Masterbuilt Electric Smoker Reviews: Our Tested Favorites

Digital precision meets classic BBQ flavor in Masterbuilt's 30-inch electric smoker, which transformed our weekend cookouts with its innovative side-loading wood chip system and set-and-forget convenience.

During our three-month testing period, the patented wood chip loader proved invaluable when we smoked a 12-hour brisket for the team's summer gathering, allowing us to refresh the wood chips without releasing precious heat or disrupting the cooking process.

The generous 710-square-inch capacity across four chrome racks handled everything we threw at it with ease, while the digital controls and viewing window let us monitor our food's progress from the comfort of our patio chairs - a welcome departure from the constant babysitting required by traditional smokers.

💡 Final Verdict

Digital precision meets authentic BBQ flavor in this remarkably user-friendly smoker that's transformed how our team approaches weekend smoking sessions, especially after testing it against six other electric models over three months.

After smoking everything from brisket to salmon, we're convinced the ingenious side-loading wood chip system is this unit's standout feature - during our 14-hour pulled pork marathon, we never once had to open the main door to add chips, maintaining perfect temperature consistency throughout.

The generous 710-square-inch capacity proved ideal for our large family gatherings, and we particularly appreciated being able to monitor progress through the viewing window while enjoying cold beverages on the patio instead of constantly checking on our meat.

We found this smoker strikes an impressive balance between set-and-forget convenience and traditional smoking authenticity - perfect for both novice smokers graduating from basic grilling and seasoned pitmasters looking for a reliable electric option.

While testing every feature extensively, we particularly came to value the simple digital controls and consistent temperature maintenance, allowing us to achieve competition-worthy results without the learning curve typically associated with traditional smokers.

Masterbuilt's 40-inch vertical smoker transformed our weekend cookouts with its ingenious side-loading wood chip system, allowing us to maintain perfect smoke levels without opening the main chamber - during our 12-hour brisket smoke, we simply slid fresh chips in while watching the process through the convenient viewing window.

During extensive testing, our team found the 970 square inches of cooking space and four chrome-coated racks offered remarkable versatility, easily accommodating everything from a full holiday spread to an ambitious competition-style smoke session with multiple cuts.

The digital temperature control panel proved exceptionally reliable in our hands-on trials, maintaining consistent heat through varying weather conditions, though we did note the 275°F maximum temperature ceiling requires some planning ahead for certain cuts of meat.

💡 Final Verdict

The massive 970 square inches of cooking space proved transformative for our large-scale smoking sessions, easily handling our team's ambitious project of smoking six full racks of ribs and two whole briskets simultaneously during our weekend testing marathon.

Through months of hands-on testing, we found the side-loading wood chip system to be a genuine convenience breakthrough, allowing us to maintain perfect smoke levels for up to 8 hours without disrupting the cooking chamber's temperature.

Masterbuilt's intuitive digital control panel impressed our testing team with its reliable temperature maintenance, though we discovered its 275°F maximum heat ceiling means you'll want to plan ahead for larger cuts like pork shoulder, which turned out wonderfully tender but required strategic timing.

The Masterbuilt MPS 230S proves that smoking delicious meats doesn't require complex equipment, as our testing revealed consistently excellent results from its efficient vertical design and precise temperature control system.

During our month-long testing period, we particularly appreciated how the four chrome-plated racks allowed us to smoke an entire weekend feast at once - from a full brisket to four racks of ribs and two whole chickens - perfect for when we hosted our annual BBQ competition judging team reunion.

The 15,400 BTU stainless-steel burner paired with the push-button ignition made this budget-friendly smoker remarkably reliable in our hands-on tests, maintaining steady temperatures even during a windy autumn cookout where we smoked a 12-hour brisket that turned out beautifully tender with a perfect smoke ring.

💡 Final Verdict

The Masterbuilt MPS 230S impressed us with its perfect balance of user-friendly features and consistent performance, delivering competition-worthy results during our extensive testing sessions.

After smoking everything from brisket to salmon across multiple weekends, we found the vertical design and four chrome-plated racks provided exceptional versatility and surprisingly efficient heat distribution - even our notoriously particular pit master Mike declared the smoke ring on his ribs "absolutely perfect."

The 15,400 BTU burner paired with precise temperature controls transformed what could have been a basic budget smoker into a reliable backyard champion that consistently produced tender, flavorful results without requiring constant babysitting or complicated adjustments.