Middleweight · $799–$1,000
Grills, Smokers, and Pizza showdown
Traeger Woodridge vs Weber Searwood 600 vs recteq vs Pit Boss vs Weber Smoque XL: The Middleweight Pellet Grill Showdown (2026)
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- contenders compared
- 5
- owner ratings · Amazon
- 286
- verified pull-quotes
- 3
- data last verified
- 2026-11-05
Tale of the tape
Showdown Scores, read as late as 2026-11-01. Each pick wins a different job; the score says how well it holds up.
Weber Smoque XLBest for big low-and-slow cooks8.6Exceptional
Pit Boss Navigator 1300Most grill for the money8.3Excellent
Traeger WoodridgeBest overall · our crown7.9Excellent
Weber Searwood 600Best for searing7.8Excellent
recteq Deck Boss 900Highest dial temperature?Not scored yet
How to read a Showdown Score™
The only score that counts how often a product breaks, not just how owners feel about it.
- Three parts add up to the score: what owners rate it, how often it fails them, and whether a credentialed tester backed it.
- Bands: Exceptional 8.5 and up, Excellent 7.5, Very good 6.5, Good 5.5, Fair 4, Poor below 4. Every score is dated.
- Price, the warranty and what a link pays us stay out of it.
Five pellet grills at the price where the name brands meet: Traeger, Weber, Pit Boss and recteq. Every box promises steady smoke and real heat. The testers who put their own thermometers on these grates found that each grill keeps one of those promises better than the other.
This is the Middleweight class, the sweet spot of the ladder. Five grills, one winner, and a role for each of the others. Here’s who wins, and for whom.
The short version:
🏆 Best overall: Traeger Woodridge ($899.99). Wirecutter’s thermometer found it holding a smoke within 5 to 10 degrees. The lowest list price here, 860 sq in and a 10-year body warranty. The catch: it is slow to heat, will not sear, and Wirecutter bills it for people who prefer less smoke.
🔥 Best for searing: Weber Searwood 600 ($899). 611°F on Bon Appétit’s laser and a Platinum Medal from AmazingRibs. The catch: testers measured uneven heat, and owners’ critical reviews report early controller failures.
💪 Most grill for the money: Pit Boss Navigator 1300 ($999.99). 1,329 sq in and a flame broiler; AmazingRibs’ Best Value Silver Medal. The catch: it read 25 to 35 degrees cool at a 275°F setting.
Quick comparison
| Model | Best for | Max temp | Cook area | Hopper | Electronics warranty | Warranty | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | 7.9 Excellent | 500°F | 860 sq in | 24 lb | 3 years controller, auger and fan (body 10) | 10 years body and structural; 3 years controller, auger and fan; 1 year sensors and igniter; authorized seller only; labor and freight at the owner's expense | ~$899.99typical at AmazonCheck price → | |
| Best for searing | 7.8 Excellent | 600°F | 648 sq in | 20 lb | 3 years electrical (cook box 5) | 5 years cook box and parts not listed; 3 years electrical; 3 years grates, burn pot, heat diffuser and heat deflector (Weber warranties page) | ~$899typical at AmazonCheck price → | |
| Most grill for the money | 8.3 Excellent | 500°F (flame broiler for direct sear) | 1,329 sq in | 30 lb | 5 years electrical (all parts 5) | 5 years all parts and 5 years electrical (wood pellet grills, brand policy); original purchaser, residential use only; parts only, no labor or freight; no performance warranty; authorized retailer or reseller only (unauthorized marketplaces may be refused) | ~$999.99typical at AmazonCheck price → | |
| Best for big low-and-slow cooks | 8.6 Exceptional | 500°F | 918 sq in | 22 lb (Smoked BBQ Source; not on Weber's page) | 3 years electrical (cook box 5) | 5 years cook box and parts not listed; 3 years electrical; 3 years grates, burn pot and heat diffuser; no channel clause found | ~$799typical at AmazonCheck price → | |
| recteq Deck Boss 900 | Highest dial temperature | Not scored yet | 700°F | 956 sq in | 18 lb | 4 years (whole unit) | 4 years, the whole unit, original owner; authorized recteq distributor only; parts only, freight prepaid by the owner, no labor | Soon |
Prices move constantly — any Amazon price shown is as of the date noted and subject to change; tap through for today's number.
Best overall: Traeger Woodridge
If you want steady temperature and a milder smoke, this is the one. Want heavy smoke? Read Wirecutter’s label first: “Best for people who prefer less smoky results.”
Wirecutter ran the Woodridge against a ThermoWorks Smoke and found it “reliably maintained steady cooking temperatures, producing small swings of around 5 to 10 degrees.” It has the lowest list price here, it has 860 sq in (520 on the main grate), and Traeger backs the body for 10 years and the controller, auger and fan for 3. Amazon sells it directly, and its owner base is the deepest of the five.
Not for you if: you want a heavy smoke flavor, you want to sear, or you are impatient. Wirecutter bills it as “best for people who prefer less smoky results”, and Smoked BBQ Source lists a lack of smoke flavor on the base model. Wirecutter also timed over 28 minutes to reach 325°F, Food & Wine watched a 500°F setting sag to 425–450°F after a lid opening, and Men’s Health found it 15 to 63 degrees under target while seasoning. Owners’ critical reviews also report failures inside the first year, on parts Traeger covers for 1 to 3 years rather than 10.
Traeger Woodridge
Best overall
Excellent
Excellent is 7.5 to 8.4.
See why it scored 7.9
Too close to call with the Weber Searwood 600, which scores 7.8. It holds "Best overall" because it edges ahead on the evidence, by less than our margin of error.
860 sq in · WiFIRE app · the easy all-rounder
Your pick if you want the easiest app-driven pellet grill and the deepest accessory ecosystem — 860 sq in and WiFIRE control; searing tops out at 500°F, so it's for low-and-slow more than steakhouse heat.
Sold and shipped by Amazon · 30-day refund / replacement · read 2026-10-31
Picked before we checked what this link pays us.
“The sturdy construction, reliable performance and smart grilling features allow this grill to punch above its weight.”
“The Traeger Woodridge is a cook's pellet grill at a value price.”
Traeger Woodridge
Best overallYour pick if you want the easiest app-driven pellet grill and the deepest accessory ecosystem — 860 sq in and WiFIRE control; searing tops out at 500°F, so it's for low-and-slow more than steakhouse heat.
“The sturdy construction, reliable performance and smart grilling features allow this grill to punch above its weight.”— Billy Steele, Engadget
Pro review “The Traeger Woodridge is a cook's pellet grill at a value price.”— Sean McCoy, GearJunkie
- Best-in-class app — WiFIRE sets temp, monitors probes, and alerts from your phone
- Biggest accessory + recipe ecosystem of any pellet brand
- 24-lb hopper and 860 sq in — room for ribs plus sides, fewer refills
- Easiest to live with; 10-year warranty and strong resale value
- Slow to heat and short at high heat: Wirecutter timed over 28 minutes to 325°F, and Food & Wine saw a 500°F setting sag to 425–450°F
- Wirecutter bills it for people who prefer less smoky results, and Smoked BBQ Source lists a lack of smoke flavor on the base model
- You pay the Traeger brand premium on accessories
- WiFi can drop on a weak backyard signal
- Only one meat probe included
It fails inside the first year: a thermostat reading 100°F off, the auger, an E10 igniter fault, a dead control panel. Four of the ten newest also say Traeger's support did not fix it.
6 of the 10 newest of 15 written critical reviews are a failure within a year and 4 fault Traeger's support; the histogram puts 7% of 177 ratings at one or two stars · critical reviews read 2026-10-31
Sold and shipped by Amazon · 30-day refund / replacement · read 2026-10-31
Best for searing: Weber Searwood 600
If you want one pellet grill that also sears a steak, this is it. Bon Appétit’s laser read 611°F at the top setting, Smoked BBQ Source reached 600°F in 13 minutes, and AmazingRibs gave it its top Platinum Medal for smoke quality “whether doing low and slow ribs at 225°F or sizzling steaks at 600°F.”
The catches are evenness and availability. AmazingRibs measured it about 15°F under the setting at every temperature, and Smoked BBQ Source’s probes found about 50°F front to back; Weber supplied both test units. It is the smallest grill here, 648 sq in. Owners add a catch of their own: of the 10 written critical reviews on Amazon, 6 describe an early controller, fan or firmware failure and 4 say the grill reads far from the real temperature. Other owners report rock-steady heat, so treat that as a unit-to-unit risk.
Weber Searwood 600
Best for searingExcellent
Excellent is 7.5 to 8.4.
See why it scored 7.8
Your pick if you want one pellet grill that also sears — testers measured 611°F at the top setting and smoke within 5°F; it has 648 sq in, and testers found uneven heat across the grate.
“The Weber Searwood 600 pellet grill is an all-in-one pellet smoker/grill that produces great smoke flavor, aroma, and color whether doing low and slow ribs at 225°F or sizzling steaks at 600°F.”— Max Good, AmazingRibs · Platinum Medal (5/5)
Pro review “The Weber Searwood 600 pellet grill is an all-in-one pellet smoker/grill that produces great smoke flavor, aroma, and color whether doing low and slow ribs at 225°F or sizzling steaks at 600°F.”— Max Good, AmazingRibs.com
- AmazingRibs Platinum medal — a top BBQ-authority pick
- Solid 4.5★ from Amazon owners
- 600°F searing plus clean smoke; Weber Connect app with two probe ports, one probe included
- 5-year cook box warranty
- Testers measured uneven heat: about 15°F under the setting (AmazingRibs) and about 50°F front to back (Smoked BBQ Source)
- 648 sq in, 420 of it on the main grate
- Critical reviews report early failures: 6 of the 10 written are a controller, fan or firmware fault, and 4 say the grill reads far from the real temperature
- Amazon's base is still early: 4.5★ across 84
Early failures of the controller, fan or firmware, and a grill that reads far from the real temperature. Four of the ten fault Weber's support; one praises it.
6 of 10 written critical reviews are an early failure and 4 report a wrong temperature reading; the histogram puts 8% of 84 ratings at one or two stars · critical reviews read 2026-10-31
Sold and shipped by Amazon · 30-day refund / replacement · read 2026-10-31
Most grill for the money: Pit Boss Navigator 1300
The Navigator 1300 is the biggest grill in the fight, 1,329 sq in with a 30 lb hopper, and its Flame Broiler lever opens the fire for direct searing. Wirecutter made it its budget pick, AmazingRibs gave it a Best Value Silver Medal, and Wirecutter’s biscuit test had it at 325°F in 18 minutes, against over 28 for the Woodridge.
The catches: AmazingRibs’ thermometer read 240 to 250°F at a 275°F setting, and below 35°F outside it struggled to hold temperature. Pit Boss supplied that grill. Until October 2026 its Amazon rating was shared by three Navigator sizes; since the listing split on October 28 its own base is 4.2 across 11 ratings, too few to judge.
Pit Boss Navigator 1300
Most grill for the moneyYour pick if you want the most grill for the money and a real sear — 1,329 sq in and a flame broiler; a tester measured it 25 to 35 degrees under a 275°F setting in cold weather, and its own Amazon base is only 11 ratings.
Pro review “I give it our AmazingRibs.com Best Value Silver Medal.”— John Bowlsby, AmazingRibs.com
- Wirecutter's budget pick
- 1,329 sq in and a 30 lb hopper
- Flame Broiler lever for direct-flame searing
- Fast to heat: Wirecutter's biscuit test reached 325°F in 18 minutes
- 5-year warranty on all parts
- AmazingRibs' thermometer read 240 to 250°F at a 275°F setting, and it struggled below 35°F outside
- Its own Amazon base is 11 ratings (read October 2026), too few to judge
- Critical reviews on the Navigator family cluster on early part failures and slow warranty help
- AmazingRibs' test unit was supplied by Pit Boss
No written critical review on its own listing yet, though about two of its 11 ratings are one star; on the shared Navigator listing before it split, parts failed early (auger, igniter, controller board) and owners said Pit Boss support did not fix it.
0 written critical reviews of 11 ratings on its own listing (read October 31, 2026), though the histogram puts 17% at one star; before the split, half of the newest critical reviews on the shared listing were early failures, mostly 850-size units · critical reviews read October 2026
Sold and shipped by Amazon · 30-day refund / replacement · read 2026-10-31
Best for big low-and-slow cooks: Weber Smoque XL
Weber’s newer smoker line in its larger size: 918 sq in, 595 on the main grate. Smoked BBQ Source reviewed the XL and found it reached 275°F in about 10 minutes, “held that target rock steady”, and ran “nearly identical from left to right.” That is one test, and it names no thermometer; its small Amazon base carries no Vine reviews.
Its sibling, the smaller Smoque, fell 30 to 46 degrees short of a 450°F setting in Men’s Health’s test. Nobody has measured the XL at high heat, so treat it as a smoker.
Weber Smoque XL
Best for big low-and-slow cooksExceptional, early data
Exceptional is 8.5 and up.
See why it scored 8.6
Your pick if you want a big, steady Weber smoker for long cooks — 918 sq in (595 on the main grate) and a tester's report of a rock-steady 275°F; it is a smoker first, tested by one outlet so far.
Pro review “During testing, it came up to 275°F in around 10 minutes and held that target rock steady.”— Jeff Rice, Smoked BBQ Source
- Smoked BBQ Source: 275°F in about 10 minutes, held 'rock steady'
- 595 sq in on the main grate plus a 323 sq in warming rack
- Two meat probes and Weber Connect app control
- 5-year warranty on the cook box
- Only one credentialed test so far, and it names no thermometer
- The smaller Smoque fell 30 to 46 degrees short of a 450°F setting in Men's Health's test; no one has measured the XL at high heat
- Weber's product page omits the hopper size; Smoked BBQ Source lists 22 lb
- Amazon's base is small: 4.7★ across 14
One written critical review so far, and it is about the app.
1 written critical review of 14 ratings (read 2026-10-31); the histogram puts 4% at one star · critical reviews read 2026-10-31
Sold and shipped by Amazon · 30-day refund / replacement · read 2026-10-31
Highest dial temperature: recteq Deck Boss 900
The Deck Boss dials to 700°F, the highest setting here, in a 304-stainless barrel with 956 sq in. Popular Mechanics’ reviews editor used one for a couple of months and kept it, but printed no temperature, so no credentialed tester has published a measurement, and recteq lists no direct-flame mode. Until someone publishes a thermometer reading, it is a contender, not a pick.
recteq Deck Boss 900
Highest dial temperatureSee what has been read
Your pick if you want the highest dial setting and a 304-stainless build — 956 sq in and a 700°F setting; no tester has measured it yet, and recteq lists no direct-flame mode, so treat it as unproven at searing.
“The big standout here is the 700°F top end, which is still rare in pellet grills, especially at this price point.”— Erik Naso, Erik Naso
Pro review “After using it for a couple of months, I can wholeheartedly say it has a permanent place in my backyard.”— Danny Perez, Popular Mechanics
- 700°F on the dial
- 956 sq in of cook area
- Heavy 304-stainless barrel and cast-iron heat deflector
- recteq PID control; two meat probes and a 4-year warranty
- No credentialed test has measured it; the 700°F is a dial setting, and recteq lists no direct-flame mode
- Launched April 2026, and no independent owner base yet; recteq's own site carries the only reviews
- 18-lb hopper is smaller than the Traeger's for marathon overnight cooks
- App and ecosystem less polished than Traeger's
- Ships direct — some assembly required
How to choose between them
- Mostly smoking? The Traeger Woodridge.
- Want to sear on the same grill? The Weber Searwood 600.
- Want the most room and a flame broiler for the money? The Pit Boss Navigator 1300.
Spending less? Our Welterweight showdown puts the Traeger Westwood XL against the Z Grills 700D4E and the Weber Smoque. Want a step up? The Light Heavyweight showdown puts the Grilla Silverbac 2.0 against the Traeger Woodridge Pro. Cooking for crowds? The Heavyweight showdown has the bigger grills, and the best pellet grills of 2026 page gathers every tester measurement.
What to look for in a mid-tier pellet grill
- A tester’s thermometer, not the dial. Several of these grills read hotter on their own display than on a tester’s probe.
- Searing ability. Only a direct-flame mode or real grate heat sears; a 500°F dial does not.
- The warranty on the moving parts. The controller, auger and igniter fail first. Read those terms.
- Who sells the listing. Several makers tie the warranty to an authorized seller.
FAQ
What is the best pellet grill for around $900 to $1,000?
For most people, the Traeger Woodridge. Wirecutter's external thermometer found it holding a smoke within 5 to 10 degrees, it has the lowest list price of the five here, it has 860 sq in, and Traeger covers the body for 10 years and the controller, auger and fan for 3 when you buy from an authorized seller. Its catch is heat: Wirecutter timed over 28 minutes to 325°F, and Food & Wine saw a 500°F setting sag to 425–450°F.
Why isn't the Weber Searwood 600 the winner?
Because it wins a different job. Every tester who measured it at the top found real searing heat (611°F on Bon Appétit's laser), so it is our pick for searing. For smoking, which is what most people buy a pellet grill to do, the Woodridge measured steady, lists for less, and has more room and a longer body warranty.
Which mid-size pellet grill sears best?
The Weber Searwood 600. Bon Appétit's laser read 611°F at its top setting and Smoked BBQ Source reached 600°F in 13 minutes. The Pit Boss Navigator 1300 has a flame-broiler lever for direct-flame searing that no tester measured. The recteq Deck Boss 900 dials to 700°F, but nobody has measured it and recteq lists no direct-flame mode.
Is the Pit Boss Navigator 1300 good?
It is the most grill for the money: 1,329 sq in, a 30 lb hopper and a flame broiler. Wirecutter made it its budget pick and AmazingRibs gave it a Best Value Silver Medal. Its thermometer read 240 to 250°F at a 275°F setting, and it struggled below 35°F outside. Its own Amazon base is only 11 ratings (4.2, read October 31, 2026, after Amazon split the Navigator listing), too few to judge.
Does where I buy a pellet grill affect the warranty?
Yes, for Traeger, Pit Boss and recteq: each ties its warranty to the maker or an authorized seller, and none covers labor or freight. We found no channel clause on Weber's pages. Check who sells the listing before you buy, and keep the receipt.
Are pellet grills safe?
Yes, with normal care: run it outdoors with clearance from walls and overhangs, keep the firepot and grease tray clean to avoid flare-ups, and don't leave it unattended on high. None of these five has an active CPSC recall (checked October 2026).
Weber Searwood 600 or Traeger Woodridge?
The Woodridge if you want steady temperature and a milder smoke, the Searwood 600 if you also sear. Wirecutter measured the Woodridge holding a smoke within 5 to 10 degrees, but Smoked BBQ Source's IR gun found its grates under 300°F at a 500°F setting. Bon Appétit's laser read 611°F on the Searwood at its top setting, and it held within five degrees while smoking. The Woodridge has more room (860 sq in against 648), and both makers cover the electronics for 3 years.
Update history
- November 2026 (2026-11-01) — Crown re-checked after the audit brought the scores within 0.1: the Woodridge keeps it, because no one source tested both on the same measure and the Searwood's owner base is not as deep. The framing changed from "if you mostly smoke" to steady temperature and a milder smoke, because Wirecutter labels it for people who prefer less smoky results.
- November 2026 (2026-11-01) — Full audit. Amazon sells the Weber Searwood 600 directly again ($999, in stock), so the one-unit-from-Acme-Tools catch came off the verdict box, the FAQ and the card; its critical tail replaces it. Added Wirecutter's less-smoky label to the Woodridge's catch and its budget pick to the Navigator. Popular Mechanics' hands-on report added to the Deck Boss 900, which still has no published temperature measurement. Navigator 1300 rating 4.2 across 11, Woodridge 4.6 across 177. Smoque warranty line corrected to Weber's own row; Smoque XL hopper shown as 22 lb from Smoked BBQ Source.
- October 2026 (2026-10-31) — Removed the Navigator 1300 card line saying its listing sells three sizes, false since the listing split on October 28 (found by the Lightweight audit).
- October 2026 (2026-10-28) — Rival-scan audit: an Electronics warranty column and a Searwood-600-or-Woodridge FAQ. Same day: the Navigator 1300's rating moved from a pooled 4.6 across 72 to its own 4.1 across 10 when Amazon split the Navigator listing; under our 50-rating floor, so its role rests on its tester record.
- June 2026 — First published as Traeger vs Z Grills vs recteq (Traeger Pro 780, recteq Backyard Beast 1200, Z Grills 700D4E).
- June 2026 — Re-tiered into a true same-class Middleweight matchup: Traeger Woodridge vs recteq Deck Boss 900 vs Weber Searwood 600 (all ~$899–999, ~650–900 sq in). The discontinued Pro 780 became the current Woodridge; the bigger, pricier Backyard Beast 1200 moves to a future Heavyweight showdown and the budget Z Grills 700D4E to a future Lightweight one. URL updated; the old link redirects.
- July 2026 — Liveness re-verify (next-oldest-posts audit, 2026-07-27). All three current, no drift: Traeger Woodridge (base variant, 860 sq in, ~$899) Amazon B0DQTBRS3M = 'Traeger Woodridge... 860 Sq. In... TFB86MLH', correct; recteq Deck Boss 900 (RT-900DB, $999.99) current + in stock + purchasable on recteq.com (editorial reference — no Amazon listing, no self-serve affiliate); Weber Searwood 600 (Amazon B00OBHQ48U) resolves correctly to the Searwood 600 despite the legacy-format ASIN. Ratings unchanged (within window). No content change; priceChecked → July.
- July 2026 — Owner ratings switched to independent Amazon reads (Brad, signed-in, 2026-07-27): Traeger 4.3/115 → 4.6/160 (now the highest AND deepest independent base of the three); Weber 4.6/1,508 → 4.4/80 (weber.com figure kept as a labeled brand secondary). On independent counts the Weber's 80 is the SMALLEST base here, so it no longer carries the 'most owner-loved / longest track record' framing — repositioned as the polished all-rounder (AmazingRibs Platinum medal + Weber Connect + 600°F sear). recteq Deck Boss 900 still has no independent base (launched Apr 2026).
- October 2026 (2026-10-15) — Re-checked the crown against every credentialed measurement (Wirecutter, Food & Wine, Men's Health, Bon Appétit, AmazingRibs, Smoked BBQ Source, read on their own pages) and same-day Amazon reads: the Woodridge keeps the belt. The Weber Searwood 600 takes the searing role from the recteq Deck Boss 900, which no tester has measured (its cook area corrected to 956 sq in). Added the Weber Smoque XL and the Pit Boss Navigator 1300.
Every Grills, Smokers, and Pizza showdown, by division
Same fight, different budgets. The head rulings first, then each weight class as the price climbs.
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