Head-to-Head Comparison
The Ninja Woodfire OG701 is the $370 electric grill that lives on a balcony and does seven things adequately. The Traeger Pro 575 is the $800 pellet smoker that lives in a backyard and does two things excellently. After cross-referencing 8,000+ Ninja owner reviews against AmazingRibs.com, Gear Patrol, and Taste of Home testing of the Pro 575, here's the honest verdict on which one you should actually buy — and why most people who ask this question are asking the wrong one.
$370 hybrid grill vs $800 pellet smoker. Different tools for different cooks.
TL;DR
These aren't really competitors — they're solving different problems. The Ninja is a hybrid kitchen-replacement appliance. The Traeger is a dedicated smoker. Buy the one that matches your cooking, not the one that wins on paper.
By the Numbers
| Spec | Ninja Woodfire OG701 | Traeger Pro 575 |
|---|---|---|
| Price (MSRP) | $369.90 (often $300 on sale) | $799.99 (often $700 on sale) |
| Cooking Area | 141 sq in | 575 sq in (425 main + 150 secondary) |
| Pellet Capacity | ½ cup per cook (flavor only) | 18-lb hopper (actual fuel) |
| Cook Time on One Pellet Load | 1 cook | 30+ hours of smoking |
| Temp Range | 105°F – 500°F | 165°F – 500°F |
| Sear Capability | Limited (fan-driven) | Limited (convection, no direct flame) |
| Power Source | 1760W electric | Electric ignition, pellet fuel |
| Wi-Fi App | No (Pro Connect XL has it) | Yes (WiFIRE) |
| Warranty | 1 year | 3 years |
| Weight | 37 lbs | 118 lbs |
| Footprint | 18" × 19" | 41" × 27" |
| Functions | 7-in-1 (grill, smoke, air fry, roast, bake, dehydrate, broil) | 2 (smoke, grill) |
| Setup Time | 5 min, ready out of the box | ~60 min assembly |
| Indoor/Apartment Use | Outdoor only, balcony-friendly | Backyard only |
| Best For | 1–4 people, weeknight cooks | 4–8 people, weekend BBQ |
Where Each One Wins
Winner: Traeger Pro 575 (decisive)
The Traeger's 575 sq in fits a 12-lb brisket, two racks of ribs, and sides simultaneously. The Ninja's 141 sq in fits six burgers or one rack of ribs — that's it. If you cook for more than 2–3 people regularly, the size difference is the entire conversation. The Traeger has 4× the cooking area for ~2× the price.
Winner: Traeger Pro 575
Real pellet smokers run on pellet fuel, not pellet flavor. The Pro 575 burns 1–3 lbs of pellets per hour and produces continuous smoke for the full cook. The Ninja's ½-cup pellet box delivers light smoke for the first 30–45 minutes of any cook, then it's just convection heat with electric heating elements. For brisket, ribs, and pulled pork, the difference is unmistakable. AmazingRibs.com rates the Pro 575 8/10 on smoke flavor; the Ninja ranks materially below dedicated pellet smokers in independent testing.
Winner: Ninja Woodfire OG701
$370 vs $800. For most casual cooks, the Ninja is the better dollar-for-dollar value because you're not paying for capabilities you won't use. Add in the air-fryer function (replaces a kitchen appliance), and the Ninja's value math gets stronger. The Traeger only "wins" on value if you actually smoke more than 8–10 hours per month — at which point you need the bigger hopper anyway.
Winner: Ninja Woodfire OG701 (decisive)
The Pro 575 is 118 lbs, 41 inches wide, and produces visible smoke from a real pellet fire. Most HOAs and apartment leases prohibit it. The Ninja is 37 lbs, 18 inches wide, and produces less smoke than a kitchen oven on roast mode. If your outdoor space is a balcony, this category isn't even close.
Winner: Traeger Pro 575
3 years vs 1 year. Traeger has been making pellet grills since 1985 and built its reputation on customer service and parts availability. The Pro 575's auger motor, hot rod, and induction fan are all replaceable parts (we cover them in our Traeger parts hub). The Ninja's 1-year warranty is consistent with consumer-electronics standards but short for a $370 appliance. Multiple Amazon reviewers report Ninja units failing between months 5 and 12.
Winner: Ninja Woodfire OG701 (decisive)
The Ninja does seven things — grill, smoke, air fry, roast, bake, dehydrate, broil. The Traeger does two — smoke and grill (and "grill" is generous; it's convection-grill, not searing). If you want one outdoor appliance that replaces an air fryer, occasional roaster, and weeknight grill, the Ninja is the only choice in this comparison. The Pro 575 is a specialist; the Ninja is a generalist.
Winner: Traeger Pro 575
The Pro 575's WiFIRE app handles everything: temperature monitoring, set-and-forget cooks, alerts when meat hits target temp. Load 18 lbs of pellets, set 225°F, walk away for 12 hours. The Ninja requires you to physically reload pellets between cooks (no continuous fuel) and the OG701 doesn't have Wi-Fi — only the Pro Connect XL adds app control. For overnight smoking, the Traeger is the only option in this comparison.
Reframe
The honest answer to "is the Ninja Woodfire as good as a Traeger Pro 575?" is no — but the question is wrong. The right question is: what kind of cook are you, and which appliance fits that cook?
If you smoke a brisket once a year and grill burgers 50 times a year, the Pro 575 is overkill and the Ninja's grill function plus air-fry will serve you better. If you smoke once a month and feed crowds, the Ninja's 141 sq in will frustrate you within the first cook and the Traeger's 575 sq in is the only sensible answer.
The trap is buying a Traeger because it's the prestige brand and then using it for weeknight burgers — at which point a $370 Ninja or even a $200 Weber Q would have been the better buy. Buy the appliance that matches your actual cooking, not the one your neighbor has.
Misconceptions
Which One Fits Your Cooking
| Cooking Scenario | Better Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Weeknight burgers and chicken for 2 | Ninja Woodfire | Faster preheat, smaller cleanup, no pellet hopper to manage |
| Weekend brisket for 8 people | Traeger Pro 575 | Ninja can't fit a full brisket; Traeger handles 12-lb cuts |
| Air-frying wings outdoors | Ninja Woodfire | Traeger has no air-fry mode |
| Apartment balcony cooking | Ninja Woodfire | Traeger is too heavy/large/smoky for apartment use |
| Two racks of ribs + sides for a party | Traeger Pro 575 | Ninja's 141 sq in fits one rack; Traeger fits two plus sides |
| Smoking a turkey for Thanksgiving | Traeger Pro 575 | Continuous fuel for the 5–8 hour cook |
| Cooking pizza and grilling steaks the same day | Tie (split solution) | Neither is great at high-heat sear; both need a Blackstone or pizza oven for these |
| RV / camping / tailgating | Ninja Woodfire | Portable, plugs into 120V, no propane |
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