Masterbuilt Gravity Series XT
Charcoal Grill
~$1,799

Masterbuilt

Masterbuilt Gravity Series XT

4.6(145 reviews across retail listings)

The Gravity XT is Masterbuilt's current gravity-fed flagship and a direct response to the #1 complaint about the original 560/800/1050 series: build quality. The XT gets dual-wall FuelSaver insulation, a porcelain-coated interior, beefier hardware, and a 3-year warranty (up from 1), while keeping the party trick that made the line famous - real charcoal flavor with pellet-grill automation, from a 225F smoke to a legitimate 700F cast-iron sear in minutes. Owners and reviewers consistently call it the best-cooking gravity smoker you can buy, with better fuel efficiency and steadier temps than the old 1050 and the Char-Griller Gravity 980. The honest caveats: at $1,799 it costs nearly triple what a Gravity 800 street-prices for, it's a 199 lb two-person assembly job, and the electronics-in-a-charcoal-grill concern hasn't vanished - fans, switches, and control boards remain the failure points owners report, though XT-generation complaints are notably rarer. The hopper's 12 lbs of lump or 18 lbs of briquettes genuinely runs an overnight brisket. If you want charcoal taste with an app and don't want a Big Green Egg's learning curve, this is the class leader.

Approx. price
~$1,799
Cooking Area
1260 sq in
Fuel
Charcoal (gravity-fed)
Best For
Serious backyard cooks who want authentic charcoal flavor with set-and-forget digital automation and a real searing capability pellet grills can't match.

Specifications

Fuel Type
Charcoal (gravity-fed)
Cooking Area
1260 sq in
Temp Range
225-700F
Build Material
Dual-wall insulated steel with porcelain interior
Hopper Capacity
18 lbs
Dimensions
61 x 33 x 52 in
Weight
199 lbs
Warranty
3 years
WiFi / App
Yes
Meat Probe
Yes

Features

GravityFed hopper - up to 24 hours per loadDigitalFan control hits 700F in 11 minutesFuelSaver dual-wall insulation with porcelain interiorWiFi app control with 4 meat probe ports1,260 sq in across grates and 3 warming racksReversible cast iron grates for sear or smoke225F in 7 minutes from cold3-year warranty with US-based support

Pros

  • Real charcoal flavor with pellet-grill-style automation
  • 700F sear capability with reversible cast iron grates
  • Massive 1,260 sq in capacity - 16 rib racks or 20 chickens
  • Dual-wall insulation makes it fuel-efficient and cold-weather capable
  • Four probe ports and solid WiFi app monitoring
  • 24-hour hopper runtime covers overnight briskets
  • 3-year warranty triples the old Gravity Series coverage

Cons

  • $1,799 is premium pricing for a brand with a budget reputation
  • Electronics (fan, lid switch, board) remain the long-term failure risk
  • 199 lbs and a lengthy two-person assembly
  • Charcoal ash cleanup is still messier than any pellet grill

Compare the Masterbuilt Gravity Series XT

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4.4(1,800)

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.

Gravity-Fed Charcoal HopperDigital Fan ControlGriddle Insert Included
Wood/Charcoal800 sq in225–700°FWiFi
Best for: Real charcoal flavor with digital automation
See specs & owner notes
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Digital Set-and-ForgetSide Wood-Chip Loader4 Smoking Racks
Electric710 sq in100–275°F
Best for: Effortless, beginner-friendly smoking
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PK Grills PK360
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Rustproof Cast Aluminum4-Vent Airflow ControlCapsule Two-Zone Design
Charcoal360 sq inapprox 200–750°F
Best for: Charcoal purists who want grilling and smoking in one
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Char-Griller Gravity Fed 980
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3.7(13)

The Char-Griller Gravity Fed 980 is a WiFi-controlled gravity charcoal grill and smoker with a 16 lb hopper, fan-driven 200-700°F range, and 980 sq in of space. It's the budget rival to Masterbuilt's Gravity Series with a triple-insulated body.

Gravity-Fed Charcoal Hopper200–700°F Fan Control980 sq in Capacity
Charcoal980 sq in200–700°FWiFi
Best for: Set-and-forget charcoal cooking on a budget
See specs & owner notes
Weber Master-Touch 22
~$289
Charcoal Grill
4.7(4,432)

The Weber Master-Touch 22 is the upgraded version of Weber's iconic charcoal kettle, adding a hinged Gourmet BBQ System grate, a built-in thermometer, and a Tuck-Away lid holder. It's a benchmark backyard charcoal grill.

Hinged GBS GrateOne-Touch Ash CleanupBuilt-In Thermometer
Charcoal363 sq inapprox 225–700°F
Best for: Versatile charcoal grilling and light smoking
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Weber Original Kettle Premium 22
~$229
Charcoal Grill

The Weber Original Kettle Premium 22 is the iconic charcoal kettle that started backyard grilling in America, upgraded with a built-in thermometer, hinged grate, and sealed One-Touch ash catcher. It's the single most-recommended first grill on Reddit.

The Iconic Charcoal KettleOne-Touch Ash CatcherBuilt-In Thermometer
Charcoal363 sq inapprox 225–700°F
Best for: The classic do-everything first charcoal grill
See specs & owner notes