close to the same temperature that it showed on the PID controller so I would never buy another pit boss again
If I had Joe Rogan's money I'd probably get a high end Traeger. My first pellet grill was a small Traeger that I got second hand. It cooked very evenly but was really small. So then I got a Pit Boss Pro 1100 and it has been great but after five years of hard use it has finally worn out. It never has heated as evenly as that little Traeger but that may have more to do with size than make. The sliding seer panel rusted away years ago and I covered it with scavenged metal from an old barrel type smoker. Granted I only thoroughly cleaned the innards a few times over the years. Bottom fire box access not being a feature mine had. All of that being said I find the Pit Boss to be the best bang for my buck. I value a large cook surface because I typically cook food for the week when I cook. So, tomorrow I'm going to get a new Pit Boss Pro Series V3 1150-Sq in Grey Pellet Grill "with smart compatibility". It seems to be the updated version of my old grill. It has far better fire box access, & smart controls, but I'm almost as happy to see they have abandoned the stupid, hard to clean, diamond pattern grates in favor of more traditional ones.
Pit Boss definitely gives you more options and features for the same money. I like the looks of the Traeger better, and it just seems like it would last longer as everything is much more simple with less parts and pieces to eventually replace. Bang for buck definitely Pit Boss. Looks, name and simplicity goes to Traeger. I also have the Traeger Pro 34 and love it. At the end of the day they are just wood fired convection ovens and they all do the same thing lol.
The Traeger would come closer to the Pro Series 850 for size but I’m going for the Pit Boss. The clean out pushed me to the Pro Series over the other Pit Boss smoker grills.
i have owned my Traeger 22" for 9 years now. kinda looks like the one in the video. i have had one problem with it. i use it year round. i did get the add on blankets to help keep the heat up to temp. i think they work. lol. the warming rack looks cool on booth but like Bobby K. said they get in the way. cant do a beer can chicken with them in there. i believe that eather one will most likely or any pellet grill will keep any beginner happy.. your food WILL come out better. i do love my Traeger, but i cant sear a steak with out cheating... i.e. removing the drip pan and heat deflector. the fact that you can get to the wires under it is a good. thing. i did get my auger jammed and had to replace the motor and remove and free up the auger.. it was very easy. the motor was cheap. anyway thats my two cents. oh... and no one pellet grill will do all things the best.. you will fined you need maybe 3 grills...pellet grill for low and slow....gas for the kids..i.e. simple hamburgers and hot dogs the pellet grills take a bit longer to get up to temp. and maybe a kettle grill for hotter temps.. and my number one tip? get a cover for them and use it! if your pellets get damp...your F-ed. thanks for the video.
Good question. I was amazed at how much smoke my GMG Davy would put out at 225 and below compared to my Grilla grills chimp, which had trouble getting below 225 on a warm day. PID controllers typically make very little smoke even at lower temps. It makes me feel like GMG is not PID and/or maybe designed to put out more smoke at lower temps. My Traeger Ironwood 650 with super smoke off at 225 and below makes for a very light smoke and holds steady temps, with super smoke it dumps tons of pellets in batches and make some really nice consistent blue smoke with larger batches of smoke when it swings up and down give or take 15 degrees. IMO, I’ve getting better smoke flavor on the GMG and Traeger with super smoke on then I ever did on my Chimp. Even on the times the more smoke setting on the Chimp… the smoke comparison was just way less and the flavor as well.
Does the pitt boss have a heat shield that disperses the heat like traeger? The ability to slide the metal to sear on the pit boss is cool in theory but when it is closes i would think the flame would be directly under one spot giving it extreme hot spots....
The metal is very thick and spreads the heat pretty evenly. I cooked 10 TriTips at once for a work party and they are were hitting temps around the same time. I will do a biscuit test to check for hot spots on both grills soon.
I own a Traeger 780 pro because I thought it was US made. Since the I found out they were moved to China iver 10 yes ago, if I had to do it all over again I'd buy a Pit Boss Pro 1100🤷🏼♂️
I have a Pit Boss vertical smoker, and a Traeger. It's not even a comparison. The Pit Boss is infinitely better for several reasons: it takes up less space, it holds WAY more pellets (you don't have to keep an eye on that during the cook), and it actually produces a smoke flavor, unlike the Traeger. The Traeger sucks. I hate it.
And I know several other people who has owned the pit boss ,1150 pro series That has Colton fire also and if you look on TH-cam, I’m pit boss fires there are tons of people complaining that their Pit boss are catching fire
Traeger is like Harley Davidson, you pay double for nothing special, I have a pb cs1250, I have had 2 years and it works great. I will never throw away my money on a Traeger, I can get so much more for my money getting other brands
I had that very same traeger pro 22 model and hated it. I kept that grill OCD clean inside and out, but every time I would turn it to shut down cycle it would start burning back into the auger tube and Id have to empty the pellet hopper every. single. time. I got so sick and tired of it I sold it.
I got some good rssults with my pitboss bro. But it definitely needs a snoke tube, wasnt impressed with the smoke it gives out, never could get crispy chicken skin and didnt like the temp setting increments.
Holy.... That Pit Boss cost 1500$ in Norway.!!!!!!! Im looking to buy the Pitboss 850g, it goes for 1300$, such rip off..... The Traeger goes for 850$. What can i do... A man needs to smoke haha. The only Z grills we got in entire Norway for sale is the Z Grills-10002B for 1000$
With the new PID controller you can increment 10 degrees until you hit 300 then its 50 every other step. If you have an older version , contact Pit Boss , they will swap it out for the new one.
More relevant to today's prices, the Traeger can be had for $499, while the Pit Boss is currently at $699. That being said, I'd have to get the Traeger here, despite the Pit Boss being better in my own opinon.
Traeger looks like a toy next to that beast. Im lookin into getting a pit boss.
I got the 1250 competition, get a smoke tube with it and you will be happy, it's a beast!
Was definitely the better choice. I got the pro 1600. Way more bang for your buck than Traeger and their customer service is awesome.
Is it normal for the display on the pitboss to be blinking like that
@@tjdement8229it’s the camera causing it to appear that way
We have had our pit boss for 6 month and it just completely quit. Traegers are pretty fail proof but our pit boss gave us nothing but issues
This sounded like an ad for Pit Boss. I've got a Traeger and it works great.
He is 100% bought and paid for by Pit Boss from what I've seen
I bought the Pit Boss Pro Series II 850 from Lowes 499. With my military discount 460 out the door. I could not be happier a rock solid smoker, a lot of bang for the buck.
That's awesome Jerry and thank you for your service!
PIT BOSS...IS BOSS!!!
I can hardly ever find what I personally consider one of the most important factors in purchasing one of these machines....THE WARRANTY!!!
I can't speak for Traeger...but from personal experience, Pit Boss stands by thier warranty, no questions asked!
I purchased the 850 going on 5 years ago, gone through two sets of grilling surfaces, a firebox, a fan motor AND a heating element.
Pit boss customer service was OUTSTANDING and replaced all the above mentioned parts, free of charge and no questions asked! Great American company who offers veteran discounts and actually cares about it's customers
The flame broil option is the reason I bought my first pit boss. Now I have 3 😁
It sure is a game changer!
I’ve been nothing but happy with my 1150 pit boss !
Thinking about getting one myself
My ZGrill 700 has basically the same features and still a larger cook space than the Traegar 22 and comes in at $120 less. When I step up in a pellet grill, it'll be either a Pit Boss or GMG. But for a 1st pellet cooker, I'm pleased.
I also rock a zgrill and am looking into upgrading to a pitboss. They seem soild with a lot of features and cheaper than the traegers
Traeger was simply outclassed. Great comparison video.
I'm so glad I picked up the Pit Boss over the weekend!!! Thanks!
@GrillSergeant - Thanks for the detailed review. I really liked you picked two grills at the same price point! I purchased a Traeger Timberline 850 in 2017 at the recommendation of a friend (who is competition BBQ guy). I'm looking to upgrade and this review really shows the value that Pit Boss brings to the table. Fun fact: Joe Traeger, creator of the pellet grilling industry, joined the Pit Boss crew in ~2018 to help elevate the Pit Boss grills.
The Pit Boss has a probe port hole on the left front side of the grill. Don't have to worry about pinching cords with the lid.
So does the Traeger
@@joshuaglen2118 not all of them
I have an older PB Pro Series, same size, purchased in 2018 or 2019, I think. It was on sale for $449 AND they honored the 10% vet discount on top of that so I got it for a little over $400. It has the older control panel without WiFi or Bluetooth. It also lacks the easy access to the fire-pot, so it’s a bit of a pain to clean. Also the lever to open the sear panel is on the right side of the grill, away from the hopper. It’s been pretty good, I’d say. It HAS flamed out on a few occasions during a long cook, but that was as much on me for not maintaining the fire-pot cleanliness. I’d probably get one again for the BT and WiFi and the easy access panel, but I don’t see this current PB needing replacement anytime soon. Yeah, I’ve drooled over the Timberline XL, the Recteq and others, but instead of upgrading the pellet grill at a HUGE cost, I’d rather upgrade our ancient natural gas grill to a modern built in. It seems like one of the newest trends is a flat op. Don’t waste your money! Get a giant cast iron griddle or a set of Grill-Grates and set it atop your gas grill or kettle or even the pellet grill.
I have the pitboss 1250 competition and it's a beast. I can easily cook six baby back ribs on this thing and probably a pork butt at the same time and probably even some jalapeno poppers up top for it's got three different levels in it. The hopper I can fill up and it usually goes at least 8 hours I use a smoke tube and always set my pellet smoker it's about 190 for the first hour or two so I'm getting maximum smoke between the smoke tube and the smoker itself. It does have bluetooth capability which I tried it on my Samsung s21 and my Apple phone and easily 100 ft away and can control it every now and then it will lose connection but go right back but I'm in a double brick building. There is no smoke stack it's literally just holes in the back of the unit but I have not had any issues. I've cooked probably 10 briskets and all of them have come out perfect at least the way I feel I like my brisket and the people that I've fed with it. The one thing I always do I pull it off before it gets right to 203 usually about 200 or 195 and then I put it in a cooler put cardboard on top of it and sheets and let it sit in there for about 3 or 4 hours if not longer and it comes out perfect every time a great smoke ring you can cut it and it doesn't fall apart until it hits your mouth. The burn pot is very easy to clean one latch and pull it out you dump it out it has dual temperature probes with it but so far have been accurate. I know I've never tried any other pellet smoker but I needed something that could feed a lot of people and almost forget about having to watch it all day long and I paid a total of $799 and it's been well worth it like I said I know pit Boss has made a quality smoker one day maybe I'll try trigger but to me from what I've seen it's like buying a Harley when you can go down the street and actually get more bike for less money traeger just has that name.
If the wifi option is important to you, better get a pit boss soon. Traeger is going hard after the patent for grill connectivity. Plus some of the Traeger brothers hightailed it to Danson's (the parent company of Pit Boss) so it's personal. Right now, Pit Boss is eating Traegers lunch.
Oh snap! All this BBQ drama needs it's own TV show! LOL
I almost got that exact traeger. Thankfully I saw this video. I will be getting a pit boss now. Thank you!
Great choice Jeffrey! 🍻
I’d like to see another temperature test on the Pitboss pro series. I have that exact grill and it is a piece of garbage. If I set it to 300, it reads 280-300 on the left side of the grill and around 150 on the right side of the grill.
i went to home depot this evening and looked at traeger. i wasn't impressed and couldn't get anyone to help me, so i went to lowes. I looked at pit boss and was very impressed. I purchassed the pb850 for 599. The larger one was $100 more. It is a year later, though. I get mine delivered Sunday afternoon, completely assembled. To me, it was a no brainer.
Great choice!
The wheels on the Pit Boss are a lot more rugged with bearings. The Traeger has the cheap wheels that bend and buckle when you move it. The Pit Boss also has caster wheels the Traeger has legs. You can move the Pit boss without having to tilt up the whole grill.
Thanks for the detailed comparison! The pit boss seems to be the better value hands down.
I was torn between the two luckily I found a Traeger at a yard sale for a good price. To me the Traeger feels like it’s made better. The Pit Boss does have a lot of features for the price. I’m wondering about longevity.
Had my pittboss pro for 2 or 3 years and have quite a few hours on it.
pit boss has a 5 year warranty instead of 3 years that traeger offers.
Better made?!🤣😂 🤣 Tell me you cant crash the chimney like a soda can.
Did a ton of research last weekend and decided the pit boss made the most sense. $550 for the pit boss 850 pro was a no brainer.
wow! In Norway the Pit Boss 850 cost 1300$, i ordered it for home delivery today....
Well I wasn't sure which one to go with till I watched this. Thanks for the review.
No problem! I'm dropping a video this Saturday comparing the vertical style smoker to the horizontal style - might find that useful as well!
@@GrillSergeant Link?
My first treager last 3 years with a new hopper after the first year. I got 2 years out of a cebelas one, auger broke the shear pin a bunch of times now it won't get past 320 no matter how clean I get it. Pit boss here I come
Just picked up a traeger for really cheap to try out pellet grills. I have literally only owned Weber kettles since my first house. I saw your pit boss at Lowe’s and very impressed with quality. They seem like the better grill. One of the company’s must spend a lot on marketing. All that being said I don’t think I can replace my kettles. Lol.
My favorite kettle is 10 years older than I am and will for sure out last me!
Since Traeger was first, their name had been around longer. Just like a Mercedes-Benz, marketing. (Great car just over priced and status symbol, JMHO) Rolex, Mont Blanc just to name a few, marketing and status.
Hmmm I don't see a comparison! Pit Boss is the hands down 🏆😅. Twice the size, made stronger, better features for the same price. Great video and thanks
Thanks for watching Randy!
Pit boss all the way, I own 2, and a gmg Davey crocket for camping. The gmg definitely has better temp management but the open sear ability on pit boss is the ticket! On steak or even tri tip for a reverse sear. On a side note mr traeger works at pit boss now so…..
Thanks this is exactly what I needed to make my decision.
Watched 4 comparison vids on pitboss and traeger. Pitboss seems to be the one to get. Thanks for a great vid Grill Sergeant...
Now the big question. Which Pit Boss are you going to get!? :)
Great review!! I just picked up a Pit Boss Pro Series 1150 last night.
Awesome! 🍻 What’s the first thing you are gonna smoke on it?
@@GrillSergeant Already done a pork butt and a smoked chicken! It’s great so far! 👍🏼
I've had my Pit Boss for 4 years. Gone through 2 wheels that broke and a heating element that broke. Got tired of it and went with a Traeger. Just don't hear about the issues with a Traeger. More expensive but you get what you pay for. Guess I will see.
Hey Doug! Yeah I don’t have experience with older model Pit Boss machines but just from the looks of it the Pro Series looks and runs a lot better than the older models. Have fun with your new smoker, what do you enjoy cooking?
New pit boss are totally better. Guy who started traeger sold it few years back and than went to work for pitboss . You can Google it they are actually sueing him.
Great to see the comparison!
Thanks Scott!
Treager is a damn solid grill and will serve you well...That being said, if bang for buck is the standard to judge the two...PitBoss all day long...
Yep. At the end of the day if you have BBQ skills it really does not matter what pellet grill you are on, that being said just from a specs standpoint the Pit Boss is WAY better built, dollar for dollar.
Pit boss rocks.and they have great costumer service.
Nice
I have a new Laredo 1000 platinum Pit Boss and love it!
I have the PB 850 and I love it!! I was considering Traeger but the price is what made me reconsider. I’m thinking about getting a PB vertical smoker as well!
I'm a huge fan of the vertical smokers but man, I'm a huge fan of this new 1150.
I habe the pb 850 and just bought the pit boss pro series vertical smoker and absolutely love it. However I just got a smoke tube. And man what a game changer. If I had to get rid of both and go with one. I'd go 100 percent for the pb pro series 1150 with a smoke tube. These smoke tubes throw more smoke than any of these $1k+ traegers lol
I have a Pit Boss 850 too. I love it as well, but if the fire pot is removable from the bottom for easy cleaning, please let me know.
I'm so glad I came across this video before I purchased anything. I am looking to get a smoker for my Fiancé for his first Father's Day. How do the Apps compare?
One thing I would have liked to see a comment on is the wheels and their functionality. Looked like Traegor only had 2 big wheels where Pitboss had 2 big wheels and 2 castors. Which would be much easier to move around and lock in place.
Yeah the Pit Boss is way easier to move around for sure!
I own the small treager and it does not move without falling over, spilling pellets and injuring someone. It is so lopsided for weight with that hopper- it takes two of us to move it
Great review. Thanks. Why is the display on the pitboss flickering?
That has to do with the shutter speed of my camera…it does not flicker like that
Pit boss hands down I have one and it’s so amazing
Really helpful video. I was all in for the Traeger. That Pit Boss looks like a beast plus for the value, you the more vs. the Traeger.
Thanks man! 🍻
@@GrillSergeant I’m looking at online reviews though. Traeger looks much higher Vs Pitt Boss. A lot of temp issues with Pitt Boss. Also the Pitt Boss 1150 is $699 Lowes vs. Bigger Traeger 34 Pro $699
@@9eRw1n I can only speak from personal experience with my Pit Boss smokers, I love mine and have had zero temp swing issues. I love my Competition Series 1600
Solid case for the Pit Boss BY FAR!!!! Probably how I'd go if I wanted Pellets. Excellent vid
Thanks TPC, for the ease convenience alone it is totally worth it. It's almost cheating...almost. LOL
@@GrillSergeant my friend, I have nothing against pellet smokers, just not my thing. You're buddy Jared tried demeaning me for using a Masterbilts electric smoker 3 yrs ago. The point of that video was to show the results you can get even with that. If you can cook, it doesn't matter what you use. I'll cook on a city park hibachi and get better results than 90% of the folks out there, because I've been Grill Ng and smoking for 43 years. I've made all the mistakes 10x over, but never have I been a Condescending prick to anyone. I support you and anyone else putting out BBQ content, it's the only way we make this community grow. I truly appreciate what you do👍🏼🔥🇺🇸
Pit Boss definitely has the bang for the buck. Got my Austin XL at Wal-Mart for $449.00. Too bad it doesn’t have the removable fire pot, but it’s still easy to clean compared to my old stick burner. I’m not sure why Traeger is so expensive.
Marketing is why it's more expensive. Also, the Traeger uses 16ga steel whereas the PitBoss uses 14ga steel...
Got the same one at Walmart and have had nothing but issues. Broke 2 of the front wheels and had to replace the heating element. Just went out again. I'm done with it.
@@chasehammock8985 you realize that 14 gauge is thicker than 16 gauge right?
Made in the USA, Pit Boss is made in China. That’s most of the cost difference. If that matters to you is up to you.
@@eddietonore2813 Not anymore. Sadly Traeger is made in China.
As a previous Traeger user, I recently made the switch to Asmoke and it truly has been a game-changer. The precise temperature control and the ASCA technology ensure perfect and efficient cooking every time, making it indeed the #BestBangForTheBuck. The wood pellet variety adds a unique smoky flavor that I haven't experienced with Traeger. The fact that it's portable and battery-powered is a huge plus. I've taken it on camping trips and it's fantastic not having to worry about finding a power source. Plus, the Asmoke app is user-friendly, offering remote temperature adjustment and food temperature monitoring. The switch to Asmoke has elevated my grilling experience to a whole new level. Highly recommend! #Asmoke.
Good video, but dated now. These two grills are not even close in price now. The 1150 (v2 albeit) is still $599, but the Pro-22 is $389. I did a lot of research before buying my first smoker 4 months ago. I was really on a fence between Pit Boss and Traeger, but ended up getting the Pro-22 (a friend had one and loved it....that swayed me). I am not unhappy with the purchase; the Traeger works great and seems to be of good quality. And it was quite affordable for a Traeger. But if I were to do it over, I would likely get a Pit Boss, and get a bigger smoker in general. It's only my wife and I, so I didn't think I needed more grill surface space than the 22. But it gets crowded quick when you start also putting on smoke tubes and a humidity tray. I would probably get the Pit Boss 850 ($549) with all the features and it's bigger size than the comparably priced Traeger models Pro-34 or Pro-575.
I think there is a way to adjust the temp accuracy on the Traeger. The P rating? Or something like that.
Don't forget the Balenciaga purse you get with the traeger
Mine came with a pair of Triple S’s
Great comparison, Andew! 👍
Very happy with my 850 pro series.
After watching this video u convinced me to get a pit boss. On my way to lowes.
🍻 What are you gonna get?
@@GrillSergeant I ended up getting the pit boss pro 850 over the treager pro 22.
cant wait to use it.
Great video I’m going with the Pit Boss
Love my pittboss but I’d like a traegar too
Pretty sure the owner of pit boss used to work for traeger....can't remember the whole story but he left bc he could do it better or something....pit boss pro series user and love it ....
All that's missing is a heat evenness test - maybe with biscuits - and a cooking test. How does a spachcocked chicken in each compare? How about a pork shoulder? Or ribs? Or a brisket? Numbers and measurements are fine, but how well do they cook?
Here is the biscuit test: th-cam.com/video/nCJ9tskFuvo/w-d-xo.html For all the other cooks you just got to watch some of my videos lol :)
@@GrillSergeant Thanks for the followup and letting me know about the other video.
@@sourdoughhome2571 No problem! I just moved to Texas and got the new Pit Boss Competition Series 1600 and that so far is my favorite smoker to cook on!
I won the Pro Series 22 at work for our Christmas party. I still haven't put it together.
Nice!
30 seconds in and I’ve already subscribed 😂
I appreciate your honesty on the pit boss pro series 1150 but I’ve had one and it is a nice pit but I have had to call pit boss to replace the PID controller because it had caught fire twice in the one year. I’ve owned it so you guys Are not looking at the proper reviews on these smokers I’ve had my trigger for two years and have not had any problems just like this video where he put the the monitor in the pit balls in the middle of the pit since day one that I had mine it never ran close to the same temperature that it showed on the PID controller so I would never buy another pit boss again
Built better doesn’t always mean it’s better how it runs and performs is what matters
True, but generally in my experience with pellet smokers if it’s built better, they run and perform better.
Haven’t seen any comments on it so. Thank you for the elk meat joke. I was headed to the comments to be a smart ass and you beat me too it 😂
I bought a Pit Boss before Thanksgiving, and I love it. I think it is the 850.
If I had Joe Rogan's money I'd probably get a high end Traeger. My first pellet grill was a small Traeger that I got second hand. It cooked very evenly but was really small.
So then I got a Pit Boss Pro 1100 and it has been great but after five years of hard use it has finally worn out. It never has heated as evenly as that little Traeger but that may have more to do with size than make. The sliding seer panel rusted away years ago and I covered it with scavenged metal from an old barrel type smoker. Granted I only thoroughly cleaned the innards a few times over the years. Bottom fire box access not being a feature mine had.
All of that being said I find the Pit Boss to be the best bang for my buck. I value a large cook surface because I typically cook food for the week when I cook. So, tomorrow I'm going to get a new Pit Boss Pro Series V3 1150-Sq in Grey Pellet Grill "with smart compatibility". It seems to be the updated version of my old grill. It has far better fire box access, & smart controls, but I'm almost as happy to see they have abandoned the stupid, hard to clean, diamond pattern grates in favor of more traditional ones.
I've been looking at Traeger but there's no comparison. I'm getting a Pit Boss.
Pit Boss definitely gives you more options and features for the same money. I like the looks of the Traeger better, and it just seems like it would last longer as everything is much more simple with less parts and pieces to eventually replace. Bang for buck definitely Pit Boss. Looks, name and simplicity goes to Traeger.
I also have the Traeger Pro 34 and love it.
At the end of the day they are just wood fired convection ovens and they all do the same thing lol.
Traegers are over priced and over hyped grills
The Traeger would come closer to the Pro Series 850 for size but I’m going for the Pit Boss. The clean out pushed me to the Pro Series over the other Pit Boss smoker grills.
What's your take on the TEC grills? I'd love to hear your thoughts/ see a review
i have owned my Traeger 22" for 9 years now. kinda looks like the one in the video. i have had one problem with it. i use it year round. i did get the add on blankets to help keep the heat up to temp. i think they work. lol. the warming rack looks cool on booth but like Bobby K. said they get in the way. cant do a beer can chicken with them in there. i believe that eather one will most likely or any pellet grill will keep any beginner happy.. your food WILL come out better. i do love my Traeger, but i cant sear a steak with out cheating... i.e. removing the drip pan and heat deflector. the fact that you can get to the wires under it is a good. thing. i did get my auger jammed and had to replace the motor and remove and free up the auger.. it was very easy. the motor was cheap. anyway thats my two cents. oh... and no one pellet grill will do all things the best.. you will fined you need maybe 3 grills...pellet grill for low and slow....gas for the kids..i.e. simple hamburgers and hot dogs the pellet grills take a bit longer to get up to temp. and maybe a kettle grill for hotter temps.. and my number one tip? get a cover for them and use it! if your pellets get damp...your F-ed. thanks for the video.
I'll second the damp pellets part. Gotta keep em' dry!
What unit puts out more smoke at 225° and 250° that's what people want to know.
Good question. I was amazed at how much smoke my GMG Davy would put out at 225 and below compared to my Grilla grills chimp, which had trouble getting below 225 on a warm day. PID controllers typically make very little smoke even at lower temps. It makes me feel like GMG is not PID and/or maybe designed to put out more smoke at lower temps. My Traeger Ironwood 650 with super smoke off at 225 and below makes for a very light smoke and holds steady temps, with super smoke it dumps tons of pellets in batches and make some really nice consistent blue smoke with larger batches of smoke when it swings up and down give or take 15 degrees. IMO, I’ve getting better smoke flavor on the GMG and Traeger with super smoke on then I ever did on my Chimp. Even on the times the more smoke setting on the Chimp… the smoke comparison was just way less and the flavor as well.
Great question! I'll keep this in mind when I drop a part 2! Thank you for watching.
Great information, thank you!
Just ordered the Traeger for 499 I have a first floor apartment with a small patio so I don’t need something huge like the pit boss
What if you did the biscuit test on each one? I've seen a few others do it and it helps compare time to cook as well as identify hot and cold spots.
Awesome will do!
With the pit boss can you fit turkey without taking out the top rack?
Might be a tight fit unless you spatchcock the turkey (cut out the spine and lay it flat)
I got the pit boss pro series 850 and Iove it
In my opinion that is the best smoker for the price. It can’t be beat!
Does the pitt boss have a heat shield that disperses the heat like traeger? The ability to slide the metal to sear on the pit boss is cool in theory but when it is closes i would think the flame would be directly under one spot giving it extreme hot spots....
The metal is very thick and spreads the heat pretty evenly. I cooked 10 TriTips at once for a work party and they are were hitting temps around the same time. I will do a biscuit test to check for hot spots on both grills soon.
I own a Traeger 780 pro because I thought it was US made. Since the I found out they were moved to China iver 10 yes ago, if I had to do it all over again I'd buy a Pit Boss Pro 1100🤷🏼♂️
The first probe is wifi , makes it easy to check temp remotely.
I have a Pit Boss vertical smoker, and a Traeger. It's not even a comparison. The Pit Boss is infinitely better for several reasons: it takes up less space, it holds WAY more pellets (you don't have to keep an eye on that during the cook), and it actually produces a smoke flavor, unlike the Traeger. The Traeger sucks. I hate it.
And I know several other people who has owned the pit boss ,1150 pro series That has Colton fire also and if you look on TH-cam, I’m pit boss fires there are tons of people complaining that their Pit boss are catching fire
I have cooked on 3 different Traegers and hated all 3 of them. None of them could hold a constant temp with in 20 deg above or below.
Rectec smokers are awesome. Compare those big box sponsored pits to a RT-700 or similar.
I could title the video what smoker coming out of China is the best one? LOL
@@GrillSergeant That would be correct on so many products these days. Sad but true.
The only thing I dislike about the pit boss is that searing plate because you have to be careful even with it closed that fire him flare up on you
Well done, Andrew👍
Did these prices change? Lowes has the Pitboss 1150 listed for $700
Yep. Inflation sucks.
@@GrillSergeant Dang, rough times. Appreciate the quick reply!
Great video brother!! Usmc!!
🍻
Which one was that can open the open flame in order to sear? Thats so clutch
what one was easier to put together?Plug has 2 or 3 rods?
My PB 1150 from lowes came preassembled.
Love my 1150!
Where do you get spare parts PitBoss Vertical Smokers? Love the Smoker but the base is 💩. I need to replace it.
What is the recovery time when you open the lid?
4 minutes in ! Pit Boss all the way ! That’s what I’ll buy
Hard to believe those are the same price.
The only thing I think I want to know is how tall is the area from the grate to the top. Other than that awesome video. Pitboss strong
Great question! I'll keep this in mind when I drop a part 2! Thank you for watching.
Traeger is like Harley Davidson, you pay double for nothing special, I have a pb cs1250, I have had 2 years and it works great. I will never throw away my money on a Traeger, I can get so much more for my money getting other brands
I had that very same traeger pro 22 model and hated it. I kept that grill OCD clean inside and out, but every time I would turn it to shut down cycle it would start burning back into the auger tube and Id have to empty the pellet hopper every. single. time. I got so sick and tired of it I sold it.
I have the pro 34, and it's never done that. Haven't had a single issue.
@@MCC0NN377 could have just been lemon, I know the whole brand isnt bad, but the one I had was pretty much non useable
Pit boss for sure at this level.
I got some good rssults with my pitboss bro. But it definitely needs a snoke tube, wasnt impressed with the smoke it gives out, never could get crispy chicken skin and didnt like the temp setting increments.
How about a comparrison of the pit boss and the verticle pit boss
Stay tuned! That's going to be the next video I drop!
Holy.... That Pit Boss cost 1500$ in Norway.!!!!!!! Im looking to buy the Pitboss 850g, it goes for 1300$, such rip off..... The Traeger goes for 850$.
What can i do... A man needs to smoke haha. The only Z grills we got in entire Norway for sale is the Z Grills-10002B for 1000$
What are the increments on the pitboss 1150 from lowest to highest?
With the new PID controller you can increment 10 degrees until you hit 300 then its 50 every other step. If you have an older version , contact Pit Boss , they will swap it out for the new one.
More relevant to today's prices, the Traeger can be had for $499, while the Pit Boss is currently at $699. That being said, I'd have to get the Traeger here, despite the Pit Boss being better in my own opinon.
Love my PB