The Masterbuilt AutoIgnite Digital Charcoal Grill Review

One of the most common cooking questions I’m asked is what style of grill someone should buy, and my answer is always the same — it depends. Gas grills are convenient and often affordable, but can be boring. Pellet smokers are simple to use and operate like a flavorful home oven, but don’t get very hot and can’t sear well. Charcoal grills bring loads of flavor but can be messy, challenging to light on damp days, and the temperatures are hard to regulate. 

If you’ve ever dreamed of owning a grill that does everything, you’re in luck. Masterbuilt has combined the best qualities of these grills and smokers into a hybrid grill that has the flavor of charcoal, the convenience of gas, and the digital controls of a pellet smoker. This versatile grill is affordably priced, sears one heck of a steak, and can replace your outdoor smoker without skipping a beat.

Masterbuilt AutoIgnite Digital Charcoal Grill

Six years ago, Masterbuilt revolutionized the mainstream grill market with the launch of its Gravity Series Grill. It was the first time a major manufacturer integrated digital controls, wireless connectivity, an app full of recipes, remote temperature control and monitoring, and other advanced technologies into a single charcoal grill. The results were amazing. 

At the time, the popularity of pellet grills made brands like Traeger, PitBoss, and RecTeq dominate social media, and seemingly, anyone who liked outdoor cooking wanted to get in on the fun. Pellet grills are great because you don’t need to be a pitmaster to make delicious food. 

Masterbuilt’s AutoIgnite delivers the distinctively smoky barbecue flavor we’ve grown to love by cooking over hot coals. But convenience is what sets this grill apart from other charcoal grills. Lighting and stabilizing charcoal for cooking can be a hassle, especially in damp or humid areas. But not with the AutoIgnite.

Put a firestarter inside the ignition area and press the start button. In about 20 minutes, your charcoal will be ready with zero additional effort. Masterbuilt’s integrated app will even tell you when it’s time to get cooking! 

Once ignited, you’ll be ready to start smoking at 225°F in about 5 minutes, or wait another 2 minutes, and the grill will reach 650°F — perfect for searing burgers or a steak. This is great for reverse searing or starting your food at a lower temperature to add smoky flavor and then finishing at a higher temperature, creating a flavorful crust.

The firebox is small, but it can hold 5 pounds of lump charcoal or 7 pounds of briquettes and will keep your food cooking for up to 8 hours without additional fuel. It comes with a removable cast iron griddle plate that sits on top of the fuel box inside the grill, which allows you to toast buns, cook veggies, or smash some burgers with this clever use of space.

If you’re someone who’s seeking the smoky flavor charcoal brings to your food, the Masterbuilt AutoIgnite is well worth looking at. Most charcoal grills and smokers require aftermarket accessories for remote temperature regulation and the monitoring of food doneness. But the convenience of having its integrated app for recipes and on-the-fly temperature adjustments is hard to beat. The simplicity leaves you with more time to savor what you’re cooking and enjoy time with your dinner guests. 

Shop More Grills and Accessories at Amazon 

Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800

Drip EZ Collapsible BBQ Prep Tubs

FOGO Hardwood Lump Charcoal

All Natural Firestarters

Masterbuilt Pizza Oven Insert

At the time of publishing, the price was $400.