Traeger VS Weber: Which Pellet Grill is Better?

While Traeger has been dominating the pellet grill market since they invented them back in the 1980s, Weber is the new kid on the block.

With the release of the SmokeFire pellet grill a few years ago, and a few upgrades and new additions, Weber has shown they mean to compete.

In this article, I’ll be looking at the general differences between each brand and then drilling into a specific comparison between the SmokeFire Stealth edition and the new Traeger Ironwood. I’ve also made a video that goes through my experience cooking on each grill you can check out below.

Weber VS Traeger: Who Makes the Best Pellet Grills?

I’ll go through a direct comparison between the SmokeFire and Ironwood in the next sections if you want to skip ahead, but to start with I wanted to cover some of the basic similarities and differences between the two brands to help you understand your options.

Traeger offers the most choice, with their pellet grill lineup broken into the budget-friendly Pro, the mid-range Ironwood, and the high-end Timberline. Each grill offers more features and better build quality, but the price jumps are significant.

Each option is available in two sizes, with the total cooking area available increasing as you go up the range.

The smallest Pro starts at $799.99, while the Timberline XL will set you back $3799.99 before accessories.

Traeger Pellet Grill Lineup

Weber has a more focused lineup, offering the SmokeFire Gen 2 in two sizes, the Stealth in one size, and two Sear+ editions which give you all the upgrades of the Stealth plus a two-sided porcelain enamel searing grate and a few small improvements.

The cheapest Weber pellet grill will set you back $1099, and the most expensive is only $1599.00, so there’s much less difference between the models.

Weber Pellet Grill Lineup

While there’s a bit of a price difference, we decided on the Weber Stealth VS the Traeger Timberline for our head-to-head comparison.

Traeger Ironwood Vs Weber Stealth Head to Head

The Weber Stealth (and the very similar Sear+) is a big step up from the Traeger Pro, while still being a few hundred less than the Traeger Ironwood.

These two pits made the most sense for a head-to-head comparison because they share a lot of features. That doesn’t mean they’re the same though, each grill has some unique areas it excels at.

Make sure you read to the bottom where I go through everything I cooked on each pit and how it turned out.

Specifications

	Traeger Ironwood XL	Weber SmokeFire Stealth
Weight	243 lbs	204 lbs
Cooking surface	924 square inches (594 bottom + 330 top )	1,008 square inches (648 bottom + 360 top)
Max Temp	165-500°F	200-600°F
Hopper	22 Lbs	20 Lbs
Smoke Boost	Yes	Yes
Pellet Sensor	Yes	Yes
Warranty	10 Years	5 Years (3 years on electrical components and cooking grates)
Price	Check latest price	Check latest price

Build quality and design

Both the Traeger Ironwood XL and Weber SmokeFire Stealth Edition boast solid build quality.

The Weber weighs 204 pounds and measures 55 inches long, 47 inches tall, and 33 inches deep. Its enamel-coated chamber is single-walled, but it does include inserts on both ends for extra insulation.

The Traeger Ironwood, on the other hand, weighs 243 pounds and measures 70 inches wide, 48 inches tall, and 25 inches deep. Its powder-coated, double-walled cooking chamber ensures better heat retention during cold winter months.

The Ironwood comes with a large side shelf and a heavy-duty bottom shelf, which provided ample storage for pellets, tools, and other barbecue supplies.

The Weber Stealth comes with a small side shelf and two tool hooks. While the shelf was functional, it was significantly smaller than the one on the Ironwood.

The Weber Stealth has a 20-pound pellet hopper, while the Traeger Ironwood has a slightly larger 22-pound hopper.

Cooking Space and Grates

The Weber Stealth offers 1,008 square inches of cooking space, with 648 on the main bottom grates and 360 on the top warming rack.

The grates are made out of plated steel. The Traeger Ironwood features 924 square inches of cooking space, with 594 on the bottom and 330 on the top warming rack.

The Ironwood’s grates are made of porcelain-coated steel.

Both grills come with grill lights for nighttime cooking. The light on the Traeger turns on automatically when the lid is opened, while on the Weber you need to hit a button on the side.

Digital Controllers

The SmokeFire Stealth has the Weber Connect PID Wi-Fi controller, which offers a temperature range of 200-600°F and can be adjusted in 5-degree increments.

The Stealth controller provides four probe ports and comes with two meat probes, making it easy to monitor the temperature of multiple cuts of meat simultaneously.

The controller also has a smoke boost feature, where the temperature fluctuates between 165-200°F for increased smokiness during cooking.

The Traeger Ironwood grill is equipped with the D2 Direct Drive WiFire PID controller and boasts a temperature range of 165-500°F, adjustable in 5-degree increments.

Unlike the Weber, the Traeger has a full-color touchscreen controller.

The Ironwood controller also features a Super Smoke mode, which can be engaged between 165-225°F, and a Keep Warm mode that runs between 165-195°F, perfect for maintaining the temperature of your barbecue until it’s time to serve.

The Ironwood controller has two probe ports and comes with two color-coordinated probes.

I much prefer the storage cases you get with the Weber probes, although on the Traeger you can always purchase the compatible Meater probes for a wireless solution.

Accessories

With the Ironwood you get Traegers P.A.L Pop-And-Lock accessory system which allows you to purchase various accessories like a spice rack, tool hooks, and even a paper towel rack.

I really appreciated the flexibility this system offered, as I could position these accessories wherever I wanted, customizing the setup to my needs.

With Weber, you get their CRAFTED system which allows you to swap out the grate with a variety of custom grillware including a pizza stone, sear grates, and even a rotisserie crisping basket.

Apps and connectivity

The Weber Connect app allows you to monitor and control the grill remotely. You can set timers and temperature alerts for the connected meat probes, ensuring that your food is cooked to perfection.

The app offers several guided recipes that walk you through the cooking process step by step, making it easier for beginners to get started with grilling and smoking.

Although the Weber Connect app does not have an extensive array of features, it serves its purpose well, allowing users to monitor and manage their cooking remotely. The user interface is straightforward and easy to navigate.

The Traeger app is more advanced compared to the Weber Connect app and comes with a more extensive library of recipes and guided cooking. The app is also compatible with the Meater probes if you decide to purchase additional probes for your Ironwood grill.

Cleaning and maintenance

Neither grill has an ash cleanout system for the fire pot, something that I always want to see on higher-end grills. Especially when Camp Chef is putting it on grills that are cheaper than either option from Weber or Traeger.

Both have hidden ash and grease catches. The Traeger Ironwood uses a standard grease liner, while the Weber Stealth has more of a unique shape, making it a little harder to find replacements.

Assembly & mobility

Both grills took me and my boys over an hour of assemble. I would recommend assembly both grills with two people.

For the Traeger Ironwood, we found the assembly process was slightly easier. The grill comes with a helpful handle inside the bottom of the box, allowing you to flip the grill on its back more easily during leg assembly.

The Weber SmokeFire Stealth Edition, on the other hand, requires a bit more focus and attention during assembly. Assembling the igniter rod, pellet chute, and heat deflector correctly is crucial to the grill’s proper functioning.

The Traeger Ironwood has two locking casters and two wagon wheels, while the Weber Stealth has four rotating casters with two locks.

Cooking Performance

The Traeger Ironwood excels in low and slow cooking, perfect for smoking meats to achieve that tender, fall-off-the-bone texture. When I cooked spicy spare ribs on the Ironwood, I was amazed by the depth of the smoke ring on the bones.

The grill also did an excellent job with beef cheeks, which came out tender and flavorful.

I smoked a turkey on the Ironwood, and the color and taste were simply incredible. The grill’s temperature range of 165 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit allows for versatile cooking, but it might not be the best choice for high-heat grilling.

The Weber SmokeFire Stealth Edition leans more towards grilling, with a temperature range of 200 to 600 degrees Fahrenheit. Weber has also borrowed the ‘Flavorizer’ bar design from their gas grills.

The higher temperature range makes it perfect for searing meats and achieving those beautiful grill marks. When I grilled red shrimp on the Stealth Edition, they turned out to be the best I’ve ever cooked on any grill. I also smoked a prime brisket, and the smoke ring was picture-perfect. The Stealth Edition’s ability to reach 600 degrees Fahrenheit allowed me to cook thin-crust pizzas in under eight minutes, which was a definite bonus.

However, I noticed that when cooking barbecue-style dishes on the Stealth Edition, the food seemed a tad drier. To counter this issue, I’d recommend adding a water pan during low and slow cooking sessions.

Final Thoughts

Both the Traeger Ironwood XL and the Weber SmokeFire Stealth Edition are great pellet grills, each catering to different cooking styles.

The Traeger Ironwood is ideal for those who prefer low and slow cooking, while the Weber Stealth is perfect for those who want a versatile grill that can handle both grilling and smoking.

Quality-wise, both grills are comparable, but the Traeger Ironwood’s beefier build and more robust controller and app give it a slight edge.