Traeger Westwood XL vs Woodridge Pro
823 sq in and 450 F at $799.99, against 970 sq in, 500 F and Super Smoke at $1,149.99. Two large Traegers, and why the dearer one is the one to buy.
We pick the Traeger Woodridge Pro
Spend the $350 on the Woodridge Pro if you cook low and long. The Westwood XL is a large grill with a small grill's equipment: 823 sq in fed from 18 lb, a 450 F ceiling, no Super Smoke and nothing watching the hopper. The Woodridge Pro puts 970 sq in behind a 24 lb hopper that reports its level in 5% steps, adds Super Smoke between 185 and 225 F, and reaches 500 F. The XL makes sense only for big daytime cooks where nobody needs to sleep.
What actually differs
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A bigger grate the XL cannot keep fed unattended
The XL carries the same 18 lb hopper as the smaller Westwood and no pellet sensor. The Pro holds 24 lbs and pushes an app alarm before it runs dry. On a brisket, that is the difference between sleeping and setting an alarm.
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Smoke as a button, or as a lower number
The Pro's Super Smoke sits on the controller face. The XL has no smoke mode, so more smoke means dialing down and waiting. If smoke is why you want a pellet grill, this is most of the $350.
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The warranty gap is smaller than it looks
Ten years against seven, but both long terms cover sheet metal against rust-through and nothing else. The controller, auger and fan get three years on both, and the igniter one. Do not pay the difference for the headline.
How they score, category by category
The Woodridge Pro scores higher in 3 categories. 3 are level.
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Heat Performance
Counts for 25% of the scoreTraeger Westwood XL 7.0Woodridge Pro 8.0 Better by 1.0Why the Woodridge Pro scores 8.0Super Smoke and a two-rack 970 sq in barrel, though the published ceiling stops at 500 F and there is no sear station.
Why the Traeger Westwood XL scores 7.0
The smaller Westwood's 180 to 450 F range and controller, with no Super Smoke and no added insulation, so the same score.
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Long-term Reliability
Counts for 20% of the scoreTraeger Westwood XL 7.0Woodridge Pro 7.0Level: within a tenth of each other.
Why the Traeger Westwood XL scores 7.0Traeger's table gives the 7 years to sheet metal against rusting through; the auger, fan and controller get 3.
Why the Woodridge Pro scores 7.0Ten years covers rust-through only; the controller, auger and fan carry three years, and the hot rod and cord one.
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Build Quality
Counts for 18% of the scoreTraeger Westwood XL 8.5Woodridge Pro 8.5Level: within a tenth of each other.
Why the Traeger Westwood XL scores 8.5Shelves rated at 40 and 60 lb and a standard accessory rail, on a body whose material Traeger never names.
Why the Woodridge Pro scores 8.5Load-rated shelves, casters and staging hooks at 174 lbs, but Traeger publishes nothing at all about the steel.
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Ease of Use
Counts for 15% of the scoreTraeger Westwood XL 9.0Woodridge Pro 9.5 Better by 0.5Why the Woodridge Pro scores 9.5WiFIRE control, a pellet sensor reporting in 5% steps with app alerts, and one-touch Super Smoke and Keep Warm.
Why the Traeger Westwood XL scores 9.0
The full WiFIRE controller, app and probe support, held back only by a build the maker wants two people for.
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Value
Counts for 12% of the scoreTraeger Westwood XL 8.5Woodridge Pro 9.0 Better by 0.5Why the Woodridge Pro scores 9.0$250 over the base Woodridge buys the flavor feature, two shelves and 110 sq in; the next step buys a cabinet.
Why the Traeger Westwood XL scores 8.5
$799.99 buys 823 sq in where $699.99 buys 653, though not one extra feature row comes with it.
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Maintenance
Counts for 10% of the scoreTraeger Westwood XL 8.0Woodridge Pro 8.0Level: within a tenth of each other.
Why the Traeger Westwood XL scores 8.0A hopper clean-out door and lift-out internals, against a drip tray whose warping Traeger excludes from cover.
Why the Woodridge Pro scores 8.0Grease and ash share a single keg, but the manual still asks for a firepot vacuum after about 20 hours of cooking.
See all six scores in one table
| Category | Traeger Westwood XL | Woodridge Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Performance (25%) | 7.0 | 8.0 Better |
| Long-term Reliability (20%) | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Build Quality (18%) | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| Ease of Use (15%) | 9.0 | 9.5 Better |
| Value (12%) | 8.5 | 9.0 Better |
| Maintenance (10%) | 8.0 | 8.0 |
| Avid Griller Score | 7.8 | 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 feed a crowd in daylight, at 450 F or below, and want 823 sq in for $799.99.
You smoke overnight and want Super Smoke, a pellet sensor and the bigger hopper.
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.