Pellet Grills
Best Pellet Grills Under $1,000
The tier where the compromises end. You can have WiFi, a 30 lb hopper and over 900 square inches at the same time — the only question is how much grate you want.
By Mike M. · Last updated November 6, 2026 · How we pick
Best under $1,000
Pit Boss 850 Navigator Series
Pit Boss · score 9.6/10 · Most backyards — the default pick
The most cooking space per dollar of any WiFi pellet grill we track, and the one we point most buyers at first.
Also direct from Pit Boss — $799.99 (list price as of 2026-11-07)
Price as of November 7, 2026. #ad how this is funded
Quick picks
Ranked by our value-weighted score. Prices are live from Amazon as of November 7, 2026 — tap a price to check it now, or tap a row to jump to the full write-up.
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pit Boss 850 Navigator SeriesThe most cooking space per dollar of any WiFi pellet grill we track, and the one we point most buyers at first. | Most backyards — the default pick | 9.69.6 out of 10 | $799.99Amazon |
| 2 |  Pit Boss 1300 Navigator Series1,329 sq in and a touchscreen PID board for about what a mid-size Traeger costs — the value pick for big cooks. | Big families and anyone cooking for a crowd | 9.79.7 out of 10 | $999.99Amazon |
| 3 |  Pit Boss Advantage 850SLSame 932 sq in as the Navigator 850 but with a real PID controller and a cover in the box — the upgrade worth paying for. | Buyers who want PID accuracy without crossing $900 | 9.79.7 out of 10 | $827.54Amazon |
| 4 |  Traeger Pro 780The grill most people mean when they say Traeger. WiFIRE works properly; you pay roughly a third more per square inch than Pit Boss. | Buyers who want the app to just work | 9.29.2 out of 10 | $819.98Amazon |
| 5 |  Traeger Woodridge860 sq in, 500°F and the EZ-Clean ash keg. The current Traeger mid-range, and the one that replaced the old Pro 575 in most buyers' shortlists. | Traeger buyers who want capacity and modern cleanup | 9.49.4 out of 10 | $899.99Amazon |
| 6 |  Pit Boss Navigator 6-Series Vertical2,224 sq in and a 75 lb hopper. Nothing else under $1,000 smokes this much meat in one load. | Catering volume and marathon overnight cooks | 9.89.8 out of 10 | $899.99Pit Boss |
#ad We earn a commission on Amazon purchases made through these links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes the ranking — here is the method.
What changes at $1,000
Under $1,000 is the first tier where nothing has to be sacrificed. The Pit Boss Navigator 850 gives you 932 square inches, a 30 lb hopper, WiFi and Bluetooth, dual probes and a five-year warranty. Spend the full budget and the Navigator 1300 takes you to 1,329 square inches.
That makes this the most comfortable tier to shop in. Everything on this page is a grill you can buy without a mental asterisk, and the decision stops being about what you have to give up and starts being about how you actually cook.
| Grill | Cooking area | Hopper | Controller | The reason to pick it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pit Boss Navigator 850 | 932 sq in | 30 lb | LCD + WiFi | Best balance in the tier |
| Pit Boss Navigator 1300 | 1,329 sq in | 30 lb | Touchscreen + WiFi | Most cooking area |
| Pit Boss Advantage 850SL | 932 sq in | ~30 lb | Touchscreen PID | Tightest temperature hold |
| Traeger Pro 780 | 780 sq in | 18 lb | Digital + WiFIRE | Best app, best resale |
| Traeger Woodridge | 860 sq in | 18 lb | Digital + WiFIRE | Best cleanup system |
| Pit Boss Navigator 6-Series | 2,224 sq in / 5 racks | 75 lb | LCD + WiFi | Pure smoking volume |
The Navigator 850 is the default recommendation
It is on this page, on our overall ranking and in most of our individual recommendations for a simple reason: nothing else combines this much grate area, this big a hopper, connectivity and a five-year warranty at this price.
The caveat is the controller. The 850 runs an LCD digital board, not a true PID. In practice that means a slightly wider temperature swing than the Advantage 850SL — which has the identical 932 square inches and a touchscreen PID board for a modest premium. If long, precise smokes are your thing, spend the difference. Side by side: Navigator 850 vs Advantage 850SL.
Where the Traegers earn their money
Both Traegers here are smaller than the Pit Boss grills they compete with. The Pro 780 gives up about 150 square inches to the Navigator 850; the Woodridge gives up nearly 500 to the Navigator 1300. You are paying for three things:
- WiFIRE. The app connects, stays connected and alerts reliably. No other brand matches it.
- The EZ-Clean Grease & Ash Keg on the Woodridge, which collects grease and ash in one removable container. It is the best cleanup design on any grill we cover and it genuinely saves time.
- Resale. A used Traeger sells in days. A used Z Grills can sit for weeks.
Whether those are worth hundreds of square inches is a real question with no universal answer. Our full argument: Pit Boss vs Traeger.
The outlier: Navigator 6-Series
2,224 square inches across five racks and a 75 lb hopper — the largest of either figure anywhere on this site, inside this budget. Each rack takes two full-size foil pans. For catering, a hunting camp or a serious rib habit, nothing else at the price is close.
It is also a cabinet with a 420°F ceiling, so it will not grill. Buy it knowing that.
The picks in full
#1 · Most backyards — the default pick
Pit Boss 850 Navigator Series
Pit Boss · score 9.6/10
The most cooking space per dollar of any WiFi pellet grill we track, and the one we point most buyers at first.
Also direct from Pit Boss — $799.99 (list price as of 2026-11-07)
Price as of November 7, 2026. #ad how this is funded
Published specifications
- Cooking area
- 932 sq in across two tiers
- Hopper
- 30 lb, with a viewing window
- Temperature range
- 180-500°F in 5°F steps
- Controller
- LCD digital, two meat probes included
- Connectivity
- WiFi + Bluetooth, Pit Boss Grills app
- Warranty
- 5 years
How it scores
Weighted rubric score: 8.4/10. Value carries the most weight on this site by design. On our published scale that is 9.6/10.
What it does well
- 932 sq in for well under four figures — roughly 20% more grate per dollar than the closest Traeger
- 30 lb hopper is double what most sub-$500 grills carry, so overnight cooks do not need a refill
- Flame Broiler slider gives you direct-flame searing, which most pellet grills in this range cannot do
- Two probes in the box rather than one
Where it falls short
- LCD controller is a step below the touchscreen PID on the 1300/1600 and the Advantage 850SL
- Pit Boss app has a long history of connection complaints in owner threads
- Assembly is a genuine two-person, ninety-minute job
#2 · Big families and anyone cooking for a crowd
Pit Boss 1300 Navigator Series
Pit Boss · score 9.7/10
1,329 sq in and a touchscreen PID board for about what a mid-size Traeger costs — the value pick for big cooks.
Also direct from Pit Boss — $999.99 (list price as of 2026-11-07)
Price as of November 7, 2026. #ad how this is funded
Published specifications
- Cooking area
- 1,329 sq in across two tiers
- Hopper
- 30 lb, with a viewing window
- Temperature range
- 180-500°F in 5°F steps
- Controller
- Touchscreen, two meat probes included
- Connectivity
- WiFi + Bluetooth, Pit Boss Grills app
- Warranty
- 5 years
How it scores
Weighted rubric score: 8.5/10. Value carries the most weight on this site by design. On our published scale that is 9.7/10.
What it does well
- 1,329 sq in holds four pork butts or eight rib racks without stacking
- Touchscreen controller rather than the LCD board on the 850
- Still cheaper than a Traeger Woodridge with 470 fewer square inches
- Folding front and side shelves plus a bottom pellet shelf
Where it falls short
- A 30 lb hopper feeding a 1,329 sq in chamber burns through pellets faster than the same hopper on the 850
- Big footprint — measure your patio before you order
- App reliability is the same known weak point across the Pit Boss range
#3 · Buyers who want PID accuracy without crossing $900
Pit Boss Advantage 850SL
Pit Boss · score 9.7/10
Same 932 sq in as the Navigator 850 but with a real PID controller and a cover in the box — the upgrade worth paying for.
Price as of November 7, 2026. #ad how this is funded
Published specifications
- Cooking area
- 932 sq in (582 primary + 350 upper)
- Hopper
- Nearly 30 lb, with cleanout
- Temperature range
- 180-500°F in 5°F steps
- Controller
- Touchscreen PID, one probe, two probe ports
- Connectivity
- WiFi + Bluetooth, Pit Boss Grills app
- Warranty
- 5 years
How it scores
Weighted rubric score: 8.5/10. Value carries the most weight on this site by design. On our published scale that is 9.7/10.
What it does well
- PID control holds temperature far tighter than the LCD boards on the cheaper Pit Boss models
- Fitted cover and a tool set are included, which is $60-80 of kit you would otherwise buy
- Removable burn pot makes ash clearing a two-minute job instead of a vacuum session
- Swivel-locking casters, so it actually parks where you put it
Where it falls short
- Costs more than the Navigator 850 for the same grate area — you are paying for the controller
- Only one meat probe included despite two ports
- Listing bullet says 58 sq in on the primary rack, which is a typo for 582 — the maker's own copy is sloppy
#4 · Buyers who want the app to just work
Traeger Pro 780
Traeger · score 9.2/10
The grill most people mean when they say Traeger. WiFIRE works properly; you pay roughly a third more per square inch than Pit Boss.
Price as of November 7, 2026. #ad how this is funded
Published specifications
- Cooking area
- 780 sq in (34 burgers, 6 rib racks or 6 chickens)
- Hopper
- 18 lb
- Temperature range
- Up to 500°F max
- Controller
- Digital with built-in meat probe
- Connectivity
- WiFIRE, Traeger app
- Warranty
- 3 years
How it scores
Weighted rubric score: 8/10. Value carries the most weight on this site by design. On our published scale that is 9.2/10.
What it does well
- WiFIRE is the most reliable app in pellet grilling by a clear margin
- Porcelain grates and a well-sorted grease path make cleanup quick
- This listing bundles an 18 lb bag of Signature Blend pellets
- Resale value holds better than any other brand here
Where it falls short
- 780 sq in for the price of a 1,329 sq in Pit Boss — you are paying for the software and the badge
- 18 lb hopper against Pit Boss's 30 lb
- No direct-flame searing: 500°F is the ceiling and it is indirect
#5 · Traeger buyers who want capacity and modern cleanup
Traeger Woodridge
Traeger · score 9.4/10
860 sq in, 500°F and the EZ-Clean ash keg. The current Traeger mid-range, and the one that replaced the old Pro 575 in most buyers' shortlists.
Price as of November 7, 2026. #ad how this is funded
Published specifications
- Cooking area
- 860 sq in (6 chickens, 8 rib racks or 6 pork butts)
- Hopper
- 18 lb
- Temperature range
- 180-500°F
- Controller
- Digital with WiFIRE app control
- Connectivity
- WiFIRE, Traeger app
- Warranty
- 3 years
How it scores
Weighted rubric score: 8.2/10. Value carries the most weight on this site by design. On our published scale that is 9.4/10.
What it does well
- EZ-Clean Grease & Ash Keg collects both in one place — the best cleanup system on any grill here
- 860 sq in with a genuine 500°F ceiling
- P.A.L. Pop-And-Lock and ModiFIRE compatibility for shelves and cooking surfaces
Where it falls short
- No Super Smoke mode or digital pellet sensor — those are Woodridge Pro features
- 18 lb hopper for 860 sq in is tight on an overnight cook
- Priced where a 1,329 sq in Pit Boss sits
#6 · Catering volume and marathon overnight cooks
Pit Boss Navigator 6-Series Vertical
Pit Boss · score 9.8/10
2,224 sq in and a 75 lb hopper. Nothing else under $1,000 smokes this much meat in one load.
Pit Boss list price as of 2026-11-07.
Also on Amazon — $927.54 (as of November 7, 2026)
Published specifications
- Cooking area
- 2,224 sq in over 5 racks (25.7 x 17.3 in each)
- Hopper
- 75 lb, with cleanout
- Temperature range
- 130-420°F
- Controller
- LCD digital, one probe, three ports
- Connectivity
- WiFi + Bluetooth, Pit Boss Grills app
- Warranty
- 5 years
How it scores
Weighted rubric score: 8.6/10. Value carries the most weight on this site by design. On our published scale that is 9.8/10.
What it does well
- 75 lb hopper — the largest on this site, and it ends mid-cook refills entirely
- Racks take two full-size foil pans each
- Chimney exhaust and convection airflow even out the cabinet
Where it falls short
- 420°F ceiling, so it is a smoker and nothing else
- Needs real floor space and is heavy to reposition
- One probe included for three ports
Our recommendation
Top pick
Pit Boss 850 Navigator Series
Most backyards — the default pick.
Also direct from Pit Boss — $799.99 (list price as of 2026-11-07)
Price as of November 7, 2026. #ad how this is funded
Runner-up
Pit Boss 1300 Navigator Series
Big families and anyone cooking for a crowd.
Also direct from Pit Boss — $999.99 (list price as of 2026-11-07)
Price as of November 7, 2026. #ad how this is funded
Questions people actually ask
What is the best pellet grill under $1,000?
The Pit Boss Navigator 850 for most people — 932 sq in, 30 lb hopper, WiFi and a five-year warranty. The Navigator 1300 if you want maximum cooking area, or the Advantage 850SL if you want the tighter PID controller.
Is a Traeger worth it at this price?
Only for the app, the cleanup system and the resale value, because you give up real cooking area to get them. If you will genuinely use WiFIRE every cook, yes. If not, the Pit Boss grills here are better value by a wide margin.
LCD or PID controller — does it matter?
It matters most on long, low cooks. A PID board auto-tunes the auger and fan and holds a tighter band; an LCD digital board swings wider. For grilling and short smokes you will not notice. For a 14-hour brisket you might.
How much cooking area is too much?
A bigger chamber takes longer to come up to temperature and burns more pellets to hold it, so buying 1,329 sq in to cook for three is a running cost you pay every time. Size it for your normal cook, not your biggest one — guidance in what size pellet grill do I need.
Sources
Read next
Pellet Grills
Best Pellet Grills Under $700
The tier where you choose: WiFi, a 50 lb hopper, or insulation.
Pellet Grills
Best Pellet Grills Under $1,500
Premium build, insulation and chunk-wood smoke — plus where value flattens.
Comparisons
Pit Boss vs Traeger: The Honest Comparison
Eleven points compared, on current models with live prices.
Reviews
Pit Boss Navigator 850 Review
932 sq in, 30 lb hopper, WiFi, five-year warranty. Our top pick.