I really like that there are more choices for charcoal gravity fed grills now! Potentially better build quality is nice also, except I'm seeing dented parts showing up in the char-griller's now too. For those using this type of grill for smoking and/or long cooks, you can get better results by NOT cooking on the main rack. This is where the design of the MB cooking chamber is superior.
I’ve done 12 hour cooks on the CG main grate and had no issue. I think their flame shield better protects the meat from flare ups like you’d get on the MB versions
I am going to try the chargriller, my Masterbuilt experience with reliability was a nightmare, the first one worked for a week. The second one last a year of consistent problems with trying to keep it running, then after 11 months just stopped working. I bought a Traeger and hate it!!
Loved your review I do own the Masterbuilt 1050 I can fit nine slabs of St. Louis style ribs and four 13 pound briskets in the grill and the best part of it I get the same smoking temperatures throughout the entire grill without the need to flip the meat around to different shelves the 1050 is very consistent with temperatures from the bottom shelf all the way up to the top shelf at least this is my experience with the grill and I can only speak for myself
@@huntsonora fire box, heat exchanger lid and water box if you have any more questions happy to talk i've had my master built smoker almost 3 years and owned many grills never had the same grill twice this is the only one i would buy again
I do agree that the CG980 is probably the better grill overall, however to your last point about the cooking space and how it’s distributed, this is where I feel the MB comes out on top. I really do feel the rack system in the MB makes for greater flexibility in cooking sides/other items while also doing the main cook. Just my 2 cents.
Another thing I see as a positive is that you can increase the distance between the protein you are cooking from the heat source. Cooking a brisket on the middle shelf of the MB is probably more optimal than having it sitting close to radiant heat if it’s on the main cooking surface.
I was interested in the char-griller for the slightly better quality and cost reasons you mention, but lack of availability where I live left me with Masterbuilt. I prefer the Masterbuilt in terms of looks but that's not what matters. Anyway, I chose the 1050. I'll challenge point number 8 having smoked a few times on the 1050. The upper racks are where you're going to smoke in the 1050. The heat is more even across the width of the grill. I've done 2 full racks of ribs at a time on the bigger upper rack. It's pretty deep. You can fit a brisket on it as well and the top most rack can be removed, allowing for about 10 inches of head room. Unless your doing several big cuts at a time, you're not going to smoke on the main surface area probably. I'm going to do several more racks of ribs this weekend (on the upper rack) and possibly a pork butt at the same time so I might get the chance to test the main area for smoking. As you have said both grills are very nice. And the quality of ribs I've gotten on the 1050 has been amazing. I don't think you can go wrong with either.
Ribs sure, but those upper racks are pretty skinny for bigger cuts. Depending on the model, the middle shelf seemed to range from 5”-12” deep and the top rack was 5”-7.5”
@@projectperfecthome7338 Not sure about the 1050, I have the 560. if you place both racks at a single level, you get almost as much room as the main grate. The racks are very ridged and will hold a lot of meat. I do most of my smoking on the middle level, then move down too main grate after wrapping. I have fit 2 ten pound pork shoulders in this way with no issues. Also, if you buy an extra set of racks (only $35) you can do 6 racks of ribs at once(2 per level). I find the 560 has plenty of cooking surface for most people.
Using facts and logic to compare products in a RU-vid video is a rare treat. I don't have a dog in this fight (I have a giant kamado and a barrel smoker) but this kind of review/comparison is what we need more of. Especially like it when there are no product links! A small critique, more visuals of the products would be helpful. Well done & thanks.
The MB’s fire bricks are concealed by the interior metal wall instead of exposed in the CG. A couple companies also provide stainless steel mods that improve on the weaknesses of the MB, making it a true heavy duty grill. MB 800 also includes the griddle top and MB has rotisserie and pizza oven accessories. A couple comparison reviews noted the legs on the CG do not provide very good stability, but perhaps CG has addressed this issue. Are their aftermarket mods for the CG? If so, it may bring CG back into the mix.
My CG has no problems with its legs. I saw that video as well and I think they likely got a preassembled grill. The first one I got was preassembled by Lowe’s who totally f’ed it up. So bad that I had it returned and got one in the box. After putting it together myself it’s as study as any grill I’ve felt. I’ve cooked ribs, pork belly, tomahawks, etc and it absolutely crushes any BBQ I’ve had outside of my brother in laws offset. It’s a spectacular unit.
I recently put a comment that talked shit about the Char Griller 980, I want to take that shit back. I failed to read about how using wood may increase temperature as well as that you never add more than 1lb. of wood to a full hopper. Well, I added 3lbs of Hickory to a half full hopper. Discovering my error I want to say this, this grill/smoker is amazing. It maintains such a good temperature and the food is OMG good.
I returned my Char-griller gravity. Burn in and 2 seasoning cycles went perfect. First cook of 2 chicken breasts went perfect. Loaded 3 racks of Baby Backs, and temp control went haywire. Spent the entire cook Baby sitting the grill. Had to set temp from 285⁰ to 310⁰ to hold an actual 225⁰. Then, after the cook and cool down, I noticed top gasket was cracked along one side and firebrick at bottom was cracked in half.
I’d be so bummed if mine failed! Did you try contacting Char-Griller support to just get a replacement since it has a 1-year warranty? I’m sure the event left a bad taste in your mouth, but sometimes you just get a lemon…
@@projectperfecthome7338 I contacted them right away. I did send pics of the damage I described. They responded a few days later with a string of a half dozen questions requesting pics of wiring, and all kinds of other nonsense. I felt the response from Char-Griller was written by a lawyer... not good. Not the reply I expected. Lowes accepted the return without a problem. Yes, the guys on the Char-Griller FB page said I must have got a bad one. Oh, well. Recteq 590 is due to be delivered tomorrow. Thank You for the discussion!
Great comparisons, reviews and insights.I also like you added you are an engineer. I had zero idea about gravity fed charcoal grills/smokers. I'm assuming these are not pellet grills? I bought a Weber Summit Charcoal Grilling Center ( now known as the Weber Kamado ) after doing much research, when I was offered an employee discount of anything I wanted by one of my customers just after the pandemic started. Best decision I could have made, and with the accessories I also did research on, I have a complete cooking, grilling and smoking arsenal I enjoy using, and my family enjoys the results.
Great Review! I've been watching a few reviews of each of the 980 and have already ordered mine. (Should be here Wednesday) Thanks For the break down.... I'm stoked to get mine and get seasoning it....
Price per square inch useable is one way of looking at the comparison but not really something I would consider in buying. Personally quality of build is very import, consistency of cooking temps is extremely important, both of which the MB wins hands down. I don't think the CB is a bad option particularly, but I think the points I just made, added to the frequently logged issues with the fan damper, the thin grates (no good for searing) and the sheer instability of the unit when you have to move it all related to the CB would make me choose the MB every time
Great video! If I had to choose between a MB 560 or 1050 vs Char Griller, I would choose the Char Griller. However, I found a MB 800 on clearance and jumped on that. Having a griddle and rotisserie option was the deal breaker. I agree with the longevity of the Char Griller though. Having everything porcelain coated would have been good for the MB. But only time will tell. Another point for the Char Griller is that the app looks a lot more functional. I've only seen screenshot pics from Lowes, but it looks like it has a graph for cook history as well as status indicator for the various safety switches.
I agree on the CG mobile app being good. The funny thing is that apps can go from terrible to great in one update, so we’ll see if MB makes progress on that front
Well done sir! I have a 1050. I use it commercially and it really takes a beating. It's very nice and I do like it very much, but you are correct; flame ups are frequent, cleaning is a bear and the top racks are not ideal for large pieces of protein. Based on your in depth analysis, I think I'll be picking up the Char Griller next. I'll trade 60ish square inches of 'total' space for durability, 'functional' space and ease of cleanup. and as a bonus, I'll use the $200 savings for some lump charcoal.
In less than a year of use my Masterbuilt computer went out and plastic to the hopper clip to close it melted and the screw to replace the part was faulty. After 100 dollars worth of parts I got it going again replacing the computer and all the heat sensors on the grill . One of the problems is the computer wont shut off the fan that's the first thing to look for if your computer is faulty and needs replacing.
@ProjectPerfectHome Great comparison video. I had my mind set on the Masterbuilt 800 because of the griddle option but they are never in stock. So my question for you is what is the depth and width of the main cooking grates? I was thinking I could just by a aftermarket griddle and put it on instead of a few of the grates and get the same effect.
Generally a good answer based on the video title, but presented a little bias towards the chargriller from a standpoint of generally comparing them i.e. it would have maybe been better to state the pros and cons of from what you understand of both series and then stated why you chose the CG.
I have 2 more points ts why I chose the 980. First there are 5 small grates. I can clean them in the kitchen sink. Second there us a turbo button to save time on a revenue sear
Really good video and great points and I agree on all of them. You forgot 1 though. The Char-griller comes with the front shelf! The one BIG + the Masterbuilt has is the optional rotisserie, and that is important to me. The Char-griller would be about perfect if they ad that option!
The big shelf on the front of the Char-Griller is definitely a nice feature! The rotisserie option was also a nice addition on Masterbuilt's part as well.
@@christinam673 Thanks - I really like Tom. I watched that, but really think Char-Griller should add the option in the future so you don't have to hack it.
It's not completely true though. You can fit 2 racks of ribs on the first upper rack, or one brisket, or a pork butt. You can also fit a rack of ribs on the very top. So it's possible to smoke 3 racks of ribs on the upper decks of the 1050 where the temps are a bit more even
Great question! Gravity's are generally cheaper, have more grill space, more efficient and cheaper fuel, have fewer components to break, provide better smoke flavor, and can get muchhhhh hotter.
@@projectperfecthome7338 It was a tounge and cheek comment! Loved the review! I'm a masterbuilt 1050 owner so I was just throwing some bait out there and seeing who bit! Haha. Always glad to hear from a channel owner! Keep it up!
Got to give the props to MB for creating the gravity in the first place! Regardless of the manufacturer, I think the gravity approach is the future of grilling so they’re all great grills
A huge miss for Char Griller is that their lowest temperature is 200 degrees, where the Masterbuilt is 150F. If you want to smoke fish, the Char Griller with a lowest setting of 200F is simply too hot. If you don't do fish, the Char Griller is likely a better fit.
Replying again because I realized that I didn’t answer your question the first time. I’ve had no issues using WiFi connectivity with the CharGriller version. The ones from MB support WiFi as well, but I haven’t personally tested this on them
@@projectperfecthome7338 also I had two other questions: 1. Have you tried using a griddle on it? I wanted to also use it for Smash burgers. 2. Would it fit/is there an option to add a rotisserie to it like the MB has?
Don’t like the Chargrillers glitchy electronics or barrel design over the bread box design of the Masterbuilt. Plus the Chargriller doesn’t keep a consistent temp as well as the Masterbuilt. Plus, how can you do a review without a cook off to see witch delivers a better cook? No biscuit cook, to check for hot spots?
What a joke, this guy is comparing two gravity grills and one of them he has never actually used himself, his comparison is based on someone else's reviews, and as we all know, most products always have good and bad reviews, however, in this case, it seems as he if only was interested on the bad reviews of the Materbuilt, this is not really a comparison, because in a true and honest comparison, you always have pros and cons of the products being compared, thus, heo nly mentiones what Char-Griller advantages over Masterbuilt, and there's no mentioned of what's better on a Masterbuilt over a Char-Griller. How much did you get from Char-Griller?
It is not easy to use at all. If you miss one step, you'll come back in 10 minutes like WTF!!! If you're trying to make burgers, it throws all the timing off. It doesn't really bother me that it takes a little longer to start up and its kind of like a science experiment to get it going but to do this every time you want some food, it feels like you do need a back up grill. This is more of a specialty grill that you use on occasion not an every weekend user. Also, shit is rusting out already and I haven't had it a year. Grill cast iron gratis are awesome, everything else is rusting out. Oh and smoke, smoke everywhere if you're making anything that is fatty. This thing goes through some charcoal!!!! If you use this every weekend, you're gonna be spending some dough on charcoal. A webber or one of those green eggs could do the same thing with less fuel. You could actually get the same result with a gas grill and a smoke box with 1000 x less effort and a S-ton less dollars. I mean it's already falling apart is what is really disappointing because it was kind of expensive. I bought a gas grill, this thing is now a yard decoration... To be fair, it does make some tasty food once you get the hang of it. Never had a better burger!!! "Ya but still"
@@jerbs1 It is not easy to use at all. If you miss one step, you'll come back in 10 minutes like WTF!!! If you're trying to make burgers, it throws all the timing off. It doesn't really bother me that it takes a little longer to start up and its kind of like a science experiment to get it going but to do this every time you want some food, it feels like you do need a back up grill. This is more of a specialty grill that you use on occasion not an every weekend user. Also, shit is rusting out already and I haven't had it a year. Grill cast iron gratis are awesome, everything else is rusting out. Oh and smoke, smoke everywhere if you're making anything that is fatty. This thing goes through some charcoal!!!! If you use this every weekend, you're gonna be spending some dough on charcoal. A webber or one of those green eggs could do the same thing with less fuel. You could actually get the same result with a gas grill and a smoke box with 1000 x less effort and a S-ton less dollars. I mean it's already falling apart is what is really disappointing because it was kind of expensive. I bought a gas grill, this thing is now a yard decoration... To be fair, it does make some tasty food once you get the hang of it. Never had a better burger!!! "Ya but still"
@@peewok99 It is not easy to use at all. If you miss one step, you'll come back in 10 minutes like WTF!!! If you're trying to make burgers, it throws all the timing off. It doesn't really bother me that it takes a little longer to start up and its kind of like a science experiment to get it going but to do this every time you want some food, it feels like you do need a back up grill. This is more of a specialty grill that you use on occasion not an every weekend user. Also, shit is rusting out already and I haven't had it a year. Grill cast iron gratis are awesome, everything else is rusting out. Oh and smoke, smoke everywhere if you're making anything that is fatty. This thing goes through some charcoal!!!! If you use this every weekend, you're gonna be spending some dough on charcoal. A webber or one of those green eggs could do the same thing with less fuel. You could actually get the same result with a gas grill and a smoke box with 1000 x less effort and a S-ton less dollars. I mean it's already falling apart is what is really disappointing because it was kind of expensive. I bought a gas grill, this thing is now a yard decoration... To be fair, it does make some tasty food once you get the hang of it. Never had a better burger!!! "Ya but still"
