The Masterbuilt 560 vs 800 choice comes down to size and features. Both grills use charcoal. Both make great BBQ. I found that the 560 works well for small families. The 800 gives you more room to cook and comes with a griddle. I have spent a lot of time comparing grills like these, and the real gap is not in taste but in how much food you need to make. This guide will help you pick the best one for your yard and your style of cooking.
Masterbuilt 800 Review
I bought the Masterbuilt 800 because I wanted real charcoal taste with less work. I use it most on weekends for BBQ and family meals. Over the last few months, I have cooked ribs, burgers, chicken, brisket, and pork on it. This review is based on what I saw and learned from real use.
My Experience and Why I Bought It
Before I bought the Masterbuilt 800, I looked at pellet grills and charcoal smokers. I liked the ease of a pellet grill. Still, I wanted the taste that charcoal gives.
I have used this grill for several months. I cook on it once or twice each week. Most of the time, I make burgers, wings, ribs, and chicken. A few times each year, I cook for large family events.
I chose the Masterbuilt 800 because it has more cooking space than smaller models. The griddle also caught my eye. I liked the idea of having one cooker that could smoke, grill, and cook breakfast.
Assembly and First Impressions
The grill came in good shape. The box had no major damage. All parts were packed well.
The build took me about three hours. Most steps were easy to follow. A few parts took extra time because the pictures were not very clear.
Once built, the grill felt strong and steady. The shelves did not wobble. The cart rolled well on my patio.
My first thought was simple. This grill is big. It takes up more space than it looks like in photos.
Cooking Performance and Real Use
This is where the Masterbuilt 800 stood out.
My first cook was two pork shoulders. I set the grill to 250°F. Then I let it run for most of the day. I checked the heat with a second thermometer. The readings stayed close to the set point.
A week later, I smoked two racks of ribs. The cook lasted about five hours. The grill held its heat with very little change. The ribs came out soft and full of smoke flavor.
I also cooked burgers and steaks. The burgers got a nice crust. The steaks had a good sear. This was one area where the grill did better than some pellet grills I have used.
One weekend, I cooked for a family get-together. I made burgers, chicken, and sausage at the same time. There was still room left on the grates.
I also tested a full brisket. The grill held a steady heat for the whole cook. The brisket came out juicy. The bark looked great.
Over time, I checked how well the grill repeated results. Each cook felt much like the one before it. That made it easy to trust during long cooks.
I also found it easy to use. I set the heat, added charcoal, and let the grill do its job. That saved time and made cooking less stressful.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Great charcoal taste | Heavy and large |
| Big cooking area | Build takes time |
| Griddle comes with it | Needs regular cleaning |
| Holds heat well | Uses more charcoal on long cooks |
| Easy controls | App can lose connection |
| Can smoke and grill | Needs a good amount of space |
The Griddle Feature
The griddle became one of my favorite parts of the grill.
I used it for smash burgers, eggs, bacon, fried rice, onions, and peppers. Heat spread well across the surface.
The first time I switched from grill mode to griddle mode, it took a little time. After that, the process felt easy.
Cleaning was simple. I used a scraper and wiped the surface down after each cook.
One Saturday morning, I made breakfast for my family. I cooked eggs, bacon, and hash browns at the same time. The large flat surface made the job much easier.
What I Liked Most
The best thing about the Masterbuilt 800 was the mix of flavor and ease of use.
It gave me the rich taste of charcoal. At the same time, it made heat control simple.
I also liked the large cooking space. I never felt short on room.
The grill heated up fast. That helped on busy days.
The WiFi feature was useful too. I could check the grill while sitting inside the house.
I also liked that one unit could smoke, grill, and use a griddle. That gave me more ways to cook.
What Could Be Better
The grill does have a few weak points.
First, it is heavy. Once it is in place, most people will not want to move it often.
The build process takes time. It is not hard, but it is long.
The app worked most of the time. Still, I had a few cases where it needed to reconnect.
You also need to keep up with cleaning. If not, grease can build up.
Long cooks use a fair amount of charcoal as well.
For me, these were small issues. None made me regret the purchase.
Final Verdict
Would I buy the Masterbuilt 800 again? Yes.
It has given me good results on ribs, brisket, burgers, chicken, and more. The heat stays steady. The food tastes great. The large cooking area is a big plus.
I think it is a great fit for families and people who love backyard BBQ. It is also a good choice for anyone who wants charcoal flavor without a lot of fire work.
If you have a small patio or only cook for one or two people, a smaller grill may fit better. For my needs, the Masterbuilt 800 has been a solid buy and a grill I enjoy using every
Masterbuilt 560 Review
I have used the Masterbuilt 560 for a few months. I use it for weekend BBQs and family meals. I wanted real charcoal taste but with less work. I have cooked ribs, burgers, chicken, and pork on it. This review is based on real use at home.
My Personal Story and Why I Bought It
I bought the Masterbuilt 560 because I wanted charcoal flavor without the hard work of a full fire. I used a basic smoker before this. I also used a gas grill. Both had limits.
I cook most weekends for my family. Sometimes I make burgers and chicken. Other times I do ribs or pork shoulder. I also needed a grill that does not take too much space.
I looked at the Masterbuilt 800. It was too big for my needs. I do not cook for large groups often. So I picked the 560.
I have used it every week since I bought it.
Assembly and First Impressions
The grill came well packed. No damage was found.
Assembly took about three hours. It was not very hard. But it did take time. Some steps were easier with two people.
The instructions were okay, but a few parts were not clear.
After setup, the grill felt strong. It did not shake. The wheels worked fine.
My first thought was simple. It is smaller than the 800, but it still feels solid.
Cooking Performance and Real Use
This is the most important part of my Masterbuilt 560 review.
I first cooked pork shoulder. I set it to 250°F. I let it run for many hours. I checked it with another thermometer. The heat stayed close to the set point.
I also smoked ribs at 250°F for about five hours. The heat stayed steady. I did not need to adjust it much. The ribs were soft and full of smoke taste.
I cooked burgers and chicken many times. Burgers got a nice crust. Chicken stayed juicy. Steaks had a good sear.
I tested space during a family cook. I made burgers and chicken at the same time. It worked fine. But space is limited for large cooks.
Over time, I got the same results again and again. This made it easy to trust.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Good charcoal flavor | Small cooking space |
| Easy heat control | Takes time to build |
| Holds steady heat | Needs cleaning often |
| Good for smoking | Not for big parties |
| Fits small patios | App can disconnect |
After many cooks, I feel the pros matter more for my needs. The size works well for my space. But it can feel small when cooking for more people.
Temperature Control and Daily Use
Daily use is simple. I set the heat and wait. It heats up fairly fast.
The WiFi feature is helpful. I can check the grill from inside my home. This is nice for long cooks.
Most of the time, I do not need to watch it all the time. It is close to “set and cook.”
Sometimes the app disconnects. But the grill still works fine.
What I Liked Most
I like the charcoal taste the most. It feels close to real fire cooking.
I also like the easy controls. I do not need to manage vents or fire all the time.
It heats up fast for a charcoal grill. That saves time on busy days.
It also fits my space well. I can use it on a small patio.
It works for both smoking and grilling.
What Could Be Better
There are a few small issues.
The cooking space is not large. It is fine for family meals. But not for big groups.
Cleaning is needed after use. Grease can build up.
The app is helpful but not perfect. It sometimes loses connection.
It is also heavy. Moving it is not easy.
None of these stopped me from using it. But they are worth knowing.
Final Verdict
Would I buy the Masterbuilt 560 again? Yes.
It fits my needs very well. I cook for a small family. I do not need a huge grill.
It gives me good charcoal flavor with simple control. It also holds steady heat.
It is best for small families and weekend BBQ cooks. It is not the best choice for large parties.
For me, it has been easy to use and very reliable.
Details Comparison for Masterbuilt 560 vs 800
I have used both the Masterbuilt 560 vs 800 in real backyard cooking. I focused on real use, not specs. I tested them on ribs, burgers, chicken, and pork. Here is what I found in simple terms.
Cooking Space and Size
The size difference is easy to notice. The 560 is good for small family meals. The 800 is better when you cook for more people.
On the 560, I can cook for my family with no issue. But space gets tight if I add more food. On the 800, I can spread food out and cook more at once.
| Feature | Masterbuilt 560 | Masterbuilt 800 |
| Cooking space | 560 sq. in. | 800 sq. in. |
| Best for | Small family | Bigger groups |
| Cooking room | Limited | Wide and open |
Cooking Performance
Both grills use the same system. So the taste is almost the same. I did not notice a big change in flavor.
I tested ribs at 250°F on both grills. Both held heat well. I did not need to adjust much.
For burgers and steaks, both gave a good sear. The main difference was space, not taste.
| Feature | Masterbuilt 560 | Masterbuilt 800 |
| Heat control | Stable | Stable |
| Smoke taste | Strong | Strong |
| Sear quality | Good | Good |
Griddle Feature (800 Only)
The 800 has a griddle. The 560 does not.
I used the griddle for eggs, bacon, and smash burgers. It worked well for quick meals. Heat spread evenly.
At first, it took me some time to learn how to switch modes. After a few uses, it got easy.
| Feature | Masterbuilt 560 | Masterbuilt 800 |
| Griddle | No | Yes |
| Breakfast use | Not possible | Very useful |
| Extra cooking style | No | Yes |
Ease of Use and Control
Both grills are easy to use. I set the heat and let it run.
They heat up fast for charcoal grills. I do not need to stand and watch them all the time.
The app helps on long cooks. But I saw a few small disconnects on both.
| Feature | Masterbuilt 560 | Masterbuilt 800 |
| Startup | Fast | Fast |
| Use style | Simple | Simple |
| App use | Basic | Basic |
| Temp control | Steady | Steady |
Space, Build, and Value
The 560 fits better in small spaces. It is easier to move.
The 800 is bigger and heavier. It needs more patio space but gives more room to cook.
Both feel strong after weeks of use. I did not see any build issues.
| Feature | Masterbuilt 560 | Masterbuilt 800 |
| Space needed | Small | Large |
| Weight | Lighter | Heavy |
| Build feel | Solid | More heavy duty |
| Value | Good for daily use | Good for big cooks |
Conclusion
The Masterbuilt 560 vs 800 choice is simple in real use. Both cook the same way. The taste is very close.
The main difference is size. The 560 is best for small families. The 800 is better for big meals and guests.
I use the 560 more often in daily life. It fits my space and needs. The 800 is great when I cook for more people.
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