Pit Boss Navigator 850 vs Pit Boss Sportsman 850
Two of the pellet grills in our best pellet grills: traeger vs pit boss vs weber vs z grills comparison, lined up spec by spec. Every figure comes from the manufacturer pages linked below, and the scores use the same published formula as the full ranking.
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Best for: A lot of grill and a 1,000 °F Flame Broiler for the money
Check price at AmazonBest for: A rugged Pit Boss with Wi-Fi and a Flame Broiler
Check price at AmazonSpec-by-spec comparison
Green marks the better published figure. "Not listed" means the manufacturer doesn't publish it.
| Spec | Pit Boss Navigator 850 | Pit Boss Sportsman 850 | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total cooking areaTotal grate area the maker lists, including upper racks. Upper racks are smaller and cooler, so compare main-grate figures in the spec table too. | 932 sq in | 849 sq in | 30% |
| Pellet hopper capacityA bigger hopper runs longer overnight cooks without a refill. | 30 lb | 21 lb | 15% |
| Max controller temperatureThe highest temperature the controller can hold for indirect cooking. Direct-flame sear zones are listed separately. | 500 °F | 500 °F | 15% |
| Wi-Fi / app control (listed)Remote monitoring and temperature changes from your phone. Yes only when the maker lists it for this model. | Yes | Yes | 15% |
| Direct-flame searing (listed)A slide plate, lever or open-flame design that lets you sear over the fire, such as Pit Boss Flame Broiler or Weber DirectFlame. | Yes | Yes | 10% |
| Warranty (main body)Length of the maker's limited warranty on the main grill body. Components often have shorter coverage. | 5 years | 5 years | 15% |
| Model | PB850M | PB850SPW2 | info |
| Temperature range | 180–500 °F in 5° steps | 180–500 °F | info |
| Direct flame | Flame Broiler lever, up to 1,000 °F | Flame Broiler, up to 1,000 °F | info |
| Cooking space | 932 sq in | 849 sq in | info |
| Hopper | 30 lb | 21 lb | info |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi and Bluetooth | Wi-Fi and Bluetooth | info |
| Probes | 1 included | Not listed | info |
| Warranty | 5 years | 5 years | info |
| EmberPick score | 6.4/10 | 5.6/10 | 100% |
Where each one comes out ahead
Pit Boss Navigator 850
Better published figure on: Total cooking area, Pellet hopper capacity.
What we like
- 30 lb hopper
- Flame Broiler direct searing
- 5-year warranty
Watch out for
- Pit Boss doesn't list the weight on the product page
Pit Boss Sportsman 850
No scored spec where it is strictly ahead; its case rests on the strengths below.
What we like
- Flame Broiler searing
- Wi-Fi
- 5-year warranty
Watch out for
- Smaller hopper than the Navigator 850
Verdict
Similar area. Navigator has a 30 lb hopper vs 21 lb; both have Wi-Fi and the Flame Broiler.
- Pit Boss Navigator 850: Pit Boss: Navigator 850
- Pit Boss Sportsman 850: Pit Boss: Sportsman 850