# Pit Boss at Menards



## andrewst35

I see Menards has the Pit Boss 820. The price is $499. Does anyone have experience with this pellet grill? Dansen makes the grill for Menards. Looks like a Trailer knock off. Any suggestions or reviews would be appreciated.


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## seenred

I don't know anything about it directly and don't know anyone who owns one...but I went to their website to look at it.  Looks like a decent rig for the money.

Red


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## ron burgundy

So I would guess nobody has used the pellets yet either?  I'll be giving them a shot.  $20 for 40 lbs.


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## andrewst35

Ya I called Dansen about their Pit Boss. 1 yr warranty and weighs about 145#. The rep told me it should cost about $650 but Menards will sell for $499. Same features as the Traeger bit goes to 500 degrees. I'll probably pull the trigger when I can and possibly do a write up.


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## seenred

andrewst35 said:


> Ya I called Dansen about their Pit Boss. 1 yr warranty and weighs about 145#. The rep told me it should cost about $650 but Menards will sell for $499. Same features as the Traeger bit goes to 500 degrees. I'll probably pull the trigger when I can and possibly do a write up.


Sounds good!  You may be the first member here to own one of those...so I'll be interested to hear what you have to say about it.

Red


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## andrewst35

I'm one that likes best bang for the buck. If I can get Traeger quality but for less. Well then...


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## gomez93

andrewst35 said:


> I'm one that likes best bang for the buck. If I can get Traeger quality but for less. Well then...



Traeger quality?
Danson used to make grills for Fast Eddy Maurin before Cookshack started making them. I haven't seen the Menards grill but the Danson's I've seen looked like good quality.


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## mrad

I also saw  this at Menards yesterday. Price was $499.  Does this look like something I would regret buying. What would be the big differences between this and Louisianna 570.  The Pit Boss is about half price. Guessing corners were cut somewhere. I thought it was made of 16 gauge steel so it may not be as thick.

http://www.pitboss-grills.com/grills/pit-boss-820


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## andrewst35

Ya Danson told me the electronics are good for 3 to 5 years. If you'd have regrets buying this, then what would you recommend at my price range?


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## andrewst35

Maybe I'd be better off with a dedicated smoker. I usually do ribs, brisket and pork butt. Any suggestions? Masterbuilt, Bradley?


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## andrewst35

Heck I think I'm better off buying the Weber Performer Platinum. Save for Green Mountain Daniel Boone.


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## raastros2

andrewst35 said:


> Heck I think I'm better off buying the Weber Performer Platinum. Save for Green Mountain Daniel Boone.


i do have to say, everything that you can do on a smoker you can do on the weber kettle grills, especially when you get into the 27.75" and then ranch kettle which is 42" i think


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## raastros2

monster grills! then they have add-ons you can get like a charcoal basket so you can do indirect smoking and rotisseries....endless possibilities weber makes for you to use


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## jamyj

Bought this grill/smoker (Pitboss 820) at Menards on Tuesday and am very impressed so far with the quality.  It is heavy duty steel with a nice powder-coat finish.  Got up early Wednesday and assembled it, did the initial start up and burn off on high for about 30 minutes (it got up to temp fast btw), then threw a pork butt on about 1030 am and smoked it for about 9 hours.  The pulled pork was amazing.  I used a mix of pitboss pellets, apple and hickory.   I really wanted a Rec-Tec, but couldn't justify spending $1000 when I already had a really good, $500 gas grill (Tru-Infared Performance series), but when I saw the pitboss for 499 and it looked very solid, I couldn't resist.  I doubt you can find a better pellet grill for under $600.   Sure, the warranty is only 1 year parts, but I can buy TWO of them for the price of a Traeger Texas Grill or Rec-Tec, and it's comparable in size to both.   It gets hotter than the Traeger too, from what I've read, but maybe not as hot as the Rec-Tec.   I still have my gas grill for high heat grilling, but will use this for smoking and roasting.  I LOVE IT so far and feel I got a great deal.   Best of luck and happy grilling!


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## seenred

jamyj said:


> Bought this grill/smoker (Pitboss 820) at Menards on Tuesday and am very impressed so far with the quality.  It is heavy duty steel with a nice powder-coat finish.  Got up early Wednesday and assembled it, did the initial start up and burn off on high for about 30 minutes (it got up to temp fast btw), then threw a pork butt on about 1030 am and smoked it for about 9 hours.  The pulled pork was amazing.  I used a mix of pitboss pellets, apple and hickory.   I really wanted a Rec-Tec, but couldn't justify spending $1000 when I already had a really good, $500 gas grill (Tru-Infared Performance series), but when I saw the pitboss for 499 and it looked very solid, I couldn't resist.  I doubt you can find a better pellet grill for under $600.   Sure, the warranty is only 1 year parts, but I can buy TWO of them for the price of a Traeger Texas Grill or Rec-Tec, and it's comparable in size to both.   It gets hotter than the Traeger too, from what I've read, but maybe not as hot as the Rec-Tec.   I still have my gas grill for high heat grilling, but will use this for smoking and roasting.  I LOVE IT so far and feel I got a great deal.   Best of luck and happy grilling!


Congrats jamyj!  I've not seen one of those pits yet, but it sounds like a good pit at a good price.  I'd love to hear a little more about it (controller, temp range, smoke production, capacity, etc.), and see some pics of it in action.  

Red


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## jamyj

Thanks Red.  It's the Pitboss 820; pics and specs at pitboss-grills.com.   It has a digital controller that has a "smoke" setting that you can fine tune from 170-220 degrees, and then it has cook settings at 200, 225, 250, on up to 500 degrees.   The hopper holds 20 lbs of pellets, I believe.  I've only used it once so far, but plan on doing some chicken tomorrow and a brisket on Monday. The main grilling surface is about 20" x 30", and the upper rack is about 8"x 30".   I noticed when I unpacked it from the box every piece felt good and heavy, from the legs, the lid, the flame deflector, etc.  I think the grill is right about 150 lbs, so it's nice and heavy.   Loving it so far!  As for the money, I think you'd be hard pressed to find more of a wood pellet smoker/grill anywhere near this price.  I know there are better units out there, but not everyone has $1000 to just drop down on a bbq.  And from what I can tell so far, this one will do everything a Traeger will do.


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## jamyj

Hey guys, after using it 3 times I've got to retract my comments about the Pitboss 820 from Menards.  I can't get it to hold lower temperatures.   On the "smoke" setting it routinely climbs into the 280-290 range.  And set at 200 degrees (lowest cook setting) it floats between 220 and 270.    Also Dansen's customer service is not helpful at all.   Taking it back today and ordering a Rec-Tec.   Happy Grilling


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## deuce

jamyj said:


> Hey guys, after using it 3 times I've got to retract my comments about the Pitboss 820 from Menards.  I can't get it to hold lower temperatures.   On the "smoke" setting it routinely climbs into the 280-290 range.  And set at 200 degrees (lowest cook setting) it floats between 220 and 270.    Also Dansen's customer service is not helpful at all.   Taking it back today and ordering a Rec-Tec.   Happy Grilling


That sucks about the Menards pitboss smoker as well as the customer service! 

You will defiantly have Excellent customer service from the Rec Tec people and I'm sure you will Love the Rec Tec! I also ordered one after looking everywhere and not being able to find any negative comments about them. 

Be sure to post some pics when you get the new toy!


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## seenred

jamyj said:


> Hey guys, after using it 3 times I've got to retract my comments about the Pitboss 820 from Menards.  I can't get it to hold lower temperatures.   On the "smoke" setting it routinely climbs into the 280-290 range.  And set at 200 degrees (lowest cook setting) it floats between 220 and 270.    Also Dansen's customer service is not helpful at all.   Taking it back today and ordering a Rec-Tec.   Happy Grilling


Sorry to hear it jamyj.  I think we come to expect great customer service from most vendors in the BBQ/Smoking world...it's surprising when I hear of one of them not standing behind their product with good customer service.  You won't have to worry about that with Rec Tec...they're good people with outstanding customer service.

Red


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## jamyj

Thanks guys.  Got my Rectec on order and am really excited.  Ended up spending more than I wanted but sometimes you get what you pay for, I guess.  The guy at RecTec was really nice on the phone, gave me a discount on shipping, and threw in 80 lbs of pellets for free.  I was really impressed with the customer service.

Here's my final opinion of the Pitboss 820 from Menards.  It did work, but the control unit is not that accurate.  If you want to grill with wood pellets between 250-475 degrees, it will be a great grill for someone.  If you want to smoke at 180-225 degrees, it would NOT hold lower temperatures whatsoever.  It's sad because I was REALLY excited to have a wood pellet grill at $500, but I purchased it primarily for smoking and it just can't hold those lower temps I needed.   Also, keep in mind it has been 35-40 degrees outside in South Dakota where I am.  I can only imagine how overly hot the Pitboss 820 would have gotten this summer.

I would like to give credit to Menards for taking it back no questions asked.  I called and explained to them the problem, as well as the fact that Pitboss customer service would not help me at all, and they said to bring it back no questions asked.   Thanks Menards!


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## seenred

Congrats on the new Rec Tec jamyj!  I bet you'll really like it.  IMO the key to good pellet smoking is the temp controller...if that Pitboss didn't cut it, you're better of without it.

It's good on Menard's for making it right for you. and shame on Dansen for not giving you better customer service.

Red


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## jamyj

Yup, I emailed Dansons twice and called once.  They never did reply to my emails and the phone call was pointless as the "guy I needed to talk to" wasn't there.  That's when I broke down and called Menards.   The rectec should be here Monday.   Now just to decide what to break it in with.....     : )


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## finn99

I got a Rec Tec 2 months ago & it's great! How were the Pit Boss pellets
from Menards? It would be nice to take a quick drive to pick up
pellets in a pinch.


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## 2010ultra

sioux falls here jamy


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## jamyj

The pitboss pellets at menards seem ok.  Will definitely work in a pinch.  I got my Rectec yesterday and LOVE it.  I made bacon wrapped, stuffed pork tenderloins last night and right now I've got some beef and st. louis ribs going.   Set it at 225, left my house and went to town for 2 hours, came home and it was sitting at 226.   Love it!


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## finn99

Glad to hear you like it, thanks for the response on the pellets. 
I have some 2" thick chops I'm going to smoke to about 125 degrees
@ 225, then crank her up & finish with a sear on the Grill
Grates I ordered with my Rec Tec.


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## jamyj

Nice!  I want the grill grates too.  Future xmas gift maybe...   for now I still have the Tru-Infrared grill for warp 10 heat/searing.   Gonna smoke some burgers tomorrow night then finish them off on the tru-infrared.   How do you get your bbq equipment listed below your name on every post?  Is that your signature??   I'd like to list my Rectec, Maverick remote thermometer, etc.   Thanks!


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## chestnutbloom

Yes just click on "edit signature". Hover the pointer over your screename at the top right of the page and you will see it....


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## smoky mcbutts

Hi jamyj. I was looking at the pit Boss for a smaller grill than my commercial traeger and am curious if you played with adjusting the smoke setting at all? These new grills coming out lately are the same parts as traeger just modified a bit and a different controller added but the controllers mock the same smoke or "p" settings. I know with my traeger I have to adjust the setting depending on ambient temp and will have high temp swings as well if I don't. Thanks


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## jamyj

I tried all the settings.   It has 7 "P" settings for the auger delay on smoke setting.   I tried all of them.   On P07, which is supposed to be the slowest/lowest temp setting it was still pushing 300 degrees several times.   Set on 200, which was the lowest cook setting, I believe, it was going between 230 and 265 on a regular basis.   It will work for a cheap grill; I just wasn't happy with the temp control.   I noticed Lowes and Home depot and even Hy Vee all carry 400-500 dollar pellet grills now as well.  All very similar to this pit boss grill.  Maybe you'll have better luck than I did but I wasn't happy at all.   Glad I spent the extra money and got a Rec Tec.  It's AWESOME.


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## rec tec owner

You will not be disappointed with the Rec-Tec. I have had mine since Dec. it cooks awesome holds temperature with in 2 degrees of your set point all night long. There is not one bad thing bad I could say about a Rec-Tec.


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## bigaman

I have had the Pit Boss 820 for about 2 months now and I could not be happier.  I initially noticed what JamyJ mentioned about pushing high temps.  I have found that regardless of the temp you initially set, it will increases to about 300 then works its way back down the desired temp.  I have used the Maverick ET-732 to determine the reliability of the temp and it was consistently within 3 degrees for the duration of my brisket and pork shoulder smokes.  I haven't needed to change the P setting.  

Just putting this out there for anyone who may be considering the Pit Boss 820 from Menards. 

Bigaman


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## phrett

I just received my weekly ad from Cabela's and they have the Pit Boss on sale for $399.00 ! ! ! !


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## aahhyes68

Phrett said:


> I just received my weekly ad from Cabela's and they have the Pit Boss on sale for $399.00 ! ! ! !


Me too..... I was searching for reviews of the Pit Boss when I stumbled on this thread... I wonder what Cabela's return policy is... I have been looking for a used Traeger

to take to our place in northern MI. I thought for $400 this might do the trick ??


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## phrett

There are quite a few user/owner comments on the unit at pelletheads.com.  at 400 buck a great start to pellet cooking, I think.


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## canyoncoolers

I recently got the same model Pit Boss, I picked it up at a trade show direct from the manufacturer. They had used it for 3 days as a demo unit. I dont know what pellets were initially in there but the heat did creep on me the first time or two I used it. Which did prompt me to actually read the directions and find this thread. ( I had not adjusted the 'P' setting). I also had no idea what pellet type was in the hopper when I got it. 

I then loaded it with a Cherry and Oak mix I hand blended from stock Traeger pellets. Couldn't be happier. It has been holding smoke temperature great and not had any significant drift. Had no problems doing Salmon, Cheese or 3-2-1 ribs. Best ribs I've ever made. 

My only desire really is that the 'P' setting not default to 4 every time you turn it on, or just have a dial instead of a recessed micro button.   

Not to over analyze but I grill at 7,000 ft altitude, and perhaps the oak slowed down and evened out the temps, but honestly I think I was just getting used to using the product.

Great interaction with the company when I met them. Not to make excuses but as a small business owner our customer service can suffer a little when we are at trade shows. Perhaps the original poster and Pit Boss had a similar bad timing issue. 

I've owned a few $600 to $800 gas grills, first time with a pellet grill, but I couldn't be happier and the other more expensive grill is sitting around unused.


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## merrymanb

I bought the Pit-Boss at Cabela's for $399 and was very excited to try it. My problem isthat everytime the igniter comes on it trips the gfci on the outdoor plugs. Do you think the gfci is bad or the grill is likely bad? Perhaps I should replace the gfci first and see if that fixes it. But at $40 for a good gfci I hate to waste that effort. Any one ever had this issue with a pellet smoker?


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## aahhyes68

I would run an extension cord from another outlet and give that a try...


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## jeepdiver

merrymanb said:


> I bought the Pit-Boss at Cabela's for $399 and was very excited to try it. My problem isthat everytime the igniter comes on it trips the gfci on the outdoor plugs. Do you think the gfci is bad or the grill is likely bad? Perhaps I should replace the gfci first and see if that fixes it. But at $40 for a good gfci I hate to waste that effort. Any one ever had this issue with a pellet smoker?



An old gfi that has tripped many times can be an issue.  As stated above run an extension cord insife and try another gfi circuit and see if it works.  You could do a non gfi to fire it up but I wouldn't leave it like that.

If that doesn't fix it you could have a bad hot rod, or a lose ground


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## canyoncoolers

A loose ground is the most common electrical problem. That being said I'd try a different outlet before digging into things. Even checking the directions might give you a sense of the amps required. 

I'm fairly ignorant of all things electric, I wouldn't guess the Pit Boss needs a ton of juice, but if that auger were jammed or misaligned I could see it possibly 'tripping' things up. 

GFI's dont last forever either. ..Good Luck I love mine.


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## katbird

I just bought the Pit Boss 820 yesterday from Menards. I have a Traeger Grill, and am fed up with it. I have had the Traeger for two years. It came with a three year warranty, and so far, I have had the body replaced, (paint peeling, inside and out), the heat rod twice, and the drip pan, (paint peeling). The quality is so poor. The pellets as they go down into the auger, stick up onto the sides of the pellet box, thus you lose your heat, and there goes your cooking. 

I cooked ribeye steaks on the Pit Boss last night, they turned out great! The Pit Boss heats up so much more and quicker. The pellet box is huge, and holds an entire bag of pellets, the drip pan is so better designed and easily fitted. The price I paid for this model, was 450.00, compared to 399.00, :yahoo:I paid for the Lil Junior Traeger. For 50 dollars more, I get a 820 sq. inch cooking area vs. 292 square inch cooking area of the Traeger. I also get a dome thermometer, and digital thermometer display, and a cook heat that goes to 500 degrees versus 450 of the Traeger. I am getting twice the grill for that fifty dollars. I pray that in future months that the quality of my Pit Boss does not diminish. But so far I am happy.   :yahoo:


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## tim in az

I picked up one of these Pit Boss grills last week while Cabelas had them on sale for 399. The build quality just seemed to good to pass up on that price. I already own a FEC Pg 500 which has been a great unit.  The hot rod/ igniter has already died on the Pit Boss. I called Danson and was immediately put on the line with someone in technical customer service. They are sending me a new igniter. 

I spoke with the tech guy for a bit on temp swings and temps way over shooting target temp and learned a bit that might help others out. 

Apparently the Pitboss controller will continuously dump pellets for three minutes every time you make a temp change on the controller whether it be up or down. 

For example if you are set at 225 and want to bump up to say 275. The auger will feed pellets for 3 minutes. This will more than likely shoot you up to a higher temp like 350 or so. It will eventually work its way down to set temp and then only feed pellets as needed to keep set temp. 

For whatever reason it does this when going down in temp as well. 

The bottom line is you have to be patient and let it settle in to the temp. 

I have done a few cooks since by doing a manual start ( dead igniter) and am really getting it figured out. 

Overall I'm happy with this unit even with bad igniter. Hoping the igniter isn't an on going issue as I've read a few people with bad ones. All though I haven't received my new igniter yet ( hopefully soon) I'm completely satisfied so far with Dansons customer service. They were very helpful.


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## mac attack 54

I purchase the pit masters also on Saturday put it together and it kept blowing a mini fuse took it back on Sunday and got another one got it together about 3o clock put on some popper wrapped in bacon and one rack of ribs the poppers turned out excellent the ribs for about 5 hours at 220 came out a little underdone but I'm going to finish those up today I plan on smoking with it every Sunday I'll let you all know how it works for me. tonight I'm going to try some hamburgers on it and finish the ribs off


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## merrymanb

I was eager to try my new Pit-Boss this weekend. First, it is plugged in an outdoor outlet in the backyard and it trips the GFCI every time the igniter comes on. So as an experiment I first moved the garage fridge off that GFCI as the combination of the fridge kicking on and the grill might be the culprit. No luck, Grill still tripped GFCI every time. Then I replaced GFCI with a new one and a little stronger. No luck, GFCI tripped 10 times. So then I run an extension cord out of the house from a non-GFCI plug and then it blows the fuse in the grill itself. After going to three stores to find a 5 amp quick-blow fuse, as the book reccommends, I finally get going. This time it runs and perfectly smoke bacon-wrapped sea scallops. This was all Saturday. Sunday I try to ignite the smoker and it again blows fuse. So I guess everytime I use it, I have to run an extension cord out of the house and replace the fuse. It does cook well once it gets up to temp, and I was able to go from 220 to 500 relatively quickly and in control. It will work well as a grill but almost no smoke comes out of the apple pellets. They do burn hot but produce no smoke, and there is no place to put a chip packet, so I do not think it will be a decent smoke. I live in Cypress, Texas and would make someone a good deal on this grill if they want to buy it. If not I will likely junk it soon. Do not buy this junk!


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## jeepdiver

I would take it back and get another unit.  If you are blowing a fuse everytime, then there is a problem with the grill.

Also if you are running at higher temps, you will have less smoke.  That is the nature of a pellet grill and not a problem with the one you have.  Some people use an AMPs or AMAZING smoker to generate more smoke, but I find that my PG500 does fine if I use lower temps and set the pellet feed the right way.  Not sure what kind of adjustments you can make in the Pit Boss but you may need to tweak it depending on what temps you are running.


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## tim in az

I had no problems getting smoke out of mine yesterday on ribs. I set it to smoke setting and p6. It ran consistently between 180 and 190 for 3 hours till I ramped it up to 250 and then it held well there to. I'm betting you have a bad hot rod and it is tripping your GFI. I'd call Dansons.


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## merrymanb

I would take it back but I live 160 miles from the nearest Cabela's, so I don't plan to be there soon. MY bad for buying it from a store so far away!


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## canyoncoolers

MerrymanB:  That was really helpful info on the electronics, - basically don't over manage it, which is what I was doing on the first few cooks. 

Now do I cook a pork butt or pork shoulder next, hmmm, and which is more novice friendly.


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## tim in az

I haven't done a Butt on the Pitboss yet but can't imagine it would be any different than the way I do it on my Pg500. I usually go 180 to 200 for 5 to 6 hours and then ramp up to 225 - 250 for the remainder of time till internal temp is between 195 and 200.

I usually figure 1 1/2 to 2 hrs per pound give or take. If I plan on eating at 4 pm I'll usually start the night before around 8 pm and let it go at 180-200 all night long till 6 am and then turn it up to 225 or 250 depending on where the Internal temp is.

If it finishes early before guests are coming I'll pull it off, double wrap it in foil, then wrap in 2 beach towels and put in warm cooler.


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## mac attack 54

here's a couple of things I learned though on the pit master make sure the unit is shut off before you plug it in and if you do have to change the mini fuse behind the controller make sure its unpluggedthe fuse is it just for the heat element and when you're taking it out it could ground out and blow the circuit board


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## illini smoker

I got one from Menards couple months ago and love it temp does not hold like I think it should but only goes up about 25* for the money it work good enough for backyard smoking


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## ifeellikesmokin

Have you adjusted your P setting?  Pit Boss has a P setting of 0-8   Lower P setting Higher Temp I believe.  I have smoked as low as 140 and can smoke as high as 280.  I purchased this grill in April and LOVE it.  Had one minor setback this AM though so I am back to my Side Box and LP smoker for the day.  The electrical supply for auger motor became wrapped around the shaft before Auger and fried the Auger Motor.  Have email into Pit Boss to get a new Auger Motor.  Have had this problem with Traeger as well.


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## merrymanb

UPDATE on the Pit Boss 820: I called Dansons and told them all the symptoms. The very nice guy I spoke to said it sounds like the igniter is bad. He sent me another one and it took about 5 minutes to put in. Now this smoker is working great. Temp is easy to set and it runs about 20 degrees hotter than where I set it, but that's ok as long as I know it. I've used the grill 6 times now and no issues.


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## tim in az

Pretty much my same experience. I'm thinking they should just ship every unit with an extra igniter. Are you going by the dome guage with that 20 degree off in temp. If so those dome guages aren't very acurate.


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## merrymanb

My dome gauge seems to agree with my Maverick. Both show about 240 when the dial is on 220.  At 240 on dial it runs about 265.


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## lamrith

CanyonCoolers said:


> Great interaction with the company when I met them. Not to make excuses but as a small business owner our customer service can suffer a little when we are at trade shows. Perhaps the original poster and Pit Boss had a similar bad timing issue.


This is very very true.  As a worker at a small company there may only be ONE person doing their tech support.  If he is out sick or on vacation, they may not be able to help you.  Small company is double edged sword, you usually get better service overall, but when someone is out there is nobody else to help..

After finishing this thread it sounds like their support is top notch.  It is troubling to hear of the hotrod issues, but they seem to be covering them.  Also GREAT info about the 3min feed issue, betting that is what the problem was with that one unit running so hot.  I wonder if there is a way to counter that?

Rollercoaster thread, I was negative on it after hearing about the overtemp issue and then not getting support, but it sounds like that may have been an isolated incident.


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## wolfman1955

I was just on the Menards web site and they have the Pit Boss on sale for $399 thru 9/1/14


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## oldgiesser

I am going to menards tomarrow well still on sale for $399.00 After reading the reviews I don't think for the money you can beat it


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## sawmillmike

I purchased a pit-boss at Menard's during 4th of July week this year. It is amazing. I had problems with it at first due to operator error. It does shoot past target heat initially but will come down to temperaturetemperature in a short period of time and hold plus or minus 5 degrees for hours on end. During 90 degree weather I can smoke at 140 degrees with no problems. My family has always enjoyed my BBQ and thought that I couldn't do better until we had ribs off this unit. Everyone that has eaten BBQ off this rig has been amazed. I got it on sale for 399 and initially was disappointed due to overshooting desired te!mprerature range; after one call to service (which they were polite and helpful and actually returned a call within15 min) they explained why it overshot temperature and told me to quit playing with the temp control once it is set. I did as they TLD me and it overshoots by 30-40 degrees when not in the smoking mode. Overall I can't say enough good things about this unit for the money. I would buy this unit again without reservation.


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## tester2

I smoked my first 10 lb pork loin and salmon on the Pit Boss PB-320 from Menards on 9/7/2014 using the competition pellets. It was frigging awesome! 

I set at smoke for 4 hours and then turned it up to 350 for about 30 minutes. During the smoke, it maintained a temperature of ~150 to 160' and from 345 to 350'.  This unit is an absolute steal for the sale price of $399 at Menards! 

I put this unit together and felt that the packaging, assembly and operating instructions were good as well. The quality of all the pieces appeared to very good including welds and finish. It only took about 15 minutes to unpack, assemble and test the unit.

This smoker was less than half the cost of the Smokin Brothers SB20 unit and it was only 527 square inches for a price of $899.00.

The other post that talk about control issues need to read the instructions! They state that the temperature will increase due to the pellet feed when you turn up the temperature dial. Its how these smokers are designed and each manufacturer tells you that. It comes right back down in about 15 minutes and as I said previously, it maintained temperatures within about 5 degrees for 4 plus hours. I cannot say that about propane grill that will soon be listed on Craigslist.


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## tester2

Did you get one yet? I have only used mine once and it worked great! This is after having many great meals and reviews from a neighbor with the same unit and that is why I bought mine.


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## oldgiesser

The first smoke I did was a 12 lb brisket. I used my maverick thermometer to keep track of temp it had a lot of temp spikes up and down so I started playing with the temp settings and if anything made it worse. I then left it set on smoke and it would spike some but average out.The brisket was done in 12 hours and it was excellent. The next day I called tech support and talked to a tech right away the thing the tech told me that the instructions weren't clear on was that in smoke setting it runs by p setting only and not temp if at a temp setting it trys to maintain that temp. He then told me somthing not in the manual, to fine tune the temp turn the cap on chimney up if running hot and down if running cold this works if using temp settings. After that when I knew how to run the smoker I have made 321 ribs twice that were the best I have made or eaten and the grill worked great a lot more even temp.The thing to remember is your burning wood there will be a little up and down but you can sett it and forget it and let it do it thing.


----------



## klcustom

Had mine for a few months.  Bought at Menards for 399
  Great smoker, cooked many long cooks no flame outs yet or lighting issues.  Ran couple hundred lbs of pellets through it with ease.  Wish it had a 180 setting. But with adjustable p setting u can achieve that anyways- but that's a minor gripe


----------



## oldgiesser

I have made briskit twice and ribs about 5 times the food has been great but am having trouble with it over shooting temp when set at 200 or 225 by  up to 80 degree at times during long cooks somtimes it is not to bad may be 40 but then all of a sudden it go up 80 degree over set temp I have called danson customer service 3 times and have done every thing they have said to try changed p setting opened up chimney vent all the way but still am having these swing now well making 10 lb butt.I will call customer service and talk to tech again on Monday and tell him I am convinced the controller needs replacing. Other than the temp problems I love the pitt boss 820 it is well made food tastes great but trying to figure cook times is a nightmare.Iwill update on tech support.


----------



## ckirst

If you read the manual there is a "P" setting for the auger.  How long the pause is between auger run time.  by adjusting the P number one can fine tune the temperature/smoking feature on the grill.  You shouldn't have given up so quickly, It's a great grill!


----------



## oldgiesser

Ckirst said:


> If you read the manual there is a "P" setting for the auger.  How long the pause is between auger run time.  by adjusting the P number one can fine tune the temperature/smoking feature on the grill.  You shouldn't have given up so quickly, It's a great grill!


I received a new controller from Danson and it has been a lot more stable. It is not dummy prof but one you get use to using one of these grills they are great and set it and for get it.


----------



## pgadave

Which RecTec did you end up buying?


----------



## mccunningham

I have a Traeger brand pellet smoker, and love it! should I buy another I will buy the pit boss from menards. looks better built and $200 cheaper.


----------



## smokin in gb

I love cooking on the Pit Boss but I've had 3 of them fail do to a bad design of the auger drive, the last one broke yesterday(replaced on 4/18/15) during my preheat, what happens is the motor just sits on top of a shelf and the shelf over time bends down and the motor will then spin itself around and the wires short them self out. 6/9/15


----------



## hopfster

Well I stumbled on this thread on the 4th of July 2015, the wife had wanted aTreager since she saw a demonstration at Costco in later 2014, she told me it was a great deal at $699, hmmmm no, not at least till she starts working! Anyway, we saw the Pit Boss at Mendes for $399, on sale till 7-18-15, we still have a week to think about it. After doing some looking and research, we might pull the trigger. We bought a Webber for $400 w some cash from our wedding 9 years ago and I love it! But the wife is NOT an out doors person at all and didn't cook on it cause of the"work"it takes to grill w charcoal, she would rather do burgers in a fry pan than get the grill going...whatever! So if I can get the food I like as easy as flipping a switch, I'm in, especially at$400. I understand that the temp rockets up at first then back down, and some other little things, but as someone said, just gotta learn it and play w it a little. Sounds like it does all the same stuff as the high prices ones. After passing this all, now I'm getting hungry and excited for some smoked ribs! Menards also has those on sale too!


----------



## yooper

Any updates? That's a heck of a price at $399


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## hopfster

The only update...we passed on the Pit Boss, bummer we did. It was on sale till yesterday, July 18th, I was there looking at it and ready to pull the trigger but decided against it for now :(  other financial obligations need to be met. The wife and I talked and we decided that we WILL FOR SURE get it the next time it hits that price! Menards is pretty good about having the same item on sale a couple times a year, if it does,t go on sale again this year,there's always next! Sunny and 85 right now, gonna wake the kids up from nap, throw them in the pool and fire up the 'ol webber!


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## yooper

I ended up buying it during the sale. Only did the burn in so far. Need to go back and read up on the "p" settings before a cook


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## sawmillmike

I bought the pit boss last 4th of July, initially I had problems with it. Once I talked to customer service and they told me how the programming worked I have been very satisfied with it. I can smoke as low as 140 without problems and it holds temperature above 200 remarkably well.


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## k-dog

With cookingpellets, perfect mix I'm able to smoke at 125/130 on P7 without loosing flame.  I've put 80 pounds of pellets through the pit boss now and really like it.


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## hopfster

That's something I would obviously need to learn more about, and would like more knowledge before I do buy one. What is the 'P'setting? Is it the speed of the auger that drops the'pellets'? Or does the P have to do with temp?


----------



## hopfster

And K dog, how long have u had your Pit Boss?


----------



## gpb11

hopfster said:


> That's something I would obviously need to learn more about, and would like more knowledge before I do buy one. What is the 'P'setting? Is it the speed of the auger that drops the'pellets'? Or does the P have to do with temp?


Close, it actually controls the interval time between when the auger runs.  Different P settings set different time intervals.

See section two of the user manual: https://www.menards.com/main/store/...200/Install_Instruct/PitBoss820Owners2013.pdf


----------



## k-dog

hopfster said:


> And K dog, how long have u had your Pit Boss?


1 month, over 80 pounds, almost every day. The dang pellet grill has cost me more in meat/veggies and pizza's than the grill itself.


----------



## k-dog

gpb11 said:


> Close, it actually controls the interval time between when the auger runs.  Different P settings set different time intervals.
> 
> See section two of the user manual: https://www.menards.com/main/store/...200/Install_Instruct/PitBoss820Owners2013.pdf


Also what the manual doesn't clearly explain is when your in temperature mode the "P" settings are used once the grill meets it's temp.  Lots of people complain about the overshooting of the Pitboss.  You can overcome slightly by using the "P" setting.  Example, You set the grill to 300F, the auger will continue to run until it reaches 300F. Your fire pot is now full of pellets and continues to burn high for a minute or two causing the temp to overshoot. Mine is usual 40 degrees. You can't stop this from happening the first time or after you open the lid.  Now once you've loaded your grill and it's pre-heated you can adjust your "P" setting.  This will be done by lowing your "P" setting to P0.  This means the off time is 55 seconds which is more pellets. It seems backwards to add more pellets to get your temps lower from over shooting but your goal is to keep the fire pot at a more constant fire.  If you had your grill on P7 it's still going to overshoot 40 degrees but it won't put pellets in the pot for 150 secs or goes below 300F.  If it goes 150 secs the fire is now near out and the temp will undershoot and the series starts all over again.  This is what separates the pellet grill manufactures, allot of the higher end models have PID (smart) controlled augers.  If I'm cooking something at 250 I set it to "P0" and don't touch it for 20 mins and might bring it to P1. It will level out real nice.  Knowing what temp all your P settings run at is very helpful.  

My grill with Cookingpellets perfect mix runs like this.

P0  205/215                           

P1  190/205                             

P2  180/190

P4  180                                  

P3  180/185                         

P5  165/175

P6  140/150

P7  125/130

This will change with ambient temp, humidity and the amount of food in the grill.  The pellets by far make the biggest difference.

This is at 70/75F ambient, 1200 feet elevation and fairly humid.


----------



## hopfster

Jeepers K Dog, your the man!! I won't even need to read "how to" part after I put it together! Thanks!:sausage:


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## lhpike

I bought one. Used it three times and the unit has a problem. I sent my first service request on 08/31/15. I finally received a response on 09/21/15 asking if my problem had been solved. At this point I would have to say that this is a grossly over priced inferior product with horrible service. I wouldn't encourage my worst enemy to buy one


----------



## lhpike

Poor quality. Horrible Service


----------



## 3rdgenump

I have had one for about 3 month now.  Burned through about a 100 lbs of pellets.  Everything has come out great!  No complaints yet.  Except the directions tell you to put the wheels on the same side as the handle...


----------



## hockman4357

K-DOG said:


> Also what the manual doesn't clearly explain is when your in temperature mode the "P" settings are used once the grill meets it's temp.  Lots of people complain about the overshooting of the Pitboss.  You can overcome slightly by using the "P" setting.  Example, You set the grill to 300F, the auger will continue to run until it reaches 300F. Your fire pot is now full of pellets and continues to burn high for a minute or two causing the temp to overshoot. Mine is usual 40 degrees. You can't stop this from happening the first time or after you open the lid.  Now once you've loaded your grill and it's pre-heated you can adjust your "P" setting.  This will be done by lowing your "P" setting to P0.  This means the off time is 55 seconds which is more pellets. It seems backwards to add more pellets to get your temps lower from over shooting but your goal is to keep the fire pot at a more constant fire.  If you had your grill on P7 it's still going to overshoot 40 degrees but it won't put pellets in the pot for 150 secs or goes below 300F.  If it goes 150 secs the fire is now near out and the temp will undershoot and the series starts all over again.  This is what separates the pellet grill manufactures, allot of the higher end models have PID (smart) controlled augers.  If I'm cooking something at 250 I set it to "P0" and don't touch it for 20 mins and might bring it to P1. It will level out real nice.  Knowing what temp all your P settings run at is very helpful.
> 
> My grill with Cookingpellets perfect mix runs like this.
> 
> P0  205/215
> P1  190/205
> P2  180/190
> P4  180
> P3  180/185
> P5  165/175
> P6  140/150
> P7  125/130
> 
> This will change with ambient temp, humidity and the amount of food in the grill.  The pellets by far make the biggest difference.
> 
> This is at 70/75F ambient, 1200 feet elevation and fairly humid.



I just did my break in firing and plan to use the Pit Boss for the first time this weekend.  I called and talked to a Pit Boss rep about the P settings.  She (Jennifer) seemed very knowledgeable and claimed that the control board only recognizes P setting adjustments in the Smoke mode and not in the High or Temperature mode.  I told her that I had read that in Temperature mode the temp could be fine tuned by adjusting the P setting.  She was adamant that this wasn't the case and that you could change the P setting but the change would not be recognized by the control board.  She also indicated that the manual misstates that you can adjust P settings in the High mode and that it is being rewritten.  Do y'all think her information is wrong based upon your experience with the grill?


----------



## k-dog

Yes, she is wrong, at least with my grill. You can easilly check yours. Turn your grill to 350 and let it get to set point then turn it back to 200, set your p setting to 0 and listen for when the auger goes off. Start timing it when it shuts off. It should be 55 seconds and the auger will come back on. Now turn the p to p7  and time it. The auger will be off for 150 seconds. You had me second guessing myself so I went out and checked mine again tonight. Haha, I've now put about 450 pounds through it and she's going good.


----------



## k-dog

hockman4357 said:


> I just did my break in firing and plan to use the Pit Boss for the first time this weekend.  I called and talked to a Pit Boss rep about the P settings.  She (Jennifer) seemed very knowledgeable and claimed that the control board only recognizes P setting adjustments in the Smoke mode and not in the High or Temperature mode.  I told her that I had read that in Temperature mode the temp could be fine tuned by adjusting the P setting.  She was adamant that this wasn't the case and that you could change the P setting but the change would not be recognized by the control board.  She also indicated that the manual misstates that you can adjust P settings in the High mode and that it is being rewritten.  Do y'all think her information is wrong based upon your experience with the grill?



I'm also finding out the colder it is outside, the more stable the temp is. But I sure burn through the pellets. I did a roast when it was 15 degrees out and it would only over shoot 5-10 degrees.


----------



## hockman4357

Well, I smoked a 9 pound brisket on my Pit Boss 820 on Christmas Eve.  It was 35 degrees outside which I'm sure impacted the cooking.  My observations verified using a Maverick temperature probe:

1) The grill was relatively stable in the Smoke mode.  With the P setting at P3 the grill fluctuated between 174-196.
2) after 4 hours in Smoke mode I switched the grill to 225 Temperature Setting.  The grill was very unstable spiking to as high as 286.  I adjusted the P settings while at 225 from P1 to P5 waiting 20-30 minutes between changes to no avail.  This was disappointing.  I had hoped it would hold at +/- 10 degrees.
3) In desperation, I switched the grill to the 200 Temperature Setting.  I experimented with P3 and P4.  With this setting the grill would spike at 230 and not fall below 190.  This was the only way I could achieve a temperature of approximately 225.

It seems strange to me that the grill would be so unstable in the Temperature Setting mode.  Setting it at 200 to keep it near 225 seems nonsensical.

If you have any suggestions for leveling out the temperature swings//spikes while in Temperature mode I would greatly appreciate it.  I really want to get this grill dialed in.


----------



## k-dog

How was the brisket?  Cooking at 200/225/250 is the tough temp for stability. If your getting 180s on p3 you should try p0 to see what that runs at. This all changes with outdoor temp and amount of food in the grill. If I was doing a brisket right now I would set it to 200 and p4, my cone damper at 1/4 inch gap from inside of the cone. This will give me more smoke because of the temp swings. I don't care about the 40 degree swings anymore because they haven't affected the outcome of my meat. 25 degrees outside. This is just my preference. If I wanted more stability I'd set it to p0.


----------



## hockman4357

K-DOG said:


> How was the brisket?  Cooking at 200/225/250 is the tough temp for stability. If your getting 180s on p3 you should try p0 to see what that runs at. This all changes with outdoor temp and amount of food in the grill. If I was doing a brisket right now I would set it to 200 and p4, my cone damper at 1/4 inch gap from inside of the cone. This will give me more smoke because of the temp swings. I don't care about the 40 degree swings anymore because they haven't affected the outcome of my meat. 25 degrees outside. This is just my preference. If I wanted more stability I'd set it to p0.


Honestly, the brisket was excellent!  I wrapped it in foil at 175 and then left it on the grill until it reached 200 followed by a 2 hour rest in the ice chest.  It had a nice smoke ring with really good flavor and was very tender.

Are you suggesting trying P3 while in the Smoke setting to check the temperature?

I did have my chimney cap at about 1" so I will lower it.

I actually enjoy the learning curve.  I think I'm really going to like the grill once I master the technique.


----------



## k-dog

Try p0 and see what it runs at in smoke mode. If your at about 180 in p3, I'd would guess you'd be at 205/210. Your doing everything right to learn it. In the summer your p0 might be 230.


----------



## eat more beef

Ive only used my pit boss a few times and have noticed a learning curve for me.  But that is part of the fun.  Going to try some jerk wings on it for the game today.


----------



## dockman

Pick a Pit Boss up from Menards today. Not sure it is what I want? From what I have read here if I want to smoke it needs to be in smoke mode but then temps will not get much more then 200 - 230 depending on the P setting! Is this more of a bbq pellet grill? Can I smoke with dial set at a temp setting?


----------



## eat more beef

The little i have used mine im liking it.  I put it on smoke for a little while then bring it up to temp.  The flavours have been very good.  Not as good as using wood chunks and charcoal but alot less time and effort involved.


----------



## jhjewelljr

I, too, bought a PitBoss 820 at Menard's.  Spent $399 on it, and bought a 40# bag of hickory pellets for it.  Trying it out today.  It's not the best day to try it out, as it is REALLY windy (gusting to 40 mph).  Temp in smoke mode won't hold, but seems to be holding OK when I set it at 225 (between 215 - 240).  There are some settings adjustments that can be made on the thermostat for the Smoke mode, which I have been playing with a little.  We'll see how it goes.  

The unit seems to be solidly built and sturdy.  I'll update how things turn out and what my experiences are as I continue to use it.


----------



## loucarisma

Just bought my pit boss 820 yesterday. Put it together this PM. A very well built unit haven't even started it yet. But I think kdog was the one who explained the p setting very well. Wrote his settings down. I have copd and am getting older (60) and wanted an easier method of smoking my meat other than the briquets check heat place more briquets and wood repeat for hours. One thing I used a recipe on all recipes for a true smoked pork butt marinated in spices and Apple cider fabulous fall off the bone and flavor used Apple wood. I'm going to do this on this pellet grill with the Apple pellets.


----------



## loucarisma

Also any one smoke any catfish or carp walleye ect on this?


----------



## loucarisma

OK fired up the pit boss yesterday. Had a slight hiccup. The auger wouldn't turn. Took bottom of the hopper off wiggled the motor shaft and plugged back in. Walla the auger worked but every revolution it made a clunking sound like it was hitting something. Called customer support immediately they sent pictures of how to remove the auger to check for foreign object on auger tube. Pulled apart the grill and noticed some sharp edges on the shaft side of the auger. Took my grinder and flap disk and smoothed out any sharp edges that could be the problem. Reinstalled auger plugged in and it still made noise not a thump but something similar. I then noticed the motor wasn't aligned straight with the auger causing the motor to move around because of binding. I took a piece of 1/8 inch aluminum angle iron and a 1/16 piece of steel and mounted them to the shelf and eliminated the binding problem. Turned it on and viola no thump or noise problem solved.


----------



## smokin papaw

andrewst35 said:


> I see Menards has the Pit Boss 820. The price is $499. Does anyone have experience with this pellet grill? Dansen makes the grill for Menards. Looks like a Trailer knock off. Any suggestions or reviews would be appreciated.


----------



## smokin papaw

Just purchased one today


----------



## smokin papaw

Seasoned it today and played with temps.  Need to be patient while waiting for temp to come down after pellets ignite.  But held temp very well. Assembly was a breeze.


----------



## tom scherer

I see today they have it for $399 {5/18/16} I'm get one and maybe get rid of the  Masterbuild..


----------



## sn95gt50

Been reading a lot of these posts and I am considering buying one. i currently  do all of my smoking on a Webber kettle with good success.  Our gas grill recently bit the dust and I was considering one of these as a replacemenT.  I have used my neighbors Transfer occassionally not enuff to truly rate it.  Does the temp overshoot that many have mentioned is that a characteristic of the Transfer as well?

How common is the auger problems some have mentioned?  Menards currently has it on sale for $399 and I was thinking about pulling the trigger.  Or should I pay the extra for the Teager?


----------



## crumy

I just purchased a 820d.   The setup was easy.    Just finished the first burn.     Thinking about doing a chicken for first pass so I don't screw up anything too expensive.      First time smoking and this thread really helped me make my mind up on which to get


----------



## stolps

Ron Burgundy said:


> So I would guess nobody has used the pellets yet either?  I'll be giving them a shot.  $20 for 40 lbs.


I used the pit boss competition blend and really enjoy them. Stay away from traeger pellets....they are junk.


----------



## stolps

SN95GT50 said:


> Been reading a lot of these posts and I am considering buying one. i currently  do all of my smoking on a Webber kettle with good success.  Our gas grill recently bit the dust and I was considering one of these as a replacemenT.  I have used my neighbors Transfer occassionally not enuff to truly rate it.  Does the temp overshoot that many have mentioned is that a characteristic of the Transfer as well?
> 
> How common is the auger problems some have mentioned?  Menards currently has it on sale for $399 and I was thinking about pulling the trigger.  Or should I pay the extra for the Teager?


I wouldn't buy a traeger. My dad has one. The first year he had it he replaced the fan twice. I don't think the quality is quite there.


----------



## loucarisma

I've used the competition pellets and the Apple both are excellent. The price is also superb 21.40 for 40#s is great. Traeger pellets are 18.99 for 20 #s. I have the hickory but haven't used them yet. I have a 20 gallon shop vac and an old 6 gallon one. I have a new filter I'm going to put in the small vac and use it exclusively for changing the flavors of the pellets. I've used  1 bag of competition blend and 1 Apple so far. I've got COPD and the set it and forget it is just what I needed. I've done chicken thighs breasts pork roasts pork ribs chops and my favorite smoked catfish. Haven't done any beef except cooking burgers on the open flame. I absolutely love this grill half the price of a comparably sized traeger.


----------



## harleysmoke

I bought my Pit Boss in April from Rural King. It was the deluxe model for the same price Menards had the standard grill for. I picked up a bag of the competition blend pellets from Menards for a little over $20. I've been buying the Lumberjack brand pellets from Rural king, a 20# bag is $9.99 and I like the flavor. There is a learning curve but once you get it figured out it does a pretty good job. I enjoy that its a grill and a smoker and will never own anything else. When I'm grilling and I have time I like to smoke whatever I'm cooking first. I just leave it on the smoke setting on P4 for an hour or so then crank it up to 350 to finish it off. Best hamburgers, pork chops, chicken I've ever cooked. I smoked a 10.5 lb brisket on P2 setting which hovered around 200. Took about 17 hours but was worth it! 
The only issue I've had is that the screws holding the legs on kept coming loose, even with the lock washers. I ended up getting 16 bolts that were 1/4-20, 1 inch long and 16 locknuts. I snugged them down nice and tight and will never have to worry about loose legs again. 
I would recommend getting one of these smokers and play around with it and learn how to control the heat. Once you have it figured out you'll have a smoker/grill for years.


----------



## eat more beef

Have recently had some issues with my pit boss. The plate that the auger motor sits on was twisted and making some interesting sounds. And the board went at the same time.  Have to give a big thanks to Susan at pit boss for the Tec support and very fast service on sending the new parts out!!!  Within 4 days had the pit up and running!!


----------



## actech

Just pulled the trigger and got the pit boss. on sale 399 ! Just ran it full throttle to burn off manufacture oils.


----------



## bdawg

Which pit boss model is it?
I have the Pitboss 700fb en route from Amazon.  It is supposed to be here Thursday.
My MES gave up the ghost a few monts ago and I have been looking for a good deal on a replacement.  $398 free shipping with prime.


----------



## actech

BDawg said:


> Which pit boss model is it?
> I have the Pitboss 700fb en route from Amazon. It is supposed to be here Thursday.
> My MES gave up the ghost a few monts ago and I have been looking for a good deal on a replacement. $398 free shipping with prime.


It was the 820 fb. So far I like it. Havent grilled any steaks yet


----------



## ron burgundy

I got the 820 Friday.  Rain in the forecast for a week!  Rats!


----------



## ron burgundy

How long should I do the initial burn off? There's a bunch of oil on the flame broiler that I want gone.


----------



## actech

I let mine go about half hour at 500.


----------



## ron burgundy

I did about an hour.  No more hot plastic smell.  Broiler still looks kinda dark.


----------



## bregent

>Broiler still looks kinda dark.

Broiler? Which part are you referring to?


----------



## ron burgundy

Flame broiler.  Big silver curved part that also catches the grease.


----------



## bregent

Ron Burgundy said:


> Flame broiler. Big silver curved part that also catches the grease.


AH, ok. Most mfg's call that the heat shield or grease tray. I wouldn't worry about how it looks - after a few cooks it will be loaded with burn grease. If you ran at 500 for an hours all of the mfg oils should be gone.


----------



## ron burgundy

Heat shield does sound more appropriate.


----------



## hoosiersmoker

I bought the previous model year for $299.00 on clearance (wheels are on the opposite end) in 2015 and the thermocouple immediately went out. I was able to light it manually but it was kind of a pain. I called and they shipped a new one that day and received it the next, no proof of purchase or anything else, blew me away, great customer service (even though it was 2 weeks before I actually changed it out). Since then I have done loads of ribs, briskets, shoulders and grilled constantly with it, burgers, fish and chicken mostly. The 500 degree direct flame does great for grilling. I use their competition blend pellets mixed with a little extra Apple and the smoke is great. It seems to be well constructed and holding up well. It's not a Traeger but I can buy another one at full price and still have about the same amount in it.


----------



## waterluvr

I picked up an 820 Pit Boss yesterday at Menards after comparing it to the Traeger Century 22 at Costco, it seems the internals are built a little stouter and it's got significantly more cooking area on the main grill level plus the top shelf and the ability to sear is a real bonus with the Pit Boss.

Did the initial burn off and shut it down, started it up today and have it loaded with half chickens using the Pit Boss competition pellets and it's cruising along out there in the wind within 10* of the t-stat setting and it only varies about +20* for a little bit in relation to auger cycles when it's adding fuel it works perfectly and after one hour there's a decent amber smoke on the chicken skin. 

Read alot of misinformation regarding how to start and stop these in threads on different forums, the fact page at Pit Boss makes it much easier to brush up on the does and dont's of starting and stopping and how the P settings really work before you use it for the first time I'm happy with it so far. 

https://www.pitboss-grills.com/support/faqs/


----------



## ab canuck

I have both a 700 and 820, I bought the 700 new for home and loved it. Found a used 820 and brought it to work. I have used their pellets which are the same as Louisiana grills, (same company) I have used Traeger pellets and GMG pellets as well. I like the diversity of flavors in all of them and have not found a big difference using either or. As for Price I am in Canada so 499 US to me is a great price. We get the shaft when exchange and duty are added plus transport. I don't think you will regret it as far as a pellet pooper goes I think it is right up there in Quality and ease of use. Only thing you will need is a good Temp probe /Thermo or instant read. Good luck and enjoy.


----------



## waterluvr

Well first time using it I'm really impressed, never had better smoked chicken!

Using PB competition blend pellets I cooked half the chicken for 2 hours at 300*f then pulled it and the other half I turned it up to 350* at the two hour mark and let it go another 30 minutes. 

Both were amazing, with a slight preference to the 2.5 hour halves you can see both in this pic the chicken up front and to the left was on the extra 1/2 hour. 













Pit Boss Chicken.jpg



__ waterluvr
__ Jul 23, 2017


----------



## tallbm

Waterluvr said:


> Well first time using it I'm really impressed, never had better smoked chicken!
> 
> Using PB competition blend pellets I cooked half the chicken for 2 hours at 300*f then pulled it and the other half I turned it up to 350* at the two hour mark and let it go another 30 minutes.
> 
> Both were amazing, with a slight preference to the 2.5 hour halves you can see both in this pic the chicken up front and to the left was on the extra 1/2 hour.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pit Boss Chicken.jpg
> 
> 
> 
> __ waterluvr
> __ Jul 23, 2017


I really like the PB Competition Blend (PBCB) pellets for smoke flavor on my chicken and any meat that I don't know what wood to use.  I find it to be a little light at times but I just double up on the smoke with my AMNPS and it is right on!

Chicken cooks so quickly at 325F that I ALWAYS use double smoke with those pellets and WOW it comes out great!

Additionally, the price for 40 pounds of those PBCB is like $18-21 or less at Walmart or on Amazon.  You can't really get a better pellet blend for the price.


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## hoosiersmoker

Agreed. I tried several other single species pellets and blended some myself and the results are unreliable. There's a reason they call it competition blend, I could see using it in a competition and that being one less thing to worry about getting wrong. It's a good, solid, general purpose blend. It is a little thin for quick smokes though it's true. I don't do much poultry due to family dietary issues but have done whole turkey and turkey breasts and it worked well for that since it was a longer smoke.


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## tallbm

hoosiersmoker said:


> Agreed. I tried several other single species pellets and blended some myself and the results are unreliable. There's a reason they call it competition blend, I could see using it in a competition and that being one less thing to worry about getting wrong. It's a good, solid, general purpose blend. It is a little thin for quick smokes though it's true. I don't do much poultry due to family dietary issues but have done whole turkey and turkey breasts and it worked well for that since it was a longer smoke.


Thanks for the input.  I have a whole turkey defrosting in the fridge that may get smoked tomorrow or the day after.  I was planning on using the PBCB for the smoke figuring it would be perfect.

I plan to try my prep method of injecting with a doctored up Tony Cachere's Creole Butter with Jalapeno and Brown Sugar added.  This is the method I use when I deep fry a turkey for the holidays.

This is a test run so I will know how this smoked version fairs vs my deep fried version and hopefully get a good idea on where I need to make the tweaks for the smoked version.  I'm also hoping that the injection saves time that would normally be taken to brine.  Lot's of things being tested out here on this go round :)


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## waterluvr

Very interested in seeing how the turkey goes, it's one of the few things I really haven't done yet and want to get a routine figured out before the holidays this year. Can you share the size of the bird and cooking times / temps as you go?


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## tallbm

Waterluvr said:


> Very interested in seeing how the turkey goes, it's one of the few things I really haven't done yet and want to get a routine figured out before the holidays this year. Can you share the size of the bird and cooking times / temps as you go?


Will do.  I'll do a separate post on it for sure.  I try to give really detailed posts when I am trying things out and answering questions or discovering things I couldn't really find out about online.

This will be one of those cases :)


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## hoosiersmoker

I've tried injections and never had great results until I departed from all recipes and used a modified turkey baster to allow all of the spices to get injected too, until then I could never get any good flavor. I've totally abandoned injections for smoking turkeys. I use a heavily seasoned brine and a big cooler. It's easier to mix it all up, drop the turkey in and forget it overnight. I use salt,  mushroom soy sauce,  Worcestershire, sage,  thyme, rosemary, marjoram, garlic powder,  onion powder and coriander. I use about a 12lb turkey or so and just drop it in the cooler full of brine and ice the night before. I dry it then rub it and let it sit for a couple of hours before the smoke.  After It gets to about 150°, I take It off,  wrap It in foil then in towels and put It back on the cooler a few hours before dinner. It always turns out juicy and flavorful. We have a couple of turkeys at thanksgiving but mine disappear first.  Haha


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## bonedadddy

Hello folks, man its seems like its been forever since I posted, and looks like it has haha...need to get on here more often!

So I have a rookie question...I am at a point where I am looking at a new grill...prior to this, I have had gas grills. With the temps on the Pit Boss 820 able to get to 500 degrees, could I technically use this as a grill? I have an Old Country BBQ Pit that I use for smoking...and currently, have a duel fuel grill from Sams that is on its last legs. I thought maybe the pellet would give me the ease of gas, but the flavor of charcoal... Thoughts?

Thanks for your input!!!


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## ab canuck

Yep you can use it as a grill, and with the sear plate you can grill for marks and sear like a regular grill. I am very happy with mine.


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## bonedadddy

Awesome...Now the hard part...finding them in stock :-) Menards only has the 820, not the 820 deluxe (although honestly, the only difference is the copper lid, the side tray, and the solid shelf underneath...but I kinda want that solid shelf. Acadamy Sports has them for $499, but out of stock (unless I want to drive 100+ miles...which I might just do haha!) Thanks for the input!


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## bregent

BoneDadddy said:


> Awesome...Now the hard part...finding them in stock :-) Menards only has the 820, not the 820 deluxe (although honestly, the only difference is the copper lid, the side tray, and the solid shelf underneath...but I kinda want that solid shelf. Acadamy Sports has them for $499, but out of stock (unless I want to drive 100+ miles...which I might just do haha!) Thanks for the input!


I drove 800 miles, each way, to pick up my current pellet grill :)


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## Rings Я Us

1,600 miles 25 miles per gallon x 2.39 per gallon? $154.00 gas
[emoji]128176[/emoji][emoji]127866[/emoji]


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## phatbac

Rings R Us said:


> 1,600 miles 25 miles per gallon x 2.39 per gallon? $154.00 gas
> [emoji]128176[/emoji][emoji]127866[/emoji]


that is cheaper than i paid to have my smoker delivered.

although it must be a heck of a truck that can pull a load and get 25 mpg

I figured up the cost of going and getting mine and with the sales tax on the smoker (which i don't pay to have delivered) it was $20 difference and a day of my time is worth more than $20!.

Happy Smoking,

phatbac (Aaron)


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## smoking1144

I have this unit and completely love it!  Had I known it was as good as it is I would have bought one years ago.  You will not be disappointed!


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## bregent

Rings R Us said:


> 1,600 miles 25 miles per gallon x 2.39 per gallon? $154.00 gas
> [emoji]128176[/emoji][emoji]127866[/emoji]


Gas was probably closer to $3 at the time. But it's a $5000 (retail) smoker that was used only once that I got for $2100 - so worth the time and $ for me.


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## Rings Я Us

Oh... not like the $400 smokers. I see lol cool.


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## bonedadddy

phatbac said:


> that is cheaper than i paid to have my smoker delivered.
> 
> although it must be a heck of a truck that can pull a load and get 25 mpg
> 
> I figured up the cost of going and getting mine and with the sales tax on the smoker (which i don't pay to have delivered) it was $20 difference and a day of my time is worth more than $20!.
> 
> Happy Smoking,
> 
> phatbac (Aaron)


See that is what I am thinking...cheaper to just drive out and snag one...and then I dont have to wait for the freight shipping! Thanks, I am excited!


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## phatbac

BoneDadddy said:


> See that is what I am thinking...cheaper to just drive out and snag one...and then I dont have to wait for the freight shipping! Thanks, I am excited!


hey if you can do it then do it! i would have had to rent a trailer and borrow a truck form my Dad and all kinds of stuff. Getting a new smoker is exciting! when Lang called me with mine i shut my office door at work and did a happy dance! the next morning i had Black Betty and couldn't have been happier! I seasoned her,  smoked a 19# brisket,  and cleaned her! it was a helluva day!

make sure to take lots of pics!

Congrats!

phatbac (Aaron)


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## tallbm

BoneDadddy said:


> See that is what I am thinking...cheaper to just drive out and snag one...and then I dont have to wait for the freight shipping! Thanks, I am excited!


Won't Academy deliver from one store to another?

Also won't Academy do an order online and ship to store?

Just curious because one of those approaches would surely be an easy option to lean on :)


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## bonedadddy

TallBM said:


> Won't Academy deliver from one store to another?
> 
> Also won't Academy do an order online and ship to store?
> 
> Just curious because one of those approaches would surely be an easy option to lean on :)


It wasn't listed anywhere on their site for Store-to-Store or Ship-To-Store. When you choose shipping, its pretty much freight to your house. I am going to call the local store though...See if I can get an ETA on when they will get some in stock and if they would consider shipping from a different store. I agree, would be simpler than driving out.


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## hoosiersmoker

Menards will ship one to your local store for free and hold it for you at no charge.  You have to purchase it online and select the store you want it shipped to.


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## bonedadddy

hoosiersmoker said:


> Menards will ship one to your local store for free and hold it for you at no charge. You have to purchase it online and select the store you want it shipped to.


Thank you...I stopped by our local Menards (which is funny, it is right across the street from Acadamy Sports) and looked that the 820 they have...they have 11 in stock.

Now I need to decide if it is worth it to get the Deluxe edition (which is what Acadamy Sports sells). From what I can see, the only things you gain with the Deluxe is the Copper colored hood, the side tray,  a solid shelf on the bottom and the hopper holds 4lbs more pellets....Menards doesn't carry the Deluxe version. Ahh the fun of decisions :-) I am really sold on this unit though...just the right size.

Here is the side by side comparison from Pit Boss:













Compare.PNG



__ bonedadddy
__ Aug 4, 2017






Thanks for all your comments!


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## ab canuck

Not sure what the price difference is, but from exp. I would get the side tray it's a convenience thing for me. ( I am going to look at that option very soon)  And the bigger hopper is nice. One thing I have found is when the hoppers get low they don't feed well, the slope to the auger is not steep enough to drain the pellets completely.  That is the only thing I can say I am not happy with. ( And that is not much, you keep an eye on everything anyway)


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## bonedadddy

So I pulled the trigger on the 820 from Menards. It was tax free weekend (and even though I didnt get free tax, Menards gave me 11% off)...I put it together on Sunday (easy assembly) and seasoned her up good. Last night I cooked hamburgers and they turned out great...Seared them for a few min and then moved them off the flame (cheap meat for first use...is my motto haha). Really like this grill/smoker. I like the way it takes care of grease...and it cools down really fast (I am keeping this in the garage to store it....and move it out when I use it...hopefully this will keep any rust to a minimum.)

Tonight we move up to Chicken Thighs and possibly will be doing a Brisket this weekend. I will post some Que when I get a chance. Really appreciate all of your comments as they helped me "pull the trigger".


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## hoosiersmoker

I'm on my second season owning this grill and I'm impressed at how well the grates are holding up too, especially at the higher temps. It really is a good fit for those that can't, or don't want to, have a separate grill and smoker. Personally, I always pull the drip plate when I'm grilling and get great sear marks from almost direct flame. Just be sure to empty the combustion cup often. I got a little too lax on that and had an auger smolder almost all the way into the hopper. Now it stays nice and clean all the time. I got a mini Shopvac and suck it out each time before I fire it up. I Just found out my Wallyworld sells the PB pellets: Apple, Cherry, Hickory AND Mesquite as well as the competition blend, which is a great smoking blend! So it's time to try mixing some small batches of custom blends for smoking. I'm thinking of getting a bag of Mesquite just for adding when grilling to get a more intense smoke during quicker cooks. Anyone have success with their own custom blends?


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## hoosiersmoker

AB Canuck. The fix for the pellet hopper is easy. I bought a food grade carnuba wax spray. Empty and clean the hopper really well then spray it from a foot or so above and let it settle onto the inside surfaces. Wait a few minutes then with a soft, clean cloth wipe the surfaces lightly and quickly. The pellets will slide down nice and freely all the way to the bottom. Same thing I use on my table saw top and it lasts most of a season on my grill (less on my saw) and makes everything slide like butter!


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## bonedadddy

hoosiersmoker said:


> AB Canuck. The fix for the pellet hopper is easy. I bought a food grade carnuba wax spray. Empty and clean the hopper really well then spray it from a foot or so above and let it settle onto the inside surfaces. Wait a few minutes then with a soft, clean cloth wipe the surfaces lightly and quickly. The pellets will slide down nice and freely all the way to the bottom. Same thing I use on my table saw top and it lasts most of a season on my grill (less on my saw) and makes everything slide like butter!


What a great idea! I will have to try it! Looks like Amazon has Cheng Concrete Wax (which is pure carnuba) for $24

A couple of other mods I can see are:

1. going to try to reuse some of the shelves I have saved over the years...if I can get the holes to match up :-) we will see. most likely will end up buying the side shelf for this unit...

2. drill a couple of holes for temp probes

3. add oven seal around the lid...I noticed a small amount of smoke leakage (but really not bad at all...just like to mod things when I can)

4. I might try to move the bottle opener I have on the Members Mark grill over to this one...though I will be honest....I NEVER use it :-)

Thanks!


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## ab canuck

hoosiersmoker said:


> AB Canuck. The fix for the pellet hopper is easy. I bought a food grade carnuba wax spray. Empty and clean the hopper really well then spray it from a foot or so above and let it settle onto the inside surfaces. Wait a few minutes then with a soft, clean cloth wipe the surfaces lightly and quickly. The pellets will slide down nice and freely all the way to the bottom. Same thing I use on my table saw top and it lasts most of a season on my grill (less on my saw) and makes everything slide like butter!


 That's a great idea, I will look into getting some and trying that. Thx for the tip. Point.....


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## bregent

hoosiersmoker said:


> I Just found out my Wallyworld sells the PB pellets: Apple, Cherry, Hickory AND Mesquite as well as the competition blend, which is a great smoking blend! So it's time to try mixing some small batches of custom blends for smoking. I'm thinking of getting a bag of Mesquite just for adding when grilling to get a more intense smoke during quicker cooks. Anyone have success with their own custom blends?


Keep in mind that PB pellets are mostly filler wood like alder or oak, not flavor wood, so custom mixes won't really get you much difference. For custom blends, I would start out with 100% flavor wood pellets.


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## bonedadddy

I promised some que...Here is the Pit Boss 820 and some chicken :-) Doing a Brisket tomorrow...cant wait! Any suggestions on switching out pellets? I have apple in there now, and want to use Hickory for the brisket.

 













20170809_190744.jpg



__ bonedadddy
__ Aug 11, 2017


















20170809_195856.jpg



__ bonedadddy
__ Aug 11, 2017


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## phatbac

Looks great!

Hickory sounds good for beef!

Points!

Happy Smoking,

phatbac (Aaron)


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## ab canuck

How much do you have left in hopper? I usually just leave whats left start it up burn some off then fill with what I need. Once the heavy smoke is gone in goes the meat. I did take the hopper grate out though ( 4 screws ) If I have a lot left in there I scoop them out as much as I can.


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## thedarktitan

Hello all. I just got my pit boss 700 up and running. Super pumped about it. Seems to be a well built pit!
The only issue that I'm running into is that the temps are not aligning. Say it set it to 300. The digital will read 300, but the thermostat on the door will read 270?? I also have mine set on P2.


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## bregent

Dial thermometers on the door are famously innacuate. What more important is the temps at the grate. Have you checked?

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk


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