Masterbuilt vs Pit Boss Electric Smoker: Which One Actually Earns Its Spot?
Both are insulated vertical cabinets. Both plug into a standard outlet. Both burn wood chips for smoke and hold a set temperature without you tending a fire. The differences that matter are capacity, how hot they will actually run, how you load smoke, and how long the manufacturer stands behind the box.
Electric smokers are the most misunderstood category in barbecue. They are not trying to be a stick burner. They are trying to make a 12-hour pork butt something you can start before work and eat at dinner. Judged on that job, both Masterbuilt and Pit Boss build capable cabinets — and the published numbers separate them in ways the marketing copy does not make obvious.
The Short Answer for Buyers in a Hurry
Choose Masterbuilt if smoke control and capacity matter most
Masterbuilt's patented side wood chip loader lets you feed chips continuously without opening the door, and the removable water bowl adds moisture through a long cook. The 710 WiFi adds app control and support for up to four meat probes. If you want the largest electric cabinet in this comparison, the 40-inch model runs 970 square inches.
Choose Pit Boss if you want a higher temperature ceiling
Pit Boss electric cabinets run 1,650 watts and are rated higher at the top end — 325°F on the 3-Series analog and 350°F on the 3-Series digital, against 275°F for Masterbuilt. If crisping poultry skin or setting a firmer bark at the end of a cook is a priority, that ceiling is a real functional difference.
Everything below is the reasoning, using each manufacturer's own published specifications.
Masterbuilt vs Pit Boss Electric Smoker: Specification Comparison
Comparing the models buyers actually cross-shop: the Masterbuilt 710 WiFi and Masterbuilt 40-inch with Window & Legs against the Pit Boss 3-Series electric cabinets, analog and digital.
| Spec | Masterbuilt 710 WiFi | Masterbuilt 40-Inch | Pit Boss 3-Series Electric |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooking space | 710 sq. in. | 970 sq. in. | 748 sq. in. published for the analog; 756 sq. in. published for the digital |
| Racks | 4 chrome-coated | 4 chrome-coated | 4 porcelain-coated |
| Temperature range | 100–275°F | 100–275°F | 100–325°F analog; 100–350°F digital |
| Wood chip loading | Patented side loader, feed without opening the door | Patented side loader, feed without opening the door | Front-load tray, rated up to about 2 hours per load |
| Water bowl | Removable, adds moisture and catches drippings | Yes | Water pan included |
| App control | WiFi, Masterbuilt app | No, digital panel only | Varies by model; the 3-Series analog and digital electric are not app-connected |
| Meat probes | Supports up to 4, one included | Not included | Meat probe included |
| Viewing window | Yes | Yes | Yes, large front window |
| Insulation | Fully insulated body, lockable door latch | Fully insulated body | Double-wall insulation, high-temperature door seal |
| Dimensions | 22.3"W × 40.6"H × 22.9"D | 28.1"W × 50.4"H × 23"D | 21.5"W × 46.9"H × 22.8"D (analog) |
| Published capacity | 16 chickens or 8 pork butts | 16 chickens, 4 turkeys, 8 pork butts, 8 racks of ribs | Not published as a food-count figure |
| Manufacturer warranty | 1 year | 1 year | See the warranty section below — Pit Boss publishes conflicting terms |
Cooking Space: Do the Rack Math Yourself
Cabinet smokers are quoted in total square inches across all racks, so the numbers are broadly comparable brand to brand — unlike kamado grills, where stacked totals get misused. But it is still worth checking the arithmetic.
Pit Boss publishes rack dimensions for the 3-Series analog: four porcelain-coated racks at 14.75 inches by 11.63 inches. That works out to roughly 171 square inches per rack, or about 686 square inches of actual rack surface — below the 748 figure in the same product listing.
Worth knowing: Pit Boss's own product page for the 3-Series analog shows 756 square inches in the header badge and 748 square inches in the feature list, on the same page. We are not going to guess which is correct. If capacity is the deciding factor for you, measure the racks against what you actually cook — a full rack of spare ribs needs about 15 inches of run.
Masterbuilt's 710 quotes 710 square inches across four racks, and the 40-inch model quotes 970 across four racks. The 40-inch is the largest cabinet in this comparison by a clear margin, and it is the one to look at if you smoke for a crowd or run multiple pork butts at once.
Temperature Ceiling: Pit Boss Wins This One
This is the most honest advantage Pit Boss has, and it is worth stating plainly. Masterbuilt's electric cabinets top out at 275°F. The Pit Boss 3-Series analog is rated to 325°F, and the 3-Series digital to 350°F, both driven by a 1,650-watt element.
Why it matters: chicken and turkey skin renders and crisps better above 300°F. Bark sets faster at the tail end of a brisket or pork butt when you can push the last hour hotter. At 275°F you can still get there, but you are relying more on finishing in an oven, on a grill, or on accepting softer skin.
Why it may not matter to you: almost all traditional low-and-slow barbecue lives between 225°F and 275°F. If you bought an electric smoker to run ribs, pork butt, brisket, sausage, cheese and jerky, you will rarely ask for more than Masterbuilt gives you.
Smoke Delivery: The Side Loader Is the Real Difference
An electric element does not make smoke. Wood chips do. So how a cabinet lets you feed chips is the feature that most changes a long cook.
Masterbuilt uses a patented side wood chip loader — a tube on the side of the cabinet that drops fresh chips onto the heating element without opening the main door. Every time you avoid opening the door on an insulated cabinet, you avoid dumping heat and stalling your cook.
Pit Boss uses an oversized front-load chip tray that slides out from the bottom front, rated at up to about two hours of smoke per load. It is also external, so you are not opening the cooking chamber to refill. The functional difference is smaller than Masterbuilt's marketing implies, but the side loader is quicker to top up mid-cook and easier to add a handful at a time rather than reloading a full tray.
Both cabinets include a water pan or bowl. Masterbuilt's is removable and doubles as a drip catcher, with a separate removable rear grease tray. Pit Boss uses a front-access grease drawer that pulls out for cleanup.
Controls and Connectivity
Masterbuilt's 710 is the only unit here with WiFi. You set temperature and time from the digital panel or the Masterbuilt app, monitor meat probes remotely, and get alerts on your phone. It supports up to four probes with one included — useful when you have two butts and a rack of ribs going at different finish temperatures.
The Masterbuilt 40-inch uses a digital control panel with thermostat temperature control, but no app connection.
Pit Boss splits its 3-Series electric line into an analog version with a dial, an external heat indicator and an analog meat probe, and a digital version with an LCD controller and an included meat probe. Neither of those two electric cabinets is app-connected, though other Pit Boss vertical smokers in the pellet and gas ranges are.
If remote monitoring is the reason you want an electric smoker in the first place, the 710 WiFi is the clear pick of this group.
Warranty: Read This Part Carefully
Masterbuilt is straightforward. It publishes a one-year warranty against defects in material and workmanship from the date of original retail purchase, under proper assembly, normal use and recommended care. Labor is not included. That is short, but it is unambiguous.
Pit Boss is harder to pin down. Its general warranty statement says select wood pellet grills carry up to five years, the Carbon Series carries three years, and select griddles and smokers are backed by a two-year limited warranty. But the product copy on the 3-Series digital electric smoker describes a five-year warranty, and several retailer listings repeat the five-year figure.
Our read: we are not going to tell you which Pit Boss figure applies to which unit, because Pit Boss publishes both. If you are choosing partly on warranty length, get the coverage confirmed in writing for the exact model number before you order — from either brand. A longer term on paper is only worth what the claim process delivers.
Both brands require the unit to be registered and proof of purchase retained. Neither covers commercial use under the residential terms.
Which Masterbuilt Electric Smoker Should You Buy?
If this comparison has pointed you toward Masterbuilt, there are two electric cabinets to choose between, plus two fuel alternatives worth knowing about.
710 WiFi Digital Electric Smoker
710 sq. in. across four racks, 100–275°F, app control, support for up to four meat probes, patented side chip loader and a lockable door latch. The pick if you want to watch a cook from your phone.
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40-Inch Digital Electric Smoker
970 sq. in. across four racks — the largest here. Published to hold 16 chickens, 4 turkeys, 8 pork butts or 8 racks of ribs. Digital panel, window and leg kit. The pick when capacity decides it.
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40-Inch ThermoTemp XL Propane
960 sq. in. of vertical cabinet space running on propane instead of an outlet, with ThermoTemp thermostatic control. Worth a look if you do not have a weather-rated outlet where the smoker will live.
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Gravity Series 600
Real charcoal with digital fan control and app connectivity, and a temperature range that climbs far past any electric cabinet. The step up if you want charcoal flavor and searing heat, not just convenience.
Buy NowWho Each Smoker Is Actually For
Masterbuilt is the better fit if you
- Want to add chips mid-cook without opening the chamber and losing heat
- Need real capacity — the 40-inch at 970 sq. in. is the biggest cabinet in this comparison
- Want app control and multiple probe channels, which the 710 WiFi provides
- Cook mostly in the 225–275°F band where traditional barbecue lives
- Prefer a removable water bowl and a separate rear grease tray for cleanup
Pit Boss is the better fit if you
- Want a higher ceiling for crisping poultry skin or firming bark at the end of a cook
- Prefer a simple analog dial over a digital board and an app
- Like a front-access grease drawer and a large viewing window
- Are shopping a specific model where the longer warranty term is confirmed in writing
Neither brand is a mistake. These are two competent takes on the same idea, and the right one comes down to whether you value smoke management and capacity, or temperature ceiling and simplicity.
Keep Reading
- Kamado Joe vs Big Green Egg: An Honest Comparison Before You BuyIf you would rather cook over charcoal than plug in, start here.
- Which Kamado Joe Should You Buy?The ceramic charcoal route, walked size by size.
- How to Build a Strong Fire in a Kamado JoeCharcoal, lighting and airflow, for when you graduate past an outlet.
Masterbuilt vs Pit Boss: Frequently Asked Questions
Is Masterbuilt or Pit Boss better for electric smoking?
It depends on what you cook. Masterbuilt offers larger cabinets, a patented side wood chip loader that feeds smoke without opening the door, and app control on the 710 WiFi. Pit Boss offers a higher temperature ceiling — 325°F on the analog and 350°F on the digital, against 275°F for Masterbuilt. For traditional low-and-slow barbecue, Masterbuilt's smoke management and capacity tend to matter more. For crisping poultry skin, the Pit Boss ceiling helps.
How hot does a Masterbuilt electric smoker get?
Masterbuilt publishes a range of 100°F to 275°F for both the 710 WiFi and the 40-inch digital electric smoker. That covers the full traditional barbecue band, but it is below the ceiling needed to crisp poultry skin, which usually wants above 300°F.
Which electric smoker has the most cooking space?
Of the models compared here, the Masterbuilt 40-inch Digital Electric Smoker is the largest at 970 square inches across four racks. The Masterbuilt 710 WiFi runs 710 square inches, and the Pit Boss 3-Series electric cabinets are published at 748 and 756 square inches depending on the model and listing.
Can you get real smoke flavor from an electric smoker?
Yes. Both brands burn actual wood chips on or near the heating element, so the smoke is real wood smoke. The flavor tends to be lighter than a charcoal or stick burner because the chamber runs cleaner and cooler. Feeding chips steadily through the cook, rather than loading once at the start, makes the biggest difference.
What is the Masterbuilt side wood chip loader?
It is a patented tube on the side of the cabinet that lets you drop fresh wood chips onto the heating element without opening the smoker door. On an insulated cabinet, keeping the door closed protects your temperature and shortens the cook.
How long is the warranty on a Masterbuilt electric smoker?
Masterbuilt publishes a one-year warranty against defects in material and workmanship from the date of original retail purchase, under proper assembly, normal use and recommended care, with labor not included. Register the product and keep your proof of purchase.
Do electric smokers need a special outlet?
These cabinets run on standard household current, but they draw meaningful power and live outdoors. Plan a weather-appropriate exterior outlet on a circuit that is not already loaded, and follow the manufacturer's guidance on extension cords — most makers advise against them or specify a rating. If you do not have a suitable outlet, a propane cabinet is worth considering instead.
Do you ship Masterbuilt smokers for free?
Yes. Smokeforges offers free shipping on all orders, including every Masterbuilt smoker and accessory. Questions about a specific model can go to 833-777-2962 or info@smokeforges.com.
Ready to Start Your First Overnight Cook?
Shop the full Masterbuilt lineup at Smokeforges — an authorized Masterbuilt dealer. Free shipping on all orders, factory warranty support, and real people on the phone when you need them.
Buy Now — Shop MasterbuiltQuestions before you order? Call 833-777-2962 or email info@smokeforges.com
About this comparison. Specifications were checked against Masterbuilt's published product pages for models MB20070924 and MB20070122, and against Pit Boss's published product pages and warranty statement for the 3-Series analog and digital electric vertical smokers, at the time of writing. Where a manufacturer publishes conflicting figures, we have said so rather than picking one.
Manufacturers revise specifications and warranty language periodically. Confirm current details on the product page before ordering, or contact us and we will confirm for you.
