Customer Reviews

Masterbuilt M7P 7-in-1 Smoker and Grill with Pan and Basket Set

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I went to various retail outlets to inspect Webers, Brinkman and the Masterbuilt. I ended up buying the Masterbuilt M7P. I also was not interested in refrigerator size smoker either. An 18.5 inch grill diameter suites me fine.

Here's why:

1. Brinkman - Single not multi-tiered. Harder to work in lower chamber unless you're very tall. Priced over (...)

2. Weber - Way over priced, period. Only had charcoal option not duel; charcoal and/or propane. Height to low.

3. Shop the inet. You can find an M7P for under (...).

I can control the heat better with propane rather than charcoal as I like a cooler smoke under 125 degrees. I bought the M7P strictly for smoking as I have a gas BBQ grill. The M7P water pan could be used as a drip bowl if you do.

Kit included an aluminum pot and mesh basket, I suppose for crab/lobster boils.

Masterbuilt M7P

Pros:

* Xlnt packaging as every square inch was utilized. Amazed how small a box the M7P arrived in. No waste. Go green.

* Nice finish. Over time we'll see if the shine holds. Wish it came in a primer (dull) black instead.

* Every piece was wrapped well.

* All nuts, bolts, and screws plainly labeled.

* Easy to follow assembly instructions.

* Smokes extremely well. I use the water pan as a heat blocker to cool the smoke down.

* King salmon, beef brisket and pork butt come out lip smackin' to die for dee-lishous.

* Breaks down easily so multi-usage becomes a reality. Just lift the sections up and away. That's it.

* Handles remain cool after 5 hours of smoking. BIG thumbs up!

* NO smoke leakage, it all inside the unit.

Cons:

* Looking for a another burner. The flame range is medium to high. When set low it tends to choke. By this I mean you hear a whooshing/roaring sound as the flame turns from blue/green to yellow/orange. By low I mean the flame is licking the chamber bottom 8" away, yet I cannot maintain a blue/green flame.

* Have to make adjustments to the top lid air/smoke vent so it closes completely.

**Note: When installing the burn unit note the positions of the legs. One leg is at the back while two are in front. Mount the unit so the propane hose faces the correct direction - right or left - as it's not long enough to reach around if mounted incorrectly. If U goof, it's a simple four screw removal to remount the unit...a 2 minute job.

I've used smokers for 30+ years--probably 8 of them. Charcoal, electric, pellet, and now propane. Priorities for me are ease of use, smoking quality, product design and execution, and value for the price.

The M7P scores high on all of these criteria, except for a couple of minor shortcomings.

Good News:

Super good packing, easy assembly.

Good construction, bearing in mind you're not getting heavy steel body and porcelain grids at this price.

Easy to use (but see the not-so-good news below).

Excellent range of temperatures.

Can cook with charcoal or gas.

If using charcoal, can start it with gas (BIG convenience!)

Extras (fryer/steamer pan with basket)

Not-So-Good News:

Can't add water through front access (but you won't need to on must smoking jobs).

No igniter (but using a 99-cent butane stick lighter is easy).

Burner control is on the regulator at the propane tank end of the hose -- an inconvenience.

Masterbuilt cover not available -- have to get an aftermarket one.

Summary: Great value and versatility for the price. Pleases this seasoned veteran :-)

This is an OK unit for the price. Don't expect a heavy duty unit.

One BIG learning -

If you turn on the propane to quickly it triggers something in the pressure regulator and it will severely limit the heat. You will not be able to get it to the right temperature.

I saw this fix online and it worked like a champ:

1. Shut off gas at propane tank

2. Open the pressure regulator all the way.

3. Disconnect the hose from the propane tank.

4. Reconnect to propane tank - leave the pressure regulator wide open.

5. SLOWLY turn on the propane tank while lighting the burner.

Once you do this you can completely adjust the flame.

I had one Brinkman charcoal smoker and two Brinkman electric smokers before I bought this Masterbuilt smoker. The heating element kept going bad on the electrics and charcoal is just too much work.

I got the Masterbuilt and my first couple of smokes were too hot. I could not lower the temperature enough to smoke properly, cooking too hot.

I called Masterbuilt's customer service. Wow. Lady said right off, "Your regulator is bad.". She sent me a new one, got it in about 5 days. Changed it out and this thing is smokin' and I am smilin'.

The build quality is good. I wish it was made in the US, but not much choice if you apply that criteria.

I like this smoker. I like gas better than electric.

I would recommend Masterbuilt.

Mild gusts of wind will blow out the burner so you have to constantly have to monitor it while smoking on anything other than a calm day. My first try at smoked trout turned out very good however.

The product arrived well packed and it only took about 15 minutes to follow the simple instructions and put it together. I have already used the smoker to smoke ribs, tri-tip and a 7 bone standing rib roast. Once you get the temperature regulated it is just a matter of time until you are eating phenomenal BBQ!!! I also used it to grilla couple of steaks in the normal manner and it worked great!

There are only two negatives about this grill. First, do not trust the thermometer that came with it. It is nowhere near precise. I purchased a separate wireless thermometer that monitors the internal temperature of the smoker AND the temperature of what you are cooking.

The final negative is that the material that the smoker is made of is slightly flimsy so I don't expect it to last more than a year or two but at this price I would happily buy a new one every year because of the ease of use and the results I have been getting.

This grill replaces our old one. It's mobile. We put it in the back of the Prius and take it to the park. You can mix gas + charcoal + wood. We used to use it to burn sticks from the yard (which made for yummy smoky maple hamburgers).

It only has 2 drawbacks. You have to clean it. If you put wood or charcoal in it, you have to dump the ash, but the ash-catcher is an easily removable bowl. Also, the thermometer is slow. We solved that by purchasing a replacement from Home Depot. We got lucky and the thermometer is fairly fast and quite reliable. (You NEED that thermometer. It helps with preheating the grill and it helps maintain smoking temperatures.)

Smoking is an art. You could cheat and use the gas (as recommended). One puts a bowl of wet hardwood in the smoker section. Setting the gas valve helps to maintain smoking temps. The other way to do it is to add wet and dry sticks in thru the side door, watching the temp carefully, and opening and closing the air vent on top to control the heat.

Fun, fun, fun!

We bought this unit specifically to smoke Kokanee salmon. Unfortunately, this unit burns too hot, and the burner is too susceptible to wind. We have tried adjusting the regulator control valve on the gas cylinder tank and air shutter valve, and still can't seem to hold the temperature below 200 degrees for any length of time. We end up sheltering the smoker in the garage, then the garage smells like smoke. Even the manual does not list temperatures below 200 degrees. So if you are looking for a unit that smokes at a low temperature, pass on this smoker. Save yourself the frustration.

This is my second Masterbuilt grill, the first was stainless steel, but really din't need that. It cooks a whole chicken on the top grill in an hour and does steaks, chops and chicken parts on the lower grill really well. This is a great grill at a very good price. No need to spend hundreds of bucks, this grill is wonderful, and a whole lot cheaper. My first one lasted around 20 years. It is the most versitile grill on the market - deep fry, smoke, grill. Have a glass top range? You can do your canning on this grill very easily. It's easy to put together from the box too. Oh, get a cover for the grill so it doesn't sit out in the rain and snow. The first time you use it either spray pam on the grills or render a hunk of fat and spread it around or your meat will stick.

Got the best price from Amazon when I bought it and free shipping too.

Hope you enjoy yours.

The Duck!!

Nice unit for the money. Excellent burner, easy to assemble, easy to stack the rings for specific kinds of cooking. Really like this one. It's everything the ad says it is. The only con I could note was that the orientation of the burner unit doesn't quite fit against the legs. You have to pay attention when you assemble this part so that the hose to the tank is in the correct direction and the assembly is seated in the cut out. And I would definitely recommend buying the cover indicated for this unit...the paint is a little thin, especially on the legs. I don't know how it would stand up to being exposed to weather. I've used it as a grill and cooker so far, not as a smoker..probably won't smoke meats because I really didn't buy it for that. Maybe, somebody else can jump in on that subject. Oh yeah, one more thing, it takes up a lot less space than I expected which is a real plus. I give it a solid 4 stars for my needs.