While the grill remains the go-to cooker at any barbecue, the smoker is slowly coming up as a favorite for some people, and it’s easy to understand why. The superior aroma and great-tasting food are two of the main reasons. Almost nothing can beat the smell of a smoked piece of beef, turkey, or chicken.
Of course, the type of smoker you use also plays a role in how your food comes out when it’s ready. With so many high customer ratings, a Masterbuilt MB20071117 electric smoker review becomes necessary for anyone considering it as a potential purchase. That way, potential buyers can find out why other people have bought it in the past and if it is worth the price point in this day and age. Our initial thoughts on the device are that it’s easy to use, dependable, and has enough capacity for hosting, making it a great pick for backyard cooking. However, that’s not all there is to it.
The Masterbuilt MB20071117 electric smoker is the type of cooker you want in your backyard or at that cookout. It has enough internal capacity to cook for a large group of people, and it seems use is easy to figure out. Unfortunately, it’s not the most portable cooking machine and comes with other disadvantages, but for anyone who loves a good smoked meal, it seems worth it. In terms of the various rating metrics for the cooker, such as construction, overall performance, smoking area, temperature control, and more, you can find out how it fares in the review below.
This machine is a vertical smoker. With the heat source being further away, most users share the opinion that vertical smokers are superior to horizontal alternatives. The MB20071117 is made of steel but is insulated to keep the heat in as you cook. This is one feature that might help with temperature control as you cook.
Another thing is the device incorporates four chrome-coated racks where you can put your beef, ribs, turkeys, chicken, and more. Since it is a digital electric model and comes with a thermostat, users can regulate the cooking heat with the push of a button.
A drip plate is also part of the machine and might make it easier to clean after use. Finally, the outlook of the smoker looks a lot like a mini refrigerator.
The MB20071117 electric smoker is a superstar in terms of performance. Once the temperature is set, the machine will maintain that until you’re done cooking. Next, it’s effective in imparting the smoky flavor of the burnt wood chips onto your poultry and meats. Also, it uses a wood chip loader on the side of the device. This means that you don’t have to open the door of the machine while it’s cooking. As such, you don’t lose heat or smoke any time you add some wood chips.
Also, it looks pretty economical in terms of the wood pellets you use for each cook session. You may only have to refill the smoker box twice in three hours or less.
The smoker is electric, so you need to plug it into a socket before turning it on. After that, you set the temperature on the thermostat according to the recipe. You can add the wood pellets a little after that. Some users prefer to wait till the smoker is up to temperature before they add their wood chips.
Notably, being an electric smoker also means you need a socket nearby to use the device. This is restrictive to some as it’s harder to take it on camping trips and outdoor cookouts. However, if you want it for cookouts in your backyard, there shouldn’t be any issues.
As for the smoking area, it is pretty expansive, and the racks are well designed. There are four racks in total, and you can fit 2 turkeys, 6 chickens, 4 racks of ribs, or 4 pork butts. For most hosting events in your home, this should be more than enough. Also, any one of these racks can be removed at will. This should be handy for the thicker meats, such as when you’re cooking a turkey.
The Masterbuilt MB20071117 electric smoker comes with a thermostat built into the top of the machine. This is where you raise or lower the cooking temperature by pressing a button. After that, it’s up to the device. It features a 275°F maximum temperature setting, and it performs pretty reliably in maintaining the set temperature. You rarely have to open the door while the smoker is cooking, which also helps a bit with the temperature control.
Anybody choosing the Masterbuilt MB20071117 smoker is lucking out since the device is so easy to use. You put your meat on the racks, close the door, set the desired temperature, add the wood pellets, and you’re done. This cooking process seems as easy as one, two, three. Unlike grills, you typically don’t have to flip the meat.
One area where the device is lacking is in safety features. That said, with the side wood loading system, you’re much safer if you don’t have to open the door often. Also, there aren’t many risks to using the machine if you’re aware that the inside stays hot when you’re cooking. If you handle the smoker like you would an oven, the chances of you injuring yourself are much lower.
Additionally, portability is not one of the strong suits of the machine. It is the spitting image and size of a mini refrigerator and doesn’t feature any handles. The dimensions are 19.88 x 20.47 x 33.26 inches. This means you can’t lift it if you’re alone. The weight further drives this point home, as at 45.9 lbs, you’ll find it hard to pick up and carry the device.
It may fit in the trunk of a car and can be transported to another location, but again there is the problem of a nearby power source. As such, it makes sense as a purchase for your backyard cookout, but it isn’t very portable.
Cleaning the Masterbuilt MB20071117 smoker doesn’t seem very problematic. As we mentioned above, the racks are easy to remove, and you can wash them in a sink with a brush. The same is the case for the drip tray. Taking out the smoker box to empty it is easy as well. That said, you should wait until the smoker has cooled off before attempting to clean it. Also, clean it after every cookout, so gunk doesn’t collect inside the device and make your work harder.
All buyers of this smoker receive a 1-year limited warranty which isn’t very impressive. Some competing smokers come with longer warranties, but there’s not much to complain about at this affordable price point.
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As shown by the Masterbuilt MB20071117 electric smoker review above, the machine is very impressive and makes sense for many users. It is affordable, cooks well, is easy to use, and the side wood-chip loading system is excellent. The smoker’s main con is the lack of portability, but if all you want is to enjoy a great smoked meal at home, the benefits outweigh the few downsides.
