Camp Chef vs Traeger Pellet Grill

If you are here, it means you are confused between the two most reputed pellet grill makers.

Lucky for you, the following guide lists down Camp Chef vs Traeger pellet grill comparison in greater depth.

We all have been in the same boat about deciding which pellet smoker suits our requirements.

On the one hand, Traeger offers its unmatched Set-It and Forget-It feature in its pellet grills. However, on the other hand, Camp Chef incorporates advanced PID technology to regulate the cooking temperature.

Camp Chef vs Traeger Wood Pellet grill

Before discussing the features, let’s learn about these two grill manufacturers.

Camp Chef Pellet Grill

Camp Chef is a relatively newer company than Traeger. Founded in 1990, Camp Chef designed propane gas grills first and then moved towards designing pellet grill product lines.

However, their ideology is different from Traeger. As the name suggests, Camp Chef is dedicated to building durable and portable grills to facilitate outdoor cooking. This ideology of focusing on outdoor grilling differentiates Camp Chef from the rest of the companies.

All the Camp Chef products are manufactured in China but created in the US.

Unlike Traeger, Camp Chef has been expanding its business ever since by producing all kinds of cooking appliances. Some of them are stoves, fire pits, smokers, quality cast iron cookware, and of course, pellet grills.

However, they only have two grill ranges, including Woodwind and SmokePro, unlike Traeger’s massive pellet grills options. The most famous range by CampChef is SmokePro because of its sturdy build quality and, obviously, affordability.

On the other hand, the Woodwind is a high-end and expensive pellet grill range.

Traeger Pellet Grill

Traeger is the first-ever company to design pellet grills back in 1985. The legendary Joe Traeger also patented his idea in 1986. After that, there was no looking back because the patent gave Trager an edge above all to take over the industry of pellet grills.

Nonetheless, the company kept running on a smaller scale as a family-run affair with a limited number of stores.

However, only after the Traeger patent expired in 2006, other companies geared up to give a tough competition. Consequently, Trager had no choice but to expand by outsourcing the production to China in 2010.

Later on, it caused a huge dip in quality, thus hurting the brand’s reputation.

Nonetheless, Traeger has added advanced technology such as WiFIRE and D2 Direct drive to ensure the pellet grills’ premium performance.

Trager has a diverse grill lineup including:

• Pro series – This popular mid-range pell grill comes with Wi-Fi connectivity to the Traeger app for 2019 models.
• Ironwood series – This step-up series comes in larger sizes with DownDraft Exhaust and TRU convection to regulate the cooking cycle.
• Timberline series – It’s the most extensive and pricey series ranging from 850 and 1300 square inches of cooking area.
• Tailgater – It’s a portable model with 300 square inches of cooking space and fewer technical features.

Traeger Pro 575 vs Camp Chef Woodwind Pellet Grill

We are now better positioned to compare the features of the most famous pellet grill models by both of these companies in more depth.

Traeger Pro 575 Pellet Grill Review

As the name suggests, the Traeger Pro 575 Pellet Grill comes with 575 square inches of cooking space. It’s an ample area to accommodate 24 burgers of five racks of ribs simultaneously.

Cooking Area

The cooking area is further divided into two parts – 425 square inches main cooking grate and a secondary grate of 150 square inches.

Furthermore, the secondary grate lies at the height of 4.5 inches above the main grate. By the way, both the grates consist of robust steel rods coated with porcelain to withstand rust or corrosion.

Cooking Options

Traeger is known for incorporating different cooking options in its pellet grills. That’s why Traeger Pro 575 offers six-in-one versatility to smoke, grill, bake, braise, roast, and barbeque.

WiFIRE technology

The WiFIRE technology distinguishes the Traeger Pro 575 from the rest. Meaning, you can control the pellet grill using the Traeger app in your smart device from anywhere in your house.

Moreover, the WiFIRE technology, coupled with D2 Drive Direct Control, enhances its performance in optimizing the temperature.

The WiFIRE controller is mounted on the pellet hopper’s front. You can control it at the smoker or via the app.

Furthermore, it comes integrated with the meat probes plugs. Meaning, you can insert the meat probes after setting the desired temperature to continually monitor the cooking process — no need to manually check the temperature or smoke levels inside the pellet grill.

Other than that, there is a built-in timer that signals the app once the projected cooking time is reached. If the food reaches the set temperature faster, you may opt for the “Keep Warm” option to keep the food warm until your guests arrive.

You don’t need to worry if you are a beginner in pellet grilling. It’s because the Traeger app contains a huge repository of guided recipes to assist you throughout the cooking process.

Temperature Range

Moving on, it allows you to select temperatures between 165F degrees and 450F degrees.

Pellet Hopper Capacity

The pellet hopper offers a total capacity to hold 18 pounds of pellets. Moreover, it includes a pellet clean out chute so that you can quickly empty the hopper for either storage or pellet switching. You can find the chute door in the lower right corner adjacent to the auger at the bottom.

Other features

This smart pellet smoker comes with wheels attached to two legs. Furthermore, you can find a handle on the left side, which lifts the unit, so that you can transport it from your patio to the backyard.

Pros

• Precise temperature control
• Maximum temperature of 500F degrees
• Cooking area of 575 square inches
• Hopper capacity of 18 pounds
• WiFIRE technology
• D2 Drive Direct Control
• Built-in meat probes

Cons

• Poor quality Hot Rod
• Not quite durable

Camp Chef Woodwind Pellet Grill Review

The Camp Chef Woodwind Pellet Grill features WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity to monitor the cooking process via smart devices.  Moreover, it comes with a PID controller and four meat probes to regulate the temperature.

Versatile Cooking

It offers diverse options for cooking, including smoke, braise, bake, and grill.

Temperature Control

If you want to maintain the grill’s heat with precise temperature control, you can use its four stainless steel meat probes. The PID controller regulates the temperature and, consequently, smoke.

Cooking Area

This spacious pellet grill offers a cooking area of 800 square inches. Meaning you can quickly cook food for eight to ten people with a wide range of menus such as ribs, chicken wings, or burgers.

Not only that, it guarantees even heat distribution and consistent cooking throughout the cooking cycle.

Hopper Capacity

This extra-large pellet grill comes with a hopper capacity of 22 pounds, which is enough to cook pork shoulder for 12 hours straight slowly.

Moreover, there is a window in front of the hopper that allows you to see the left pellets. Simultaneously, a chute is available at the hopper’s back to empty pellets for cleaning or changing. The pellets start flowing out once you pull the knob present on the hopper’s left side.

WiFi and Bluetooth Connectivity

You can either use WiFi or Bluetooth to connect the grill to your smart device. In this way, you can regulate the temperature settings remotely. The best thing is you get to monitor the temperature of all four meat probes.

Slide and Grill Feature

It allows you to slide out the firebox’s heat shield to enable direct heating. The louvered drip tray increases the temperature range by allowing the flames to reach the bottom grill racks. In this way, you can achieve a maximum temperature of 650F degrees.

Included Accessories

The package comes with a hopper lid, legs, bottom shelf, cord wrap, upper grate rails, chimney, and a front lid handle. Moreover, you can assemble the entire grill in just one hour without hiring a professional.

It features a porcelain coated stainless steel body to enhance its performance and durability. You can also find a cord handle at one side so store the cord safely.

Moreover, the bottom storage shelf provides ample space for keeping all your utensils in one place.

The taller chamber increases the cooking capacity by up to 40 percent.

Ash Removal

You can find a cup on the smoke chamber’s bottom to clean out the firepot more efficiently. All you need to do is to pull the level so that the ashes fall into the cup.

Pros

• WiFI and Bluetooth connectivity
• PID controller
• Four meat probes
• 160F to 500F degrees temperature range
• 25,000 BTUs of power
• Smoke level settings from one to ten
• Slide and Grill technology
• Patented Ask Cleanout system

Cons

• Difficulty in connecting via WiFi
• Pricey

One-to-One Comparison

Here is a quick one-to-one comparison between both brands.

Temperature

Traeger Pro 575 pellet grill features a temperature range of 165F to 450F degrees. On the other hand, Camp Chef Woodwind pellet grill offers a wider temperature range of 160F to 500F degrees.

Moving forward to temperature control technology, Traeger uses precise temperature control to regulate the temperature within 10F degrees of the set temperature. However, Camp Chef uses the PID controller to optimize the temperature.

The Traeger Pro 575 comes with two meat probes, while the Camp Chef Woodwind comes with four meat probes.

Hopper Capacity

Traeger Pro’s hopper capacity is 18 pounds, while the Camp Chef Woodwind features a spacious capacity of 22 pounds.

However, Traeger Pro 575 comes with the advanced D2 Direct Drive technology. It’s a brushless motor that increases the number of pellets if the lid opens. In this way, the grill reaches the desired temperature faster.

Furthermore, the D2 direct drive also serves to prevent pellet jam by reversing the auger drill to remove the jammed pellets.

Cleaning

In the case of cleaning, it’s a tie. Both include a cleaning chute in the hopper.

Moreover, the easy ash cleanout system facilitates the overall pellet grill cleaning process. You can empty the ash by pulling the level.

Furthermore, you can collect the unused pellets in a small cup available at the grill’s bottom side.

Connectivity

The Traeger Pro 575 pellet grill facilitates WiFI connectivity. However, Camp Chef Woodwind offers both WiFi and Bluetooth technologies.

Conclusion

This article aims to present an unbiased comparison of the two pellet grill companies, both known for their durable products. Moreover, we have discussed all the features and have compared them one-to-one to make a well-informed decision.

Our goal is to infuse smoke flavor into our grilled meat. However, we also intend to make the entire pellet grilling process automated and straightforward.

Camp Chef vs Trager pellet grills is no less than Batman vs Superman. Both are exceptional pellet grills with maximum automation of the cooking process.