PIT BOSS 77435 Vertical Lp Gas Smoker, Red review and price compare 2025
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Product overview
Brand
PIT BOSS
Model Name
77435
Color
Red
Item Weight
52 Pounds
Item Dimensions LxWxH
21.5 x 23 x 47 inches
Fuel Type
Liquefied Petroleum Gas
product features
This fits your .
by entering your model number.
Dual valve/dual burner system provides 100-350 temperature range
Three porcelain coated cooking grids, 800 sq in
Stainless Steel burners - 12, 500 BTU total
External access to wood chip drawer and grease tray
Large viewing window with high temperature door seal
From the manufacturer
External access to wood chip drawer and grease tray
The rear wheels and handle increase mobility, and a stylish red semi-gloss finish is sure to impress. Experience how Pit Boss is redefining the smoker industry in your own backyard today!
Pit Boss
3-SERIES GAS VERTICAL SMOKER
There’s a new boss in town – the Pit Boss Red Rock Gas Smoker Series. With the Pit Boss Red Rock Gas Smoker, you can reach temperatures as low as 100°F and as high as 350°F. The large front window eliminates the need for peek-a-boo cooking and the elevated frame makes transferring your meal from the smoker to the table a breeze.
Cooking Racks: 3
BTU Value: 12,500
Temperatures as low as 100°F and as high as 350°F
Cooking area of 884 square inches
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PIT BOSS 40LB APPLE HARDWOOD PELLETS
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Pit Boss Cast Iron
Pit Boss Tools
product description
Pit Boss vertical LP gas smokers are one of a kind. Our dual valve burner system has one 3, 500 BTU stainless steel burner dedicated to the wood chips & a 10, 000 BTU burner for cabinet temperature. Both valves are controlled by a single control knob & allow for temperature control of 100 350 Degree. push-button piezo ignition makes for quick & easy lighting. Our 3 series vertical smoker offers four porcelain coated cooking racks, 884 sq in cooking area, or 3.5 cu' smoking space. Large high temp glass viewing window & fully sealed high temp door seal. Its time to take your backyard smoking experience to the next level.
product details
important information
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Questions about PIT BOSS 77435 Vertical Lp Gas Smoker, Red
Q:
does the smoker tray pull out easily after the unit is heated up?
Answer: It pulls out VERY easy.
Answer: Yes,but the handle is hot. Have a good heat resistant mit.
Answer: No, you have to have a mitt and also -use on the door. It makes a horrible screech.
Answer: Yes, just get a good pair of insulated BBQ gloves, and a steel bucket to dump out the ashes.....
Answer: Yes it does and you don’t have to open the door to do it.
Answer: Yes . Just needs a little wigging.But not an issue!!
Q:
Can this be used as a grill and or for baking?
Answer: Not mine and I feel that the 'Pit boss' has misled us with statements and pics stating that it CAN be used as an oven for baking pizzas, breads etc in pics where my new 77435 won't get above 310f [empty]. I'm currently trying to adjust the air intake valve to get a decent flame, but I doubt even with a perfect blue flame and slightly yellow flame tips would achieve a decent bake temp. They do state that the 77435 burner is rated at 13,000 BTU, which is kinda low to begin with.
Answer: Yes you can grill and bake in it. This is an awesome grill. I've recently bought it for my fiance retirement and he truly loves it. An well worth purchase.
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: I have only used it for smoking. Works great! I have gotten great results on baby back ribs, whole chicken , salmon and a 5 pound brisket. Nice smoker!
Answer: I would only use for smoking
Answer: Yes
Q:
How long does the wood last in the tray?
Answer: Depending on your temperature the wood chips will last any where from 1 hour to a 1 1/2 hours.
Answer: We check it about every 90 minutes. There’s still some wood, but we add more.
Answer: That depends on the chips you have. Smaller soaked chips could last 45 mins, and some larger higher quality chips could last longer. I would recommend researching about chips to better answer your question. It’s not really a grill issue, it’s the wood.
Q:
Are there separate trays for chips, water and drip pan? Three trays total?
Answer: There is a "chip pan" and "water/drip pan" and a separate drip pan on the bottom of the unit, below the burner. The water pan catches most of the drippings and that's why I call it a water/drip pan.
Answer: Water and drip pan is the same pan Which sits inside smoker above wood chips. Wood chip pan/box separate and slides in from the front
Answer: Yes , water pan sits inside, chip pan and drip pan slide in below the door, love mine!
Answer: No only water/drip and wood chip
Answer: Yes. One chip just above the burner. Water tray above that.
Answer: Yes, three trays. One for each.
Answer: I honestly would not waste your money on this brand. Mine was delivered dented and beat up. Customer service was the worst I'd ever experienced. They told me that since it still functions, they would not do anything to help me. The box was in perfect condition, so this is the way it was packaged.
Answer: No, just two.
Q:
How many shelves does this have? I thought I saw 3 but have seen same model have 4 shelves. 4 is what I am looking for.
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: It can accommodate four shelves. I would buy this model again ONLY if the wood chip firebox has been redesigned. I had to redo mine to make it easy to remove for refilling.
Answer: It comes with 4 coated steel shelves.
Answer: Our smoker has 4 shelves. The shelves are removable.
Answer: yes it has 4 shelves
Answer: Yes it does have 4 small racks
Answer: It has 4 shelves.
Answer: It comes with 4 shelves
Answer: I just went to look. I count 4 in mine.
Answer: The unit I own has four shelves.
Q:
Received mine today! Yippee. Has anyone used theirs in the rain?
Answer: I have used it in the rain and snow with no issues. Just keep an eye on the temperature.
Answer: Under cover patio only. I should think in the rain it will under perform holding temp
Q:
can you put wheels on this unit
Answer: unit has 2 wheels on back legs. none on front legs. I guess you could, but you would have to remove LP tank before moving the unit.
Answer: There are wheels in the back legs. You can tilt the unit with a handle bar mounted in the back panel and move it around.
Q:
How big is each rack?
Answer: Racks are 14.75" X 12". They slide in and out very easily. There is some confusion as to how many racks there are, some info says 3 and some says 4. There are 4. There are also a lot of adjustments which allows different spacing between the racks.
Q:
I have natural gas. Can this smoker be used on natural gas?
Answer: Needs correct hookup for nat gas
Q:
Does this come with a propane hookup and regulator?
Answer: Yes
Answer: Yes
Answer: Yes it did
Answer: Yes it does
Q:
Why is the cost of international shipping so expensive without any proportion to any other product of this magnitude?
Answer: Csuse they can
Q:
Exactly what is the color of this model? Like the picture?
Answer: A beautiful red
Q:
are the trays dishwasher safe?
Answer: If by trays you mean the racks, then yes. I throw mine in after smoking something and wash them on the heavy duty cycle and sani-rinse finish. They come out like new.
Answer: Yes, as are the shelf supports and water pan, but a good hand scrub to loosen all the hardened dried material first will get you the best results.
Answer: I’m sure they are but I hand wash mine to get them really clean.
Q:
Is there a cover for this model ?
Answer: Yes: Pit Boss Grills 73225 LP Gas Smoker Cover, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CHVB394/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_kMjCDb8WHMXCE
Answer: Yes. Cover od avilable in manufacturer web site.
Answer: I use a weber cover
Q:
Is glass smoked or is it a protective film
Answer: It is a clear tempered glass, not a film. It only gets " smoked" when you use it. I clean after every use.
Answer: The glass is see through.
Answer: Glass is clear but gets greasy fairly quickly. Does need to be cleaned after every use if you want to see meat.
Answer: How do you clean the glass?
Answer: The front is a glass
Q:
What size is this
Answer: I'm not sure what measurements you're asking about, but the assembled unit outside measurements are as follows:
Q:
can propane be used?
Answer: The Smoker is propane fueled.
Answer: LP means propane
Answer: Yes
Q:
My hubby is concerned about a temperature dial of just low, medium, high. Can you cook at a temp of 225, 260, 300 degrees or just med., low or high?
Answer: I’ve had mine over 2 years and always set it to medium heat which gives me 215-225 degrees depending on the wood I use and amount of water in the pan. Smoking meat is done slow and low
Answer: The temperature dial is graduated in 10 degree increments from 100 degrees to ...I'm not sure, but over 500 degrees. Once you get it set, it holds temperature quite well. Last weekend, it held at 250 degrees for 2-3 hours with very little tweaking.
Answer: The dial works to regulate temperature for all temps on this unit. Just watch the temperature gauge in the center of the window and you adjust the dial to whatever temp you need. I’ve smoked everything in this and it works great.
Answer: You can adjust the temperature to what works best for you. There's not 3 settings, its a dial you can set at any position but it has stops at low medium and high. You can set it between these stops so medium low, medium high or anything in between.
Answer: The dial sets the temperature, which you read from the temperature gauge on the unit. There are also vents to control outlet of heat and smoke. You can get virtually any viable smoking temperature by varying the setting on the dial, opening the vents, or as I sometimes do occasionally opening the smoker door to get cooler temps.
Answer: 100-350 temperature range per the item description.
Answer: I use a remote thermometer to dial mine in. However, due to absolutely horrible customer service, I recommend you purchase a different brand.
Q:
How big is the water tray? I like to smoke pork butts and would like to be able to do so on one fill up.
Answer: I have had to fill it up at least three times last time I smoked a pork butt.
Answer: Pan measures 12.5" in length, 10.75" in width, and 1.75" in height, it is small and will need to be refilled several times.
Answer: you will need two fillups but easy
Q:
are the walls insulated ?
Answer: No. Single walls, not insulated.
Q:
What are the diamentions inside the cooking area?
Answer: I believe I researched it and it is 835 cu inches .Room for 8 chickens . I think you could smoke enough food for for a large home party.Maybe 16 people.
Q:
Does this smoker come with a water tray? I can't find mention of one in the description.
Answer: Yes it has a water tray and a very nice wood tray. I do foil packs for my wood chips to save the wood box.
Answer: Yes, it has a water tray.
Answer: Yes it is the best gas smoker I have ever had total control and I have had 10 different smokers
Answer: yes it does
Q:
Does the outside get hot if you touch it?
Answer: Yes, but not so hot it would burn you.
Answer: Yes it does what u only think gets hot on inside it’s metal latch and handle do not
Answer: yes
Answer: Yes, but you can probably articulate the handle and open/close it without mitts if you need to. Just step back and dont let the hot smoke/steam hit you in the face.
Answer: It does get pretty warm but you won’t get a third degree burn if you brush ups against it.
Answer: I keep it next to a rose Bush when it’s smoking and the branches are touching it. They never get browned out. It will be warm to the touch for sure, and will burn you if you leave your hand on it.
Answer: Not too bad, however due to the poor customer service, I recommend searching for another brand.
Answer: Yes it gets warm
Answer: It is hot on the outside
Q:
Does the 77435 have 4 cooking racks? There is a discrepancy in the description information.
Answer: Yes four racks included
Answer: Yes it does!
Answer: Yes it does.
Q:
any owners take this on camping trips
Answer: Why wouldn't you bring it on camping trips ? #1. Not enough room in back of pick up because of all the camping trip equipment and toys. This would have to be the one and only reason
Answer: Too heavy and awkward.
Q:
Can you add insulation to the beautiful outside for more efficiency and to save $ on fuel?
Answer: No.
Answer: I guess you could, but I wouldn't recommend it.
Q:
Can one purchase a conversion kit at hardware store to convert to gas pipe vs. propane?
Answer: Maybe BUT I WOULD BE VERY CAREFULL!!!!!!!! It does not use not alot of propane so I do not know if it is really worth !
Q:
Can you hang meat in these smokers?
Answer: Repositioning the shelves, you will be able to hang meat on stainless steel hooks available on the Amazon site.
Answer: The unit did not come with hooks but you could hang meat from a shelf in the top position?
Answer: You would have to rig up something from the grate(s)
Answer: Yes you should be able to of the top rack .
Q:
I cooked at 250 for 4 hrs changing wet chips out twice with very limited smoke. Any tips to get more smoke? Thanks
Answer: Ok! The wet chips burn very quickly the burner is close to the smoke box. I bought a smoke tube that hung it in the smoker and used wood pellets that burns very slowly.
Answer: I have added wwod chips into the water pan inside for additional smoke flavor. Hope this helps.
Q:
Is the temperature controlled by a thermostat or by manually adjusting the burners?
Answer: manually adjusting the burners
Answer: By adjusting the burners...it took a minute to figure out where it needed to be set at to get the desired temp, but once you figure that out it maintains that temp without further adjustment.
Q:
the water pan is so small..do you use an additional drip pan as well when smoking
Answer: The water pan wire support is configured only for the provided water pan.
Answer: I never have, the botom of the unit channels any drips down to the grease trap in the very bottom under the chip tray.
Answer: We haven’t had to yet. I’m attempting pork belly this weekend, that will be the true test
Answer: I haven't. The one that it comes with has been sufficient.
Q:
If i take outall but one rack, would i be able to hang summer sausage in there?
Answer: From the top rack to about 3-4" above the drip/water pan, you will have an area 31-34" high and 19" deep x 21" wide. I've never smoker summer sausages to this is the best I can give. Hope it helps.
Answer: You can leave only the top rack on and hang sausage from the rack
Answer: Yes, we love the smoker. We’ve used it for everything veggies, salmon, ribs, fat back. A great smoker for the price
Answer: Yes, you should have any issues.
Answer: Yes you can.
Q:
Is there an easy way to keep the inside of the glass door clean?
Answer: I clean mine every time I use it with hot soapy water with a soft scrubber or you can use a 409 grease cleaner and a little elbow grease. Mine looks like it did when it was brand new.
Answer: Use Easy Off oven cleaner
Answer: I use ammonia in a spray bottle. Melts the smoke right off, then just rinse with water. If the fumes of the raw ammonia are too much, you can mix in water with the ammonia to dilute it. Rinsing with water leaves no residual odor or taste.
Answer: Spray nine after each use
Answer: Nope
Answer: I don't know because I bought it for my daughter.
Q:
What is the real highest temperature this unit can reach, 350 or 320 degrees? The information on the manual and sell sheet are conflicting.
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: Haven’t been able to get it higher than 320. I don’t use it for anything other than smoking at 225 and it’s great
Answer: IT IS A SMOKER WHY WOULD YOU GO ABOVE 200 DEGREES. LOW AND SLOW. ANYTHING HIGHER THEN YOU ARE JUST COOKING
Answer: It will not reach 300 on a hot day.
Answer: The best I have gotten is about 320
Answer: 300 is as hot as I can get it. Not happy with it!!
Answer: I’ve only had mine up to 325 and I don’t think it gets much higher than that.
Q:
Can I use wood pellets or do I have to use chips?
Answer: You can use wood pellets instead of chips
Answer: It is set up for chips. It doesn't have any type of automatic feed.
Answer: I use chips don't think this model was meant for pucks !
Answer: You can use pellets
Answer: chips
Answer: I have always used chips
Answer: You can use either
Q:
Can shipping to kuwait
Answer: I would not recommend to a friend
Q:
Where is this unit made?
Answer: Arizona USA
Answer: Why does it matter?
Answer: Not sure . But seems fairly well built.
Q:
Do you need to continue checking and adding water, chips ect?? my husband thinks using and electric or gas smoker we don't have to do anything?
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: Absolutely, its water, it will dry up. I used mine for the first time last week and determined I need to fill mine every 1.5 hours. Depending on your heat you'll def have to adjust. Hope this helps.
Answer: Yes, you definitely need to check water and chips every 2 hours depending on temperature setting.
Answer: Chips not as often but yes.
Answer: Yes you will still need to add both.
Q:
Where can i find lpg fish & meat smokers i can purchase. it seems that your site does not deliver to our address in new zealand?
Answer: pitboss.com
Q:
Will this work in the UK on 220v or will I need some kind of transformer ?
Answer: This smoker runs on Propane no electricity needed. Assuming you have access to propane tanks it should work just fine.
Answer: It'll work in the UK as long as you have a propane tank. This is not an electric unit, so voltage doesn't matter.
Answer: LP means liquefied propane. This is not electric, nor will any electric smoker be 220v.
Answer: All you need is propane my friend…
Answer: This is a propane smoker. There is no electricity involved.
Answer: This. smoker is not electric it uses propane
Answer: My pit boss uses propane and does not have electrical connection.
Answer: No this smoker is not electric
Q:
Can u use wood pellet w/ The Red Rock has vertical smoker 3 series..?
Answer: Should be no reason that you cannot use the wood pellets in this smoker. Just load them into the smoker tray and fire up the smoker. Note that this smoker does not autofeed the pellets like some others.
Answer: I would be BE REAL CAREFULL WITH THAT ONE. Unless it is meant for smoking NO NO NO. Pellets for wood stoves have glues, waxes, etc!. To much tree bark will make you sick as well. Birch has tars and pitch in the bark. My dad who learned to smoke fish in Norway said that was also a big NO .
Answer: no
Answer: Yes
Answer: I don't think so.
Answer: Yes
Q:
How large is the chip pan? Looking a smoker for several hours (pork shoulders and brisket).
Answer: I use pellets and it goes for about an hour or two. It is really easy to refill the chip box but it's hot so you will need gloves or tongs to open the lid. Great little smoker and well worth the price. The temperature holds steady. I would definitely buy this again.
Answer: The pan will hold about 2.5 hours of chips. More can be added but you will need an insulated mit to pull the tray out.
Answer: It’s enough for about 2 hours. However it is easy to pull out and refill without opening the door.
Answer: It's around 6 inches wide and 12 inches long. It's a good size
Answer: I think you will use a couple of trays ,but it should not be an issue.
Q:
The manual for this smoker says not to use pellets. yet one reviewer says you can use pellets. which is it?
Answer: I suppose you could put pellets in the chip pan if you wanted to. But it is designed for wood chips
Q:
do you have to worry about a light rain...the front clear window being the most important part in case of a rain storm
Answer: Light rain is not a problem at all.
Answer: No you will probly have more issues with the glass from the inside. Just clean it with warm soapy "use blue dawn" water & a scotchbrite pad either after or before each smoke & you'll be fine!
Answer: Nope I keep mine out side and it does great
Q:
Does pit boss have a natural conversion capability? Have any owners tried or have done it?
Answer: No, I really wish it did. However, it truly is a great smoker and I would buy it again.
Q:
what are people doing to clean the inside of the smoker, especially down near the burners
Answer: Sorry I bought it as a gift and have never used one... But he loves it and uses it often!
Q:
Can I lay a full rack of ribs down on it?
Answer: You can. I use rib racks and put a drip pan under them.
Answer: I don’t think a full rack would fit I cut mine in half
Q:
will this fit a whole turkey?
Answer: Depends how big it Is ? I believe it states you can put in 8 chickens ,but depends again on size. I would say yes you can to an average one up to maybe one 12/15 lbs. I do know these birds can come much bigger I had one once I could hardly get into my oven LOL.
Answer: Easily
Q:
Do this smoker has one air vent in the back or two? because the advertised picture has one air vent and the customers pictures has two air vents
Answer: It has two air vents. It also has two burners. One is very small, and the the other is bigger. The temperature control is awesome. I absolutely love it.
Answer: One air vent at the back
Answer: This pit boss has 2 vents At the top That are adjustable.
Answer: It has two vents on the back towards the top.
Answer: It has two, but I would highly recommend purchasing a different brand. I've never had worse customer service in my life.
Answer: It has 2 in the back
Answer: It has two
Answer: Mine has 2.
Answer: It’s got two
Answer: Two
Q:
How long will it cook?
Answer: 7hrs or so
Product reviews of PIT BOSS 77435 Vertical Lp Gas Smoker, Red
Slim : Great cost, good quality, I am happy, happy, happy
Love this smoker for its price, quality, and ease to build. Pit Boss also makes this basic same model in an upgrade version with added weight r/t more steel, & insulation for a better temperature control, however it will cost twice as much (approximately). Thus, I am good with this product at its costs as compared to the other smokers for this price range.
Mitch B : Very nice model for the price
This is my third smoker, have gone from entry level to a high end disaster, Smoke Hollow, to this one. After throwing out a lot of money on the Smoke Hollow (the burners would not stay lit) I was very apprehensive to spend a lot of money on another one. I usually smoke a single pork butt, or up to 6 racks of ribs, but I love to smoke briskets in the 10 pound range. So finding something both reasonable and big enough was tough and selected this one.
I did not find assembly hard at all, and needed a little help just to lift it. It is well built and heavy so no fear of it getting knocked over.
First off, you need to get some high temperature sealant as I had considerable smoke leakage in the front. Once I sealed it, the smoking works great. The ignition, so far, works very well. The racks have been very easy to clean in the dishwasher.
I have a Thermoworks smoking thermometer, and I have found the attached thermometer to be off by up to 15 degrees at times, so get a Thermoworks if you really want accurate temps. I prefer when the vent is on top, but have gotten used to the twin vents in the back. But once you adjust it for your current conditions, mine really holds the temp.
If you are a mid to expert smoker, the model holds quite a lot, works great and does not take up a lot of room on your patio.
Terry : Move it around easily
Came with dent on top back corner don’t know why box was not damaged at all far as operation of smoker was ok
Michael R. : Works great - easy to maintain temp and smoke.
I like everything about this, works great, easy to maintain temp & smoke. I wasn't sure about the color, but it does look pretty cool. Setup took about 40 minutes, easy to follow instructions.
Slim : Great cost, good quality, I am happy, happy, happy
Love this smoker for its price, quality, and ease to build. Pit Boss also makes this basic same model in an upgrade version with added weight r/t more steel, & insulation for a better temperature control, however it will cost twice as much (approximately). Thus, I am good with this product at its costs as compared to the other smokers for this price range.
Homey D. Clown : Easy to assemble, easy to use
Controls aren't finicky and assembly was pretty easy. It does not provide an airtight seal around the seams, but a little finesse with the vents can help negate that. For $205, it's a pretty good smoker.
smokey : Highest temperature is only 310f
The good : excellent build and engineering well packed Beautiful color smoking temps good The BAD: Temps won't get above 310 empty with meat inside it is holding steady at 225 needs a gasket around smoke box opening
Bottom line, I bought this beautiful little smoke bomb expecting it to double as an oven and give me 350f+ for bread baking and crackling skinned roast pork as it says it can do, and even has pics on the box of bread and pizzas baking, but NO CAN DO @ 300f. The problem is that the burners are too low in BTU! Maybe I'll get a welder's blanket to insulate it or maybe the company will come out with a hotter burner upgrade? Has anyone out there done that or has achieved a higher temp? BTW, the temps posted are an average of my 2 oven thermometers and the on board thermometer which were within 10f of each other.
G. Ramsay : Great smoker
This smoker works great. My old Masterbuilt had a bad problem of the flame going out on the burner. This had good temp control - doesn't get too hot - I can keep the temp at whatever I set it to, so I can slow smoke food much better.
parout : First time use, I made bacon from pork belly. Was fabulous!!
This is a great smoker, easy to use.
parout : First time use, I made bacon from pork belly. Was fabulous!!
This is a great smoker, easy to use.
Amazon Customer : Good value, good quality
This is my first smoker, but so far I have made smoked salmon, cod, and pulled pork. The temperature gauge helps maintain consistent low temperature for the fish, and the higher temperature for the pork butt. So far I love it. Great value for a great product.
santina m westbrook : Great smoker. Holds temperature well.
We purchased this as our last smoker finally died. We love to smoke and this guy is working out well. It was easy to put together. It looks good and holds the temperature well. So far we have done ribs, chicken, veggies and a brisket. Everything has come out good. Wonderful smoke flavor. I would buy this again.
john : Really nice smoker
I have had cheap propane smokers in the past. My last one from Char Broil lasted just over a year. What a piece of junk!!! This smoker is much higher quality. I only have 2 issues, one minor and one slightly major. The minor issue is with door alignment. The door hung down a little and I had to shim it with 2 small washers to get it to close without rubbing. If that was the only issue, I would have given 5 stars. The worst issue, that has nothing to do with the quality or performance, is the way it was packed in the box. The first one i got was smashed on the bottom. It is alot heavier than the previous smokers i had. The second one was dented on the bottom too, but not too badly. I would have returned that one too, but I am having a bbq tomorrow, and my family expects some awesome smoked food. The foam at the bottom of the box is about 1/2 inch thick low density foam. One small drop and it is damaged. Add a little more protection to the bottom and that will end annoying damage and returns. I would absolutely recommend this smoker!!
roger kirkwood : it is the best is the best smoker out of the other ones i bought
this is not my first smoker however when putting it together is the best one built so well. was missing the knob and thermostat complete putting to together, called pit boss and they sent it out right away, however the lower burner would not light without lighting by a match, call them and they sent me a new burner, and the parts they thought i may need with no problem. this is not only the best smoker i have bought but the beast custermer service i have recived in a long time my rating is a perfict 10 roger
kerry jones : Good value for the money
This is my first smoker and I already a have a good grill so I wanted something not too big and wanted a vertical. I chose this one based on reviews as a much as anything else. It’s pretty well made, easy to assemble and a good unit for the price. Glass door shattered the morning after my first smoke while I was sitting 20 ‘ away having my morning coffee. Pit Boss sent me a new one and it’s been fine ever since. I like the glass door which most don’t have.Temp goes to 350 if you want to use it for more than smoking. Like a drunken chicken for example. Temp stays pretty consistent as well. My only peeve is the chip drawer is too small and hard to pull out when hot.
Muleears : Love it so far, temperature difficult to control
I love the smoker and its features but it is difficult to maintain a constant temp. Especially in windy situations. The only way to maintain the temp is via the gas setting and the vents. If it were a calm day it probably wouldn't be difficult, but I have only used it on two breezy days and maintaining the temp was hard. I like all the other features. Large door and plenty of room for smoking. Putting it together wasn't difficult but took about 30-45 minutes. An electric screwdriver would be helpful.
Michael R. : Works great - easy to maintain temp and smoke.
I like everything about this, works great, easy to maintain temp & smoke. I wasn't sure about the color, but it does look pretty cool. Setup took about 40 minutes, easy to follow instructions.
d.sand : 3 uses/31 days and scrap metal
I was extremely excited to order this and looked forward to upgrading. I should have ordered something else. Got the item in about a month (not a big deal, large item), assembled that day, prepped for my first smoke.
Turned it on to test/season it and realized the regulator leaked. Tried 2 tanks, soap test, etc... The regulator was defective. This company obviously does not have QA or they would quickly and easily spot a heavy leak in the regulator. Decided to go to Dansons' (Pit Boss) warranty since a quick part change would fix it. Registered, filed the support case and after a few days they asked my address - end. After a few weeks and several updates to my support case with Pit Boss (I even mentioned I was about to return it to Amazon), with no reply and nearing the end of my return window with Amazon I decided to just return/replace. Amazon was great and I returned it via UPS pick-upm first time I’ve seen that. Cool. Few days after I returned the part showed up from Pit Boss, still no update to my support case with Pit Boss to even acknowledge they were going to send me a part or that I had filed for the return via Amazon.
Another month passes and the new smoker shows up. It is a refurbished one... I can tell the screws were put in at least once and had various marks, scratches on the outside, unlike the first one. BUT it was not an explosive hazard as the regulator worked. Awesome. Smokin' time! I had 3 wonderful BBQs, still got perfectly smoked pulled pork in my freezer and ribs that melt off the bone. I clean my smokers every few cooks and it was time for the first cleaning. Followed the directions from the owners manual, which is just warm water and a rag (which honestly would never take off the buildup but for the first round...but might as well for at least the first attempt). Paint peeled off 2 different critical pieces under a soft warm water rag. Did not even finish cleaning as I knew I would be contacting Pit Boss again. Their response:
"Even with safeguards, the protective coatings can be compromised by various substances and conditions beyond Dansons’ control. High temperatures, excessive humidity, chlorine, industrial fumes, fertilizers, lawn pesticides and salt are some of the substances that can affect metal coatings." Right out of the manual, I was being written off. I get it, but this thing is only 3 uses in and 30 days old. Unacceptable. $100 PER BBQ!?!?! My response:
"I understand that various substances could hurt the coatings. That is why I keep it covered, in a covered patio. Since I received the new product the outside temperatures have not gotten hotter than 80 degrees - it is also in the shade and covered with a grill cover. We do not use pesticides or chemicals on our lawn or patio, and even if we did the smoker is kept ~10 ft from the lawn. This is <desert state>, outside humidity is always very very...very... low year round. We do not use chlorine for any purpose outside. There are no industrial fumes. There is no salt used anywhere. I have had the new smoker setup since <last month on the> 11th and the paint peeled <this month on the > 12th. So 31 days, covered, protected, and cared for."
I'm waiting for a reply, and will update this review if they respond. I directly told them I would use their response here on Amazon. Done arguing over defective and non-quality products. There are better options if only for peace of mind.
I write this review because I had to again go to Amazon and even when outside the return window and not their fault at all....they refunded me. So this thing is going back while I seek out a better product and attempt to inform people that you do not want these vertical smokers. Maybe some have had better luck but mine got returned twice, after and explosive hazard, and the paint peeling after 3 uses. Thank you Amazon for fixing this! Not once, but twice Amazon fixed Pit Boss's mistake. I thought I was going to have to trash this smoker after only 30 days and 3 uses, I waste a lot on money on BBQs….but not for just a month and 3 uses.
Robert : Easy to use. Works great.
Pretty easy to assemble just be careful when connecting the ignition wire. Mine broke when I barely connected it together. I had to rewire it myself. Temp says up too 350 but I tested mine and it never went higher than 280 which is to hot to smoke anyways. So doesn’t matter. I’ve used it 6 times now and everything is still good. The drip pan at the bottom still hasn’t caught anything lol the water pan is the drip pan. No big deal though. It’s easy to use and easy to clean. I’m glad I bought this one.
Austin J Mansfield : Great Smoker!!!! Great Price!!!!
What a great smoker... Had a touch of difficulty assembling this but not to the point that it was real bad or anything
My wife and I love it because it adds great flavor to any kind of meat
The drawer to access the chips pulls out nice and easy
Overall fantastic starter smoker with see through glass on the front, lightweight, easy accessibility and good price for the value of what your getting in return
Would highly recommend
Rachel : Packaging
I got this for my boyfriend for Christmas! Here we are on Christmas assembling it...... there are a lot of pieces! I’m not made about that, I’m mad that the top of the smoker has a huge dent in it and some other parts are bent too. Haven’t used it yet......but I hope it works good????
Amazon Customer : Great smoker
Perfect size for me. Have only done jerky so far. Turned out perfectly. Hold temp steady. Easy to clean up. Make sure you clean the glass immediately after you’re done smoking.
Kempers Paradise : Pretty good smoker. Great value.
Seems good so far. It took about an hour and a half to assemble. I couldn't get the temperature above 275 on sunny 80 degree day with a little wind. That is not a big deal for me since I smoke at lower temperatures usually. On small complaint: the racks slide out really easily, so if your meat is stuck to it at all the rack will fall out when you remove the meat.
Stephen P. Colas : Looks great and works great I have been using gas smokers for 40 years and this is the besy
Very versatile easy to put together best I have ever had highly recommended
Laurel H. : Love this smoker!
So far we have only smoked some trout, a turkey, and some pork chops, but everything has turned out SO GOOD! It's easy to control the temperature and I love the glass front so I can see our food cooking without letting smoke/heat out. The door latch is also really nice, it's quick and easy to both open and close, so you don't have to stand there fiddling with a handle getting smoke in your face. I also am a fan of the chip tray, it's easy to pop out, dump, and refill without making a mess of the smoker or opening the door and letting the heat and smoke out. The water tray inside the smoker is nice, you can add some extra flavor by putting different sauces in the water. I filled it with angry orchard when I smoked this turkey to help give a hint of sweetness. I definitely recommend this smoker
Bruce J Hoffman : Poor Smoker Box Engineering
Bought this out of many reviewed. Arrived as promised, assembly pretty easy and straight forward. Construction and overall engineering well done. I smoked 4 racks of ribs last Wednesday for 6 hours (212 degrees) and they came out fantastic! Easy to dial in the right temp and venting works great. Fast forward 4 days later and I smoked 2 7lb briskets and 3 racks of ribs (never exceed 225 degrees). Smoke box holds enough chips for about 2 hours, but the difficulty, and frustration came to bare about 3 hours in when the smoke box metal expanded so much so that removing it from the smoke frame became almost IMPOSSIBLE with significant scraping of metal on metal trying to pull it out to refill with new chips (It was NOT over filled, and the smoke box lid WAS completely flush with the box, no bends or dents that caused the difficulty). It was clearly not engineered for metal expansion). Additionally, the box handle being mDe from thin metal, began to bend as I attempted to remove the box. I planned on using this smoke as a workhorse and I am disappointed I may have to find another smoker because of this issue.
Thomas M. Boyd : Good smoker
Grease leaks out at the front onto the floor. Grease pan is always empty. The bracket on right side for lpg cylinder is useless; I removed it.
Eric K : Enjoyed my first smoke
I used my smoker for the first time this past weekend. Set up of the smoker was easy, took about 45-60 minutes. It did arrive dented on the top but that does not affect the performance. I smoked a 12 pound turkey with pecan wood chips. It called for 8 hours but only took about 5 to reach an internal temperature of 180F in the thigh and 165 in the breast. I used a probe thermometer that I purchased at IKEA. I had to fill the wood chip tray three times (had soaked the wood chips for over 12 hours) and filled the water tray every 90 minutes. The results were enjoyed by everyone. I look forward to using my smoker again very soon.
curly9702 : Outstanding Vertical Smoker and Great Aesthetics
I had two previous electric smokers, and each one fried after about two years of use due to cables/components getting grease/water from the food. This Pit Boss is a beauty and it has 4 grills. Gas smoker is by far, better than electric smoker (ask Hank Rutherford Hill). Unlike electric, the food with gas smoker taste smoked, I do not have to worry about electrical components, and yes, I am not messing up my home's GFI. The hype now days is to smoke meat with wood pellets, and those are expensive smokers. I am sure pellet smokers are great, but not for me since those still have electrical components. In addition, those do not allow you to cook with wood chips. A gas smoker; on the other hand, not just cheaper but it is not dependent of the power grid and it is an outstanding mobile solution for when camping on property.
R. Candy : Customer Service is horribly slow!
Latter part of April, 2019: I assembled the entire smoker but it would not light. I did some digging and found the hand formed burner tubes were bent. This meant the burner tubes were misaligned to the fuel supply feeds. I manually lit the burners, seasoned it and used it once. I contacted Customer Service to obtain a new burner assembly. They'd send me a new burner assembly if I sent them a picture of the bent tube. (Not for nothing but why in the world would anyone make up a story about a bent burner tube if it wasn't true?) Emailed the picture. Silence. Followed up May 9th, 2019. Promised to Fed-Ex me a new burner assembly. May 30th, 2019 followed up again. Warehouse was running behind. It'd be another two weeks before it would go out. June 22nd the assembly arrived... Minus the burner tube. June 24th, 2019 I called again! Assured me they located a new tube set and they would ship it immediately. Today is July 19th, 2019. Guess what? No part! I'm going to have to call them again! I really like the smoker. It seems to be solid, well executed and friendly to use but may the gods help you if there is a warranty problem!
July 23, 2019 Update: I spoke with customer service, AGAIN! The order for the part was sent to a warehouse near me... That warehouse didn't have the part so the order was dropped. It'll be another 10 days or so before the part is reshipped from the primary warehouse. You can't make this "stuff" up!
santina m westbrook : Great smoker. Holds temperature well.
We purchased this as our last smoker finally died. We love to smoke and this guy is working out well. It was easy to put together. It looks good and holds the temperature well. So far we have done ribs, chicken, veggies and a brisket. Everything has come out good. Wonderful smoke flavor. I would buy this again.
mark leger : It does not do what it says it will do
Baby back ribs do not fit on the racks. Also the temperature control knob is hard to use you have to push the knob in to control burner under the smoke tray and you can't see the flame unless you pull the smoke tray out, now the other problem starts the smoke tray is hard to pull out when hot because of the metal exspanding It struggles to get to 275 degrees unless you pull out the drip tray. Door seal leaks can't get it to stop. The smoker is a worthless investment, if you have money to throw away buy it, i wish i could get my money back!!!!
John Blatnik : Issues resolved by Customer Service.!
Quality control and materials seem poor. Leg was poorly painted and the fire box tray looks horrible after 1 use. I don't expect this to last a year. Customer service is sending me a new tray. The unit works well. Keeping the temperature on propane units can be challenging.
John Blatnik : Issues resolved by Customer Service.!
Quality control and materials seem poor. Leg was poorly painted and the fire box tray looks horrible after 1 use. I don't expect this to last a year. Customer service is sending me a new tray. The unit works well. Keeping the temperature on propane units can be challenging.
Rhonda B. : Would recommend to anyone!
Just finished smoking two Boston Butts. It took approximately 10 hrs and it was evenly cooked and smoked. It arrived slightly damaged but did not affect the performance. Would recommend this smoker to anyone!
Kempers Paradise : Pretty good smoker. Great value.
Seems good so far. It took about an hour and a half to assemble. I couldn't get the temperature above 275 on sunny 80 degree day with a little wind. That is not a big deal for me since I smoke at lower temperatures usually. On small complaint: the racks slide out really easily, so if your meat is stuck to it at all the rack will fall out when you remove the meat.
Mark Szalawiga : Definitely a great buy.
This is an awesome smoker! I've used several different brands and styles and this has been by far the best smoker to date. (I'm sure there's better but they also come with a cost, for a budget friendly smoker this is the one). It took me 2 uses to learn to dial in the temp where I wanted it. It holds temp very well as I've been using it at sub 40 degree F weather and it still gets to and maintains temp easily compared to others I've had. A Cool feature I didn't know about when purchasing is that setting the burner to lowest setting turns it into a "cold smoker" to be able to smoke fish and other items. The chip tray will smoke for about 1-1.5 hrs with a 30 min soak, I wouldn't suggest using unsoaked chips since it has a dedicated chip burner. Each rack can hold 2 racks of ribs or 1- 10lb pork butt. I haven't done a brisket but likely would need to divide it to fit. It's very spacious with many varying heights for rack placement giving great flexibility for different things at once. Just be sure to "season" it before first use with something like canola oil for 2-3hrs, when I did this you could actually smell a chemical smell coming off at first. Setup was fairly easy for me but I consider myself fairly handy. Could be a bit more difficult for some but nothing that's going to prevent you from setting it up. Only down side was I purchased a fiberglass tank and so i can't attach it to the side support but any regular tank will actually attach and make it easy for moving around. All around a great smoker.
Wai : Maintains constant temperature
Very excellent smoker. It arrived with a few dents in the corners of the smoke chamber, but a quick call to the customer service and I had a new smoke chamber a few days later. Smoker works beautifully and maintains a constant temperature. The firebox holds just enough wood to smoke for 4 hours. Love this thing!
kerry jones : Good value for the money
This is my first smoker and I already a have a good grill so I wanted something not too big and wanted a vertical. I chose this one based on reviews as a much as anything else. It’s pretty well made, easy to assemble and a good unit for the price. Glass door shattered the morning after my first smoke while I was sitting 20 ‘ away having my morning coffee. Pit Boss sent me a new one and it’s been fine ever since. I like the glass door which most don’t have.Temp goes to 350 if you want to use it for more than smoking. Like a drunken chicken for example. Temp stays pretty consistent as well. My only peeve is the chip drawer is too small and hard to pull out when hot.
Pam : Love this Pit Boss Smoker
I would highly recommend this Pit Boss Smoker. Everything they say about this smoker is true, I love it. I always had a electric smoker and mind you there is nothing wrong with that but this smoker is fantastic. So far we have smoked a chicken. fish, pork tenderloin, ribs and everything has turned out so tasty.
Michael R. : Works great - easy to maintain temp and smoke.
I like everything about this, works great, easy to maintain temp & smoke. I wasn't sure about the color, but it does look pretty cool. Setup took about 40 minutes, easy to follow instructions.
Lou : Great looking smoker!!
Not easy to put together but doable, temperature dial has NO MARKINGS other than a small dent. Works fine but constant adjustments needed to keep temperature somewhat steady but nothing to judge the position of the gas control knob except a small hard to see dent in the all black knob. One very bad point, the air control for the burners. The screw that keeps the adjuster from moving is impossible to access as it’s directly under and against the edge of a piece of metal. Mine is needing more air, (yellow flames) but I guess that’s the way it is. Probably won’t reach its highest temp and wastes fuel. Ribs turned out really good!!
L. Delgado : We love it!
Use it today for the first time to smoke a chicken. Came out great with the smoke flavor I was hoping for. I also use the amazing smoker just as an added smoke. We love it!
Slim : Great cost, good quality, I am happy, happy, happy
Love this smoker for its price, quality, and ease to build. Pit Boss also makes this basic same model in an upgrade version with added weight r/t more steel, & insulation for a better temperature control, however it will cost twice as much (approximately). Thus, I am good with this product at its costs as compared to the other smokers for this price range.
Jim : Great Smoker
For a first timer of smoking it was easy to put together and worked great. I did Ribs for my first run and they came out perfect. I am a beginner of smoking and this made it so easy.
jennifer : Okay smoker I guess...
The smoker came with a dented door. I have no option to contact seller for replacement door or leave seller feedback. Don’t want to return whole product since it’s been built already. Seems to be a okay smoker, but bummed it came dented in two places. High price to pay for dented product.
Kindle Customer : Pass on this one
I got this in Feb of 2020 and I think I’ve used it a dozen times maybe. I’ve smoked ribs, turkeys, brisket, bologna, fish, and a couple pork roasts. This is my first gas smoker and probably my last. Its been such a hassle trying to keep it to temperature. The first few times I used it I found the sweet spot for the temperature control was at the 7oclock position for 225f. It’s never been super consistent but I didn’t feel like I had to babysit it constantly which is what I’m doing right now. This has taken the enjoyment out of smoking up something awesome.
As I’m writing this I’m having to go outside and check my temp every 20 min or so. The thermostat on this thing and a prolly just a a piece of junk...I don’t know and I’m pretty fed up with it
Brandi P. : Good for the price...few issues with temp and ect
I gave this a 4 simply because for the life of me during the burn in I could not get it to 300 degrees. Also the wood chip tray isn’t easy to get out and in. Maybe my guides are bent. But It does smoke well and I was able to get it to maintain temps. The temp on the door isn’t even close. I bought a thermpro that did the job. Overall a good buy for the money.
Luis G. : Great Smoker
I love this smoker, I’ve always been a charcoal type of guy but this smoker you can leave real low for a very long time with no supervision. Holds just below 200degrees . Access to wood chips is great, you don’t have to open the smoker to add chips, it has its own door.
Pit Myster : Great value
Had this for several months now and love it. Done smoked salmon, turkey, pork, spareribs. For beginners, this is a great model for the price. I’d highly recommend.
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you