New MES40 Sportsman Bluetooth review

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Curious as to any updates on how y'all are liking this smoker? I was all set to get a MES30 until I went to Lowes to see one in person and it seemed a bit small. Since this will be my second smoker I feel I need to upgrade and go bigger to give me more options. The link I pasted is for one I'm looking at from Cabelas - mostly since I have a good many "Cabela Bucks" to use up. I believe this is a 2.5 version - correct?

Thanks

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Home...ssories/_/N-1101316/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_104582880
 
 
I heard a number of guys say they didn't want the glass in the door.

Personally I wouldn't want one without it, but that's probably because I'm spoiled by having it for 5 years.

I Love It !!

Bear
I completely agree. How are you going to stare at the food and drool while it is cooking if you don't have a window?

drool.gif
 
 
Curious as to any updates on how y'all are liking this smoker? I was all set to get a MES30 until I went to Lowes to see one in person and it seemed a bit small. Since this will be my second smoker I feel I need to upgrade and go bigger to give me more options. The link I pasted is for one I'm looking at from Cabelas - mostly since I have a good many "Cabela Bucks" to use up. I believe this is a 2.5 version - correct?

Thanks

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Home...ssories/_/N-1101316/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_104582880
Yup--That pic is of a Gen #2.5. Are you going to see it in person to actually see that it is the one you'll be getting?

Bear
 
I completely agree. How are you going to stare at the food and drool while it is cooking if you don't have a window?
Exactly!!   No window is Kinda like sitting in the closet on a Sunny Day.

When I used to go to the mountains fishing, my favorite place for breakfast had a big griddle right on the other side of the counter where we'd sit, and I could watch them making Bacon, Sausage, Eggs, and Home Fries right in front of my eyes. Boy was I hungry when I was served!!!

Bear
 
Curious as to any updates on how y'all are liking this smoker? I was all set to get a MES30 until I went to Lowes to see one in person and it seemed a bit small. Since this will be my second smoker I feel I need to upgrade and go bigger to give me more options. The link I pasted is for one I'm looking at from Cabelas - mostly since I have a good many "Cabela Bucks" to use up. I believe this is a 2.5 version - correct?

Thanks

Krooz,
I bought one last week. I've only had time to season it so far. Was able to keep a consistent box temp for 3 hrs and meat probe was spot on. I know others would rather have the window version. That wasn't a necessity for me. I too had cabelas points to use and took advantage of the sale price. I bought this smoker to be able to "set it and forget it", unlike my old smoker that I had to babysit all day. No window watching for me.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Home...ssories/_/N-1101316/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_104582880
 
Thanks for the replies. I don't live near a Cabela's so I have to trust that it is what they say... it sounds like the right one then. Can't wait to step things up a notch!
 
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Hey guys, glad to see my efforts have helped some people out.  Been really busy lately.  Takes a lot of time to go fishing three or four times a week, work in the garden, work in the yard etc.  The electric smoker has been everything I had hoped allowing a set and forget approach so I have time to do other things without having to monitor it.  Just put some wood in once in a while.  I'm still hanging on to my propane smoker though.  There are just some things the electric can't get hot enough for like smoking pizza and cheese bread, and other baking.
 
I've read that some Bluetooth models have a stainless steel interior. However, the ones that Sams Club has for $329 and legs and rollers are included with this smoker appear to be aluminim interiors. Is it true that some are stainless steel interiors and others aluminum interiors and if so, how can a person tell if ordering on line when it doesn't say anything about the interiors?
 
I tried to contact Masterbuilt over email 3 times asking this exact question.  I got no response.  I made a table on the main MES BT thread that has some info about partial SS components.  Take a look. 
 
 
I've read that some Bluetooth models have a stainless steel interior. However, the ones that Sams Club has for $329 and legs and rollers are included with this smoker appear to be aluminim interiors. Is it true that some are stainless steel interiors and others aluminum interiors and if so, how can a person tell if ordering on line when it doesn't say anything about the interiors?
From what I've read on SMF, stay away from all MES models sold by Sam's Club. There's been a history of Sam's selling substandard smokers that for some reason Masterbuilt agreed to build for them. If you prefer buying from a retailer, stick with Cabela's or Bass Pro; otherwise there are some great sellers on Amazon.
 
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From what I've read on SMF, stay away from all MES models sold by Sam's Club. There's been a history of Sam's selling substandard smokers that for some reason Masterbuilt agreed to build for them. If you prefer buying from a retailer, stick with Cabela's or Bass Pro; otherwise there are some great sellers on Amazon.
Well, Sams is actually the best place to grab one because you can get a 3 year Squaretrade warranty for $30.  It's also the cheapest overall at $360 + tax with a 3 year warrranty.  I would have gone with the Sams version if it wasnt for getting some Cabelas gift cards and the glass window. 
 
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Well, Sams is actually the best place to grab one because you can get a 3 year Squaretrade warranty for $30.  It's also the cheapest overall at $360 + tax with a 3 year warrranty.  I would have gone with the Sams version if it wasnt for getting some Cabelas gift cards and the glass window. 
I just got the floor model from Sam's for $300 out the door. It's my first smoker so I'm excited to see what it can do. Are new ones supposed to come with a cover or any of the temperature probes?

Also, should I look into the mesh dust/pellet container? 
 
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From what I've read on SMF, stay away from all MES models sold by Sam's Club. There's been a history of Sam's selling substandard smokers that for some reason Masterbuilt agreed to build for them. If you prefer buying from a retailer, stick with Cabela's or Bass Pro; otherwise there are some great sellers on Amazon.
If Sam's Smokers are sub-standard, I am wondering why Masterbuilt would make them that way? Surely they should know that it would hurt their reputation to make bad smokers for one retailer and better for others??? To sum it up, it puzzles me why they would make 2 identical Smokers, making one good and the other sub-standard such as they have a Generation 2 Smoker model no 20070512 for what appears to be most all retailers except Sams and have a Generation 2 model no 20072612 just for Sams, yeet both Smokers have the same design and parts.

My Generation 2 Smoker came from Sams. It worked good for one season and then began messing up. Temp would drop 25-30 degrees down to 180 degrrees, yet it would say the coil was heating and per controller The temperature would never rise above 195. Masterbuilt said it was the controller and sent me a new one. The new one got the same results. They then said it was the coil and sent me a new one ... still same results. They then said I needed a new box and to send them a copy of my reciept and they would replace it. I never kept the reciept so they said go to Sams and get one. I went to Sams and they told me unless I could give them a specific month and day/week, that they couldn't help me. I couldn't remember what month/day/week, so I told Masterbuilt and they said they couldn't help me any further. Meanwhile, I started putting a oven thermometer on a shelf and found when the Smoker would say 195-200, the temp would be as high as 235-250, so I have been trying to regulate it using an oven thermometer.... Thus I want to get a Bluetooth if they are better.

 I recently contacted Masterbuilt about the different model nos. from different sellers being different but yet the Smokers appear to be the same. For example the Generation 2 Smoker model no of 20070512 vs Sams model no. of 20072612. Masterbuilt said ... "The models 20072612 and 20070512 are the exact same model smoker but, for different retailers they have different model numbers. But, there is absolutely no difference between these two smokers. The model 20075315 at Amazon is also exactly the same design as the other models but, all of the part are replaceable on this model as they are not on the other models. The mother board, wiring and all is now replaceable on this uni-body smoker. Other than the parts being replaceable there is no difference! Also, our Bluetooth smoker is also very similar to these smokers but it has the Bluetooth control panel and can be controlled by your cellular device instead of the remote for the other smokers"
 
 
Well, Sams is actually the best place to grab one because you can get a 3 year Squaretrade warranty for $30.  It's also the cheapest overall at $360 + tax with a 3 year warrranty.  I would have gone with the Sams version if it wasnt for getting some Cabelas gift cards and the glass window. 
I personally don't spend my money at any Walton Family-owned business.
 
 
If Sam's Smokers are sub-standard, I am wondering why Masterbuilt would make them that way? Surely they should know that it would hurt their reputation to make bad smokers for one retailer and better for others??? To sum it up, it puzzles me why they would make 2 identical Smokers, making one good and the other sub-standard such as they have a Generation 2 Smoker model no 20070512 for what appears to be most all retailers except Sams and have a Generation 2 model no 20072612 just for Sams, yeet both Smokers have the same design and parts.

My Generation 2 Smoker came from Sams. It worked good for one season and then began messing up. Temp would drop 25-30 degrees down to 180 degrrees, yet it would say the coil was heating and per controller The temperature would never rise above 195. Masterbuilt said it was the controller and sent me a new one. The new one got the same results. They then said it was the coil and sent me a new one ... still same results. They then said I needed a new box and to send them a copy of my reciept and they would replace it. I never kept the reciept so they said go to Sams and get one. I went to Sams and they told me unless I could give them a specific month and day/week, that they couldn't help me. I couldn't remember what month/day/week, so I told Masterbuilt and they said they couldn't help me any further. Meanwhile, I started putting a oven thermometer on a shelf and found when the Smoker would say 195-200, the temp would be as high as 235-250, so I have been trying to regulate it using an oven thermometer.... Thus I want to get a Bluetooth if they are better.

 I recently contacted Masterbuilt about the different model nos. from different sellers being different but yet the Smokers appear to be the same. For example the Generation 2 Smoker model no of 20070512 vs Sams model no. of 20072612. Masterbuilt said ... "The models 20072612 and 20070512 are the exact same model smoker but, for different retailers they have different model numbers. But, there is absolutely no difference between these two smokers. The model 20075315 at Amazon is also exactly the same design as the other models but, all of the part are replaceable on this model as they are not on the other models. The mother board, wiring and all is now replaceable on this uni-body smoker. Other than the parts being replaceable there is no difference! Also, our Bluetooth smoker is also very similar to these smokers but it has the Bluetooth control panel and can be controlled by your cellular device instead of the remote for the other smokers"
Thank you for this, Brickguy. Now, I only have Bearcarver's observation that most of the problematic MES smokers came from Sam's Club and those had (my words) inadequate wiring). I have no personal knowledge of this. I wrote in another post that it's a common practice for manufacturers to assign different model numbers to retailers so customers can't do price matching for the same model between different sellers. I first came across this when I used to sell innerspring matresses: the names and fabrics would vary among retailers although they were the same exact mattresses by construction and materials.

My MES 30 Gen 1 controller temp display will greatly vary from my Maverick ET-733 during its heating up phase but once it's at the set point it's typically not that far off from the therm. I also noticed in my last smoke I wasn't getting the wide temp swings I've seen before. Don't know if there's a connection but after every smoke I clean both the temperature sensor and the hi-temp cutoff switch, both on the inside back wall of the smoker.
 
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