By
James
Updated on
Are you considering getting a new grill or smoker but just don’t know which brand to go for? Great brands like Pit Boss, Traeger, Weber, and a few other names make it hard to pick because each has its strength. Worry not because today, we’ll help you get what suits you best!
Let’s start by looking at a bestseller from each manufacturer.
Weber Original Kettle
The Weber Original Kettle is among the most portable and compact grills that will work anywhere. It’s the ultimate no-nonsense small grill. Easy to use, functional, and affordable, there’s little not to like about this compact unit.
Don’t let the 22-inch diameter fool you. This unit can hold more than a dozen burgers made with the Weber press. The probe and lid hooks ensure that nothing touches the ground when you cook.
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly, compact grill, look no further than Weber’s 22-inch Kettle.
Pit Boss Sportsman 1100
The Sportsman 1100 is built to be your all-in-one solution for any outdoor cooking. It can accommodate almost any kind of cooking you throw at it.
Pit Boss calls its Sportsman 1100 the 8-in-1 because of its versatility. At first glance, it may look like another mid-range griller that is neither cheap nor premium quality. But a closer look reveals its potential. You can barbeque, smoke, bake, sear, braise, char-grill, grill, or roast on this unit.
If you’re torn between several models because of your vast grilling needs, the Sportsman 1100 may just be your one-stop solution.
Traeger Timberline 850
If you want a premium grilling experience with cutting-edge features, it’s hard to look beyond Traeger’s Timberline 850. It’s genuinely a high-end grill that gives you the quality, convenience, durability, and style.
The Timberline runs on pellets and is the epitome of what wood-fire grilling is supposed to work. With insulated construction, stainless steel grates, and Wi-Fi technology, this unit screams premium.
If you can cough up the budget for it, the Timberline 850 is class and convenience rolled into one griller.
| WEBER KETTLE | SPORTSMAN 1100 | Timberline 850 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 40”x22”x27” | 64”x32”x52” | 21 x21”x50” |
| Weight | 32.3lbs | 173lbs | 213lbs |
| Cooking Area | 363 sq.in | 1610 sq. in | 850 sq. in |
| Primary Fuel | Charcoal | Pellets | Pellets |
Weber Overview
The first Weber Kettle owes its origin to the innovative thinking of George Stephen. At the time, Stephen worked at the Weber Brothers Metal Works in Chicago.
In 1952, he realized that a floating buoy cut in half would make a great cooking bowl. So, that’s what he did exactly. Today, their easy-to-use grill kettles are in almost every home.
Since then, Weber has carried on this innovative and enterprising spirit to all of their products.
Pit Boss Overview
Pit Boss Grills is not a new name for anyone who’s ever browsed grilling products. But did you know that Pit Boss is a sub-brand of Dansons Inc.? The company began back in 1999, by Dan Thiessen, along with his sons.
Today, Pit Boss is known for providing all sorts of grills that cater to backyard barbeques, outdoor cooking, and neighborhood parties.
They claim to offer the best value for every square inch of grills. And they’re yet to be proven wrong on this one.
Traeger Overview
Traeger has been in the pellet grill business for more than three decades now. The first pellet grill was invented by Joe Traeger back in the 80s, and they’ve only grown since.
As the company officially came around in the early 1990s, they took the pellet market by storm.
Today, the pellet grill market is a competitive industry with many players. But Traeger continues to be the top seller of wood-fired grills in the world.
The Weber Kettle vs. Pit Boss Sportsman 1100 vs. Traeger Timberline 850: Head to Head
Each of these grills offers specific advantages and lacks in certain areas. So, understanding some core features better will help you decide which brand to go for.
Price: The price difference among the three units is a good starting point for any buyer. The Weber Original Kettle is the apparent budget pick, but you won’t get as many features as the other two. The Sportsman 1100 is the ideal mid-range choice. But it’s not built for portability or specialized cooking. The Timberline 850 is the high-end pick, but you’ll need to shell out a little fortune to get this one.
Material: The Weber Kettle comes with a lovely porcelain finish that adds a glossy and protective element to the grill.
The Sportsman 1100 also comes with porcelain and stainless steel components. But it’s the matte black body that catches your eye.
The Timberline 850 stands out with its stainless steel interior that comes in double walls. It retains and insulates the heat better, and it provides more support to the structure.
Temperature Control: Both the Sportsman 1100 and Timberline 850 offer you cutting-edge tech for controlling temperature. The Sportsman 1100 has a digital interface where you can easily set and change the temperature. The Timberline 850 goes a step further and offers you complete wireless control using Traeger’s native app.
Temperature range: The Sportsman 1100 comes with a healthy range of 180°-500°F. Traeger’s Timberline 850 also has a similar temperature range that maxes out at 500°F. With the Weber Kettle, you can arrange charcoal bits on the grate for additional heat, which can take it up to a few hundred degrees at the least.
Cooking space: The Weber Kettle has a cooking area of 363 sq. inches, while the Timberline 850 comes with 850 sq. inches, as the name suggests. The Sportsman 1100 takes the cake here with a whopping 1610 sq. inches of cooking area.
Pellet Hopper size: The Sportsman 1100 has a large hopper capacity of 30lbs, enough for long sessions. The Timberline 850 comes with 24lbs. The Weber Kettle runs on charcoal, so you’ll have to feed the heat manually.
Warranty: The Timberline 850 and the Sportsman 1100 offer warranties of three years and five years, respectively. On the other hand, Weber offers a 10-year warranty on the lid and bowl. Also, the cleaning system and plastic parts have a 5-year warranty. And all the other parts come with 2-year warranties.
About The Author
Reviewed by
James
James is a writer who is a self-confessed kitchenware and coffee nerd and a strong advocate of Sundays, good butter, and warm sourdough.
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