Electric Smokers matchup · Lightweight division
Masterbuilt 30 in Digital Electric Smoker (MB20071117) vs Masterbuilt 40 in Digital Electric Smoker with Window and Legs (MB20070122)
Masterbuilt 30 or 40: the classic 30-inch Digital against the 40-inch with window and legs
Masterbuilt 40 in Digital Electric Smoker with Window and Legs (MB20070122)
Lightweight Division~$400
Tale of the tape — this fight hasn't been booked yet
No showdown has ruled between these two — both fought in The Best Electric Smokers of 2026: The East Oak That Runs Four Hours on a Load of Chips, the Masterbuilt Its Maker Stopped Selling, and the 40-Inch Nobody Tested, where the belt went elsewhere. What follows is the verified data, not a verdict.
Ringside notes
Masterbuilt’s 30-inch Digital (MB20071117) and its 40-inch Digital with window and legs (MB20070122), both read signed in on their own Amazon listings on 2026-10-03 with their critical reviews.
The 40 is the bigger box: 970 square inches on four racks against 710, legs that put the controls at standing height, a window and a lockable latch, at about against about . Both run digital controls to 275°F and carry Masterbuilt’s one-year warranty, which excludes rust and is void through an unauthorized dealer.
The owner records are not close. The 30 holds 4.4★ across 11,205; the 40 holds 3.9★ across 493 with 19% of owners at one star, and its critical tail is rusted door hinges and failed controllers and elements. The 30’s tail is controllers too, and masterbuilt.com lists it as out of stock while Amazon still sells it; the 40 is current on Masterbuilt’s own store.
Neither is the 40-inch the rival roundups test, which is the plainer MB20072918 (3.8★ across 607 on its own listing). Our electric smoker showdown carded the 30 and named the 40 with window and legs its skip.
Tale of the tape
| Model | Best for | Owner rating | Warranty | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deepest owner base | 4.4★ / 11,205 | 1 year, proof of purchase; rust not covered; an unauthorized dealer voids it | ~$219typical at AmazonCheck price → | |
| SKIP | 3.9★ / 493 | 1 year, proof of purchase; rust not covered; an unauthorized dealer voids it | ~$399.99typical at AmazonCheck price → |
Prices move constantly — any Amazon price shown is as of the date noted and subject to change; tap through for today's number.
Prices move constantly — tap through for today's number.
What would decide it
- Owner proof: Masterbuilt 30 in Digital Electric Smoker (MB20071117) reads 4.4★ across 11,205 owners; Masterbuilt 40 in Digital Electric Smoker with Window and Legs (MB20070122) reads 3.9★ across 493. Depth of sample matters as much as the star.
- The money: Masterbuilt 30 in Digital Electric Smoker (MB20071117) streets ~$219, Masterbuilt 40 in Digital Electric Smoker with Window and Legs (MB20070122) ~$400 — MSRPs, not sale lows, decide the tier.
- Masterbuilt 30 in Digital Electric Smoker (MB20071117) — your pick if: you want the electric smoker the most owners have lived with — 11,205 ratings at 4.4★ — for about $219 from Amazon, and you accept that Masterbuilt’s own store no longer sells it and that the controller is the part owners most often report failing.
- Masterbuilt 40 in Digital Electric Smoker with Window and Legs (MB20070122) — your pick if: you want the big Masterbuilt the roundups crowned, would rather have legs and a window than a test, and are relaxed about one owner in five rating it one star — in which case buy a waterproof cover first, because the critical tail is rust and dead controllers.
The full cards
Masterbuilt 30 in Digital Electric Smoker (MB20071117)
Deepest owner baseThe listing's size menu spans 6 models (30–40 in) — this card is the 30-inch Digital. Check the size before you add to cart.
Your pick if you want the electric smoker the most owners have lived with — 11,205 ratings at 4.4★ — for about $219 from Amazon, and you accept that Masterbuilt’s own store no longer sells it and that the controller is the part owners most often report failing.
“Made some awesome smoked walleye. Only had it for a year so far but it’s working well.”— Greg Bussey, Amazon · Verified owner
Pro review “there was up to a 20°F difference from the top rack to the bottom rack with the top rack running cooler.”Hands-on review naming MB20071117; published October 2021, updated May 2025— Mike Sessler, Smoked BBQ Source
- 11,205 owner ratings at 4.4★ — the deepest base on this page, every visible review a verified purchase, none from the Vine programme
- A side chip loader, four racks and 710 sq in, and Masterbuilt sells the element ($24.99) and the power board ($24.99) for this model on its own store
- Tested hands-on by Smoked BBQ Source, which held 275°F with chips added about hourly
- Sold and shipped by Amazon
- Masterbuilt’s own store no longer sells it: masterbuilt.com lists MB20071117 as out of stock and sells the 30-inch with a window (MB20071322) instead
- The controller is the recurring failure: four of the ten latest critical reviews are a dead control panel, power board or thermostat, one twice inside the warranty
- Uneven heat: Smoked BBQ Source measured up to 20°F between the top and bottom racks, and an owner reports swings of 20° each way
- Light smoke below 225°F, several owners say
- One- and two-star reviews are 10% of the base, against 3% on both East Oaks
The controller, then the smoke. "Purchased in 2023. In three months, the control panel died… My smoker has now died again"; "around the year mark it failed completely. The factory sent me a new power board, which brought back happy times for about two months"; "the control panel failed… with power ’On’"; "No smoke at any temperature below 225 degrees F"; "Mine does not hold the temperature. It varies each way from where I said it at least 20°".
1,113 critical written reviews on 2026-10-03; the ten most recent read (Jul 9 – Sep 29, 2026), 9/10 Verified Purchase: controller, power board or thermostat failure 4, light or no smoke 3, temperature swing 1, cheaper build than an older unit 1, damaged on arrival 1. One- and two-star are 10% of 11,205. · critical reviews read October 2026
The listing's size menu spans 6 models (30–40 in) — this card is the 40-inch Digital with Window & Legs. Check the size before you add to cart.
Your pick if you want the big Masterbuilt the roundups crowned, would rather have legs and a window than a test, and are relaxed about one owner in five rating it one star — in which case buy a waterproof cover first, because the critical tail is rust and dead controllers.
“After about 4 years, I replaced the heating element and the digital control unit due to the fact that MasterBuilt’s own cover was not waterproof”— Dave F., Amazon · Verified owner
- 970 sq in on four racks — the most room on this page — on legs that put the controls at standing height
- A window, a side chip loader and a lockable latch
- Sold and shipped by Amazon, and current on masterbuilt.com
- 3.9★ across 493, and 19% of owners rate it one star
- Not the 40-inch the roundups tested: Serious Eats, Food & Wine and The Spruce Eats name the MB20072918, and no credentialed outlet has tested this one
- The critical tail is rust and electronics: door hinges that rust through, a control panel that takes in moisture, elements and controllers replaced inside two years
- Owners report it stalling around 240°F against a 275°F setting
- One year of warranty, rust excluded
Rust and electronics. "the door hinge rusted and fell off. To fix it, the door needs to replaced which can’t be purchased"; "Top control unit panel failed after a few uses as moisture and heat vented directly from the unit up and into the controls"; "2 years in and already replaced electrical unit on top, now the heating element"; "It runs 20 degrees below set temperature and will not get to the 275 max"; "I can’t get it to rise above ~240 degrees".
119 critical written reviews on 2026-10-03; the ten most recent read (Jun 29 – Sep 21, 2026), 7/10 Verified Purchase: controller or element failure 4, short of temperature 2, rusted door hinge 2, racks falling 1, chip loader handle broke 1, damaged on arrival 1 (themes overlap). One- and two-star are 23% of 493. · critical reviews read October 2026
FAQ
Masterbuilt 30 or 40 electric smoker?
The 30-inch Digital, unless you genuinely need 970 square inches. The 30 has 4.4★ across 11,205 owners; the 40 with window and legs has 3.9★ across 493 with 19% one-star reviews and a tail of rust and controller failures. Both top out at 275°F with a one-year warranty.
Full fight coverage
Every number on this page derives from the same verified data that renders our showdowns — dated owner-rating reads, MSRP-based tiers, and rulings only where a real fight happened. Data last verified: October 2026. Methodology and monetization disclosure: how we test.