Grills & smokers · owner-verdict comparison

Kamado Joe Classic II vs Pit Boss 850 Navigator: what real owners say

Real owners rate these about evenly: 75% of 32 Kamado Joe Classic II owners recommend it, vs 75% of 20 for the Pit Boss 850 Navigator.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Kamado Joe Classic II

75%of 32 owners recommend
75% recommend · 13% neutral · 12% don't
Owners praise
  • Built like a tank and lasts for years in all weather
  • Excellent heat retention and precise temperature control
  • Outstanding customer service and support
Owners complain about
  • Ceramic heat deflector cracks easily and replacements are hard to get
  • Expensive, premium-priced cooker
Full owner report →

Pit Boss 850 Navigator

75%of 20 owners recommend
75% recommend · 10% neutral · 15% don't
Full owner report →

What Kamado Joe Classic II owners say

“We switched about 1.5 years ago to the kamado joe classic ii’s and I can assure you those things are WAY better engineered in almost every way.”
— ImNotClever_Sorry on Reddit
“The food in it turns out great.”
— @fawzye22 on YouTube
“the heat deflector cracked. On to the shop to buy the replacement. Ordered 6 months ago and still not received. Rumour tells me that the heat deflectors are now discontinued. What? This thing cracks so easily but discontinued? People who wants KJ, think twice.”
— dDerDol M. on ProductReview.com.au

What Pit Boss 850 Navigator owners say

“STILL ROCCCKING WITH THE NAVIGATOR 1150 AND 850”
— @VietKieuLongNguyen on YouTube
“Just picked one up Black Friday at Academy for a great price and have already grilled on it a few times, Great Product!!”
— @Intoxacajun on YouTube
“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?”
— jcbitsme on Pit Boss Grill Forum