Thanks Noah! You'll enjoy the head to head video that's next up on the channel where we put the Masterbuilt 800 up against the Char-Griller 980, so stay tuned
*Love it!! I used to use a propane grill and after using my Weber, the food just tastes so much better and the temp **MyBest.Kitchen** control is so easy! Will never use a propane grill again!*
I have a friend from Detroit that was gifted one of these grills. I’ve never run one before but I started doing the research and found your channel. I sent him the video. What a great review of this grill makes me want one now.!!!
This is my first charcoal grill after a lifetime of gas. ruclips.net/user/postUgkxBPjh-m7-eaAjTEt8BOZRSRRxXqxiI90W The food in it turns out great. Also, the ash remover makes it easy to clean.The base is sturdy and it has ample space inside.I use a chimney to get it started, and it seems pretty efficient. One chimney is enough to cook a whole lot of meat and still keeps burning. If you close the vents it cools down well making it so the coals remaining are still usable as supporting cast members (you still need fresh coals to get them going.I was going to get something bigger, but realized with coal, bigger is just more wasteful and harder to cook with.
What an absolutely incredible review. Tremendous work. Thank you for taking the time to review this Cooker. Appreciate this as I’m in the market for a new pit and this sure ticks a lot of boxes for me. 👊🏻
We really enjoy using this cooker. There's something about the flavor and heat of charcoal and the ease of a pellet grill that's super attractive for us, especially on weeknights. All the best Mike!
I have a GS 800 and I love it! I'd watched a bunch of reviews prior to buying mine (this one included), The one thing I did do, while assembling it, was to make sure there was ZERO strain/pull, on the power cord. I put a big enough 'droop' so rain would drip off before it even got close to the controller, then wrapped the cord around the bracket on the back of the shelf, then tightly zip tied the cord into place, so it won't move at all. The remainder of the cord is free to go where ever I put it. I use a 25' 12 gauge, all weather extension cord to power it. The other thing I DO NOT DO, is, use the 'app'. Technology is awesome........IF it works properly. MB seems to be lacking in that department. The ONLY issues I've ever had, were 'operator error'.....in other words, MY FAULT. This thing is a beast! I love it! Oh, thank you, for the review! It was the main reason, I bought mine.
Hi Dave, i see your GS800 must be 1yr old now. Is it still in good condition? I've read material is not that durable? Planning to buy 1. Its on sale at costco.
David, best online review I have EVER seen, no matter the product, most people ramble on about things, you were straight to the point and very thorough. I like how you mentioned possible improvements as well. I was hoping that you would mention wheels. My biggest problem with any grill or smoker is the chintzy wheels. I store my equipment away from the cooking area, it's no fun dragging these things across a bumpy yard with tiny 2 inch casters.. Thank you for a wonderful review.. Mike
Pretty nice review overall, but I feel like you're missing some really key info up front. How long does it take to get up to temp and how does overall ease-of-use compare to a pellet grill? How well does it hold the set temp, what kinds of charcoal can you use and and how fast does it burn through fuel?
Simple fix for the wire issue, pick up cord anchors from your favorite hardware or online retailer and screw the wire down to something solid as it exists the controller. (Hint hint masterbuilt)
Even simpler fix, masterbuilt could do a revision to make the mechanism inherently more robust, so people aren't having to jerry rig and potentially getting it wrong and having a broken grill.
@@networkn even better fix. Don’t buy a masterbuilt. I have a 560 and it’s complete junk. Complete utter 100% junk. Garbage. It’s too bad. Because the concept is awesome. The quality is crap tho.
It looks really smart and is so adaptable for all the outdoor home cook needs. I love the fact that you can get a griddle attachment for it too so you do not have to have have another item on your patio. 10/10 again BBQ Lab
Not just that you can get one, it's included with the 800. These things may not have the beefiest or best build quality but it's still good and with some light mods can make these things a beast. I've wanting one ever since they announced them. I love smoking and grilling and do so multiple times a week on a weber kettle but I'm at the point where I don't want to manage the heat and fuel so much and want to gain back some time. These do that.
I concur with others who praised this review. I came across this review earlier this week and it absolutely helped make the decision on purchasing this grill. I just finished assembling mine about an hour ago and having two people to assemble makes sense, but it can be done with one person. Absolutely use the packaging as a mat, since the grill will be upside down for most of the assembly. I used moving blankets, just because they were softer. Once the workday is done, I'll start the seasoning process and get acclimated to the app. Thanks to the Barbeque Lab for the thorough review.
Congratulations on your new grill Timothy! Enjoy learning all of the things you can do with it. My wife has asked for grilled crab legs on the 800 series for her birthday coming up. So much fun things it can do. All the best!
@@TheBarbecueLab One thing I learned that I found interesting is that they make a rotisserie attachment for the 800 series. Really excited to explore its versatility.
I learned the hard way (fabbed my own 1/4” vertical smoker) that metal thickness has zero to do with heat retention. Metal doesn’t insulate - it just gets hot and radiates heat out. You need insulation via thin walls with an insulation layer in between (like a fridge or oven) or really thick insulating material a la Big Green Egg style.
I have been debating buying one of these now that my pit boss died. I think your review pushed me to purchase. I have also seen some Mods they make for this. You should consider looking at or doing a review of the mods they make so people like me know if it’s worth it to purchase them. Thanks!
You should join a MB Gravity forum also, there's a lot of information that you need if you're going to have one of these. I'm in the same boat basically. I was looking at the other two models but once I found out that the 800 is the only one with the griddle, I now only want this one. But at least I'll be going into clear-eyed and aware that there are some quality control issues with them, and it's gonna break. I would rather pay more money also to get a better machine, but this is our only choice at present if you want a charcoal gravity smoker.
I really want to pull the trigger on this, but it has so many bad reviews on durability. Do you still have it and how has it held up? Same question for anybody in the comments who has one. Thank you!
I love the idea of this grill. I think gravity fed charcoal with a fan controller is a great idea. Longevity just hasn't been a friend of the first generation of these grills. The one in this video has stopped working. Maybe they've upgraded some components in a gen 2? I haven't cooked on another one, so I can't speak to that.
@@TheBarbecueLab Oh, man. I’m so sorry to hear that. Do you think that mods or replacing the part that stopped working would allow your unit to keep working?
totally agree with your point of making it more durable. Im gonna move into a house with the space for a medium size bbq smoker and the master built is on my list but i hear from most that it not gonna last. i wouldnt mind spending 1k-1.5k if it was a better quality build
Man, i've been torn (space wise) about whether to get a pellet grill, charcoal kettle or solid gas bbq. This really seems like the best of all worlds. It seems frighteningly good, whats the catch!
Wish you would have at least contacted them even if you decided not to take any action so you could let us know about there customer service. Thanks for the review well done
@@TheBarbecueLab The 800 was back ordered so I ended up starting with the 560 (I got it for $300 and got to take it home same day). Grilling now and have to say I love it!
I have always been a fan of the Traeger pellet grill. I’ve used it for several years and it’s time to replace it. Just like the master built 800 the internal heating shield is made of such thin metal or stamped steel. After a few seasons it will actually hard rust and start to disintegrate almost as bad as cast-iron. I realize that stainless steel is much more expensive however in this day of metal composition and synthetic creation, they should make a mixture of different metals to slow down or prevent rusting of these thin steel parts. Still up in the air with this grill. I still not sure I would invest in this grill since it looks like it would go through an entire bag of charcoal in one cook. I can put up to 9 pounds of pellets in a Treager grill hopper and after eight hours of smoking and cooking I still have half of a hopper left. .
I'm on the fence between this and a pellet smoker which are so easy to use put pellets in and set and forget. There something about the smell of Charcoal grill going most use gas like myself one guy he uses a weber charcoal grill we can smell it my wife say always like the smell of Charcoal. I have resisted getting even a weber having to deal with controlling the heat on a weber. This Masterbuilt I would not have to play with the air flow manually.
This is a pretty damn thorough review im a pessimist so I really paid attention to the improvements. It seems they have a pretty great concept but the power issue is really a concern for me. Having a "dead grill" seems extreme for an investment of that nature and risking the customer service issue. Also escaping smoke can be an issue. I do like the concept though
I own the 560. I already own a Blackstone but if you don't, the 800 is awesome because you get the Blackstone experience. If you don't need a griddle, then the 560 or larger 1050 are options. I bought an additional two racks for my 560. The 560 is good enough for my needs as I upgraded from a 22 1/2" Weber Kettle. I think someone tripped over his cord. I always disconnect my chord from the controller plug after each cook and put the chord in a ziplock bag under the grill. You can double up a foil square to act as a gasket to stop top hopper smoke leakage. The con on this pit is on it's own it wastes fuel. The work around is treat it like a Weber Kettle. Only use the fuel you would use on your Weber. For example steaks 15 briquettes, a brisket the whole hopper. I would also drop $50 and get the cover. It's heavy duty and protects the grill. Okay the good part. NOTHING beats this pit on versatility! You can use charcoal or wood chunks. You can maintain 160F and use the upper racks to cold smoke salts, cheeses, fish, jerky. I can dial up 225F and smoke brisket etc or a ribeye until it reaches 105F then pull the steak off dial up pit to 700F and ten minutes later your ready to reverse sear that steak and toss on a hand tossed pizza for a wood smoked pizza. Find a grill that can go from 160-700F that burns chunk wood or charcoal? Pellets reach 450 and never develop the smoke ring this pit does. I cooked on a Weber Kettle for 39 years. I used to have a offset smoker, too much work. I never thought I would walk away from my Weber then this came around. My advice is buy the model that fits your need. You're going to love it.
@@docohm50 Thanks for the honest review (one year later, lol) Question for you: does the MB produce bad smoke after it’s been cooking for a while? It seems the fan may turn on and blow on charcoal that hasn’t ashed over fully in the middle of a cook.
I bought the Masterbuilt smoker and it was damaged at the factory and boxed that way at the factory. I took it back to Lowe’s and exchanged it for another unit and got it home and it was damaged at the factory obviously because the box was not damaged at all. Took the second damaged unit back to Lowe’s to exchange it and we unboxed it before I left the store with it and it was damaged. They took three more units off the shelf and one of them was damaged. I’m not sure what’s going on at the master built factory but it sure seems like they will stick anything in a box and send it out to the retail store
If you don't already own a Blackstone griddle this Masterbuilt 800 can give you that experience without spending money for a Blackstone. The con on this grill is fuel management. If you're doing cooks longer than 8 hours then fill the hopper all the way up. Otherwise use only what you need for the cook. The next thing is if I want 225F on the center rack I have to run it at 255. You will learn your grill. This pit can maintain 165F to smoke your salts, cheese, fish on the upper warmer racks. Then dial it up to 225F to smoke and go to 700F for reverse sears and hand tossed pizza.
I really wanted to get this smoker/grill, the concept seems great, but there are to many reviews stating failures. It seems there are quality issues, either corners were cut to maximize profits or their quality control is not good. Hopefully they get it together, but after a year it doesn’t seem likely. Maybe another company will improve on the concept, I rather pay more if it means a quality product.
I had a 1050 and returned it after right under 3 months of ownership. I'm just wishing that they come out with a "pro" model with better build quality. I kept mine under a covered patio without the masterbuilt cover and discovered that it was still developing rust spots
@@MelloHubb okay you sold it. You didn’t say if the rust was on the inside or the outside. If on the outside then it needed better weather protection which you said you didn’t give it sans cover but if it was rusting on the inside maybe the 1050 was too large and what you had on the grill wasn’t enough to splatter everywhere it rusted. In that case you could have sprayed oil on the spots that weren’t protected. I’m using the Masterbuilt 560 Gravity, and have owned/used since it’s inception. I keep mine inside an attached garage in north central Fla. No rust spots externally and no internal rusting either, but then we use our Masterbuilt gravity560 typically 3X’s a week. Oil and grease from animal fat splatters all over on the inside & why (IMO) it hasn’t rusted. I also keep a Rec Tec 560 wood pellet grill next to it in the same attached garage. It doesn’t get the use the gravity fed charcoal grill does as I prefer the way charcoal cooks our food. The Rec Tec doesn’t rust either, but then it’s metal bits are all stainless steel. That said, stainless does not mean stain not. Stainless steel grills can still rust and rot, just not as fast. Keeping inside a garage helps get the rust away But overall, and this is strictly my opinion, the smaller the interior space the grill has, the less chance of rusting on the interior. More metal means more places for rust to appear, more area to protect, more area that needs animal fat to splatter on to keep from rusting. I’m only grilling for myself & wifey year round. In the winter months her Aunt snow birds it with us so I’m grilling for 3 five months of the year. I feel the Masterbuilt 560 is the perfect size for our needs yet I like the extra goodies that the 1050 offers, like the front shelf, etc. I’m curious to see what others experience will be with the flat top griddle the 800 series has, if there will be rusting issues. Of course that will depend on the level of care and use the flat top gets. I think and this is just a guess, the 800 griddle top will fare better than those that have BlackstoneGriddle griddle since the Masterbuilt 800 griddle has a closable lid to keep the weather off the griddle. That won’t matter if the griddle is left to hang outside in the elements. Others may have better and different ideas
I build pits, great review on this grill. The grills I build are custom built but last for ever. My first gravity grill was built 10 years ago and still preforms like day one.
I don’t what the difference is. But my 800 does have a lid switch, but when I open the lid it does NOT limit the fan or temperature. Only when I open the lower door or the hopper door
Interesting. I’ll have to see what that does on mine. I cooked on it tonight around 550f but didn’t pay attention to the lid switch. It just put a mean sear on some steak and chicken though.
Order this grill after watching this video and I tell anyone they need to say away from this!! Any company that would have put what they did in a box and ship it with stripped threads is not a company I would buy anything from again!! What was really nice I was about 2 hours into putting it together when I got to the part where you install the shoot with the blower on it and 3 out of 6 of the holes were stripped from the factory not to mention I found a part that was bent badly on the inside. Now I have to take a day off work to wait on a shipping company to come get!!
Interested in this smoker. I've had a Pit Boss pellet for a year+ and really love the ease of use but it is a pretty mild smoke profile. Have always been a charcoal fan. The main take away I get from most reviews is Masterbuilt needs to seriously upgrade their quality of build . Don't think I want to shell out $700+ for a unit with the obvious issues MB has. The number of similar reports of shortcomings' are too numerous to ignore or chalk up to anything other than poor design /workmanship. While I would like a stronger smoke profile from my PB pellet unit it has never failed in any way in over a year of moderate use.
I’m really curious what kind of quality issues these have that pellet smokers wouldn’t. Every pellet smoker I’ve looked at seemed kinda flimsy and they definitely are compared to stick burners. What are the “obvious issues” this grill has that pellet burners don’t have?
I pick up the 560 last month on clearance at Walmart I love it mine does leak from the top of the hopper lid as well. I do like this Masterbuilt a lot but like every product has its problems but like you said the pros outweigh the cons on it
How can Masterbuilt not pay attention to a Review like this...... Very impressive!!... But I have to admit the MasterBuilt electronic issues..which seem to be something they could rectify easily and quickly...are giving me serious 'pause' to purchase this...And how did that large dent make it past MasterBuilt quality control ?
I would love to have one of these in an outdoor kitchen... beside the downside that ere pointed out in the video, I wish it had a rotisserie... I still think it is a winner
Wonderful review!!! Thanks for your great and informative review David. I actually have a new in the box 800 series I still need to assemble along with all the LSS Bbq mods. I'm looking forward to trying this out. 👍
@@paula.2422 I just bought one with LSS mods as well. All of these terrible QC reviews are making me regret my purchase. Have the mods helped it last longer?
I told the guys at Masterbuilt that I'd love to shoot a review on the gravity series when I saw them at a trade show, and about 6+ months later someone reached out and asked if I'd like to try their new one. They didn't tell me what to say, they didn't tell me to shoot a review, and they didn't ask any questions once the review went up.
David, It has been 6 months since you received the grill. How do you like it now and any other problems with the grill since this review? How does this grill fit with all the other grills you have reviewed. I wanted to also say, excellent review of the pit and its capabilities. I have been looking for a good all around general use pit. I own a gas grill and a weber kettle. Both have their functions. I have tried some strange stuff like bake bread in my gas grill (did not come out well at all) I wanted to thank you for your effort on this video, its concise and straight to the point. I like that in a review. And thanks to Masterbuilt for providing you a unit to review and show us. I would like to know how you light the fire for this unit. I agree with you on the thickness of metal. If they had a 800 Pro for example, people would buy it just for the better build quality. Thank you very much for your hard work.
I haven't run into anything new with the grill that I didn't lay out in the video, and we've been using it a couple of times a month since the review. When it comes down to it, I really like the idea of a gravity charcoal grill. It functions so much like a pellet smoker when it comes to ease of use, but it's very multi-functional. If I was only going to have a single grill on my patio, it would be a gravity charcoal grill. It just does everything. When it comes to lighting the fire on this unit, it's the same as the way it's lit on the 560, and Adam who serves as the director of product development for Masterbuilt shows how to light one in my interview with him which you can find here. ruclips.net/video/IQNhq5DKdUU/видео.html - Lighting the unit starts at about 3:10 into the video.
I love my 800, but my Komodo Vision Pro is better for steaks and pizza w/the pizza accessory. The 800 is amazing for smoking, long slow cooks, low temp cooking, and very quick start up/readiness.
Got one of these exact units on clearance at Walmart. It also came damaged despite there being zero issues with the box itself. In my case it's the bottom of the cook chamber where the first leg (based on the instructions) attaches. Seen other reviews with this exact damage. Unsure I can pack it back up or how I'd take it back. Damage couldn't be seen until everything was removed from the box. I get that they needed to hit a price point but this is the thinnest smoker I think I ever bought. And people give traeger shit for their thin metal...
So this is like a pellet grill but using charcoal? How good was temperature control. Ie when ambient dropped did it do a good job feeding more charcoal to maintain consistent internal temps? I do think including that information would be useful for future videos along with perhaps something that shows how evenly the temperature is distributed in the cook chamber. otherwise it was a very good review that was clear to understand. Good job.
It's quite a bit like a pellet grill that uses charcoal, but the difference is that the charcoal just stays in the hopper the entire time and isn't ever transported to a burn pot like you'd find in a pellet grill. The charcoal is loaded into the vertical hopper, and the bottom layer of the charcoal is lit using a fire starter. Once the bottom layer is lit, the fan controls the heat of the grill by supplying air to maintain desired temperature. Once the charcoal on the bottom is used up, the layer on top ignites and takes its place. That's basically how it works. I'll have to go more in depth next video, but it's tough to make everyone happy when the videos are too long for some and too short for others. Thanks for your comment.
@@TheBarbecueLab thanks for the clarification. Does that mean at the end of each cook, you pretty much have to empty the hopper, remove any unused charcoal? I get the need for balance and depth of information to go along with that.
@@networkn At the end of each cook, you just slide back in the air intake panel to shut all air off to the charcoal chamber and the fire will die out. All of the lit charcoal will go out and all of the charcoal above it will stay unlit, so you have all the charcoal ready for the next cook. I'll only load the hopper once and that usually gets me 4-5 cooks depending on what I'm cooking.
Thanks Nick. To shut down this cooker, you’d just turn off the grill at the control panel by holding down the power button for a few seconds, and then put back in both of the metal slides that allow air to flow in and out of the charcoal chamber. Once that airflow is closed off, any lit charcoal won’t be able to burn without oxygen and the fire will go out. Leftover charcoal will be ready for the next cook.
Man, Ive noticed all the masterbuilt chimneys get really caked. You look at the chargriller and that porcelain coat must really make the difference. Also, some extra gaskets will fix some of your issues. I think for any grills sub $1500’s you can’t go wrong with some extra gaskets.
That was a very comprehensive review my only critique would be it would have been nice if you shown how to start the grill you know showing what kind of issues you had what you found that work best that kind of stuff
I would like to see where you put the starter to get the charcoal going? Also, I heard that you could use a roofer style propane, torch to light the grill is that true?
I dont get the concept... you lite the fire down below which then burns flames to ignite the coal at the bottom of the hopper which causes it to fall into the fire through the grates?
My wife just got this for me for fathers day through Costco and payed 50$ to have them assemble and after seeing the set up on this video and looking at the instructions I really appreciate she did lol
@@JewelShain stopped working after about 7 months.. I did use it a lot and liked it better then a Traeger flavors wise and the setup, but every traeger we’ve gotten still works.. if this one was more durable I would prefer it though, only reason I haven’t replaced it yet is because I wanted to wait a couple years to see if they improve the durability or if a rival company comes up with same concept.. but charcoal is way better then pellets so I hope they improve, I’ve seen other reviews of them not lasting long for others also.. till then just sticking with my Weber for charcoal and Traeger for longer cooks that I can’t monitor
@@JewelShain yeah I think you could just replace the fan or the computer part, I just never looked.. we have had to do that with Traeger also or replace the auger but it lasts longer.. I was just surprised how fast this grill stopped working.. I’m sure it’s an easy piece replacement
problems on the 2nd use ?? read lots of reviews and i decided way to many problems for my taste ! liked the concept of charcoal but have read usage is pretty high no matter what you use ! and as for customer service, they need lots of help in that department ! i'll pass on this ! had my camp chef for over 4 yrs and only problem so far is i had to replace the hot rod once !! as for more smoke i use a smoke tube if i need it ...
The question I really want to know is if MB fixed the Charcoal box warping problems they were having with the 560. Also, does the longevity of this look like, I don't want to pay $700 every two years
I really wonder why this isn't (rechargeable Lythium-Ion) battery powered. There is just a fan to spin and a tiny PCB, so this should only draw a few watts.
I got mine, but had my wife turn off grill to let cool. I had left to pick up more grill stuff. She turned it off, then closed the vents. Man. It stayed on, never cooled. It just kept going. I should have told her to unplug it
Masterbuilt has always built week mother boards and controllers. I had issues with my last one and they would not honor a replacement. Even though the unit was about two years old, it was a known issue with that model.
Thanks for the very helpful review. Very methodical and thorough. We just got a Masterbuilt 900 (the 800 but from Costco). A weird thing is happening. I set it at 250 to do the initial burnoff. The fan turned on just fine and it heated to 250. The fan turned off as it should. Then the heat just kept rising. At close to 300 I opened the lid and bled off the heat to below 250. The fan came back on as expected when the temp went below 250. At 250 the fan shut off and the temp continued to rise again. Any ideas? Have you seen this behavior?
One point of note, the griddle hangs much better lengthwise going up and down, hooks fit perfect in the holes on back of it.... One question, I haven't seen many videos where the built in meat probe is used? Is there a reason for that?
@@ericd.4460 I have tried lump and it still burns quickly. I would love to try B&B but it is hard to find in Ontario. I will searching for it again in the spring.
Dave I also have the 560. My advice is treat our 560 like a Weber Kettle. Only use the charcoal you need for your cook. It seems the hopper will burn a additional 20% during shutdown.
Ordering one tomorrow, was a bit hesitant with all the complaints I was seeing on Google. But this video sold me on it. Question, can the top of the control panel be used as a shelf too? I mean for something with a bit of weight to it. Looks good sized but I can’t find anything about if you can use it to hold a big brisket or something
Great question. The control panel shelf can easily hold a brisket. I’ve used it to hold bags of charcoal and plenty of pans of food over the last few months. Enjoy your new grill!
I have a Masterbuilt smoker with a add-on smoker box and I noticed the little puddle of something on my deck from the smoker box. It was weird that you mentioned that
Great review! I am about to get either a 800 or a 1050. Did you encounter the issue where marketing material was glued to the inside of the hood and left glue when you removed it? I hear about that a lot in reviews. I reached it to the manufacturer and they said just use rubbing alcohol. I'd like to know if its that easy. I don't want glue remnants when I cook.
Thanks for the kind words. I do remember some residual sticky stuff leftover from marketing materials, but it’s been so long I can’t remember if it was this grill or a different one. Either way, I just use Goo Gone when that happens and it takes it off.
One thing a lot of do that own these grills is use a battery bank (like what you use to portably charge your phones, etc) to power these when not using a rotisserie. works great, don't use it plugged into a wall anymore (1050)
@@TheBarbecueLab It was pretty much plug and play just had to buy an adapter to make the connection to the controller and then plug that into the battery. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HQ91HHV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
After watching multiple video reviews, this was 100% the best one!
Thanks Noah! You'll enjoy the head to head video that's next up on the channel where we put the Masterbuilt 800 up against the Char-Griller 980, so stay tuned
I don't know how this was considered a great review he didn't go into any details on how it actually works
*Love it!! I used to use a propane grill and after using my Weber, the food just tastes so much better and the temp **MyBest.Kitchen** control is so easy! Will never use a propane grill again!*
This is the best and most thorough review of the Masterbuilt 800 I have come across.
Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Yes great review, thank you sir
Agreed
Absolute best. Bought it mostly because of this video 🔥 Expensive in Norway though... $1600 🇧🇻
@@allanwold996 Hey! How are you getting on with the Masterbuilt? Curious how it's holding up in the colder climate?
I have a friend from Detroit that was gifted one of these grills. I’ve never run one before but I started doing the research and found your channel. I sent him the video. What a great review of this grill makes me want one now.!!!
This is my first charcoal grill after a lifetime of gas. ruclips.net/user/postUgkxBPjh-m7-eaAjTEt8BOZRSRRxXqxiI90W The food in it turns out great. Also, the ash remover makes it easy to clean.The base is sturdy and it has ample space inside.I use a chimney to get it started, and it seems pretty efficient. One chimney is enough to cook a whole lot of meat and still keeps burning. If you close the vents it cools down well making it so the coals remaining are still usable as supporting cast members (you still need fresh coals to get them going.I was going to get something bigger, but realized with coal, bigger is just more wasteful and harder to cook with.
@@fosterechalimbana2160 Is yours still working? Did you get the ash remover mod?
What an absolutely incredible review. Tremendous work. Thank you for taking the time to review this Cooker. Appreciate this as I’m in the market for a new pit and this sure ticks a lot of boxes for me. 👊🏻
We really enjoy using this cooker. There's something about the flavor and heat of charcoal and the ease of a pellet grill that's super attractive for us, especially on weeknights. All the best Mike!
I have a GS 800 and I love it! I'd watched a bunch of reviews prior to buying mine (this one included), The one thing I did do, while assembling it, was to make sure there was ZERO strain/pull, on the power cord. I put a big enough 'droop' so rain would drip off before it even got close to the controller, then wrapped the cord around the bracket on the back of the shelf, then tightly zip tied the cord into place, so it won't move at all. The remainder of the cord is free to go where ever I put it. I use a 25' 12 gauge, all weather extension cord to power it. The other thing I DO NOT DO, is, use the 'app'. Technology is awesome........IF it works properly. MB seems to be lacking in that department. The ONLY issues I've ever had, were 'operator error'.....in other words, MY FAULT. This thing is a beast! I love it! Oh, thank you, for the review! It was the main reason, I bought mine.
Hi Dave, i see your GS800 must be 1yr old now. Is it still in good condition? I've read material is not that durable? Planning to buy 1. Its on sale at costco.
@@ChiefComplaintXcommenting to see if he responds
@@ptypablo bought one already! Its crazy weather here in raincouver! I still use it. Its a work horse
@@davehein7466 how is it holding up?
One of the best reviews I’ve seen on here. Great job.
Thank you Tim. All the best in finding the best grill for you!
David, best online review I have EVER seen, no matter the product, most people ramble on about things, you were straight to the point and very thorough. I like how you mentioned possible improvements as well. I was hoping that you would mention wheels. My biggest problem with any grill or smoker is the chintzy wheels. I store my equipment away from the cooking area, it's no fun dragging these things across a bumpy yard with tiny 2 inch casters.. Thank you for a wonderful review.. Mike
Pretty nice review overall, but I feel like you're missing some really key info up front. How long does it take to get up to temp and how does overall ease-of-use compare to a pellet grill? How well does it hold the set temp, what kinds of charcoal can you use and and how fast does it burn through fuel?
Great review, I watch these all even knowing I've been dying for one since they announced the gravity series. This 800 seems like the perfect package
Thanks! It’s hard to beat a cooker that can grill, smoke and griddle as well as this one does.
I LOVE THIS SMOKER/GRILL!!!!! If you are thinking of getting one, just do it.
Just picked up my 800 series, cant wait to use it on Fathers Day!!! Thanks for giving such a in depth review of this grill
Chad, what Is your opinion after two years of use?
Exactly! Trying to get my wife to buy one for me for father's day/birthday. What's the verdict here?
Simple fix for the wire issue, pick up cord anchors from your favorite hardware or online retailer and screw the wire down to something solid as it exists the controller. (Hint hint masterbuilt)
Even simpler fix, masterbuilt could do a revision to make the mechanism inherently more robust, so people aren't having to jerry rig and potentially getting it wrong and having a broken grill.
@@networkn even better fix. Don’t buy a masterbuilt. I have a 560 and it’s complete junk. Complete utter 100% junk. Garbage.
It’s too bad. Because the concept is awesome. The quality is crap tho.
It looks really smart and is so adaptable for all the outdoor home cook needs. I love the fact that you can get a griddle attachment for it too so you do not have to have have another item on your patio. 10/10 again BBQ Lab
Thanks Lucas. All the best!
Not just that you can get one, it's included with the 800. These things may not have the beefiest or best build quality but it's still good and with some light mods can make these things a beast.
I've wanting one ever since they announced them. I love smoking and grilling and do so multiple times a week on a weber kettle but I'm at the point where I don't want to manage the heat and fuel so much and want to gain back some time. These do that.
I concur with others who praised this review. I came across this review earlier this week and it absolutely helped make the decision on purchasing this grill. I just finished assembling mine about an hour ago and having two people to assemble makes sense, but it can be done with one person. Absolutely use the packaging as a mat, since the grill will be upside down for most of the assembly. I used moving blankets, just because they were softer. Once the workday is done, I'll start the seasoning process and get acclimated to the app. Thanks to the Barbeque Lab for the thorough review.
Congratulations on your new grill Timothy! Enjoy learning all of the things you can do with it. My wife has asked for grilled crab legs on the 800 series for her birthday coming up. So much fun things it can do. All the best!
@@TheBarbecueLab One thing I learned that I found interesting is that they make a rotisserie attachment for the 800 series. Really excited to explore its versatility.
I learned the hard way (fabbed my own 1/4” vertical smoker) that metal thickness has zero to do with heat retention. Metal doesn’t insulate - it just gets hot and radiates heat out. You need insulation via thin walls with an insulation layer in between (like a fridge or oven) or really thick insulating material a la Big Green Egg style.
I have been debating buying one of these now that my pit boss died. I think your review pushed me to purchase. I have also seen some Mods they make for this. You should consider looking at or doing a review of the mods they make so people like me know if it’s worth it to purchase them. Thanks!
You should join a MB Gravity forum also, there's a lot of information that you need if you're going to have one of these. I'm in the same boat basically. I was looking at the other two models but once I found out that the 800 is the only one with the griddle, I now only want this one. But at least I'll be going into clear-eyed and aware that there are some quality control issues with them, and it's gonna break. I would rather pay more money also to get a better machine, but this is our only choice at present if you want a charcoal gravity smoker.
I really want to pull the trigger on this, but it has so many bad reviews on durability. Do you still have it and how has it held up? Same question for anybody in the comments who has one. Thank you!
I love the idea of this grill. I think gravity fed charcoal with a fan controller is a great idea. Longevity just hasn't been a friend of the first generation of these grills. The one in this video has stopped working. Maybe they've upgraded some components in a gen 2? I haven't cooked on another one, so I can't speak to that.
@@TheBarbecueLab Oh, man. I’m so sorry to hear that. Do you think that mods or replacing the part that stopped working would allow your unit to keep working?
We did a waygu beef brisket on this smoker and it was outstanding! It held 225 degrees for the entire cook .
totally agree with your point of making it more durable. Im gonna move into a house with the space for a medium size bbq smoker and the master built is on my list but i hear from most that it not gonna last. i wouldnt mind spending 1k-1.5k if it was a better quality build
The engineer for this unit needs a good raise. They hit all the points.
I love honest reviews!! No BS. Just tell it like it is. Good and Bad. Thanks for helping me make up my mind about a purchase.
Thanks for the review I am looking to buy. I am a charcoal Man and just couldn't make myself go to pellets. I think this is best of both worlds.
Great video, but no one seems to explain in their videos how you light the thing. That's what I'm trying to find out.
I just bought the 800 at Costco and it does not have the griddle option. I really want that option. Ill be calling them tomorrow.
Man, i've been torn (space wise) about whether to get a pellet grill, charcoal kettle or solid gas bbq. This really seems like the best of all worlds. It seems frighteningly good, whats the catch!
I've had mine for 4 months and love it one of the best grills I've had
This was such a great review I had to subscribe. Just one of the best reviews I’ve seen in RUclips PERIOD!
Wish you would have at least contacted them even if you decided not to take any action so you could let us know about there customer service. Thanks for the review well done
I don’t really comment on videos but you did an awesome job. You are so natural and very informative. Great review.
Thank you for your support.
You sold me. Pulling the trigger on the 800. Nothing like the taste of wood AND charcoal. Can’t wait!
We love ours, and I think you're going to feel the same Eric. Have fun with it!
@@TheBarbecueLab The 800 was back ordered so I ended up starting with the 560 (I got it for $300 and got to take it home same day). Grilling now and have to say I love it!
@@ericjohnson8433 , is it still going?
I have always been a fan of the Traeger pellet grill. I’ve used it for several years and it’s time to replace it. Just like the master built 800 the internal heating shield is made of such thin metal or stamped steel. After a few seasons it will actually hard rust and start to disintegrate almost as bad as cast-iron. I realize that stainless steel is much more expensive however in this day of metal composition and synthetic creation, they should make a mixture of different metals to slow down or prevent rusting of these thin steel parts. Still up in the air with this grill. I still not sure I would invest in this grill since it looks like it would go through an entire bag of charcoal in one cook. I can put up to 9 pounds of pellets in a Treager grill hopper and after eight hours of smoking and cooking I still have half of a hopper left. .
I'm on the fence between this and a pellet smoker which are so easy to use put pellets in and set and forget. There something about the smell of Charcoal grill going most use gas like myself one guy he uses a weber charcoal grill we can smell it my wife say always like the smell of Charcoal. I have resisted getting even a weber having to deal with controlling the heat on a weber. This Masterbuilt I would not have to play with the air flow manually.
This is a pretty damn thorough review im a pessimist so I really paid attention to the improvements. It seems they have a pretty great concept but the power issue is really a concern for me. Having a "dead grill" seems extreme for an investment of that nature and risking the customer service issue. Also escaping smoke can be an issue. I do like the concept though
I own the 560. I already own a Blackstone but if you don't, the 800 is awesome because you get the Blackstone experience. If you don't need a griddle, then the 560 or larger 1050 are options. I bought an additional two racks for my 560. The 560 is good enough for my needs as I upgraded from a 22 1/2" Weber Kettle.
I think someone tripped over his cord. I always disconnect my chord from the controller plug after each cook and put the chord in a ziplock bag under the grill. You can double up a foil square to act as a gasket to stop top hopper smoke leakage.
The con on this pit is on it's own it wastes fuel. The work around is treat it like a Weber Kettle. Only use the fuel you would use on your Weber. For example steaks 15 briquettes, a brisket the whole hopper. I would also drop $50 and get the cover. It's heavy duty and protects the grill.
Okay the good part.
NOTHING beats this pit on versatility! You can use charcoal or wood chunks. You can maintain 160F and use the upper racks to cold smoke salts, cheeses, fish, jerky.
I can dial up 225F and smoke brisket etc or a ribeye until it reaches 105F then pull the steak off dial up pit to 700F and ten minutes later your ready to reverse sear that steak and toss on a hand tossed pizza for a wood smoked pizza.
Find a grill that can go from 160-700F that burns chunk wood or charcoal? Pellets reach 450 and never develop the smoke ring this pit does.
I cooked on a Weber Kettle for 39 years. I used to have a offset smoker, too much work.
I never thought I would walk away from my Weber then this came around.
My advice is buy the model that fits your need. You're going to love it.
@@docohm50 Thanks for the honest review (one year later, lol) Question for you: does the MB produce bad smoke after it’s been cooking for a while? It seems the fan may turn on and blow on charcoal that hasn’t ashed over fully in the middle of a cook.
Absolutely terrific, detailed review. Thanks so much for taking the time to put all this together.
Glad it was helpful Mark! All the best.
I just purchased the 800 so plz give more reviews on it so I can better operate and take care of my investment. Thank you
I bought the Masterbuilt smoker and it was damaged at the factory and boxed that way at the factory. I took it back to Lowe’s and exchanged it for another unit and got it home and it was damaged at the factory obviously because the box was not damaged at all. Took the second damaged unit back to Lowe’s to exchange it and we unboxed it before I left the store with it and it was damaged. They took three more units off the shelf and one of them was damaged. I’m not sure what’s going on at the master built factory but it sure seems like they will stick anything in a box and send it out to the retail store
This brand was just introduced in Denmark, and your review provided all I was looking for and answered all my questions. Thank you very, very much!
Did you purchase? If so how do you like it?
Great review. I am thinkin about getting one of these to keep my Pellet grill & Kamado company. It looks like pretty nice rig.
If you don't already own a Blackstone griddle this Masterbuilt 800 can give you that experience without spending money for a Blackstone.
The con on this grill is fuel management. If you're doing cooks longer than 8 hours then fill the hopper all the way up. Otherwise use only what you need for the cook. The next thing is if I want 225F on the center rack I have to run it at 255. You will learn your grill.
This pit can maintain 165F to smoke your salts, cheese, fish on the upper warmer racks. Then dial it up to 225F to smoke and go to 700F for reverse sears and hand tossed pizza.
I really wanted to get this smoker/grill, the concept seems great, but there are to many reviews stating failures. It seems there are quality issues, either corners were cut to maximize profits or their quality control is not good. Hopefully they get it together, but after a year it doesn’t seem likely. Maybe another company will improve on the concept, I rather pay more if it means a quality product.
If you don't have to be budget conscious Myron Mixon makes one
@@derrickjenkins4 Thank you for the heads up, I will check them out.
I agree with WhatYouMad. This is definitely the best & most concise review of the 800 on RUclips IMO ;-)
Thanks for the kind words Tom. All the best!
thanks for the video. Did you buy it directly from Masterbuilt? Is there any advantage to buying it from Home Depot. Support, returning it etc.
I own the 560 this is a great review. I love mine. My advice is only put enough fuel in your hopper for your cook.
I had a 1050 and returned it after right under 3 months of ownership. I'm just wishing that they come out with a "pro" model with better build quality. I kept mine under a covered patio without the masterbuilt cover and discovered that it was still developing rust spots
@@MelloHubb What are you going with next after your 1050?
@@MelloHubb okay you sold it. You didn’t say if the rust was on the inside or the outside. If on the outside then it needed better weather protection which you said you didn’t give it sans cover but if it was rusting on the inside maybe the 1050 was too large and what you had on the grill wasn’t enough to splatter everywhere it rusted. In that case you could have sprayed oil on the spots that weren’t protected. I’m using the Masterbuilt 560 Gravity, and have owned/used since it’s inception. I keep mine inside an attached garage in north central Fla. No rust spots externally and no internal rusting either, but then we use our Masterbuilt gravity560 typically 3X’s a week. Oil and grease from animal fat splatters all over on the inside & why (IMO) it hasn’t rusted. I also keep a Rec Tec 560 wood pellet grill next to it in the same attached garage. It doesn’t get the use the gravity fed charcoal grill does as I prefer the way charcoal cooks our food. The Rec Tec doesn’t rust either, but then it’s metal bits are all stainless steel. That said, stainless does not mean stain not. Stainless steel grills can still rust and rot, just not as fast. Keeping inside a garage helps get the rust away
But overall, and this is strictly my opinion, the smaller the interior space the grill has, the less chance of rusting on the interior. More metal means more places for rust to appear, more area to protect, more area that needs animal fat to splatter on to keep from rusting. I’m only grilling for myself & wifey year round. In the winter months her Aunt snow birds it with us so I’m grilling for 3 five months of the year. I feel the Masterbuilt 560 is the perfect size for our needs yet I like the extra goodies that the 1050 offers, like the front shelf, etc.
I’m curious to see what others experience will be with the flat top griddle the 800 series has, if there will be rusting issues. Of course that will depend on the level of care and use the flat top gets. I think and this is just a guess, the 800 griddle top will fare better than those that have BlackstoneGriddle griddle since the Masterbuilt 800 griddle has a closable lid to keep the weather off the griddle. That won’t matter if the griddle is left to hang outside in the elements. Others may have better and different ideas
@@shakin_jakewilson5247 Oh is that all?
I build pits, great review on this grill. The grills I build are custom built but last for ever. My first gravity grill was built 10 years ago and still preforms like day one.
Right on
The controller complaints and seeing how it's cheaply built is a deal braker for me. The video is great. Thank you!
I agree mate, looks so thin and cheap.... shame.
Is the heat fairly consistent across the surface or a hot spot in the middle.
Great info thank you so much. I've never very seen this type of charcoal grill and now I'm obsessed about learning more!
I don’t what the difference is. But my 800 does have a lid switch, but when I open the lid it does NOT limit the fan or temperature. Only when I open the lower door or the hopper door
Interesting. I’ll have to see what that does on mine. I cooked on it tonight around 550f but didn’t pay attention to the lid switch. It just put a mean sear on some steak and chicken though.
The black goup from mine was due to an overflowing hot grease trap. Might start there. Doesn't have a large capacity imo
Order this grill after watching this video and I tell anyone they need to say away from this!! Any company that would have put what they did in a box and ship it with stripped threads is not a company I would buy anything from again!! What was really nice I was about 2 hours into putting it together when I got to the part where you install the shoot with the blower on it and 3 out of 6 of the holes were stripped from the factory not to mention I found a part that was bent badly on the inside. Now I have to take a day off work to wait on a shipping company to come get!!
Interested in this smoker. I've had a Pit Boss pellet for a year+ and really love the ease of use but it is a pretty mild smoke profile. Have always been a charcoal fan. The main take away I get from most reviews is Masterbuilt needs to seriously upgrade their quality of build . Don't think I want to shell out $700+ for a unit with the obvious issues MB has. The number of similar reports of shortcomings' are too numerous to ignore or chalk up to anything other than poor design /workmanship.
While I would like a stronger smoke profile from my PB pellet unit it has never failed in any way in over a year of moderate use.
I’m really curious what kind of quality issues these have that pellet smokers wouldn’t. Every pellet smoker I’ve looked at seemed kinda flimsy and they definitely are compared to stick burners.
What are the “obvious issues” this grill has that pellet burners don’t have?
Just picked up mine for 479 at Walmart
Just finished putting mine together. Where do you keep yours? Garage, patio, deck? Do you keep up covered?
I pick up the 560 last month on clearance at Walmart I love it mine does leak from the top of the hopper lid as well. I do like this Masterbuilt a lot but like every product has its problems but like you said the pros outweigh the cons on it
A common mod is to put new gaskets on
@@miguelarrowsmith421 Is it still working?
Great review but, how was the food that it produced?
How can Masterbuilt not pay attention to a Review like this...... Very impressive!!... But I have to admit the MasterBuilt electronic issues..which seem to be something they could rectify easily and quickly...are giving me serious 'pause' to purchase this...And how did that large dent make it past MasterBuilt quality control ?
I would love to have one of these in an outdoor kitchen... beside the downside that ere pointed out in the video, I wish it had a rotisserie... I still think it is a winner
I see a flame up with the steak. Are flame ups a common issue on this?
Wonderful review!!! Thanks for your great and informative review David. I actually have a new in the box 800 series I still need to assemble along with all the LSS Bbq mods. I'm looking forward to trying this out. 👍
@@paula.2422 I just bought one with LSS mods as well. All of these terrible QC reviews are making me regret my purchase. Have the mods helped it last longer?
Please provide full disclosure, did you pay for the Masterbuilt yourself or did Masterbuilt provide the smoker for your use and review?
I told the guys at Masterbuilt that I'd love to shoot a review on the gravity series when I saw them at a trade show, and about 6+ months later someone reached out and asked if I'd like to try their new one. They didn't tell me what to say, they didn't tell me to shoot a review, and they didn't ask any questions once the review went up.
David, It has been 6 months since you received the grill. How do you like it now and any other problems with the grill since this review? How does this grill fit with all the other grills you have reviewed.
I wanted to also say, excellent review of the pit and its capabilities. I have been looking for a good all around general use pit. I own a gas grill and a weber kettle. Both have their functions. I have tried some strange stuff like bake bread in my gas grill (did not come out well at all) I wanted to thank you for your effort on this video, its concise and straight to the point. I like that in a review. And thanks to Masterbuilt for providing you a unit to review and show us. I would like to know how you light the fire for this unit. I agree with you on the thickness of metal. If they had a 800 Pro for example, people would buy it just for the better build quality. Thank you very much for your hard work.
I haven't run into anything new with the grill that I didn't lay out in the video, and we've been using it a couple of times a month since the review. When it comes down to it, I really like the idea of a gravity charcoal grill. It functions so much like a pellet smoker when it comes to ease of use, but it's very multi-functional. If I was only going to have a single grill on my patio, it would be a gravity charcoal grill. It just does everything. When it comes to lighting the fire on this unit, it's the same as the way it's lit on the 560, and Adam who serves as the director of product development for Masterbuilt shows how to light one in my interview with him which you can find here. ruclips.net/video/IQNhq5DKdUU/видео.html - Lighting the unit starts at about 3:10 into the video.
I love my 800, but my Komodo Vision Pro is better for steaks and pizza w/the pizza accessory.
The 800 is amazing for smoking, long slow cooks, low temp cooking, and very quick start up/readiness.
Got one of these exact units on clearance at Walmart. It also came damaged despite there being zero issues with the box itself. In my case it's the bottom of the cook chamber where the first leg (based on the instructions) attaches. Seen other reviews with this exact damage.
Unsure I can pack it back up or how I'd take it back. Damage couldn't be seen until everything was removed from the box.
I get that they needed to hit a price point but this is the thinnest smoker I think I ever bought. And people give traeger shit for their thin metal...
Amazing review. Thank you.just ordered one
So this is like a pellet grill but using charcoal? How good was temperature control. Ie when ambient dropped did it do a good job feeding more charcoal to maintain consistent internal temps? I do think including that information would be useful for future videos along with perhaps something that shows how evenly the temperature is distributed in the cook chamber. otherwise it was a very good review that was clear to understand. Good job.
It's quite a bit like a pellet grill that uses charcoal, but the difference is that the charcoal just stays in the hopper the entire time and isn't ever transported to a burn pot like you'd find in a pellet grill. The charcoal is loaded into the vertical hopper, and the bottom layer of the charcoal is lit using a fire starter. Once the bottom layer is lit, the fan controls the heat of the grill by supplying air to maintain desired temperature. Once the charcoal on the bottom is used up, the layer on top ignites and takes its place. That's basically how it works. I'll have to go more in depth next video, but it's tough to make everyone happy when the videos are too long for some and too short for others. Thanks for your comment.
@@TheBarbecueLab thanks for the clarification. Does that mean at the end of each cook, you pretty much have to empty the hopper, remove any unused charcoal? I get the need for balance and depth of information to go along with that.
@@networkn At the end of each cook, you just slide back in the air intake panel to shut all air off to the charcoal chamber and the fire will die out. All of the lit charcoal will go out and all of the charcoal above it will stay unlit, so you have all the charcoal ready for the next cook. I'll only load the hopper once and that usually gets me 4-5 cooks depending on what I'm cooking.
Great review. Trying to decide between this and a PitBoss pellet grill. Question.. how do you shut this thing down when finished?
Thanks Nick. To shut down this cooker, you’d just turn off the grill at the control panel by holding down the power button for a few seconds, and then put back in both of the metal slides that allow air to flow in and out of the charcoal chamber. Once that airflow is closed off, any lit charcoal won’t be able to burn without oxygen and the fire will go out. Leftover charcoal will be ready for the next cook.
Man, Ive noticed all the masterbuilt chimneys get really caked. You look at the chargriller and that porcelain coat must really make the difference.
Also, some extra gaskets will fix some of your issues. I think for any grills sub $1500’s you can’t go wrong with some extra gaskets.
That was a very comprehensive review my only critique would be it would have been nice if you shown how to start the grill you know showing what kind of issues you had what you found that work best that kind of stuff
I just received today this grill, it is amazing! Thanks to your reviews!
Congrats Cristian! Enjoy the new grill!
@@TheBarbecueLab Thank you!
I would like to see where you put the starter to get the charcoal going? Also, I heard that you could use a roofer style propane, torch to light the grill is that true?
I been wanting to get this grill I really apreciate your review very thorough thumbs up from me!
I dont get the concept... you lite the fire down below which then burns flames to ignite the coal at the bottom of the hopper which causes it to fall into the fire through the grates?
My wife just got this for me for fathers day through Costco and payed 50$ to have them assemble and after seeing the set up on this video and looking at the instructions I really appreciate she did lol
She's a keeper! Happy Father's Day
@@hrd43hrd How is it holding up?
@@JewelShain stopped working after about 7 months.. I did use it a lot and liked it better then a Traeger flavors wise and the setup, but every traeger we’ve gotten still works.. if this one was more durable I would prefer it though, only reason I haven’t replaced it yet is because I wanted to wait a couple years to see if they improve the durability or if a rival company comes up with same concept.. but charcoal is way better then pellets so I hope they improve, I’ve seen other reviews of them not lasting long for others also.. till then just sticking with my Weber for charcoal and Traeger for longer cooks that I can’t monitor
@@hrd43hrd when you say it stopped working, are there parts that you could replace to get it to work again?
@@JewelShain yeah I think you could just replace the fan or the computer part, I just never looked.. we have had to do that with Traeger also or replace the auger but it lasts longer.. I was just surprised how fast this grill stopped working.. I’m sure it’s an easy piece replacement
problems on the 2nd use ?? read lots of reviews and i decided way to many problems for my taste ! liked the concept of charcoal but have read usage is pretty high no matter what you use ! and as for customer service, they need lots of help in that department ! i'll pass on this ! had my camp chef for over 4 yrs and only problem so far is i had to replace the hot rod once !! as for more smoke i use a smoke tube if i need it ...
Just moved and need a new grill. I was on the fence about this one, but your video really helps.
Glad it was helpful! Best wishes on your next purchase.
On sale for $400 right now at Walmart… I might have to pick this up
The question I really want to know is if MB fixed the Charcoal box warping problems they were having with the 560. Also, does the longevity of this look like, I don't want to pay $700 every two years
A one year warranty is all I needed to avoid this brand.
Warping fire box sides has zero impact on the grill, this can be upgraded to stainless steel in a cool kit
This was a great review. Can you do a review on the Hasty Bake Legacy or Suburban and compare it to the Masterbuilt 800?
I really wonder why this isn't (rechargeable Lythium-Ion) battery powered. There is just a fan to spin and a tiny PCB, so this should only draw a few watts.
I got mine, but had my wife turn off grill to let cool. I had left to pick up more grill stuff. She turned it off, then closed the vents. Man. It stayed on, never cooled. It just kept going. I should have told her to unplug it
What a great video!! I am reviewing what to buy and this was brilliant in answering most of the questions I had, well done.
Glad the video was helpful Brian. Have a great day!
Fantastic job on this review! Answered a lot of questions!
Thanks Mark! All the best.
Man such a great review! Truth all the way around. I'm subscribing just because it was so good
Much appreciated!
We've been running the 800 here in our shop in the UK, great cooker!
@@prosmokebbq8530 Is it still working?
Was that paint bubbling at the top of the hopper?
How do you use the probes on the panel work?? Are they specific Masterbuilt ones??? Can you use wired probes???
Masterbuilt has always built week mother boards and controllers. I had issues with my last one and they would not honor a replacement. Even though the unit was about two years old, it was a known issue with that model.
Thanks for the very helpful review. Very methodical and thorough. We just got a Masterbuilt 900 (the 800 but from Costco). A weird thing is happening. I set it at 250 to do the initial burnoff. The fan turned on just fine and it heated to 250. The fan turned off as it should. Then the heat just kept rising. At close to 300 I opened the lid and bled off the heat to below 250. The fan came back on as expected when the temp went below 250. At 250 the fan shut off and the temp continued to rise again. Any ideas? Have you seen this behavior?
How much was it at costco? Did it include a free cover or any extras for the price? What state are you in?
A tip on using the app. Hit disconnect every time you finish or close your phone. It will stop shutting off.
That's a nice tip, I'll give it a try.
So why did it flame up? I'm confused 😕. If it's not on direct heat.
One point of note, the griddle hangs much better lengthwise going up and down, hooks fit perfect in the holes on back of it.... One question, I haven't seen many videos where the built in meat probe is used? Is there a reason for that?
for the smoke leak, I just use some aluminum foil with 2 layers and that takes care of it.
When you have some experience with this, I would love to know what you think about the amount of charcoal consumption. My MB 560 is a charcoal hog!
Have you tried some lump or B&B in it?
@@ericd.4460 I have tried lump and it still burns quickly. I would love to try B&B but it is hard to find in Ontario. I will searching for it again in the spring.
Dave I also have the 560. My advice is treat our 560 like a Weber Kettle. Only use the charcoal you need for your cook. It seems the hopper will burn a additional 20% during shutdown.
Ordering one tomorrow, was a bit hesitant with all the complaints I was seeing on Google. But this video sold me on it. Question, can the top of the control panel be used as a shelf too? I mean for something with a bit of weight to it. Looks good sized but I can’t find anything about if you can use it to hold a big brisket or something
Great question. The control panel shelf can easily hold a brisket. I’ve used it to hold bags of charcoal and plenty of pans of food over the last few months. Enjoy your new grill!
Great review …very informative, just ordered my 800.
Congrats Shwetal! Happy grilling
great video! i have a question... does the declared depth of 77cm include the open front?
I have a Masterbuilt smoker with a add-on smoker box and I noticed the little puddle of something on my deck from the smoker box. It was weird that you mentioned that
What is the purpose of having another smoker box? Stronger smoke flavor? Or cold smoking?
Great review! I am about to get either a 800 or a 1050. Did you encounter the issue where marketing material was glued to the inside of the hood and left glue when you removed it? I hear about that a lot in reviews. I reached it to the manufacturer and they said just use rubbing alcohol. I'd like to know if its that easy. I don't want glue remnants when I cook.
Thanks for the kind words. I do remember some residual sticky stuff leftover from marketing materials, but it’s been so long I can’t remember if it was this grill or a different one. Either way, I just use Goo Gone when that happens and it takes it off.
@@TheBarbecueLab I remember having this issue when I assembled my GS800 last year. Any kind of adhesive remover will solve this. Its just annoying.
how do you find the charcoal consumption? a bit of a shock on higher temps! I come from a kamado
Do you have to use lump charcoal? What is the difference between lump and briquettes? Thanks
One thing a lot of do that own these grills is use a battery bank (like what you use to portably charge your phones, etc) to power these when not using a rotisserie. works great, don't use it plugged into a wall anymore (1050)
I’ve heard of that, but I haven’t tried it yet. Did you have to do a custom rewire of the controller or is it plug and play?
@@TheBarbecueLab It was pretty much plug and play just had to buy an adapter to make the connection to the controller and then plug that into the battery.
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