Masterbuilt 30-inch Electric Smoker Review

Right away you can tell this smoker was built with the objective of maximizing cooking space and making smoking meat (and other protein) as easy as possible.

Standing at only 30 inches tall, it may not be the largest smoker out there but it sure is roomy. You can place up to 4 racks full of food and still have extra space at the bottom for the drip tray and wood chip tray.

The relatively compact size also allows indoors storage, which is perfect for the winter months.

Built wise, this smoker feels quite solid and sturdy. It needs a little bit of assembly out of the box but it’s easy enough and you’ll be able to start smoking as soon as you get it. The door comes with a little window that lets you keep an eye on what you’re cooking but it only really works at first, as the smoke makes it hard to see once you’re cooking.

The wood chip tray is rather small, which means you’re going to have to change it every hour or so. This can be a problem if you plan on leaving your smoker on while you’re not around, so keep that in mind. However, this problem is solved by using the cold smoker option or by using moist wood chips.

All that said, feeding wood chips into the smoker is fairly easy and won’t cause to lose any heat, so you’ll be able to do it in just a few seconds without even opening the door.

Cleaning is made simpler by the removable racks and parts inside of the smoker, but you still need to work on it a little, which is why we recommend using foil on the drip tray to make things faster. That said, you’re still likely to end up with grease all over the bottom and that’s hard to clean.

Use wise, this smoker is fairly straightforward and will let you select between a variety of smoking modes, temperatures and times, making smoking meat as easy as clicking a couple of bottoms. It also comes with a little remote that lets you control things even easier.

As many other electric smokers, the temperature in this one doesn’t go over 300 degrees, which can be a problem. Like other electric smokers, the Masterbuilt comes with air dampers, which work as vents to let smoke out.

This may seem counterproductive for a smoker, but allowing you to control the concentration of smoke lets you control just how flavorful the meat you’re cooking will be, allowing you a degree of control superior to what you’d get using only wood chips.

This smoker also comes with wheels that let you move it around. They’re small and delicate, so they won’t take you far, but they’re perfect for when you take the smoker out of the garage or the kitchen.

While using the electric smoker is rather easy, there’s still a small learning curve while you get used to all this smoker has to offer. Rest assured that, as long as you read the instruction manual, you don’t have any problem using the Masterbuilt 20066515.

Other interesting features of this electric smokers are the built-in meat thermometer and the light, which lets you see what you’re cooking even in dark places. (Do keep in mind that the light is located outside which can cause a reflection in certain situations)

The electric cord is a little on the short side, so you may want to consider purchasing a heavy duty extension cord, though we only suggest this for outdoor use or if you really don’t have a plug nearby.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of the Masterbuilt 200077515 Front Controlled Electric Smoker.

Let’s get started!