Pit Boss is the value tier of the pellet grill market.
Owned by Dansons (also parent of Louisiana Grills), Pit Boss delivers 80-90% of Traeger’s feature set at 40-50% of the price. This guide covers the full Pit Boss lineup, which models are actually worth buying, and the honest comparison against Traeger.
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The Pit Boss lineup in 2026
- Sportsman — entry line, $400-600.
- Navigator — mid-tier, $600-800.
- Pro Series Elite — upgraded consumer, $550-800.
- Lockhart — combo pellet + gas cabinet smoker, $800-1,200.
- Onyx Series — premium consumer line, $800-1,400.
Best all-round: Pit Boss Pro Series Elite
The Pro Series Elite line is where Pit Boss delivers the strongest value. 850+ sq in cook area, 24 lb hopper (biggest in the class), PID controller with 15F accuracy, slide-plate flame broiler for direct-flame searing. For anyone who wants a pellet grill under $700 and does not care about premium tier apps, this is the pick.
Best budget: Pit Boss Sportsman 820
Under $500 and it works. 820 sq in cook area, 21 lb hopper, PID controller, slide-plate flame broiler. What you give up vs Pro Series Elite: thinner steel, simpler control panel, slightly less consistent temperature. What you get: the cheapest legitimate pellet grill on the market.
Best combo: Pit Boss Lockhart Platinum
Unique combo cabinet: pellet grill on top, gas grill / smokehouse cabinet on bottom. Perfect for making sausage, jerky, or cold-smoking cheese in the cabinet while grilling burgers up top. $1,200 is genuinely competitive with buying separate units.
Best premium: Pit Boss Navigator 1230 or Onyx
Pit Boss’s answer to Traeger Ironwood. Bigger hopper (33 lb!), better insulation, upgraded PID controller, WiFi app that has improved significantly in 2024-2026 firmware updates. Still ~40% cheaper than a comparable Traeger.
Pit Boss lineup comparison
| Model | Cook Area | Hopper | Direct Sear? | Approx Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sportsman 500 | 500 sq in | 18 lb | Yes (slide) | $400 |
| Sportsman 820 | 820 sq in | 21 lb | Yes (slide) | $500 |
| Pro Series Elite | 850 sq in | 24 lb | Yes (slide) | $550 |
| Navigator 1230 | 1,230 sq in | 33 lb | Yes | $800 |
| Lockhart Platinum | 2,196 sq in combined | 32 lb | Yes + gas | $1,200 |
Pit Boss vs Traeger — the honest read
Choose Pit Boss if: budget is the constraint. You get 80% of Traeger’s cooking result at 50% of the price. Slide-plate direct-flame searing is a feature Traeger charges premium tier for. Bigger hoppers than Traeger at equivalent price points.
Choose Traeger if: the app matters. Traeger’s WiFIRE app is significantly better than Pit Boss’s. Long-term build quality is slightly better. Warranty processing is smoother.
See our detailed comparison: Traeger vs Weber SmokeFire vs Pit Boss.
Bottom line
Best Pit Boss for most people: Pro Series Elite at $550-700. Enough features for serious BBQ, hopper big enough for overnight brisket, direct-flame sear built in.
Cheapest legitimate pellet grill: Sportsman 820 at $500. Value premium: Navigator 1230 at $800. Combo cook: Lockhart Platinum at $1,200.
About this guide
Our recommendations synthesize manufacturer specifications, published editorial reviews (AmazingRibs, Wirecutter, Serious Eats, Meathead), and community feedback from BBQ forums (r/smoking, r/BBQ, Smoking Meat Forums), cross-checked against real-world reports. We do not accept payment for recommendations.
Last reviewed: July 2026