MES 30 Gen 1 problems

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green1320

Fire Starter
Original poster
Dec 30, 2014
34
10
   I bought a gen 1 MES 30 at the end of December. The day after I bought it I seasoned the smoker per the directions and the smoker was reaching temps of 328 deg per my maverick 733. When the smoker was done at the end of the 3hrs I noticed that part of the metal door had melted at the bottom. The first smoke I did with it the temp would not raise about 200 deg taken with a maverick 733 that I calibrated with boiling water. I called and spoke to masterbuilt and they were very nice and helpful and sent me a new top controller and new door. I received the parts with in 3 days and placed them on the new smoker. The next day I used the unit for the second time. As the unit was being warmed up I noticed in the dark a poof noise and red/yellow flash inside the smoker. I opened the door and the heating element was flashing fire! I called masterbuilt and they are replacing the whole unit saying it has bad wiring. My question is do the MES 30 1st gen have problems with this issue that could be dangerous? Had this happened and I was not watching I am afraid it would have caught fire next to my house. Is there any issues with the MES 40's? Anyone else experience any of these problems with any of the masterbuilt electric smokers? I had a Bradley Smoker for 15 years and never had one problem with that unit and after reading on here decided on the masterbuilt but and now not sure how well they are. I believe this is a huge saftey issue with these units if the wiring is to blame on the unit. Does anyone have a name I can speak to at masterbuilt about this problem further?

Thanks

Steve
 
Last edited:
I can't speak for the gen 1 I have a gen2 MES40 it spit the chip loader out and burning chips on my deck, yes MB sent a new chip loader and tray, that I dont use got an AMNPS to replace it, and I am on my 3rd controller.
 
 
   I bought a gen 1 MES 30 at the end of December. The day after I bought it I seasoned the smoker per the directions and the smoker was reaching temps of 328 deg per my maverick 733. When the smoker was done at the end of the 3hrs I noticed that part of the metal door had melted at the bottom. The first smoke I did with it the temp would not raise about 200 deg taken with a maverick 733 that I calibrated with boiling water. I called and spoke to masterbuilt and they were very nice and helpful and sent me a new top controller and new door. I received the parts with in 3 days and placed them on the new smoker. The next day I used the unit for the second time. As the unit was being warmed up I noticed in the dark a poof noise and red/yellow flash inside the smoker. I opened the door and the heating element was flashing fire! I called masterbuilt and they are replacing the whole unit saying it has bad wiring. My question is do the MES 30 1st gen have problems with this issue that could be dangerous? Had this happened and I was not watching I am afraid it would have caught fire next to my house. Is there any issues with the MES 40's? Anyone else experience any of these problems with any of the masterbuilt electric smokers? I had a Bradley Smoker for 15 years and never had one problem with that unit and after reading on here decided on the masterbuilt but and now not sure how well they are. I believe this is a huge saftey issue with these units if the wiring is to blame on the unit. Does anyone have a name I can speak to at masterbuilt about this problem further?

Thanks

Steve
I've owned my MES 30 Gen 1 for almost three years with not problem. I'd say at this point either Masterbuilt owes you a whole new smoker or a full refund. These things are mass produced and who knows how much QC is done on all shifts. Any production line can produce a lemon and apparently someone or several factory workers had a bad day when building your smoker.

Again, tell them you want a brand new replacement smoker or your money back. They have full liability here and the damage to the smoker, yourself, and to your home could have been a lot worse.
 
The MES30 Gen 1 is the best IMHO. I wish my MES40 Gen 1 worked as well as my MES30....LOL Its does.

I think Rick steered ya right just hang in there with the masterbuilt tech service till you are happy. I know it doesn't help but let me give you a couple of things to ponder.

The MES 30 is probably the least expensive smoker on the market in the US (for what it offers). That in turn means it probably the most widely sold, because its packed with electronics made in China. I am not belittling China's abilities or craftsmanship, their new Navy is now rivialing ours and thats technology.

What they do, a friend reminded me of earlier this year, is they make long runs of the same item, at different plants with different QA, and then these parts are sold in lots depending upon their reliability. Class A may cost 10.00, class C 9.00, etc etc..... You just never quite know what you are getting. Its why in the US things are more expensive to make. We require product liability. We learned from it.

The rest of the world is not the same, their standards are not the same.

Masterbuilts CSR's have always be more than nice, proffesional, and knowledgable with me. When I have a problem I get a replacement in one or two days. Try getting that with most manufactures. They realize that an unhappy customer costs them sells.

If you want a manager or supervisor just ask, I am guessing you'll get them.

Have a little patience, once you get that smoker zero'd in you'll be a happy camper. If it wasn't true do you think they'd still be selling so many in the US?

Good luck and I hope your journey to perfection is a short one.
 
 
The MES30 Gen 1 is the best IMHO. I wish my MES40 Gen 1 worked as well as my MES30....LOL Its does.

I think Rick steered ya right just hang in there with the masterbuilt tech service till you are happy. I know it doesn't help but let me give you a couple of things to ponder.

The MES 30 is probably the least expensive smoker on the market in the US (for what it offers). That in turn means it probably the most widely sold, because its packed with electronics made in China. I am not belittling China's abilities or craftsmanship, their new Navy is now rivialing ours and thats technology.

What they do, a friend reminded me of earlier this year, is they make long runs of the same item, at different plants with different QA, and then these parts are sold in lots depending upon their reliability. Class A may cost 10.00, class C 9.00, etc etc..... You just never quite know what you are getting. Its why in the US things are more expensive to make. We require product liability. We learned from it.

The rest of the world is not the same, their standards are not the same.

Masterbuilts CSR's have always be more than nice, proffesional, and knowledgable with me. When I have a problem I get a replacement in one or two days. Try getting that with most manufactures. They realize that an unhappy customer costs them sells.

If you want a manager or supervisor just ask, I am guessing you'll get them.

Have a little patience, once you get that smoker zero'd in you'll be a happy camper. If it wasn't true do you think they'd still be selling so many in the US?

Good luck and I hope your journey to perfection is a short one.
Foamheart,

Thanks for your explanation of how Chinese factories churn out products and parts. I knew that the quality of Chinese-made goods varied widely but I never knew it was by design. That totally explains why I've been lucky in almost every instance with buying high-quality goods made in China while other people have bought the same goods which turned out to be lemons. It appears that it might be the luck of the draw. If China ever gets its act together they'll pull so far ahead of us in quality and production that we'll never catch up. Check that--they're ahead of us now in production, at least.
 
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