Garden & Outdoor Living · Head-to-head
Masterbuilt 40-Inch Digital Electric Smoker vs Bradley Original 4-Rack Electric Smoker
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Electric Smokers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Masterbuilt 40-Inch Digital is the most capable all-rounder: 970 square inches over four racks, a side wood-chip loader, and simple digital time and temperature control at a mid-range price. The Bradley wins on pure smoke quality and hands-off operation, and is the one to buy if cold-smoking or set-and-forget consistency matters more than capacity.
Masterbuilt 40-Inch Digital Electric Smoker
Buy itThe workhorse (model MB20072918): the most rack space and the least fuss for the money, with a side loader so you never open the door to add wood.
- Four chrome-coated racks totaling 970 square inches, which Masterbuilt says fits up to 8 pork butts or 8 racks of ribs
- Patented side wood-chip loader lets you add chips without opening the door and dumping heat and smoke
- Digital panel sets cooking time and temperature, with a removable water bowl, rear grease tray, air damper and a fully insulated body
- Temperature tops out at 275F, enough for low and slow but not for crisping poultry skin
- Masterbuilt lists no meat probe for this model, where the 710 WiFi lists integrated meat probes
- No phone app; WiFi control is on the 710 WiFi model
Bradley Original 4-Rack Electric Smoker
Buy itAn automatic wood-puck feeder makes clean, consistent smoke for hours and is the better cold-smoking choice of the group.
- Automatic bisquette feeder runs up to nine hours of hands-off smoking, per Bradley
- Compatible with a cold smoke adapter (sold separately) for fish and cheese
- Clean, controllable smoke that owners say avoids the bitter over-smoked taste
- Proprietary wood bisquettes are an ongoing cost you can't substitute
- Heat control is simpler than a precise digital controller
- Premium price for the capacity
Side by side
The 7 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Masterbuilt 40-Inch Digital Electric Smoker Our pick | Bradley Original 4-Rack Electric Smoker | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Families and first big-batch cooks who want maximum capacity and a simple digital smoker. | Fish, cheese, and jerky smokers and set-and-forget purists who care about smoke quality over gadgets. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $$$ · premium |
| Capacity & racks | Four racks, 970 sq in (largest here) | Four racks, tall tower cabinet |
| Temperature range & control | Digital time and temperature, up to 275F | Simple heat control, automatic bisquette feed |
| Wood/smoke feed | Side wood-chip loader (no door opening) | Automatic bisquette feeder (hands-off) |
| Insulation & cold weather | Fully insulated body, per Masterbuilt | Not stated |
| Digital / app control | Digital panel, no app (WiFi on the 710 model) | No app |
| Cleanup | Removable water bowl and rear grease tray | Bisquette bowl and water pan |
| Build quality | Lockable door latch, 1 year warranty | Premium and durable |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Masterbuilt 40-Inch Digital Electric Smoker if
families and first big-batch cooks who want maximum capacity and a simple digital smoker.
Know before buying: temperature tops out at 275F, enough for low and slow but not for crisping poultry skin.
Pick the Bradley Original 4-Rack Electric Smoker if
fish, cheese, and jerky smokers and set-and-forget purists who care about smoke quality over gadgets.
Know before buying: proprietary wood bisquettes are an ongoing cost you can't substitute.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Masterbuilt 40-Inch Digital Electric Smoker - The workhorse (model MB20072918): the most rack space and the least fuss for the money, with a side loader so you never open the door to add wood. Choose the Bradley Original 4-Rack Electric Smoker instead if fish, cheese, and jerky smokers and set-and-forget purists who care about smoke quality over gadgets.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Electric Smokers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).