masterbilt electric smoker

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i have the MES 30 . I love it . heres  what going on. when you first turn it on to lets say 230 the element turns on , when it gets to 230 it turns off , if you put the  chips in at that time they won't start  burning till the element turns back on to maintain the set temp
 
Hear is a little FYI. Your smoker works just like UHMGOOD says but also the smoker will continue to heat even after it hits 230, Then it has to cool down to the next set point that is when it will start to heat again. It will continue to cycle like this for the entire smoke. The 230 degree (cooking Temp) is a average of all the cycling. This does not sound very efficient but BBQ Smoking will do just fine in this environment. At any time you may be 20 above and 20 below but in the end it will average 230. Just remember that your chips won't reignite until the reheat cycle and only till it hits the upper set point.
 
I was at the store yesterdayand noticed they had smokers on clearance. I looked around and said to myself..ive never used an electric smoker. So i bought it for $35. Its the masterbilt 30" smokehouse. My question is...how do you guys like them?
$35 is a deal for what you got. You've got the analog 30" electric smoker which is different from the 30" digital Generation 1 that I own. I love my smoker; I feel I'm getting flavors that rival at least what the chain BBQ restaurants produce. You won't get a smoke ring with an electric smoker but who cares when everything else is real BBQ from the bark to the smoky goodness?

I've cooked pork ribs, beef brisket, salmon, turkey breast, and cold smoked cheeses in mine and improving each time I use it. I use wood pellets exclusively with the A-MAZE-N Pellet Smoker since I've gotten better results (and more easily) than with wood chips. I would also advise getting a good thermometer since you can't trust the therm on an MES. I use the Maverick ET-733.
 
 
this might be a stupid question but, the smoker has been going for quite a while now. i put some wood chips in the smoker box and there is still no smoke(after about an hour) . what am i doing wrong? i have never used a electric smoker like this thing before.
Small dry chips ( like Little Chief brand ) or even better saw dust. Make sure chip pan touches heat coil. Type analog in search box and also click on my name for tips and mods. for this model If you don't vent it don't clasp door too tight or you will get much creosote with your smoke! 
 
Don't see much smoke, as in none! Slide out the rack with the water & chip pan. Place the chip pan directly on the element. Put a disposable pan on a rack below the meat. It will catch the drips & shield the meat from direct infra red heat from the coils.Other wise with the Masterbuilt design you will basically broil your meat if you use the lower rack anyway.
 

Circled in red is another wood chip tray. The original wasnt to my liking so i borrowed this from my neighbor. I will have to buy one or two of these and get rid of that stupid thing.
 
 
No smoke = no airflow.  MB smokers are also notorious for not producing smoke (never understood that design).   Maybe pull your chip loader out about a 1/4 inch or so?

Scott
I own the MES 30 digital smoker Gen 1 and I've gotten tons of smoke from the first time I used it so I greatly disagree with your comments about the MES design, at least where my model smoker is concerned. Do you own one?
 
 
Hear is a little FYI. Your smoker works just like UHMGOOD says but also the smoker will continue to heat even after it hits 230, Then it has to cool down to the next set point that is when it will start to heat again. It will continue to cycle like this for the entire smoke. The 230 degree (cooking Temp) is a average of all the cycling. This does not sound very efficient but BBQ Smoking will do just fine in this environment. At any time you may be 20 above and 20 below but in the end it will average 230. Just remember that your chips won't reignite until the reheat cycle and only till it hits the upper set point.
jted, is this the analog controller that you're talking about? I know my digital MES swings above and below my set point but I figured it all averages out to the temp I targeted. 

What do you mean by "it has to cool down to the next set point"? I thought there was only one set point at a time, but I admit I know very little about the MES electronics.  
 



smoking a brisket today, hope it comes out good. havent had any sucess with briskets, they always fall apart like pulled pork. i have my smoker steady a 225. wish me luck!!!
Looks like you smoke the same type of brisket I buy (just the flat). I've had great success with my briskets holding together but the last one I smoked was slightly undercooked.

With your brisket, are you injecting them with a liquid or prepping them using something that would soften the outside instead of developing a crusty bark?
 
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I just put a salt and pepper mix rub.more pepper than salt. I have never injected anything i smoked.
 
daRicksta,

I am speaking about the digital models. But I think even the analog work the same way. The temp swings you are experiencing are what I am talking about.

The swings above and below do average out to the imputed temp. say you are cooking at a imputed 250, your smoker heats up at 100% heat till it hits 250 My digital had swings of at least 20 degrees either way.   . The internal heat carries it past 250 even tho the element is off. That's why it may go 20 or more above the 250. During the time the element is off the smoker cools down past the 250 mark. It is at this point it turns back on at full power and starts the cycle again.

Now the PID controller comes into play. With a PID controller The smoker heats at 100% heat to something less than the 250 say 240 then it automatically reduces the % by 50% till it hits 250 degrees then it shuts off momentarily and when it drops to 248 it comes back on at a reduced power rate. Sort of like driving your car.  My Auber has a green power light on it and you can see it heating on and cycling off. That is why they are more efficient and run within 2 or 3 degrees of the imputed set point.

If you are just smoking ribs butts and the like the digital with it's inherent swings are nothing to worry about. The Auber gives you up to six cooking set points and times if you need them. People who smoke fish and dry jerky like that feature. They can smoke at 155 degrees for 1.5 hours and increase the temp 10 degrees every 1.5 hours to their desired temp and finish it off at any temp.
 
You have the analogue unit(i have one).  I found the existing chip tray a POS.  So is the temp guage and heater dial.

The A-MAZE-N pellet tray has made my smoking much better.

As for the small exhaust, it is too small and creates a moisture problem and makes the exterior of the meat bitter/acidic(acrid?).

I added a 3" hole on top with a piece of 3" vent pipe and a few extra 1/2" holes in the bottom(which I open/close as needed). It helped solve the stale smoke issue

As for the temp problems, I added a temp controller and Maverick dual probe temperature gauge..

It's been a learning curve, but so far, I haven't killed anything I smoked(or anyone).

-Brian
 

Now its done
Looks pretty good! $35 is a steal for this little smoker, imo.  Glad to see another analog user in the community!  

I agree with migraine.  I've had mine for several months now, and the first several smokes were great.  However now I'm having problems turning chips black & charred within only 30-40 minutes... Hopefully this weekend I will begin modifying mine with more air holes for my new AMNPS.  Will have pics of the progress, I know there are others on here who have done this & their work/suggestions are what I'm basing my work off of.  
 
I just put a salt and pepper mix rub.more pepper than salt. I have never injected anything i smoked.
The next time I do brisket I'm just using salt and pepper as well; just need to decide the proportions that will taste good to me.

I'm doing a chuckie this week and may try just the salt/pepper rub instead of a more complex mix. It'll be my first one so I have to research which recipe I'll use. Bearcarver shared his with me a couple of months ago. This is what gave me the idea.
 
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