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Masterbuilt 40" Digital Electric vs Pit Boss Pro Series 850
Short answer: the Masterbuilt 40" Digital Electric is a large electric smoker (set-and-forget, mid price tier); the Pit Boss Pro Series 850 is a large pellet smoker (set-and-forget, mid price tier). They match on size, effort and price tier, so the real difference is fuel: electric for the Masterbuilt 40" Digital Electric, pellet for the Pit Boss Pro Series 850.
| Property | Masterbuilt 40" Digital Electric | Pit Boss Pro Series 850 |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel | Electric | Pellet |
| Size class | Large | Large |
| Operation | Set-and-forget | Set-and-forget |
| Price tier | Mid | Mid |
| Best for | Large gatherings | Large gatherings |
Choose the Masterbuilt 40" Digital Electric if…
- The 30-inch model's bigger sibling — the same foolproof operation with capacity for gatherings.
- Set-and-forget operation fits how involved you want to be.
- Large capacity matches your table.
Choose the Pit Boss Pro Series 850 if…
- Big cooking area for the money — Pit Boss's value pitch in the mainstream pellet class.
- Set-and-forget operation fits how involved you want to be.
- Large capacity matches your table.
Both are set-and-forget. Match the smoker to how much fire-tending you actually want to do.
Masterbuilt® 40-inch Digital Electric Vertical BBQ Smoker
Masterbuilt 40" Digital Electric. The 30-inch model's bigger sibling — the same foolproof operation with capacity for gatherings.
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Pit Boss 850 Navigator Series WiFi & Bluetooth Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
Pit Boss Pro Series 850. Big cooking area for the money — Pit Boss's value pitch in the mainstream pellet class.
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Common questions
Masterbuilt 40" Digital Electric or Pit Boss Pro Series 850 for a first smoker?
They take similar effort (both are set-and-forget), so pick on fuel and size: Masterbuilt 40" Digital Electric is electric/large, Pit Boss Pro Series 850 is pellet/large.
Which gives more authentic smoke flavor?
Masterbuilt 40" Digital Electric — real fire beats electronics for flavor depth, at the cost of more tending.
What's the price difference?
Masterbuilt 40" Digital Electric sits in the mid tier; Pit Boss Pro Series 850 in the mid tier. We never store live prices — check both listings.
Still deciding?
If neither of these is quite right, here are the same two smokers against the rest of the field.
Masterbuilt 40" Digital Electric vs Masterbuilt 30" Digital Electric
Pit Boss Pro Series 850 vs Traeger Pro 575 Pit Boss Pro Series 850 vs Z Grills 700D
Full profiles: Masterbuilt 40" Digital Electric · Pit Boss Pro Series 850 · best smoker by purpose · every head-to-head