Hello! Now i'm ready to ask questions!

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

luis missura

Newbie
Original poster
Jun 7, 2014
18
10
Evans, GA
Hi all!

  My name is Luis I'm 30 and serving in the U.S. Army at Ft. Gordon, GA.

   I just arrived here by way of Manhattan, Kansas. I am embarrased to say that I have never properly smoked a piece of meat... and am itching to do so.

I recently bought a char-griller super-pro grill at Lowes, and have been considering one of two options.

1. Buy the side firebox and do the mods necessary to make this a decent smoker... or

2. Buy a Masterbuilt 40" electric smoker.

Factors to consider... I am new to smoking... I have a young baby that demands attention... and I am going to be starting a medical residency that will take up a heck of a lot of my time and attention. I don't know that I will have the time and ability to tend to a fire every 45 minutes etc.

I am looking for your opinions and suggestions! Thank you in advance!

Luis
 
Welcome to SMF glad you joined us and Thank You for your service. You may want to really consider an electric as they take the least tending to, From what I'm hearing the MES quality has gone downhill and there may be a better option out there I'm sure others with electric smokers will chime in on that
 
Good morning Luis, welcome from East Texas. I'm a stick burner, and you do have to spend a fair amount of time watching the smoker. Like Pineywoods said the electric my be your best bet. There are lots of members who use electric with fantastic results. Glad you joined up.

Gary S
 
Luis,

Thank You For Your Service!!!

If you don't have time to play around, an MES 40 would be Great for you, however make sure you get the Gen #1 MES 40. The Gen #2 has too many problems. The Gen #1 is awesome. The one to get (Gen #1) is the one with the digital controls in a box that mounts in the center back of the top, and has the exhaust vent in the top back right corner. This is the one I have for 4 years, and still works Great.

If you do get the Gen #1 MES 40, I have a whole bunch of "How To" Step by Steps that could help you a lot.

Just click on "Bear's Step by Steps".

Bear
 
Hello Luis and welcome aboard! My advice is in line with Piney, Bear and Gary...sounds like an electric is the right rig for you. I used a Masterbuilt for years with very good results. The main thing I'd suggest is to avoid the new generation design. I believe you can still find 1st gen MES if you look.

Here's what the 1st gen MES40 looks like:


And the new design that have had so many problems:



Good luck! And thank you for your service to out country!! :usa:

Red
 
Last edited:
Hey Luis, take a look at Bearcarvers "step by step" and the great things he smokes.  

Gary S
 
Hey, Luis.... welcome.
Here's some more to consider along with what you already have already gotten from the great guys that already chimed in.
The mes 40 gen 1 is a nice unit. Another comparable electric is the Smokin It line of cookers. All stainless, lots of happy owners.
Another nice set and forget is the pellet smoker. Now these things tend to be more expensive but there is a Char Griller pellet unit at Lowes thats under $500 that looks like a great value and a neighbor has one and it puts out real nice food. He loves it.
Anyway, lots of options. And don't worry, you'll be smoking like a pro in no time.
 
Guys, Thank you for all the awesome replies!

After talking with my wife, It looks like the 40" is just not in the cards.

Looks like I'll probably have to settle for the MES 30"

I have a lowes nearby, and after looking up the model number, I haven't seen too many complaints. (20071514   I guess the 15th version re-modeled in 2014)

The one at Home Depot is an older model, a wee bit cheaper, but does not have a meat probe, and I'm not so sure if there is a  (although I know the internal ones arent worth a darn)

(20070106) I'm not sure if this model is 650w or 800w

Would you guys let me know what you think of one vs. the other?
 
 
Guys, Thank you for all the awesome replies!

After talking with my wife, It looks like the 40" is just not in the cards.

Looks like I'll probably have to settle for the MES 30"

I have a lowes nearby, and after looking up the model number, I haven't seen too many complaints. (20071514   I guess the 15th version re-modeled in 2014)

The one at Home Depot is an older model, a wee bit cheaper, but does not have a meat probe, and I'm not so sure if there is a  (although I know the internal ones arent worth a darn)

(20070106) I'm not sure if this model is 650w or 800w

Would you guys let me know what you think of one vs. the other?
I believe the 20070106 is only a 650 W element, but that's still much better than any of the 2nd Gen units.

You might want to think about what I and many other guys did:

5 years ago I chose an MES 30 to save money----Cost me $179.

Then a year later, after getting tired of cutting my Rib Racks in half to get them in, and only getting 7 pounds of Beef sticks in at one time, I bought an MES 40------Final cost $349.

So MES 30--------------------------$179

MES 40-------------------------------$349

--------------------------------------------------

Total cost----------------------------$528

Sold my MES 30----------------  -$50

--------------------------------------------------

End Cost----------------------------$478

I should have gotten the MES 40 right away, and saved $129.
PDT_Armataz_01_16.gif


Bear
 
The 0106 is a 650 unit. Low for the size and capacity. Can take a very long time to get up to heat and maintain it with a decent load in it. Opening the door, cold weather, wind, can all have you
scratching your head when the unit is underpowered.
Don't worry about a meat probe; as a great tool, especially for an mes, is a maverick et 733 temp monitor which is very accurate and has great program features.
 
Last edited:
Hi Luis I have a masterbult electric smoker and have gotten great redulte, I've found you need to add the wood chips about every hour, which takes undet a minet, the 1 I got lookd like the first pic from Seenred. And again thankyou for your service.
 
First, Luis Thank you for your service, I feel proud every time I get to say that BTW. So Thank you.

I can only agree with the wise comments above. Electrics are built for folks like you and the old farts who have grown too lazy to tend a fire.

I have a MES30 and kick myself in the butt every time I have to chop up ribs or cut up a brisket to get it to fit. The MES40 is the only way to go.

Do not worry about the bells and whistles. Auxiliary support items are better bought separately so you can get better quality and not have a 10 dollar part you are not using shut down your entire smoker. Much like we learned about stereo component systems, when the 8-track breaks you lost the whole unit that was all built together and you could not upgrade as the tech presented itself. (I heard that from Bear Carver, I not nearly old enough to remember all that, 8-tracks?) Separate components are best to start.

Its great to start with an electric, it makes cooking more exact, easier to learn on. Then as your continue your upward mobility you can get a bigger better. You'll know about cooking and all you'll have to do is learn how to do it on a grander larger firebreather scale. Most of us here have done the cycle in the opposite direction because firebreathers were what was readily available.

MES40, small adequate smoker to get in and enjoy while learning. If not an MES, look at other electrics also. Just remember a less than 40 is just too small, you'll smoke on it, you'll enjoy it, but every time you do ribs or brisket or when you get all frisky and attempt bacon, jerky, ham, etc.... you'll resent your cost/size conscience purchase.

OH BTW Welcome to the boards! LOL..... I can get long winded, when I did is agree with the 5 comments above me......

Listen please take a Minute and click the "My Profile" icon on the upper taskbar, and fill in as little or as much as you'd care to, but most importantly add in where you put your head down at night. I will forget. And when people can see where you are located, they can most often better give advise for solving problems or passing on info . I don't expect you'd much care about the cost of crawfish in Ga. unless you are going fishing, but in Louisiana its a big deal....LOL  So invest a min or two and folks won't keep asking you where do you hang your hat?

Nice meeting you. Look forward to seeing your smoking achievements.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for all the replies guys!
I I'll definitely stck to a Gen1
As much as I want a 40" (especially for the power) I just don't think the money is there for it now... Especially if I wanna get a maverick and either an AMNPS or cold smoker attachment for longer smokes. I don't think id mind cutting my racks too much. It' seems like I could probably still host a small party with it.

Looks like the 20070910 has an 800w element.

Dang, masterbuilt, K.I.S.S. Toooooo many models!
 
I may get scolded pretty hard... But I'm still going to consider the 40"

Speaking of crawdads, I enjoyed 2 lbs of them yesterday! I'm a big fan!
 
Well... I bit the bullet... And I'm gonna hear about it later. I just bought a gen 1 40"
At least it has the stainless steel body!
 
Well... I bit the bullet... And I'm gonna hear about it later. I just bought a gen 1 40"
At least it has the stainless steel body!
That's Great !!!

Did you get this one??

20070910 ======= black door, no window, 800 watt heating element, with heating element access door, small wood chip tray. 

I've been married over 45 years, and I can tell you it's a lot more fun apologizing one time, than begging for 3 months!!!
biggrin.gif


 Bear
 
Well... I bit the bullet... And I'm gonna hear about it later. I just bought a gen 1 40"
At least it has the stainless steel body!

Just hang around here a bt and we'll keep you in great recipes. Just keep feeding the wife great food and in a couple months she'll be telling you and everyone else that it was all her idea. Good decision, Luis.
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky