Pit Boss Navigator Vertical Pellet Smoker Review: 3-Series vs 6-Series

Updated November 2026. The Navigator Vertical is Pit Boss’s dedicated smoking rig — not the Austin XL horizontal and not the Lockhart dual-chamber. It’s a tall sealed cabinet with the firepot at the base and three or six racks above it, pulling air through a convection draft so smoke swirls around the meat before venting at the top. For shoppers who want a dedicated smoker and already own a gas grill for burgers and weeknight chicken, this is the pick.

We carry the Pit Boss Navigator line in both sizes — the 3-Series at $649.99 and the 6-Series at $899.99. Same controller platform, same auger, same app. The only decision is how much meat fits inside.

3-Series vs 6-Series at a glance

Why vertical beats horizontal for dedicated smoking

A vertical smoker keeps the smoke moving the way smoke actually wants to move — up. Heat and smoke rise from the firepot at the base, circulate around each rack, and vent at the top. The result is more even bark development top-to-bottom than a horizontal pellet grill, where the end closer to the firepot runs 20–30°F hotter than the far end.

The vertical cabinet design also catches juices in a drip pan under the racks and keeps them in the chamber instead of dripping onto the firepot. For long cooks (brisket, pork butt) that means more humid heat and less dry bark — the kind of result shoppers usually chase with water pans and spritz bottles on horizontal grills.

What the Navigator can’t do

High-temp direct grilling. The firepot is at the base and the lowest rack is still 10+ inches above it. That’s by design for smoking but it’s the wrong geometry for a 1-inch ribeye. Max temp runs 450°F — enough to crisp chicken skin, not enough for a steakhouse sear. If the shopper wants one appliance for both, the Pit Boss Austin XL horizontal is the right call.

Cold-smoke mode. The firepot can’t run cool enough to stay below 100°F for cheese or fish cold-smoking. The Pit Boss Lockhart’s dual-chamber design is the model for that. The Navigator is a hot-smoke rig only.

Big-batch competition cooks. Even the 6-Series tops out at six racks. Serious competition BBQ cooks who need to fit eight briskets or fifteen racks of ribs are buying the Pit Boss Competition Series horizontal instead. For backyard cooks of up to 20 people the 6-Series is overkill.

Which size do most people need?

3-Series is the right pick for the vast majority of backyard shoppers. Three racks fits two whole pork butts, or two racks of baby back ribs plus a pan of chicken thighs, or a full brisket plus two fatties. The 1,059 sq in cook area handles cooks for 10–12 without crowding. $649.99 makes it the natural upgrade from a Weber Smokey Mountain or a first-timer’s charcoal smoker.

6-Series is the right pick when the shopper is routinely cooking competition-style volume or runs catering on the side. Six racks fits four pork butts, or eight racks of ribs, or two briskets plus support meats. Not worth the extra $250 for a backyard cook of 8–10 people — the 3-Series is already more capacity than that use case needs.

Pit Boss Navigator vs the alternatives

vs Weber Smokey Mountain. WSM is the classic charcoal vertical — $400 and up, no electronics, requires lit charcoal and vent management. Great smoke flavor. The Navigator trades that handwork for set-and-forget pellet convenience with WiFi and PID control. If the shopper enjoys the process of charcoal, WSM. If they want to drop meat in and go inside, Navigator.

vs Traeger Ironwood. Ironwood is Traeger’s premium horizontal pellet grill — $1,500+ with the Super Smoke mode and WiFire app. Better app, better accessory ecosystem, but horizontal geometry means less even cook top-to-bottom and bigger footprint. If the backyard has room and the budget supports it, Traeger. If the shopper wants the most smoking capacity per dollar in a compact footprint, Navigator.

vs Camp Chef Woodwind. Woodwind is the mid- premium horizontal pellet grill with the sidekick sear-box option. Comparable to the Austin XL from Pit Boss’s own horizontal lineup. See the full Pit Boss brand guide for the horizontal lineup comparison.

What we’d actually buy

First dedicated smoker, backyard use: Navigator 3-Series at $649.99. Three racks is enough for every normal weekend cook. The $250 savings over the 6-Series pays for a year’s worth of good pellets.

Smoker for catering or serious BBQ volume: Navigator 6-Series. Six racks earns its keep when the cook regularly feeds 20+ or does paid catering runs.

If the shopper wants one appliance for smoking AND grilling: skip the Navigator. The Pit Boss Austin XL horizontal or the Lockhart dual-chamber is the right pick.