The Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560 was one of the first smokers that made me think charcoal could actually be close to set-and-forget.
It burns charcoal, but instead of you adjusting vents all day, a digital fan controls the fire for you. You load the charcoal hopper, manually light it, set your temperature, and let the smoker manage the heat.
This review is based on my hands-on testing of the older Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560. That exact model is now hard to find new, and the newer Masterbuilt Gravity Series 600 is the closest current replacement.
So, this is not really a “should you buy the 560 today?” review anymore.
It is more useful than that.
This is my real experience cooking on the older 560, what still applies to the current Masterbuilt Gravity Series, and whether I would look at the newer 600, 800, larger models, or XT instead.
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Table of Contents
Quick Verdict
The Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560 showed me that fan-controlled charcoal smoking really can work.
Once it is lit, the 560 holds temperature extremely well, smokes low and slow without much babysitting, and gets hot enough to grill and sear properly. It gives you more charcoal flavor than a pellet smoker, but with a lot less fire management than a regular charcoal smoker.
But, the 560 also showed the trade-offs of this system.
It can be frustrating to light, especially with natural firestarters. It needs electricity. Some ash can blow into the cooking chamber. The upper racks run cooler than the main grate. And, the build quality is average, not heavy-duty.
Because the 560 is now hard to find new, I would not spend time hunting it down unless you find one at a very good price. If you like what I describe in this review, the current Masterbuilt Gravity Series 600 is the model I would look at first.
Buy the current masterbuilt 600 if:
- You like the idea of the 560 I tested, but want the current small model
- You want charcoal flavor without managing vents all day
- You want one barbecue that can smoke and grill properly
- You like digital controls, app control, and a fan-managed fire
- You do not want to move fully to pellets
Skip The current masterbuilt 600 if:
- You want a traditional charcoal smoker with no electronics
- You do not have outdoor power nearby
- You want a fully automatic startup like a pellet grill
- You hate cleaning ash
- You want thick steel and heavy-duty construction
Also available at: Walmart
At a Glance
What the 560 did really well
- Held temperature extremely well once lit
- Smoked low and slow with very little effort
- Got hot enough for proper grilling and searing
- Gave good charcoal flavor
- Worked well through the WiFi app
- Had enough hopper capacity for long smokes
- Let me smoke, grill, roast, bake, and sear on one barbecue
What I did not like
- Starting it with natural firestarters was frustrating
- It sometimes took far too long to get going
- Build quality was only average
- It needed regular care to prevent rust
- Upper racks ran cooler than the bottom grate
- Some ash blew through the cooking chamber
- It needed electricity to work
Best Use Case
The Masterbuilt Gravity Series is best for someone who wants charcoal flavor but does not want the work of running a manual charcoal smoker. It suits backyard cooks who want to smoke brisket and ribs one day, then grill steaks or burgers the next, without buying separate smokers and grills.
Is This 560 Review Still Relevant?
Yes, but only if you read it the right way.
The 560 is the older model I actually cooked on. I would not pretend I have tested the newer 600 if I have not.
But the 560 still tells you a lot about what the current Gravity Series is like because the core idea is the same: a charcoal hopper, digital fan control, app-controlled temperature settings, and charcoal-fed heat without manual vent adjustments.
The things I learned on the 560 are still the questions buyers need answered:
- Does fan-controlled charcoal actually hold temperature well?
- Is it really easier than a normal charcoal smoker?
- Does the food taste good?
- Can it grill as well as smoke?
- Is lighting it annoying?
- Does the build quality match the cooking performance?
- Is this better than buying a pellet smoker?
That is why I would keep this review live.
But I would be very clear: if you are buying new today, the current Masterbuilt Gravity Series 600 is the small model to compare first.
Masterbuilt Gravity 560 vs 600: What Changed?
The Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560 was the original smaller model in the Gravity lineup.
The newer Gravity Series 600 is the closest current replacement. It keeps the same basic idea, but gives you a slightly larger cooking area, a bigger hopper, and updated design features.
I have not personally cooked on the 600 for this review, so the detailed cooking experience below is from the 560. But, if you are choosing between the old 560 and current 600, this is how I would think about it.
| Feature | Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560 | Masterbuilt Gravity Series 600 |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Older small Gravity model I tested hands-on | Current small Gravity model and closest replacement |
| Cooking space | 560 sq. in. | 600 sq. in. |
| Hopper capacity | 10 lb lump charcoal / 16 lb briquettes | 12 lb lump charcoal / 18 lb briquettes |
| Low-and-slow runtime | Up to about 12–15 hours | Up to 18 hours |
| Temperature range | 225–700°F | 225–700°F |
| Core cooking system | Gravity-fed charcoal hopper with digital fan control | Same Gravity-fed charcoal hopper with digital fan control |
| App control | Yes | Yes |
| Main practical difference | Proven older model, but now hard to find new | Newer version with slightly more space, bigger hopper, and updated design |
| Best choice now | Only worth considering if found at a proper discount | Better choice for most people buying new today |
The biggest point is this:
If you find a 560 for a proper discount, the cooking performance can still make sense.
But if the 560 and 600 are anywhere close in price, I would look at the 600.
How the Masterbuilt Gravity System Works
The Masterbuilt Gravity Series is basically a charcoal smoker and grill controlled by a digital fan.
You load charcoal into the vertical hopper. Then you manually light the charcoal at the bottom. Once the fire is going, the fan controls airflow to maintain your set temperature.
That is what makes it feel so different from a normal charcoal smoker.
You are still cooking with charcoal. But instead of adjusting vents and checking the fire all day, you set the temperature on the controller or app and let the smoker do the heat management.
It is not exactly the same as a pellet grill because pellets feed automatically and light automatically. The Masterbuilt still needs manual lighting.
But once it is lit, the cooking experience feels much closer to a pellet smoker than a traditional charcoal smoker.
Real Cooking Experience on the Masterbuilt Gravity 560
Before writing my original review, we used the Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560 regularly over a few months.
We tried it for low-and-slow smoking, baking, roasting, grilling, and high-heat searing. So, while the 560 is now the older model, this review is based on proper hands-on use, not just reading the specs.
I honestly did not expect to like it as much as I did.
Masterbuilt has always sat in that affordable smoker space for me. Their electric smokers work, but they are not what I think of when I think premium barbecue equipment. So, I was skeptical that they could pull off automatic charcoal smoking properly.
But once the Gravity 560 is lit, it really does work.
You set the temperature, the fan manages the fire, and you can cook without constantly adjusting vents or topping up fuel. We did 8, 10, and 12-hour smokes without running out of charcoal when starting with a full hopper.
The temperature control was the standout.
It held steadier than some PID pellet smokers we have used. If you open the lid to add food, wrap meat, add sides, or check something, the temperature drops as expected. But once you close the lid, it recovers and settles back in without you needing to do much.
That is the part of the Gravity Series that still makes sense today.
It really does bring a pellet-smoker level of convenience to charcoal.
The flavor is good too, but it is not as heavy as some people might expect from charcoal.
Running charcoal alone, the smoke flavor is moderate. You can still get bark and a smoke ring, but it is not overpowering or heavily woody.
I actually like that.
But if you want a deeper smoke flavor, add wood chunks throughout the charcoal as you fill the hopper. The wood chunks feed down with the charcoal and add more smoke as the cook goes.
You cannot easily throw a wood chunk directly onto the fire mid-cook, so you need to plan ahead and layer them through the hopper.
The brisket we cooked on the Gravity 560 did not look quite as good as some of the briskets we have cooked before, but it was one of the best we have eaten. It was moist, tender, and full of flavor.
Ribs worked well too. Pork shoulder worked. Sides worked. It is a very capable smoker once you understand the hot and cool zones.
The biggest frustration was starting it.
Unlike a pellet smoker, the Masterbuilt Gravity does not light itself. You have to manually light the charcoal through the access door at the bottom of the hopper.
With natural firestarters, the 560 took us more than an hour to start on multiple occasions. That happened with both lump charcoal and briquettes. Even when we packed in more natural firestarters than the slot is really designed for, it was still slow.
Small hardwood kindling helped a bit because the flame lasted longer, but even then we were often looking at around 30 minutes to get it going.
The only way we got it to start like Masterbuilt suggested was by using regular chemical-style firestarters. They burn hotter, and once we forced enough of them into the slot, the charcoal would light properly.
Even then, the smoker sometimes beeped and showed a warning code saying the charcoal had not ignited properly. But after clearing the code and checking the fire, the charcoal was actually lit and the temperature kept rising.
So, startup is not impossible.
But it is not as simple as I wanted it to be.
If you are happy using regular firestarters, this may not bother you much. If you prefer natural firestarters, I would use a blowtorch or electric charcoal starter.
Otherwise, it is frustrating to spend half an hour to an hour trying to start a barbecue when you just want to grill steak.
Performance Breakdown
Temperature Control
Temperature control is the best thing about the Masterbuilt Gravity system.
Once the charcoal is lit, the 560 holds heat extremely well. You set your target temperature on the controller or through the app, and the fan controls the airflow for you.
There are no vents to adjust. There is no fire basket to keep checking. You do not need to sit there guessing whether to open or close anything.
When we opened the lid to wrap meat, add sides, or check the cook, the temperature dropped like it would on any smoker. But after closing the lid again, the 560 recovered and settled back in without us needing to change the setup.
That is what makes this smoker so different from a normal charcoal smoker.
You still get charcoal as the fuel, but the fire management is handled for you.
For beginners, that removes a lot of the stress from charcoal smoking. For more experienced cooks, it makes charcoal easier to use on busy days when you do not want to babysit a smoker.
Smoke Flavor
The smoke flavor from the Masterbuilt Gravity 560 is good, but not super heavy when you run it on charcoal alone.
You still get bark, a smoke ring, and proper barbecue flavor. But it is not as intense as some traditional charcoal or wood-burning smokers.
I do not see that as a bad thing. I liked the balance.
But if you want a stronger wood-smoked flavor, you need to add wood chunks through the charcoal hopper as you load it.
The wood chunks will gravity-feed down with the charcoal and smoke as they reach the fire. That gives you a deeper flavor and a more obvious smoke ring.
The only downside is that you cannot easily add wood chunks directly to the fire mid-cook. So, if smoke flavor matters to you, layer wood chunks through the hopper before you start.
Grilling and Searing
The Masterbuilt Gravity 560 grilled better than I expected.
This is not just a smoker that technically gets hot enough to grill. It actually does a good job with steaks, burgers, lamb chops, and other high-heat cooking.
You set the temperature, let it climb, and cook over charcoal heat without managing a charcoal chimney or moving coals around.
The reversible cast iron grates help here. One side is thinner for smoking, and the other side is thicker for grilling and searing.
The sear marks were good. The charcoal flavor was there. And the whole process felt much easier than lighting a regular charcoal grill from scratch.
There is some temperature variation across the grate.
On our 560, the left-hand and back side ran hotter. Meat in those spots cooked faster and harder than meat elsewhere on the grate.
But for grilling, that did not bother me much. You are standing there flipping and moving food anyway, so once you know where the hot spots are, you can shuffle things around.
We also got some flare-ups, which gave it more of that direct-flame grilling feel.
Overall, grilling is one of the best arguments for the Gravity Series. It gives you proper charcoal grilling ability, not just low-and-slow smoking.
Capacity
The Masterbuilt Gravity 560 was listed with 560 square inches of cooking space.
That sounds decent, and it is. But the usable space depends on what you are cooking.
The bottom grate is the main cooking area. That is where I prefer to cook brisket, pork shoulder, ribs, chicken, burgers, steaks, and anything I want cooked evenly.
The upper racks are useful, but because they run cooler, I usually treat them as bonus space.
Masterbuilt’s listed capacity numbers are optimistic in real-world use. Yes, you can fit a good amount of food in there. But if you are cooking larger pork shoulders, whole chickens, or a decent-sized brisket, you will not use the space as cleanly as the marketing suggests.
We cooked a medium brisket on the bottom grate with a small pork shoulder on the middle rack and ribs on the top rack. It worked, but the pork shoulder and ribs took longer than they would have on the main grate.
After using it for a while, we generally preferred to smoke the main meat on the bottom grate and use the upper racks for sides.
For a family, the 560 size worked well.
For bigger cooks, I would look at the current larger Gravity models instead.
Upper Rack Temperature Difference
The upper racks are useful, but they do not cook the same as the bottom grate.
On our 560, the upper racks often sat around 30–40°F lower than the main grate. That meant food up there took quite a bit longer.
This is not the end of the world if you know about it.
The ribs we cooked on the top rack still turned out fine. They just finished much later than they would have on the main grate. In that particular cook, the ribs ended up finishing around the same time as the brisket instead of earlier.
But this is why I would not treat the full listed capacity as equal cooking space.
The bottom grate is where I would put the main meat.
The upper racks are better for sides, warming, smaller pieces, or food you are happy to cook more slowly.
Hopper Size and Fuel Use
The charcoal hopper is one of the best parts of the Gravity system.
On the 560, you could load up to 10 pounds of lump charcoal or 16 pounds of briquettes. That was enough for the long cooks we did.
The hopper also makes charcoal easier to manage.
Instead of guessing exactly how much charcoal you need, you can fill the hopper and let it feed as required. When you shut the grill down properly, it starves the fire of oxygen and saves unburnt charcoal for next time.
That means less wasted charcoal and less fuss before each cook.
At low-and-slow temperatures, we found the claimed long runtime realistic. At grilling temperatures, it obviously burns through more charcoal. But that is expected.
The newer Gravity Series 600 has a larger hopper than the old 560, which is one of the reasons I would look at the 600 first if buying now.
Startup
Startup is the biggest weakness of the Masterbuilt Gravity 560.
Once the charcoal is lit, the smoker is easy. But getting it lit was not always quick for us.
The little firestarter shelf sounds simple, but natural firestarters did not work well. We had multiple times where it took more than an hour to get the charcoal going properly.
Using regular chemical-style firestarters worked better because they burned hotter. But if you prefer natural firestarters, I would not rely on them alone.
For the current Gravity Series, I would plan on using one of these:
- A blowtorch
- An electric charcoal starter
- Hotter-burning firestarters
- Small kindling with a longer burn time
Be sure to read about the best electric charcoal starters if you want an easy chemical-free option.
But, if you want pellet-grill-style automatic ignition, this is not it.
The Gravity Series is much easier than a manual charcoal smoker once it is running, but it still needs manual lighting at the start.
Ash Management
Ash is another thing you need to expect with this smoker.
During low-and-slow cooks, we sometimes had charcoal ash blow through the cooking chamber and settle on the meat or foil.
It happened more with briquettes than lump charcoal, and we did not notice it as much when grilling at higher heat.
Shaking the charcoal grate before starting helps clear loose ash into the ash bucket. If it gets ashy during a long cook, shaking it again can help move ash down instead of letting the fan blow it through the cooking chamber.
It did not ruin our cooks, but it is one of those real-world quirks that matters.
If you want cleaner, lower-mess cooking, a pellet smoker is easier.
If you want charcoal flavor with less fire management, some ash is part of the deal.
Built Quality
Build quality is where the Masterbuilt Gravity 560 was more mixed.
It went together well. The parts lined up, nothing was missing, and the smoker felt reasonably sturdy once assembled.
But this was still an affordable Masterbuilt barbecue, not a heavy-duty smoker.
The steel was thin. Some high-heat areas had paint flaking fairly early. You could see why Masterbuilt recommended oiling the grates and inside of the cooking chamber to help prevent rust.
The cart was fairly sturdy. The ash bucket was heavy-duty. The cool-touch handles felt strong. And the digital control panel was better than I expected.
But there were weaker areas:
- The drip tray felt thin
- The plastic wheels needed care when moving
- The built-in temperature gauge was not very useful
- The cooking chamber door leaked some smoke
- The smoker needed regular care to prevent rust
The smoke leakage around the cooking chamber door was not a big issue. You can still make good barbecue out of the box. You could add an aftermarket gasket if you want a tighter seal, but I did not think it was essential.
The bigger issue is long-term care.
This is not a smoker I would leave uncovered in the weather. It needs a cover. It needs to be kept dry. The grates need to be seasoned. Thin parts need to be dried properly after cleaning.
If you want a smoker you can neglect and still have it look good years later, this is not the one.
If you are okay with looking after it, the cooking performance is strong enough to make the trade-off worthwhile.
WiFi and App Control
The WiFi worked well for us.
Connecting the Masterbuilt app was simple and worked the first time. Once connected, we could set the grill temperature, see the current temperature, set timers, and view a session graph of the cook.
The 560 came with one wired meat probe and had four probe ports. If you connected probes, you could monitor meat temperature through the app too.
The app was not as advanced as something like a dedicated wireless thermometer system. You do not get the same estimated cook time or probe labelling features that you get from something like MEATER.
But what was there worked.
For a lot of backyard cooks, the built-in probe and app would be enough to get started. You do not need to buy a separate thermometer system immediately.
That said, I still like having an independent thermometer setup for longer cooks, especially when I want to check grate-level temperature differences. You can read more in my guide to the best wireless smoker thermometers.
Power Requirement
The Masterbuilt Gravity Series burns charcoal, but it still needs electricity.
The power runs the digital controller and the fan. Without power, the 560 did not get enough airflow to work properly as a normal charcoal smoker.
The 560 came with a normal wall plug. You either need an outdoor outlet or an extension cord.
So, do not buy a Gravity Series thinking it can double as a regular charcoal grill during a power cut.
The charcoal is the fuel.
The electricity controls the fire.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Cleaning the Masterbuilt Gravity 560 was not difficult, but you do need to stay on top of it.
The top racks are porcelain-coated wire, so they are easy enough to clean with soapy water. The bottom grates are cast iron, so they need to be dried properly and kept seasoned.
After each cook, wait until the ash is completely cold, then empty the ash bucket.
You should also remove and clean the drip pan and tray. Dry them thoroughly before putting them back because thin steel parts can rust if left wet.
Masterbuilt also recommends checking for moisture even when the grill is covered and not in use.
That might sound like overkill, but with this type of smoker, it makes sense.
If you keep it covered, dry, and oiled, I would expect it to last much longer than the short warranty period. But if you leave it exposed and ignore rust, I would expect it to age quickly.
What to Expect
My experience is with the older 560, but this is what I would expect from the current Gravity Series based on the same core cooking system.
Expect:
- Charcoal flavor with much easier temperature control
- Manual lighting, not automatic pellet-style ignition
- Very steady temperatures once the fire is going
- Real grilling and searing ability
- More ash management than a pellet smoker
- A need for outdoor power
- App control that is useful but not as advanced as a dedicated thermometer app
- Better convenience than a regular charcoal smoker
- More maintenance than a pellet grill
- Build quality that depends on which model you buy
The standard Gravity models make the most sense if you want the cooking system at a reasonable price.
The XT makes more sense if you like the Gravity idea but are worried about the build-quality trade-offs I saw on the 560.
Which Current Masterbuilt Gravity Model Should You Buy?
Buy the Gravity Series 600 if you want the closest replacement for the 560
The Gravity Series 600 is the model I would look at first if you like this review and want the current small version.
It is the natural replacement for the 560: similar concept, current model, slightly more space, and a bigger hopper.
For most backyard cooks, this is probably the best starting point.
Also available at: Walmart
Buy the Gravity Series 800 if you want the griddle option
The Gravity Series 800 makes sense if you want more cooking space and like the idea of a flat-top griddle.
That griddle insert is the main reason to choose it over the 600.
If you want to do burgers, breakfast, vegetables, smash burgers, or flat-top cooking as well as smoking and grilling, the 800 is the more flexible pick.
Buy the 1050 or 1150 if you need more space
If you regularly cook for a larger family, parties, or big barbecue days, the smaller models may feel tight.
The 560 worked well for our family cooks, but I would not call it a large-capacity smoker in practical use because the upper racks ran cooler.
The larger Gravity models give you more room to spread food out, which matters more than the listed square inches might suggest.
Buy the XT if build quality is your biggest concern
The Gravity Series XT is the model I would look at if you like the cooking concept but are worried about the average build quality I experienced on the 560.
I have not cooked on the XT for this review, so I am not going to pretend I know exactly how it performs long term.
But it is clearly positioned as the more premium Gravity model, and that makes sense because build quality is the main weakness I found on the older 560.
If you want the Gravity system but do not want the most budget-feeling version, the XT is the one to compare.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Real charcoal flavor with digital temperature control
- Holds temperature extremely well once lit
- Much easier than managing a manual charcoal smoker
- Good low-and-slow smoking performance
- Gets hot enough to grill and sear properly
- WiFi worked reliably for us
- Large hopper means no constant charcoal refilling
- Can smoke, grill, roast, bake, and sear
- Shutdown process saves unburnt charcoal
Cons
- Manual lighting can be frustrating
- Natural firestarters did not work well for us
- Requires electricity
- More ash to deal with than a pellet smoker
- Some ash can blow into the cooking chamber
- Upper racks run cooler than the main grate
- Standard models are not heavy-duty smokers
- Needs regular care to prevent rust
- The 560 itself is now hard to find new
Who Should Buy the Current Gravity Series?
Who the masterbuilt Gravity Series is Best for:
- Backyard cooks who want charcoal flavor without vent management
- People choosing the newer Gravity 600 instead of the old 560
- Anyone who wants to smoke and grill on one barbecue
- Pellet smoker users who want stronger charcoal flavor
- Buyers happy to use power, app control, and a fan-managed fire
Who should skip the Masterbuilt Gravity Series:
- People who want a no-electronics charcoal smoker
- Anyone without outdoor power nearby
- Buyers who want automatic pellet-style ignition
- People who hate dealing with ash
- Anyone wanting heavy-duty, thick-steel construction
Also available at: Walmart
Alternatives to Consider
Masterbuilt Portable Charcoal Smoker
If you like the idea of digitally controlled charcoal but want something much smaller, read my Masterbuilt Portable Charcoal review.
It is not the same as the Gravity Series and does not give you the same cooking space. But it makes more sense if portability matters more than capacity.
A regular charcoal smoker
If you do not mind managing vents yourself, a regular charcoal smoker may be a better long-term buy.
You lose the digital temperature control and app convenience, but you get a simpler smoker with fewer electronic parts.
For more options, see my guide to the best charcoal smokers.
A pellet smoker
If convenience matters more than charcoal flavor, a pellet smoker might suit you better.
Pellet smokers usually light themselves, run very easily, and are less messy than the Masterbuilt Gravity Series. But the smoke flavor is usually lighter, and many pellet grills do not sear as well.
For more options, see my guide to the best pellet smokers.
Oklahoma Joe Bronco
If you want charcoal flavor and a more traditional smoker setup, the Oklahoma Joe Bronco is worth considering.
It’s not automatic like the Masterbuilt Gravity. You need to manage airflow and charcoal manually. But it’s a strong option if you want a drum-style charcoal smoker that doubles as a great grill.
Read my Oklahoma Joe Bronco review.
FAQs
Is the Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560 still available?
The 560 now appears hard to find new, and I would treat it as the older small Gravity model. If you are buying today, the newer Gravity Series 600 is the closest current replacement to compare first.
Is this 560 review still useful if I’m buying the 600?
Yes, as long as you understand the context.
This review is based on the older 560, but it still shows what the Gravity system is like to cook on: fan-controlled charcoal, manual lighting, strong temperature control, charcoal flavor, ash management, app control, and grilling ability.
The exact build and specs may differ on the newer models, but the core cooking experience is still relevant.
Should I buy the 560 if I find one?
Only if the price is very good.
If the 560 is close in price to the newer 600, I would buy the 600. But if you find a discounted 560 and are happy with the older model, the cooking performance I experienced was very strong.
Does the Masterbuilt Gravity Series work like a pellet smoker?
In some ways, yes.
Once the charcoal is lit, you set the temperature and the fan manages the fire. That makes it feel similar to a pellet smoker during the cook.
The main difference is that the Gravity Series burns charcoal and needs to be manually lit. Pellet smokers usually feed and ignite pellets automatically.
Can you grill on the Masterbuilt Gravity Series?
Yes.
The 560 grilled much better than I expected. It got hot enough for steaks, burgers, and high-heat cooking, and the charcoal flavor was better than cooking on gas.
There were hot spots, but they were manageable because you can move food around while grilling.
Does the Masterbuilt Gravity Series need electricity?
Yes.
Even though it burns charcoal, the controller and fan need electricity. Without power, the 560 did not work properly as a normal charcoal smoker.
Can you use lump charcoal in the Masterbuilt Gravity Series?
Yes.
We used both lump charcoal and briquettes in the 560. Both worked, but briquettes produced more ash blowing into the cooking chamber during some low-and-slow cooks. Lump charcoal was better from that point of view.
Can you add wood chunks to the Masterbuilt Gravity Series?
Yes.
Add wood chunks throughout the charcoal hopper as you fill it. They will feed down with the charcoal and add more smoke flavor as they burn.
You cannot easily add a wood chunk directly onto the fire mid-cook, so it is better to layer them through the hopper before you start.
Is the Masterbuilt Gravity Series better than a pellet smoker?
It depends what you want.
The Gravity Series gives you stronger charcoal flavor and better high-heat grilling than many pellet smokers. But pellet smokers are usually easier to start, cleaner to run, and simpler overall.
If you want maximum convenience, buy a pellet smoker.
If you want charcoal flavor with a lot of the convenience of pellets, the Gravity Series makes more sense.
Final Verdict
The Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560 is not the model I would send most buyers to today because it is now the older small model and is hard to find new.
But my experience with it is still very useful.
The 560 proved that Masterbuilt’s Gravity system is not just a gimmick. Once lit, it held temperature extremely well, smoked low and slow with very little effort, grilled properly, and gave us good charcoal flavor without the usual charcoal babysitting.
It also showed the trade-offs.
Manual lighting can be annoying. Ash is part of the deal. You need electricity. And the standard build quality is not heavy-duty.
If you like what I found with the 560, I would look first at the current Masterbuilt Gravity Series 600. If you want more space, look at the 800, 1050, or 1150. If your biggest concern is build quality, look at the XT.
The Gravity Series is not for everyone. But if you want charcoal flavor with pellet-smoker-style temperature control, it is still one of the most interesting options out there.
Also available at: Walmart
Jared Brown is a barbecue enthusiast with hands-on experience across a wide range of grills, smokers, and outdoor cooking setups. He enjoys testing different styles of barbecue and helping readers choose equipment that suits the way they actually want to cook, rather than chasing a one-size-fits-all answer. His practical, open-minded approach makes him a trusted voice for backyard cooks looking for honest guidance and better results.
