Walmart has
Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800 Digital Charcoal Griddle + Grill + Smoker (Black) on sale for
$549. Shipping is via freight shipping (charges may apply based on location, refer to the product page).
Thanks to Deal Hunter
ajaholic for finding this deal.
Key Features:
- Reaches 225F in 8 minutes, 450F in 10 minutes, or 700F in 14 minutes
- Includes a flat top griddle insert and cast iron grill grates
- Digital Fan minimizes heat fluctuations – maintains temperature
- Control temperature and cook time with the digital control panel or with smart device control using WiFi or Bluetooth
- Built-in temperature gauge and meat probe thermometer for perfect results every time
- Two porcelain-coated warming/smoking racks for 800 total square inches of cooking space
- Folding stainless steel front shelf for additional preparation space
- Pre-seasoned cooking surface
- Removable grease tray to catch excess food drippings
Top Comments
Pellet grills, gravity, stick burners all have their places. I like a strong smoke flavor on my food and I like managing a fire but I don't have the interest in sitting up managing a stick burner like I might have when I was younger (and drank more).
These MB gravity series make good smokers but only ok grills. Charcoal burns pretty nuetral so most of the flavor people are taking about with a charcoal grill are from the burned fat, radiation and ash which these won't reproduce (except the ash). You can get charcoal pellets for your pellet smoker which makes absolutely no sense to me but to each their own.
With these you do have to manage grease or you will get a fire when you take it above 450F or so. Rendered fat, temps above the fire point of the oil and sparks make it pretty much unavoidable unless you clean it well ahead of time and catch your drippings. Even with a hopper full of wood you burn most of the flavorfull volatiles at higher than smoking temps so I just use my gas grill or a komado if I want to do some high temp grilling.
There is some innovation in bring gravity smokers down to this price point, prior to MBs entrance to market, you would spend $1500 for the next cheapest (Old Country) which was a steal compared to the next one around $2500. That said the construction of these incorporates a lot of sheet metal (and firebrick in the fire box) which just isn't going to last more than a couple of years if you regularly take it up to higher temps. A lot of replacement parts are available though for what seems like a reasonable price.
The WIFI and Bluetooth is a challenge to get working but I have managed to keep mine going. I reloaded the grill app recently and it took me about 3 hours of trying to get it to talk with my router. An aftermarket wifi antenna helps. Once I can get it to find my network and initialize it works great moving forward. I manage a lot of my cooks from work (though the built in TCs are junk, I use a secondary wifi remote thermometer).
This is a good deal if this meets your needs/wants but these do get clearanced out every year. That said, I'd rather be smoking some food than waiting around for a rock bottom price personally.
85 Comments
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I love my pellet grill but the idea of a true charcoal smoker with the convenience of a pellet grill seems ideal. Gets hot enough to sear, fast, more smoke flavor, throw in lump charcoal. Very cool.
I love my pellet grill but the idea of a true charcoal smoker with the convenience of a pellet grill seems ideal. Gets hot enough to sear, fast, more smoke flavor, throw in lump charcoal. Very cool.
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https://www.walmart.com/ip/Master.../942374130
That being said, I have the 1050 and love this! It gives you the ability to put as much or as little charcoal flavor into the meats as you want depending on which charcoal you pick. You can also put wood flavoring into the smoker if you want additional. It's a great smoker. The only negative of this is the software sucks and you often lose communication with the controller and have to reconnect. So having a separate wireless thermometer is definitely recommended.
That being said, I have the 1050 and love this! It gives you the ability to put as much or as little charcoal flavor into the meats as you want depending on which charcoal you pick. You can also put wood flavoring into the smoker if you want additional. It's a great smoker. The only negative of this is the software sucks and you often lose communication with the controller and have to reconnect. So having a separate wireless thermometer is definitely recommended.
BTW if you dont know what a pellet grill is, I suggest you look into it.. they're amazing and in a way very similar to this but far more focus on wood fire which I think is lightyears better than charcoal. They have everything from automatic hopper feed to wifi so you know how your meat is doing among overall temperature, etc.
Again, I was actually going to buy a better version of this but 50% off a pellet grill, so so glad I went that route.
BTW if you dont know what a pellet grill is, I suggest you look into it.. they're amazing and in a way very similar to this but far more focus on wood fire which I think is lightyears better than charcoal. They have everything from automatic hopper feed to wifi so you know how your meat is doing among overall temperature, etc.
Again, I was actually going to buy a better version of this but 50% off a pellet grill, so so glad I went that route.
So not as convenient as pellets, although has some of the automated benefits but with flavor/versatility on par with komodo style cookers.
The main downside to these are the thin sheet metal and design is prone to grease fires.
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