Masterbuilt Digital Charcoal Smoker Review | Initial Thoughts & First Light
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- Опубліковано 21 сер 2024
- Welcome back to Anderson's SmokeShow today we are reviewing my new Masterbuilt 40 inch Digital Charcoal Smoker! I am going to give you my initial impression, pros & cons, a comparison to my Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560, and I am going to fire it up for the first time! Come Check it out!
Gasket used: amzn.to/3uqWIK4
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I picked up this charcoal smoker for $350 because I was looking for something with a lot of space and the fact that it ran on charcoal like my Masterbuilt Gravity smoker was a great feature. And at this price range it makes for a great charcoal smoker for beginners.
I review this vertical smoker and provide some feedback on the design and features but the real test is going to be to smoke some food. This thing is easy to light, but you need to understand the two methods which as based on your desired cooking temperature!
Looking for a better way to light your charcoal? Check out the GrillBlazer: grillblazer.co...
Thanks again for watching! Stay tuned as we bring you more content on this Masterbuilt smoker. Be sure to like and comment, as I would love to know what you think too!
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#MasterbuiltSmoker #CharcoalSmoker #CharcoalForBeginners
Did you like this video? Here's a smoker and video I'd recommend instead: ua-cam.com/video/UkQKmcJ8LwU/v-deo.html
Nope.
So glad I came across your videos! My hubby and I watched your Excellent video on assembly of this smoker (my Christmas present from hubby) and 2 years after your video, Masterbuilt did change the wiring directions!! Can't wait to begin smoking meats, I used my smaller Bradley cabinet smoker for 2 years until it went kaput! Thanks!
Everyone! Anderson's assembly video is a MUST WATCH! Anderson, nice job saving me assembly time. I am also in Ohio. I bought mine at lowes 2 days ago and seasoned it last night. This smoker maintained the desired temp within 5° the whole time. 1st smoke will be this weekend. Thanks again Anderson!
That’s awesome hear Steve! I do these videos to help others, so it’s always great to get some feedback! Thanks for the support man!
@@AndersonsSmokeShow said oh oh ok ok oh oh my
Great video!! I spent the afternoon assembling this and had the exact same questions bout the build order! If anyone stumbles across this post, please skip ahead in the instructions to find ALL the components that need to be hooked up BEFORE you stand the smoker right side up to complete the build or you will end up partially breaking it back down to flip it back over to do it later, I actually got lucky just did it while I had it upside down :-D
Yeah I was a bit baffled by their order of operations
Thanks for the initial review. I have the 1050 and love it, but it addressed some of the failings of the 560, including the power cord issue you have. I was excited about this smoker, but after some of your comments I think I'm going to hold off. The lack of insulation or even double walled construction is bothersome.
You’re better off with the 1050. Close to the same amount of space and a better constructed grill/smoker.
Entry level smoker, entry level video and perfect for helping me through my first cook. Thank you!
For a introduction charcoal smoker with built in digital control that's a very good/low price. Of course it's going to not have ALL the things you get on a more expensive smoker ( I'm currently waiting for my IVS from Lonestargrillz, can't wait) but this sounds like a great starter. Or something for the pellet smoker guy who wants to check out charcoal. As to temperature change problems, vertical smokers can go up in temperature easily, but can be difficult to bring back down on temperature. Its because once fuel gets lit,it stays lit until it burns up. Giving it less air can only reduce heat a bit so it can take awhile to bring things down. It's something we just have to deal with, but once up to temperature you can walk away for hours ( or sleep through the night, ahhh wonderful sleep 😴 ) Interesting review, have a great day.
Thanks for watching Victor! Yeah this would be a great beginner charcoal smoker. Learn the ropes and if you really like charcoal (some people don’t, including my cameraman). This smoker isn’t perfect but it’s cheap and makes great food! We all dream about getting a Lonestar one day!
@@AndersonsSmokeShow looking at the construction you showed saying "cheap" might not be fair. I prefer inexpensive. But definitely a good value. The starting price on LSG's large IVS is $3,000. That's before all the other goodies and shipping ( I live in the sw portion of Washington state, so shipping is a thing) And like you pointed out the capacity for a smoker of that price range is pretty darned good. I feel confident to suggest someone who is looking for their first cooker to check it out. Im curious about how it cooks. So do some cooks and let us know. FYI, I'm thinking about getting a pet rabbit and calling it " Traigger" 😄🐇 hope I spelled that right.
Well I consider it cheap when they have other smokers in the same price range that are double walled.
@@AndersonsSmokeShow I have to admit I haven't been looking at Backyard cookers in awhile so im not up on them. I did notice that they were using thin sheet metal construction but at that price range that doesn't surprise me. My only true concern about this cooker is its longevity. How long will everything work. Myself I have two offsets,two 22" wsm's,two propane powered vertical water smoker ( don't tease me about the propane,they work wonderfully for my smoked salmon, hmmm ) and the big IVS arriving in February but if I was just starting out this smoker you showed looks promising so again I'm looking forward to seeing how it performs and lasts. Have a great day.
I purchased a Masterbuilt upright based on one of your reviews. Its so far the best value for money BBQ I have purchased. I'm not sure how long it will run faultlessly,. but so far its 5 stars from me. Cant wait to see how this cooks for you.
That’s awesome to hear! And they do make some dang good food!
I was really considering purchasing this smoker until learning from your video that it's a single-wall construction, now I'm hesitant. Being an Ohioan also, I'm looking forward to more videos showing how this smoker handles all that an Ohio winter can throw at it.
This smoker made great food, but I was not impressed with the build quality. Granted it was only $350, so I can’t expect too much… but it could’ve been a little sturdier with double wall construction.
Hey, Tommy at the Gallery Backyard BBQ just got one of these too, just did a rack of ribs. He did the unboxing and assembly. The assembly was a PAIN on his channel, and seems to be built very cheap. And Tommy had the partition in during his cook and put it up to 400 degrees and it got there no problem.
I saw that he had the partition in there on his burn in... I was surprised to see that because the instructions clearly state that the partition must be out. That may be something that I experiment with later, but I just followed the instructions lol
I have this smoker, and he’s right about the build steps… goofy order. Also, mine had the screws mislabeled. However, I can tell you they will definitely get over 275 with the partition installed. I know this because i didn’t know what the partition was, and I left it in and ran for 4 hours at 310.
Yeah I’ve seen the same thing too. It can get a little wild with the temperature. I found that using gaskets helped
awesome review dude. i really appreciate it. it's so hard to find honest reviews. I really appreciate the time you took to make this!
I always go for honesty. And I honestly wasn’t impressed with this one
I use a combination of charcoal and wood in my masterbuilt electric smoker food comes out very good I love the masterbuilt products
They do make some great food! Thanks for watching!
Great job on this video! Been watching your videos lately, especially the Gravity series ones, as I have been in the market for the 1050... then I stumbled onto THIS video - now you messed up my head (LOL). I have been reading online of several complaints regarding the Gravity models, and how certain mods need to be made for what I am calling, simply, "Design Flaws". That has given me much pause. I am coming from the MES 30 (which crapped out during an overnight smoke) and been wanting to transition towards charcoal. I sense THIS model has fewer elements than can go wrong, when compared to the Gravity series.
You mentioned something on this video that confused me... You said that during the burn-in process, to start at 275* for some time, and then to crank it to 400*. But soon after that comment, you stated that once we set the temp at a certain level, you can't change it once that temp it hit. So... how does one "bump up" temp? Would I need to shut down the controller and re-start at new desired temp WHILE the smoker is till burning?
Exactly what does that partition do, in terms of keeping or removing it depending on your desired temp set?
Being that this is not a gravity fed smoker, do you feel this model will burn less fuel since it's not being force "down". Can we really hold a 8-10 hour smoke with just ONE fill of charcoal, or do you sense we need to replenish?
And finally... why in God's name didn't MB place the controller on the top!! My knees hurt just watching you set temp. LOL.
Thanks again for your great vids - much appreciate it.
Joe thanks for reaching out! First off I will tell you that if you are interested in these charcoal smokers, the Gravity series is probably going to be the better option. They both make great food, but the Gravity series is built better, easier to run, and more versatile.
The issue with the temperature isn't written clearly... and I guess that I didn't explain it as good as I could've. First off the partition is to divert the "burn" of the charcoal which slows the burning process down. This inherently will keep the temps lower. You can't decide mid smoke to remove that.... which is where the temperature limitation comes in. Once the fire is going you are either using the partition, or you aren't and you are sort of stuck with the temperatures that its capable of with/without the partition.
In my opinion and from experience, the gravity fed will provide longer run time vs the vertical... and its easier to refill too.
@@AndersonsSmokeShow ON POINT!!! I made up my mind already - I'm going with the 1050. Thanks again, and keep up the amazing work you do. I know we all appreciate the time and effort it takes to put these videos together. Best...
Great video. Thank you for being very informative. I just recently purchased my MB gravity 560 due to your videos, and I love it.
Thank you very much!
Awesome! I’m glad to hear that I was able to help with the decision. The 560 cooks some great food!
@@AndersonsSmokeShowdoes the gravity smoker smoke as well as the upright smoker?
Thanks for the honest review. I was about to order one of these but changed my mind.
Great review. Masterbuilt seems to be coming our with some good innovations, but they need to back producing quality products. I had two of their electric smokers, I loved them. They were well built. Now they seem to be going for cheap. Nicely Done. Thanks for sharing.😎.
Yeah I like my 560, and I’m excited to try this out on some ribs this week.... I am not sure how it will hold up overtime though.
Yeah I had the wires wrong. Working perfectly now. I like the smoker. Not bad for the price. Plenty of size.
Awesome!
Cheap construction, I gave away a charbroil stick burner , just because it was thin , I got me a kamado now!!! Not a ceramic $$ !! But I love it, I'm leaning towards a 560 too, not a big fan of pellets.. I like my charcoal!
Yeah it’s definitely not the best built, but it’s a cool concept to go along with my 560.. and I wanted another vertical too. I like pellets and charcoal both.
Looks interesting. Can’t wait to see some cooks on it 👍🏻
Me either! I think that this smoker will make some banging food! I think my first cook is going to have to be ribs!
Just picked this model up today. I too, live in Ohio. I can't wait to use it this weekend. Going to smoke some cheese first, in this cold climate. I'll post an update. Good video!
Enjoy man! Smoked cheese is one thing that I’ve yet to do!
Never ended up posting your update did you. I knew you wouldnt
@@lollipop84858 Here's an update for you. Fucking doors broke off on the 3rd smoke. Thanks for reminding me about something from 3 years ago. Good job!
Thanks for the great tutorial! I will be using the info when I get my smoker up and running this week.
I hope that it helps you when you get yours
Masterbuilt doesn’t really seem built to last with the cheaper construction. It does look like a cool idea however. Looking forward to seeing you cook on it especially in winter. Great review Andrew!
Yeah for sure... I have to remind myself of what the price point is and really try and be reasonable with my comparisons. Regardless of build quality, I think this will make some kick ass food!
I get taking out the partition so it would be able to get to the right temperature. But think you should have left that partition inside of the upper cabinet, to burn off any oils.
Well made and very informative! This was recommended by YT because I've been researching vertical smokers. No the one for me with the thin metal.
Glad that you found the video useful!
That's interesting grill design, I have the masterbuilt pro and its literally built like a mini fridge, idk why they would have a gasket on the fuel chamber but not the cooking chamber. Will be intersting to see what you smoke on it. I know the vertical smokers have a bit more heat control.
Yeah I was pretty surprised to see that there was no gasket on the door.... I think the bottom door has it so that they have better temperature control as we know more air equals more heat. I plan on doing a ribs cook on this very soon!
Possibly for better temperature control. Harder to control the temperature if the heat can’t escape. If the heat escapes, it can at least use more fuel.
Good luck with our winters. I found on the single walled smokers I always had to wrap a canvas tarp around it
Yeah I think I’ll need to get myself a blanket for this one, but I’m going to run it without it to see
I have heard people using welding blankets.
I installed a gasket yesterday to help seal the cabinet up, and I’ll probably get a welding blanket sometime soon. Thanks for watching Bill
I bought this smoker and your assembly video made it much easier. I know this is an old video, but i just did the first burn in on it this morning and I followed the booklet. I left the partition in and it will most definitely get up to 400 F. I know, because mine got to 485 F and was still climbing until I opened the door to blow off the heat before it was destroyed. The fan shut off at 275 F, but holy majoly! That thing just ran away from reality very quickly! I used exactly 4 pounds of charcoal and have no idea what made it take the left turn into the wall. I used my barrel smoker for decades and never had this happen. I'm curious to hear your thoughts on what i may have done wrong.
I was hoping you'd take a look at this one. I love my 560 but there are times I want more room to do 5-6 racks of ribs and this looks like it might be a solution. I'll be looking for your cook videos on this thing.
Hey Bruce thanks for watching! Yeah I really like the concept of the 560 which is why I chose to grab one of these too. I will say that I wish they made a more stout version on this... I would've paid $500-600. I will confirm that there are videos in the works as we speak... The assembly video is already filmed as well as rib video! Unfortunately there aren't enough hours in the day lol!
Nice detailed clip not to long not to short NOT BORING THX YOU THAT MAN
Thanks for watching!
That's a slick unit. I've seen those start to pop up on people's channels recently.
Yeah I tried to get mine out first, but i didn’t have the ability to get it edited in time
I have a masterbuilt dual fuel (propane/charcoal) and it is an absolute pain to control the temp. This looks promising. Thanks for the review
It seemed to run very smoothly as I ran it for the burn in. Curious to see what it does when I throw some meat in there!
Well done bro, very informative, educational, and totally unbiased. I totally get the bowling ball deal. Bowling is my game, lol.
My friends own a Pro Shop and wanted to get into smoking. I have a slight bowling ball addiction, so it was a great trade for both of us!
right on bro ✊ lol, keep on doing your thang!
Very informative. Thank you, this video answered all my questions about this smoker. Unfortunately, I don't think this really what I'm looking for now. Back to the hunt though!
Glad it was helpful!
Talk about keeping it real! Thanks partner.. 👍
Thanks for watching!
Great video Andrew! Love the unbiased review before you even used it! I bet it will put out some good grub! 🍻
Mad Horse BBQ thanks for watching Brian! I’ve got some spare ribs that will be going in there this holiday weekend!
Thanks for the video. It was very helpful when putting it together.
Great channel and I like how all videos are clear, concise, and to the point. Quick question- I love the idea of this smoker (charcoal flavor with ease of digital temperature control), but I’m concerned with the build quality. I’m considering either this smoker or the pit boss pro series 4 pellet smoker. Which do you think would be better? I like the pit boss pro series ease of use but from what some people have said online, I’m worried the pellets won’t produce enough smokey flavor? Im really disappointed with masterbuilt, I LOVE the idea for this smoker but seems like it was poor execution on their part. I’d pay $100 extra for this smoker if it was well built.
Sorry for such a long comment, thanks man!
Thanks! I’d say the quality of the Pit Boss is noticeably better! Double wall construction, sturdy, better overall. I loved the charcoal aspect, but this could’ve been better executed for sure
Great question because I am looking at both of these models. I am looking for an alternative to cooking on my Weber kettle that has more space, ease of use and has wifi capabilities. I like the footprint of those models and they seem to produce good food. I have been leaning towards the Masterbilt Charcoal Digital Smoker because I assumed the food was taste better.
The charcoal definitely gives a more bold smoke flavor but it wasn’t entirely impressed with the build
Gotta comment on Masterbuilt, I purchased electric smoker from them and it stopped working after first cook. I returned and purchased another, same problem. I saw the 40in digital and purchased but will be returning and going with different brand, I can't trust Masterbuilt with cooking for Thanksgiving.
I love my masterbuilt vertical charcoal. it is great for modifications
The food was great, I just wish they would’ve made it more similar to the gravity series.
Showing the 560 cord cracked me up, I understand compared to other smokers out there, the 560's on the lower end of a budget. But that cord... I would PAY Masterbuilt if they made the cord from this into an upgraded 560 cord and offered it for sale. It's comicial how dinky the stock AC adapter is. I just bought a cordless beard trimmer and it's charging cord is 3x as thick as the 560.
Nice review here too, it's a shame this is pretty chinsy build wise, but I guess for the price it is what it is.
that cord came with my sega genesis 😂😂😂
I just bought this on clearance at Dunham Sports for $200....I hope it was a steal.
Not a bad price!
Looks like a nice cooker Andrew! I wonder how many bowling balls you can trade for this one?? ha ha I wish it was double walled but maybe they will build a better charcoal one in the future! Thanks for sharing Andrew!
Hahaha I may be able to get a ball and a used towel 🤣🤣
it's only running the 12 volts fan inside and digital display, you don't need a bigger gauge wire.
Electrically speaking you’re correct. But it’s a stupid design to have such a small fragile cord with no proper form of strain relief ran across your driveway or patio.
New subscriber. I like the gravity series and this one. I have a pellet smoker. So I am looking for something to do with charcoal. Kind of in between a pellet smoker and an offset. I look forward to see more videos on how you like this.
I can tell you that I can’t wait to get an offset!
Thank you, very much! This was incredibly helpful.
Glad you like it!
interesting good video. sounds kind of like a pain compared to the electric smoker or pellet smoker. if i'm having to light the charcoal and i can't fluctuate temps, i would almost rather just do my big barrel old school stick burner/charcoal smoker that i have
Yeah I think in concept it’s a good smoker, but poor execution
I'm confused. You said once it hits the set temp you can't change it but you said for the burn in you were going to run it at 275 then bump it up to 400?
Dlandes 14 yeah I thought about that too... I was reading that directly out of the manual. I’ll have to look again but that’s what it said.
Good detailed review 👍🏼
Don’t forget the cheap hinge welds - my top door broke off
Oh man... I never noticed an issue with the hinges on mine, but it’s not surprising.
Cook bro!! I just subscribed, don't let me down!!👍👍
Thanks Curtis I really appreciate it!
See it`s been 3 years now, any issues with the control module due to moisture? After several uses our controller died due to suspect moisture which warranty replaced which will hopefully cure the wifi pairing issues. Love to hear your honest thoughts on these issues.
I sold this thing in less than 6 weeks after this video was made. It made good food, but was lackluster when it came to build quality
Crazy how most of the BBQ vids I watch are from Ohio. I'm in Ohio. That's Crazy. I guess we like cooking. I have a pit barrel smoker. Which is GREAT. But looking for another option to use from time to time. Thanks for the content!
Thanks man! I personally know of 5 other BBQ UA-camrs from Ohio, but I bet there’s quite a few more that I haven’t discovered yet.
@@AndersonsSmokeShow nice!!!!! Your review was really good, really detailed, not boring at all!! Good stuff man! I think I'm gonna get that smoker based off the review.
Look into the Gravity series grills/smokers. I think they are a better bang for your buck
@@AndersonsSmokeShow will do!!
Bought one this week and it’s been nothing but a headache. I really regret the purchase. Everyday is a new error code and no error code cross reference in the manual. If you’re watching this and thinking about getting this brand, don’t. You’ll regret it. I’ve season it once and had Error codes, 1, 3, and 4. Excited for tomorrow to see what error codes come up next!!
All of the error codes should be listed at the back of the manual in the troubleshooting section.
@@AndersonsSmokeShow My manual does not have them. Pages 1-18 are the English sections and they are not listed anywhere.
www.masterbuilt.com/pages/support and search on model # MB20060321
Page 28 of the PDF has the codes
@@AndersonsSmokeShow Thank you!
I see you figured out that you left the glass label on. 😆 Saw you removed it. What do you think about putting pellets inside in a metal pan or something
In Ohio as well just grabbed one brand new for $125
Great video! Looking to buy a smoker was looking at this one. Not Sure now what I will buy. May be just building my own out of better material. ? I can weld and fabricate good enuff I think to build something that will work just as good..
Check out Fireboard controllers, if you built one you could use one of those to run it
Nicely done!
Thanks Mr. Horsman!
Good job. Thank You!
Thanks for watching Robert!
You state that the initial burn is at 275 for two hours then bump it up to 400 and let it burn out. But then you said once you reach a set temp you can’t change it? How then can you go from 275 to 400? Also, the instructions say on initial burn to put the partition in.
Another Great Video
Thanks man!
Hello, and thank you for your review. How did you manage to seal the top door? Or did you? It seems like a lot of smoke escapes from my door. I also think mine is defective as the door is sagging.
Great review
Thanks
Thanks!
@@AndersonsSmokeShow that warping when using the door clamp and no seal is a deal breaker for me, good detail bud. Also the tripping on the wire detail.
Great video. So coming from someone who owns a MB 560 myself, does this give you more flavor than the gravity series or is it more smoke flavor than anything? I miss the extra flavor my offset used to produce and I know that fan is just a propulsion mechanism for the heat in the 560 and dissipates any charcoal flavor. Wonder if it differs here cause you don’t get the same flavor on a 560 like you would on a Weber Kettle or offset. Not complaining. Just asking cause I’m thinking of adding a new unit.
It’s the same technology As the 560 so I don’t think you’re going to get much different between the two. Truthfully the 560 is a better built cooker than this one by far. Have you considered a WSM?
I just bought one
Nice!
Great video, as I mentioned in another post. Any tips for adding charcoal during a long cook? One load is only going to get me 4-5 hours at 200F. Just doing the first burn-in today, and as a Texan living in Ireland, I cannot wait to do a brisket.
You can add directly to the basket, but don’t overload it or else the temperature can get out of control
Hmmm. I was excited about this, but am admittedly concerned about the single wall and oddly there's no vents of any kind and no sealing. Why is that? I was thinking about getting rid of my Broil King Vertical Charcoal smoker for this. It's steal appealing, but have to rethink this.
Tangier Clarke there is one small vent on the back about the size of your pinky finger. Yeah... I’m not a big fan of the construction of this, but it cooks good food.
Anderson, what are you thoughts about no vents and seals? I have an MB 1050 and this BK (broilkingbbq.com/grills/smoke_vertical_charcoal_smoker/) which I was thinking of changing out for the one in this review. If you didn't have the controller, do you feel confident running this manually?
Me waiting impatiently to see if there is another biscuit test. 🤣
Hahahah! Oh I got them biscuits 🤣🤣
Where is the assembly video?? I'm going to purchase one of these in a few weeks.
ua-cam.com/video/8dxfqb5iKYA/v-deo.html
So I bought this...and don’t hate it, but there are some things that suck. First one you pointed out in the video, assembly instructions are terrible. In fact, so bad that I wired it incorrectly the first time because the fan came assembled incorrectly. Second, I hate that the charcoal basket warped so badly. I guess that is mostly aesthetic, but still disappointed.
Mine warped like crazy as well. It makes some
good food though...
@@AndersonsSmokeShow Agreed, I smoked a pork shoulder last week and it turned out amazing.
I think it’s a great beginner smoker! Best to figure out if you’re into it before dropping $1k or more on one.
Hey Anderson, from a fellow Ohioan here...have you used this in the winter temps here yet? If so, how did it perform? Going between this and the gravity fed and want to make sure that it performs in the winter.
Hey Tim thanks for reaching out. I honestly haven’t cooked with this in the cold because I know that it wouldn’t be efficient at all... the single wall construction is not going to provide any insulation from the elements. So In my opinion I’d go with the gravity series over this one. I cooked on my gravity series in 20F and it performed just fine!
Why didn’t MB just modify its electric chip smoker? Best thing about it is insulted box!!!!
Gerald Sahd that’s a great question! 🤔🤔
Thank you for the info. What is the lowest temp you can set the smoker too? Only info I can find is that it goes to 275.
You would think that tMasterbuilt would label the wires. Hooked it up before turning it upright. Got it turned on and Wamo it came on but keeps turning off. Very frustrating. Would I purchase this unit again for $350? Nope. Very poor instruction manual, fit and finish not up to par either. Lots of smoke escaping around the glass panel and lower door even after adjusting the latch even. Masterbuilt has lost its quality edge for certain. My electric lasted 6 years and I was elated with it. 2 hours into a Cook and heating element failed. The replacement Mastercraft Digital Charcoal Smoke is a fail. Its going back Monday.
I wasn’t entirely impressed either. I feel that they could make a vertical gravity series and have a much better smoker
I cheated .I bought assembled the problem I'm having is getting it to power on again.I set up the wifi no problem but when I got to your part of the video for the first burn I hit the power button and you hear the beep but nothing.i unplug the cord and plug it back and it goes through rotation of numbers and then goes dark...Still does not power on when you push button..Any suggestions?
Wow I had no idea bowling balls are so expensive.
Oh yeah! $180+
I'm considering buying this. I'm first time smoker, but I have done a bunch on off set cooks with my weber kettle. It's alot of work maintaining heat, coals etc. How did masterbuilt hold up? It's on sale at my local store. I'll be smoking jerky a lot and in cold weather thanks
I thought the overall quality was poor, so I ended up selling it fairly quickly
Hey Anderson I'm back again with a comment. I plan on smoking a brisket Saturday on my Masterbuilt Charcoal Smoker. I normally smoke briskets on my off-set between 250 and 275. I want to do the same on the Maserbuilt but WITHOUT the partition. I don't see a problem doing it this way. What do you think? Appreciate your input. Thanks, Ken
I think you’ll be ok. It’s 275F and above that you need to remove the partition.
Looks good!
Thanks man!
Can you turn the fan on with out selecting a temperature and using coals to heat the smoker? I would like to cold smoke out of this with my amaze smoke tube in the charcoal box.
Unfortunately not exactly. The fan runs when the controller is trying to heat up the smoker. I guess you could set a “fake” temperature and it would turn on, but after a certain time it would error out with a flame out error... because the smoker couldn’t get up to temp within the allotted time.
I love you video and I got a question; can I cook bread and how? Thank you 😊
I haven’t attempted bread in my smokers, but I don’t see why not.
@@AndersonsSmokeShow Thank you so much 😊
No problem! Thanks for watching
For me personally Pitboss turned into a large paperweight. I had way to many issues. The Masterbuilt charcoal smokers are way better..Thats just me though,.
I never had one issue with my Pit Boss... maybe I was fortunate? Lol! I am excited to cook on this Masterbuilt and have 3 racks of spare ribs for a video later this week.
@@AndersonsSmokeShow I liked it until the the control temp went crazy. Im sure the board is either going out or is out. Either way I want to try the one you got.
I called Pit Boss and they sent me a new temp probe and board at no charge due to 5 year warranty. I switched to a drum because I don't really like having to plug in to cook but the PBVS still has its uses. You might want to call them before you abandon it.
@@scothick1973 this is what happened to my brothers smoker and they wanted $300 for a replacement controller. So we took it to the shooting range and used it as target practice.
great job on the video . pain in the butt to assemble
Thanks! Yeah it was a very tedious task
Nice video. can wood chips or pallets be used instead of wood chunks?
You can throw wood chips on there, but you aren’t going to get as good of a result as chunks of wood... you’d have to sit there all day and add them LOL. Pellets is a no go. They get way too Smokey and not in a good way
I noticed that you say they recommend you bump the temperature up to 400° after it's been at 275 for a couple of hours, but then you immediately say you can't change the temperature once it's set, how exactly would I go about bumping up the temperature? Just wholeheartedly curious
You can’t change the temperature to a lower temp, but you can raise it
I have a brisket on the Masterbuilt Charcoal Smoker. I have the temp set at 250 and it started out ok but now when the temp drops below 250 the fan is not turning on. the temp is holding around 245 and the fan is not coming on to increase the temp. Any suggestions?
Ken Rachels I’m not sure what the deadband is on the controller, but I wouldn’t be concerned with 5 degrees at this point, it could also be running so slow that you don’t hear it... as this is a PID controller which would mean that the control variable is the fan speed and it would adjust the speed according to the amount of error (difference between set point and actual temp)
I look for other manufacturers to start building these at a much higher quality.
This and the gravity series both. I think this coming spring you’ll see quite a few new charcoal cookers on the market.
What is the yellow and silver cord in the back of the smoke that goes to the middle of the inside of the smoker? No instructions on what it does. My smoker is just beeping and not working.
If you had to buy this one or the gravity feed. Which one would you pick?
Gravity fed 100 out of 100 times
Yeah Masterbilt are skimpy on the builds that's just what they do??? Techs look great but for how long since the walls are made for a few years at best.
Smoker will get to 400 degrees with partition in. FYI
I don’t think it was intended that way, but it doesn’t surprise me.
I'm considering one of these. When the cook is done are you able to "snuff out" the coals for the next cook or do you have to burn out everything in the basket?
No, it burns down until it goes out. There’s really no way around that
How does the Masterbuilt Digital Charcoal smoker compare to the gravity feed charcoal models? I like cooking with charcoal and am looking for the best option.
I would pick the masterbuilt gravity series over the vertical 11/10 times
I just ordered mine. What kind of seal did you put on the door
It was an Oklahoma Joe’s gasket kit I bought at lowes
How did it hold you in the winter…? I'm in minnesota should I get one?
So it's been a few years now. What's your verdict?
Digital or Gravity?
Gravity 1000%
Ok I have tried to use the smoker again I can't seem to get the temp to regulate I set it for 235 it stays above the temp and won't set what am I doing wrong please help
Seems like Masterbuilt went into this to make a bad ass cooker, but then are limited to keep the price down in terms of build quality. Probably for $500 they could have a much nicer product.
I agree! They should’ve taken the touches from the gravity series and applied it to a vertical… hopper and all!
I've just bought the same model, but once I've set the temperature and/or time, the panel switches off...
Wiring is likely incorrect. Those are the symptoms of having a couple wires crossed.