How Many Mes Owners Here?

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Which One Do You Have?

  • 40'

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 40' with window

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 40' 800 watt

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • I like it a lot

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Where did you buy it?

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Sams Club

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other please list where in a post

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    2
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I absolutely love mine.  I got it at Bass Pro and it was definely worth waiting 4 hours for in freezing temps.  I get no complaints from anyone because it's electric.  Still very delicious and able to manage the rest of my life.
 
Really like the MES for its ease of use an good results. Sometimes I'll cheat and put a handful of small lump charcoal in the tray and heat up real good prior to adding any meat. Being well insulated the element stays off for long periods found it helps keeping the chips burning when the elements not on. The lump also adds a bit of flavor and the ever so light smoke ring if I pull out the magnifying glass. Also seem to have better results with the water pan empty.
 
i debated long and hard on which smoker to get. and to be quite honest the only reason i went with the MES is because it had a very loyal following on this forum so i figured if anything broke on it i would have someone to turn to for guidance. i actually got very lucky when purchasing mine. i did the research and settled on the MES. i wanted it by thanksgiving to smoke a ham and turkey. walmart had them but the ship to store option was going to take 3 weeks and it wouldnt make it here before thanksgiving. home depot had them but online only and they were more expensive than walmart. bass pro shops had them but they were about $70 more than walmart and they were out of stock at my local store. amazon had them and they had 3 day shipping. it was friday so i decided to think about it over the weekend. monday morning i got to the office and pulled it up ready to order and to my surprise they had dropped the price at walmart and amazon $40. with my prime membership i got 3 day shipping for a few dollars. all in all it couldnt have worked out better and i couldnt be happier.

the next one i get will be the MES 40 just so i can fit a whole rack of ribs in it :)
 
I got the MES 40" Gen 2 at Bass Pro for Christmas and so far, its everything the forums have said it was. The 1200W heating element had no problems producing the 275deg max temperature even in 35deg outside temps. There was some discrepency between the remote display temp and the console display temp but that was fixed by resynching the remote to the unit. So far, I've done Poultry and a Brisket. The Poultry was very juicy but the skin was not crispy. I learned later to finish any poulty in the overn broiler to crisp the skin.The Brisket was fantastic even though I had some self inflicted problems with the internal temperature of the brisket. I did learn that to get an accurate temp while smoking before the end of the first cycle, just leave the meat temp probe in the center of the Smoker and check that temp. It should give you an accurate reflection as to what temps you're smoking with. Also, the cold smoking attachment, which I purchased, should only be used for cold smoking and not as an additional smoke source for hot smoking. This came from Masterbuilt CS which I waited almost 30mins to get a live person most likely due to Christmas sales and first time users. All in all, I've become a avid fan of smoking meats and can't wait to do my first Pork Belly, Pork Butt and Rib Roast. Salmon is also in play now. I've raved about this to my Brother in law who lives in Mo. and has access to fresh farm meats off the hoof. 

Happy Smoking Everyone
 
Mine came from  Cabelas as a xmas gift. I really love it so far..it has the window and the remote ...I like being able to watch the temp while Im out doing other things ... I had a old bullet smoker ..it was ok but didnt do half the meat that MES30 does  and loading the charcoal and wood chunks was a PITA due to the small opening

I have been comparing the internal probe with my other remote probe and so far so good...but I've been told not to trust it ...so far I have nothing but good things to say about it


My GF thought that the chicken in the pic was a baby hog ...she was not happy 
wife.gif
 
I just bought my MES at Bass Pro.  I got an unexpected bonus at work that was Bass Pro gift cards.  They had them on sale and I've wanted one for quite a while.  So far I like it a lot.  Very easy to use.  I'm looking forward to trying out some of the awsome sounding recipe's here on the forums.
 
I just got mine from Sam's Club yesterday.  I pre-seasoned it and am ready to use it for the first smoke.  Any suggestions for someone who has never smoked before?
 
I asked the same thing when I started here. The unanimous answer to something that is almost impossible to screw up is a meatloaf. Here's a link to my first smoke:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/130057/first-time-using-mes-meatloaf

My only problem was that the cheese all leaked out. I have learned since then that if you do a thin layer of sliced meat (ham or turkey or something) and put the cheese on that it won't leak out. I still haven't tried it but the pics look great. Here is a link to that:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/132360/smoked-cheesy-meatloaf

Also right after I joined I saw posts about a fatty. (Cause first you roll a fatty, then you smoke a fatty I guess...) A fatty is "stuff" rolled up in ground meat. Here's a step by step:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/87031/rollin-a-fatty-my-version

And something that is done frequently with a fatty is rolling it in bacon. Here is an easy step by step on the bacon weave:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/87072/bacon-weave-tutorial

The main reason I got my MES was to do cheese. If you are interest in that I have a fool proof method I can send you. I will post it next time I do a batch. Idiot proof.

The main thing is, have fun!
 
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I have a MES 30 anolog smoker. I like it but I don't LOVE it. It was my first smoker so at the time, it was fine. Now I'd like something bigger with digital temperature control and Q view window. I'm also thinking about switching to propane over electric.
 
hfitch, I agree on thsize of the MES 30.  i originally got a Cajun Injector which is essentially a MES 30 and upgraded to the MES 40 before i even opened the box. Just curious, but why are you switching to propane? 
 
Picked up my 40" MES last weekend (1/5/13) at Academy. So far I have really enjoyed using it. I would say its a great starter for rookies like me that want to experiment with all kinds of meats and still turn out good groceries. Plus, I don't care for an overpowering smoke flavor and I'm not sure you could over-smoke something in an MES.
-Church

 
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i already had a 30" MES, but finally caught the "last one" 40" w/ glass door at my local Sams Club. $175.01.....the new ones were in, and both being 1200 watts, all I lost was a bigger glass and a remote control. I really liked the 30, but the 40 lets you do full racks of ribs and room for two turkeys, or four pork shoulders....now I need an amazing pellet tray.
 
bought mine at cabela's a couple years ago...it's ok but i have horrible troubles keeping a decent TBS...which results in meat having little smoke flavor to almost too much.  tried everything even the amazen pellet smoker with mixed results.  the AMPS does well but seems to burn to quickly or not enough...whereas the chip tray is almost useless. hope to buy something different in a couple years.
 
 
I purchased the 40" at Academy in December.  I love it I did the mailbox mod with the amnps.  It's awesome and I am loving it.  Two great product that compliment each other perfectly.  

Bob
 
I purchased the 40" at Academy in December.  I love it I did the mailbox mod with the amnps.  It's awesome and I am loving it.  Two great product that compliment each other perfectly.  

Bob
Do you have pic's of the mod? I'm thinking about doing the same, but was wondering if people are removing some of the innards to do it. I don't really like the idea of exposing the element and then fabricating a cover for it.

Ron
 
I bought my MES analog in beginning of December 2012 from QVC for $169.00  I have used it 2xs, smoked 2 Turkey Breasts, one applewood other cherrywood. Both turned out very good,very moist.

 After reading many posts on this site, I realized that there is a better model out there than the one I bought, plus I wasn't a fan of the temperature dial setter, so I told my wife that I was going to upgrade one day to the MES 40 w/ window, programmable temp and the remote for temp watching...

 I loved how everyone was able to set it and forget it, have the remote with you to know whats going on, AND, the fact that you can load chips without opening the door and losing all of your heat.... WELL.... ALL THAT BEING SAID....  that little devil that sits on top of my left shoulder kept on visiting me recently, and the more I read on here everyday, all of the different posts and the success stories that everyone is having with their MES 40 smokers; that damn little devil kept getting louder !

  I found myself going onto Sam's Club website checking out the smokers and on Amazon too, checking the prices and simulating the "checkout", to see how much it would all cost, this was just me looking/fighting the temptation of that devil on my shoulder.  So then I read the forum of the problems that the new model MES 40 w/ window is having, and say to myself, whew, I'm in the clear !!!  BUT THEN....  I found posts comparing the Old Generation MES 40 vs the NEW Generation MES 40 (and all of it's temp problems it's having) and how the MES 40 Old Generation didn't have the mad temp difference.  So I then decided to distract my mind by checking into and reading up on the AMNPS that Todd sells.  So after checking out his site I decided that this would be the fix for having to open the door on my analog MES 30, so I bought the AMNPS along with some pellets.

  Ok, I'm good, the angel on my shoulder won and defeated that pesky, determined devil ... YaY Me !!!   SO I THOUGHT !

I now find myself looking forward to Wednesday when the UPS man delivers a box, a big box, a big heavy box... which will contain a MES 40 w/ window Old Generation smoker ( won't the wife be surprised, cause I haven't told her I bought it yet...  I purchased it from Amazon for $316.00 (plus $8.00 tax) free shipping being an Amazon Prime member... Oh I'm also expecting a

Maverick ET732 Long Range Wireless Dual Probe BBQ Smoker Meat Thermometer Set $59.99 from Amazon, PLUS also waiting to be delivered the AMNPS plus 5lbs of Pitmaster blend pellets, 5lbs of Apple pellets, 2lbs of Pecan pellets, 2lbs of Alder pellets, and 2lbs of the Wine Barrel pellets.  Plus a cover for the smoker, a frog mat and finally, Complete Idiots guide to smoking meat book.   Yeah, that devil won out .   Happy Smoking Everyone !  Can't wait to be able to relate to what you are all posting about now !!!!!
 
 
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