Pit Boss has quickly become one of the biggest players in the world of barbecue, and for good reason. They’ve hit the sweet spot with high-quality smokers and grills at a great price. I checked out their lineup at the National Hardware Show and got our hands on the Pit Boss Pro Series 820 to try out.
I took this grill through the paces with a variety of meats and food. I grilled shrimp and ribeye steaks (including an awesome sear) as well smoked candied bacon and cinnamon almonds. I also tested the true smoker abilities by throwing on a full brisket and pork shoulder.
Everything turned out superb. My family and friends can attest to the meals we enjoyed. I produced one of my best smoke rings on the brisket, which is impressive considering this was the first time using the smoker.
I give the Pit Boss Pro Series 820 wood pellet grill 4.5 out of 5 meat hooks.
The Pit Boss Pro Series 820 is available at Lowe’s for $499.
If you’d like a bit larger cooking area and larger hopper capacity (which means less time adding pellets), I’d recommend checking out the Pit Boss Navigator 850 and the Pit Boss Sportsman 820.
Pros
- Fast startup and temperature changeability
- Gets hot! Hit over 500 degrees with no problem
- Large capacity on the grill (fits 2 cookie sheets or a brisket and pork shoulder at once)
- Well built…and feature-rich. Includes front, side shelf (with 3 tool hooks), a temperature probe, and a built-in plug for 2 meat probes.
- Can do direct or indirect cooking
- Searing ability (this is a standout feature that most pellet grills don’t have the ability to do). In my opinion, this sets the Pit Boss apart and gives it an extra boost!
- Slow pellet burn rate
- Great looking, I like the two-tone color
Cons
- No wireless controls
- Temp gauge missing 275-degree setting has smoke, 200, 225, 250, 300 and then goes in 50-degree increments – wish it had 275 as it’s used frequently for finishing long cooks with pork butt and brisket
- I would like 4 wheels rather than 2. I move the smoker around on my patio a lot so having the ability to push it around rather than lift and pull would be nice.
Specifications
- Burger Capacity: 42
- Cooking area: 820 square inches
- Hopper capacity: 19 pounds
- Temperature Range: 180°F – 500°F
- BTU Value: 40,000
- Simple Slide-Plate Flame Broiler
- Porcelain Coated Cast Iron Cooking Grids
- 8-In-1 Cooking System
- Meat Probes Included: One
- Tool Hooks
- Solid Bottom Shelf
- Fan Forced Convection Cooking
- Automatic Start-Up and Cool Down
