One thing is certain. If you season the griddle on a Masterbuilt 800 Gravity Series grill and repeat this frequently enough, your griddle will last longer and you will notice a difference in how well the griddle performs.
I love grilling for our family and I really enjoy grilling new things. One of my newest finds is the Masterbuilt 800 Gravity Series grill and it has opened up the possibility of many new dishes on the digital charcoal grill.
When I purchased the Masterbuilt 800 Gravity Series, I seasoned it before using it for the first time. Seasoning it was very simple:
● Heat the griddle for 10-15 minutes to 250 degrees fahrenheit.
● Apply cooking oil all over griddle with paper towels (use a cooking utensil or heat resistant gloves while doing this to keep from burning yourself).
● Heat the griddle to 400 degrees fahrenheit. Smoking will occur during this step as the oil bonds to the griddle surface.
● Once the smoke clears, drop the temperature of the griddle back to 250 degrees fahrenheit and repeat steps two and three. Your griddle is ready to use.
The seasoning process is the same for most all griddles. But to get the best results with your grilled food, I feel the most important thing is in selecting a quality grill.
That is why I purchased one of the 3 amazing choices in a Masterbuilt Gravity Grill and here are the pros and cons for my choice:
Pros
● The Masterbuilt 800 heats up very fast and allows you to start grilling more quickly.
● It gives a nice flavor to the food.
● Multiple racks and folding shelves give you a lot of cooking space.
● A meat probe thermometer lets you know the internal temperature of the meat at all times so you can cook to the right and get tender results each time.
● Its easy-to-use Masterbuilt app lets you control everything while sitting and talking to your family and friends.
● The charcoal hopper allows you to keep plenty of charcoal loaded which saves time when preparing your shorter charcoal grilling recipes or longer smoker recipes.
● Masterbuilt now offers a rotisserie attachment for the Masterbuilt 800 Gravity Series.
There are some drawbacks as well:
Cons
● You need to reconnect the app every time you want to change the temperature. It’s a safety feature but comes off as a bit of an inconvenience.
● The digital charcoal grill does not have an automatic starter so you’ll need to purchase some fire starter blocks to light the charcoal in the bottom of the charcoal hopper.
Selecting the Right Grill
One has to consider multiple factors before buying a grill. As for me, I considered the following things in my buying decision with the Masterbuilt 800 grill:
● Easy Setup and Technology Help: A grill that you can set up with little effort using the instruction manual is a good one to have. Most grills today incorporate newer technology that allows you to be more efficient in the grilling process and monitor your food with less effort.
● Size: How big of a family are you cooking for? A grill the size of the Masterbuilt 800 Gravity Series can cook over 30 burgers at once, so you can comfortably cook for a medium size group of people with it. I have an extended family, and when we get together there are often 15 – 20 people, so the Masterbuilt 800 was a good option for us.
● Cleaning: Look for a grill with easy-to-clean racks and one where the ash can be cleaned and disposed of quickly and easily.
● Portability: Most grills come with wheels, so portability is not much of an issue these days. Nonetheless, you should always check to be sure that wheels are provided.
To learn more about the other grills in the Masterbuilt Gravity Series, you can read our article on the choices in a Masterbuilt Gravity grill.
Features and Benefits: Masterbuilt 800 Gravity Series
Construction
The Masterbuilt has porcelain-coated racks that are nice for either grilling or smoking. You also get a foldable shelf made of stainless steel that can be used for sit items needed during the food preparation like cooking utensils and seasonings. It also comes with a flat-top for griddle style cooking and traditional grate of cast iron for searing steaks.
Size
The Masterbuilt 800 Gravity Series has a length of 31 inches, a width of 55 inches, and a height of 51 inches which provides plenty of size to offer the grate and rack space needed for a medium sized digital charcoal griddle and grill.
Cooking Capacity
The grate and racks have a cooking capacity of 800 square inches. You can make a lot of food all at once in less time. There is also an additional foldable stainless steel front shelf that can be used as extra space during food preparation. It’s big enough to grill over 30 hamburgers at one time.
Multiple Grates and Racks
You get multiple grates and racks to grill, smoke and sear the food. The racks will help accommodate more food so you cook for more people at the one time.
GravityFed Charcoal Hopper Capacity
The gravityfed charcoal hopper can hold 16 pounds of briquette charcoal or 10 pounds of lump charcoal. The charcoal or briquettes will supply constant fuel for up to ten hours continuously once the charcoal or briquettes is lit. You won’t have to fill the hopper regularly, and the charcoal or briquettes can be left in the gravityfed hopper without being removed after every use.
Fast Temperature Reach
Once the charcoal is lit, it takes significantly less time to heat the grill. Suppose you want to reach a desired cooking temperature of 225 degrees Fahrenheit; in that case, it will take eight minutes. To get a temperature of 450 degrees Fahrenheit, it will take ten minutes, and a temperature of 700 degrees Fahrenheit will reach in fourteen minutes.
Precise Temperature Control
The digital fan in the grill helps to control the flow of heat from the hopper to the cooking area. This feature reduces the fluctuations of heat inside the grill and provides precise temperature control.
Measurement of Temperature
The temperature gauge allows you to monitor the heat inside the grilling area and the meat probe thermometer monitors the internal meat temperature. Both of these two features help you turn out great results your looking for in cooked food.
Use of Technology
Because this Masterbuilt grill uses the latest technology, you need not stand and continuously check to see if the food is ready or if the grill temperature is too high or two low. You can easily connect your Wifi or Bluetooth, download the Masterbuilt app, and check the progress of food while you are away from the grill.
Last update on 2024-04-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Alternatives to Masterbuilt Gravity Series
The Masterbuilt 800 Gravity Series has been the best charcoal grill so far for me. I really enjoy using it so I cook with it on a regular basis for my barbecue.
While I highly recommend this digital charcoal grill to everyone I talk with, there are some alternatives on the market that are similar to the Masterbuilt 800 with slight variations.
Check out the following options to see if any of them are a better alternative for you:
Char-Griller Charcoal Grill
Are you looking to add even more of a smoky flavor to your barbeque? Then this may be the grill for you.
This a barrel type grill made of heavy steel construction, with adjustable dampers that help to adjust the airflow and control the heat.
The grates are made of cast iron and like most grills, there is a temperature gauge in the hood of the grill.
It has 830 square inches of cooking space, about the same as the Masterbuilt 800 Gravity Series grill. There is 580 square inches of cooking space in the main grill area and there is a firebox on the side of the main grill that provides 250 square inches of cooking space.
The easy dump ash pan that comes with the grill collects the ash and makes it easy to clean.
Last update on 2024-04-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Z Grills Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker
The Z Grills Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker lets you grill, braise, bake, smoke, and roast in the 700 square inches of cooking space. Any food you cook will have a smoky wood flavor.
There is an auto-ignition starter that makes it easy to start, a digital controller to regulate the temperature in the grill and an automated electric feed pellet system.
The wheels make this grill very portable and the hopper holds about 20 pounds of wooden pellets.
Last update on 2024-04-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Camp Chef Pellet Grill
The Camp Chef Pellet Grill is a user-friendly grill with about 811 square inches of cooking space to accommodate a lot of food at one time.
The grill uses wood pellets as fuel, which adds a distinct wood-fired flavor to your meal. It has an digital controller to maintain a consistent temperature and an internal meat probe to check the temperature of your food.
It also comes with an easy ash clean out system as well as a side shelf and foldable front shelf.
Last update on 2024-04-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Conclusion
I am definitely partial to the Masterbuilt 800 Gravity Series because it has made cooking easier for me. Because it is so versatile, I can grill, smoke, roast, bake, and braise with it.
It is not only easy to use but it is also easy to clean.
While it has a lot to offer, there are other alternative grills on the market besides the Masterbuilt 800 and one of those may work better for you.
