I had read that the 5x8 tray had been designed to fit beside the element on the MES30. I bought a MES30 and ordered the 5x8 tray. Masterbuilt has made a change to the element on the MES 30, and the tray no longer fits beside the element. I put it on the lowest rack to smoke a Pork Butt on rack 2 and drip pan on rack 3, and that worked fine. I smoked 3 Briskets today, 2 flats and a point, which took up the length of the top 3 racks. I put a piece of aluminum about 8x9 inches at a 45 degree angle from the left side of rack 3 that went into the drip pan I put on rack 4 beside the AMNPS, to prevent grease dripping on it. The AMNPS only burned about an inch and a half in 3 hours, it burned almost completely in the 12 hours I smoked the Pork Butt. I think the combination of the grease deflector and drip pan on that shelf aren't letting it get enough air to smoke properly. I'm thinking about cutting it down to fit beside the element, that, or order the 12" tube and try that between the element and the door. I hate to be limited to only two racks for smoking things, since I would have to put drip pan on the third rack and keep the AMNPS on the fourth. Any other ideas besides getting another smoker?
