It feels like we could be in the golden age of pellet grills. There’s no shortage of great options, and new grills keep coming out with lots of features at cheaper prices than ever.
You can add the Pit Boss DX Series to that list. It’s a Lowe’s exclusive model that was released today for only $549 (the 850 model), but has all the features you’d want from one of the top brands in the industry.
Features and Specs
- Retail prices
- The Pit Boss 700 DX Series is $399 (check price)
- The Pit Boss 850 DX Series is $549 (check price)
- The Pit Boss 1150 DX Series is $649 (check price)
- Has a lever to open direct fire access for flame broiling
- Easy cleanout on the bottom, so you don’t need a shop vac
- Color controller with 5 degree F increments
- Temperature range of 180 degrees F to 500 degrees F
- Included side and bottom shelves for prep space
- A handle on the hopper and 4 casters let you move the grill around easily
Model Breakdown
There are three different models in the DX Series, the 700, 850, and 1150. Each model number corresponds with having more cooking space.
Pit Boss wants to keep you on your toes for amount of cooking area for each grill. Naturally, the 700 has 740 square inches or cooking area, the 850 has 840 square inches, and the 1150 has 1,130 square inches.
In addition to additional cooking space, when you move up to the 850 or 1150 models you get a Rapid Ignitor for quick starts, a folding front shelf, and phone app connectivity through WiFi and Bluetooth.
The 1150 has a 30 pound pellet hopper while the other models have a 21 pound capacity. The 1150 also comes with two meat probes where the other models have one.
850 DX is the Sweet Spot
If you’re looking for a cheap pellet grill, from a known brand, that still has some nice features, it’s hard to beat the 700. That $399 price tag is really appealing, especially for a first pellet grill.
For me, the 850 is where it’s at. If you regularly cook for a lot of people, definitely size up to the 1150. I wouldn’t make use of the extra space very often.
The extra $150 to move up from the 700 to 850 is worth it in my eyes though because it offers quite a bit more. The Rapid Ignitor is nice to have, so you can get to grilling faster.
The real reason to pay for the extra though is to get the wireless connectivity. A big appeal of a pellet grill is that you can cook from anywhere, which is helpful with a busy life.
I know if I didn’t pay for the 850, I’d end up spending that $150 on a temperature probe with wireless connectivity anyways. Might as well pay it up front and be able to control your grill too.