All categories/Outdoors/Grills & smokers/Pit Boss/Pit Boss 850 Navigator
Pit Boss 850 Navigator

Pit Boss 850 Navigator

Scored on 20 verified owner verdicts, from 270 comments read across 5 communities
TL;DR
Most Pit Boss Navigator 850 owners are enthusiastic, repeatedly calling it a great buy they'd purchase again, with heavy praise for the open-flame broiler that lets it grill and char like a true grill rather than just smoke. Value for money comes up often too, with several owners citing the roughly $399 price or a good Black Friday/Costco deal. A meaningful minority report electronics headaches — failed or replaced control boards, WiFi controllers, probes, and igniters — that required troubleshooting or upgrades. A smaller but consistent complaint is uneven cooking, with the hopper side running hotter than the rest of the grill and only coarse 10-degree temperature increments for dialing things in.

75% of 20 verified owners recommend the Pit Boss 850 Navigator, based on real owner verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube.

See the problems 3 owners report →

What 20 owners say
270 comments reviewed · scored on the 20 clearest verdicts
75%
Recommend
15 owners
10%
Neutral
2 owners
15%
Don't recommend
3 owners
Source
Score
N
Counted in the score
Reddit
80%
15
Other forumsEnthusiast forums, Smoking Meat Forums
67%
12
Reviewed, but not counted — and why
YouTubeiowner comments
86%
7
Affiliate blogsipaid commission
100%
1
No clear verdictiSetup, tips & quirks
3

Affiliate blogs here say 100% recommend, while the owner-based score is 75%. They earn a commission on every sale — so we show them for transparency but never let them move the score.

The headline score reflects owners (Reddit, enthusiast forums), independent lab tests, blogs with no affiliate links, and YouTube owner-comments when they line up with owners. YouTube and Affiliate blogs are shown for perspective but kept out here — hover the i for why.

What owners like
  • Owners are overwhelmingly satisfied and say they'd buy the Navigator again, repeatedly described as running flawlessly for years with no issues · 15 · 75%
  • The open-flame broiler/direct-heat vents let it grill and char like a real grill, not just smoke like a typical pellet unit · 3 · 15%
  • Seen as strong value for the money, especially around the ~$399 price point and Black Friday/Costco deals · 3 · 15%
What owners flag
  • Electronics reliability problems, control boards, WiFi controller, grill probes, and igniter failing or needing replacement/upgrade · 4 · 20%
  • Uneven heat distribution and temperature control, hopper-side food cooks faster than the far side, temps fluctuate, and the 10-degree adjustment increments feel too coarse · 3 · 15%
Who it's for
A great fit if
  • Cooks who want both smoking and open-flame searing
  • Budget buyers wanting solid build for the money
  • First-time pellet grill owners
  • Fans of heavier, smoky flavor and good smoke rings
Look elsewhere if
  • Anyone needing even heat across the whole grate
  • Buyers worried by reports of control-board failures

Synthesized from what Pit Boss 850 Navigator owners say — not a spec sheet.

How buyers rate it elsewhere

Retailers' own star averages, for comparison — separate from our vetted owner-verdict score above.

Top quotes, sourced

270 reviewed · 28 shown
Sentiment
Community
Sort
Pit Boss Grill Forum— neutral

It is a nice Smoker with a small problem. Sometimes, the smoker makes too much smoke. The temperature also fluctuates.

YouTube▲ recommend

STILL ROCCCKING WITH THE NAVIGATOR 1150 AND 850

Pit Boss Grill Forum▼ don’t recommend

I have a Navigator 850G over a year old. Have replaced 4 control boards and 2 grill probes. Waiting on igniter. Does anyone have any ideas why they keep going bad?

YouTube— neutral

I love it for grilling but regretting it for smoking

YouTube▲ recommend

Just picked one up Black Friday at Academy for a great price and have already grilled on it a few times, Great Product!!

Reddit▼ don’t recommend

The navigator is just stupidly fancy looking for no reason

Reddit▼ don’t recommend

the wifi on my grill went tits up

YouTube▲ recommend

I have a 850 and love it. upgraded the control board to make it better. love pitboss.

Reddit— neutral

I'm not sorry I bought it

YouTube▲ recommend

Just bought one of these from you guys. Loving it. I’ve Already used it 6 or 7 times.

Reddit▲ recommend

Loving it so far! Pellet system means 12 hour smokes are easy. Grill function is great for steaks, burgers, corn etc. Ability to directly access the flame is great for charring peppers. And the ease of use makes it a doddle when the English weather is less than compliant! Easy to use for a first timer. No regrets so far.

Reddit▲ recommend

absolutely no issues

Pit Boss Grill Forum▲ recommend

I love the grill, very heavy construction, the shelfs in the front and side and the vents that allow for direct heat grilling. I would give this grill an A++ .

Pit Boss Grill Forum▲ recommend

Got my first pit boss navigator 850 from Costco and did my first cook which was a pair of beef back ribs from Costco. They turned out amazing!

Burning Brisket (affiliate)▲ recommend

The Pit Boss Navigator is a good buy if you want a pellet grill that leans smoky, feels solid for the money, and can do more convincing open-flame grilling than most pellet smokers. That flame broiler is not just a gimmick.

YouTube▲ recommend

I love my navigator 850. Still have only had it for a couple months and upgraded the wifi controller. Definitely a very nice smoker!

Pit Boss Grill Forum▲ recommend

So far, I'm very happy with it. I do wish the temperature increment was 5 instead of 10 for more control.

Reddit▲ recommend

I had a Pit Boss 850 for over 5 years and it was great

YouTube▲ recommend

I have boss love it. Price was great.

Reddit▲ recommend

I would 100% buy another of these

Reddit▲ recommend

didn't have an issue with the app

Reddit▲ recommend

It's performed very well for me

Reddit▲ recommend

I am happy with my purchase

Reddit▲ recommend

It is running like a champ

Showing 124 of 28

Common problems & things to know

Practical notes owners raise — setup, quirks, and issues to watch for. They don't say whether the person likes the product, so they're not counted in the score, but they inform the pros, cons, and who it's for.

Pit Boss Grill Forumⓘ good to know

So far I've used pitboss competition blend and haven't had any white smoke beyond start up

Pit Boss Grill Forumⓘ good to know

meat tasted great, but skin was not crispy

Redditⓘ good to know

I don’t taste too much of a difference