Masterbuilt
Masterbuilt 40-Inch ThermoTemp XL Propane Smoker
A propane vertical cabinet, which sits between an electric smoker and a charcoal one: a single burner at the base heats a wood-chip tray, and the ThermoTemp thermostat opens and closes the gas valve to hold a set temperature the way a gas oven does. That thermostat is the distinguishing feature — most propane cabinets in this price band have a manual needle valve and drift with the weather. 960 sq in over four racks, and a 375°F ceiling that beats every electric cabinet here.
Goes to the manufacturer. We earn nothing on this one.
Specifications
Pros
- ✓The ThermoTemp thermostat regulates the burner automatically — the main reason to pick this over a manual-valve propane cabinet
- ✓375°F ceiling is 100°F above the electric cabinets, which is enough to actually crisp chicken and turkey skin
- ✓Runs off a standard 20 lb propane tank with no electricity, so it works at a campsite, a tailgate or during an outage
- ✓960 sq in over four racks matches the 40-inch electric for capacity
- ✓Fully insulated body plus gas heat recovers temperature far faster than electric after the door is opened
- ✓Side wood-chip loading means the door stays shut through the smoke phase
Cons
- ✗Propane cabinets are the least precise of the automated smokers — expect ±25°F swings even with the thermostat
- ✗No probes, no app, no digital readout; the door-mounted dial thermometer is the only feedback
- ✗A 20 lb tank runs roughly 18–24 hours at smoking temperature, so long cooks need a spare tank on hand
- ✗Wind affects the burner more than it affects an electric element — a sheltered spot matters
- ✗1-year warranty, and the gas valve assembly is the usual failure point
Compare the Masterbuilt 40-Inch ThermoTemp XL Propane Smoker
Related grills
More from Masterbuilt →
Masterbuilt
Masterbuilt 40-Inch Digital Electric Smoker
The 40-inch step up from the 30-inch already in the catalog: the same insulated cabinet and side wood-chip loader, stretched to four racks and 970 sq in. An electric smoker heats with a resistance element and makes smoke by smouldering chips in a tray beside it, which is a fundamentally different mechanism from a pellet cabinet's auger — the smoke is thinner and more controllable, and you can hold 160°F for cold-ish work such as sausage or cheese. The viewing window and glass door are on the pricier Window and Legs variant, not this one.
Masterbuilt
Masterbuilt 710 WiFi Digital Electric Smoker
Masterbuilt's current connected electric cabinet, and the model that replaced the older Bluetooth-only digital smokers. It is narrower and deeper than the 40-inch — 710 sq in over four racks — and adds WiFi through the Masterbuilt app with support for four meat probes, one of which is in the box. The cooking mechanism is unchanged: a resistance element plus a side-loading wood-chip tray, so the temperature ceiling is still 275°F.
Masterbuilt
Masterbuilt 30-Inch Digital Electric Smoker
The Masterbuilt 30-inch Digital Electric Smoker is the best-selling electric smoker in the US, a vertical cabinet with digital temperature control and a side wood-chip loader. It's the simplest way to smoke meat.
Masterbuilt
Masterbuilt Gravity Series 600
The current entry point to Masterbuilt's gravity-fed line and the direct replacement for the discontinued Gravity Series 560. A vertical hopper holds charcoal above the firebox and feeds it down by gravity while a variable-speed DigitalFan regulates air, so it behaves like a pellet grill but burns lump or briquettes. The 600 keeps the 560's footprint but adds dual-wall insulation with a porcelain interior and takes the hopper to 17.6 lb.
Masterbuilt
Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800
The Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800 is a digital, app-controlled charcoal grill, griddle, and smoker that uses a gravity-fed charcoal hopper and a fan-driven digital controller to automate charcoal cooking. It blends real charcoal flavor with set-and-forget convenience.
Masterbuilt
Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050
The long-running large Gravity Series and still the volume seller of the line. Same gravity hopper and DigitalFan as the 600, in a wider cart-style body with 1,050 sq in across a main grate, a warming rack and a smoke rack. It sits between the 800 griddle-hybrid and the newer 1150 in Masterbuilt's range, and differs from the 1150 mainly in hopper size and cabinet updates rather than in how it cooks.