Oklahoma Joe's Highland vs Pit Boss Navigator 850: Which One Should You Buy?

The Oklahoma Joe's Highland and the Pit Boss Navigator 850 both sit in the budget smoker category, but they couldn't be more different. The Highland is an offset stick burner that demands your attention. The Navigator 850 is a pellet grill that does most of the work for you. Same price range, completely different experiences. ## Quick Comparison | Feature | Oklahoma Joe's Highland | Pit Boss Navigator 850 | |---------|------------------------|----------------------| | **Price** | ~$350 | ~$500 | | **Type** | Offset stick burner | Pellet grill | | **Cooking Area** | 619 sq in (+ firebox) | 879 sq in | | **Fuel** | Wood/charcoal | Wood pellets | | **Temp Control** | Manual (fire management) | Digital controller | | **Learning Curve** | Steep | Gentle | | **BBQ Experience Score** | 7.0/10 | 6.8/10 | ## Build Quality The Oklahoma Joe's Highland is entry-level offset, and it shows. Thin steel, leaky seals, uneven heat distribution out of the box. You'll spend time with gasket tape and modifications. But the firebox is solid, the cooking chamber is usable, and thousands of pitmasters have learned their craft on this exact smoker. The Pit Boss Navigator 850 is better built for the money. Thicker steel than you'd expect at $500, decent paint, functional digital controller. The pellet hopper is adequate. Nothing is exceptional, but nothing is broken either. ## Performance The Oklahoma Joe's Highland, once you learn it, produces authentic offset smoke flavor that no pellet grill can replicate. Real wood. Real fire management. Real smoke. But learning it takes 10-20 cooks of frustration. The thin walls leak heat. Temperature swings of 50F are normal until you master the vents. The Pit Boss Navigator 850 produces consistent, predictable results from day one. Set the temperature, add pellets, walk away. The smoke flavor is lighter than offset — it's pellet smoke, not stick-burner smoke. But for beginners, it's good enough to make excellent pulled pork and ribs without the learning curve. The Highland scores 7.0 to the Navigator's 6.8. That gap widens with experience — a skilled operator gets far more out of the Highland than the Navigator can ever produce. ## Value for Money The Highland is $150 cheaper and scores higher. The Navigator is easier. The question is what you value: learning the craft (Highland) or getting results now (Navigator). ## Verdict **Buy the Oklahoma Joe's Highland if:** you want to learn real fire management, you enjoy the process of tending a fire, and you're willing to invest time in modifications and learning. The Highland is a smoking school, not just a smoker. **Buy the Pit Boss Navigator 850 if:** you want easy, consistent results, you don't want to babysit a fire, and convenience matters more than authenticity. The Highland makes better pitmasters. The Navigator makes easier dinners. Choose accordingly. [Full Oklahoma Joe's Highland Review](/en/reviews/oklahoma-joes-highland-offset-smoker-review/) | [Full Pit Boss Navigator 850 Review](/en/reviews/pit-boss-navigator-850-review/)