Traeger Ironwood 885 vs Woodridge Elite
Around $1,008 for the Legacy Ironwood 885 against $1,799.99 for the Woodridge Elite. 885 sq in to 970, the same 500 F top, and a side burner on one side only.
We pick the Traeger Ironwood 885 Pellet Grill
Take the Ironwood 885 unless the side burner is the point. Both top out at 500 F. The Elite cooks on 970 sq in to the Ironwood's 885 and runs Super Smoke from 185 F; the Ironwood opens it at 165 F behind double side walls. Around $792 separates them. It buys an electric hob, a storage cabinet, the grease and ash keg and ten years against rust-through on a current grill. Only 85 sq in of that reaches the barrel.
What actually differs
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The one job the Ironwood cannot do
A pan on the Elite's glass hob reduces a sauce or sautés a side without a walk indoors. Traeger publishes no output for it. On the Ironwood, the pan goes on the grate or back to the kitchen.
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Thirteen inches of patio
The Elite takes 67 inches of width and weighs 221 lbs on casters alone. The Ironwood needs 54 inches and rolls on all-terrain wheels. On gravel or a short deck, that settles it before price does.
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The hob gets the Ironwood's whole term
The Elite's ten years covers sheet metal against rusting through; the side burner sits in the three-year row. Three years is what Traeger's product page and owner's manual give the entire Ironwood.
How they score, category by category
The Traeger Ironwood 885 scores higher in 4 categories, the Woodridge Elite in one. One is level.
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Heat Performance
Counts for 25% of the scoreTraeger Ironwood 885 9.0 Better by 1.0Woodridge Elite 8.0Why 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 Woodridge Elite scores 8.0
The Pro Plus's grate, ceiling and Super Smoke window exactly; the side burner publishes no output, so it adds nothing here.
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Long-term Reliability
Counts for 20% of the scoreTraeger Ironwood 885 6.5Woodridge Elite 7.0 Better by 0.5Why the Woodridge Elite scores 7.0The ten-year headline covers rust-through on sheet metal; the side burner you paid for sits in the three-year row.
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 8.5 Better by 1.0Woodridge Elite 7.5Why the Traeger Ironwood 885 scores 8.5Porcelain coated steel grates, a stainless shelf and double-walled construction, on a barrel whose steel Traeger still declines to name.
Why the Woodridge Elite scores 7.5
Cabinet and 221 lbs of steel feel solid, but a glass cooking panel lives outdoors on caster-only wheels.
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Ease of Use
Counts for 15% of the scoreTraeger Ironwood 885 9.0 Better by 0.5Woodridge Elite 8.5Why the Traeger Ironwood 885 scores 9.0A pellet sensor, a cleanout trapdoor and 5 F steps from a phone remove the two chores cheaper Traegers keep.
Why the Woodridge Elite scores 8.5
Traeger's controller and app are as simple as ever, though the burner adds a small rule book of its own.
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Value
Counts for 12% of the scoreTraeger Ironwood 885 8.7 Better by 2.7Woodridge Elite 6.0Why the Traeger Ironwood 885 scores 8.7Around $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.
Why the Woodridge Elite scores 6.0
Four hundred dollars over the Pro Plus adds an electric hob with three settings and no extra grate space.
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Maintenance
Counts for 10% of the scoreTraeger Ironwood 885 7.5Woodridge Elite 7.5Level: within a tenth of each other.
Why the Traeger Ironwood 885 scores 7.5The hopper empties without tools, but Traeger's own chart marks it absent for the EZ-Clean grease and ash keg.
Why the Woodridge Elite scores 7.5One keg catches grease and ash, but the firepot still wants vacuuming and the burner wants wiping and covering.
See all six scores in one table
| Category | Traeger Ironwood 885 | Woodridge Elite |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Performance (25%) | 9.0 Better | 8.0 |
| Long-term Reliability (20%) | 6.5 | 7.0 Better |
| Build Quality (18%) | 8.5 Better | 7.5 |
| Ease of Use (15%) | 9.0 Better | 8.5 |
| Value (12%) | 8.7 Better | 6.0 |
| Maintenance (10%) | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| Avid Griller Score | 8.2 | 7.5 |
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 want the better smoker for the least money and can live without pan heat or a current model.
You want the whole meal cooked on one cart, sauces and sides included, and the budget is set.
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.