Traeger Ironwood 885 vs Westwood
885 sq in, insulation and Super Smoke from 165 F at around $1,008, against 653 sq in and a 450 F ceiling at $699.99. What the extra $308 buys.
We pick the Traeger Ironwood 885 Pellet Grill
The Ironwood 885 is the better grill by a wide margin, and around $308 is a fair price for the gap. It brings 885 sq in, insulated walls, Super Smoke from 165 F to 225 F, a 500 F ceiling and a pellet sensor. The Westwood brings 653 sq in, 180 to 450 F, no smoke mode, no insulation and no sensor. But it is a current model at $699.99, and 41 inches wide. Buy the Westwood only if the money or the deck space is fixed.
What actually differs
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One of them can be left alone overnight
The Ironwood watches its 20 lbs of pellets and messages you when they thin, behind walls that hold heat in cold air. The Westwood has neither, and our review says plainly that an overnight cook means a walk outside to look.
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232 square inches and a working smoke button
885 against 653, and a rack split of 570 and 315 against 428 and 225. On top of that, Super Smoke covers the whole bottom of the Ironwood's dial. The Westwood's only smoke lever is setting a lower number.
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What the Westwood keeps that the Ironwood lost
Seven years on sheet metal against rust-through, a current grill with parts behind it, and 13 fewer inches of width. The Ironwood carries three years in total, and no cover at all if it changes hands.
How they score, category by category
The Traeger Ironwood 885 scores higher in 1 category, the Traeger Ironwood Westwood in 5 categories.
Level overall: within a tenth of each other.
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Heat Performance
Counts for 25% of the scoreTraeger Ironwood 885 9.0 Better by 2.0Traeger Ironwood Westwood 7.0Why the Traeger Ironwood 885 scores 9.0Super Smoke opens at 165 F where the current $1,399.99 Woodridge Pro Plus waits until 185 F, behind insulated side walls.
Why the Traeger Ironwood Westwood scores 7.0
A 450 F ceiling, no Super Smoke mode and no added insulation, against a swing Traeger's own manual puts at 25 F.
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Long-term Reliability
Counts for 20% of the scoreTraeger Ironwood 885 6.5Traeger Ironwood Westwood 7.5 Better by 1.0Why the Traeger Ironwood Westwood scores 7.5The 7-year headline covers rust on sheet metal; the auger, fan and controller get 3 years, the igniter 1.
Why the Traeger Ironwood 885 scores 6.5
Three years is Traeger's shortest term, it needs an Authorized Seller on the receipt, and resale kills it outright.
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Build Quality
Counts for 18% of the scoreTraeger Ironwood 885 8.5Traeger Ironwood Westwood 8.7 Better by 0.2Why the Traeger Ironwood Westwood scores 8.7Shelves rated to 40 and 60 lb, all-terrain wheels and a P.A.L. rail as standard, at the bottom of the range.
Why the Traeger Ironwood 885 scores 8.5
Porcelain coated steel grates, a stainless shelf and double-walled construction, on a barrel whose steel Traeger still declines to name.
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Ease of Use
Counts for 15% of the scoreTraeger Ironwood 885 9.0Traeger Ironwood Westwood 9.5 Better by 0.5Why the Traeger Ironwood Westwood scores 9.5The same WiFIRE controller, app and probe support as Traegers costing twice as much, in the cheapest grill that has them.
Why the Traeger Ironwood 885 scores 9.0
A pellet sensor, a cleanout trapdoor and 5 F steps from a phone remove the two chores cheaper Traegers keep.
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Value
Counts for 12% of the scoreTraeger Ironwood 885 8.7Traeger Ironwood Westwood 9.3 Better by 0.6Why the Traeger Ironwood Westwood scores 9.3$699.99 is the least Traeger charges for a connected grill, though buying direct adds $49.99 of freight.
Why the Traeger Ironwood 885 scores 8.7
Around $1,008 buys insulation and Super Smoke from 165 F, where Traeger's $1,399.99 Woodridge Pro Plus lists neither, at the same 500 F ceiling.
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Maintenance
Counts for 10% of the scoreTraeger Ironwood 885 7.5Traeger Ironwood Westwood 8.0 Better by 0.5Why the Traeger Ironwood Westwood scores 8.0A rear pellet release door beats scooping the hopper, but grease and ash are still a bucket and a vacuum.
Why the Traeger Ironwood 885 scores 7.5
The hopper empties without tools, but Traeger's own chart marks it absent for the EZ-Clean grease and ash keg.
See all six scores in one table
| Category | Traeger Ironwood 885 | Traeger Ironwood Westwood |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Performance (25%) | 9.0 Better | 7.0 |
| Long-term Reliability (20%) | 6.5 | 7.5 Better |
| Build Quality (18%) | 8.5 | 8.7 Better |
| Ease of Use (15%) | 9.0 | 9.5 Better |
| Value (12%) | 8.7 | 9.3 Better |
| Maintenance (10%) | 7.5 | 8.0 Better |
| Avid Griller Score | 8.2 | 8.2 |
Both reviews are scored on the same six weighted categories, on the same 0 to 10 scale, and each reason is the one that review gave. A category is marked better only where the two differ by a tenth or more. How we score →
Where the spec sheets differ
Quoted from each maker's own specifications, as each review records them. Figures the two products publish identically are left out, so only the differences are listed.
Which one is for you
You run long, low cooks and want insulation, a 165 F floor and a hopper sensor for about $1,008.
You cook through afternoons, not nights, and want a connected Traeger in a 41-inch space for $699.99.
Check price →More head-to-heads
Every score and figure on this page comes from our own reviews of these two products, linked above. We have not tested them side by side in one place; the comparison is between two full reviews, each built from the maker's published specifications and documentation. Prices move, and the ones quoted are the ones each review checked on its own date.