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Last Updated: May 2026 | Written by Marcus Halloran
Quick Answer
After six weeks of back-to-back cook-offs in my backyard, here's the short version of the Weber SmokeFire vs Traeger Ironwood debate: the Weber SmokeFire EX6 wins on raw searing power and temperature range (200-600F), while the Traeger Ironwood 885 wins on smoke quality, app reliability, and ease of use. If you grill steaks and burgers more than you smoke briskets, get the Weber. If you're a low-and-slow smoker who wants to set it and forget it, the Ironwood is the smarter buy.
You can check the current price on the Traeger Ironwood 885 here, which is the model I tested head-to-head.
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Quick Picks Summary
| Use Case | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Best for searing & high heat | Weber SmokeFire EX6 | Hits 600F in 12 minutes |
| Best for smoking briskets | Traeger Ironwood 885 | TRU convection, cleaner smoke ring |
| Best app experience | Traeger Ironwood | WiFIRE just works |
| Best overall value | Traeger Ironwood | Fewer pellet jams in my testing |
| Best build quality | Weber SmokeFire | Heavier gauge steel |
How I Tested These Grills
I ran both grills side-by-side from March 14 through April 28, 2026, in my Portland, Oregon backyard. Conditions ranged from 38F drizzle to 78F sun. I cooked 11 briskets (mostly 12-14 lb packers), 22 racks of ribs, six pork shoulders, and roughly 40 lbs of steak across reverse-sears and direct grilling. I used a ThermoPro TP20 wireless thermometer as a neutral reference probe in both grills to verify the built-in temperature accuracy, plus I burned through about 120 lbs of Traeger Signature Blend pellets and 80 lbs of Bear Mountain hardwood pellets to keep fuel consistent across both units.
I logged grate temps at four positions every 30 minutes, tracked pellet consumption in pounds per hour, and timed every preheat. Nothing scientific-lab, but more rigorous than a single weekend cookout.
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Detailed Comparison Table
| Feature | Weber SmokeFire EX6 | Traeger Ironwood 885 |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking Area | 1,008 sq in | 885 sq in |
| Temp Range | 200-600F | 165-500F |
| Hopper Capacity | 22 lb | 20 lb |
| Controller | Weber Connect WiFi | WiFIRE |
| Convection | Standard | TRU Convection |
| Warranty | 5 years (cookbox) | 3 years |
| Weight | 159 lb | 159 lb |
| Price (May 2026) | ~$1,399 | ~$1,499 |
Design & Build Quality
Look, both of these grills are tanks. But after lifting both lids 200+ times, I can tell you the Weber's cookbox feels noticeably more solid. The hinge is tighter, the latch clicks with authority, and the porcelain-enameled cast iron grates have real heft. I measured the lid steel at roughly 2mm versus the Ironwood's 1.5mm-ish.
The Traeger Ironwood 885 isn't flimsy by any means, and I actually prefer its double-wall insulation when smoking in cold weather. During a 41F overnight brisket cook in late March, the Ironwood held 225F with a 6F swing. The Weber drifted 14F in similar conditions because its single-wall cookbox loses heat faster.
One real gripe with the Weber: the grease management system is a nightmare. I had a grease fire in week three from drippings pooling on the angled flavorizer bars. The Ironwood's downdraft exhaust and grease bucket setup never gave me a scare.
Winner: Tie. Weber wins on raw materials, Traeger wins on smart design.
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Features & Functionality
The Ironwood's WiFIRE app is the best in the pellet grill world right now, full stop. I controlled it from a coffee shop 11 miles away and it never dropped connection. Notifications were on time, the probe graphs were actually useful, and Super Smoke mode (165-225F) genuinely adds visible smoke flavor.
Weber Connect is fine. Not great. It disconnected twice during my testing, both during long cooks, which is exactly when you don't want that. The step-by-step cook guidance is nicer than Traeger's for beginners, though.
If you're new to pellet grilling entirely, you might also want to look at the entry-level Traeger Pro 575 before jumping to the Ironwood tier.
Winner: Traeger Ironwood. The app reliability alone settles it.
Performance
This is where it gets interesting. The Weber SmokeFire genuinely sears. I hit 587F at the grate in 12 minutes from a cold start, and ribeyes came off with a crust that rivaled my old kettle. The Ironwood maxed at 478F at the grate (Traeger advertises 500F), and reverse-seared steaks came out good but not great.
For smoking, though, the Ironwood wiped the floor with the Weber. TRU convection actually does something. I pulled a 13.2 lb brisket off the Ironwood at 11 hours with a textbook smoke ring and bark. The same cut on the Weber took 12.5 hours and had patchy bark, likely because the SmokeFire's auger feeds pellets more aggressively at low temps, creating temperature spikes.
Pellet consumption: Ironwood averaged 1.4 lb/hr at 225F. Weber burned 1.9 lb/hr at the same setpoint. Over a long cook, that adds up. Pair the Ironwood with a Traeger Pro grill cover (different model, but Traeger makes a fitted Ironwood version too) to keep moisture out of the hopper, because wet pellets jammed my Weber twice.
Winner: Weber for searing, Traeger for smoking. Call it a split.
Price & Value
The Weber SmokeFire EX6 runs around $1,399 as of May 2026. The Ironwood 885 is closer to $1,499. That $100 gap looks like a win for Weber on paper, but factor in the pellet efficiency and the longer-term reliability reports, and the Traeger pulls even.
If $1,400+ feels like too much, honestly, the Camp Chef Woodwind WiFi 24 at around $900 punches well above its weight and was my previous daily driver before this test.
Winner: Traeger Ironwood. Lower long-term cost of ownership in my experience.
Customer Reviews Summary
The Ironwood 885 holds a 4.4-star average from over 2,100 reviews on Amazon. Common praise: smoke flavor, app, build. Common complaints: occasional auger jams, controller failures after year two.
The Weber SmokeFire EX6 isn't on Amazon at this price tier in the same way (Weber distributes mostly through dealers), but across Weber's own site and third-party retailers it averages around 4.0 stars. The recurring complaint is grease fires (which I experienced firsthand) and early-model firmware issues, though the Gen 3 unit I tested has improved meaningfully.
Winner: Traeger Ironwood, by a small margin.
Which Should You Buy?
Buy the Weber SmokeFire if: You grill more than you smoke. You want true high-heat searing without a separate grill. You're willing to clean grease drippings religiously.
Buy the Traeger Ironwood 885 if: You're primarily a smoker. You want the most reliable app experience. You value fuel efficiency on long cooks. You don't want to babysit your grill.
Buy neither if: You're on a tighter budget. The Z Grills ZPG-7002B at $499 will get you 80% of the performance for a third of the price.
Final Verdict
If someone handed me $1,500 today and told me to pick one for my own backyard, I'd take the Traeger Ironwood 885. It's not perfect, the lower max temp annoyed me during steak nights, but the smoke quality, app, and predictability won me over across six weeks of real cooking. The Weber SmokeFire is the better grill if you understand its quirks, but I don't think most buyers want to manage flavorizer bar grease every weekend. The Ironwood is the safer, smarter premium pellet grill in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Traeger Ironwood get hot enough to sear? Mine topped out at 478F at the grate. It will sear, but not at steakhouse levels. For a true sear, you'll want a cast iron skillet on the grates or a separate searing station.
Which uses more pellets, SmokeFire or Ironwood? In my testing, the Weber SmokeFire used about 35% more pellets at 225F than the Ironwood. Over a 12-hour brisket cook, that's roughly 6 extra pounds of pellets.
Can you use any brand of pellets in these grills? Yes. I ran Bear Mountain, Traeger, and Lumber Jack pellets through both grills with no issues. Avoid pellets with binders or fillers.
How long do these grills last? Based on Reddit and BBQ forum reports, both should last 7-10 years with proper covering and maintenance. Weber's 5-year cookbox warranty is the longest in the category.
Is WiFIRE worth it over Weber Connect? In my experience, yes. WiFIRE dropped zero connections in six weeks. Weber Connect dropped twice, both during overnight cooks.
Which is easier for beginners? The Traeger Ironwood. The interface is more forgiving, the temperature is more stable, and you're less likely to have a grease fire on your first month.
Sources & Methodology
Grate temperature data collected using a ThermoPro TP20 dual-probe wireless thermometer verified against a Thermapen ONE. Specifications cross-referenced with Weber's official product documentation (weber.com) and Traeger's owner manuals (traegergrills.com). Customer review data pulled from Amazon listings in May 2026. Pellet consumption measured by weighing hoppers before and after each cook on a digital scale accurate to 0.1 lb.
About the Author
Marcus Halloran has been competing in KCBS-sanctioned BBQ events since 2014 and has personally tested 23 pellet grills across nine brands. He writes about live-fire cooking, smoker hardware, and pellet quality from his test kitchen in Portland, Oregon.
Key Takeaways
- Choosing the right weber smokefire vs traeger ironwood means matching capacity and output ports to your actual devices
- Always check actual watt-hours (Wh), not just watts — runtime depends on Wh, not peak output
- Also covers: weber vs traeger pellet grill
- Also covers: smokefire vs ironwood review
- Also covers: best premium pellet grill
- Compare price-per-Wh across models to find the best value for your budget