Traeger Westwood vs Weber Searwood XL 600
$699.99 for 653 sq in and a 450 F ceiling, against $1,199 for 972 sq in and 600. What the Westwood's missing pellet sensor and second probe cost you.
No single winner. Here is how to choose.
Buy on how long your cooks run, and whether steak is on the list. For afternoon ribs and chicken, the Westwood does the job for $699.99: 653 sq in across two racks, 180 to 450 F, WiFIRE and one wired probe. For overnight cooks or a crust, the Searwood XL 600 earns its premium of about $500. It adds 202 sq in of primary grate, a 600 ceiling, a second probe and a fuel gauge that alerts your phone.
What actually differs
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Who watches the hopper at 3 a.m.
Traeger's own grid marks the Westwood's pellet sensor Excluded, so its 18 lb hopper means walking out to look. The Searwood's 20 lb hopper reports its own level and sends a low-pellet alert.
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428 square inches of main rack against 630
Both totals include an upper rack. On the grate nearest the fire, the Weber gives 202 sq in more, and that is the rack a brisket or a full rib load actually goes on.
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A 450 F stop and a 25 F wander
Traeger's manual calls a 25 F swing either side normal, and the dial ends at 450. Weber runs a PID controller to 600 with no large sheet diffuser in the way. Only one of these will crust a steak.
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What each cart leaves out
The Westwood is 41 inches wide, with side and bottom shelves rated to 40 and 60 lb built in. The Searwood spans 50.50 inches, weighs 157.80 pounds, and charges $94.99 for a cover and $99.99 for its front table.
How they score, category by category
The Traeger Westwood scores higher in 4 categories, the Weber Searwood XL 600 in 2 categories.
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Heat Performance
Counts for 25% of the scoreTraeger Westwood 7.0Weber Searwood XL 600 9.0 Better by 2.0Why the Weber Searwood XL 600 scores 9.0A 180 to 600 span with no large sheet diffuser is unusual reach for an auger-fed cooker.
Why the Traeger 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 Westwood 7.5 Better by 0.5Weber Searwood XL 600 7.0Why the Traeger 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 Weber Searwood XL 600 scores 7.0
Weber covers the cook box for five years, and everything that burns or fails for three.
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Build Quality
Counts for 18% of the scoreTraeger Westwood 8.7 Better by 0.7Weber Searwood XL 600 8.0Why the Traeger 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 Weber Searwood XL 600 scores 8.0
157.80 pounds, a porcelain-enameled lid and stainless Flavorizer bars, but the grate metal is printed two ways.
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Ease of Use
Counts for 15% of the scoreTraeger Westwood 9.5 Better by 0.2Weber Searwood XL 600 9.3Why the Traeger 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 Weber Searwood XL 600 scores 9.3
A fuel gauge that alerts you at low pellets, two probes, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, all included.
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Value
Counts for 12% of the scoreTraeger Westwood 9.3 Better by 1.3Weber Searwood XL 600 8.0Why the Traeger 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 Weber Searwood XL 600 scores 8.0
$1,199 buys probes and connectivity, but the cover is $94.99 and the front table another $99.99.
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Maintenance
Counts for 10% of the scoreTraeger Westwood 8.0Weber Searwood XL 600 9.0 Better by 1.0Why the Weber Searwood XL 600 scores 9.0Grease and ash pull out together from the front, rather than from under a loaded cabinet.
Why the Traeger Westwood scores 8.0
A rear pellet release door beats scooping the hopper, but grease and ash are still a bucket and a vacuum.
See all six scores in one table
| Category | Traeger Westwood | Weber Searwood XL 600 |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Performance (25%) | 7.0 | 9.0 Better |
| Long-term Reliability (20%) | 7.5 Better | 7.0 |
| Build Quality (18%) | 8.7 Better | 8.0 |
| Ease of Use (15%) | 9.5 Better | 9.3 |
| Value (12%) | 9.3 Better | 8.0 |
| Maintenance (10%) | 8.0 | 9.0 Better |
| Avid Griller Score | 8.2 | 8.3 |
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
Your cooks are afternoon ribs and chicken, you want app control, and $699.99 is the budget.
Check price →You cook overnight or want steak heat, and will pay about $500 for the fuel gauge, second probe and 600 ceiling.
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.