Pit Boss Navigator 1300 vs Pit Boss Navigator 1600
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Quick take: The Pit Boss Navigator 1300 costs $200 less; the Pit Boss Navigator 1600 offers more cooking space (1,593 vs 1,329 sq in).
| Spec | Pit Boss Navigator 1300 | Pit Boss Navigator 1600 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$1,000 | ~$1,200 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Pellet Grill | Pellet Grill |
| Cooking Area | 1,329 sq in | 1,593 sq in |
| Max Temp | 500°F | 500°F |
| Fuel Type | Wood Pellets | Wood Pellets |
| Build Material | Powder-Coated Steel | Powder-Coated Steel |
| Hopper Capacity | 30 lb | 30 lb |
| Burners | — | — |
| WiFi / App | Yes | Yes |
| App control | Yes | Yes |
| Meat probe | Yes | Yes |
| PID controller | No | No |
| Side burner | No | No |
| Rotisserie | No | No |
| Searing | Yes | Yes |
| 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 Navigator 1600
- ✓1,593 sq in for $1,200 is the cheapest route to competition-scale grate area from a major brand
- ✓Same 30 lb hopper, two probes, WiFi and Bluetooth as the 1300 for $200 more
- ✓Flame Broiler direct-flame searing on a grill this size is unique to Pit Boss
- ✓Gravity hopper cleanout and removable burn pot make maintenance on a big chamber manageable
- ✓5-year warranty on a grill that costs less than a mid-size Traeger
- ✗Hopper stays at 30 lb while the chamber grows 20% — a full grill burns through pellets faster than the 1300
- ✗A 1,593 sq in chamber takes noticeably longer to reach temperature and uses more fuel at idle
- ✗No published PID control, so a large chamber's temperature swings are harder to tame
- ✗No published weight or dimensions for a grill that will dominate a patio
- ✗Painted steel throughout at a price approaching Recteq's stainless Backyard Beast