Masterbuilt Gravity Feed

[clifish]

Go for it Cliff!
Turns out some great food !

Keith

still deciding on which brand/size to get but it is the direction I am leaning too.

 

[negolien]

should be some hopping sales real soon

 

[clifish]

should be some hopping sales real soon

I hope so, now the best I can do is getting $100 of the cb980 if I sign on to get a lowes credit card. If I can time it with a trip to visit my son and buy it in NH there will also be no sales tax that would save another $60. hopefully after the 4th they might want to move some? The MB850 for $560 from Costco is a decent price but I don't want to cut myself off on size. I like the width of the CB980 but MB1050 has more height.

 

[Smokin Okie]

Question for all gravity feed people. Do you remove the unused charcoal out of the hopper in between cooks, especially if you leave it outside uncovered? I don't know how quickly moisture would invade the briquets.

Yes, because I like to put wood chunks in the hopper and they burn up no matter where they're placed in the hopper. I want to use fresh chunks.

 

[clifish]

Anyone with the MB 1050 how big is the main grate, same question for anyone with the MB 800

 

[912smoker]

1050 is 28 3/8" wide X 18"deep

Keith

 

[clifish]

1050 is 28 3/8" wide X 18"deep

Keith

Thanks Keith, How often do you fire up either MES now that you have the 1050?

 

[912smoker]

I only use it as a warmer now or for sides.
Use the 1050 several times a week !

Keith

 

[clifish]

Anyone do any mods to their masterbuilt, like grease traps or heat shield cover? LSS mods looks to have some very nice things to offer

 

[clifish]

I guess that is a no from you negolien ?

 

[negolien]

Anyone do any mods to their masterbuilt, like grease traps or heat shield cover? LSS mods looks to have some very nice things to offer

mods are for suckers or people just wanting to tweak stuff for fun imho. i did get full size shelves for my 560 and added some gaskets on the doors. other than that 3= years later only main door by pass /shrug runs like a champ. i do have issues with the new app but /shrug might just be me. it used to work just fine till they released a new version

 

[clifish]

mods are for suckers or people just wanting to tweak stuff for fun imho. i did get full size shelves for my 560 and added some gaskets on the doors. other than that 3= years later only main door by pass /shrug runs like a champ. i do have issues with the new app but /shrug might just be me. it used to work just fine till they released a new version

Any mods I get will be for ease of keeping clean like the manifold shield and drip tray brackets, If I go with the 800 I would want at least another full size grate. The apps on both don't seem the greatest but I might not even use them if they create problems.

 

[912smoker]

No mods for me. I do add a layer of foil between the hopper and the lid to keep the paint from bubbling and add a layer on top on the heat manifold for easy clean ups.
I had issues with the new app until I uninstalled the old one and now works perfectly. I use a remote thermo the monitor cooks but have used it to adjust cooking temps . Love the 1050 and would buy another if this ever fails beyond repair!

Keith

 

[BBQ Bird]

Any mods I get will be for ease of keeping clean like the manifold shield and drip tray brackets, If I go with the 800 I would want at least another full size grate. The apps on both don't seem the greatest but I might not even use them if they create problems.

I don't think you can put a 2nd full size grate in an 800. The lid actually wraps around the sides of the cooking chamber, going deeper as it goes up. This means that the side supports for the second and upper grates are only half as deep as the bottom grate. I believe that it's the same for the 1050 (but I'm not positive), whereas the 560 lid is made up of less than the side walls, so the upper grates are as deep (or almost as deep) as the bottom grate.

This is my biggest complaint about the 800. It seems like a bad design that limits the cooking space. However, other than that I love mine, and since I'm almost always just cooking for 2, it hasn't affected me as much.

 

[Smokin Okie]

Anyone do any mods to their masterbuilt, like grease traps or heat shield cover? LSS mods looks to have some very nice things to offer

I did that drip tray/manifold cover thing, so I could put a water/drip pan under the bottom grate. I worry about grease fires and I always like to run a drip pan.

I also got a middle grate made from expanded metal, glad I did that one as I cook a lot on the middle grate.

I've been looking at that hopper cover thing that LSS makes, it might seal up the hopper better.

I also put a piece of expanded metal on firebricks inside the ash pan. It elevates wood chunks and keeps them from burying in the ash. They will also burn in open flame there, which I'm not sure is good for the walls of the firebox but it makes from some really nice thin blue smoke.

 

[clifish]

I don't think you can put a 2nd full size grate in an 800. The lid actually wraps around the sides of the cooking chamber, going deeper as it goes up. This means that the side supports for the second and upper grates are only half as deep as the bottom grate. I believe that it's the same for the 1050 (but I'm not positive), whereas the 560 lid is made up of less than the side walls, so the upper grates are as deep (or almost as deep) as the bottom grate.

This is my biggest complaint about the 800. It seems like a bad design that limits the cooking space. However, other than that I love mine, and since I'm almost always just cooking for 2, it hasn't affected me as much.

lss makes 2 - 24 x 14 grates that fit the 800 - Thanks for your reply

 

[negolien]

lss makes 2 - 24 x 14 grates that fit the 800 - Thanks for your reply
View attachment 636360

the one mod I am 100% good with. I got full size shelves for my 560 from joe victor and love em.

 

[desertsubi]

Heres to rolling the dice with the Masterbuilt QC gods... just dropped cash on a MB 800. They had 3 at the local wally world and all 3 boxes looked rather experienced. Also made sure to purchase the warrenty as we all know how that goes.

The only kick in the pants to all this, I cant bbq beef anymore due to Sjogrens Syndrome (just found out 2 years ago I had it). but all the other meats are safe. So time for me to get this thing put together, burn off some packaging oils, seasoned and used.

 

[912smoker]

Excellent choice! I have the 1050 and love it.
Just let us know of you have any issues!

Keith

 

[OldBeechDriver]

The mod I like the best is the water pan mod. It sits over the hottest part of the burner and the moisture content is noticeably higher. Additionally, the mod for the drip pans is cool too, as it provides a piece of stainless that sits on top of the heat distributor thingy, so it’s easier to clean.
The only other thing i highly recommend is replacing the native switches with toggles. I’m very glad I did, as the only one I didn’t replace (on the cook top lid) failed in the middle of trying to seat a huge prime rib…

In any event, my favorite tool I actually made myself. It makes picking up the grates super easy, and your hands don’t get dirty.