MES40 Gen 1 vs. MES40 Bluetooth - what would you do?

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rockyonekc

Newbie
Original poster
I'm looking to buy an MES40.

Academy Sports has model 20070311 (Gen 1 w/remote) on sale this week for $299. I also found a MES40 w/bluetooth locally on craigslist for $250. He claims to have only used it 1 time for a party when his other smoker wasn't working.

I have read a bunch of posts about MES40s here in this forum, in particular from Bear. I get the feeling that the Gen 1 might be a better design than the Gen 2.5, but both are decent units. Is this because the Gen 2.5 is new, so time will tell if problems will arise? Or are there clear differences in performance?

I don't really care about having bluetooth vs the remote. The smoker will sit very near my back door, and only steps from the kitchen. I'm more interested in dependability, and even cooking temps than the convenience of Bluetooth or even the remote control.

It seems like it really comes down to warranty and support from Masterbuilt being mydeciding factor. I assume that if I buy a used (1 time) unit, the warranty would not transfer to me. Does anyone have any experience getting masterbuilt to stand behind a smoker they didn't purchase new? I assume the controls, or the heating element are the things that could potentially need to be replaced. I figure I would be saving $50 + $28 in sales tax by buying the used blue tooth model. That would cover the price of a replacement heating element and them some. What about the control panel?

Thoughts? What would YOU do, and why?

Thanks.

Dave in KC
 
I was trying to choose between the gen1 and new new 2.5 and ultimatly decided the gen 2.5 with the stand from sams club for 329 was what I wanted. At that time the gen 1 wasnt on sale and it was the same price as the new 2.5 which came with a 50 dollar stand included. The gen 1 has the drip tray in the back, i felt the new gen 2,5 was better with the drip pan in the front. I felt that for the same price, with a stand and newer tech, the gen 2.5 was the best way to go.
 
I bought my new 40" BT with stand from Sams a few months ago and so far I am totally happy with it and much happier than I was with my 40" Generation 2.0. In addition you can get a 3 year warranty on Smokers at Sams for $29.99.
 
Dave,

I used to say the Gen #1 was Great, and has a long track record to prove it, and I said the #2.5 looks promising, but didn't have much of a track record.

However now that I have tried them all, I would have to say I prefer the new #2.5.

In fact I gave my 5 year old Gen #1 a brisk clean-up & put it in my garage for an emergency.

My MES 40 Gen #2.5 is now my Weapon of Choice!!

More on my Findings:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/235820/masterbuilt-smokers-bear-s-thoughts-findings

Bear
 
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Thanks for the input folks. I'm meeting the craigslist guy tomorrow to pick up the MES40BT. It's about time to pull all my chile pepper plants and process the pods, so I plan to give it a go this weekend. I ordered a cover, and an AMNPS 5x8 from Amazon today. I'll be sure to post some Q-view in the veggie forum once I get rolling. Can't wait.

Dave in KC
 
hey guys

i dont know anything about bluetooth tech, but i like the mes40 at sams cause its elevated, not bending over too far, 60 yo and kinda disabled and this would be my first smoker.

can you still operate it w/o any bt devices, what exactly does the bt tech help with?

thanx

cyall
 
Dave, Ask the owner if he has the original shipping paperwork or receipt. There was a post a year or so ago about a guy that bought a few years old, well out of warantee, unit with paperwork and Masterbuilt sent replacement parts Free of Charge. May not even be needed as Masterbuilt is pretty liberal with sending No Charge parts...JJ
 
 
Dave, Ask the owner if he has the original shipping paperwork or receipt. There was a post a year or so ago about a guy that bought a few years old, well out of warantee, unit with paperwork and Masterbuilt sent replacement parts Free of Charge. May not even be needed as Masterbuilt is pretty liberal with sending No Charge parts...JJ
Yep, that was part of my decision making. The unit is less than 6 months old, and the original owner never registered the warranty. He is including all the original paperwork so I can register it myself. Reading through posts, it's also clear that Masterbuilt cares about customer satisfaction so I'm confident I'll be able to work it out with them if needed. Thanks.
 
 
hey guys

i dont know anything about bluetooth tech, but i like the mes40 at sams cause its elevated, not bending over too far, 60 yo and kinda disabled and this would be my first smoker.

can you still operate it w/o any bt devices, what exactly does the bt tech help with?

thanx

cyall
I am picking up my MES40 tonight, but from what I have seen, the bluetooth app basically lets you do these things with your bt device:

- turn the smoker on/off,

- turn on/off the light

- monitor meat temp

- adjust internal temp

- adjust timer

The control panel on the smoker still has manual controls to do this even f you don't have a bt device. 
 
 
hey guys

i dont know anything about bluetooth tech, but i like the mes40 at sams cause its elevated, not bending over too far, 60 yo and kinda disabled and this would be my first smoker.

can you still operate it w/o any bt devices, what exactly does the bt tech help with?

thanx

cyall
 
I am picking up my MES40 tonight, but from what I have seen, the bluetooth app basically lets you do these things with your bt device:

- turn the smoker on/off,

- turn on/off the light

- monitor meat temp

- adjust internal temp

- adjust timer

The control panel on the smoker still has manual controls to do this even f you don't have a bt device. 
Exactly,

I don't have a device to use the Bluetooth with, so I'm controlling my MES 40 Gen 2.5 at the Control panel on the smoker.

Other than changing the temp settings, I can get everything else I want through my Maverick Remotes.

Bear
 
 
Exactly,

I don't have a device to use the Bluetooth with, so I'm controlling my MES 40 Gen 2.5 at the Control panel on the smoker.

Other than changing the temp settings, I can get everything else I want through my Maverick Remotes.

Bear
Interseting...I didn't know the older RF remote talks to the Bluetooth...JJ
 
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Dave,

I used to say the Gen #1 was Great, and has a long track record to prove it, and I said the #2.5 looks promising, but didn't have much of a track record.

However now that I have tried them all, I would have to say I prefer the new #2.5.

In fact I gave my 5 year old Gen #1 a brisk clean-up & put it in my garage for an emergency.

My MES 40 Gen #2.5 is now my Weapon of Choice!!

More on my Findings:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/235820/masterbuilt-smokers-bear-s-thoughts-findings

Bear
Just curious, Bear, why is the new MES 40 a Gen 2.5 and not a Gen 3? And boy do I wish I could afford one!
 
 
Exactly,

I don't have a device to use the Bluetooth with, so I'm controlling my MES 40 Gen 2.5 at the Control panel on the smoker.

Other than changing the temp settings, I can get everything else I want through my Maverick Remotes.

Bear
Ditto for me Bear ... 

Once I get the temperature set, I don't need a remote, only my Maverick.
 
 
Interseting...I didn't know the older RF remote talks to the Bluetooth...JJ
They Don't-----That's not what I said.

My Mavericks talk to each other & tell me everything that's going on that the Bluetooth could tell me.

The only thing I can't do with my Mavericks is change the temp setting or on & off. If I want to make a change I have to go to the Smoker.

Bear
 
Just curious, Bear, why is the new MES 40 a Gen 2.5 and not a Gen 3? And boy do I wish I could afford one!
LOL----My first thought too, when they started calling them #2.5, but I figured that's up to them. All that really matters is they work Great.
icon14.gif


Bear
 
Oooppps...Dirty Glasses and reading posts and watching TV at the same time...JJ 
icon_redface.gif
 
 
They Don't-----That's not what I said.

My Mavericks talk to each other & tell me everything that's going on that the Bluetooth could tell me.

The only thing I can't do with my Mavericks is change the temp setting or on & off. If I want to make a change I have to go to the Smoker.

Bear

LOL----My first thought too, when they started calling them #2.5, but I figured that's up to them. All that really matters is they work Great.
icon14.gif


Bear
OK. But I've never seen MB classify any smoker as to its generation. Where do they do this? Or start wearing my eyeglasses when I'm at the computer?
 
 
They Don't-----That's not what I said.

My Mavericks talk to each other & tell me everything that's going on that the Bluetooth could tell me.

The only thing I can't do with my Mavericks is change the temp setting or on & off. If I want to make a change I have to go to the Smoker.

Bear

LOL----My first thought too, when they started calling them #2.5, but I figured that's up to them. All that really matters is they work Great.
icon14.gif


Bear
Work great? You have one? I need a MES40 that works but just can't seem to get there. BUT..... if the 2.5's work great I might be influienced into just buying one, I know MES CSR is great, but maybe I should buy another one before bothering them again..>>LOL
 
 
Work great? You have one? I need a MES40 that works but just can't seem to get there. BUT..... if the 2.5's work great I might be influienced into just buying one, I know MES CSR is great, but maybe I should buy another one before bothering them again..>>LOL
Well---Put it this way:

Everybody knows how much I love my Gen #1, and so far I like this 2.5 more.

Got some Backstraps in there now, smoking & drying, for some Venison Dried Beef.

Bear
 
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