I've had my Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050 for over a year now. It turns out a great product IMHO. It's overall easier to use than my WSM (which I still keep around and use when I want to smoke on a rainy day). However, the original charcoal grate is absolute trash! I was only getting about 5-6 hours cooktime since good useable charcoal was falling through those huge-a** Grand Canyon sized gaps! I know Klotesmod had a modded and beefier version with vent protection but I wasn't willing to shell out the $$$ for that unit. (I'm sure it's built well, etc. but more than I'm willing to spend on a charcoal grate.)
Fortunately, Masterbuilt heard all of the complaints/feedback and created a new charcoal grate that is part of the version 2.0 gravity series. However, they do sell the new 2.0 charcoal grate on their website. I've used it for two cooks now and both times I've had longer cooks. Cook #1, I was able to get 10.25 hours at 250F. Cook #2 (last night's brisket cook), the fully loaded hopper lasted for 11 hours w/cook temp at 235F. I think I can get a 12-hr cook at 225F (or lower) if I wanted to smoke at that temp.
So for any MB gravity series owners that have the v1.0 charcoal grate you and you find that a full hopper of coal is barely yielding you 6-hrs of cook time (or less), get yourself the new v2.0 charcoal grate. I think it was listed at $11.99 but there is a shipping fee ($7.99 for me) + state tax. This is a bargain compared to the Klotes version (again probably not as well-built as the Klotes version though). If you recently purchased your cooker and it's in the 1-year warranty, reach out to MB and see if they'll replace the old grate with the new one.
For reading thru all of this -- here's the food pron: Happy Easter to y'all!
Fortunately, Masterbuilt heard all of the complaints/feedback and created a new charcoal grate that is part of the version 2.0 gravity series. However, they do sell the new 2.0 charcoal grate on their website. I've used it for two cooks now and both times I've had longer cooks. Cook #1, I was able to get 10.25 hours at 250F. Cook #2 (last night's brisket cook), the fully loaded hopper lasted for 11 hours w/cook temp at 235F. I think I can get a 12-hr cook at 225F (or lower) if I wanted to smoke at that temp.
So for any MB gravity series owners that have the v1.0 charcoal grate you and you find that a full hopper of coal is barely yielding you 6-hrs of cook time (or less), get yourself the new v2.0 charcoal grate. I think it was listed at $11.99 but there is a shipping fee ($7.99 for me) + state tax. This is a bargain compared to the Klotes version (again probably not as well-built as the Klotes version though). If you recently purchased your cooker and it's in the 1-year warranty, reach out to MB and see if they'll replace the old grate with the new one.
For reading thru all of this -- here's the food pron: Happy Easter to y'all!
