Pit Boss Navigator 850 vs recteq Deck Boss Legacy Edition: two wood pellet grills, side by side
Both of these are wood pellet grills: a hopper feeds hardwood pellets into a fire pot, a fan drives the burn, and a controller holds a set temperature. The Pit Boss Navigator 850 opens a flame broiler for direct searing. The recteq Deck Boss Legacy Edition stays on indirect pellet heat. Pit Boss Navigator 850 is the larger box at 932 sq in against 592. The numbers below passed our verification pass. Anything we have not confirmed stays a dash.
Verdict from the verified data
On verified paper the Pit Boss Navigator 850 is the one we would take from this pair. Cooking area per dollar: Pit Boss Navigator 850 at $0.80/sq in vs recteq Deck Boss Legacy Edition at $1.52/sq in. Pit Boss Navigator 850 is the one that actually sears over open flame, which is the whole point of a pellet grill vs a dedicated smoker for a lot of weeknight cooks.
How do the Pit Boss Navigator 850 and recteq Deck Boss Legacy Edition pellet grills compare on paper?
| Pit Boss Navigator 850 | recteq Deck Boss Legacy Edition | |
|---|---|---|
| Verified price | $750 | $900 |
| Total cooking area | 932 sq in | 592 sq in |
| Price per sq in | $0.8 | $1.52 |
| Hopper capacity | 30 lb | 30 lb |
| Max temperature | 500°F | 700°F |
| WiFi control | Yes | Yes |
| Direct-flame searing | Yes | No |
| Portable | No | No |
| Warranty | 5 years | n/a |
| Our weighted score | not yet scored | not yet scored |
| Site rank | unranked | unranked |
Highlighted cells mark the better verified number. Rank on this site is the tested editorial pick; the score is the weighted measure (how we test). Pit Boss Navigator 850: 932 sq in of cooking area, a 30 lb pellet hopper, a 500°F ceiling, direct-flame searing, WiFi control. recteq Deck Boss Legacy Edition: 592 sq in of cooking area, a 30 lb pellet hopper, a 700°F ceiling, indirect pellet heat only, WiFi control.
What do owners actually complain about?
Pit Boss Navigator 850
No recurring owner complaints have cleared our verification bar yet.
recteq Deck Boss Legacy Edition
No recurring owner complaints have cleared our verification bar yet.
Complaint patterns come from verified owner reports gathered during our research passes, kept on file.
Common questions about this pellet-grill matchup
Are both of these wood pellet grills?
Yes. The Pit Boss Navigator 850 and the recteq Deck Boss Legacy Edition both burn hardwood pellets. Neither is a gas grill, a charcoal kettle, or a stick-burner. If you came here from a brand-vs-brand page, this is the model-level version of that fight.
Which is bigger, the Pit Boss Navigator 850 or the recteq Deck Boss Legacy Edition?
The Pit Boss Navigator 850 has the larger verified cooking area at 932 sq in, against 592 sq in. Whether that matters depends on how many racks of ribs you run at once.
Which costs less?
At verified regular prices the Pit Boss Navigator 850 is the cheaper grill at $750, versus $900. Sale prices move; the check-price buttons always show today's number.
Which hopper lasts longer on an overnight cook?
Both hold 30 lb of pellets.
Which one should I buy?
From this pair, the Pit Boss Navigator 850. That is our call on ranking, score, and cooking area per dollar, not a promise that it is the right grill for every patio. If you want the site's overall winner instead, that is still the Weber Searwood XL.