Everything you need to know about this classic pellet grill. All your questions will be answered with our Pit Boss 700FB review.
The Pit Boss 700FB is one of the most impressive pellet smoker grills available today. It packs into a generous cooking volume and at a price that offers excellent value for money.
Quick Check
One of the most affordable pellet grills and smokers available today. In terms of the features that a derailleur gets, it’s hard to think of a grill that offers as much as the Pit Boss 700FB. With 700 square inches of cooking space and the ability to smoke and use pellets flexibly, this is an ingenious pellet smoker for beginners and pros alike.
★★★★★
For grill fanatics who like to get the most out of every cooking space available to them, this grill has a lot to offer. With a cooking area of 700 square inches, this is a very generous grill.
Its structure is sturdy and durable. It’s the kind of construction that’s practically guaranteed to last for years and will quickly withstand whatever you throw at it.
The Pit Boss offers fantastic versatility. It is not only a grill for grilling, but also offers you a place for grilling.
- 700 square inches of total cooking area.
- Porcelain coated grates with top cooking grate
- Digital management burning system.
Pit Boss 700FB: Key Features
- 700 square inches. entire cooking surface
- Porcelain-coated cast iron grids
- innovative flame broiler
- Temperature: 180-500ºF
- Heavy gauge steel
- 18 lb hopper capacity
- Digital management burning system
A real nightmare of mine when it comes to pellet grills is that the vast majority of manufacturers force you to use their own pellets. This can make sourcing granules a chore and add significantly to costs as manufacturers don’t have to undercut anyone.
Additionally, you cannot combine flavored granules to enhance the flavor of your food.
However, Pit Boss does not force you to use their own brand. You can use wood pellets that you like, whether it’s your favorite flavor or brand.
The Pit Boss 71700FB is currently one of the most affordable pellet grills on the market. It’s a versatile grill set in a sturdy frame that will last you for years.
The Pit Boss features an 8-in-1 grill that offers options to grill, smoke, grill, bake, braise, grill, roast and sear.
phew.
Large Capacity
But much of that versatility is quickly worthless if you don’t have the space to work.
That’s not the case here either, as the Pit Boss includes 700 square inches of main cooking surface to work with.
This is more than enough to cook multiple courses and feed the hungriest of crowds.
Set and Forget to Cooking
One of the best things about pellet grilling is the ability to turn on your food and let it sink in your smoker while you enjoy yourself elsewhere.
Perfect for lazy weekends, the long-form cooking method has been one of my favorites for years.
The Pit Boss is perfect for this and makes assembly as easy as possible. Simply fill the hopper with pellets, choose the desired temperature and let Pit Boss do the rest.
Easy Temperature Control
Maintaining consistent temperatures is key to a good grill, especially when it comes to smoker grills.
The annoying thing is that this can sometimes be extremely difficult, especially if your grill doesn’t have digital input or good workmanship.
Luckily, Pit Boss has a digital dashboard to make things easier. YOU can easily adjust the temperature levels, the cooking time and the type of grill YOU want to make.
This makes the grill a great entry point for newcomers as the daunting process of temperature control is effectively eliminated.
You’re not just limited to frozen hamburgers or hot dogs, either. You can make the most of more sophisticated meats like pork breast or shoulder.
The grill temperature range is set from 180 to 500 degrees, which is an extended range for grill fans of all levels. Some people like it a little better on the higher end of the range, but I personally find it useful for tanning, which can easily be achieved in other ways.
How to Use the Pit Boss 71700FB Pellet Grill
Using the grill is just absurd. Simply fill the hopper with your chosen wood pellets, then adjust the digital display to program your desired temperature and cooking time. Then press the one-touch power and you’re good to go.
One of the first things you’ll notice about the Pit Boss is its sturdy steel frame. It’s an impressive beast and if you have any doubts about the grill’s longevity, those will be quickly dissipated once you take the grill out of the box.
Flame Broil Racks
The 71700FB comes with a metal grill plate that slides directly over the flame. This allows SHE to grill and indirectly grill your food. In addition, it has a second shelf that you can use to set up your Pit Boss as a rotisserie.
Durable Grids
The cooking grates that help create Pit Boss reasonable 700 square inches of cooking space are made of cast iron, the industry standard for solid, recognized cooking grates.
I’m a big proponent of porcelain-coated grates, so I’m happy to say Pit Boss has their cast iron grates with porcelain.
Why do I like porcelain coated grates so much? Well, they are known for retaining and distributing heat evenly when cooking. This makes your grill much more energy efficient than non-enamel versions and also helps increase its durability.
They are strong, durable, yet easy to clean. A barbecue dream.
Pellet Cleanout Chute
One of the biggest concerns that pellet grills can cause is that cleaning can be a chore. Without a quick and easy way to clean the funnel after use, getting it ready for the next use can be a hassle.
However, the PB 700FB has a cleaning chute that quickly and easily clears the hopper of unused granules. Not only does this allow you to quickly clean the hopper, but it also gives you the ability to quickly and easily change the taste of the wood pellets during use. Once you get the hang of grilling, this kind of flexibility will make you a grill master in no time.
Adjustable Upper Cooking Grates
The cooking grates at the top of the cooking cavity can be inserted to create additional cooking space, or inserted to turn your grill into a smoker and indirectly cook your food.
This is very useful when cooking for large groups or when smoking whole turkey, brisket, or beer can chicken.
A Word of Warning
For all its flashing traits, the biggest weakness we’ve found in the Pit Boss is its consistent temperature. When we use our own grill surface thermometers to measure cooking temperatures on the grill, we tend to see that the actual temperature differs by about 10°F from what the built-in thermometer reads. Even after attempting to recalibrate the grill temperature gauge.
However, don’t let that put you off. This type of problem is quite common on lower end pellet grills and we would always recommend using your own grill thermometer no matter what grill you are using.
What’s Cool
- Great value for money
- Pellet chute makes cleaning easier
- Grill inserts create space and allow more flexibility when cooking
- The 8-in-1 function makes this grill suitable for advanced users as well as beginners.
- Good temperature range from 180°F to 500°F
- The temperature control is easy to use.
What’s Not So Cool
- Chamber temperatures may vary
- A relatively lower temperature range makes searing more difficult
Final Verdict
One of the most affordable pellet grills and smokers available today. In terms of the features that a derailleur gets, it’s hard to think of a grill that offers as much as the Pit Boss 700FB. With 700 square inches of cooking space and the ability to smoke and use pellets flexibly, this is an ingenious pellet smoker for beginners and pros alike.
- 700 square inches of total cooking area.
- Porcelain coated grates with top cooking grate
- Digital management burning system.
Writer & content creator. BBQ fanatic!
