Weber Searwood 600 vs Pit Boss Sportsman 850: Searing Pellet Grill or Big Value Smoker

Where these two differ

Both are pellet grills that solve the searing problem, by different means. The Searwood 600 runs its grate to 600 F; the Sportsman 850 slides a plate open to expose food to the fire pot flame. The Weber is smaller, better finished and app controlled. The Pit Boss is bigger, cheaper and simpler.

This comparison is based on the published specifications and manuals for both grills and on recurring owner feedback. We have not cooked on either ourselves.

Searing

At 600 F the Searwood grate sears a steak evenly with no flare-ups and no change of setup; set the temperature and cook. The Pit Boss flame broiler is a slide plate over the fire pot that, when open, puts the food over live flame and crusts harder and faster, with flare-ups to manage. Both are real sears; they feel different to cook on.

Smoking

Both hold 225 F and smoke for hours. The Searwood smoke boost thickens the smoke early in a cook and the app watches probes and sends alerts. The Pit Boss feeds steadily from a 21 lb hopper with a dial to set and a display to read; the cook checks it in person. In cold wind the Weber construction holds steadier than the Pit Boss single-wall barrel.

Capacity and footprint

Six hundred square inches against 849: the Pit Boss cooks a bigger party and takes more patio. For a family, the Searwood is enough and fits a smaller space.

Build and control

The Searwood has Weber finish, a thought-through grease and ash path and WiFi and Bluetooth control. The Pit Boss has heavy steel with rough edges, a reliable auger and a controller with no app. Price follows finish.

Setup and first cook

Run a burn-in cycle on either grill before food, as the manuals direct, and keep the first pellets dry. The Searwood app pairing takes a few minutes on a 2.4 GHz network. The Pit Boss has no pairing to do and is cooking as soon as the burn-in is done.

Common owner complaints

Searwood owners mention a simpler app than Traeger and fewer accessories. Sportsman 850 owners mention temperature swings in wind, no app and controller readings that need a second thermometer. Both need regular fire pot cleaning.

Which one should you buy

Buy the Searwood 600 if you want app control, an even 600 F sear and a finished product in a compact size. Buy the Sportsman 850 if you want the most cooking area for the money and a direct-flame sear, and you do not need a phone to run it.

Our verdict

The Searwood 600 is the more refined pellet grill and takes the comparison on control and build. The Sportsman 850 is the better value for capacity and still sears, which makes it the smart budget pick.