Four years in Florida with my Masterbuilt 560. I kept it outside under a cover. After 4 years I need a new cover. I had to bypass the door switches to keep the fan working with the motherboard. I have some slight rust spots that I am going to sand down and repaint with Rustoleum high temp bbq paint. I need to remove and clean the thermocouple the motherboard uses. The bottom aft sheet metal heat shield below the grates behind the manifold and above the drip pan is rusted bad. The drip pan and fat basket are in great condition. Final thoughts. I love this grill. If you could put it in a shed or garage when not in use you wouldn't have the little rust issues. I love that I can use charcoal, lump, wood chunks or small sticks on this pit. I love that you can low smoke at 160 and sear at 700. I would recommend the MB800 if asked.
I have the MB1050. I hardly use the bottom grates unless I’m searing or grilling. I always use the middle grate to place the food with a thick cookie sheet below to catch drippings.
I have the same and do the same. With my experiences if your not using th middle grate for smoking your not getting the most out of it. The cook is superior on the middle grate for all but searing or quick cooking.
I have the 1050 as well and I also use the middle rack for all of my smokes. I will include the use of the bottom rack if I’m smoking a larger amount of food.
I buy a bunch of grease bins for the blackstone griddles. Will fill that up with hot water for my brisket cooks. I also use them for basting too. Ill have one for water. One for tallow to baste with@@davidguthrie3105
Just got the masterbuilt 800 and I have to say, as someone relatively new to smoking, I am impressed. Great step up from my zgrill pellet. July 4th I made a brisket on both and there was absolutely no comparison. HIGHLY recommend giving it a look if you're a pellet user looking for something that'll get a bit more of that smoke flavor in (and no smoke tube required). Also highly recommend sucking it up and buying the masterbuilt fire starters that are made for these grills. I want to say it's a scam or price gouge or whatever but it honestly does make it a whole lot easier to get that bad boy lit in a hurry. WHile an oliveoil soaked papertowel does do it, it's doesn't do it as reliably...and trying to cram tumbleweed in there is a royal pain in the butt. Great smoker all around - love that a 16 pound brisket fit comfortably on the middle rack too!
Ah man, this is gonna be a good one! I have the 980 and love it! Buddies at work have the masterbuilt and they love it haha. Seams like they both work awesome! Just finished the video, completely agree with the inside rack being almost worthless in the 989, mine is never in, and the front shelf is almost useless with not being able to fit a cutting board and open the door. The only thing I haven't noticed on my 980 is how wobbly yours is. I move mine every time I cook and never thought it wasn't sturdy. Great review of both!!
Yeah I have had quite a few people that have commented saying that there has to be something wrong with my 980 because theirs doesn't do that.... I've checked and everything is tight
Thanks for the video! I've got the masterbuilt 560 and I love it. The only thing I have seen is that the temp probe appears to be set to compensate for the distance from the center to where the probe actually is. I bought a probe to clip near the food and it was always about 30 degrees difference when I set it to what it actually was showing with an additional probe I placed in to verify. This is just nitpicky from me, but I'd like to have an option to use a dynamic probe sometimes instead of a static probe (like a fireboard or other type setup, for example). The only other thing I'd say about the 560 is that the top of the hopped opens over the grill itself, instead of opening over the back. Again, just nitpicky.
Thanks for the detailed, honest comparison. I love smoking on my mb but grilling still seems a little different than a traditional grill. Thinking about getting a shroud mod. Do you feel like grilling is equal on both?
Hey man, greetings from Czech Republic! I am in the half of this video, which is the first one I see from you and even without watching till the end, I have to thank you and give thumbs up! ! Very understandable, addressing exactly what I needed to know. Discovering and explaining those issues like little space between grill levels and front space hit by the handle, sturdiness and so on, makes sense. So, subscriptions to your channel, watching this till the end, and also check your other videos. I have Weber Genesis E-410 and not happy with it overall, missing the charcoal flavor and the heat on the grate is just low, low for steaks. I will choose my next grill with you, okay? 😀 Cheers! Jirka (George) 😀🤚🏻
Great video. I got the MB 800 without the griddle. I'm going to get the LSS burner/grease catcher before I use it. I'm old and I live in Texas, and it's been over 100 degrees for over a month, so I haven't used it yet. As soon as I get the LSS part I'll do the burn in and seasoning, and set up the phone app. 😛
I just went and pushed my Char Griller 980 and it does not have the movement yours has I suggest going over yours and tighten things down. it moved, but didn't wobble nearly as much as yours did, and I'm 6'0" 250 lbs.
@@AndersonsSmokeShow I agree that would suck, but something is obviously wrong. I would contact Char Broiler or after them seeing this video they should reach out to you.
Great review! I have had both grills MB800 and the CG980. I switched to the CG980 due to its cooking size, but after two cooks, the fan burned and melted SMH. Come to find out after talking to CG, this grill is not recommended for use in windy weather. I used the MB800 in windy conditions, and it kept on cooking with no issues. In conclusion, I returned the CG980 and am returning to the Masterbuilt, but 1050 this time.
I just got rid of my 1050. Had it since June of 2020. In central TX. Manifold, and inlet from fire chamber rusted through. Hopper developed large voids in the side walls in a couple places. No crazy use. Just bad materials. Lid hinge was also rusting. I loved that grill. Sure had quality issues with switches. Had to replace the fan under warranty. Had a few grease fires. But when it worked, it worked well. I might get the 980 to see if it lasts any better.
You answered a bunch of questions right there for me, the only thing I would say bad about the MB is the switch’s but if a guy keeps them clean they work fine. But I have had some trouble with them other than that I’ve loved my 560. The hole Wobble thing is probably a breaker for me. I’ll be getting the 800 next. Thank for the video buddy, really answered a bunch of questions I had. Alright I gotta go get ready for a big cook Saturday (30 people) is a big one for me Thanks again brother 💯👍
I’ve had a 1050 for awhile, actually my second one. You can’t just ignore the rust factor. They rust out too fast. The manifold could be covered better or porcelain covered along with the grates.
@@jazzman9469I’ve had my 1050 for 3 years, kept under a covered patio (no walls), and have yet to see any rust. Hope that helps. If you do get a MB, there’s a place called LSS Mods that makes great aftermarket parts.
I know I'm late to the party but, I just found you on UA-cam. The Char Griller and the Masterbuilt are produced by separate companies but..... both companies are owned by the world famous Milddleby company. They own brands like Viking and many other very top of the line culinary products. Your series on these grills was very helpful so thank you.... I bought both....
I will have owned the CG980 for a year on Christmas. After 3 months the fan melted, which somehow took out the controller. I made my own version of the LSS mod, and after a couple of months of back and forth with CG they sent a new fan and controller. I also replaced the silicon "flap" with a very thin, light piece of aluminum and two small hinges, and it functions good. The controller reads almost a hundred degrees higher than the actual center of the chamber, and i keep getting the fan error code, fan still looks new. Then discovered the firebox to chute seal was burned up. Replaced that...and still multiple fan codes during every cook. Its been a long, demoralizing year. I hate it, and will never buy anything affiliated with CG now, but i guess some people love them.
There's quite a bit of videos explaining the Masterbuilt & BY FAR, this is THE BEST video explaining & educating people about it. You truly sound impartial. I was rooting for the Char Griller since I have the 5050, but I've been eyeing the 800 for quite some time now. The same issues I have with my 5050 is the same issues you explain here (porcelain instead of cast iron grates, lack of sturdiness, but somehow confusingly heavy). After a year of sitting on the fence, I think I'm decided on the 800. And right now, there's a "900" at Costco that comes with a pizza oven. Great video!
I just ordered the mb 1050. What I am gonna do as far as front shelf. Is I'm gonna drop mine down. Hook the top of shelf on the second row of screws and then use self tapping screws to bolt the bottom of shelf. And as far as big cooks I have a reverse flow offset for thos huge cooks. Thank you for ur videos.
Yeah, I thought about that during the review here that it could be mounted lower yourself. That is a good idea about reusing the lower screws as the top (if that provides enough extra space.
@@damanfromtn I think it can be done for sure. Klotesmods sells a shelf that's bigger that goes over top of the existing shelf to make the existing shelf bigger. But I think I'm gonna save the money and just lower it myself
I watched another video on these as a comparison and the channel took a thermo works temp and placed them in the grills to check accuracy, the master build was 1 degree off from what it showed on the control panel, the chargriller was over 50 degrees lower than what it showed on the control panel. thats a huge difference.
I bought my Gravity 800 at Costco for $549 and see that it is on sale this month for $499. That is without the griddle, but I don't want to fire up charcoal for a griddle anyway. I was disappointed in the cooking area with those 2 upper shelves. The top shelf is just too close to the lid and the 2nd one too low and close like you said. I want to see about moving the top rack mount halfway down (and get the extended rack) and see how that goes with the bottom and the higher in between rack together.
@@AndersonsSmokeShow Yes they had a full length self but have been out of stock for a while. I put some accesories in from the beginning like the steel sleeve for the firebox and steel plate on inside of hooper top door. I am not near an outlet so made a 12v battery box (with 10ah battery and solar panel) with matching 12v canon plug to power the smoker wherever I want it.
Great review, looking forward to more cooking videos. Ok, So I went with the CG980. love it. Now, that being said I've had a couple issues to deal with. First, mine doesn't wobble as yours did. Seems pretty sturdy to me. The front shelve is too small for sure. I bought a large white PVC cutting board and bolted on top of mine, works like a charm. Lots of room to prep food or cut meat as I take it off the fire. Whatever you need to do. I would recommend anyone with either of these grills to add one. You're right about the upper rack. when I fire up the 980, I remove the upper rack. The heat control is way off. I've done a lot of cooks last summer and NEVER relied on the number displayed on the controller. I used two different remote thermometers with two probes each spread out around the main cooking grate. I've developed my own cross reference chart for temp control. I know for a fact it runs colder. (Ribs @ 225 degrees I set the CG at 260, works perfect) The fan unit gave out at the end of last summer, I ordered another one, but haven't installed it yet. I've heard it's a thing with these cookers and the unit I received is a better unit then stock.... Not sure about it yet, but I'll be keeping an eye on it this summer.
I had an issue with my fan once and it ended up being a TINY piece of charcoal had fallen down into the fan and jammed it up. I laid underneath and spun the fan with a small screwdriver and it ended up working fine. Surprisingly a piece of charcoal the size of a grain of rice is what stopped it.
When I was at Lowes I couldn’t help but notice how wobbly the char griller was. I live in an extremely windy area and I have legit concerns about that. That’s why I’m going with the MB800. You’re the only reviewer I’ve seen mention how wobbly it is.
@@jtlbb2 all people care about is "LOOK AT THIS NEW TECHNIQUE FOR SMOKING THIS EXPENSIVE ASS MEAT THAT NO ONE CAN AFFORD!!!!". Those "new" technique s are older then I am its just that gen zer chuds only believe shit if its on the internet.
Thank you for the review. Just to add few comments: I have the 980 and it is very sturdy and does not wobble. Maybe you should check all the bolts in the frame and make sure they are tight. Don't ever trust the assemblers at big box stores, as they have to assembly many units quickly and have no reason to care if done properly. I have always let my charcoal grills warm up for at least 45min before use to equal out the temps. I do my final food prep during that time. My only complaint about the 980 is the poor flapper design. You have to be very careful not catch it on fire if you put wood chunks in the ash catcher. Yes, I burned my up one time. There are mods out there to move the fan and flapper further back. I have one on the way as of this writing.
I assembled it myself. Also I was Lowes a few weeks back and theirs wobbled in the exact same manner. I typically let mine warn up while I prepare the food, but for most people they see "oh it's 225F now lets get the food on" and in all actuality its not.... yet.
Really instructive video bro. Good point you raised about the restrictive amount of clearance between the handle & the front shelf. What are the main construction/design differences between the original MB Gravity series smokers & their improved Gravity series released 21/22? And would you say MB with their modifications have mitigated or solved the issues that some MB users experienced with the original models? Trying to decide between the 1050 & 800(?) Leaning slightly towards the 800, just because of the included griddle plate. Wonder if MB are considering including a griddle plate for the 1050? Look forward to watching more of your vids.
My first Masterbuilt 1050 only worked for a week I bought it in July of 2021, the second worked for a year, but after one month I could only get it work if I giggled the safety switch on the chimney, it’s a very common problem, this past August at 1 year old it died.
I’m still considering the two. I have buddies with both . The 800 and 1050 are huge quality upgrade over the original 580. The CG980 my friends have are way more sturdy than yours. I like the manifold design and heaviness of 980. Seems close call
I’ve owned my my 980 for 2 years now: doesn’t have the wobble, maybe that comes down to assembly. I replaced the flap, but customer service was helpful unlike MB.
If you're watching this I would stay away from the Masterbuilt 800. The flat top is painted. Not coated and will peel off onto your food. After two years of use I need to replace both the heat diverter and Manifold. I placed order for both and only recieved the diverter. Told to wait on Manifold for it to end up being out of stock. So now grill is down and needing a new one.
I got the 980, I don't have that wobble issue and move it often to cook. Maybe double check everything is tight? Still it's not a heavy duty construction. I got the 980 for the cooking area and at the time there were a lot of issues with the masterbuilt insulation and burning through it, and seemed like a lot of electronic issues with people complaining about poor support from masterbuilt. I'd bet those issues have been addressed on the new version but I haven't been keeping up. I took a risk on the chargriller since it was fairly new with no reviews, and at the time around $600 so also cheaper than the masterbuilt. The main issue with the chargriller being the silicone flapper. I finally melted the silicone flapper (I was a little buzzed and loaded the ash catcher with way too much wood) and am happy to say that chargriller has been good for support. They shipped a new one out within 24hrs of my email. It's still a poor design flaw and I'll probably get the mod for it when it's available, but to me it's an easier issue to fix than what was happening on the masterbuilts at the time.
I never had the issue with the flap, but I also never put wood in the ash pan… only the hopper. Everything seems to be tight and secure, it just twists and wobbles
I assembled my 980 with the aid of Mr Anderson’s build video! I owe him big time and told him. But no wobble on mine. I bought mine at Menards because I liked the color better!!!!
Thanks for the video, NOW I wish I would have went with the Masterbuilt Gravity 800. I bought the Char Griller 980 and have not been too happy with it (every other time I use it I get the fan error, problems with the wifi, controller went out was replaced and fire brick broke was replaced by Char Griller). I debated and watch all the videos I could on it and both had about the same review and my son told me that he has a friend who had the 980 and the friend and my son like it so I went with it. Should have gone with my gut feeling and pick up the Masterbuilt LOL
I hear because the MB isn’t porcelain coated that rust tends to happen on the inside of your grill. Can anyone confirm?also I think the firebox should be mentioned here. MB’s are known to break down after about a year or so then you start to get warping in the metal where chargriller uses some other material that doesn’t break down as easily. As sturdy as the masterbuilt is rust and that firebox could eventually render it useless far before the chargriller
I have the first series 560. And yes, it is rusting and falling apart. I love the concept and ease of use with this smoker. But the durability is not there. I’m not having any issues with my firebox yet, but everything else about it has gone downhill fast. And by the way, Anderson’s Smoke Show is one the best channels out here. Very informative and knowledgeable on the products. He knows his business. And his recipes are delicious. As for the MB, it is definitely not one that is going to last long.
I had the 560 on Day 1 back in 2020, I went though 3 of them in a year. Killed the first one trying to grill open top. Bad flareup killed the switches on the 2nd one (and the manifold rusted out), The 3rd one rusted out on me after leaving it outside and covered with the MB cover during a Texas Winter. I'm waiting on a 2nd generation. They are the BMW of grills.......when they run there's nothing like it but they are fragile and they WILL die on you. But it's the best damned food you'll ever eat
I’ve run them all night plenty of times. I do usually check it once and add charcoal just because… but depending on the temperature you’re running at, you can run overnight
Good review, I toke my char griller off my shallow trailer with a friend on a slight angle and it racked the front gravity plate under the shelf and tore the screws out. You are dead on about the shelf. The shelf with the controller is flimsy and will bend if you try to lift it there. I have paint flaking off the same shelf. I also have a gap where the middle of the barrel meets the lid on the back. Last my flapped is curled already after 4 cooks. I do love the results from cooking on it
My Master Built lasted two cook seasons (stored in garage during MN winters) I estimate about 40 cooks, 6 overnight briskets cooks, about 10 rib cooks, and the rest was steaks, burgers and chicken. This year the charcoal chamber burnt a hole through the thin inner sheet metal. I did enjoy cooking on it, but it's more of a toy grill than a serious long-term grill. I did a lot of research before buying this grill and never heard an honest evaluation. So here it is people: Great toy! Works initially! Won't last long! Save your money and buy a gravity feed grill with 1/4" steel minimum.
That is why we bought the firebox insert from LSS-Mods. We love ours but learned the hard way do not use this unit for high temp cooks. It is impossible to get the thing fully cleaned from cooks so it is a grease fire waiting to happen, and it warped the lid when we tried, making it slightly difficult to close.
I remember when chargrill gravity 980 came out it was selling at Lowe’s for 499.99+Tx. Now with inflation, it’s almost double that? No thanks. I’ll save for an Old Country gravity feed, or just use my vertical smoker.
I've had the 980 for a little over a year and it is a great grill...........finicky...... like the temp equalization thing, and I was one of the people that had the fan flap issue (it burned to a crisp) but I can tell you mine is sturdy as heck.....it does not wobble if i push on it like you did in the video.
I wouldn’t say that, some of the build qualities on the pellet grills are getting ridiculously nice! The camp chef Apex is like a tank, but those upper end grills come at a much higher cost.
At the same price they are fairly comparable in build with pellet grills. Once you get to the $1000ish range you’ll see much better quality… thicker steel, better controls, better warranty, etc. Around the $1000 range you are looking at RecTeq, Camp Chef, GMG, plus some others
I would agree with you on your assessment, but I need to point out that the Chargriller beats the MasterBuilt construction of the fire box. Actual firebricks in the base rather than sacrificial metal is better in my opinion.
I have the 560. I love it! I have used it a million times. Masterbuilts weakest link is their pressure switches on the door, hopper lid, and ash pan door. That is easily fixed by putting a manual switch on them. Never have to worry about it again. But just like all electronics, they fail. It’s not perfect. I almost never cook on the main grate.
@@beganny sure! So the way that the switches work is that their are two wires on each one. When the switch is depressed the wires are touching together. So I go two toggle switches. I put the lid door switch on one because when the grill is over 500 degrees the fan is supposed to cut off. (I only smoke with my 560). Then I put the hopper door and ash pan door on the same toggle switch. If I open either one I will turn the switch off so the fan shuts off. The toggle switches have two places to attach both wires. I hope this makes sense. If you don’t do that you will have issues where your fan will quit working intermittently. People think it’s the fan but it’s almost always the switches.
Awesome video and great information...as usual. They just brought the Masterbuilt 800 into Canada and they're available at Costco. I was looking for the Char Griller initially but after watching this I think I'm k leaning towards the Masterbuilt. Thanks for your excellent and informative videos.
That's correct. @@paula.2422 I just ordered one from Costco, it's called the MB 900. It doesn't have a griddle. It has a pizza oven instead of a griddle.
I went with the Char-Griller about a year ago. Mainly because nearly all reviews (including you) chose it. But I will say whoever put your Char-Griller together should be fired. Mine is nowhere near that loose and moves just fine. Maybe you should disassemble and rebuild it.
Been really out looking for one see the 980 charbroil at lowes doors closed tight on the box but looking at the mb first thanks on your thoughts I want one to last
Thanks for the video! I have been agonizing over a gravity feed charcoal smoker for a while, and still wish there were more choices - that don’t cost $3,500. You hit all the points I am interested in. 🍻. I currently have a WSM and a PBC, and really want a flat smoker with a lot of surface area so I can smoke more than one thing at a time.
@@AndersonsSmokeShowHi, thanks for responding. I have modified both of them and use a CyberQ temp controller with them. They are both good, but for ribs, you really have to hang them, and they are both barely able to hold a full brisket without trimming quite a bit of flat . So I am looking for a flat charcoal smoker with good capacity that can do a full brisket and a few racks of ribs, chicken, etc….And not buy the Myron Mixon smoker I like, which is $5,000.
Most grills in general have hot spots that we have to deal with. I think they both are pretty equal IF you pre heat the Char Griller prior to putting the food on.
Had a first gen 560. Loved it and made tons of great food. Bought the 2nd gen charcoal grate and it helped a ton with charcoal usage. Got a 980 for cheap and chose to keep it and gave the MB away (to someone I like). MB was going to need the firebox mod as the wear parts in the firebox were deteriorating. No heat diffuser meant flare ups were common. Also, had to smoke on the middle rack with a sheet cake water pan underneath to avoid food burn. I ended up making a heat deflector that sat on welding magnets on the manifold so I could use the middle shelf and the main cooking area at the same time. With those adjustments, it made GREAT food. At the end of the day, 980 size was better for me, wifi on char griller>bluetooth on MB and adjusting set temp (main grate is 20° cooler than set temp) easier than other ways I had to compensate for my MB. Happy Cooking!
WOW! You have one video from 1 year ago saying 100 out of 100 times the char grill is the one you would pick. Now you say the masterbuild. So which is it for real?
Love all your videos Anderson 👍but Had the master built 900 series 6 months in interior lower section of the hopper melted fire bricks fell off with time and all 3 walls melted the metal right into the fire proof insulation Master built 👎
Bought the last 1050 likely in my state today, still in box that’s a bit damaged. Sure hope all the contents are OK. Package was so heavy!!! Excited to get it together and try it out. Curious if it’ll make me sell my pellet grill.
Both cost $1000 where I live. Sorry, reading multiple comment threads from reddit, youtube and FB and my conclusion is these units are a craps roll . It seems 50/50 if you get a unit that lasts a year without problems. Some of these problems can render the unit useless without buying new parts out of warranty. Sorry, gotta just stick with my vertical rusty offset smoker. Somehow I make killer meats on it. The door doesn't lock since stuck from rust, I added a fan to throw smoke into chamber better and sealed it. It's modded a bit, 6 years old and my go to. It requires work for sure. I am looking into something I can pretty much set n forget at this point, but nothing justifies the price so far.
I just placed an order on the Char Griller 980 for 499.00 at Home Depot. I was leading more towards the Master-built 1050 but at 897.00. When I saw that the price dropped for 499.00 on the char-griller it was a no brainer for me
@@AndersonsSmokeShowtake that back. At my arrival to home depot to pick up my grill, I change my mind. I took the Masterbuilt 800 display at discounted price for $547 due to some scratches when it was getting assemble. I ended up taking the master built.
@@AlexSeg10 thanks I’m trying trying to hold out past Labor Day to get the 800. I may try asking for a display model… is that how that works you just ask to buy the display ?
I had not one, but two very hard falls on my Masterbuilt 1050 while engineering an easy way to get it in and out of the back of my truck....they're tough as nails
Other review videos I have watched say that the bottom grates the temperature is too hot to smoke meat on they have to put the meat on the second rack is this still a issue?
Man, do I feel better about my choice on the gravity 800 after watching this. I waffled between these two exact grills for months, researched and watched a ton of comparison videos. For a long time I was leaning toward the Chargriller because I liked the barrel-type construction, but ultimately chose the MB 800. Just seeing that wobble on the 980 tells me I made the right choice.
Weird, because Tom in the Land of Grills chose the 980 over the 1050. I went with the 980 because at the end of the day, cooking space is more important. And mine doesn't wobble like you're demonstrating so... I guess I got a better unit??
The Masterbuilt is a great, but uses CHEAP stamped thin (1mm thick) steel. Which is CRAP. It starts to rust very quickly around the edges of the cover and to try to prevent that you need to make sure that you take off your protective cover after each heavy rain storm, so moisture doesn't build up under the cover, promoting rust. Also, make sure (at least once a month) to use ONLY canola spray oil around the edges of the outside cover BEFORE you use it, so the oil can bake on those edges to create a protective barrier against water and moisture. Hope this helps.
one thing I will say about Masterbuilt, their aftersales dept is pretty spot on, when I bought My 560 a year back it came with the hopper lid damaged from Amazon, Masterbuilt sent out a full replacement hopper lid within the week so can't fault them at all for that... the app is god awful though lol
I have a MB1050 and the biggest drawback is definitely the grease management. It is very difficult to avoid grease fires even when doing low and slow because the grease just pools in the manifold. The manifold is also rotting out very bad after just a couple years of moderate use. I think I am planning on staying away from low cost grills/smokers from now on and looking at getting a higher end Hasty Bake or similar.
I have a masterbuilt 560 and recently I've had troubles getting it up over 350 degrees, the fan goes full speed but the temp maxes out at around 300. Anyone have any ideas?
Make sure the temp probe is clean. Also make sure that you shake the hopper clean. Most of my temperature issues have been due to poor airflow because spent charcoal/ash didn’t fall through the grate.
What about the internals and how the heat flows? I feel like this review was purely based off the construction. Or a least was the mass majority of it. I expected a better review out of you but this seemed more like a I got them out of the box here is my opinion view after reading the pamphlet. Not trying to being negative but normally I enjoy your videos because of your attention to details and engineering mindset. This one just didn’t seem to hit the mark for me.
Was originally getting the chargriller when it first came out for $599 but now that’s it’s $750 there’s no way it is worth that much of a mark up. Way to much. Smfh you should also note the price differences in the last year or two from when they originally released
Great info. Thank you. Would anyone chose this over a normal tower style smoker and why? I wan to smoke fish mainly and likely pork. I spearfish in Hawaii and would love to smoke.
Four years in Florida with my Masterbuilt 560. I kept it outside under a cover. After 4 years I need a new cover. I had to bypass the door switches to keep the fan working with the motherboard. I have some slight rust spots that I am going to sand down and repaint with Rustoleum high temp bbq paint. I need to remove and clean the thermocouple the motherboard uses. The bottom aft sheet metal heat shield below the grates behind the manifold and above the drip pan is rusted bad. The drip pan and fat basket are in great condition. Final thoughts. I love this grill. If you could put it in a shed or garage when not in use you wouldn't have the little rust issues. I love that I can use charcoal, lump, wood chunks or small sticks on this pit. I love that you can low smoke at 160 and sear at 700. I would recommend the MB800 if asked.
Well good thing nobody asked.
😂😂😂
I have the MB1050. I hardly use the bottom grates unless I’m searing or grilling. I always use the middle grate to place the food with a thick cookie sheet below to catch drippings.
I have the same and do the same. With my experiences if your not using th middle grate for smoking your not getting the most out of it. The cook is superior on the middle grate for all but searing or quick cooking.
I have the 1050 as well and I also use the middle rack for all of my smokes. I will include the use of the bottom rack if I’m smoking a larger amount of food.
I just ordered one of these. One question, do you use a water basin when doing a 12-15 hour smoke?
I buy a bunch of grease bins for the blackstone griddles. Will fill that up with hot water for my brisket cooks. I also use them for basting too. Ill have one for water. One for tallow to baste with@@davidguthrie3105
How long does it smoke at 150 degrees before you have to fill the hopper?
Just got the masterbuilt 800 and I have to say, as someone relatively new to smoking, I am impressed. Great step up from my zgrill pellet. July 4th I made a brisket on both and there was absolutely no comparison. HIGHLY recommend giving it a look if you're a pellet user looking for something that'll get a bit more of that smoke flavor in (and no smoke tube required).
Also highly recommend sucking it up and buying the masterbuilt fire starters that are made for these grills. I want to say it's a scam or price gouge or whatever but it honestly does make it a whole lot easier to get that bad boy lit in a hurry. WHile an oliveoil soaked papertowel does do it, it's doesn't do it as reliably...and trying to cram tumbleweed in there is a royal pain in the butt.
Great smoker all around - love that a 16 pound brisket fit comfortably on the middle rack too!
Ah man, this is gonna be a good one! I have the 980 and love it! Buddies at work have the masterbuilt and they love it haha. Seams like they both work awesome!
Just finished the video, completely agree with the inside rack being almost worthless in the 989, mine is never in, and the front shelf is almost useless with not being able to fit a cutting board and open the door. The only thing I haven't noticed on my 980 is how wobbly yours is. I move mine every time I cook and never thought it wasn't sturdy. Great review of both!!
I use that rack all the time, but I also have the LSS rack extension too.
@@SystemLost I use it when I do corn on the cob, jalepeno poppers, or wings but that's about it. I'll have to look up that rack extension!
Yeah I have had quite a few people that have commented saying that there has to be something wrong with my 980 because theirs doesn't do that.... I've checked and everything is tight
Thanks for the video! I've got the masterbuilt 560 and I love it. The only thing I have seen is that the temp probe appears to be set to compensate for the distance from the center to where the probe actually is. I bought a probe to clip near the food and it was always about 30 degrees difference when I set it to what it actually was showing with an additional probe I placed in to verify. This is just nitpicky from me, but I'd like to have an option to use a dynamic probe sometimes instead of a static probe (like a fireboard or other type setup, for example). The only other thing I'd say about the 560 is that the top of the hopped opens over the grill itself, instead of opening over the back. Again, just nitpicky.
Thanks for the detailed, honest comparison. I love smoking on my mb but grilling still seems a little different than a traditional grill. Thinking about getting a shroud mod. Do you feel like grilling is equal on both?
Hey man, greetings from Czech Republic! I am in the half of this video, which is the first one I see from you and even without watching till the end, I have to thank you and give thumbs up! ! Very understandable, addressing exactly what I needed to know. Discovering and explaining those issues like little space between grill levels and front space hit by the handle, sturdiness and so on, makes sense. So, subscriptions to your channel, watching this till the end, and also check your other videos. I have Weber Genesis E-410 and not happy with it overall, missing the charcoal flavor and the heat on the grate is just low, low for steaks. I will choose my next grill with you, okay? 😀 Cheers! Jirka (George) 😀🤚🏻
Great video. I got the MB 800 without the griddle. I'm going to get the LSS burner/grease catcher before I use it. I'm old and I live in Texas, and it's been over 100 degrees for over a month, so I haven't used it yet. As soon as I get the LSS part I'll do the burn in and seasoning, and set up the phone app. 😛
I just went and pushed my Char Griller 980 and it does not have the movement yours has I suggest going over yours and tighten things down. it moved, but didn't wobble nearly as much as yours did, and I'm 6'0" 250 lbs.
I've checked mine over several times and everything is tight..... still wobbles though
@@AndersonsSmokeShow I agree that would suck, but something is obviously wrong. I would contact Char Broiler or after them seeing this video they should reach out to you.
Yeah, contact char griller
Great review! I have had both grills MB800 and the CG980. I switched to the CG980 due to its cooking size, but after two cooks, the fan burned and melted SMH. Come to find out after talking to CG, this grill is not recommended for use in windy weather. I used the MB800 in windy conditions, and it kept on cooking with no issues. In conclusion, I returned the CG980 and am returning to the Masterbuilt, but 1050 this time.
I got the LSS Fan mod and haven't had any problems. The 2nd gen 980 should be stellar.
@@SystemLost I had the LSS fan mod on and it still burned and melted.
I just got rid of my 1050. Had it since June of 2020. In central TX. Manifold, and inlet from fire chamber rusted through. Hopper developed large voids in the side walls in a couple places. No crazy use. Just bad materials. Lid hinge was also rusting. I loved that grill. Sure had quality issues with switches. Had to replace the fan under warranty. Had a few grease fires. But when it worked, it worked well. I might get the 980 to see if it lasts any better.
You answered a bunch of questions right there for me, the only thing I would say bad about the MB is the switch’s but if a guy keeps them clean they work fine. But I have had some trouble with them other than that I’ve loved my 560.
The hole Wobble thing is probably a breaker for me. I’ll be getting the 800 next.
Thank for the video buddy, really answered a bunch of questions I had.
Alright I gotta go get ready for a big cook Saturday (30 people) is a big one for me
Thanks again brother 💯👍
I got the 800 when it came out the switch’s Were faulty but it always worked perfect just displayed error codes on the screen constantly
I’ve had a 1050 for awhile, actually my second one. You can’t just ignore the rust factor. They rust out too fast. The manifold could be covered better or porcelain covered along with the grates.
How long was it before it started to rust? What conditions caused it? I want the 1050, but now I am concerned.
@@jazzman9469I’ve had my 1050 for 3 years, kept under a covered patio (no walls), and have yet to see any rust. Hope that helps. If you do get a MB, there’s a place called LSS Mods that makes great aftermarket parts.
I know I'm late to the party but, I just found you on UA-cam. The Char Griller and the Masterbuilt are produced by separate companies but..... both companies are owned by the world famous Milddleby company. They own brands like Viking and many other very top of the line culinary products. Your series on these grills was very helpful so thank you.... I bought both....
I will have owned the CG980 for a year on Christmas. After 3 months the fan melted, which somehow took out the controller. I made my own version of the LSS mod, and after a couple of months of back and forth with CG they sent a new fan and controller. I also replaced the silicon "flap" with a very thin, light piece of aluminum and two small hinges, and it functions good. The controller reads almost a hundred degrees higher than the actual center of the chamber, and i keep getting the fan error code, fan still looks new. Then discovered the firebox to chute seal was burned up. Replaced that...and still multiple fan codes during every cook. Its been a long, demoralizing year. I hate it, and will never buy anything affiliated with CG now, but i guess some people love them.
There's quite a bit of videos explaining the Masterbuilt & BY FAR, this is THE BEST video explaining & educating people about it. You truly sound impartial. I was rooting for the Char Griller since I have the 5050, but I've been eyeing the 800 for quite some time now. The same issues I have with my 5050 is the same issues you explain here (porcelain instead of cast iron grates, lack of sturdiness, but somehow confusingly heavy). After a year of sitting on the fence, I think I'm decided on the 800. And right now, there's a "900" at Costco that comes with a pizza oven. Great video!
I appreciate the kind words!
My MBGS 560 shows up tomorrow cannot wait!!!!!!! What should I christen it with this weekend???
Not to mention the included griddle insert for the MB 800. I use it all the time for smash burgers.
Can the masterbuilt be run with the lid open?
I just ordered the mb 1050. What I am gonna do as far as front shelf. Is I'm gonna drop mine down. Hook the top of shelf on the second row of screws and then use self tapping screws to bolt the bottom of shelf. And as far as big cooks I have a reverse flow offset for thos huge cooks. Thank you for ur videos.
Yeah, I thought about that during the review here that it could be mounted lower yourself. That is a good idea about reusing the lower screws as the top (if that provides enough extra space.
@@damanfromtn I think it can be done for sure. Klotesmods sells a shelf that's bigger that goes over top of the existing shelf to make the existing shelf bigger. But I think I'm gonna save the money and just lower it myself
I think I’ve seen shelves like that and it seems better
Does Char Griller have a griddle, pizza oven or rotisserie?
Nice comparison. And the MB 800 gives you the griddle option as well, which I love to use. 😉
What do you cook on the griddle?
I watched another video on these as a comparison and the channel took a thermo works temp and placed them in the grills to check accuracy, the master build was 1 degree off from what it showed on the control panel, the chargriller was over 50 degrees lower than what it showed on the control panel. thats a huge difference.
I bought my Gravity 800 at Costco for $549 and see that it is on sale this month for $499. That is without the griddle, but I don't want to fire up charcoal for a griddle anyway.
I was disappointed in the cooking area with those 2 upper shelves. The top shelf is just too close to the lid and the 2nd one too low and close like you said. I want to see about moving the top rack mount halfway down (and get the extended rack) and see how that goes with the bottom and the higher in between rack together.
I’ve seen someone mod those shelves… I dont know if it was LSS Mods or what, but they seriously doubled the amount of space
@@AndersonsSmokeShow Yes they had a full length self but have been out of stock for a while. I put some accesories in from the beginning like the steel sleeve for the firebox and steel plate on inside of hooper top door. I am not near an outlet so made a 12v battery box (with 10ah battery and solar panel) with matching 12v canon plug to power the smoker wherever I want it.
Got mine yesterday from Walmart for 497 and it came with the griddle
That’s a good deal!
Charcoal smoked pancakes sound delicious though.
Great review, looking forward to more cooking videos.
Ok, So I went with the CG980. love it. Now, that being said I've had a couple issues to deal with.
First, mine doesn't wobble as yours did. Seems pretty sturdy to me.
The front shelve is too small for sure. I bought a large white PVC cutting board and bolted on top of mine, works like a charm. Lots of room to prep food or cut meat as I take it off the fire. Whatever you need to do. I would recommend anyone with either of these grills to add one.
You're right about the upper rack. when I fire up the 980, I remove the upper rack.
The heat control is way off. I've done a lot of cooks last summer and NEVER relied on the number displayed on the controller. I used two different remote thermometers with two probes each spread out around the main cooking grate. I've developed my own cross reference chart for temp control. I know for a fact it runs colder. (Ribs @ 225 degrees I set the CG at 260, works perfect)
The fan unit gave out at the end of last summer, I ordered another one, but haven't installed it yet. I've heard it's a thing with these cookers and the unit I received is a better unit then stock.... Not sure about it yet, but I'll be keeping an eye on it this summer.
I had an issue with my fan once and it ended up being a TINY piece of charcoal had fallen down into the fan and jammed it up. I laid underneath and spun the fan with a small screwdriver and it ended up working fine. Surprisingly a piece of charcoal the size of a grain of rice is what stopped it.
No mention of the missing liner in the hopper of the Masterbuilt???
Not sure what you’re referring to?
When I was at Lowes I couldn’t help but notice how wobbly the char griller was. I live in an extremely windy area and I have legit concerns about that. That’s why I’m going with the MB800. You’re the only reviewer I’ve seen mention how wobbly it is.
Seriously??? I just watched 2 that mention it.
@@TerryBollea1 That might be so, but think of all the UA-camrs who have talked about this smoker. 2 out of that many isn't a lot.
@@jtlbb2 m8. Theres only about 5 guys who have made videos about this shit. No one cares except for you.
@@jtlbb2 all people care about is "LOOK AT THIS NEW TECHNIQUE FOR SMOKING THIS EXPENSIVE ASS MEAT THAT NO ONE CAN AFFORD!!!!". Those "new" technique s are older then I am its just that gen zer chuds only believe shit if its on the internet.
@@jtlbb2 or the other thing they post is smoking on there $30,000 smoker just to show off.
How many pork butts (8-10lb) do you think will fit on the MB 800? I batch cook for side hustle occasionally and have outgrown my MES 30.
What about all the porcelain coatings in the cg980 and everyone has to mod the 800..
Ease use and cleaning etc
Bought the 800 a few weeks just from your videos. Love it so far.
Thank you for the review. Just to add few comments:
I have the 980 and it is very sturdy and does not wobble. Maybe you should check all the bolts in the frame and make sure they are tight. Don't ever trust the assemblers at big box stores, as they have to assembly many units quickly and have no reason to care if done properly.
I have always let my charcoal grills warm up for at least 45min before use to equal out the temps. I do my final food prep during that time.
My only complaint about the 980 is the poor flapper design. You have to be very careful not catch it on fire if you put wood chunks in the ash catcher. Yes, I burned my up one time. There are mods out there to move the fan and flapper further back. I have one on the way as of this writing.
I assembled it myself. Also I was Lowes a few weeks back and theirs wobbled in the exact same manner. I typically let mine warn up while I prepare the food, but for most people they see "oh it's 225F now lets get the food on" and in all actuality its not.... yet.
Just picked up a MB gravity 800 for clearance at walmart. $350. First cook was ribs and turned out great. Thanks for the comparison.
Wow ur lucky..
Damn!!!! What a steal!
Just snagged one for the same price!
Wish I had pulled the trigger last fall on the end of season sale at Walmart
Really instructive video bro.
Good point you raised about the restrictive amount of clearance between the handle & the front shelf.
What are the main construction/design differences between the original MB Gravity series smokers & their improved Gravity series released 21/22? And would you say MB with their modifications have mitigated or solved the issues that some MB users experienced with the original models?
Trying to decide between the 1050 & 800(?) Leaning slightly towards the 800, just because of the included griddle plate. Wonder if MB are considering including a griddle plate for the 1050?
Look forward to watching more of your vids.
My first Masterbuilt 1050 only worked for a week I bought it in July of 2021, the second worked for a year, but after one month I could only get it work if I giggled the safety switch on the chimney, it’s a very common problem, this past August at 1 year old it died.
Did you call MB about it?
I’m still considering the two. I have buddies with both . The 800 and 1050 are huge quality upgrade over the original 580. The CG980 my friends have are way more sturdy than yours. I like the manifold design and heaviness of 980. Seems close call
My 980 doesn't wobble like that
I wonder if it's something from when he assembled it hahaha
@@AbsolutCrono I finally got the 980 and really enjoy it. I assembled it using one of Anderson’s videos ( big help). Doesn’t wobble…..
I own neither and believe from looking at and touching both. The Chargriller 980 is hands down the way I’m going.
Thanks for this review. Just discovered your channel and love how simple and clear you make everything. This video convinced me to get the Masterbuilt
Welcome aboard! Thanks for the support
I’ve owned my my 980 for 2 years now: doesn’t have the wobble, maybe that comes down to assembly. I replaced the flap, but customer service was helpful unlike MB.
If you're watching this I would stay away from the Masterbuilt 800. The flat top is painted. Not coated and will peel off onto your food. After two years of use I need to replace both the heat diverter and Manifold. I placed order for both and only recieved the diverter. Told to wait on Manifold for it to end up being out of stock. So now grill is down and needing a new one.
I got the 980, I don't have that wobble issue and move it often to cook. Maybe double check everything is tight? Still it's not a heavy duty construction. I got the 980 for the cooking area and at the time there were a lot of issues with the masterbuilt insulation and burning through it, and seemed like a lot of electronic issues with people complaining about poor support from masterbuilt. I'd bet those issues have been addressed on the new version but I haven't been keeping up. I took a risk on the chargriller since it was fairly new with no reviews, and at the time around $600 so also cheaper than the masterbuilt. The main issue with the chargriller being the silicone flapper. I finally melted the silicone flapper (I was a little buzzed and loaded the ash catcher with way too much wood) and am happy to say that chargriller has been good for support. They shipped a new one out within 24hrs of my email. It's still a poor design flaw and I'll probably get the mod for it when it's available, but to me it's an easier issue to fix than what was happening on the masterbuilts at the time.
I never had the issue with the flap, but I also never put wood in the ash pan… only the hopper. Everything seems to be tight and secure, it just twists and wobbles
No wobble on mine
I assembled my 980 with the aid of Mr Anderson’s build video! I owe him big time and told him. But no wobble on mine. I bought mine at Menards because I liked the color better!!!!
Thanks for the video, NOW I wish I would have went with the Masterbuilt Gravity 800. I bought the Char Griller 980 and have not been too happy with it (every other time I use it I get the fan error, problems with the wifi, controller went out was replaced and fire brick broke was replaced by Char Griller). I debated and watch all the videos I could on it and both had about the same review and my son told me that he has a friend who had the 980 and the friend and my son like it so I went with it. Should have gone with my gut feeling and pick up the Masterbuilt LOL
Thank you for the honest review. I feel the same way about the space rating system. its like tv sets they measure dagonally instead of across.
Love my Masterbuilt 560. Done Ribs, smoked sausage and cooked burgers. Looking forward to doing a brisket.
It does make some great food!
I hear because the MB isn’t porcelain coated that rust tends to happen on the inside of your grill. Can anyone confirm?also I think the firebox should be mentioned here. MB’s are known to break down after about a year or so then you start to get warping in the metal where chargriller uses some other material that doesn’t break down as easily. As sturdy as the masterbuilt is rust and that firebox could eventually render it useless far before the chargriller
I have the first series 560. And yes, it is rusting and falling apart. I love the concept and ease of use with this smoker. But the durability is not there. I’m not having any issues with my firebox yet, but everything else about it has gone downhill fast. And by the way, Anderson’s Smoke Show is one the best channels out here. Very informative and knowledgeable on the products. He knows his business. And his recipes are delicious. As for the MB, it is definitely not one that is going to last long.
I had the 560 on Day 1 back in 2020, I went though 3 of them in a year. Killed the first one trying to grill open top. Bad flareup killed the switches on the 2nd one (and the manifold rusted out), The 3rd one rusted out on me after leaving it outside and covered with the MB cover during a Texas Winter. I'm waiting on a 2nd generation. They are the BMW of grills.......when they run there's nothing like it but they are fragile and they WILL die on you. But it's the best damned food you'll ever eat
I also have a 580 and I removed the manifold because it rusted completely through.had to bypass all the switches also
If you’re looking for a bigger shelf for the Masterbuilt the klosemods makes one. Doesn’t move it down though unfortunately
Bigger would be nicer but I really think that dropping it 3-4in would make a lot of sense.
Great review! I hope both companies are paying attention to you👍😊
Thanks! I hope so too!
So how do any of these charcoal smokers do as far as efficiency cause I will turn on my pellet stove before bed and run it all night.
I’ve run them all night plenty of times. I do usually check it once and add charcoal just because… but depending on the temperature you’re running at, you can run overnight
Good review, I toke my char griller off my shallow trailer with a friend on a slight angle and it racked the front gravity plate under the shelf and tore the screws out. You are dead on about the shelf. The shelf with the controller is flimsy and will bend if you try to lift it there. I have paint flaking off the same shelf. I also have a gap where the middle of the barrel meets the lid on the back. Last my flapped is curled already after 4 cooks. I do love the results from cooking on it
I think with some slight improvements they could make this one hell of a cooker! But yeah it makes some great food
My Master Built lasted two cook seasons (stored in garage during MN winters) I estimate about 40 cooks, 6 overnight briskets cooks, about 10 rib cooks, and the rest was steaks, burgers and chicken. This year the charcoal chamber burnt a hole through the thin inner sheet metal. I did enjoy cooking on it, but it's more of a toy grill than a serious long-term grill. I did a lot of research before buying this grill and never heard an honest evaluation. So here it is people:
Great toy! Works initially! Won't last long! Save your money and buy a gravity feed grill with 1/4" steel minimum.
That is why we bought the firebox insert from LSS-Mods. We love ours but learned the hard way do not use this unit for high temp cooks. It is impossible to get the thing fully cleaned from cooks so it is a grease fire waiting to happen, and it warped the lid when we tried, making it slightly difficult to close.
I remember when chargrill gravity 980 came out it was selling at Lowe’s for 499.99+Tx. Now with inflation, it’s almost double that? No thanks. I’ll save for an Old Country gravity feed, or just use my vertical smoker.
Inflation and supply chain really hit consumers where it hurts most…
I've had the 980 for a little over a year and it is a great grill...........finicky...... like the temp equalization thing, and I was one of the people that had the fan flap issue (it burned to a crisp) but I can tell you mine is sturdy as heck.....it does not wobble if i push on it like you did in the video.
Yeah, a lot of people have told me the same thing! I’ve checked mine, and it is nice and tight…
Would you say that the master built is better than any pellet grill?
I wouldn’t say that, some of the build qualities on the pellet grills are getting ridiculously nice! The camp chef Apex is like a tank, but those upper end grills come at a much higher cost.
@@AndersonsSmokeShow What about at the same price point or even to the $1200 price point?
Also what about grease management and clean up?
At the same price they are fairly comparable in build with pellet grills. Once you get to the $1000ish range you’ll see much better quality… thicker steel, better controls, better warranty, etc. Around the $1000 range you are looking at RecTeq, Camp Chef, GMG, plus some others
I dont know sometimes I feel like the masterbuilt does a good job, then I find grease on the driveway lol. My camp chef definitely handles it better
Im so torn on buying one of these. I had a pellet smoker all of 1 day and imediately knew it wasnt for me with the sub par product it produced.
I just picked up thr MB900 (it's an 800 with the pizza oven attachment) for $650 at Costco
I would agree with you on your assessment, but I need to point out that the Chargriller beats the MasterBuilt construction of the fire box. Actual firebricks in the base rather than sacrificial metal is better in my opinion.
Yeah I would agree. Then you’ve got the flap issues
@@AndersonsSmokeShow
There’s a mod for that.
ua-cam.com/video/zbfd0SI8ABs/v-deo.html
I have the 560. I love it! I have used it a million times. Masterbuilts weakest link is their pressure switches on the door, hopper lid, and ash pan door. That is easily fixed by putting a manual switch on them. Never have to worry about it again. But just like all electronics, they fail. It’s not perfect. I almost never cook on the main grate.
Any insight on how to perform that fix? My 560 shows up tomorrow and I'm already anticipating how I'm going to have to fix issues with it.....
@@beganny sure! So the way that the switches work is that their are two wires on each one. When the switch is depressed the wires are touching together. So I go two toggle switches. I put the lid door switch on one because when the grill is over 500 degrees the fan is supposed to cut off. (I only smoke with my 560). Then I put the hopper door and ash pan door on the same toggle switch. If I open either one I will turn the switch off so the fan shuts off. The toggle switches have two places to attach both wires. I hope this makes sense. If you don’t do that you will have issues where your fan will quit working intermittently. People think it’s the fan but it’s almost always the switches.
The pressure switches last a lot longer if you spray contact cleaner in them after you each cook.
Awesome video and great information...as usual. They just brought the Masterbuilt 800 into Canada and they're available at Costco. I was looking for the Char Griller initially but after watching this I think I'm k leaning towards the Masterbuilt. Thanks for your excellent and informative videos.
Careful with Costco. If my memory serves me correctly, it doesn’t come with the griddle.
@@AndersonsSmokeShow Ohhh, thanks for the heads up. I appreciate it 🙏
That's correct. @@paula.2422 I just ordered one from Costco, it's called the MB 900. It doesn't have a griddle. It has a pizza oven instead of a griddle.
How do I do the biscuit test. Also what temp?
Can I fit 2 18lb turkeys spatchcocked on griller? I Kno probably not on the Masterbuilt can I?
Yeah I would think so for the Char Griller
I went with the Char-Griller about a year ago. Mainly because nearly all reviews (including you) chose it. But I will say whoever put your Char-Griller together should be fired. Mine is nowhere near that loose and moves just fine. Maybe you should disassemble and rebuild it.
I assembled it lol! And it’s all tight!
Mine doesn't wobble like that
Mine either
Hmmm
He forgot to mention that the Masterbuilt 800 also comes with a griddle that you can put in or just use the cast iron grates
Been really out looking for one see the 980 charbroil at lowes doors closed tight on the box but looking at the mb first thanks on your thoughts I want one to last
Thanks for the video! I have been agonizing over a gravity feed charcoal smoker for a while, and still wish there were more choices - that don’t cost $3,500. You hit all the points I am interested in. 🍻. I currently have a WSM and a PBC, and really want a flat smoker with a lot of surface area so I can smoke more than one thing at a time.
Are you looking one with digital control? Sounds like you’re into “real smoking” with those two cookers
@@AndersonsSmokeShowHi, thanks for responding. I have modified both of them and use a CyberQ temp controller with them. They are both good, but for ribs, you really have to hang them, and they are both barely able to hold a full brisket without trimming quite a bit of flat .
So I am looking for a flat charcoal smoker with good capacity that can do a full brisket and a few racks of ribs, chicken, etc….And not buy the Myron Mixon smoker I like, which is $5,000.
Is this a re-upload?
Masterbuilt can get up to 700 degrees, waht about the chargriller?
How would you compare doing low and slow on the two grills? I’ve noticed others saying the main cooking rack on the mb gets to hot and burns the food.
Most grills in general have hot spots that we have to deal with. I think they both are pretty equal IF you pre heat the Char Griller prior to putting the food on.
Had a first gen 560. Loved it and made tons of great food. Bought the 2nd gen charcoal grate and it helped a ton with charcoal usage. Got a 980 for cheap and chose to keep it and gave the MB away (to someone I like). MB was going to need the firebox mod as the wear parts in the firebox were deteriorating. No heat diffuser meant flare ups were common. Also, had to smoke on the middle rack with a sheet cake water pan underneath to avoid food burn. I ended up making a heat deflector that sat on welding magnets on the manifold so I could use the middle shelf and the main cooking area at the same time. With those adjustments, it made GREAT food.
At the end of the day, 980 size was better for me, wifi on char griller>bluetooth on MB and adjusting set temp (main grate is 20° cooler than set temp) easier than other ways I had to compensate for my MB. Happy Cooking!
you know the MB has wifi too right?
WOW! You have one video from 1 year ago saying 100 out of 100 times the char grill is the one you would pick. Now you say the masterbuild. So which is it for real?
Love all your videos Anderson 👍but Had the master built 900 series 6 months in interior lower section of the hopper melted fire bricks fell off with time and all 3 walls melted the metal right into the fire proof insulation
Master built 👎
Bought the last 1050 likely in my state today, still in box that’s a bit damaged. Sure hope all the contents are OK. Package was so heavy!!!
Excited to get it together and try it out. Curious if it’ll make me sell my pellet grill.
Both cost $1000 where I live. Sorry, reading multiple comment threads from reddit, youtube and FB and my conclusion is these units are a craps roll . It seems 50/50 if you get a unit that lasts a year without problems. Some of these problems can render the unit useless without buying new parts out of warranty. Sorry, gotta just stick with my vertical rusty offset smoker. Somehow I make killer meats on it. The door doesn't lock since stuck from rust, I added a fan to throw smoke into chamber better and sealed it. It's modded a bit, 6 years old and my go to. It requires work for sure. I am looking into something I can pretty much set n forget at this point, but nothing justifies the price so far.
$1000 is a lot! At that price you’ve got a lot of better built options.
@@AndersonsSmokeShow Do you think the Traeger is the best option under $800?
I just placed an order on the Char Griller 980 for 499.00 at Home Depot. I was leading more towards the Master-built 1050 but at 897.00. When I saw that the price dropped for 499.00 on the char-griller it was a no brainer for me
That’s not a bad deal!
@@AndersonsSmokeShowtake that back. At my arrival to home depot to pick up my grill, I change my mind. I took the Masterbuilt 800 display at discounted price for $547 due to some scratches when it was getting assemble. I ended up taking the master built.
@@AlexSeg10how do you like it ?
@@qt1622 I love the Masterbuilt. Best grill ever
@@AlexSeg10 thanks I’m trying trying to hold out past Labor Day to get the 800. I may try asking for a display model… is that how that works you just ask to buy the display ?
Have a 1050 love it. Can’t believe you don’t use the second and third racks just cooked chicken wings on them
What about if u want to smoke a salmon those rak work?
Yeah thats about as wide as you can go though
Just assembled my 800 and completed burn off and seasoning.
Going to do a pork tenderloin for my first smoke.
Go Buckeyes.
Love me some smoked pork tenderloin!
I had not one, but two very hard falls on my Masterbuilt 1050 while engineering an easy way to get it in and out of the back of my truck....they're tough as nails
Oh man….
Other review videos I have watched say that the bottom grates the temperature is too hot to smoke meat on they have to put the meat on the second rack is this still a issue?
I haven’t had the issue. I just did 2 pork shoulders on my MB800 with zero issues
Thanks for the info , I already have the MB but it was good to know .. Good Video
Thanks!
Man, do I feel better about my choice on the gravity 800 after watching this. I waffled between these two exact grills for months, researched and watched a ton of comparison videos. For a long time I was leaning toward the Chargriller because I liked the barrel-type construction, but ultimately chose the MB 800. Just seeing that wobble on the 980 tells me I made the right choice.
I really like the gravity series. Prior to owning the 800 I thought that char Griller had a leg up, but I only had experienced the original 560
Bougth the MB 800, thanks for the review.
Gravity 800 because it also comes with the whole griddle setup. Which is amazing
Weird, because Tom in the Land of Grills chose the 980 over the 1050. I went with the 980 because at the end of the day, cooking space is more important. And mine doesn't wobble like you're demonstrating so... I guess I got a better unit??
Well I mean it’s all opinions, and I can only really speak on my own personal experiences.
I think Tom felt the Stack and hopper on Char Griller was stronger.
The Masterbuilt is a great, but uses CHEAP stamped thin (1mm thick) steel. Which is CRAP. It starts to rust very quickly around the edges of the cover and to try to prevent that you need to make sure that you take off your protective cover after each heavy rain storm, so moisture doesn't build up under the cover, promoting rust. Also, make sure (at least once a month) to use ONLY canola spray oil around the edges of the outside cover BEFORE you use it, so the oil can bake on those edges to create a protective barrier against water and moisture. Hope this helps.
one thing I will say about Masterbuilt, their aftersales dept is pretty spot on, when I bought My 560 a year back it came with the hopper lid damaged from Amazon, Masterbuilt sent out a full replacement hopper lid within the week so can't fault them at all for that... the app is god awful though lol
I haven’t used the app since day zero of the 560 🤣🤣
I have a MB1050 and the biggest drawback is definitely the grease management. It is very difficult to avoid grease fires even when doing low and slow because the grease just pools in the manifold. The manifold is also rotting out very bad after just a couple years of moderate use. I think I am planning on staying away from low cost grills/smokers from now on and looking at getting a higher end Hasty Bake or similar.
Hasty Bake rough neck drum smoker
I would happily buy the master built if only the main cooking surface was bigger
The 1050 is slightly bigger, but that’s one thing chargriller has on the Masterbuilt
Great video. Keep up the great work!
I have a masterbuilt 560 and recently I've had troubles getting it up over 350 degrees, the fan goes full speed but the temp maxes out at around 300. Anyone have any ideas?
Make sure the temp probe is clean. Also make sure that you shake the hopper clean. Most of my temperature issues have been due to poor airflow because spent charcoal/ash didn’t fall through the grate.
@@AndersonsSmokeShow thanks for the reply mate.
Thanks
What about the internals and how the heat flows? I feel like this review was purely based off the construction. Or a least was the mass majority of it. I expected a better review out of you but this seemed more like a I got them out of the box here is my opinion view after reading the pamphlet. Not trying to being negative but normally I enjoy your videos because of your attention to details and engineering mindset. This one just didn’t seem to hit the mark for me.
Id go with ANYTHING other then my Masterbuilt analog electric smoker!!! Temp swings of 20 degrees all day long!!
These are a significant improvement over those
Was originally getting the chargriller when it first came out for $599 but now that’s it’s $750 there’s no way it is worth that much of a mark up. Way to much. Smfh you should also note the price differences in the last year or two from when they originally released
skip to 8:51 for the conclusion
🤷🏼♂️
lol
Awesome Video very helpful.
Glad it was useful!
Great info. Thank you.
Would anyone chose this over a normal tower style smoker and why?
I wan to smoke fish mainly and likely pork.
I spearfish in Hawaii and would love to smoke.
thanks man, it's very informative
💪🏻
Thx. This made my mind up for sure.
You’re welcome!
Thank you
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Brilliant. Thanks very much 👍
I thought the biggest question would be wide to buy a Ford
🤣
Masterbuilt 800 all day! Great review!!!
Thanks! And thanks for watching!
Amazing review. Aloha 🤙
Thanks for watching!