# MES smokers are a pile.



## muddydogs (Dec 12, 2020)

Just stopped by and I see a bunch of MES threads and I have to say I figured out shortly after I purchased mine that they are basically a pile of junk, or at least the electronics are a pile. Right off the bat I had problems with the control unit, thermal cut off switch and meat probe. I ended up purchasing a PID, rewiring the unit to remove the control unit from the equation and after the second thermal cut off switch started acting up in the middle of a smoke I took it out completely and wired around it. The chip burner sucks and the water pan is of on use.

Currently my MES is just the smoker box, heating element with shield and bottom catch pan, all the rest of the water pan sheet metal and smoke tray is removed. I place a cookie sheet on a bottom rack just above the heating element to deflect any direct heat and pipe in the smoke through the chip burner hole via a mail box mod.

My smoker works great now but if I had know what I know now I would have been better off making or purchasing an insulated box, installing a heat element and deflectors where they would be most beneficial instead of purchasing an overprice pile, gutting it and purchasing more stuff to make it run.


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## Murray (Dec 12, 2020)

But think of all the fun you had.


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## normanaj (Dec 12, 2020)

muddydogs said:


> instead of purchasing an overprice pile, gutting it and purchasing more stuff to make it run.


 
Exactly what did you pay for your MES?They're pretty much the best bang for the buck when it comes to electrics.


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## smokerjim (Dec 12, 2020)

i have mine for 7 years now, all original parts, still works like a charm, i probably just jinxed myself though. so i guess like anything we buy we could get junker.


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## muddydogs (Dec 12, 2020)

Every other post on this forum is about a MES not working, I would say a working one is an anomaly.
Normanaj
Thats kind of my point, I paid what $250?, O and mine is a MES 40. Dropped another $125 for a PID, spent time rewiring and another $30 ish for the mailbox mod. Should have found an insulated box for under $100, built my own and been money ahead.
Like I stated my MES 40 works great now that I have reworked it, my propane smoker never gets any love anymore but looking back I could have saved a few penny's and built a better unit. I tell people asking about smokers to not get a MES due to all the issues I've had and others post about.


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## tallbm (Dec 13, 2020)

muddydogs
 if you ever see me posting in threads where people are asking about what electric smokers to go with, I always say the best is a $40-50 used MES40 you can find on Craigslist or Facebook.
You take it to the car wash and wash it out.
Then rewire and put a PID on it.
An MES40 done that way is 10x better than any new MES that can be bought :)

Feel free to help me share that message when people ask hahahaha.


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## mike243 (Dec 13, 2020)

Had mine for somewhere around 10-12 years, been a long time, you will tend to hear more about the ones that break and not the ones that have never given the first problem, mine is in the never gave a problem group  , good luck on your next purchase being better, odds are 50/50 lol


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## normanaj (Dec 15, 2020)

muddydogs said:


> Normanaj
> Thats kind of my point, I paid what $250?, O and mine is a MES 40. Dropped another $125 for a PID, spent time rewiring and another $30 ish for the mailbox mod. Should have found an insulated box for under $100, built my own and been money ahead.



You answered your own question.

I paid $90 for my first 30" and $69 for my second...both bought brand new at Wallyworld.Never had an issue with either.The second one when fully modded would be under $200 spent.



tallbm said:


> where people are asking about what electric smokers to go with, I always say the best is a $40-50 used MES40 you can find on Craigslist or Facebook.



+1!


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## chopsaw (Dec 15, 2020)

Bought mine new for $149.00 . Added the Auber 5 years in . I'm right around $300 . I wouldn't be without mine .


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## Bearcarver (Dec 15, 2020)

Basically the luck of the Draw.
I've had 4 of them & only one bad one. (Controller Problem)
One is 10 years old & still in use.
One I used whenever I smoke something, and it's 7 years old.
One is 9 years old & still works fine, but is sitting in my garage, in case it needs to suit up & go in.

Bear


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## TwichAlot (Dec 19, 2020)

Pretty sure that no matter what product you have, most forum posts will be asking for help to solve some sort of problem.   It's human nature.   If things are working great, we just talk about the great food we're cooking and maybe not as much  about the equipment. 
I'm brand new to smokers and ended up buying a Masterbuilt MES430G .  I think it will be great once I fine tune how I use it and learn it's quirks :)


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## Bearcarver (Dec 19, 2020)

TwichAlot said:


> Pretty sure that no matter what product you have, most forum posts will be asking for help to solve some sort of problem.   It's human nature.   If things are working great, we just talk about the great food we're cooking and maybe not as much  about the equipment.
> I'm brand new to smokers and ended up buying a Masterbuilt MES430G .  I think it will be great once I fine tune how I use it and learn it's quirks :)




Exactly!!
You learn fast!

Bear


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## chopsaw (Dec 19, 2020)

TwichAlot said:


> I think it will be great once I fine tune how I use it and learn it's quirks :)


You're just about there ! Positive attitude takes you a long way . 
Enjoy .


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## shawnmaloney01 (Dec 19, 2020)

I like the vertical smokers and the MES was great for a bit, my first one the heating element went out after 2 years and now this one the temp is about 35 degrees off, which is not good, as I set it as high as it can be set to just maintain 240 degrees. Thinking about going to rec tec


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## Bearcarver (Dec 19, 2020)

shawnmaloney01 said:


> I like the vertical smokers and the MES was great for a bit, my first one the heating element went out after 2 years and now this one the temp is about 35 degrees off, which is not good, as I set it as high as it can be set to just maintain 240 degrees. Thinking about going to rec tec




I had one that the connector to the heating element burned out. That cost me 20 cents to fix.
That 240° Maximum temp should have been reported to Masterbuilt. You paid for a smoker that will go to 275°.

Bear


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## shawnmaloney01 (Dec 19, 2020)

Bearcarver said:


> I had one that the connector to the heating element burned out. That cost me 20 cents to fix.
> That 240° Maximum temp should have been reported to Masterbuilt. You paid for a smoker that will go to 275°.
> 
> Bear


Ya their support wasn’t much help.


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## Bearcarver (Dec 20, 2020)

shawnmaloney01 said:


> Ya their support wasn’t much help.




I don't know how long you have that one, but if you couldn't get above 240°, I'd stay on them. I haven't seen a book in years, but I think they were guaranteeing within 15° of what it's supposed to be. So anything under a Max of 260° is breaking the deal.
I could be wrong, but I think that's what it said.
Maybe somebody else who still has their owners manual can chime in on that.

Bear


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## doongie (Dec 24, 2020)

My best guess says I bought my first and only MES30 in the neighborhood of 15 years ago.  I know I had it several years before moving to our current location, and that was in ‘10.  I want to say it was about $200, but my memory ain’t so great at that distance.  I do remember thinking it was a pricy toy, but I grabbed my wallet and went for it.

I never cared for how the element cycled and my chips would not stay lit, so it only got used during cooler weather, when the element needed to stay on longer.  It used to live in the garage and taken out to the driveway or backyard for use, but since we moved to this house in ‘12, it lives on my screened in back porch.  It doesn’t get rain or snow directly on it, but it lives outside, in WI.

Welcome the mailbox mod with an AMNPS, now it gets used quite a bit more, and with the Meater I got for Christmas last year, I can wander into town or down to the tavern for a bit and still keep an eye on things during longer smokes.  I’m looking for stuff to put in it now rather than lamenting using it.

Yesterday morning I made a last minute decision and did a 4.6lb pork butt for when family visits for Christmas today and tomorrow.  It turned out excellent!  I have about 5 lbs of venison loins curing and will smoke/dry them probably the 30th.  I will be looking for some filets to make salmon candy before going back to work next year too.

It took awhile but I fell in love with my MES, primarily thanks to this forum and the mailbox mod.  After tasting some of the stuff I’ve made, my brother bought an MES40 about two years ago, and he likes his too.


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## AP514 (Dec 24, 2020)

I have had mine for a few years now....I use it all the time..No issues..but has the little things you got to learn..(mine runs 10 Hot)

Going for the 11Lbs-- PRIME RIB SMOKE TOADY


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## Bearcarver (Dec 24, 2020)

AP514 said:


> I have had mine for a few years now....I use it all the time..No issues..but has the little things you got to learn..(mine runs 10 Hot)
> 
> Going for the 11Lbs-- PRIME RIB SMOKE TOADY




10° hot is good!!
I always tell people, "You're supposed to get up to 275°---If you can get 300°, that's a bonus, so keep it & control it"----
"But if you can only get it up to 240° or 250°, tell them you want your money back or a new one, because you paid for a Smoker that can get to 275°."


Bear


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## cmayna (Dec 25, 2020)

Got my MES40 Gen 1 free because it was dead.  Hooked up an Auber PID directly to the element and then installed the mailbox mod.  Totally awesome.  Soooo  freakin' reliable!


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## tallbm (Dec 25, 2020)

cmayna said:


> Got my MES40 Gen 1 free because it was dead.  Hooked up an Auber PID directly to the element and then installed the mailbox mod.  Totally awesome.  Soooo  freakin' reliable!



Best kinda MES u can get/have :)


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