It is important to understand the distinction between time-based and PID controllers. The Traeger Pro 34 is PID dependent, both Pit Boss grills time-based (with one of them, the 1100 Pro being a partial PID). Time-based controllers employ an arranged timing sequence that is used for “off” and “on’ feeding cycles. PID stands that stands for proportional integral, and derivative. PID controllers are always reading the temperature of the grill using an instrument and making in-real-time small adjustments in the temperature of fuel or air to keep the temperature of the smoke constant. I’ll go over how time-based controllers utilized the term “P-setting” to compensate the PID’s automatic trimming.
Traeger Pro 34
The first is we’ll look at the Traeger Pro 34 (TFB88PUB & TFB88PZB). It is the Pro 34 is a Home Depot exclusive and you’ll not find this grill elsewhere. It is the most compact grill in the review both for cooking space as well as the weight. It weighs in at a total weight of 135 pounds It has 884 square. inches of cooking space. This is a mix of the 646 square. inches of cooking space that is on the main grilles, along with the 238 square. inches offered through the rack for warming, a feature not available on the less expensive Traeger models. If we’re talking about burgers (when is that?) the cooking space is about 35 inches, with an inch or two to the other side.
Pro 34 Pro 34 uses Traegers Digital Pro equipped with an AGL (Advanced Grilling Logic) control system. Its Digital Pro controller has the ability to generate 36,000 BTU’s of heat in increments of 15 degrees all the way to 500 F. The thing I like the most about this control is that it doesn’t come with an P-setting, but instead, it adjusts the temperature of the grill automatically in order to compensate for the weather that is unpredictable like rain or wind. If, like me you’re planning to grill through the winter and fall seasons I would recommend using this Traeger Pro 34 insulating blanket. It is wrapped over the entire barrel as well as the upper leg of the sawhorse frame to limit extreme temperature fluctuations even in the toughest of conditions. The controller comes with two meat probes which display the temperature of each probe on the backlit LED screen with the press of an button.
I’ve noticed two problems with Pro 34. Pro 34. One is that it lacks shelves or storage which is a standard feature for all Pit Boss grills in this review. If I want to set the buns on a tray and take the burgers off the barbecue, I’m left with no place to go! I was able to solve this issue by equipping the Pro 34 with a foldable front shelf, as well as some wood hangers for utensils. The other thing to note is that the hopper can hold quite smaller than other grills I have reviewed. It holds about 18 lbs. of pellets, whereas the 1100 Pro holds twice that and the Austin less than the 1100 with 31 pounds. Be aware that the amount of time that the stove will last is contingent on several aspects including the control unit size, barrel capacity, and the capacity of the hopper. When I was smoking at a low level and slow that the Traeger took a sip of the pellets, however once it was roaring it was able to chew them up rather quickly.
From the three grills I’m looking at The Traeger is the one that fits best on the deck and is ergonomic. The handle that moves the grill is situated on the lighter side that the grill is located, meaning lifting is made easier. It’s Pro 34 also comes with all terrain wheels at the rear and locking swivel wheel in the front. Overall, I’m extremely pleased with the Traeger Pro34. It’s as good as it sounds The installation was easy and there’s a myriad of accessories to personalize the product to suit your needs. As with all grills I would suggest grill covers and bottle opener and the cutting board that is magnetic.
Pit Boss 1100 Pro
The next one is next is the Pit Boss 1100 Pro (PB1100PS1) priced at $599 as of writing. The grill is an enormous of a grill that can only be purchased at Lowes. Its 1100 Pro is the largest pellet grill we’ve reviewed in this review. It has a staggering 1100 square. inches of cooking surface and 800 sq. inches of which are from the lower racks and the remaining 300 square. inches come from the higher warming rack. It has enough room to accommodate 45 burgers in it, so which is enough to feed an entire football team. In contrast to you could have the Traeger Pro 34 weighs 135lbs. The Pit Boss 1100 Pro weighs at 183 pounds. I attribute the majority of this weight increase to the more spacious hopper, the standard lower shelf, side shelf and the front shelf as well as a slightly stronger steel. We’ll discuss all that in a moment.
The 1100 Pro features Pit Boss’s new V3 dial-in Digital Controller. The controller shares similar names to the Austin XL Pit Boss control, however it has a larger BTU’s (40,000 against 20,700). I’ve found this is crucial in order to get back to temperature once you have opened the lid and inspect the temperature of your food. As with all grills included in the review, the latest V3 controller comes with two built-in meat probes to check the temperature of your food without lifting the lid or allow heat to escape. This V3 controller also features an excellent feature, which aids in speeding up the process of switching over the flavor of your pellet. It’s partially PID and partially time-based control. This means that the controller comes with the ability to hold the temperature, yet it offers the ability to adjust its “P” setting for trimming the temperature during inclement weather. The separate smoke setting will start the grill in the lower temperature range, which is ideal for a slow and low cooking of brisket.
The temperature range of this controller is from 180degF up to 500degF in increments of 25degF. These Pit Boss grills heat up faster, but they are more hot. The grill, along with Austin XL, Austin XL, have a flame broil feature which allows direct cooking directly over the flame. You can decide to make use of it or not, but it’s great for finishing your steak by giving those classic BBQ marks and textures. This grill is one of the fastest grills in terms of getting to temperature. I’m able bring the temperature of this grill from chilly to 500 F in less than 10 minutes. If you have a family that is begging for hamburgers, speed is essential. On the cool side, Pit Boss grills are fantastic smokers as well. They aren’t as precise at lower temperatures like my Traeger however, if you’re not monitoring it continuously you won’t even be able to tell. Food tastes exactly the same and you can even smoke lots of meat on this grill…I would like to add a few more because this grill is massive compared to other grill we’ve reviewed.
This Pit Boss 1100 Pro comes equipped with lots of useful features. These include an adjustable front workstation, a side shelf, a bottom shelf, hanging hooks for utensils and utensils meat probes, a view window for pellets that lets you determine how much fuel have left. Additionally, it has an ambient thermometer mounted on a dome to give you a quick visual reference. It is at eye level and isn’t as likely to be obscured by intense light, which is a frequent issue for many controllers that use digital technology. The hopper on 1100 Pro 1100 Pro will holds 35 pounds. of pellets, which is greater that the 34 Pro’s weight of 18lbs. As with all the grills included in this review it also comes with a large amount 1100 Pro has a fuel dump function to change wood flavor.
This is my top grill that falls in the under $700 category. It’s equipped complete with bells and whistles. It’s constructed to be a true tank, it’s also the fastest to warm up and also comes with a gorgeous bronze hammertone that helps it shine. Like with any grill, you should purchase the cover. It’s essential to safeguard your investment!
Its Pit Boss 1100 Pro may be my preferred grill, but there are alternatives that are less expensive which is why you’ll find the Pit Boss Austin XL comes in.
Pit Boss Austin XL
In the final part of our selection we have an item called the Pit Boss Austin XL (PB1000XLW1). This Austin XL is a large Walmart exclusive smoker grill, which we found for $497 as of the time of writing. It is situated between two grills, two grills, the Traeger Pro 34 and Pit Boss 1100 Pro in both size and weight the Austin XL weights 178 lbs when fully assembled, and has 930 square. inches of surface for cooking. On paper, it appears that you’re getting 50 square. inches of cooking space over the Traeger however, in reality the additional area is the result of its bigger warming rack (280 square. inches). The Austin XL’s main cooking space is 700 square. inches, which is enough for 35 burgers similar to Pro 34. Pro 34.
It is the Austin XL uses Pit Boss’s older style trapezoidal V3 Digital controller with dial-in. The main difference between this model and the more modern V3 found of Pit Boss’s Pit Boss 1100 Pro is that it relies more on the P-setting when trimming temperature levels, whereas the 1100 Pro’s controller uses a portion of PID, and can do some of the guesswork for you. While testing the grill it was extremely cold and windy outside. I simply adjusted the setting for P and the grill held temperature as well, no problem! Similar to the other grills, to cook in autumn and winter cooking, I highly recommend an blanket with insulation. I consider it particularly crucial on this grill due to its controller’s absence of partially PID technology. Trapezoidal V3 controller is capable of producing around 20700 BTU’s and permits temperatures to be controlled in increments of 25 degrees between 180 F to 500 F. In comparison to the two other grills in this review the Austin XL is the slowest to get hot. If you’re someone who would like to lift the lid and inspect your barbecue every half an hour then the Pit Boss 1100 is the most suitable choice as it recovers the temperature quicker. If you’re planning to use a flame broiler or slow and low or set it up and leave it to cook for you, it’s the Austin XL is a great option.
Like similarly to Pit Boss 1100 Pro, the Austin XL comes with a side shelf, a bottom shelf, two meat probes and two hooks for tools. The side shelf of the Austin XL isn’t really a actual side shelf however. The shelf is actually an U-shaped metal bar that has the tray sitting on it. It works perfect for burgers. However, I wouldn’t recommend putting a lot in weight upon it. As a budget-friendly model from that of the 1100 Pro, this smoker has no front shelf that folds. Fortunately Austin XL is a better option. Austin XL makes up for the space lost by allowing heavier things on the bottom shelf, thus freeing space on the side shelf to accommodate serving plates.
The hopper is able to contain 31 lbs of pellets. You’re likely to smoke for a period of more than 24 hours. The grill has a view window to let you know how much fuel remains. Like the other grills featured that we’ve reviewed, the hopper is with a pellet purge mechanism. This allows you to quickly empty the contents of the hopper into a bucket for fast flavors or storage.
I was impressed by the two grills that came with it. It remained cool at the lower end , and it reached a temperature that was sufficiently hot to be able to function as a grill and sear the meat. With a full plate of food items, the grill remained at temperatures in a range that was within acceptable limits. If you’re looking for a barbecue big enough to cater for an entire party, and at a reasonable price it’s impossible to go wrong when you choose Pit Boss Austin XL. Pit Boss Austin XL.
There’s nothing more essential in creating a killer barbecue than the finest ingredients! We have more than a dozen different flavors of BBQ Rubs, Sauces and food-grade Smoker Pellets. We also carry a wide assortment of grilling tools and grilling accessories, from hooks for organizing to bamboo cutting boards, as well as Ash vacuums.
