Masterbuilt 30 Electric Smoker Review

Long before pellet smokers erupted in popularity, electric smokers were the go-to alternative for the outdoor chef looking for a more convenient option than the typical offset smoker.

Masterbuilt, situated in Columbus, Georgia, is the world’s biggest maker of electric smokers.

We’ll take a look at the Masterbuilt Digital Electric Smoker (model number MB20071117) after weeks of testing and cooking to see how well this low-cost choice works.

Masterbuilt Digital Smoker overview and frirst impressions

We chose the entry-level 30-inch model for our assessment.

You may choose between a 40 model and a 30 model with a window and leg stand.

If you want to smoke a complete rack of ribs without splitting them in half, or a huge packer style brisket, the larger 40 model is a suitable option.

Don’t be misled by the total square inch figures. We’ll look through the layout in further depth later in the review.

Let’s go through the whole specifications of the 30 Masterbuilt Digital Electric Smoker:

What I like:

• Simple and straightforward to use I’m not a fan of having too many choices on my cooking equipment. Plug it in, add your wood chips, fill the pan with water, set the temperature you want, add your meat, shut the door, and wait.

• Wood chip loader with a patent Occasionally you have to add more wood chips and this smoker has a nice feature where you can add your chips without opening the door which is not only convenient, but allows for minimal temperature loss helping to mitigate wild temperature swings.
  To add more chips, just turn the loader’s knob counterclockwise, remove it, and insert chips in the little tray. To feed the chips onto the burn plate, return the loader to its original position and twist clockwise.

• Temperature fluctuations are kept to a minimum. I only observed minor temperature fluctuations when additional wood chips were required. Otherwise, this smoker maintained consistent temperatures.

What I don’t like:

• Quality of construction This is a low-cost choice, and it shows immediately away. From the plastic controller to the thin aluminum sides, this is not something you want to drop by mistake. However, the resources may be little to the chef, so we’ll see whether Masterbuilt cut cutbacks in the proper spots afterwards.

• The clock Unfortunately, in order for the smoker to turn on, you must first set the timer. Anyone who smokes understands that your meat is done when it is done, regardless of time. It’s a little irritation, but make sure your timer doesn’t run out before your cook is through, otherwise the smoker will stop cooking.

Because of its inexpensive price and simplicity of use, the Masterbuilt 30 is our top selection for best electric smoker in our main roundup.

While the build quality might be improved, for the price, this is an excellent smoker for anybody looking to get started or who does not want to spend a fortune on an expensive smoker.

Unboxing and setup

When I opened the package and removed all of the protective material, I was surprised at how compact this smoker was. No bigger than a standard wine cooler.

The smoker looked to be properly secured from the hard voyage that any goods experiences throughout the transportation procedure.

The exterior of the box had multiple dents and holes from irresponsible delivery techniques, but the goods within was undamaged.

Setup was a snap, taking about 15 minutes with two people. This was owing to the small number of pieces that were simple to assemble. I’m sure this smoker came with construction instructions, but we couldn’t tell since we didn’t need them. A basic philips screw driver was all that was required.

Cooking on the Masterbuilt Digital Smoker

My friend, who was accustomed to cooking on gas smokers, soaked the wood chips for 24 hours before starting the fire. Don’t do it since he couldn’t make them catch fire. Our second effort was successful since we just soaked the chips for half an hour this time.

We decided to perform a test cook using a 6 pound chunk of corned beef my friend had in the fridge and make smoked pastrami sandwiches after the burn off. Corned beef is created from the flat section of the brisket and is the ideal size for this smoker.

The actual cooking went off without a hitch. We had to add wood chips every hour or so, but we were able to keep the temperature at 275F, which is the maximum setting available, quite consistent.

We decided to attempt St. Louis Ribs for the next cook. We had two full racks of ribs that we had to chop in half to fit on the smoker’s 15-inch wide stainless steel racks.

5 hours later, we had another successful cook (adding wood chips every 45 minutes to an hour to maintain temperature) and some delicious ribs.

We smoked two full chickens weighing around 5 pounds apiece for the final test. The same result, with uniform temperatures and little trouble, albeit the skin turned out quite rubbery since the smoker does not reach the roasting temperature required for crispy skin.

Temperature variability and accuracy

I used a Weber iGrill thermometer, which, in my experience, is more accurate than the standard temperature probes that come with any smoker.

Because of the compact size, I assumed there wouldn’t be much of a change in ambient temps, but there was up to a 20F differential between the top and bottom racks, with the top rack running colder.

Ease of operation

As previously noted, this machine is very user-friendly. Cooking on the Masterbuilt is made much easier by the handy and highly practical wood chip loader.

Space and function

As previously said, this smoker is on the tiny side, so you should avoid volunteering to cook for a large outdoor party if this is your only alternative. That being said, you may cook up to four racks of ribs (split in half), 2-4 full-size chickens, four smaller brisket flats, or two medium pork butts.

The water pan (which collects drippings and helps keep moisture) fits neatly under the bottom rack, letting you to utilize all four cooking racks.

Smoke flavor

You won’t be able to replicate the taste of your favorite Texas Style BBQ restaurant. While the largest advantage of cooking on a digital smoker is the convenience, I would say the taste is on par with any pellet grill. The smoke taste is light yet satisfying.

Clean up

Cleaning is a breeze. There is no pellet ash to clean, no hefty heat shields to clean; all you need to do is clean the racks and wood chip plate after each cook, as well as the sides (with a scraper) and water pan every few meals.

However, cleaning a digital smoker is considerably simpler than cleaning a pellet grill, so if you’re only looking for a handy gadget exclusively for smoking, a digital smoker is a terrific alternative.

Alternatives to consider

You should absolutely upgrade to the 40 model if you want to cook whole racks of ribs or packer brisket.

Those of you who wish to manage your smoker with your phone can choose the Masterbuilt 40 Bluetooth Smoker.

The Bluetooth model is a fantastic smoker, but at that price point, you’re in pellet grill territory.

In my perspective, pellet grills offer significant benefits over electric grills. The biggest benefit is that you don’t have to replace the wood chips every 45 minutes. Look for something like the Z Grills 450B at a low price range.

See all of our suggested pellet grills here.

Should You Buy the Masterbuilt 30″ Electric Smoker?

The Masterbuilt is a good entry-level smoker for the weekend chef who wants to add a bit more flavor to their favorite rib recipe without having to learn how to manage a fire or spend hundreds of dollars more for a pellet grill.

Just be sure to use the bigger 40 size if you want to cook any larger meats.

It also works well as a reverse sear for thicker steaks. Simply smoke your favorite ribeye until it reaches 125 degrees Fahrenheit, then sear it on your gas grill, and you’ve got yourself an excellent, restaurant-quality steak that will pay for itself in a few meals.

In addition, if you choose the Masterbuilt electric smoker, we provide a guide to seasoning your new electric smoker.