Just used my Masterbuilt 800 for the first time today. Omg i love it. It is amazing. Ribs and chicken came out amazing.

Tommy, I'll tell you since I've had my MB560 July1 I'm totally impressed with it. Ease of operating. The way it holds temp with in 2-3 degrees and also producing clean smoke. Put wood in the ash bin, which always burns completely, also add up to 2lbs in the hopper with charcoal for extra smoke flavor if needed. Doing Slow and Sear ( I just did a 3lb Tomahawk, made a video ) taking temp from 250 to 600 really quick about 3 minutes works amazing. Gravity feed smoker/grills, have my seal of approval, and I have cooked on all kinds of cookers. I think any Gravity feed grill, Chargriller or MB is the way to go!

You got it right Tommy,I think it will take a 3rd manufacture to combine all the good from both pits and eliminate the bad to make the perfect one.

Good video, your videos were what pushed me over the edge on getting a Gravity. I wanted the 800 but it was out of stock at the time and I couldn't wait who knows how long for it to be back in stock so I got a 560. The CG's definitely nice, but I love my MB. For anyone watching this who's thinking about buying a smoker. Gravity fed all the way over a pellet grill. I just did a 12 hour pork butt yesterday with Apple & Hickory wood chunks and it came out fantastic. I recommend you watch some more of Tommy's videos he has a lot of good ones showing off both of these machines.

Man I've been saying and still saying, if you could combine both into one unit it would be the ultimate. I like the cooking chamber better in the MB, but agree with the CG heat deflector and grates. Also get the CG grease management system on the MB and you'd have a winner.

I have stayed away from pellet smokers and like charcoal better. Always using the good ol weber. After watching your videos I went and purchased a MB and having a good time cooking with this amazing Rig! Thanks for all your knowledge Tommy!

Even though I own the 1050 I will have to agree with your thoughts here. Way better than pellet grills and they allow for us amateurs to put out food we otherwise wouldn’t be able to. I think it’s good to have more competition in the space so that each manufacturer will be forced to improve their designs and in the end that benefits us as consumers. As always I love watching your videos!

I like the cast iron grate of my masterbuilt for searing, but having grates that are dishwasher safe like the char-griller is something I could see being nice, and they might be better for smoking since they seem to have bigger gaps

One thing that should have been mentioned is the MB has an optional rotisserie that the CG does not have. Also porcelain coated grates are nice to start, they will crack and rust. Pure cast iron can be brought back to life over and over.

This was a very very informative comparison. Right up my alley! Really well done 👍 video!

I own the 1050, the upgrades I bought I think is a must, bought the bigger shelf for front, the tray that fits under grates, collects all the grease and holds water for long cooks and you can still put your aluminum trays under your grate's and the other one is the grate that holds the charcoal, it's a wider opening for fire starters and has a grate that protects the flap and fan, so far no problems with it, my only complaint is sure uses a lot more charcoal, but ease of use is great on all nighters

The long-awaited comparison, thank you! I think it was your assembly video on the CG980 where I mentioned I couldn't wait for this. I’ve seen a few now and many people have a lot of the same thoughts. You'll get some people married to specific brands, I'm not one of them. Give me quality & features any day over a name/loyalty, and that's exactly what this video is for. Thanks!

Your review is spot in about the masterbuilt. I have the 800.. Love the griddle. Just got the rotisserie for it. ( they come with 560, 800, and the 1050 rods) would love to see a review. Done one cook so far with it. A week ago.

Thank you for your honest review Tommy. I personally love my MM 1050. But hey each to their own I always say. 👍 I welded my own separate griddle for it now and it’s even more amazing now

Nice video, Tommy. I agree with most of what you said. By the way the hopper on the Masterbuilt is three pieces. Also, the have changed the material of the wall in the Lower burn area. It is foam insulation with stainless walls. It’s like KlotesMods swap. I know this because the replace two of the three pieces on mine after the grate ribs in the burn are burned out. I love my pit. I got the replacements in two shipment over a period of two weeks. I am very pleased with what they did to fix my issues!

I can't dispute the differences between the CG and the MB because I only own an MB, but I agree with you 100% that gravity-fed charcoal smokers are far superior to any pellet grill on the market, my MB kicks my PB's butt when it comes to smoke flavor and high temp grilling.

Thanks Tommy. I was on the fence and was hoping see a winner. Maybe a tie breaker would be the cleanup and general maintenance?

I'm still in the fence between a pellet smoker and one of these. One thing holds me back is the clean up compared to Traeger type pellet smoker can line the drip pan with foil.

Having had 3 masterbuilts and two chargrillers now, I’m back to a mb1050 and lovin it. Goods n bads all around, but overall the mb just does it a little better and more reliably. I’ve leaned in favor of each a few times, but can’t deny the epic results from the mb.

I use to love Masterbuilt, I just bought a MB 560 gravity feed in late April. I used the unit 5 times and love it. Went out to use it the weekend of June 3rd (yes, 1.5 months later) and the electric controller would not stay on, it kept shutting off and on every 10 seconds. I contacted Masterbuilt, they asked me a couple of questions and decided to replace the unit under the warranty. They said it would be 7-14 days before the item ships and they would contact me with an email and tracking number. When I first bought the unit I had opted for it to be put together, so Amazon delivered it and two yahoos' installed it. In the process they left out the charcoal grill that keeps the charcoal from falling all the way into the ash bin. After going back and forth with Amazon, they finally gave me 180.00 off of the unit, so I went on MB website and ordered the Charcoal plate it was like 11.00 plus shipping. It took over 3 weeks for it to be sent from Ohio to California because it took over a week for MB to ship it. So I finally received that around mid may, used this unit exactly 2 full weeks (5 times) and the electric controller crapped out. Today the control unit showed up, MB did not contact as they promised with a tracking number, I sent them an email last week, June 28th was day 14, sent another email yesterday, they finally responded and said here is your tracking number. Tonight I'll go home and hook it up and see if it actually works. Great smoker but you are totally at the mercy of an electronic unit that when it fails you are left with nothing to use. I have now considered ordering another control unit for roughly 35.00 from their website which of course will take 3-4 weeks to arrive, just in case it dies in the future. This whole smoker is great and I love it but you are totally at the mercy of the control unit.

Hey Tommy as I agree with your analysis I think the game changer is the master built middle shelf for the drip pan that would put them over the edge

The masterbuilt grates are about how much meat touches metal vs air. On the meat section you get more metal and hopefully better sear lines. On the smoke side, there is less metal and thus more air reaching the meat. That is the whole point of those grates. Do they make a huge difference? Maybe a bit. It’s a good idea, but I prefer purpose built grates for each.

More like "Which DID I buy". I bought the Char Griller Gravity 980, and it is AMAZING!

I’m kinda glad you didn’t pick an outright winner. I’m gonna go with Char Griller.

Great video. I'll just say I think the only way to collapse the upper grates on the MB is with the 1050. Thanks for all your content!

Great video.. I'm getting Macho Man vibes bro, all I was waiting to hear was an Ohhh Yeaa Brother

I would think the simplest thing to mod the CG980 for a drip pan under a low and slow cook, would simply get rid of the middle shelf it comes with, and then buy an aftermarket shelf on legs that you can place anywhere on the grate that you like. Amazon sells them for cheap. Just pick the size shelf you like (obviously that will fit within the grill), and boom. Middle shelf problem solved.

Excellent job Tommy! I wonder what 2022 holds for these two pits and if there will be any new contenders.

Good job Tommy! Obviously you like both of them and it seems like a flip a coin for anyone who wants to buy a gravity fed pit. Thanks for sharing.

I absolutely love my GS560. Rare have any issues with it. The best cooks I've even done and I thank my GS560 for it.

Ease of assembly, wheels, weight... come on man!!! We need a winner.... 😁

Nice head to head comparison Tommy. Thanks for doing this video.

Good review Tommy, each person has to decide what features they like best to get the right grill for them.

Really nice comparison Tommy. Pro and cons of each described. You’ve done enough cooks on both to get a real good feel of each pit. I do like the plate over the heat source that distributes heat more evenly. I think there will be more companies entering into this market. Maybe Weber or Slow n Sear. This is a game changer in grill or smoking great food! Nicely done brother! Cheers!

I'm subscribed now. I'm sold on gravity fed but having trouble deciding which one. This video help alot. Also, lets see that f1fitty you mentioned in your mod video. Thank you again.

I loved my mb1050 until my fan gave out. I've been without my Mb since June waiting for a new fan to arrive. As I say to my wife, "When it's working it's great! Right now it's just a piece of metal in my backyard." Should have kept my weber. No problems for 15 years.

Great video. I really like my MB that I've had for a while, but I like it for the conveniences more than the flavor. Unfortunately I cannot get my 1050 to get the smoke flavor I get from my older Broil King Vertical Charcoal Smoker. The MB isn't even close and that's after trying many many times with different tactics and advice. I wish I could marry the two smokers. That brought me here to look into the Chargriller, but I am starting to wonder if there are some fundamentally different things in a vertical that gives me significantly more and unquestionable smoke flavor. This is a unanimous experience from mouths that have eaten from both my BK and MB. I always love your videos.

Great job on the side by side Tommy. Can't seem to go wrong either way.

I know before long the big guns are going to be pumping these out. My wife bought me a 1050 and I canceled it because I really did not needed as I have to many grills, but I am going to be watching!!

@13 min, you can buy the hopper in sections from masterbuilt. You replace it all in pieces

totally in love with my 1050 Masterbuilt.

If Randy Savage mellowed out and started grilling. Awesome vid! I liked and subbed!

Well done Big Guy;! But I have read all the comments . And nothing was said if any attachments , that you can get for the pits. Like the rotisserie for the Masterbuilt!!! That’s what sold me! That and the Wife said I can go get the ( 560 ) because it was on sale! Thanks Tommy 👍🏻

Very thorough, and thoughtful comparison👍😊

very good review what a stated before is my opinion. i've worked both i favor the masterbuilt. i just wish chargriller would fix the quality on the legs and controls they are just cheap but it's a great pit. If they fix that i'm all in. But unfortunately I returned mine so let's see what next year brings who knows.

Well shit didn’t help me make a decision..I been cooking on xxl and L green eggs for 15+ years and custom built 250 gallon off set reverse flow pit,went out bought a rec-teq RT-700 just for the wife just for easy quick and something she can control..I’ll not start with problems we’ve had with it for a year’s time and no smoke flavor at all…now it’s setting in the back of my shop collecting dust..so thought of going gravity feed for flavor and easy for her to use…

Hey tommy I just got my 800 today, thanks for the info.

I enjoyed this video. But I have to say, we’re all looking for one thing, that is good food. The even heat on the Char Griller because of the heat chamber you mentioned to me is worth multiple points. Using your own words, it’s a game changer. And I agree it is, just that by itself makes a Char Griller the easy winner for me. Your points system I think is a little bit flawed, lose an a point for something as simple as a vent, but only getting one point for something as important as the heat management inside the pit, makes things a little off center. Not complaining, I appreciate your video, but if you put weight in form of value on each point, I think the Char Griller is the clear winner.

Great review T! Definitely been eyeballing the CG 980, but the MB 1050 has my attention now. Decisions...Decisions 😂

Great video! I’ve had the 800 since June. It’s great. It’s almost impossible to burn anything on it. I agree heat distribution is a problem. Where I live I’m next to a giant field so the wind has major effect on this thing, hence why I find the vent mod a must. But if your never contending with wind I agree, it’s perfect. I’m curious to see how she works in the dead of winter here in canada when I’m cooking in minus 20. That’s always the test! This thing cooks almost everything to perfection except one thing …. Big fat streaks! I need a flame… the MB is like a super hot oven, so for that the the kettle will always grill my steaks lol.

Nice job sir!! Subscribed!

Love your videos! I'm itching to pull the trigger and get either the MB gravity series or the Char Griller 980. I saw your most recent reviews, any 2022 review coming? Or do you sway one way or the other at this point? Thanks!

This guy has some major Randy Savage vibes going on.... OOOOOoooo Yeah!

Love the comparison video! I’m leaning more towards the Char Griller. You mentioned you get more smoke flavor with the Masterbuilt because of the flapper issue with the CG. But now that there’s a vent extender for the CG, does your opinion on that change? I’m coming from a recteq pellet smoker and I want that stick burner taste. Will I get that with the char griller?

Aloha, back in the pack, concise as usual. Moving from AZ to Charleston, SC, had to sell my 560, but building a new house in the woods in Summerville, screened porch and looking forward to christening a new 800 or such. Great seeing your "face" again. Say hi to Molly.

Nicely done Tommy!

Detailed and thorough review, Nice! 😎👍🍻 I don't own either, but if I made the plunge into the gravity fed market, it would probably be the Char-Griller for one simple reason: Visually I like the way it looks more than the Masterbuilt. 😀🔥

Thank you for the video! After watching countless videos, I'm going to go with the MB800 simply for the fact that it comes with the griddle. Smash burgers all day long!

Great video ! Thanks for educating us all and giving your opinion on these cookers. A little disappointed in the split decision 🤷🏻‍♂️ but happy they both make great food !!!!!

*Nice comparison! Thank you for sharing*

Even on my 560 I never really put chunks in the ash pan. I felt I got enough smoke using 2 or 3 layers of chunks in the hopper. I used 1 split with lump charcoal surrounding it in the char griller last weekend and like the results. I'm with you though can't go wrong with either pit

I have a MB 1050, so I have my bias...but in my opinion, the MB wins this hands down because it wins in your comparison where it matters: better grate usage with ability for drip trays, better temperature control...and most of all better smoke flavor.

Hi Tommy . Thanks for your videos ! I just wanna ask (if you don’t mind) could you please tell if the masterbuild 1050 can be use for grilling / bbquing with the lid open all the time? Thank you!

My Master build was a joke, broke out the box and the replacement lasted 6 months wish I still had my green mountain grill top notch costumer service.

Lol out of all of this video the part that surprised me was at the end when you said it will out smoke a pellet smoker… I’m fairly new to the game but I bought a Pitt boss 1600 last year and my wife doesn’t think it smokes the food enough. So what I’m asking is do you think one of these would be a better smoker to get over a pellet smoker if your looking for that taste?

Great comparison Tommy! Would you say that the CG has more cooking area for low and slow, however since you're using the bottom grates? I understand you like being able to use the drip pan as well, though.

I had a Masterbuilt 1050 for a year I loved how it cooked and smoked, but incredibly unreliable, the first one worked only a few days, the second one I was constantly replacing the switches, the at about 10’month the fan died, and I got rid of it and bought a Traeger. I don’t like it. I was trying to decide if I wanted the Masterbuilt 800 or chargriller . Has MB done any updates to their switches?

Hey Tommy, really well done comparison I can’t disagree with anything you said but for me I’m in the master built camp the griddle certainly cinches it for me and that there’s more smoke flavor well that the cherry on top. Either one of these grills would certainly be something to have fell in love with the whole gravity concept I’m sure they’re going to keep improving it have a good one as always🇺🇸🇺🇸👍

Thanks for comparing these grills Tommy you have helped me decide which one i want i will enjoy the fact that the masterbuilt will produce more smoke flavor than the Traeger timberline 1300 i own as i always have to add a smoke tube to enhance the smoke flavor i so love the option of the mb800 griddle option its like it does a little of everything thanks for sharing

Is the chargrilled coming out with a smaller unit. Great video👍

I was pretty sure it was going to be a tie as far as what you had to say about the two and I’m pretty much on the same boat. Thanks for the thoughts brother. Keep up the good work 👍✌️

The recently got the MB800 and I have no regrets. When I saw the Char Griller at Lowe’s I couldn’t help but notice how wobbly it was which I didn’t like at all. And probably the biggest reason is that the MB natively allows you to have a drip pan and this can be done without any mods. And not only do I almost always use a drip pan in my Weber kettle (so this is the way I like to bbq), it will also make clean up infinitely easier.

Nice work man. Just got the 980.

Great review bro!

Is the fan in the CG made out of metal or plastic like the MB’s fan?

Durability is important to me.... How's the 980 doing now.? Reading a lot of negative comments..... Any issues experienced.??

You can improve a pellet smoker. I gutted mine and it’s a hell of a charcoal pit now! They are pretty sturdy. :)

i love my 560 i dont use it very much but its just amazing it produces great flavor

I love it. Props Tommy

Great video! Do you have any long views of your grilling "shack"? Looks like an awesome cooking area as well as video studio.

Thanks for the great comparison. Once your done with your cook, how hard is it to extinguish the fire and how long does it take? Thanks

I really enjoy your channel and this comparison. I have the MB 800 and although I am no professional I have to say that this is by far the best unit I have ever owned. The only thing I would disagree with on your comparison is the side shelf. I would think that the holes in the side shelf would allow moisture to get on the electronics. Other than that I agree with everything you said. Keep doing what you do.

I have been using the MB Gas/ Charcoal smoker for about 8 years now. I am up in Iowa and I like to smoke year round to include negative temperatures. Will the MB gravity fed smoker hold its heat in negative temperatures? To add to this conversation I have never even seen a charcoal fed smoker until yesterday when I was in (Scheels) sporting goods store. This thing blew me away! Thanks for the information and if anyone knows about it holding temp when there is a foot of snow on the ground please let me know.

The rear vent score is crazy. While most people may not care about adjustment, the simple fact that you have it is a huge plus. People who don’t know how to adjust can leave it open like the masterbuilt has, but for those who care, you at least have the ability to contol it on the chargriller. Completely disagree there.

Great vid on both thank u

Love my Masterbuilt. Great review Tommy

GREAT INFO TOMMY

As long as it isnt done on gas. I need flavor.

Does the Chargriller have a rotisserie add-on accessory? I have the MB1050 and it's great but definitely has its issues. Grease management sucks, build quality is lacking (the Chargriller unit seems more robust), the hopper on my unit leaks so I think I need to adjust the bolts to tighten down the latch, the sides where the snuff plates go also leaks, it uses a lot of fuel (225F will get me 8 hours on briquettes, less on lump and of course less hours if you cook at higher temps), but the smoke flavor beats any pellet grill and also my 22-in. WSM! Just wish it wasn't cheaply stamped crap that was bolted together. Thumbs up on another nice vid, Tommy.

Do these produce top notch ribs pulled pork brisket or no? Just sold a pellet smoker bc there was no smoke flavor.

Do they have a griddle for master built 560

Been checking all morning lol

One area I would like you to have covered is wifi. I have the 980 and the wifi is only good if you are both on the same wifi. I think the master built supports a cloud so.you don't need to.be on the same wifi

Tommy, how'd you get Ringo Starr to appear in your video ?!?!? :) Great comparison.

Which one sears better?

Is it safe to say that this works like a pellet grill but using charcoal? By this I mean, would this be a good replacement for a pellet grill?

Greetings from New Zealand. Thank you for your videos and all the time you spend on them I really enjoy. I have a question regarding masterbuilt firebox , have you heard or had any problems with the coals burning through the botton grate? I read just recently that they burn through them after a little while? Cheers

Great comparison

Been looking at both and really having hard time residing on which one but all smokers have pros and cons so guess time flip a coin

Oh yeah.. digging your channel and nice review. Couple of notes, I would have thought the shelves were equally as usefull when the top is up and you're moving food in and out i.e. you wouldn't want to leave things on the shelf while the top is down. Also correct me if I'm wrong, but when i see the holes in the side shelf above the controller I just go 'what a design flaw'... water, oil etc. can readily access the controller a lot easier. thoughts?