Smoker Size Question

[dryfly]

I am in the process of upgrading my old Little Chief smoker, and am leaning towards either a MES 30 or 40. I usually only cook for my fiance and I, but I would like to be able to smoke an occasional turkey so I think the 40 would be the logical choice. Would all that extra room be detrimental when I'm cooking something smaller? I'm new to all this, so any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[old sarge]

You can always smoke/cook less in a larger unit without problems.  The opposite is not true.  Make sure you visit the Masterbuilt posts and aks about the various models.  Some are reliable while others are reportedly troublesome.  And many of the MB users have found work arounds and fixes to protect your investment.

 

[dryfly]

Thanks for the input, I appreciate the help. I guess too big is better than not big enough.

I have looked over a lot of the forum posts, and there is a ton of variance among the reviews. Your right, some to them are alarming and I am a little nervous about the purchase. I wasn't able to find other smoker models with all positive reviews though. Guess there is always a risk that I'll have to use the warrantee.

 

[old sarge]

There are a lot of smoker manufacturers.  In the stainless steel line, you have the Smokin-it, the SmokinTex, and the Cookshack, from low to high cost.  One reason you see Smokin-it on this forum is that until 2013, SI did not have a forum; but they did have customer reviews. So folks getting the SI took to this forum, which is only natural.  SI now has a full blown forum.    ST and CS have had forums for years.  You can find more information on those lines at their sites (the CS forum is under customer service, ST is in plain site.).  You can also use the search bar at the top of this forum to search for specific smokers. You will find many similarities amongst the 3, doe feature differences, and there is of course the bottom line: price.

Look at the posts for the MB units that you are interested in.  Some of the posters have  a lott of experience and help you choose the MB model you are looking for, if it is still available.  Here are some links on SMF:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/166142/issues-with-mes

Bear is knowledgeable.  You can click his icon and read his posts.  Should help you tremendously.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/165220/generation-1-40-inch-masterbuilt-smokers-available

Hope this helps.