Pit Boss Sportsman 850 vs Pit Boss Sportsman 7-Series Wood Pellet Vertical Smoker
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Quick take: The Pit Boss Sportsman 7-Series Wood Pellet Vertical Smoker offers more cooking space (2,015 vs 849 sq in).
| Spec | Pit Boss Sportsman 850 | Pit Boss Sportsman 7-Series Wood Pellet Vertical Smoker |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$750 | ~$750 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Pellet Grill | Pellet Grill |
| Cooking Area | 849 sq in | 2015 sq in |
| Max Temp | 500°F | — |
| Fuel Type | Wood Pellets | Wood Pellets |
| Build Material | Powder-Coated Steel | Heavy-Gauge Steel with Porcelain-Coated Racks |
| Hopper Capacity | 21 lb | 60 lb |
| Burners | — | — |
| WiFi / App | Yes | Yes |
| App control | Yes | Yes |
| Meat probe | Yes | Yes |
| PID controller | No | Yes |
| Side burner | No | No |
| Rotisserie | No | No |
| Searing | Yes | No |
| Dimensions | — | — |
| Weight | — | — |
| Warranty | 5 years | 5 years |
Pros & cons
Pit Boss Sportsman 850
- ✓WiFi and Bluetooth under $800, where Traeger's cheapest connected grill is $700 for 653 sq in
- ✓849 sq in and a 21 lb hopper is a genuine full-size cabinet grill, not an entry model
- ✓Flame Broiler lever opens the deflector for direct-flame searing — no other major brand offers this at the price
- ✓5-year warranty, longer than Traeger's 7-year only in the sense that it covers a much cheaper grill; longer than Recteq's entry tier
- ✓Tool hooks and rapid ignition included rather than sold as accessories
- ✗Only one meat probe included on an 849 sq in grill
- ✗Pit Boss does not claim PID control; temperature holds less tightly than Recteq or Camp Chef at the same money
- ✗500°F chamber ceiling — all real searing happens through the Flame Broiler, which is a manual, mid-cook operation
- ✗No published weight or exterior dimensions
- ✗Sportsman badging and finish are cosmetic; buyers comparing on spec alone will find the Navigator 850 nearly identical
Pit Boss Sportsman 7-Series Wood Pellet Vertical Smoker
- ✓2,015 sq in is more cooking area than a 1,000 sq in horizontal pellet grill at roughly half the floor space
- ✓60 lb hopper is the largest in the vertical pellet class and runs unattended for well over a day at smoking temperature
- ✓$750 for six racks and WiFi is aggressive pricing against pellet cabinets from Camp Chef and Recteq
- ✓5-year limited warranty, the longest of the vertical cabinets in this comparison
- ✓XL viewing window and four locking casters make a cabinet this large practical to load and move
- ✓Rapid 250-watt igniter and 5-degree temperature increments are features usually reserved for pricier PID pellet grills
- ✗Pit Boss does not publish a temperature range for this model — expect the line's usual roughly 150–420°F, but confirm before buying for high-heat work
- ✗No sear zone: like every vertical pellet cabinet it is a smoker, not a grill
- ✗Rack-to-rack temperature variation grows with cabinet height; six racks means real hot and cool zones
- ✗Dimensions and weight are not published and this is a large, heavy unit — measure your space first
- ✗Most buyers will never fill 2,015 sq in, and the 3-Series smokes identically for $100 less