What Does It Take to Set Up, Run and Maintain?
About 40 minutes to build, an outdoor GFCI outlet, and a few minutes of cleanup per cook.
Assembly and first run
Assembly took about 40 minutes solo. Run Masterbuilt's seasoning burn before the first cook to burn off manufacturing oils.
Building it in the garage is fine; move it out to an open patio before the seasoning burn.
Where you can (and can't) use it
Placement rules are stricter than many buyers expect for an electric smoker:
- Outdoors only, at least 10 feet from any structure.
- No covered areas: Masterbuilt rules out garages, covered porches and other covered spaces.
- No combustible surfaces: that includes a wood deck without protection.
In practice, that means an open patio or a concrete pad with a GFCI outdoor outlet nearby. Most apartment balconies can't meet those rules, so check your lease and fire code before buying.
Power: why the outlet matters
Plug in directly: long, light-duty extension cords can stop it reaching temperature. If the nearest outlet is far away, have an electrician add one.
The math explains why. The element draws about 10 amps at 120V, most of a standard 15-amp household circuit. If a freezer, pool pump or space heater shares that circuit, a breaker can trip mid-cook and the smoker stops heating. Use a circuit with little else running, especially overnight.
How a typical cook goes
- Fill the water bowl. It adds moisture and catches drippings. Top it up when you add chips on long cooks; hot water helps the cabinet recover faster on cold days. Leave it dry for jerky.
- Set temperature and time. The digital panel takes both, so you aren't watching a dial all day.
- Preheat with the first chips. Load chips once the element is warm, so they're smoking as the meat goes on.
- Load meat cold, biggest cuts low, with gaps for smoke to move.
- Leave the door shut. Every opening dumps heat the element has to rebuild.
- Pull by probe, not clock. The digital timer only counts down.
With the controller holding temperature, the cook gets to sit down with the guests.
What to cook first
- Pork shoulder: it tolerates a wide range of finishing temperatures, and the controller handles the long stall.
- Chicken thighs: a short, easy cook that shows the smoke ring and flavor; crisp the skin on a hot grill after. Our smoked chicken guide covers it.
- Jerky: the low end of the range suits drying, and four racks hold a big batch.
Plan timing generously. A common rule of thumb for pork shoulder at 225°F is about 1.5–2 hours per pound, so an 8 lb shoulder can take 12–16 hours once the stall is included.
Save brisket for later. It's possible here, but its bark depends on strong smoke and airflow, which is where an electric smoker is weakest.
Cold and wet weather
The insulated cabinet handles cold well, but winter cooks need longer preheats, so start earlier than in summer. A spot shielded from the prevailing wind helps the element cycle less. Fit a weatherproof in-use cover on the outlet so rain or snow can't trip it.
Rain is a bigger risk than cold, because the controller is the most vulnerable part. Skip cooks in heavy rain; moving it under a roof isn't an option given the placement rules.
Cleanup
After each cook, empty the drip pan, water bowl, rear grease tray and chip tray, wipe the interior and soak the racks.
Masterbuilt's cleaning tip: mix equal parts hot water and apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle, spray the interior and wipe with a soft sponge. It cuts grease without harsh chemicals. Leave a light coat of smoke on the walls; scrubbing back to bare metal isn't needed. Never hose down the cabinet.
Running costs
Electric smoking is cheap to run. At the 1,200 W element rating, even an hour flat out uses only 1.2 kWh, and once the cabinet is up to temperature the controller cycles the element, so real use is lower. To estimate your cost, multiply 1.2 by your cooking hours and your local rate per kWh; that's the ceiling.
Other consumables are wood chips and, if you use them, foil or drip pan liners. A standard bag of chips covers several cooks, since you only need chips during the smoking phase.
Versions, accessories and storage
Masterbuilt sells this smoker in a few forms, per its product page:
| Version | Difference |
|---|
| 30-inch Digital Electric | Smaller cabinet for small households |
| 40-inch Digital Electric (MB20072918) | The base model we reviewed |
| 40-inch with Window and Legs | Adds legs for a better working height |
Legs save bending to reach the lower racks and the chip loader, which you'll notice on long cooks. Some 40" listings include a built-in meat probe and others don't, so check before you buy.
- A fitted cover: with only a 1-year warranty, keeping the controller dry is the best protection you can buy.
- A wireless meat probe, if your version has no built-in probe.
- Replacement parts: Masterbuilt's parts catalog lists parts for this model, so a failed element or controller is replaceable.
For winter storage, clean it thoroughly, let it dry with the door cracked open and store it covered in a dry place. Check that the lockable latch still pulls the door tight before the next season.
The window-and-legs version: four chrome racks behind the glass, raised to a comfortable working height.
