I woke up early wanting a perfect weekend cookout. My old setup just ruined a giant cut of meat. I needed a better way to get real wood smoke flavor without babysitting a fire all day.
Picking the right setup was super hard. This Masterbuilt 560 Vs 800 guide shares what I learned. It will help you find the exact best match for your patio.
Moving up to a bigger cooking space changes everything. Let us look at the larger choice first.
Masterbuilt 800 Review
I set up this beast on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Unpacking it took some real effort and sweat. The sheer size got me so excited for huge family meals.
Getting this thing built was a fun little project. It took some time.
Assembly And Build Quality
I opened the huge box and saw so many parts inside. It looked a tiny bit scary at first. I laid out all the metal screws on my flat table. The dark metal felt heavy and strong in my hands. I followed the small manual step by step without rushing. My hands got a little tired turning the tiny screwdriver. It took me about two solid hours to finish it. The fat wheels roll smooth on my rough patio bricks. The big lid feels nice and solid when you close it. Everything lines up perfectly for a tight seal.
| Part | Time Taken | Difficulty |
| Legs | Ten minutes | Easy |
| Wheels | Five minutes | Easy |
| Fire box | Thirty minutes | Hard |
| Main lid | Ten minutes | Easy |
Making dinner on this thing is a pure joy. It cooks food fast and even.
Daily Cooking Performance
Lighting the fire is so simple and fast. I just put some rough paper in the bottom and light a match. The smart fan kicks on and blowing air starts the high heat. Within ten fast minutes, it reaches a very hot state. I tossed some thick raw steaks on the dark grates. The loud sizzle sounded amazing to my hungry ears. White smoke poured out of the back vent. It gave the soft meat a dark crunchy crust.
I also tried a big heavy hunk of raw pork. I cooked it very slow all day long in the sweet smoke. I did not have to add more fuel for hours. The deep heat stayed right exactly where I set the dial. My hungry kids ate every single tiny bite. The dark bark on the meat tasted like pure magic. It is fun to use every single time I cook.
| Food | Heat Used | Result |
| Steak | Very hot | Great crust |
| Pork | Low heat | Soft and juicy |
| Chicken | Medium heat | Crispy skin |
| Hot dogs | High heat | Fast and simple |
Every tool has some good and bad points. Here is what I noticed.
Pros and Cons
The good parts really shine bright for me. But a few small things bug me.
| Type | Feature | My Experience |
| Pro | Huge space | I can fit lots of food. |
| Pro | Fast heat | It gets hot very fast. |
| Con | Heavy weight | It is hard to move. |
| Con | Short plug | I need a long cord. |
Working with this large cooker daily taught me a lot. Here is how it feels in real life.
Daily Cooking With The Huge Setup
I love inviting my friends over for big afternoon parties. This large unit holds enough food for a giant hungry crowd. I never worry about running out of space for extra hot dogs. The heat stays even across the entire wide flat cooking space.
But dealing with the heavy lid is a daily workout. I have to pull up hard to check the cooking meat. It takes up a massive chunk of my small green yard. I also spend a lot of time cleaning the huge inside parts. Still, pulling out amazing smoked food makes the hard work totally fine.
| Activity | Time Spent | My Feeling |
| Heating up | Ten minutes | Happy |
| Loading food | Two minutes | Excited |
| Wiping down | Ten minutes | Annoyed |
| Serving food | Five minutes | Proud |
Some features really stand out to me. I love using them.
What I Liked
The large flat top is a massive game changer. I cooked fresh eggs and soft bacon on it on a Sunday morning. The hot grease drains away fast into the small cup. I also love the thick heavy grates on the inside. They hold deep heat so well for loud searing. The smart fan system is super smart and helpful. It takes away the huge stress of managing a wild fire. I just spin the small dial and walk away. This saves me so much precious free time.
| Detail | Why I Liked It | Daily Impact |
| Flat top | Cooks eggs fast | Better breakfasts |
| Thick grates | Hold heat well | Nice grill marks |
| Smart fan | Controls the fire | Less stress |
| Big hopper | Holds lots of fuel | Long cooks |
A few things gave me a slight headache. I wish they were better.
What I Disliked
The cord for the power plug is way too short. I had to stretch a long extension wire across the wet grass. The shiny dark paint gets dusty and dirty fast. I spend a lot of time wiping it down with soap. White smoke leaks out of the top fire door sometimes. I had to put extra soft tape there to block it.
| Issue | Fix Attempt | Annoyance Level |
| Short cord | Used a long wire | High |
| Dirty paint | Wipe it often | Medium |
| Smoke leak | Added soft tape | Low |
| Heavy box | Got a friend to help | High |
Let us see if this matches your yard. It fits some people perfectly.
Recommendation
This is for folks who host big loud parties. If you have a huge family, this is for you.
| User Type | Recommendation | Reason |
| Big families | Good Fit | Tons of room to cook. |
| Party hosts | Good Fit | Can feed a large crowd fast. |
| Solo cooks | Not Ideal | Too big for one person. |
| Small patios | Not Ideal | Takes up too much space. |
My final thoughts sum it all up. I really enjoy using it.
Final Verdict
This huge unit changed how I cook outside. It is big, heavy, and very fun to use on weekends. The flat top makes it super special for breakfast. I use it every single week without fail. It is totally worth the massive space it takes up.
| Category | My Score | Final Thought |
| Setup | Eight | Took some real time. |
| Cooking | Nine | Tastes great every time. |
| Cleaning | Seven | Takes a bit of work. |
| Fun | Ten | I love using it. |
Let us look at the smaller option now. It has a lot of neat charm.
Masterbuilt 560 Review
I grabbed this smaller unit for quick weeknight family dinners. It did not take up much room on my tight porch. The footprint feels just right for a tiny space. I was eager to see if it cooked as well as a big one.
Building this one was a fast breeze. I had fun doing it.
Assembly And Build Quality
The small box was much lighter to lift. I could move it by myself without any sore muscles. I sorted all the bits and pieces on my soft rug. The paper instructions were super clear and simple. I put it all together in just one short hour. It feels a bit less stiff than the huge big one. But it still stands strong on its metal legs. The dark paint looks nice and glossy in the sun.
| Part | Time Taken | Difficulty |
| Frame | Ten minutes | Easy |
| Wheels | Five minutes | Easy |
| Fire box | Twenty minutes | Fair |
| Main lid | Ten minutes | Easy |
I cook on this almost every single night. Here is how it works.
Daily Cooking Performance
This little guy heats up so wildly fast. I light the fire and the smart fan goes crazy. It reaches peak high heat in just seven quick minutes. I throw raw chicken wings on the thin grates. They cook fast and get super crispy on the edges. The smoke flavor is sweet, light, and very mild.
I also baked a fresh pizza inside of it. The soft crust got so loudly crunchy on the bottom. The heat spreads out nice and even across the space. I never see cold spots on the cooking surface. It uses very little fuel for these short fast cooks. I love how fast I can make a hot dinner.
| Food | Heat Used | Result |
| Wings | Medium heat | Crispy skin |
| Pizza | High heat | Crunchy crust |
| Burgers | High heat | Juicy inside |
| Ribs | Low heat | Pulls off the bone |
Here are the hard facts on what works. Let us look at the good and bad.
Pros and Cons
It shines deeply in tight living spaces. But it lacks a few big fun features.
| Type | Feature | My Experience |
| Pro | Heats fast | Dinner is ready quick. |
| Pro | Small size | Fits on my tiny porch. |
| Con | Less room | Hard to cook for a crowd. |
| Con | No flat top | I miss cooking eggs. |
I cook quick meals on this all the time. Here is the real scoop.
Daily Cooking With The Small Setup
This little cooker shines on a busy dark evening. I can fire it up fast after a long hard work day. It holds a few soft burgers and hot dogs with total ease. The lid is super light and easy to pop right open.
But I run out of room when extra friends drop by. I find myself cooking in slow batches to feed everyone. The ash pan needs a lot of deep daily attention. I spill dirty ash on my shoes almost every single week. It works great for me, but it takes patience for big meals.
| Activity | Time Spent | My Feeling |
| Heating up | Seven minutes | Happy |
| Batch cooking | Thirty minutes | Tired |
| Emptying ash | Five minutes | Annoyed |
| Moving it | Two minutes | Happy |
A few details make this a great fast choice. I love using it.
What I Liked
It uses very little space on the ground. I can slide it into a dark corner with total ease. It uses burning fuel so slowly on low heat. One single bag lasts for many long weeks. I can reach all the smart dials without bending far down. It is so simple to use on a highly busy night.
| Detail | Why I Liked It | Daily Impact |
| Small frame | Fits in corners | Saves porch space |
| Good on fuel | Burns slowly | Saves me money |
| High dials | Easy to reach | Saves my back |
| Fast heat | Cooks fast | Less waiting |
Some parts left me wanting a bit more. Here is what annoyed me.
What I Disliked
I ran out of cooking space when nice friends came over. I had to cook hot food in three slow batches. The thin metal grates are a tiny bit too thin. They lose deep heat when you open the top lid. The small ash pan is tiny and highly annoying. I have to dump it far away after every single cook.
| Issue | Fix Attempt | Annoyance Level |
| Thin grates | Keep lid shut | Medium |
| Tiny ash pan | Dump it daily | High |
| Low space | Cook in batches | High |
| Wobbly legs | Put on flat ground | Low |
Let us find out if this fits you well. It is perfect for a few folks.
Recommendation
This is truly best for small happy families. If you just cook for two, get this exact one.
| User Type | Recommendation | Reason |
| Couples | Good Fit | Right size for two people. |
| Tight spaces | Good Fit | Takes up very little room. |
| Big parties | Not Ideal | You will run out of space. |
| Flat top fans | Not Ideal | It does not have one. |
Here is my final nice word on this unit. I think it is great.
Final Verdict
This is a punchy and fun little cooker. It does the hard job very well. I use it strictly for fast hot meals. It is a highly smart buy for a tiny small yard.
| Category | My Score | Final Thought |
| Setup | Nine | Very fast and easy. |
| Cooking | Eight | Makes great food fast. |
| Cleaning | Six | The ash pan is too small. |
| Fun | Eight | Great for fast cooks. |
Now we put them safely head to head. Let us see which one wins out.
Detailed Comparison for Masterbuilt 560 Vs 800
It is time to stack the smaller and larger models against each other. Both bring great thick smoke flavor to the eating table. But they serve very different daily needs in the back yard.
Seeing how they cook side by side is super fun. Heat control matters a massive lot.
Performance: Masterbuilt 560 Vs 800
Both units use the exact same smart fan system to blow hot air. They both hold steady even heat for hours without any manual work. But the larger one holds warm heat a bit better when you open the heavy lid. Its thick metal grates keep the loud sizzle going strong for a long time.
The smaller one jumps to the target high heat much faster. But it loses that warm heat quick if a cold nasty wind blows hard. For slow cooking all day, the large one is far more totally stable. For fast hot dogs, the small one clearly wins out.
| Feature | The 560 | The 800 |
| Heat up time | Seven minutes | Ten minutes |
| Heat holding | Loses heat fast | Holds heat well |
| Grates | Thin | Thick |
| Wind block | Fair | Great |
The 560 Rating: 8/10
The 800 Rating: 9/10
Cooking should be highly fun, not hard work. Let us check how simple they are.
Ease of Use: Masterbuilt 560 Vs 800
Running the cool digital controls feels the exact same on both fun models. You just turn a tiny round dial and set the hot target heat. Loading the charcoal chunks fuel is super simple on both heavy units too. You just open the side door and pour it right inside.
The real difference shows up when moving them around the wide yard. The smaller one glides across my rough patio with total simple ease. I can push it back to the tall fence with one lazy hand. The large one fights me back and requires a hard pull to move.
| Feature | The 560 | The 800 |
| Moving around | Very easy | Very hard |
| Setting heat | Super simple | Super simple |
| Adding fuel | Easy to reach | Easy to reach |
| Lid lifting | Light weight | Heavy |
The 560 Rating: 9/10
The 800 Rating: 7/10
You want your cooking gear to last a long time. Metal thickness makes a huge massive difference.
Build Quality: Masterbuilt 560 Vs 800
When I touch the big one, it feels exactly like a heavy tank. The thick solid metal door slams deeply shut with a nice loud thud. The dark glossy paint feels thick and baked on for a long shiny life. It stands super highly firm even on bumpy green grass.
The small one feels a tiny bit thin on the dark outside. The light metal pings lightly when you tap it with a bare finger. The front legs shake a tiny bit when I scrub the dirty food grates. The large one just wildly feels like it costs a lot more.
| Feature | The 560 | The 800 |
| Metal feel | A bit thin | Very thick |
| Leg wobble | Shakes a bit | Stands firm |
| Lid weight | Light | Heavy |
| Paint job | Good | Great |
The 560 Rating: 6/10
The 800 Rating: 9/10
Nobody likes cleaning up late after dinner. Let us see which is way faster.
Maintenance: Masterbuilt 560 Vs 800
Cleaning the big one naturally takes a bit more slow time. There is just way more metal space to wipe down with soapy hot water. But the bottom ash pan is huge and holds enough for a super long cook. I never ever worry about it spilling over the hard edges.
The small one is super fast to quickly wipe out deeply inside. But the tiny shallow ash pan is a real annoying pain to use. It overflows super fast if I randomly forget to dump it far out. I heavily hate picking up spilled dirty ash from my soft green grass.
| Feature | The 560 | The 800 |
| Ash pan | Too tiny | Nice and big |
| Grate cleaning | Fast | Slow |
| Spills | Ash falls out | Stays inside |
| Wiping down | Five minutes | Ten minutes |
The 560 Rating: 6/10
The 800 Rating: 8/10
Spending your hard money wisely is a big huge deal. Let us look at what you really get.
Value for Money: Masterbuilt 560 Vs 800
The small one sadly costs a lot less up front at the giant store. It uses way less fuel every single week for short fast dinner cooks. It is a lovely smart budget pick for a small family of nice three. You get real thick smoke flavor without breaking the bank at all.
But the big one gives you a massive extra flat top heavy plate. That is like getting two full cool cookers in a single heavy box. For the extra green cash, you get way more cool smart ways to cook. It is a much higher better deal in the end for me.
| Feature | The 560 | The 800 |
| Buy price | Lower | Higher |
| Fuel cost | Low | Medium |
| Extra tools | None | Flat top included |
| Crowd size | Small groups | Huge parties |
The 560 Rating: 8/10
The 800 Rating: 9/10
Making the final hard call is entirely up to you. Here is how I see it now.
Conclusion
This Masterbuilt 560 Vs 800 choice entirely comes down to free space and big family size. The smaller unit fits tight small budgets and very cozy patios highly perfectly. But the bigger unit deeply changed how I make hot breakfast and big dinner. Choose the huge one if you highly love hosting a big hungry crowd.
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