Would you love to be able to offer your guests a meal of tender moist meat with an authentic taste? But you’ve never smoked any foods before, and you don’t know where to start? This budget smoker might be the perfect smoker to make a start on, plus it will also serve you for years.
Meet the Masterbuilt MB20070210 Electric Analog Smoker
The Masterbuilt MB20070210 Electric Analog Smoker is a great choice for anybody who wants the luxury of tasty smoked meat and vegetables, but who doesn’t have a budget to match.
This smoker is easy to use, uncomplicated and its whole purpose in life is to produce mouthwatering smoked food. The owners of this smoker have rated it very highly on Amazon.
It does not have any bells and whistles, such as digital controls or multiple doors. It is built for purpose, and that is to provide a budget choice of a serviceable and reliable smoker.
Is Masterbuilt a good smoker brand?
Masterbuilt is a trusted family business that’s been around since 1973, when Dawson McLemore started experimenting with fish cookers and the business grew from there. His sons are now in charge of the business and are passionate about their products.
How long do Masterbuilt electric smokers last?
If you look after your smoker, it should last at least 5 years. Keep it covered when not in use and clean it every time you have a smoking session and it will repay you in durability.
Construction
This smoker is constructed of a durable cast iron shell with an interior wall. It is double-walled, but it has no added insulation, and this is reflected in the price.
Due to the lack of insulation, it will be affected by the outside temperature and the position of the sun. It will take longer to smoke your food if the temperature is below about 65 degrees Fahrenheit. It will also get warm on the outside, so keep children and pets away, and don’t let anyone lean on it while they’re drinking their beer.
Temperature Control
The smoker is powered by a substantial 1500-watt heating element. This will consume 1.5 kWh for every hour of use. If you check out your last electric bill, you’ll be able to see how much this smoker will add to the bill. Just multiply the kWh rate x 1.5 x the number of hours you think you’ll use it. You might save money elsewhere if the food produced in the smoker replaces what you cook in your kitchen oven.
The selection of the desired temperature is made using the analog power controller. The choice is in the range of low to high. It’ll take a bit of experience to get used to which choice produces which temperature.
I’d advise keeping a smoker notebook about the results you get for your first few times. When you’ve found the level you like, you can mark it on the controller and keep hold of your notebook. Take note of weather conditions for future reference.
There is a thermometer built into the door showing a range of 50 to 700 degrees Fahrenheit. This is meant to give you an idea only; use a meat thermometer before serving your food.
There are no vents or dampers on this model. However, there is one hole at the rear of the unit to allow smoke to escape.
The water pan and the wood chip tray sit side by side on a rack just above the element at the bottom. The wood chip tray has a hinged lid that is lifted to put more chips in. The rack does slide out, but I wouldn’t do that unless you want to spill the contents of the water tray. The rack slides out for easy cleaning and is meant to stay in place during the cook.
Because there is only one door, the heat and smoke will escape while you’re checking the water and wood chips, which will probably be about every 4 hours. There is also the danger of flare-ups when opening the door due to a rush of oxygen.
Keep in mind that you need to use insulated gloves or other protection for your hands when checking these – they will be hot in the middle of a cook!
If you follow our advice above and get a smoker notebook, you could also keep track of when you needed to refill the water and wood chips. Then you only open the door when you actually need to in the future.
Ease Of Use
This electric smoker is very easy to use. No getting the charcoal burning and then babysitting it to check that it’s still the right temperature. This is an almost set-and-forget smoker. Once you have put the food in, you can leave it for a few hours until you need to check the water and wood chips.
Does the Masterbuilt electric analog smoker need seasoning?
The walls of this smoker are not coated in any protective substances, so to protect it from rust and oxidation it needs to be seasoned before you use it.
This is very straightforward. According to the owner’s manual, this is the procedure:
- Set the temperature to the highest temperature for 2.25 hours. Do not add water or wood chips.
- At the 2.25-hour mark, add half a cup of wood chips to the wood chip tray.
- Shut down the smoker and allow it to cool down. You may see some smoke during the cooldown; this is normal.
- Empty your wood chip tray ready for your first smoking session.
How do you use a Masterbuilt electric analog smoker?
Being an electric unit, using it is very easy. You need to do your pre-seasoning first. Then after that:
- Preheat smoker for 30-45 minutes
- Fill the water bowl
- Add a cup of wood chips
- Add the food
- Close the door
- Check the water and wood chips every 4 hours or so
- Use a meat thermometer to check your food is cooked before serving
Please note that the inside of your smoker will turn black in time. Masterbuilt advises in their owner’s manual that this is normal. Also, be prepared for smoke to escape around the seams of the door as it is not sealed.
Can the Masterbuilt MB2007210 be used as a grill?
No, sorry, this smoker is purpose-built as a single-minded smoking machine.
Size
This smoker has 3 chrome-plated cooking racks adding up to 536 square inches of cooking space. You can smoke up to 3 chickens, 2 turkeys, 3 racks of ribs, or 3 pork butts.
At roughly 22 by 20 inches, this smoker won’t take up too much space on your patio.
It weighs in at 49.86 pounds. It doesn’t have wheels, but it does have 2 metal handles to transport it. It goes without saying that you would only move it when it’s cold, plus it would be easier with 2 people.
Assembly
Looking at the owner’s manual, assembly seems to be pretty straightforward; there aren’t any moving parts on this smoker.
You’ll need a Phillips Head screwdriver. Here’s a video to give you an idea:
Cleaning
The chrome-coated cooking racks need to be washed in hot soapy water. Ensure they are thoroughly dry before putting them back into place in the smoker.
Don’t be tempted to put foil on the racks if you’re thinking that it will make cleaning easier. Foil on the racks slows down the cooking time significantly.
The water and wood chip pans sit on a sliding metal rack at the bottom. After the smoker has cooled down, you can slide out the whole rack. Then each of the pans can be lifted out for emptying and washing; ash removal couldn’t be simpler!
The floor of the smoker is slanted so that any drippings will flow out the hole into the grease tray on the underside of the smoker.
This slides out from the front of the smoker for easy cleaning. To make the cleaning even easier, you could line the grease tray with aluminum foil before each smoking session. Keep in mind that you may need to empty the grease tray during the cook.
Warranty
The warranty is for 1 year; register your new smoker at the Masterbuilt website.
While 1 year doesn’t seem long and is much shorter than some other smokers, there are no electronics in this unit and very few moving parts. If you’re going to have any problems, they should show up in the first year.
Is The Masterbuilt Electric Analog Smoker Value For Money?
At this price, this is a user-friendly and durable choice, backed up by Masterbuilt’s excellent reputation.
Masterbuilt Electric Analog Smoker Summary
What’s Nifty About The Masterbuilt Electric Analog Smoker?
- Very easy to use – the technique for using this smoker to get the most out of it is very simple
- Easy ash and grease removal – both the wood chip tray and the grease drip cup are removable, making cleanup very easy.
- Little monitoring required – once the smoker is in operation, very little babysitting is required; wood chips and water should be checked about every 4 hours
- Affordable – this is a great smoker for the price; by keeping the design limited to being a functional unit without a lot of fancy features means that the cost is kept down
What’s Not So Nifty About The Masterbuilt Electric Analog Smoker?
- Only one door – when you’re checking the water and wood chips, the door to the cooking area needs to be opened, letting heat and smoke out
- Temperature needs experimentation at first – like most smokers, this one takes a little getting to know, but it’ll be worth it in the long run
- No control over airflow – there are no dampers on this smoker, although there is a hole in the back of the unit to let the smoke out
- No viewing window – there isn’t a window in the door, but with the short monitoring time required, this shouldn’t be a problem
- Needs to be positioned near a power outlet – being an electric smoker, of course it needs to be plugged in somewhere
- Short warranty – the warranty is quite short for a smoker, but with few mechanisms inside, any potential problems will be highlighted before the warranty is over
- No cover included – this is not unusual in the smoker world, and especially with this one because this is the low-priced option
Need A Cover For Your Masterbuilt Electric Analog Smoker?
Unfortunately, Masterbuilt does not make a cover for this 21.69 x 20 x 40.15 analog smoker.
I’ve found some covers that will fit this smoker; they are a bit big, but better too big than too small, right?
If you’d like a “belt” for your cover, maybe you need some Velcro Tape with an adhesive back. You can cut a strip of the tape and stick it around the cover. Then when you’re storing your smoker, you can pull the cover in and anchor it with the velcro side of the tape just like a belt.
How Could The Masterbuilt Electric Analog Smoker Be Improved?
I hesitate to note any features that I think should be included because it would add to the price, which defeats the purpose of this practical budget choice. However, if I had to, I would list a second door, a damper, and more racks in the top of the cooking area to be suggested improvements.
But the lack of these improvements is beside the point when you look at what you’re getting for your hard-earned money.
- Very easy to use
- Easy ash and grease removal
- Little monitoring required
- Affordable
- Only one door
- Temperature needs experimentation at first
- No control over airflow
- No viewing window
- Needs to be positioned near a power outlet
- Short warranty
- No cover included
Tips For Best Performance Of Your Masterbuilt Electric Analog Smoker
- Use wood chips rather than wood chunks
- Pre-heat for 30-45 minutes
- Keep the door closed as much as possible
- Check and empty drip tray during the cook
- Use dry or pre-soaked wood chips
Contacting The Manufacturer
Submit a form on the Masterbuilt “Contact Us” page. You can include images of your smoker to show your problem. Please note that your unit needs to be registered before sending your query.
Alternatively, you can email them at customersupport@masterbuilt.com or leave a message at (706) 256-3943.
Verdict
This is an easy-to-use, straightforward smoker and would suit either a pro pitmaster or a beginner. If “simple” and low-cost is what you’re looking for, this could be the one for you.
Should You Buy The Masterbuilt Electric Analog Smoker?
If you’re looking for a combination grill smoker, this is not the one for you. If you don’t want an easy smoker to use for years to come at a budget price, this is not the one for you.
What About Other Models Of Masterbuilt Electric Smokers?
This is not the only electric smoker that Masterbuilt makes. There are 2 more that might appeal to you.
| Smoker | Smoker | Cooking Racks (Each) | Cooking Surface (Square Inches) | Weight (Pounds) | Footprint (W x D x H Inches) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Masterbuilt 20071117 Digital Electric Smoker offers:
|  | 4 | 711 | 45.9 | 20.47 x 19.88 x 33.26 |
| The Masterbuilt MB20070421 30-inch Digital Electric Smoker might appeal with the same cooking space plus the digital controls and side access wood chip tray, but it also boasts a viewing window and legs. |  | 4 | 711 | 50.3 | 20.5 x 19.9 x 33.3 |
How Does The Masterbuilt Electric Analog Smoker Stack Up Against Similarly Priced Smokers?
| Smoker Name | Smoker | Cooking Racks (Each) | Cooking Surface (Square Inches) | Weight (Pounds) | Footprint (W x D x H Inches) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 3 | 544 | 49.5 | 20.7 x 15 x 33.5 | |
 | 3 | 457.86 | 48.3 | 19 x 206. x 37.1 |
Wishing you sunny days for smoking!
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