RiversideSm0ker
Master of the Pit
I don’t have the Masterbuilt but if you are worried about the simplicity then just watch this video. Charcoal grilling doesn’t get much easier than this.
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I wish I could see one in person being used.Hence the Masterbuilt Gravity Fed. Load the charcoal in the tower. Firestarter stick in the bottom. 3-5 min set temp and relax. Low temp for smoking. Up to 700 deg for grilling. Easy Peezy, lemon squeezy.
I don’t have the Masterbuilt but if you are worried about the simplicity then just watch this video. Charcoal grilling doesn’t get much easier than this.
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The more I read about them, the more I like the idea. I have read many reviews indicating there are quality issues with the paint, switches and fan though. Also, the one year warranty leaves a bit to be desired. I wonder if they'll release an updated version or something in the near future.I wish I could see one in person being used.
It's very easy to get a Kamado type grill, or as PPG1 stated the Masterbuilt Gravity fed grill started. Once your significant other tastes food from one of these grill she won't mind a little extra effort starting one.This is very interested feedback. Thank you. I read things about the pellet grills along the lines of what you're saying so it's not a complete surprise to hear that. I'm really gun shy about the charcoal grills especially because my significant other uses it and she's already told me that she doesn't want anything much more complicated than the gas grill we already have.
That's an interesting perspective! Thank you for your insight. I'm pretty handy and like to think that I can fix just about anything but I've read a lot of negative feedback regarding the quality of these grills. I wonder if I wait 6 months or so they might have fixed some of the problems with the peeling paint and cracks in the charcoal hopper, etc. Or maybe another manufacturer might release something similar.... I'm not in a rush to buy.Maybe a different way of looking at things...
Modern cookers like pellet grills or MB Gravities have a lot of moving parts. Reliability (as in mean time between failures) is measured in years, not decades. (These are not our grandfathers' smokers.) If you're handy, you can maintain the fans, motors, augers, etc yourself, as long as you ensure you can obtain spare parts, or stock up on them yourself when it appears they're getting harder to get.
So if the reason you want cast iron or stainless steel cooking chambers is because you want it to last decades, well just be aware that chamber corrosion is NOT one of the most likely failure mechanisms. Also, the storage methods (garage or shed) that is necessary to ensure long life for the electronics and wiring also greatly extends the lifetime of the cheapest of steel cook bodies.
Also note that parts availability is plenteous, and probably will be for at least a decade, on the cheapest Chinese units. But the more you pay, the more unique the designs, and the more important it is YOU become your own parts warehouse and repair staff to maintain these far out into the future.
I didn't mean to give the impression that it's not simple enough for me but rather my concern is about the ease and timeliness of being able to fire it up especially compared with a gas grill. I know so little about grilling with charcoal.Honestly if the Masterbuilt doesn’t feel simple enough for you then my guess is that you should probably not consider anything with electronics. A Weber kettle will fill your needs for a fraction of the price. All you need is a charcoal chimney and a lighter. It will grill perfectly no matter the temp and it will do it for decades. This Masterbuilt gravity grill is just the best choice available now with the precise temperature control of a pellet grill and the grilling power of any manual charcoal grill. This is just my opinion of course. I hope that you enjoy whatever you decide on.
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You have to pull the plug sometime. 6 months...? I've had mine going on 2 years...No problems. I trust MB that the panels in the stack just protect fire brick for shipping. As for paint peeling on the upper hatch of the stack, I use a small square of tin foil and wallah no peeling. Not to sound rude but if your thinking this is to difficult you really should consider a Weber Kettle.That's an interesting perspective! Thank you for your insight. I'm pretty handy and like to think that I can fix just about anything but I've read a lot of negative feedback regarding the quality of these grills. I wonder if I wait 6 months or so they might have fixed some of the problems with the peeling paint and cracks in the charcoal hopper, etc. Or maybe another manufacturer might release something similar.... I'm not in a rush to buy.
Honestly if the Masterbuilt doesn’t feel simple enough for you then my guess is that you should probably not consider anything with electronics. A Weber kettle will fill your needs for a fraction of the price. All you need is a charcoal chimney and a lighter. It will grill perfectly no matter the temp and it will do it for decades. This Masterbuilt gravity grill is just the best choice available now with the precise temperature control of a pellet grill and the grilling power of any manual charcoal grill. This is just my opinion of course. I hope that you enjoy whatever you decide on.
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Haha well OK! My condescending tone detector seems to be providing a warning message!You have to pull the plug sometime. 6 months...? I've had mine going on 2 years...No problems. I trust MB that the panels in the stack just protect fire brick for shipping. As for paint peeling on the upper hatch of the stack, I use a small square of tin foil and wallah no peeling. Not to sound rude but if your thinking this is to difficult you really should consider a Weber Kettle.
Oh this sounds really cool. I'm going to check it out. Thank you!The Weber kettle is a great solution. Specifically if you get the Weber performer which has the built-in gas ignition system. Weber kettles are known to sit outside without being covered and will still last 10 to 20 years, or more.. They are super cheap so you could spend your extra money on food to practice grilling with charcoal, which you should be able to pick up pretty quickly.
Once the briquettes are lit with the propane ignition on the performer kettle, just keep the vents open for some airflow to keep them going. You have a direct heat side and indirect side. The indirect side would be just like cooking in your oven and the direct side is to put a little char on your food for great flavor.
My apologies for sure. I am the last person to be condescending. I was afraid that i was coming off that way and never should have posted the way I did. I'm just an old redneck from South Carolina who loves to cook outdoors and sip my JD old #7. Please don't think I'm condescending i'm just not real good at expressing thingsHaha well OK! My condescending tone detector seems to be providing a warning message!
I'm in no rush to buy a grill. I can pull the plug whenever, really. I have no immediate need to replace my grill and it makes sense to me to not be a buyer of 1st gen technology, when that's possible and makes sense.
Voila! Tin foil protects the paint! Who knew? You did, apparently. Not sure what part of my previous replies indicated I needed a simpler grill but I'm not sure that I agree, nor do I understand why you'd conclude that. I don't need to understand your reasoning though.
I want a high quality grill that's easy to light, maintain and will last for years. I like the idea of having the remote monitoring technology that is offered by the MB gravity fed charcoal grill and that it behaves more like a grill than the pellet grills.
I appreciate the clarification. Cheers!My apologies for sure. I am the last person to be condescending. I was afraid that i was coming off that way and never should have posted the way I did. I'm just an old redneck from South Carolina who loves to cook outdoors and sip my JD ole #7. Please don't think I'm condescending i'm just not real good at expressing things