Here at Take a Yard we love Pit Boss Grills, but are they made in the USA? Let’s find out…
Pit Boss grills are made in China, however, all Pit Boss Grill pellets are made in the USA using all-natural hardwoods. Launched in 2013, Pit Boss Grills are the flagship product of Dansons Inc, and reviewers give their grills 4.6 out of 5 stars.
Let’s explore the Pit Boss Grills brand in more detail, and discover more about the company, its history and its products…
Where Are Pit Boss Grills Made? (Are They Made in The USA?)
Pit Boss grills are made in China.
Are Pit Boss Grill Pellets Made in The USA?
All Pit Boss Grill pellets are made in the USA using all-natural hardwoods.
Here’s a video showing how the pellets are sourced and manufactured:
Who Makes Pit Boss Grills? (Are They Owned By Traeger?)
Launched in 2013, Pit Boss Grills are the flagship product of Dansons Inc. In 2020, Pit Boss Grills had over $300 million in annual sales.
Dansons Inc. is a multinational consumer goods company. It was founded in 1999 by Dan Thiessen and his sons Jeff and Jordan (hence the company name, Dansons).
Other Dansons subsidiaries include Louisiana Grill, Country Smokers, A-MAZE-N Smoking Products, Surelock Security Co., Dansons Industrial Bulk Lubricants and Thiessens Authentic Pursuit Equipment.
Are Louisiana Grills and Pit Boss The Same?
Nope, but they are close cousins. Louisiana Grills is also a subsidiary of Dansons Inc, the parent company of Pit Boss Grills.
What Products Are in The Pit Boss Grills Collection?
Pit Boss Grills say they are not just grill manufacturers – they are full-service barbecue providers. Their brand offers pellet grills, vertical smokers, portable grills, griddles, charcoal grills, gas grills, and combination grills.
All the Pit Boss wood pellet grills are 8-in-1 cooking machines: the grills allow you to smoke, bake, braise, roast, grill, barbecue, char-grill and sear. Most models come with porcelain-coated cast-iron grates and digital control boards with LED readouts.
The Pit Boss wood pellet grills are billed by Pit Boss as the best value. They come in two sizes: the 440 and the 700.
The Pit Boss Navigator series wood pellet grills are named for their square inches of cooking space: the Navigator 550, 850, and 1150.
The Sportsman series includes three models of portable wood pellet grills. They come with a bottle opener, fan-forced convection cooking, a folding front shelf, and removable side shelves.
Besides wood pellet grills, Pit Boss also offers a line of vertical smokers. The vertical smokers are fueled by either wood pellets, gas or electricity and come in 4 sizes.
Pit Boss has an extensive line of portable gas, charcoal and wood pellet grills. They also offer a line of griddles and two charcoal grill models.
Pit Boss offers several models of combo grills and one hybrid.
What Size & Weight Are Pit Boss Grills?
The smallest wood pellet stove is a Mahogany series tabletop model with 250 square inches of grill space. The largest model has 1600 square inches of grill space.
The Mahogany tabletop grill weighs around 50 pounds, while the largest grill, the 1600, weighs around 250 pounds.
Do Pit Boss Grills Come With a Warranty?
All Pit Boss grills and smokers come with a warranty at time of purchase to the original owner. The warranty is for 5 years against manufacturer’s defects and workmanship, plus 5 years for electrical components.
Do Pit Boss Grills Also Make Accessories?
Absolutely. Pit Boss Grills also has pellets, grill covers, spices, sauces, cooking tools, and apparel. They offer cast iron skillets, griddles, roasters, and ovens plus starter kits. Pit Boss Grills also markets replacement parts.
What Do The Reviews Say About Pit Boss Grills?
We checked Amazon and Lowes for all our reviews and used reviews from grills. We didn’t use reviews from griddles, smokers, or accessories, although we did use reviews from people who had bought grills bundled with pellets and grill covers. We only used reviews from real people, not professional reviewers.
We found 13.600 reviews. From those reviews, Pit Boss grills received 4.6 stars out of 5.
Reviewers loved their Pit Boss grills because it was the best bang for the buck. They loved it for the customer service and the build quality (“built like a tank”). They liked the pellet burn efficiency, the hefty grates and the flame broiler.
One reviewer said they can “set it and forget it”. They loved that their model could be programmed to change temps when the meat got to a certain temperature, then it drops the temperature to keep it warm.
Reviewers who didn’t love the grills talked about the faulty control boards or the faulty fans that resulted in super long heat times. Or, the grill just never heated up. The Pit Boss response seems to indicate some models needed updated controllers.
How Much Do Pit Boss Grills Cost?
The smallest Pit Boss grill is a tabletop model, which markets for $200. The largest is the Navigator Series 1150, which markets for $1,000.
How Do I Use a Pit Boss Grill?
These instructions are for a wood pellet grill.
- Before you grill. Make sure to locate your grill in a spot that has good ventilation. To prevent fires and carbon monoxide poisoning, it shouldn’t be located under low overhangs or inside a garage. Pit Boss recommends locating your grill at least 36 inches from anything that will combust.
- Priming the hopper. These next few steps are all about priming the hopper, an essential step before you can use your pellet grill. You will have to prime the hopper the first time you use it and every time you let the hopper run out of pellets. First, open up the main barrel lid, remove the cooking components and check that the fire pot is empty.
- Priming the hopper. Then, plug the grill in and press the Power button to turn on the grill. You should hear the auger moving in the pellet hopper and feel air flow from the fire pot fan. After a few minutes, you should smell the ignitor getting hot. Don’t touch it!
- Priming the hopper. Press the Power button to turn off the grill.
- Priming the hopper. With the power off, open the hopper lid and check that all is well inside – no spiders or mice. Then, pour in your pellets.
- Priming the hopper. Press the Power button to turn on the grill.
- Priming the hopper. With the main barrel lid open, press and hold the Prime button until you see pellets dropping into the fire pot. Once you see that pellets are dropping in, release the Prime button.
- Priming the hopper. Press the Power button to turn the grill off. When the grill is cool enough, replace all the cooking components.
- Grilling. Open the main barrel lid and give a quick check that the fire pot is empty and that you have plenty of pellets.
- Grilling. Keeping the main barrel lid open, press the Power button to turn the grill on. You should hear the auger start turning, the ignitor start to smell hot and the fan for the fire pot starts up. Heavy white smoke is common during this start-up period.
- Grilling. Once the startup is finished, enter your grilling temperature, times, recipe and other fun stuff onto the control board.
- Happy grilling!
- Once your grilling is done, close the main barrel lid and press the Power button to turn it off. This will start the automatic cool down cycle.
How Long Will The Pellets Burn For in a Pit Boss Grill?
It depends on how big your hopper is, the weather and what kind of pellets you are using. But a good rule of thumb is: for a 40 pound bag of pellets, your grill should run about 24 hours.
Are Pit Boss Grills Easy To Clean & Maintain?
Wood pellets do leave some ash. Pit Boss grills have an ash cleanout feature that you should empty periodically. Make sure the grill is totally cool to the touch, then undo the buckle latch and slide the ash tray out. Cold ashes are great in gardens, sprinkled over lawns and in compost piles.
If the inside or outside of your grill needs some cleaning, wipe down the surfaces with warm, soapy water – never use harsh chemical cleaners like oven cleaners or abrasives. Rinse with warm water and dry with a cloth.
Can I Leave The Pellets in a Pit Boss Grill?
Pit Boss says that if you don’t plan on using your grill for an extended period, then you should remove the wood pellets from your grill. Wood pellets will soak up moisture, so you should keep them dry in an airtight container.
They recommend that you use a vacuum to suck any pellets out of the auger, where they can cause jams during a long period without use.
How Do I Store My Pit Boss Grill? (Can I Leave it in The Rain?)
Although Pit Boss has a great reputation for good quality building, electronics and rain just don’t mix. If you live in a wet climate, make sure you plan ahead with a sturdy, waterproof grill cover.
Summary: Where Can I Buy a Pit Boss Grill?
In addition to the Pit Boss website, located here, you can purchase Pit Boss grills at Walmart, Lowes, Tractor Supply, Amazon, and Bass Pro Shop.
