Masterbuilt MPS 340/G or Pit Boss 5 series?

[jwwphotos]

I have found mine can vary from the dial, especially in winter or even on a hot day once the sun hits it. I have a thermoworks smoke with a smoke gateway to keep the temps honest.

[Mister C]

Mine runs about 15 degrees cooler than the dial, though I figured that out initially and that's never changed since I got it. Are you saying it changed on you overnight? Wowzers, good save.

[Mister C]

Call me crazy but I think that would possible with the right fittings etc. Though propane is way more heat efficient, from my understanding.

I am not a gas plumber though, so please take that with a very sizeable pinch of salt! I wondered the same thing a few years ago and looked into it, but stuck with my tanks instead. Camp Chef sells kits for their gear, so I was thinking there shouldn't be any reason why not.

[Dewesq55]

Funny you should bring this up. My ThermoTemp coughed up a massive hairball this past week. Temps in the box were about 40-50 degrees cooler than where it was set on the dial. I eventually figured it out and the cook came out good, but it was very frustrating. But the wife just said "tough luck, you're not getting a new smoker so deal with it."

[DaveD]

Doesn't DaveD have the pit boss?

DaveD absolutely does. I knew I had the space for exactly one cooker (in addition to my Weber Spirit 3-burner), so I did a lot of research, and the Pit Boss Copperhead 5 ended up winning out on paper for me. Very happy with the choice, it's extremely easy to use and clean, runs extremely reliably and consistently with the turn of a knob. I have a background in experimental lab science, and so reproducibility is a big driver for me, and this unit completely delivers. Thumbs up. Disclaimer: this is the one and only smoker I've ever used, and only for just a couple weeks shy of one year. No expert by a very long shot.

[rickgregory]

Doesn't DaveD have the pit boss?

[rlozinak]

I have a traeger pellet smoker. Very happy with it. Basically you set the temperature you want and let it go. Very easy to run.

[Bkhuna]

Dewesq55 - No more dog in this hunt.

[ProspectSmoker]

I'm looking to add a gas smoker to my collection of toys mainly because living in the SW we experience fire bans that disallow using charcoal fired appliances . Im intriqued by the temp control of the MB but also the natural gas capability of the CC SV.
I keep wondering why the MB can't be converted over as well. Is the orifice inaccessible to be drilled out? Is there anything unique about the gas line or burner that would make it impossible?

[Mister C]

Also have a 340G, had it about 2 years now. Got it based on Max's excellent review on the free side of the site.

I'd been using a Weber kettle with an original SlowNSear forever and, though I love it for most applications, just wanted something that I could set for a super long cook or do 3x the food in that every once in a while. Mine holds temp perfectly, it was exactly what I needed. I also felt that, using wood chunks, the smoke was not far off from charcoal. My neighbor's got a Green Mountain Daniel Boone pellet - it's awfully nice but doesn't deliver as much smoke flavor as the 340G can.

Good luck! And enjoy the ride down the BBQ gear rabbit hole.

[crpeck]

I've had the 340G for a couple of years (I think). I've got the temperature dial so it's spot on, but, always use a temperature probe to verify & to alert me if the temp drops & I need to swap tanks. I'm gonna ditto what is said above, a tank lasts a long time. It keeps a consistent temp thru the cook. I also use chunks, with some chips to get her started. I'm playing with a smoke tube & pellets now just to see what happens.
I have no experience with a pellet grill/smoker.

[Dewesq55]

^^^What he said! I also use chunks, not chips.

For the sake of balance, there is at least one regular poster here who had a bad experience with his ThermoTemp and used to mention it every time someone asked a question about this smoker. For some reason he has not chimed in on this thread so far. It might have been Bkhuna . If interested you could probably find those posts by doing a search

[SmokingSteve]

I have had the Thermotemp XL MPS 340G for two years now. It does a great job. I have never had any issues with it. I use wood chunks, not chips and get great smoke from it. With 4 shelves it has great capacity.Propane tanks last a very long time, typically at least 1 or 2 months depending on how heavily I am using it. Usually at least twice a week. You will spend a lot less on propane fuel vs pellets for a pellet rig.

[Dewesq55]

I have the Masterbuilt and I think it delivers very good product. I would much rather cook with wood chunks than pellets. As for propane, there is no way you have to get a new tank of propane for every cook - even brisket or pork butt. I find the tanks last a very long time - many cooks. If you keep a spare on hand it is never a problem. Plus, propane tank exchanges are EVERYWHERE these days. If, by chance, you did run out unexpectedly, I suspect it would be way easier to run out and grab a full gas tank than to pick up 50 or 100 lbs of pellets. One more thing - propane is propane. It's fungible. Not so with pellets.

[jfmorris]

Those are some pretty different cookers there - pellet versus propane. I think you gotta decide whether its easier to be getting 20 pound tank refills every time you smoke a butt or brisket, or if its easier to pick up a new bag of pellets at the store. Then decide which cooker is best in that type.

I've seen both good and bad reviews of the Masterbuilt thermostatic propane smokers. My personal pick for propane would be the Camp Chef Smokevault 24 - mostly because it can be converted to natural gas, and I've got that available outside. On pellet rigs, I cannot comment on the Pit Boss. In BOTH cases, I think you will find the smoke profile is going to be lighter than you are used to from the Weber kettle. The propane smoker with wood chunks may offer more smoke flavor than the pellet cooker if I had to guess.