I’ve owned three different Masterbuilt units over the years, borrowed a couple more from buddies, and put the current lineup through real cooks: brisket, pork butt, ribs, a Thanksgiving turkey that almost didn’t fit, and more chicken wings than I’d like to admit. This guide is everything I’ve learned, laid out so you can pick the right one the first time instead of learning the hard way like I did. If you’re looking for a broader look at the market, check out our massive guide to the best electric smokers on the market today.
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Masterbuilt basically built the modern digital electric smoker category. They were one of the first brands to make “set it and forget it” smoking accessible to regular backyard cooks instead of just the die-hards who’d spend all day babysitting an offset. That reputation still holds up in 2026 — they’ve got the widest lineup, the best parts availability, and the accessory ecosystem to back it up.
But “dominant” doesn’t mean “perfect for everyone,” and I’ll be straight with you about where these smokers fall short too. If you want to understand the fundamental differences, our breakdown on charcoal vs. electric smokers is required reading.
If you want consistent results without constantly fighting your fire, a Masterbuilt electric smoker is a great fit. They’re ideal for:
If you’re chasing hardcore bark and that deep campfire smoke ring that competition guys obsess over, a stick burner will always out-perform an electric unit. That’s not a knock on Masterbuilt — it’s just physics. Electric smokers are about consistency and convenience, not maximum smoke flavor.
If you want to load it up and walk away for a few hours, Masterbuilt makes smoking accessible for the best smoker for beginners.
Electric smokers handle cold-weather climates much better than most charcoal setups. Masterbuilt’s insulation holds tight even when it’s freezing outside.
Quick and honest breakdown, since I get asked this constantly:
For most people getting into smoking, electric is the lowest-friction way to start eating good barbecue without burning your first three briskets into shoe leather.
I evaluated each model on temperature accuracy against an independent probe thermometer, smoke output over a full cook, how forgiving the controls are for a first-timer, build quality after repeated use, how much of a pain cleanup is, and whether the price actually matches what you get. I ran multi-hour cooks (pork butt, ribs) and short cooks (wings, sausage) on each unit rather than just eyeballing spec sheets.
Masterbuilt 40-Inch Digital
Massive capacity for full packer briskets and consistent heat across four racks.
Masterbuilt 30-Inch Digital
Simple controls, affordable entry, and compact enough for small patios.
Masterbuilt 710 WiFi
True long-range WiFi monitoring and an included meat probe for remote cooking.
Masterbuilt 30-Inch Analog
No digital components to fail; just a bulletproof dial and a great price.
| Model | Best For | Cooking Space | Smart Features | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40-Inch Digital (MB20074719) | Overall Best | ~975 sq. in. | Digital controls, glass window | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 30-Inch Digital (MB20071117) | Beginners | 710 sq. in. | Basic digital, side chip loader | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 710 WiFi (MB20070924) | Smart Technology | 711 sq. in. | WiFi app + built-in probe | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 30-Inch Analog (MB20070210) | Ultra-Budget | ~548 sq. in. | Analog dial, no digital board | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
A quick note before we dive into reviews: every model here — digital or analog — uses Masterbuilt’s patented side wood chip loader. That matters more than it sounds like. Every time you crack that big front door, you’re dumping heat and smoke. The side loader is honestly one of the most underrated features in the whole Masterbuilt lineup.
This is the one I tell most people to buy if budget isn’t the deciding factor. I’ve smoked full packer briskets in this thing without trimming the point down to fit, which is not something I can say about the 30-inch models.
Why I like it: With around 975 square inches of cooking space spread across four racks, you’ve got room to run a brisket, a couple of racks of ribs, and a pan of mac and cheese all in the same cook — which matters when you’re feeding a crowd. The digital controls hold temperature within a few degrees once it’s dialed in, and the glass window (on the window/leg kit version) lets you check smoke levels without opening the door and losing heat. The raised leg kit also puts the controls at a comfortable height instead of you hunching over.
Backyard BBQ enthusiasts who host regularly, families who cook in bulk, and anyone who’s outgrown a smaller smoker and wants room to grow.
This was my first smoker, and it’s still the one I recommend to friends who ask “what should I get to start smoking meat?” It’s simple enough that you’re not fighting the controls while you’re also trying to learn how smoke actually works.
Why beginners love it: At 710 square inches across four chrome-coated racks, it’s plenty of room for a pork butt, a couple of chicken breasts, or a full rack of ribs without feeling cramped. The digital controls are dead simple — set your temp, set your timer, done. It’s got the same side wood chip loader as the 40-inch model, so you’re not opening the main door every 45 minutes to add chips. The smaller footprint also makes it a solid fit for a townhouse patio or a smaller backyard.
One honest heads-up: the base model doesn’t come with a built-in meat probe. Budget for a separate wireless dual-probe thermometer — it’s a small add-on cost that saves you from guessing when your meat’s actually done.
First-time smokers, apartment or townhouse patios where electric smoking is permitted, and casual weekend cooks who don’t need commercial-scale capacity.
I want to flag something important here before I recommend this one: Masterbuilt used to sell a Bluetooth-enabled smoker, and if you’re shopping secondhand or see an older “Bluetooth” model floating around, know that it had real range problems — you’re looking at maybe 15 to 30 feet of reliable line-of-sight connection before it drops out. That’s basically useless if you want to check your smoker from inside the house.
The 710 fixes that by switching to true WiFi connectivity, which is what you actually want in a smart smoker. With 711 square inches of cooking space, integrated WiFi app control, and an included meat probe (a nice bonus you don’t get on the base digital models), this is the one for people who want to genuinely monitor and adjust their cook from anywhere with a signal — not just from the backyard. You get real-time temperature graphs, alerts when your target internal temp is hit, and the ability to bump the smoker temp up or down from your phone.
Tech-savvy pitmasters who want to run errands or work during a long cook, and anyone who’s been burned (pun intended) by unreliable Bluetooth smokers in the past.
This one doesn’t get talked about enough, and I think that’s a mistake. If you want the absolute simplest, most bulletproof entry into electric smoking, the analog model deserves a serious look.
Why it’s worth considering: It skips the digital control board entirely in favor of a simple analog dial and a 1,500-watt heating element, with a built-in door thermometer so you can eyeball your temp at a glance. Because there’s no circuit board to worry about, it holds up better in humid or rainy climates where digital control panels can eventually act up. It’s also usually the cheapest way into the Masterbuilt ecosystem.
Budget-conscious buyers, people in humid or rainy climates worried about electronics, and anyone who just wants a no-frills smoker that works.
Here’s how I’d steer different people, folded into the spec breakdown so you’re not reading the same recommendations twice.
Small households feeding two to four people regularly will be perfectly happy with the 30-inch digital or analog models. You get enough room for a pork butt or a few racks of ribs without paying for space you won’t use. If you’re tight on space, this is also the best small smoker route to take.
Large families or regular hosts should go straight to the 40-inch model. Once you’ve tried to cram a full packer brisket into a 30-inch smoker and had to trim the point off just to close the door, you’ll understand why the extra capacity is worth the extra footprint.
Standard digital models (30-inch and 40-inch) give you reliable set-and-forget temperature control without extra bells and whistles. This is plenty for 90% of home cooks.
WiFi-enabled models (the 710) are worth the upgrade if you’re regularly away from home during long cooks — an overnight brisket or an all-day pork butt where you don’t want to be tethered to the backyard.
Masterbuilt’s digital units hold heat well even in cooler weather, which is part of why electric smokers are a better cold-climate choice than most charcoal setups. That said, the analog model’s simpler construction genuinely shines in humid or rainy regions — less exposed electronics, less to worry about.
All four models use similar cabinet construction, so durability really comes down to how you maintain them (see the cleaning section below) rather than which model you pick. The analog unit has a slight edge long-term simply because there’s less that can electronically fail.
As a rule of thumb: the 30-inch digital is your best value if you want digital convenience on a budget, the analog is your best value if you want the lowest price point period, the 40-inch is worth the jump if you regularly cook for a crowd, and the 710 WiFi is worth the premium only if you’ll actually use the remote monitoring — otherwise you’re paying for a feature that’ll sit unused. If you need more options under a certain price point, check out our guide on the best electric smoker under $500.
I want to call this out clearly because it trips up a lot of first-time buyers: almost every Masterbuilt digital electric smoker maxes out around 275°F. For low-and-slow cooking — brisket, pork butt, ribs — that’s not a problem at all; it’s actually right in the sweet spot.
Where it becomes a real limitation is poultry skin. You will not get crispy, rendered skin on a whole chicken or turkey at 275°F in an electric smoker — the skin comes out more rubbery than crispy no matter how long you leave it in. My workaround, and the one I recommend to everyone: smoke the bird for flavor, then finish it with a quick high-heat sear on a gas grill or a few minutes under the oven broiler to crisp the skin up at the end. It takes an extra 10 minutes and makes a real difference.
A few add-ons genuinely change what your Masterbuilt smoker can do. I don’t recommend accessories just to pad a cart — these are the ones I actually use.
This external kit connects to your smoker and lets you cold-smoke without cooking the food — perfect for cheese, salmon, bacon, and nuts. It’s one of the most underrated upgrades in the whole ecosystem, and it turns your electric smoker into a two-season tool instead of just a summer cookout machine. If you like the idea of smoked cheddar or house-cured salmon, this is where you start. Learn the basics in our guide to cold smoking vs hot smoking.
Here’s a problem every Masterbuilt owner runs into eventually: the native wood chip tray only burns for about 45 to 60 minutes before it needs a reload. That’s fine for a quick cook but annoying for an overnight brisket. My fix — and one that’s become standard advice among longtime owners — is dropping a cheap pellet smoke tube (A-MAZE-N is the most common brand) inside the chamber alongside your chips. A tube like this can produce steady smoke for 6 to 8 hours unattended, which means you can actually sleep through part of an overnight cook instead of setting an alarm to reload chips at 2 a.m.
I mentioned this in the 30-inch review, but it’s worth its own callout: the base digital models don’t come with a built-in probe, and even the models that do only give you one reading point. A separate wireless dual-probe thermometer lets you track both the meat temp and the chamber temp at the same time, from your phone or a handheld receiver, without opening the door to check. This is the single cheapest upgrade that will most improve your results — I don’t run a cook without one anymore.
If you want a deeper dive, read our full tutorial on how to use an electric smoker, but here are the absolute must-know steps.
Adding too many wood chips. More smoke isn’t more flavor past a certain point — it’s just bitterness. A handful every 45–60 minutes for the first 2–3 hours is plenty.
Opening the door too often. Every time that main door opens, you lose heat and smoke, and recovery time adds up fast. This is exactly why the side wood chip loader matters — use it instead of the main door whenever you can.
Relying on time instead of temperature. “It’s been 6 hours, it should be done” is how you end up with tough, underdone pork butt or a dried-out brisket. Cook to internal temperature every single time — a $20 wireless probe will save you more disappointing dinners than any amount of guesswork.
Picking the right wood makes or breaks your flavor profile. For a full cheat sheet, check out our wood smoking flavor chart.
Best for: Brisket, pork shoulder, ribs. Strong, classic BBQ flavor — the wood most people picture when they think “smoked meat.”
Best for: Beef, sausage, mixed cooks. Milder and more versatile than hickory, good if you’re smoking a few different things in one session.
Best for: Pork, chicken, turkey. Mild and slightly sweet — a great starting wood if you’re new to smoking and worried about overpowering the meat.
Best for: Poultry, ham. Adds a nice reddish color to the meat along with a mild, fruity flavor.
Best for: Ribs, pork butt. Sits between hickory and fruit woods — nutty, a little sweet, and forgiving if you’re still dialing in your technique.
| Meat | Best Wood |
|---|---|
| Brisket | Hickory, Oak |
| Pork Butt | Hickory, Apple |
| Ribs | Pecan, Hickory |
| Chicken | Apple, Cherry |
| Turkey | Cherry, Pecan |
| Salmon | Apple, Alder |
Looking for inspiration? We have a massive list of the best meats to smoke right here.
| Meat | Difficulty | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken Wings | Easy | Short |
| Pork Tenderloin | Easy | Short |
| Ribs | Medium | Medium |
| Pork Butt | Medium | Long |
| Brisket | Advanced | Very Long |
Smoked Mac and Cheese — A great side to run alongside your main cook since it only needs an hour or so on the smoker.
Smoked Queso — Crowd favorite, easy to throw together, and it picks up smoke flavor fast.
Cold-Smoked Cheese — This is where that cold smoker attachment I mentioned earlier really pays off. Cheddar, gouda, and mozzarella all take on smoke beautifully without melting, as long as you’re truly cold-smoking (below 90°F) rather than running your regular cook temp.
For the full step-by-step process, read our dedicated guide on how to clean a Masterbuilt electric smoker. Here are the absolute rules.
Drip Tray — Empty and wipe down grease buildup before it hardens; it’s much easier to clean warm than cold.
Water Pan — Dump and rinse. Leftover liquid left overnight can start to smell and attract pests.
Grease Collection System — Check the grease bucket or tray under the unit and empty it so it doesn’t overflow on your next cook.
Remove Cooking Racks — Soak in warm soapy water to loosen baked-on residue.
Clean Interior Walls — Wipe down with a damp cloth, but don’t scrub aggressively (see below).
Remove Grease Buildup — Focus on corners and the area around the heating element where grease tends to pool.
Inspect Heating Element — Check for excessive buildup or corrosion, especially if you’re in a humid climate.
Smoke-Seasoned Interior Surfaces: That dark patina on the interior walls is flavor, not dirt. Scrubbing it off aggressively actually hurts your future cooks — treat it like seasoning on a cast iron pan.
Temperature Sensor Mistakes: Don’t scrub or bend the internal temperature probe/sensor. A damaged sensor throws off your entire cook and can be a pain to replace.
Stick to a simple degreaser safe for stainless and painted steel, warm soapy water for racks, and a soft cloth or non-abrasive sponge for interior walls. Skip harsh oven cleaners — they can strip protective coatings.
Bradley’s bisquette-feed system automates wood loading more than Masterbuilt’s side chip loader, but the bisquettes themselves cost more over time and lock you into Bradley’s proprietary fuel. Masterbuilt wins on ongoing cost and accessory availability. (See our full best Bradley smokers guide for more).
Pit Boss tends to be a touch cheaper at similar capacities, but in my experience Masterbuilt holds temperature more consistently and has better parts and accessory support if something needs replacing down the line.
Char-Broil’s electric lineup is a solid budget option but generally has thinner insulation, which shows up as more temperature swings in cold or windy weather. Masterbuilt’s cabinets are noticeably better insulated across the digital lineup.
For most home cooks who want reliable results without a steep learning curve, yes. The lineup covers everyone from budget-conscious beginners to smart-home enthusiasts, the accessory ecosystem (cold smoker kit, replacement parts, wood chip variety) is the deepest in the category, and the side wood chip loader remains a genuinely useful feature competitors still haven’t matched as well. Need more options? Check out the pros and cons in our electric smoker pros and cons guide.
Usually means your wood chips are too damp, too small a quantity, or your temp is set too low to properly combust them. Make sure you’re using dry chips and running at least 225°F.
Check your door seal for gaps, avoid opening the main door repeatedly, and make sure the unit isn’t sitting in direct wind, which can pull heat away from the cabinet.
This is normal — native chip trays burn through in 45–60 minutes. If you’re tired of reloading, this is exactly the situation the pellet tube/A-MAZE-N hack solves for long cooks.
Most digital error codes point to a temperature sensor fault or a control board communication issue. Check the manual for the specific code, but a hard reset (unplug for a few minutes) resolves a surprising number of these.
If you’re on an older Bluetooth-equipped model, remember the realistic range is only about 15–30 feet with a clear line of sight. If you’re constantly losing connection, that’s the hardware limitation talking, not a defect — it’s part of why I steer people toward the WiFi-enabled 710 instead.
Yes, especially if you want consistent, low-maintenance results without babysitting a fire. Just go in knowing about the 275°F cap on poultry skin.
The Masterbuilt 30-Inch Digital Electric Smoker. Simple controls, solid capacity, and an affordable entry price.
The 30-Inch Analog Electric Smoker for pure budget, or the 30-Inch Digital if you want the convenience of digital controls without paying for smart features you won’t use.
Empty the drip tray and water pan after every cook, and do a deeper clean of the racks, interior, and grease buildup about once a month depending on how often you’re cooking.
Hickory and oak for beef, apple and cherry for poultry and pork, pecan as a versatile middle ground. See the pairing chart above.
Not in the native wood chip tray — it’s designed for chips. But dropping a pellet smoke tube inside alongside your chips is a common and effective hack for longer unattended smoke.
With regular cleaning and basic care, digital models typically last several years of steady use. The analog model tends to last even longer since there’s no control board to eventually fail.
Yes — low-and-slow is exactly what these smokers do best. Just make sure you’re buying a model with enough capacity (the 40-inch) if you want to fit a whole packer brisket without trimming.
Best Overall: Masterbuilt 40-Inch Digital Electric Smoker
Best for Beginners: Masterbuilt 30-Inch Digital Electric Smoker
Best Smart Smoker: Masterbuilt 710 WiFi Digital Smoker
Best Ultra-Budget: Masterbuilt 30-Inch Analog Electric Smoker
If you’re just getting into smoking and don’t want to overthink it, start with the 30-Inch Digital Electric Smoker — it’s simple, affordable, and it’s the same smoker I’d hand a friend who’s never smoked a single piece of meat in their life. If you already know you’ll be feeding a crowd regularly or want to run a whole packer brisket without trimming it down, spend the extra money on the 40-Inch Digital — you won’t regret the capacity once you’ve outgrown a smaller unit.
Whichever one you land on, grab a decent wireless meat thermometer on day one. It’s the cheapest upgrade that will do the most to make your first few cooks actually turn out the way you’re hoping. For even more tips, check out our ultimate collection of electric smoker tips before you fire yours up for the first time.
Grab our top-rated Masterbuilt smoker today and get free shipping on most models. Your first brisket is waiting.
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