# Extended Warranties for MES-what would you do?



## larrymac (Aug 4, 2016)

Looked in my area and online relentlessly for a Gen 2.5 MES. Best deal by far was the $329 at Sam's Club. Not enamored with Bluetooth but probably won't use it anyway.
   So they have a $30 for 3 years square trade protection plan. Haven't bought it yet, but brought the brochure home. Is it worth it?


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## sota d (Aug 4, 2016)

30 bucks sounds pretty cheap for a little peace of mind. I've had a MES 30 for about 3 years now. I recently replaced the heating element, but other than that, have had no problems with it. Good luck, and enjoy your new smoker.

David.


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## chef jimmyj (Aug 4, 2016)

Kind of a toss up. In my experience, Masterbuilt has beeen pretty good about supporting their equipment with N/C parts even years after the warranty expires. Of course you can't count on that continuing and anything electronic seems to know to quit post warranty...JJ


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## tropics (Aug 4, 2016)

Larrymac said:


> Looked in my area and online relentlessly for a Gen 2.5 MES. Best deal by far was the $329 at Sam's Club. Not enamored with Bluetooth but probably won't use it anyway.
> So they have a $30 for 3 years square trade protection plan. Haven't bought it yet, but brought the brochure home. Is it worth it?


Square Trade is the best I had it on my gen #2 when it crapped out,they gave me back almost the entire cost

Richie


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## larrymac (Aug 4, 2016)

Chef JimmyJ said:


> Kind of a toss up. In my experience, Masterbuilt has beeen pretty good about supporting their equipment with N/C parts even years after the warranty expires. Of course you can't count on that continuing and anything electronic seems to know to quit post warranty...JJ


Yeah, as long as the blue tooth electronics don't screw up the digital functions, I'm ok, because $329  appears to be a very good deal for  a 40" MES even w/o BT which I may not use anyway. At Bass Pro, it was $150 more.


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## brickguy221 (Aug 4, 2016)

Larrymac said:


> Yeah, as long as the blue tooth electronics don't screw up the digital functions, I'm ok, because $329 appears to be a very good deal for a 40" MES even w/o BT which I may not use anyway. At Bass Pro, it was $150 more.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


... and the ones at Bass Pro have no legs whereas Sam's do.


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## larrymac (Aug 4, 2016)

Brickguy221 said:


> Larrymac said:
> 
> 
> > Yeah, as long as the blue tooth electronics don't screw up the digital functions, I'm ok, because $329 appears to be a very good deal for a 40" MES even w/o BT which I may not use anyway. At Bass Pro, it was $150 more.
> ...


True-- but is that good or bad?


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## larrymac (Aug 4, 2016)

Just found out it is actually. 4- year warranty( extra year for Dams Club Member)


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## larrymac (Aug 4, 2016)

Larrymac said:


> Just found out it is actually. 4- year warranty( extra year for Dams Club Member)
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Oops Sam's Club


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## daricksta (Aug 4, 2016)

Larrymac said:


> Looked in my area and online relentlessly for a Gen 2.5 MES. Best deal by far was the $329 at Sam's Club. Not enamored with Bluetooth but probably won't use it anyway.
> So they have a $30 for 3 years square trade protection plan. Haven't bought it yet, but brought the brochure home. Is it worth it?


Square Trade offers the best extended warranties out there. Our big screen TV was covered by one for two years. My daughter has proven it with the claims she's filed on laptops and cell phones (but we're not gonna open _that _can of worms here). It's very cheap insurance indeed. Personally, I've had no real issues with my MES 30 Gen 1 after over four years of use but that streak might be broken with a possible controller wiring issue. But any individual smoker can develop problems over time or be snakebit from the get-go.


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## dward51 (Aug 4, 2016)

Looks like that $329 price is nationwide as it's showing up here and they ship it for free.   Other thing I noted is that smoker is listed in the "last chance" web page, so they may be getting ready to discontinue those?  That might be a factor in the extended warranty thing, so if they don't have them, can Sam's replace it in the future? However discontinuing them is speculation only (based on the "last chance" page entry).

They also had the 44" Boulder Creek electric smoker for $299 in the "last chance" area.

On the other hand, worst case.....  You can pretty much replace anything on the MES and if the electronics totally die at some point and there is no warranty, an external PID is always an option.


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## dr k (Aug 4, 2016)

IMHO I wouldn't get one.  All the tv segments I've seen and articles I've read on this topic persuade people not to get the extended warrantees.  This Consumer Reports link concurs as well but do whatever makes you happy.  http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/extended-warranties/buying-guide.htm

Especially with technological devices (cell phones.)  They all come with a one year warranty and in two years many people will line up like Lemmings ready to jump off the technology cliff, shopping for the latest greatest version so you'll have to go uninsured for a year after the manufacturers warranty expires.  Just don't panic.  We can make It!  You may drop it in the toilet or what ever you do to break it within the first hour you get it.  Idiot insurance isn't what extended warrantees are for.

-Kurt


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## tropics (Aug 4, 2016)

Dr K said:


> IMHO I wouldn't get one.  All the tv segments I've seen and articles I've read on this topic persuade people not to get the extended warrantees.  This Consumer Reports link concurs as well but do whatever makes you happy.  http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/extended-warranties/buying-guide.htm
> 
> Especially with technological devices (cell phones.)  They all come with a one year warranty and in two years many people will line up like Lemmings ready to jump off the technology cliff, shopping for the latest greatest version so you'll have to go uninsured for a year after the manufacturers warranty expires.  Just don't panic.  We can make It!  You may drop it in the toilet or what ever you do to break it within the first hour you get it.  Idiot insurance isn't what extended warrantees are for.
> 
> -Kurt


Sorry but square trade reimbursed me my full purchase price,less tax and warranty fee

Richie


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## dr k (Aug 4, 2016)

tropics said:


> Sorry but square trade reimbursed me my full purchase price,less tax and warranty fee
> 
> Richie





Dr K said:


> IMHO I wouldn't get one.   All the tv segments I've seen and articles I've read on this topic persuade people not to get the extended warrantees.  This Consumer Reports link concurs as well but do whatever makes you happy.   http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/extended-warranties/buying-guide.htm
> 
> Especially with technological devices (cell phones.)  They all come with a one year warranty and in two years many people will line up like Lemmings ready to jump off the technology cliff, shopping for the latest greatest version so you'll have to go uninsured for a year after the manufacturers warranty expires.  Just don't panic.  We can make It!  You may drop it in the toilet or what ever you do to break it within the first hour you get it.  Idiot insurance isn't what extended warrantees are for.
> 
> -Kurt


My mom got me a Sharper Image Ionic Breeze fanless air purifier a few years ago ($300+) for Xmas with the extended warranty.  It was a buy one get one 50% off.  It failed a month after Sharper Image filed for bankruptcy.  So we have two broken products with extended warrantees that are unhonorable.  The sharper Image is in business once again but will not honor the extended warranty due to new ownership.   This was a major concern with consumers regarding if the extended warranty is worth it as well as if the product is discontinued where it was purchased  There is a lot of bureaucracy many have gone through to get the warranty honored when the checker at the time of purchase can say, "do you want the extended warranty" but can't elaborate because they're only a checker (you need it in writing in a pamphlet/brochure other than it being printed on the receipt.)  If in three years and the store has the same product your implementing warranty on, then your golden, but like the link above and retail commentators say, regarding this issue, you'll lose money it you purchase insurance on products regularly.  I didn't do the study.  I just agree with it.  It's like gambling.  You need to know when to stop even if your down.  It's a pot shot.  Sometimes it pays.  Most of the time it doesn't.  You gotta do what you gotta do. That's why I highlighted it in red above.

-Kurt


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## b-one (Aug 4, 2016)

Extended warranties make money for companies on average or they would go out of business. If it makes you fell better about your purchase get it they are fairly inexpensive. Your credit card may have a clause extending the warranty for using it if you use one look into that. The only time I get extended warranties would be an open box deal and I would have the warranty included on any open box purchase or just buy new and hope for the best.


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## dr k (Aug 4, 2016)

b-one said:


> Extended warranties make money for companies on average or they would go out of business. If it makes you fell better about your purchase get it they are fairly inexpensive. Your credit card may have a clause extending the warranty for using it if you use one look into that. The only time I get extended warranties would be an open box deal and I would have the warranty included on any open box purchase or just buy new and hope for the best.


Bingo!!!!!  
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






   Retailers have agreements/contracts with manufacturers above and beyond the warrantees of the consumer, so the retailer doesn't get screwed by potentially bad quality from the manufacturer.  So retailers return defects to the manufacturer for a 100% reimbursement and pocket the extended warranty fee or the majority of it.   We as consumers, with a product warranty from the manufacturer that has expired, and want to make a claim on an extended warranty with the retailer, has been noted as being, not as easy as the experience of buying it.      

-Kurt


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## daricksta (Aug 5, 2016)

tropics said:


> Sorry but square trade reimbursed me my full purchase price,less tax and warranty fee
> 
> Richie


As I wrote above, Square Trade is very good, the only extended warranty I'd considered, especially now that they cover major appliances.


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## ryanhoelzer (Aug 8, 2016)

My MES 40 died about a month short of the 3 year Assurion Sams warranty I bought with it.  It was a repair warranty and since they didn't want to ship it and didn't have anyone local to service it they're sending me a check for the original purchase price.  Went to Sams and got the new model Saturday and bought the SquareTrade for it.

While they can be repaired fairly cheap, I'd rather have a new one..

I've been happy with SquareTrade in the past on accidental iPad damage too.


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## sm0kin (Sep 14, 2016)

One of my MES30's failed, and I had the asurion warranty from Walmart. They didnt want to ship it, and issued me a full refund of purchase price, including tax, on a visa e-gift card . 2.5 years old, i say you cant beat that for 20 bucks.


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