Best Pit Boss Pellet Grills (2026)

The Advantage 1300SL is the best Pit Boss because it fixes the brand's usual weakness, the controller. A digital PID system holds temperature in 5 F steps across a 180 to 500 F range, and WiFi plus Bluetooth let you manage the cook from the couch. A flame broiler lever keeps the sear option, and a cover and tool set come in the box.

The area figure needs decoding. The listing gives 1,329 sq in total, but that is 559 sq in on the primary rack, 417 sq in on a second rack and 352 sq in on a third. Only the primary rack sears and holds big cuts, so the honest number is closer to 559 sq in for heavy cooking, still ample for a family of seven at 70 to 80 sq in per person.

Compared with the 850 Navigator it adds PID and more racks. Against the 500 Carbon it is a very different machine at a far higher tier. In ownership, expect larger ash and grease loads from the bigger burn pot, and keep pellets sealed. It is the pick for hosts who want control and a sear in one cooker.

The 850 Navigator brings WiFi and Bluetooth to a 932 sq in cooker with the flame broiler. It is the middle of the line for buyers who want an app without paying for the 1300 class. The listing says it holds 180 to 500 F.

Its controller is an LCD digital board, not the PID system on the 1300SL, so expect more temperature swing, which the app lets you watch but not eliminate. The area includes secondary racks, so plan on roughly a family of six to eight on real grate. That puts it comfortably above the 700 Carbon and well below the Advantage.

Ownership centers on the grease path near the flame broiler, which needs scraping after every few cooks. Keep pellets sealed and cover the unit. It is a good fit for the host who wants an app and size at a mid tier. If you cook a few big weekends a year, the extra racks give you room for sides and a second protein without a second grill.

The 700 Carbon is the mid-size, no-app option, with 718 sq in of total area and an LCD digital controller. The listing says it handles dozens of patties at once and runs 180 to 500 F for smoking and roasting.

It has no WiFi, no flame broiler listed and no PID, so what you are buying is a solid, simple cooker with a lot of grate. Compared with the 500 Carbon it adds area, and compared with the 850 Navigator it drops the app and the flame lever. The 718 sq in figure covers a family of eight on paper, though secondary racks count toward it.

Ownership is basic: ash, grease and sealed pellets. With fewer electronics there is less to fail. It makes sense for a household that cooks big but does not need remote control, and a broiler lever is not on its feature list. If you want a sear, pair it with a cast iron pan or a small gas burner.

The 500 Carbon is the entry full-size model, at 543.3 sq in of total cooking surface and the same 180 to 500 F range as its bigger siblings. An LCD digital controller handles temperature in simple steps.

It is the one to buy if the goal is wood-smoked food at the lowest full-size tier. Compared with the 700 Carbon it has about 175 sq in less grate, and compared with the 440 Mahogany it adds a modern LCD display instead of the LED unit. A family of four fits easily, since 543 sq in covers the 70 to 80 sq in per person guideline for seven.

The tradeoff is control and searing. Expect more temperature swing than PID models, and plan to finish steaks in a pan. Keep pellets dry, vacuum the burn pot and cover it. It is a sound beginner machine. Learn its quirks on a few chicken and rib cooks before trying an overnight pork shoulder, and use a separate probe thermometer to check the dial against the real chamber.

The 440 Mahogany is the older, proven design with a flame broiler and porcelain-coated steel grates. It lists 518 sq in of cooking surface, a bit under the 500 Carbon's 543 sq in.

What you get is the sear lever that the Carbon Series lacks on its listing, plus a familiar LED controller. That makes it the better steak cooker of the cheap models. Against the 150, it has twice the area, though the 150 is far more portable.

Ownership is the plain Pit Boss routine: clean grease near the flame broiler, empty pellets for long storage and keep it covered. It is the most practical sear pick on a tight budget. Parts for this design are plentiful because it has been sold for years, which keeps repairs cheap.

The 150 Battery Powered is the portable model, with 256 sq in of cooking space, a 7 lb hopper and a battery power option. The flame broiler reaches direct flame up to 1,000 F by the listing.

That battery solves the power problem for camping, where a wall outlet is absent. It includes two porcelain-coated grates and one meat probe. The 7 lb hopper is enough for a few hours, which suits trips better than overnight smokes.

Compared with the 440 Mahogany it has half the area, but it travels. Keep the battery charged, empty the hopper after trips and wipe the grease path. It is the right pick if you want pellet flavor away from home. Plan one battery for a short cook and carry a charger or spare for anything longer than an afternoon.