What prompted me to create a Pit Boss 700FB review? Well, for starters, I’m a longtime grilling enthusiast, and I was naturally curious about all the things I was hearing about pellet grills. Could they really live up to charcoal grills in terms of flavor and authenticity? Read on to find out what I learned. It might help you determine whether you’re ready to invest in one of these units for yourself.
Shopping for a Pit Boss Pellet Grill: What You Need To Know
What is a pellet grill, and what sets it apart from other grilling units? First of all, as the name suggests, it’s a grill that uses wood pellets as its heat source. Unlike grilling with charcoal, which can be tricky as far as temperature control is concerned, pellet grilling allows you to set your desired temperature and walk away. You’ll get all that authentic, smoky barbecue flavor, only with significantly less hassle.
If you’ve already decided to invest in a pellet grill, there are a few pertinent questions you need to ask yourself before beginning your search. If you don’t, you might end up with a substandard unit, or a decent one that doesn’t suit your individual needs. Here’s some basic information to keep in mind while shopping.
Size
Know how much cooking space you’re likely to need on a regular basis. A grill that offers 400 square inches of space might accommodate a family of three to four people, but larger parties will probably require 500 inches or more.
Cost
Decide how much you can afford to spend on a pellet grill, and ask yourself what your immediate needs are. Some of the costlier models offer special features that you may or may not take advantage of, depending on your lifestyle and skill level.
Technology
Is the unit Wi-Fi compatible? Does the control panel feature digital LED technology? What about the draining system? Some units offer a built-in interior light to make grilling at night easier. Decide which of these features are important to you, and which you’d be willing to forgo.
Temperature Control
This is an important feature, especially if you intend to use the grill for a variety of cooking applications. Look for a range of around 200 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit for the greatest versatility.
Construction
The best pellet grills are constructed of heavy-gauge stainless steel, often restaurant grade. The cooking surfaces themselves can be made of the same material, but some companies also use porcelain-coated cast iron for their griddles.
Ease of Setup
The total setup time should be no longer than two hours—or even less if the unit is on the smaller side. The instructions should be clear and simple to follow.
Efficiency
Most pellet grills will burn about one to two pounds of pellets per hour, depending on the cooking method that’s being used. Make sure the hopper capacity is at least 18 pounds for convenience.
Warranty
Many companies will back up their product with a warranty. Two to three years is standard, but be sure you understand what is and isn’t covered before deciding whether or not it’s a good deal.
Pit Boss 700FB Review: What’s in the Box
When you purchase the Pit Boss 700FB, you’ll receive the pellet grill and attached hopper with 20-pound capacity, along with the digital control board. Two wheels are attached to allow for easy transportation. A second-tier rack is also included for additional warming space.
Pros:
- Easy to assemble
- Durable construction
- Turns out consistently good results, especially on grilled meats
- Efficient pellet use
Cons:
- Must stick to Pit Boss pellets for best results
- Some shipping issues may occur
- Temperature control can be finicky at first
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Features & Benefits of the Pit Boss 700FB
Does the Pit Boss 700FB measure up in all the important categories? Some of these answers may be relative to your personal needs and experience, but I hope you’ll find the information useful nonetheless.
Size
This grill weighs in at 118 pounds, measuring 40.87 inches wide, 28.03 inches deep, and 43.86 inches tall. It offers 700 total square inches of cooking space, which should be sufficient for parties of four to six people. Pit Boss claims that the space can hold up to 32 burgers, but I think that number is slightly optimistic unless the burgers in question are sliders. Still, these numbers are more than adequate if your parties tend to remain on the smaller side.
Cost
Pellet grills cover an impressive price range, with the costliest models topping out at four figures easily. The good news? The Pit Boss 700FB falls on the budget end of the spectrum. This could make it especially attractive to novices who are trying to decide if pellet grilling would be a good fit for their lifestyle. If this is your first time investing in a pellet grill, this model could be the perfect place to start.
Technology
The Pit Boss 700FB features a digital control box that enables grillers to set the unit to their desired temperature at the press of a button. This is standard issue for most pellet grills, but a useful feature nonetheless. There’s a designated “smoke setting” that allows you to control the amount of smoke flavor that permeates your food, another plus. The unit isn’t Wi-Fi compatible, so if you’re looking to control the temperature from your smartphone or tablet, you’ll probably want to keep your options open.
Temperature Control
This model boasts a temperature range of 180 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, with a heat output of 40,000 BTUs. This gives the grill a degree of power and versatility that many comparable models are lacking, despite the low price tag. You can use the grill for as many as eight cooking applications: grilling, searing, smoking, barbecuing, char-grilling, baking, roasting, even braising. 500 degrees Fahrenheit is high enough to turn out decent pizzas and flatbreads, and the lowest setting would be ideal for slow-cooked pork to be used in chili or taco fillings.
When I first set up the Pit Boss 700FB, I noticed that the temperature fluctuated a great deal between my chosen lower temperature and a higher one that might have destroyed the integrity of my dish. Fortunately, this issue seemed to resolve itself on its own, and may have been a case of me asking too much of the unit too soon. Keep this in mind when you fire up your new grill for the first time, and keep a close eye on that temperature gauge.
Construction
The entire grill is constructed of heavy gauge stainless steel, including the porcelain-coated cooking grates. It’s not the most durable unit on the market, but considering the price, you’re pretty much getting what you pay for. If you take good care of the grill, cleaning it after each use and performing routine maintenance, then you can expect it to last for several years.
Ease of Setup
The Pit Boss 700FB is relatively easy to assemble, and it can be put together in under two hours if you read the instructions carefully. This is largely due to the fact that it doesn’t have a ton of extra features or added storage. Still, it’s a perk that gives the grill high marks in this category.
Efficiency
The hopper capacity on this model is a generous 21 pounds, and it typically burns through about one pound of pellets per hour. In theory, that would give you 21 hours of carefree grilling time before you had to reload the hopper. If you plan to use the grill for high-heat applications such as searing and baking, you can expect to go through twice as many pellets in the same amount of time.
On a related note, be aware that you should invest in Pit Boss pellets if you buy this unit. Pellets made by other manufacturers might cause the auger to clog, thereby decreasing the overall efficiency of the grill and causing potential long-term damage.
Warranty
Pit Boss offers a 5-year warranty on every pellet grill purchased after September 3, 2018. Pit Boss also offers a 60-day return policy, which means that you have roughly two months to return the unit if you’ve changed your mind for any reason. Note that they’ll only accept the return if the unit is in its original packaging, and that it should be in like-new condition.
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Social Proof: Firing Up the Pit Boss 700FB
Does the Pit Boss 700FB perform as well on the road as it did in my backyard? Were there any consumers out there who had better experiences with this unit? To find out, I scoured the internet and came up with several positive reviews.
Users repeatedly claimed that they’d had great success with the Pit Boss 700B for several years, which speaks well of this budget model’s durability. Others praised the smoke settings, which allowed them to imbue their ingredients with just the right amount of rich flavor. One reviewer mentioned having some difficulty with the auger, but that could have been on account of a failure to use Pit Boss pellets.
Possible Alternatives
The Pit Boss 700FB has a lot of things going for it, but it might not be the answer for everyone. If you think you’d like to continue your search, here are three alternatives that might interest you.
#1 Camp Chef SmokePro DLX
The Camp Chef SmokePro DLX features an extra-large hopper to make your grilling experience that much more carefree. The cooking surface measures only 583 square inches, which represents a slight decrease, and it costs a bit more than the Pit Boss model. The construct is a bit more durable, though, and it comes highly recommended by consumers.
Camp Chef vs. Pit Boss
- Size—Pit Boss
- Cost—Tie
- Technology—Camp Chef
- Temperature Control—Pit Boss
- Construction—Camp Chef
- Ease of Setup—Pit Boss
- Efficiency—Tie
- Warranty—Pit Boss
Check out the SmokePro DLX if you don’t mind sacrificing a little bit of cooking space for a pellet grill that might last a few years longer.
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More on Camp Chef pellet smokers here.
#2 Z Grills 8-in-1 Pellet Grill
Like the Pit Boss 700FB, this is an “8-in-1” pellet grill, meaning that it offers searing and char-grilling in addition to the usual grilling applications. This Z Grills unit is also more sophisticated, with technology that the 700FB can’t hope to touch. At 700 inches, the cooking space is on a par with its Pit Boss counterpart, and it’s only marginally more expensive.
Z Grills vs. Pit Boss
- Size—Tie
- Cost—Z Grills
- Technology—Z Grills
- Temperature Control—Pit Boss
- Construction—Z Grills
- Ease of Setup—Pit Boss
- Efficiency—Pit Boss
- Warranty—Pit Boss
If you like what you’re hearing about the Pit Boss model, but are looking for a few more bells and whistles in the technology department, give the Z Grills 8-in-1 model a try.
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#3 Traeger Renegade Elite
Traeger has a long reputation for turning out quality grills, and their pellet-burning models are no exception. The Renegade Elite is a smaller alternative to the Pit Boss 700FB, with only 382 square inches of cooking space. The company offers a three-year warranty on its products, making this a good fit if you’re apprehensive about trying a pellet grill for the first time.
Traeger vs. Pit Boss
- Size—Pit Boss
- Cost—Pit Boss
- Technology—Traeger
- Temperature Control—Pit Boss
- Construction—Traeger
- Ease of Setup—Traeger
- Efficiency—Pit Boss
- Warranty—Pit Boss
If you have a decent budget for a pellet grill but don’t need a lot of cooking space, take a closer look at the Traeger Renegade Elite today.
>> Check Price on Amazon <<
Putting It Together
As pellet grills go, does the Pit Boss 700FB deliver? For first-timers, I would say that the answer is a definite yes. It offers a great deal of versatility, with smoke settings to help you achieve that prized barbecue flavor, and the price is low enough to make it attractive to newbies as well as seasoned grillers. The temperature range is impressive, and it’s generally accurate within a five-degree range, something that some pricier models can’t claim. Click here to check out this offering from Pit Boss and find out for yourself what all the pellet-grilling fuss is about.
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Thanks for sharing this awesome article, It is very helpful.
Charcoal grill provide enough cooking area to cook several types of food at the same time.
When I look up Pit Boss it looks like they have a 5 year warranty on all grills?
Thanks for the remark. Yes, you are right. I did update the Warranty section. Thanks again!