Katymeg,
I own the first gen MES 30--no glass door, no remote control. I haven't really read any complaints about lack of smoke with the MES. On the contrary, I've felt that I've gotten too much smoke most times that I've used it--which is a user issue more than a smoker issue.
I personally use--and love--the A-MAZE-N Pellet Smoker and it's made a world of difference. I'm not loading wood chips into the chip loader every 20-30 minutes anymore. I can control the amount and length of smoking by how much I fill the
AMNPS; it's like a set it and forget it thing.
You'll see a controversy here regarding to clean or not to clean the interior of the smoker. I was in the "let it be naturally" camp where users thought that the interior grime added seasoning and flavor to the smokes. But one day I had to wash down the interior of my smoker and discovered the next time I used it that the harsh, oversmoked flavor was gone from the meat (in this case a beef brisket) that I had smoked. I now believe in wiping down the inner surfaces after ever smoke, or every couple.
I've also noticed you can't trust the built in therm on it. With mine, there can be a 20-40 degree temp difference between what the display says and what a calibrated therm says when the unit is warming up. But after that, and while the unit is cooking, the difference is as little as 2-3 degrees. For my birthday this year, I'm getting the Maverick ET-732 Remote Smoker Thermometer and I'm buying it from Todd Johnson/A-MAZE-N Products. I don't work for the guy but, like a lot of us here, I've bought stuff from him many times and he offers the best customer service I've ever seen. He's also a member and an admin (I think) in these forums.
Bottom line is I love my MES. My only regret is that I couldn't afford the 40" when I made my purchase. However, I've had zero problems with my model and my family loves the smoky results.
Good luck with your new adventure in smoking (food, that is)!