I just ordered the new Char-Griller 980. This is a second generation charcoal gravity feed grill/smoker so I'm thinking they've learned a lot from earlier models and from Masterbuilt so I went for it. It should arrive late next week. I'll post pics and updates then.
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Last edited by DanMancuso; April 5, 2021, 05:40 PM. -
Looks like a winner to me.
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Ooooo eeeeee! We’ll be waitin with ya, especially the first cook. What do you have in mind by the way, fer cookin?Comment
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The 1st cook will most likely be ribs.Comment
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Congrats!Comment
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Congrats on the new cooker. Looking forward to your review. I think this type of cooker is going to be more widespread in the marketplace.Comment
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Congrats.Comment
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We'll be testing this soon.Comment
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If it's more reliable than the Masterbuilt, that cooker should be tons of fun. I see people talk about the MB issues and how hard it is to get support, but refuse to give up on them because they love using them so much. Hope you love this one!Comment
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Seems like almost an exact copy of the firebox and the left shelf. The only difference is the cook chamber shape. Are they owned by the same company?
If they aren't owned by the same company, it seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen.Last edited by Polarbear777; April 7, 2021, 01:28 PM.Comment
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Looks like a great cooker, looking forward to the pics and hearing your opinion.Comment
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If anyone has a recommendation for a gasket to seal the firebox and cooking chamber please let me know.Comment
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Dan, I put the felt BBQ gasket tape around my chamber lid and firebox lid. Then did a 30-minute high smoke test to see where the leaks were. I had none in the firebox and only a very small one from the lid. Fixed the lid leak by tapering the edges of the gasket tape with a razor blade.
I use JB Weld Red Hi-Temp RTV Gasket Maker & Sealant (would love for the black to be high temp but only the red is high temp) but found that I did not need it.Last edited by BCam; May 30, 2021, 08:11 AM. -
Here are a couple of links to what I use...
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I just ordered mine from Menards this morning. It should be ready for pickup on Friday. Can't wait to try it out.Originally posted by DanMancuso View PostComment
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I just beat the rain getting it put together tonight. It was ready for pickup a couple days earlier than promised and my cover I ordered from Lowe's came in today also. I'll do a burn in and get it ready for a first cook this weekend. I haven't decided what I'll make yet.Attached FilesComment
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I have the 560 masterbuilt and my friend has one of the 980 char grilla...this is what i can tell...both are really great cookers..that is a simple fact..
the masterbuilt will take 4 probes the 980 2 probes
both come to temp with ease
the cooking chamber...tough one here..i like the 560 better..
i do usea SS cover on my mainfold with a water /drip pan...i am sure that the 980 will have one after market soon enough
the 980 mainfold is heavy/easier to take on and off/porclian coated /stay cleaner/my 560 is rusty looking/will it hold up ?
560 is much easier to clean out/ the cooking chamber
fire box..i have the SS brick cover from Luke on mine...both i am sure use the same fire brick..the 980 fire brick is easy to remove and replace..as the intire chamber comes out..a lot harder on the 560/all masterbuilts..both say no metal cover is needed...i am so darn confused about that..i know all about real fire bricks...these guys are not much..i guess they will out last me
on the charcoal grate...the masterbuilt orginal was junk..the new one is just fine/why masterbuilt will not send the new ones out to the orginal buyers is beyond me..i have the onemade by Nathan..the 980 is good enough
switches...good grief /again masterbuilt claims they have made better ones on the gen 2 models/why the heck they dont send them out i just dont know...the 980 has only 2..i do wonded do i need one on the chamber door ..
the fire fan...this is a curious one to me...the 980 is outside the fire box...it pushes the fire/smoke into the chamber/along with
ash into the cooking chamber..i did not find any on the food..on this cook...just wonder...the masterbuilt is a pull through fan..one warning here ,,the wires to the fan/have melted on some pits due to this/i rotated and wraped my wires in insulation..to solve this...also with the addition to the charcoal grate by nathan and the ash grate by Luke i also i find ash in my chamber/again not on the food/i take mine apart and clean it a lot..
bottom line i have close to a1000 in my 560 with al the mods ive added /if i was to have the 980 i would also do things to it..alwasy do to all my pits...but on the intinal buy right now the 980 would win out..
be very curious to see the masterbuilt gen 2 and the char -grilla a year from now compared
one more item the ash bin on the masterbuilt is better/larger.,but due to the 980 fan pushing the the fire into the chamber the 980 had to be shorter and smallerComment
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