Masterbuilt Gravity Feed

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Does anyone miss having a two zone fire on their grill? I'm so used to using it, that I'm not sure what it's like to live without it. Being able to crank the heat from low to high temp helps mitigate any issues I'm sure.
My 560 will ramp up from 225 degrees to 700 degrees in about 10 minutes. It's one of the more impressive features of my 560. One thing I learned about ramping up temps that quickly is to keep the 560 relatively clean. With the temp set at 700 degrees the fan is running fast and grease flare ups can be pretty impressive.
 
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Just out of curiosity how is everyone storing your smoker from the elements? Cover/ no cover keeping it indoors when not in use? I haven’t inspected mine for issues like this yet I’m just curious if there’s a common theme of if it’s developing these problem areas due to the level of protection it gets.

I keep mine inside when it’s not being used to try and get as much life’s out of it as I can. I’ve had a buddy that has the same grill for over a decade by simply not leaving it outside so I figured if I have the room why not try it out.
I keep mine in the garage and push it outside for use. The first dozen times or so I used it I left it out overnight to cool because I was afraid the charcoal would smoulder and burn the house down. I've used it enough now to know that when I shut the power off and slide the baffle plates in everything is shut down for the night.
 
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I have some questions about this smoker:
  • How are they holding up?
  • Will I need to mod it to perform well?
  • Do I need to invest in anything like accessories, or will it work fine right out of the box?
  • How heavy is the lid? Is it easy to lift from a seated position?
  • Is there a way to have the drippings hit on charcoal for added flavor? (like a drum smoker would)
Thank you so much! :emoji_fingers_crossed:
 
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lokshy, I just wanted you to know that the peeling paint conspiracy theory is correct….I was wrong it’s not creosote as suggested. When I worked on my grill today to replace the fire box plates that were either burned out or bulging, I found flaking paint in the same area that you identified, as well as, rust in the middle hopper assembly. I am afraid that my four-month-old baby grill has the internal parts of an old man headed to hospice care. The good news in all of this is that I didn’t name her ‘Longevity’.
We're eating that paint.
This thing doesn't finish like direct charcoal.. Wife is complaining as well as I am.. Low and slow maybe.. But not real heat. Tommy on YouTube agreed.. I'm not nuts.
 
Does anyone miss having a two zone fire on their grill? I'm so used to using it, that I'm not sure what it's like to live without it. Being able to crank the heat from low to high temp helps mitigate any issues I'm sure.
Ordered a primo xl 400. Real two zone. Real charcoal, real efficiency. This 1050 thing is going back or for sale or something.
 
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Ordered a primo xl 400. Real two zone. Real charcoal, real efficiency. This 1050 thing is going back or for sale or something.
good luck to you. But I can crank my 1050 up anywhere over 500 deg F and I can grill off anything just as I was using my old PK360 grill that I sold.
 
Loving my 560 so far. How would standing a log on end inside the hopper and surrounding it with charcoal work do you think? I could stand it up in the ash bucket, but just wondering how it would do in the hopper.
 
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good luck to you. But I can crank my 1050 up anywhere over 500 deg F and I can grill off anything just as I was using my old PK360 grill that I sold.
It's nowhere near the same finish on the food as my actual charcoal grills. I agree the flexibility is great of temp. But what's the point if you run outta fuel, don't get the same food finish... Maybe my grill grates that just arrived will change something dunno. But pretty fed up with this bs. My fireboard2 I had to buy for this grill also was ordered w a fan, so getting the primo up to 500 in a jiffy is similar.. But getting it back down to a lower temp highly unlikely.
 
It's nowhere near the same finish on the food as my actual charcoal grills. I agree the flexibility is great of temp. But what's the point if you run outta fuel, don't get the same food finish... Maybe my grill grates that just arrived will change something dunno. But pretty fed up with this bs. My fireboard2 I had to buy for this grill also was ordered w a fan, so getting the primo up to 500 in a jiffy is similar.. But getting it back down to a lower temp highly unlikely.
Are you saying the food doesn't taste like it was cooked with charcoal? I've been using the 560 for 6 months and it's been great so far. I'm not understanding your running out of fuel issue. Just add more charcoal to the hopper....
 
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Are you saying the food doesn't taste like it was cooked with charcoal? I've been using the 560 for 6 months and it's been great so far. I'm not understanding your running out of fuel issue. Just add more charcoal to the hopper....
Lol I do add it, that's the problem, it burns 5x the amount or more than I would normally use. You're filling it every cook. On egg you get 5+ uses out of a fill for shorter cooks or more. And a fill is a few pounds.

The finish in terms of char on the food doesn't seem to be the same, and maybe the taste I can't be sure but it seems a common theme that I've suggested between a normal charcoal grill as this indirect gravity fed version.
 
Loving my 560 so far. How would standing a log on end inside the hopper and surrounding it with charcoal work do you think? I could stand it up in the ash bucket, but just wondering how it would do in the hopper.
Found it in the FAQ's.

Can I cook/smoke with logs?
No, we do not recommend smoking with any wood chunks larger than the size of a fist. Chunks larger than fist size will create too much heat on the door and damage to the unit.

I guess I'll cut some logs up.
 
this isn't designed to be a "normal charcoal grill". It is a hybrid way more designed for long and slow cooks than grilling, however, it can grill/sear.

By your logic, you wouldn't be able to get the flavor profile on a Myron Mixon.

If i'm just grilling up some dogs & burgers, or some chicken breasts, i fire up the LP. This type of cook on the 560/1050 is absolutely a fuel guzzler.
 
Lol I do add it, that's the problem, it burns 5x the amount or more than I would normally use. You're filling it every cook. On egg you get 5+ uses out of a fill for shorter cooks or more. And a fill is a few pounds.

The finish in terms of char on the food doesn't seem to be the same, and maybe the taste I can't be sure but it seems a common theme that I've suggested between a normal charcoal grill as this indirect gravity fed version.

It does use more but I’m not filling it constantly. Definitely not every cook. What fuel are you using?
 
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FWIW - i have done zero mods. Definitely used more fuel when i first started with it using kingsford. switched to r.o. ridge and i am now using less. about a month ago i bought 10 bags @ lowes for about $5 / bag
 
Loving my 560 so far. How would standing a log on end inside the hopper and surrounding it with charcoal work do you think? I could stand it up in the ash bucket, but just wondering how it would do in the hopper.

I had some big pieces in a bag of Mesquite Lump and my last burn I experimented and put a large Lump Log vertical in the hopper. I had Briqs around it (mostly along one side). It burned fine.
I have ran straight Oak fire wood (cut down to Chunk size) in my 560... Did a Pizza.
You can burn just about anything in this Machine !
 
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Just out of curiosity how is everyone storing your smoker from the elements? Cover/ no cover keeping it indoors when not in use? I haven’t inspected mine for issues like this yet I’m just curious if there’s a common theme of if it’s developing these problem areas due to the level of protection it gets.

I keep mine inside when it’s not being used to try and get as much life’s out of it as I can. I’ve had a buddy that has the same grill for over a decade by simply not leaving it outside so I figured if I have the room why not try it out.
I keep mine covered outside with the MB cover. It fits well and is reasonably priced.
 
Boneless skinless chicken thighs for the 3rd cook on the 560. Turned out great. Embers brand charcoal from HD and two chunks that I cut from Kingsford mesquite logs were the fuel. Seasoned with Slap Ya Mama and finished with Sweet Baby Ray's SNS to 175. Set the temp to 450, then backed it down to 400 when I put them on. Cooked for maybe 15 minutes.
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