Pit Boss Navigator 1300 vs Pit Boss Champion Barrel Charcoal Smoker
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Quick take: The Pit Boss Champion Barrel Charcoal Smoker costs $10 less; the Pit Boss Navigator 1300 offers more cooking space (1,329 vs 1,158 sq in).
| Spec | Pit Boss Navigator 1300 | Pit Boss Champion Barrel Charcoal Smoker |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$1,000 | ~$990 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Pellet Grill | Charcoal Smoker |
| Cooking Area | 1,329 sq in | 1158 sq in |
| Max Temp | 500°F | — |
| Fuel Type | Wood Pellets | Charcoal |
| Build Material | Powder-Coated Steel | Steel with Porcelain-Coated Grates |
| Hopper Capacity | 30 lb | — |
| Burners | — | — |
| WiFi / App | Yes | No |
| App control | Yes | No |
| Meat probe | Yes | No |
| PID controller | No | No |
| Side burner | No | No |
| Rotisserie | No | No |
| Searing | Yes | No |
| Dimensions | — | — |
| Weight | — | — |
| Warranty | 5 years | 5 years |
Pros & cons
Pit Boss Navigator 1300
- ✓1,329 sq in for $1,000 undercuts every comparably-sized Traeger by several hundred dollars
- ✓30 lb hopper is enough for an unattended overnight cook, matching Recteq's Backyard Beast
- ✓Gravity hopper cleanout means you can swap pellet species without emptying by hand
- ✓Removable undermount burn pot makes ash removal a lift-and-dump rather than a vacuum job
- ✓Two meat probes included, where Traeger includes one below the Ironwood
- ✓Flame Broiler lever provides direct-flame searing no Traeger offers at any price
- ✗No published PID control; owners of Recteq and Camp Chef grills will notice wider temperature swing
- ✗500°F ceiling with searing only through the manual Flame Broiler lever
- ✗Pit Boss publishes neither weight nor exterior dimensions, which matters on a grill this large
- ✗Painted steel body and porcelain-coated racks at a price where Recteq is using 304 stainless
- ✗Pit Boss's own product pages carry no star ratings, so buying blind on quality means relying on retailers
Pit Boss Champion Barrel Charcoal Smoker
- ✓Three rows of hanging rods hold twelve racks of ribs — roughly triple a standard 30-gallon drum
- ✓Hanging meat over direct coals is what gives drums their bark and render rate; this does it at party scale
- ✓Also ships with three porcelain-coated grates, so it works as a conventional grate smoker when hanging is impractical
- ✓5-year limited warranty is remarkable on a charcoal drum, where most rivals offer one
- ✓1,158 sq in of grate area plus hanging capacity for under $1,000 undercuts the custom drum builders
- ✗$990 is more than twice a Pit Barrel Classic, and the drum design itself offers no temperature control beyond an intake damper
- ✗Drums run hot — typically 275–300°F — and are poor at the low 225°F range some cooks want
- ✗No thermometer ports, no probes, no controller; this is a manual cooker at a semi-premium price
- ✗Pit Boss publishes neither dimensions nor weight for it, and a 24-inch loaded drum is heavy
- ✗Hanging cooks drip straight onto the coals, which is where drum flavour comes from but also means flare-ups with fatty loads