Electric Smokers

vwdubfreak

Newbie

Original poster

Dec 30, 2011

21

10

Kennewick, WA

• Dec 30, 2011

• #1

Been lurking here for awhile, mostly for recipes and ideas.

I've had a small round upright brinkman charcole smoker and have smoked many turkeys in it but now I am ready for an electric.

I'm looking at spending 250 or less.

Thought about a propane one but with cold winters I don't like how propane flows, I have a stoke grill that I just got and when its 20-30 out its tough to get it to temp....anyways.

I'm good at fabrication and have thought about building my own but after adding up materials and time...I don't know just yet, I would like to do some cold smoking and I know building my own I could suite my needs better.

Been looking at the analog and digital masterbuilt smokers and I like the idea of an insulated one but it appears quite a bit of mods need to be done to the MES's for them to really work well.

I dunno.

 

SmokinAl

SMF Hall of Fame Pitmaster

Staff member

Moderator

OTBS Member

★ Lifetime Premier ★

Jun 22, 2009

51,385

12,221

Central Florida (Sebring)

• Dec 30, 2011

• #2

First Of all welcome to SMF.

Would you go over to roll call & introduce yourself so we can all give you a proper SMF welcome.

I have a Masterbuilt & have smoked just about everything you can imagine on it. They are a good smoker & if you couple them with a A-MAZE-N pellet smoker, it's virtually set & forget.

 

mikelikessmoke

Smoke Blower

Jul 17, 2011

134

12

Franklin, Ohio

• Dec 30, 2011

• #3

purplepeopleeat said:

...........but it appears quite a bit of mods need to be done to the MES's for them to really work well.
I dunno.

Click to expand...

My MES 30 smoked great right out of the box.... no mods required.

However, a few weeks ago, I did add a chimney to the vent for improved draft and therefore more complete combustion of my chips. No cutting, no drilling, just slipped it into the opening and let it be.

It isn't necessarily smoking better now, just more efficiently.

Now I have an AMNPS which should make long smokes even easier.

Dunno what you are considering "quite a bit of mods need to be done".

Please elaborate so we may confirm or allay your fears.

edit

OOPS!

Forgot to say Welcome Aboard!

/edit

 

Last edited: Dec 30, 2011

vwdubfreak

Newbie

Original poster

Thread starter

Dec 30, 2011

21

10

Kennewick, WA

• Dec 30, 2011

• #4

I see people drilling holes and making more air vents, and reading reviews on other sites it appears some complainin' about temps being too low, but I take alot of stuff with a grain of salt.

 

mikelikessmoke

Smoke Blower

Jul 17, 2011

134

12

Franklin, Ohio

• Dec 30, 2011

• #5

I can't swear to it but my guess would be the drillers and extra vent adders are trying to get more smoke rolling...... billowing smoke not the much sought after TBS.

As for the temp, You WILL be hard pressed to achieve crispy skin on your birds or crispy bacon on your fattie in a MES 30. A few minutes under the broiler in your oven will cure that problem.

The trade off of having to use the oven to crisp up is small considering the overall ease of smoking with an MES, in my opinion.

Maybe we could start a letter writing campaign to Masterbuilt to try to get them to add an upper "broiling" element!

I have used both charcoal and stickburners.

I have created some awesome food in both!

I have also reduced good meat to lump charcoal from accidental flareups while my back was turned.

Has never happened in my MES. Not saying it is impossible, just sayin hasn't happened yet.

 

whistlepig

Smoking Fanatic

Dec 23, 2011

669

265

Preble County, OH

• Dec 30, 2011

• #6

I bought a MES 30 about a month ago. My first smoker. It holds temps very well even when it's 20 degrees outside and in the wind. I think some of the older MES 30's had some issues. I read the same things and had the same concerns as you before I purchased mine. My MES 30 so far has turned out to be money well spent. I have a friend that has a three year old MES 30 and he said he hasn't had any problems with his. The MES 30 was priced right for a beginner smoker like myself. The MES digital is a pleasure to use.   

 

custom99

Meat Mopper

Jun 21, 2011

294

13

Pittsburgh - South Hills

• Dec 30, 2011

• #7

I don't think there is any smoker out there that does not need some mods once you start using it. My wife wants still wants to know why she bought me a smoker that i just keep hacking up instead of making my own. I told her you have to start some where and learn what your doing. It's actually fun personalizing it.

 

whistlepig

Smoking Fanatic

Dec 23, 2011

669

265

Preble County, OH

• Dec 30, 2011

• #8

 Kevin is right on the mods. I am already using a soup can with both ends cut out over my smoke vent. This does work. I plead guilty as charged.