Masterbuilt Gravity 800

Updated: August 28, 2026

Updated and fact-checked: August 27, 2026

Masterbuilt Gravity 800 is still a current cooker: model MB20040221, a gravity-fed charcoal grill, griddle, and smoker with a digital fan. It is not a pellet grill and it is not an unplugged kettle. You get charcoal flavor with thermostat control, and you also get an electric cord, a one-year warranty, and an app that owners still treat as optional.

Quick Answer: Is the Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800 Worth Buying?

Yes, if you want charcoal flavor and 225–700°F range without babysitting vents, and you have an outdoor outlet. Skip it if you camp off-grid, want a 10-year cookbox warranty, or only grill burgers once a month. Masterbuilt still sells MB20040221. List price on the factory page is $899.99 and the griddle insert is included. Home Depot has listed it at $749.

Key Points

• Current model MB20040221. Masterbuilt list price $899.99 as of August 27, 2026. Home Depot $749, was $899.
• Manufacturer range: 225°F to 700°F. Cooking space: 800 square inches. GravityFed hopper: up to 10 lb lump or 16 lb briquettes, up to 10 hours per Masterbuilt.
• DigitalFan plus Wi-Fi/Bluetooth app. The on-unit controller still runs the cook if the app drops.
• Current factory package includes the flat-top griddle insert. Older write-ups that call the griddle a separate $80 add-on are out of date.
• Needs AC power. No fan, no controlled airflow.
• Masterbuilt states a 1-year warranty. That is shorter than Weber Genesis cookbox coverage.

Who Should Buy the Masterbuilt Gravity 800?

Buy it if you want one charcoal cabinet that can smoke overnight and sear steaks the next night, and you are willing to plug it in. That is the Gravity Series pitch: dump fuel in a vertical hopper, light the bottom, set a temperature, and let the fan meter air.

Skip it if:

• There is no outlet. Tailgate and camp cooks should buy a kettle.
• You want to manage vents yourself. A Weber kettle or a kamado is the honest tool for that.
• You grill once a month. This is more cooker than that job needs.
• You want decade-long metal coverage. Masterbuilt’s published warranty on this grill is one year.

Is the Gravity Series 800 Still on Sale?

Yes. It is a current Masterbuilt product, not a closeout orphan. The factory page still lists Gravity Series 800 Digital Charcoal Griddle + Grill + Smoker, model MB20040221, at $899.99 with the griddle included. Home Depot has it at $749 (was $899). Walmart and BBQGuys have been at or near $899.99. Confirm stock and the day’s price before you buy.

Masterbuilt also sells larger Gravity models (1050, 1150) and the Gravity XT. Those are different cookers at higher prices. Do not mix the SKUs.

What Are the Masterbuilt Gravity 800 Specs?

Use the current factory sheet, not old “under $700” headlines.

Source: Masterbuilt’s Gravity Series 800 product page. Last verified August 27, 2026. Retailer shipping weights near 200 lb show up on spec sheets; plan for a two-person move.

How Does the Gravity-Fed Charcoal System Work?

Charcoal sits in a vertical hopper and drops toward the fire as it burns. A thermostat-controlled fan adds air until the cabinet hits the set temperature. You light fuel at the bottom, shut the hopper, and let the DigitalFan work. That is the difference between this cooker and a kettle you vent by hand.

The flavor is charcoal, not compressed-pellet smoke. Fat can still drip toward a live fire. That is why gravity charcoal cookers taste closer to traditional charcoal than to a pellet grill — when the fire is clean. Dirty, choked airflow still tastes like dirty charcoal. Empty the ash. Do not starve the fire of air and call it smoke.

Lump with big, odd shapes can bridge in a hopper and stop feeding. Masterbuilt sizes the hopper for both lump and briquettes. Owners repeatedly report fewer feed problems with briquettes or smaller, more uniform lump. That is a fuel-handling issue, not a flavor ranking.

Wood chunks can be added for extra smoke on low cooks. Keep the exhaust looking like thin smoke, not a white fog. Wet wood and a sealed-up dirty fire will coat food.

How Does the Gravity 800 Cook?

The useful range is the point: low smoking and high searing in one charcoal cabinet, if the fan and seals behave.

Low and slow. Masterbuilt rates the hopper for up to 10 hours. That is a manufacturer endurance claim, not a promise in 20°F wind. Hold 225–250°F with a grate-level thermometer. Trust a probe in the meat more than the lid readout. Add wood only while the surface is still taking smoke. Times vary with meat size and weather.

Searing. The 700°F top end is why people shop this instead of a 450°F pellet grill. Masterbuilt’s own preheat claim to 700°F is 14 minutes. That is the factory number. Real steak crust still needs dry meat, hot grates, and a fire that is actually burning, not a controller number with a cold grate.

Griddle. The current package includes the flat-top insert. Smash burgers, bacon, and onions are the obvious use. It is not a standalone Blackstone. It is a charcoal cabinet with a plate dropped in.

I have cooked over charcoal since 1970. I will not pretend this exact MB20040221 sat in my yard for a season. The cooking logic above is how gravity-fed charcoal boxes work, plus what Masterbuilt publishes and what owners keep repeating.

Can It Pass the $100 Brisket Test?

Yes, with these adjustments. A full hopper, a stable 225–250°F set point, a couple of dry wood chunks, and a calm night are enough hardware for a packer. Wrap at the stall if you want. Rest before you slice.

I would not trust it for that job if the outlet is on a cheap extension cord, the ash bucket is already full, or the lid seal is leaking in a hard wind. Owners often add a gasket in cold weather. That is a common workaround, not a factory promise.

$100 Brisket Test: Yes, with these adjustments.

What Are the Honest Tradeoffs?

Strengths: charcoal flavor with a thermostat, 225–700°F on paper, 800 square inches, included griddle, overnight hopper claim, and a current retail presence.

Weaknesses: needs power, one-year warranty, app pairing complaints are a repeated owner pattern, ash management on long cooks, possible hopper bridging with coarse lump, and a lid seal that is not kamado-tight.

Dealbreakers: no electricity, or a buyer who thinks “digital charcoal” means zero fire work. You still light charcoal, empty ash, and keep pellets — wait, charcoal — dry. The fan only replaces vent babysitting.

How Does It Compare With a Pellet Grill, Kamado, or Offset?

Against a pellet grill: Gravity 800 wins on charcoal taste and peak heat. Pellet grills win on cleaner fuel handling and, on current Traeger Woodridge-class units, slicker apps. Pellet smoke stays milder. That is physics, not branding.

Against a kamado: Kamados usually win insulation, fuel stretch, and longevity. Gravity 800 wins capacity per dollar and less fire-tending. A Large Big Green Egg still costs more than this cabinet.

Against an offset: A well-run offset can make deeper smoke. It also asks you to stay with the fire. Gravity 800 wins temperature stability and ease. It will not give you stick-burner bragging rights.

Final Verdict: Should You Buy the Masterbuilt Gravity 800?

Buy the Gravity 800 if charcoal flavor plus a temperature dial matters more than warranty length or off-grid use. Everything Grill Reviews rates it 4.0 out of 5. It is one of the more useful charcoal combo cookers still on sale in this size. It is not the bargain-bin “under $700” story anymore at list price, and it is not a set-and-forget appliance if the power drops.

Buy this if you have an outlet, you cook for a group, and you miss charcoal after using pellets.

Choose a kettle if you grill simply and want a tool that works in a parking lot.

Choose a current Gravity XT or a kamado if you want a tighter, more insulated charcoal box and will pay for it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Masterbuilt Gravity 800 discontinued?

No. Masterbuilt still sells MB20040221 on its site. Larger Gravity models exist beside it. Buy the 800 only if this size is the one you want.

Does it come with the griddle?

Yes on the current factory listing. Masterbuilt’s page says the 800 includes the flat-top griddle insert. Older articles that priced the griddle as an $80 extra are stale.

Does the Gravity 800 need electricity?

Yes. The DigitalFan and controller run on AC. If power dies mid-cook, airflow dies with it. Use a proper outdoor outlet, not a guesswork cord.

Lump or briquettes?

Both are supported. Masterbuilt rates the hopper at 10 lb lump or 16 lb briquettes. Uniform fuel feeds more reliably than giant, odd lump shards that can bridge.

Can it really hit 700°F?

Masterbuilt publishes a 700°F top end and a 14-minute preheat claim to that number. That is the factory claim. Give it a full preheat and verify grate heat before you drop a steak.

What is the warranty?

One year, per Masterbuilt’s current product page. Keep the receipt. Compare that with longer cookbox terms on some gas and kamado lines before you decide.

Can I use it without the app?

Yes. Set temperature on the digital panel. Treat the app as extra. Owners still report dropouts. The cook should not depend on your phone.