INTRODUCTION
In my experience, this 40-inch model by Masterbuilt is about the best electric smoker on the market today. It has plenty of unique, new, and useful features that can also be found in other Masterbuilt products as well as their well-known industry reputation for durable construction and quality. Your smoked meat should be coming out how you want it, when you want, with the minimum amount of guesswork involved.
There’s a LED screen readout for easy viewing in direct sunlight, interior lighting with windows to see what’s going on inside, and an oven capacity of over 971 sq. inches. This Masterbuilt electric smoker is fully insulated, with 4 chrome racks, Bluetooth/Smartphone compatibility, a precision integrated meat probe, an easy and safe wood chip loading system, wheels and handle for mobility, and several other features that give this electric smoker my certified two thumbs up.
Power
This model has a strong 1200W electric element that can raise the temperature up to 275°F/177°C. You’re able to cook any kind of food, from fish to any variety of meat. It also produces enough heat to cook poultry. Some other lesser electric smokers do not give enough heat- leading to poultry ending up with poorly cooked skin. But that will definitely not happen with this smoker. The internal meat temperature probe provides accurate heat data for whatever you’re cooking, so nothing ever needs to be over or underdone again.
LED Control Panel and Bluetooth Compatible
The Masterbuilt 40-inch electric smoker has an integrated control panel that monitors and controls the entire cooking process. The blue LED panel makes it super easy to read, even when in direct sunlight. You can raise and lower the internal temperature as easily as a home oven. In addition, the Masterbuilt app lets you perform all these tasks from remotely from your smartphone or tablet. You can adjust the oven temperature, monitor the temperature of the meat probe and turn on/off the internal light, it can even function up to 100 feet away from the machine. Honestly, you can control entire the smoking process without having to leave your deckchair and risk that beer getting cold. Nothing ruins my day more than a warm beer…
Cooking Space
The cooking space is larger than many other electric smokers and is big enough for most regular users. According to the manufacturer, you can up to “16 chickens, 2 turkeys, 8 racks of ribs, or 8 pork butts”- though I have yet to try all of this amount of meat at once. But I’ve certainly cooked meat and corn for a party of 10 without any difficulty, everything fit in easily and smoked evenly. Inside are four chrome racks that can be adjusted along internal grooves. These can be removed if you are smoking something larger like a turkey. I recommend pulling out those that you do not need beforehand, so you don’t have to clean them after use.
Wood Chips
It has a chip drawer that’s loaded from the outside. So unlike a regular BBQ smoker, you don’t have to open up the lid and scatter a bunch of chips around and inhale a lungful of smoke. The drawer works very easily and smoothly, although it is smallish and does not accommodate very large amounts of chips at any one time. You can easily burn through the flavoring chips placed here in the first 45 minutes depending on the temperature, so consequently, you’ll have to monitor the food and make sure smoke is being consistently generated. To compensate for this, you’ll find that your chips will last longer if you first soak them in water.
Fully Insulated to Reduce Smoke Loss
The smoker has been completely insulated and sealed to maximize smoke. Cheaper models can leak smoke, leading obviously to lower temps and wasted smoke flavor- not what you want. With the Masterbuilt, you have no fear of your food being undercooked due to a lack of sufficient smoke. There’s also a small adjustable vent on top to allow as much or as little smoke to be released as to your preference
Cleaning and Maintenance
A Masterbuilt smoker’s cooking ability can be reduced over time if not properly cleaned and maintained- just like any other piece of equipment. The accumulation of food particles and burnt oils usually result in poor smoker performance. So keep your smoker clean and tidy for a long shelf life. You don’t have to do this after every cooking session, but I try to do it after every 3rd-4th use.
It’s definitely recommended to wrap the water pan and drip pans with aluminum foil before using- it’ll just make cleanup that much faster. And after each use, you must first empty the smoke box to get rid of all the ash, then wipe it thoroughly with a cloth.
The removable drip tray, water container, and pans should be washed with soapy water after using. Apply a vegetable oil coating to the holders before each use to avoid meat sticking to them. Make sure to always clean the meat probe well, with a soapy wet cloth, but do not submerge it in water. To remove smoke particles, it’s recommended to wipe the seal of the door clean with a damp cloth. However, I personally find a nice mixture of vinegar and water applied with a cloth can help cut that internal grease off the window and walls the best.
Pros
- The good cooking space of 971 sq. inches- is well furnished with 4 adjustable shelves.
- A strong internal heating unit of 1200 Watts with a built-in meat probe device for temperature control.
- Digital Control Panel to monitor and control the entire process.
- Smart Device app for additional monitoring without having to leave your seat.
- Fully insulated, with minimal or no smoke loss for perfectly smoked food.
- Spare parts are available and long-lasting with minimal maintenance.
Cons
- The front controller is not waterproof and you would want to keep it covered when it rains.
- Cleaning is not always super fast.
- Moisture escaping the meat sometimes makes the glass blur and difficult to see through, so you need to clean it after each use.