Quick verdict
The Sportsman 850 is the real pellet smoker for a yard and a crowd; the Woodfire ProConnect XL is the compact electric for a balcony and a family that wants smoke, grilling and air frying from one plug. Choose by space first and by how many you feed second.
Pit Boss Sportsman 850 Wood Pellet Grill
The Sportsman 850 is a full-size pellet grill with 849 square inches, a 180 to 500 F range, a 21 lb hopper and a flame broiler slide plate for direct-flame searing. It smokes a brisket and a pork shoulder together, unattended, and it sears when the plate is open. It needs a patio, an outlet and pellets by the bag.
Pit Boss Sportsman 850 pellet grill against the compact electric Ninja Woodfire ProConnect XL: capacity, smoke depth, functions, footprint and upkeep compared from published specifications.
The picks at a glance
| Tool | Best for | Score /100 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pit Boss Sportsman 850 Wood Pellet Grill | Best for Capacity and Real Pellet Smoke | 8.3 | Check price |
| Ninja Woodfire ProConnect XL Outdoor Grill and Smoker | Best for Small Patios and Versatility | 8.4 | Check price |
The picks, reviewed
Pit Boss Sportsman 850 Wood Pellet Grill
The Sportsman 850 is a full-size pellet grill with 849 square inches, a 180 to 500 F range, a 21 lb hopper and a flame broiler slide plate for direct-flame searing. It smokes a brisket and a pork shoulder together, unattended, and it sears when the plate is open. It needs a patio, an outlet and pellets by the bag.
Reasons to buy
- Capacity for several large cuts at once
- True pellet fire with deep smoke
- Flame broiler for direct-flame sear
- Large hopper for overnight cooks
Reasons to avoid
- Needs a patio corner, an outlet and pellet bags
- No app on the base model
- Rougher finish and more cleanup
Ninja Woodfire ProConnect XL Outdoor Grill and Smoker
The Woodfire ProConnect XL is an electric outdoor grill that smokes with a cup of pellets, air fries, roasts, bakes and dehydrates, with app control and a footprint that fits a balcony table. It heats in minutes, cleans in minutes and feeds a family. It cannot match the Pit Boss on capacity or smoke depth.
Reasons to buy
- Compact; fits a balcony or small patio
- Seven cooking functions from one plug-in unit
- App control and fast preheat
- Uses a cup of pellets, not a bag
Reasons to avoid
- Feeds a family, not a crowd
- Lighter smoke than a full pellet fire
- Electric element needs a nearby outlet
Where these two differ
One is a full-size pellet grill that takes a corner of the patio and smokes for a party; the other is an electric box that sits on a table, smokes with a cup of pellets and air fries chicken wings. The Sportsman 850 and the Woodfire ProConnect XL are bought by different households for different reasons, and the comparison is about which household you are.
This comparison is based on the published specifications and manuals for both products and on recurring owner feedback. We have not cooked on either ourselves.
| Specification | Sportsman 850 | Woodfire ProConnect XL |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Full-size pellet grill | Compact electric grill with pellet smoke |
| Capacity | 849 sq in | Two racks of ribs or two chickens |
| Temperature | 180 to 500 F | Smoke, grill, air fry, bake and more |
| Sear | Flame broiler, direct flame | Grill plate on high |
| Controls | Digital dial, no app | Digital with app |
| Footprint | Patio corner | Table or small stand |
Smoke
The Pit Boss feeds pellets from a 21 lb hopper into a fire pot and keeps a fire going for as long as the cook takes. That is how a brisket builds bark over twelve hours. The Ninja burns a small cup of pellets over its electric element, which smokes a chicken or a rack of ribs with a real wood flavor but burns out in an hour or so and is lighter. For a weeknight smoked chicken the Ninja is excellent; for a packer brisket the Pit Boss is the only one of the two that does it.
Capacity and speed
Eight hundred and forty-nine square inches holds a brisket, a shoulder and ribs together. The Ninja holds two racks or two chickens and preheats in minutes rather than the quarter hour the Pit Boss takes. Family dinner on a Tuesday suits the Ninja; Saturday with guests suits the Pit Boss.
Searing
The Pit Boss flame broiler slides open to expose food to the fire pot flame, which sears a steak harder than any closed pellet grill. The Ninja grills on a plate at its highest setting with good marks and a modest crust. For steak, the Pit Boss wins.
Versatility
The Ninja air fries wings, bakes a pizza, roasts a tray of vegetables and dehydrates fruit, all outdoors with or without smoke. The Pit Boss smokes, roasts and sears on a bigger scale and does not fry. A household that wants one outdoor appliance that does many things leans Ninja.
Upkeep
The Ninja wipes out; a small ash cup and a removable grate. The Pit Boss needs its fire pot vacuumed, pellets kept dry, a grease bucket emptied and a cover against the weather. Electric and compact is simply less work.
Common owner complaints
Sportsman 850 owners mention temperature swings in wind, a rough finish and the absence of an app. Ninja owners mention the small cooking area, the lighter smoke and the cord that must reach an outlet. Neither has a pattern of early failure.
Which one should you buy
Buy the Sportsman 850 if you have a yard, cook for groups and want deep pellet smoke and a real sear at a value price. Buy the Woodfire ProConnect XL if you live with a balcony or a small patio, cook for a family and want smoke plus air frying from one plug-in appliance.
Our verdict
The Sportsman 850 is the serious smoker and takes this comparison for anyone with the space. The Ninja Woodfire ProConnect XL is the right answer for the many households that do not have it.
How we research
This comparison is built from the published specifications, manuals and warranty terms of both products and from recurring owner feedback. We have not run either product ourselves; where the makers do not publish a figure we say so rather than guess.
What to look for
Space available
The Sportsman 850 needs a patio corner and clearance. The Ninja sits on a table. If the home is an apartment, the decision is made.
Crowd size
Two racks of ribs is the Ninja ceiling. The Pit Boss cooks for a party.
Smoke depth
A full pellet fire smokes harder than a pellet cup over an element. Bark on a brisket needs the Pit Boss.
Other functions
The Ninja air fries, bakes and dehydrates. The Pit Boss smokes, roasts and sears.
Our verdict
The Sportsman 850 is the real pellet smoker for a yard and a crowd; the Woodfire ProConnect XL is the compact electric for a balcony and a family that wants smoke, grilling and air frying from one plug. Choose by space first and by how many you feed second.
FAQs
It burns real pellets in a small cup for genuine wood smoke, but lighter and shorter than the continuous fire in the Pit Boss. For ribs and chicken it is convincing; for brisket bark it is not.
No. It smokes, roasts and sears. Wings crisp at 450 F on the grate but it is not an air fryer.
The Ninja by a wide margin: a removable grate and a small ash cup. The Pit Boss needs the fire pot vacuumed and a grease bucket emptied.
Electric grills like the Ninja are permitted in many buildings where pellet and gas grills are not. Check the lease.
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