Head-to-head wood pellet grill comparison

Traeger Pro 575 vs Pit Boss 850FB2

Traeger Pro 575 and Pit Boss 850FB2 both solve the same backyard problem: a wood-pellet hopper grill that smokes, bakes, roasts, and grills without babysitting a fire. The real difference is control versus capacity. The Pro 575 pairs a smaller cooking area with WiFIRE app control and Alexa support, while the 850FB2 trades that smart-home layer for more grilling space, a bigger hopper, and a Flame Broiler lever for true direct-flame searing.

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Two black wood pellet barbecue grills side by side on a backyard deck with a stack of firewood, a bag of wood pellets, and grilling tongs for the Traeger Pro 575 vs Pit Boss 850FB2 comparison
Last checked
Winner Traeger Pro 575
Best alternative Pit Boss 850FB2
Verdict

Which one should most people buy?

Buy the Traeger Pro 575 unless you regularly cook for a crowd or want true direct-flame searing -- then the Pit Boss 850FB2's bigger cooking area and Flame Broiler lever earn their keep.

The Pro 575 is the better everyday buy unless you need more cooking space or direct-flame searing.

Both grills do the same core job: burn 100% hardwood pellets to smoke, bake, roast, and grill on one machine. The Traeger Pro 575 pulls ahead for most buyers because of its WiFIRE technology -- you get real-time temperature graphs, remote start and shutdown, and Alexa voice commands through the Traeger app, all backed by the D2 drivetrain that Traeger says starts quicker and holds smoke quality better than the previous generation. Porcelain-coated grates and a built-in meat probe round out a grill that is easy to set and forget for weeknight cooking.

Pit Boss 850FB2 is still the right call if capacity or searing power matters more than app control. Its 840 square inches of two-tiered cooking space beats the Pro 575's 575 square inches by a wide margin, its 21 lb hopper needs refilling less often on long smokes, and the Flame Broiler lever opens a direct path to the fire pot for searing up to 1,000°F -- something the Pro 575 cannot do at all. The trade-off is no WiFi or app control, just an LCD digital controller with 5°F increment settings.

At a glance

The Key Specs

Best overall for app control

Traeger Pro 575

The Pro 575 is the cleaner pick for cooks who want WiFi monitoring, Alexa voice control, and a grill that starts quickly and holds smoke consistently. Its 575 sq in cooking area and 18 lb hopper suit typical weeknight and weekend cooking for a household.

Model
Traeger Pro 575 (TFB57GLE)
Cooking area
575 sq in total (418 sq in main grate, 154 sq in second tier)
Hopper / max temp
18 lb hopper, 500°F max, 11,000 BTUs
Best for
Cooks who want WiFIRE app control, Alexa support, and a smaller footprint.
Best for capacity and searing

Pit Boss 850FB2

The 850FB2 is the better all-around pick if you cook for a crowd or want real direct-flame searing. Its larger two-tiered cooking surface, bigger hopper, and Flame Broiler lever make it a more versatile grill for big batches and steakhouse-style sears.

Model
Pit Boss 850FB2 (PB850FB2)
Cooking area
840 sq in, two-tiered porcelain-coated steel grates
Hopper / max temp
21 lb hopper, 180-500°F in 5°F increments, sear to 1,000°F
Best for
Larger households or cooks who want direct-flame searing and more room.
Fit check

Choose by cook, not the sticker on the box.

The right pick depends less on the biggest cooking-area number and more on whether you want app control from the couch or a bigger grill you fully operate at the unit itself.

Buy Traeger Pro 575 if

You want to check and adjust the grill from your phone or with Alexa, cook mostly for a household of two to four, and value a quicker-starting, more consistent smoke over raw square footage.

Skip it if you regularly host large cookouts -- 575 sq in fills up fast with multiple racks of ribs or a full brisket plus sides.

Buy Pit Boss 850FB2 if

You cook for a crowd, want the option to sear steaks directly over an open flame, and are fine running the grill from its onboard LCD controller instead of a phone app.

Skip it if WiFi monitoring and Alexa control matter to you -- the 850FB2 has no app or smart-home connectivity.

Side by side

Compare the trade-offs.

The important split is not price. It is whether you want WiFIRE app control and a tighter footprint from Traeger, or more cooking space and direct-flame searing from Pit Boss.

Key buying trade-offs for the Traeger Pro 575 and Pit Boss 850FB2, based on manufacturer specifications and product-specific retailer pages checked July 23, 2026.
Metric Traeger Pro 575 Pit Boss 850FB2
Best fit WinnerCooks who want app control, Alexa support, and a smaller footprint. Larger households or cooks who want direct-flame searing and more room.
Model Traeger Pro 575 (TFB57GLE) Pit Boss 850FB2 (PB850FB2)
Cooking area 575 sq in total (418 sq in main grate, 154 sq in second tier) 840 sq in, two-tiered porcelain-coated steel grates
Hopper capacity 18 lb pellet hopper 21 lb pellet hopper
Temperature range Up to 500°F max; no dedicated direct-flame sear mode 180-500°F in 5°F increments; Flame Broiler lever sears up to 1,000°F
Controls WiFIRE WiFi app control, Alexa voice support, built-in meat probe Onboard LCD digital controller, no WiFi or app connectivity, 1 meat probe port used, 2 total
Assembled dimensions / weight 41"L x 22"W x 53"H, about 124 lb 47.2"L x 26.8"W x 47"H (per Pit Boss spec), about 136.6 lb
Main drawback Smaller cooking area can feel tight for large cookouts, and there is no direct-flame searing mode. No WiFi, app, or Alexa control -- every adjustment happens at the grill itself.
How we compared

The criteria behind the pick.

We compared the grills on cooking-area capacity, hopper size, temperature range and searing capability, control technology, and physical footprint. We omitted ratings, review counts, prices, and availability because those details change often and can mislead shoppers when they are stale.

Specs checked

For the Pro 575, we used Traeger's published support-site specifications for cooking area, hopper capacity, BTUs, and maximum temperature, plus the retailer product listing for WiFIRE and Alexa features. For the 850FB2, we used Pit Boss's published product page for cooking area, hopper capacity, temperature range, and Flame Broiler searing specs.

Fit checked

We weighted fit by the job each buyer is really hiring the grill to do: convenient, app-monitored everyday cooking for a smaller household, or maximum cooking space and direct-flame searing for bigger gatherings.

Best fit

The Pro 575 is the safer default for most buyers because WiFIRE app control and Alexa support make everyday cooking more convenient without sacrificing much cooking area. The 850FB2 is easier to justify when raw capacity or direct-flame searing matters more than remote monitoring.

Source trail

What the recommendation is based on.

FAQ

Questions before checkout.

Which grill has more cooking space?

The Pit Boss 850FB2 has 840 sq in of total cooking space across two tiers, well ahead of the Traeger Pro 575's 575 sq in (418 sq in main grate plus 154 sq in second tier). If you regularly cook multiple racks of ribs, a full brisket plus sides, or feed a crowd, the 850FB2's extra room matters more than any other spec.

Does either grill have WiFi or app control?

Only the Traeger Pro 575. Its WiFIRE technology connects the grill to home WiFi and the Traeger app, letting you monitor and adjust temperature remotely, and it also supports Alexa voice commands. The Pit Boss 850FB2 runs entirely from its onboard LCD digital controller with no WiFi, app, or Alexa connectivity.

Can either grill sear steaks with direct flame?

The Pit Boss 850FB2 can. Its Flame Broiler lever opens a direct path to the fire pot for searing up to 1,000°F. The Traeger Pro 575 is a closed-lid, indirect-heat pellet grill with a 500°F max and no direct-flame searing mode, so it relies on high indirect heat rather than open flame for a sear.

How big are the pellet hoppers?

The Traeger Pro 575 holds 18 lb of pellets and the Pit Boss 850FB2 holds 21 lb. The larger 850FB2 hopper needs refilling less often on long cooks like an overnight brisket smoke, though both need periodic topping off for all-day sessions.

Which one is easier to fit on a smaller patio?

The Traeger Pro 575 has a smaller assembled footprint at 41"L x 22"W x 53"H versus the Pit Boss 850FB2's roughly 47.2"L x 26.8"W x 47"H per Pit Boss's published spec. If patio or deck space is tight, the Pro 575's narrower stance is the easier fit.

Best overall

Traeger Pro 575

It gives most backyard cooks the more convenient grill: WiFIRE app control and Alexa support let you monitor and adjust the cook from inside the house, the D2 drivetrain starts faster and holds temperature more consistently, and the smaller footprint fits tighter patios.

Last checked: . Retailer availability, coupons, delivery estimates, and other listing details can change without notice.

Decision notes
Best overallTraeger Pro 575
Best for capacity/searingPit Boss 850FB2
Data sourceOfficial specs plus Amazon product pages
Last checked
Traeger Pro 575 Best overall pick
Amazon