Pit Boss is the brand that proved you don't need to spend $1,500 to get a serious pellet grill. The Pro Series II 850, Platinum Laredo, and Sportsman lineup deliver real cooking area, real PID control, and real WiFi for hundreds less than the Traeger equivalent. This hub aggregates every Pit Boss review, comparison, and how-to on the site.
Why Pit Boss is the value champion
Pit Boss consistently delivers more cooking area, larger hoppers, and more features per dollar than any premium pellet brand. The trade-offs are real — temperature swings are wider than a Traeger Ironwood, the app is uglier, and customer service can be slow. But for $700-1,000, the cooking results are genuinely competitive with grills costing twice as much.
The flame broiler advantage
Pit Boss's slide-plate flame broiler is the feature most other budget pellet grills don't have. Pull the plate aside and you expose meat directly to the firepot for 500°F+ searing. It's not as good as a dedicated infrared burner, but it puts genuine grill marks on a steak — something most pellet grills physically can't do.
Best Pit Boss for what
Sportsman series for the budget buyer. Pro Series II 850 for the value sweet spot. Platinum Laredo 1000 for the entertainer who needs maximum cooking area. Skip the smaller Sportsman models if you ever plan to smoke a brisket — you'll outgrow them fast.
Every Pit Boss review
5 models tested
Pit Boss head-to-head comparisons
- Traeger vs. Camp Chef vs. Pit Boss
- Kamado Joe vs. Pit Boss Kamado
- Masterbuilt Gravity 560 vs. Pit Boss Platinum Laredo 1000
- Pit Boss Pro Series 1150 vs. Traeger Ironwood XL
- Blackstone Air Fryer Combo vs. Pit Boss Ultimate Plancha
- Blackstone Adventure Ready 22 vs. Pit Boss 2-Burner Griddle
- Traeger Tailgater vs. Pit Boss Navigator 550
- Masterbuilt Gravity 1050 vs. Pit Boss Pro Series 1100
From around the web