2012 MES 40 vs. Old Model MES 40

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tjohnson

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Dec 29, 2009
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I purchased a new 2012 MES 40, and just happened to have a brand new never used, Old Model MES 40 sitting in my garage, waiting for a reason to use it.  I decided to compare them Side X Side and post my results.

Both units were ran for (5) hours at 275° to burn off the manufacturing oil

The results I came up with are my opinions, and my opinions only!!

I paid for both units, and did not receive $0.01 for my review.

At first glance, the New 2012 definitely has the "Cool Factor"

The window is bigger, the top is flat and the new digital controls are blue

The new 2012 MES sports a sexy skirt, but don't let it's looks fool ya!  It's plastic, and pretty cheesy. 

The Old MES 40 has (2) adjustable legs for the unit to sit on


The controller on the new 2012 MES is mounted flush and the digital readout is blue and the top is flat

The controller on the Old Mes is mounted on top, and the digital readout is green

Both the blue and green digital readouts were difficult to read in the sun


This is a view of the underside of the control panel

This area is not sealed and steam could enter the control panel above

Time will tell if this will become an issue in the future


2012 MES 40 Chip Loader on the left and the Old MES 40 Chip Loader on the right

New Chip Loader is narrower, but you can fill the entire length with chips

The old MES 40 chip loader has 1/2 the tube blocked

You shouldn't put more than 1/2 cup of chips in at one time


2012 MES 40 on the left has a new drip pan and water pan design. 

There's a 2 3/4" gap between the door and the drip pan in front and 1" gap in back

The drip pan/water pan combo on the old model covers less area

There is no heat shield on the element of the 2012 MES to protect the door

The heat shield on the Old MES protects the door

  

The chip pan on the left is from the 2012 MES 40.  It's much larger than the previous model

You can only use about 1/2 cup of chips at a time in either chip pan


The brackets for the shelves on the new 2012 MES are attached on pins and the brackets are removable

The brackets on the Old Model MES are screwed to the sides

  

The exhaust vent on the 2012 MES 40 is mounted on the left side, about 4" from the top

The exhaust vent on the Old MES 40 is mounted in the top right rear corner

 

Drip tray on the new 2012 MES is located in the front.  It's very small and will not allow for you to use a disposable foil pan. 

Foil would not lay in the tray, without being ripped out when the drawer is removed

The drip tray on the Old MES is mounted on the back, and must be removed before the MES can moved

I use disposable foil drip pans under my meat, so the external drip pan is really not necessary for me


The hinge on the 2012 MES 40 is Very Poorly Engineered!!!

The first wind that hits this door, and the hinge is going to be distorted

(2) of the (4) 4 mm screws that were supposed to attach the hinge to the unit were not installed properly. The threaded inserts were not installed properly, so only (2) screws held the hinge onto the cabinet

I had to rework the cabinet and install new threaded inserts and larger screws, in-order for the hinge to be installed properly

Bad Engineering and poor execution of this integral part of the door hardware will lead to it's failure

The hinge on the Old MES 40 is mounted on top, and will not bend easily

There is a built-in stop, to keep the door from moving too far and damaging the hinge.


I made a cable strap to keep my New 2012 MES from opening all the way, and bending the hinge

If the hinge bends, the door will not fit properly


One easy mod is to dump the small water pan and place a disposable foil pan on the floor, under the hole for the factory drip pan.

This may also allow for more heat to rise up the left side and equal out temps on each rack....Maybe!


TEMPERATURE TEST

Both units were set to 275° for (5) hours

During this period, I used (2) my Maverick ET-732 to track the temps of each rack in the MES

The results were very interesting!!!

The top rack I'll call Rack #1 and the bottom rack I'll call Rack #4

Probe #1 is on the right side and probe #2 is on the left side

Each probe was set on the rack approx. 3" from the inside wall

Each rack was monitored for (1) hour, and the average temps are posted in the table below

2012 MES 40

               Probe #2    Probe #1

Rack #1       282°            302°

Rack #2       275°            282°

Rack #3       268°            284°

Rack #4       270°            280°

Old MES 40

               Probe #2    Probe #1

Rack #1       279°            268°

Rack #2       252°            257°

Rack #3       259°            264°

Rack #4       284°            286°

2012 MES Summary

There are some new features on the new 2012 MES 40

Not all of them are improvements

- Larger Window

- Flat Top

- Flush mounted controls w/ blue digital readout

- Side exhaust

- Front drip pan

- Light under control panel

- Removable brackets for shelving

- Wall-to-wall drip pan with integrated water pan

The larger window may be cool looking, but it really means more heat loss.  It was very hot to the touch, meaning lots of heat was escaping out thru the window..

The flat top is a nice feature for setting trays and tools on

The flush mounted controls make for a more finished looking smoker.  The blue digital readout was dim in the sun.  The light under the panel should not get all gunked up like the light in the Old MES.

The side exhaust did not impress me at all.  A slight wind allowed the unit to Back Draft, and air would enter the exhaust and exit the chip loader.  IMHO: The exhaust would have been much more effective on the top left rear corner.

The Removable Brackets for the shelving are definitely a plus.  The walls can be cleaned more easily than the Old MES

The Drip pan fell a little short.  There is a 2 3/4" gap between the drip pan and the door.  Any drips in this area will drop straight to the floor.  I thought it would act as a better heat deflector, but it really didn't.  Since it angles up and to the right, the heat follows it's path, and results in higher temps on the right 1/2 of the smoker, on every rack.

At the end of the (5) hour break-in or "Seasoning", the 2012 MES had a funky melted plastic smell that did not go away.  I'll clean everything with Simple Green, and fire it up again and post my results.  For now, food is not going into this smoker until I can figure out what this smell actually is.

When the controller was set to 275°, the top rack read up to 304° on the right side.  That's Hot!

Temps varied 20° from top rack to bottom rack, and 10° - 20° from right to left on the same rack.  This is a HUGE difference in any smoker, let alone on each rack.  This means each rack will cook at different rates, as well as each side of the rack will cook at different rates.

In comparison, the Old MES 40 performed very similarly to the other MES 40's I own.  The top and bottom racks were the hottest, but temps fluctuated very little from side-to-side on each rack.  There was no funky smell during or after the Break-In period.

I am not trying to tell anyone to buy, or not to buy the new 2012 MES 40. 

Since I have both models, I offered a side-by-side comparison and added my observations as I have hundreds of hours using the Old MES 40.

I was not paid for my review and both units were purchased at SAMS Club.

If I made a mistake, I'll apologize in advance, and try to correct it

Todd
 
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Todd, excellent writeup comparison!

The old saying if it's NOT broke don't fix it, obviously doesn't apply to Masterbuilt and their continuous design tweaking of the MES.  Instead of bling fluff (bigger window, fancier front control, new layout of water pan & drain pan) which arguably doesn't add any smoking improvement, they could have used design improvement on:  better heat distribution, more precise built-in cabinet temperature monitor & meat monitoring, and PID type accuracy and logic control.  I can think of a dozen improvements that wouldn't cost much more than what they already offer which would improve performance.  I recall watching a couple of videos of the CEO demonstrating new equipment, the slogan their products were actually used by their staff because they loved BBQ & smoking too.  Obviously they DO NOT use their own products or some of these idea would never get off the drawing board.
 
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This Thread Was Not Written to Trash The New 2012 MES 40.

It Was Written to Highlight the Differences and Possible Issues With the New 2012 MES 40.

The Old MES had Issues Too, and Guys Figured out Some Simple Mods, So It Would Perform Better.

I'm not 100% convinced anyone spent much time testing the new 2012 MES 30 & 40.

There was an almost immediate recall, because chips were catching fire in the chip pan.

Did anyone test a 2012 MES 40 with a "Full Load" in the smoker, or was testing performed with one pork butt on one rack?

The temperature variation from side-to-side, on each level is disturbing.  A 5° variation would be acceptable, but 20° is not acceptable.

Removing the water pan and placing it on the floor, may allow for enough heat to draft up thru the hole, and even out the temperatures on each level.

The poorly engineered hinge system really disturbs me.  There is no built-in stop, and It's a guaranteed failure point.  One good wind, and the hinge is bent.

Think about it....Are the door hinges on your vehicle on the inside or outside of the vehicle?

There is obviously a "Cool Factor" going on with the new MES 40, but don't fall in-love with the bells and whistles.  The smoker still has to perform.

I've got a few ideas to stabilize the temps on each level and will perform more tests

If I cannot get rid of the "Melted Plastic Smell", the unit is going back!  The smell must go away, not just be masked by a smoke smell

The Old MES 40 I tested did not emit any "Melted Plastic Smell"

Todd
 
I had a new 2012 MES 40 on order through Amazon. The new model has been on back order for some time now.  This will be my first electric smoker.  Last Friday, prior to this side x side review I decided to cancel my order and order the "older" model which was available at a very slightly higher cost. (like $8).  I plan on using the AMNPS and decided that the older model was more conducive to it's use.  Additionally, I was worried about the control panel being on the front, just above the door.  

Thanks for the review.  While I don't know if I made a good decision or not, the smoker will be delivered tomorrow.  Looking forward to trying it out.
 
Thank You Todd for doing this side by side comparison
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...sure helps with the I'm missing something thoughts i have been having over not owning the latest and greatest MES. I'm sure with time the fine group of smokers we have here, will tweak and invent mods that will make the 2012 mes shine.

I've been having a to much venting problem with my 2011 model and have found the window and bottom of the door leaks air like crazy.. i can only get 6 hours out of a load of pellets in my AMNPS.  Masterbuilt was quick to send a door and with the weather warming up this week it will be a good time to tackle the project. I have yet to see a smoker that doesn't need a few tweaks but at the price point MES sells their smokers they are tough to beat. 
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This is a good review - very focused. But it begs the question:  Do you or any of the users/owners of the Masterbuilt point out the strong and weak points to Masterbuilt?  Seems like that would be the best way to turn a decent smoker into a great smoker. Just a thought.
 
This is a good review - very focused. But it begs the question:  Do you or any of the users/owners of the Masterbuilt point out the strong and weak points to Masterbuilt?  Seems like that would be the best way to turn a decent smoker into a great smoker. Just a thought.
Darryl from Masterbuilt used to drop in on the forum, and answer questions.  I'm not sure why, but he's stopped answering PM's and does not participate in the forum. 

I would think a manufacturer like Masterbuilt could learn from the "Hundreds" of guys who are using their products and posting on various forums.

Personally, I own (4) Masterbuilt MES 40's

One of them I retired and gave to my brother

One is used mostly for testing

One is brand new and will now be used for smoking

One is a brand New 2012 Model, and I'm not 100% sure if I'm going to use it for anything more than testing purposes.

I also own a Traeger Texas(Clone) and use it quite a bit.

Todd
 
I'm learning from Masterbuilt that newer is not always better, but that it can be a lot worse. For my particular needs, Guys talk about 1st and 2nd generation MES smokers but from my reading there appears to be three generations. I own the Masterbuilt 20070910 30-Inch Electric Smokehouse Smoker--which appears to be the actual 2nd generation--and it more than suits my needs.

Is it true that for what I consider the 3rd generation, or the 2012 30" and 40" models, MES backed down the heating element from 800 watts to 650 watts?
 
My 2012 MES 40 has a 1,200 watt element in it

Not sure about the 2012 MES 30

My MES 40 ran "HOT" and the top rack exceeded 300° for most of the 5 hour test

Todd
 
I'm learning from Masterbuilt that newer is not always better, but that it can be a lot worse. For my particular needs, Guys talk about 1st and 2nd generation MES smokers but from my reading there appears to be three generations. I own the Masterbuilt 20070910 30-Inch Electric Smokehouse Smoker--which appears to be the actual 2nd generation--and it more than suits my needs.

Is it true that for what I consider the 3rd generation, or the 2012 30" and 40" models, MES backed down the heating element from 800 watts to 650 watts?
Not according to Masterbuilt's website. 2012 30" is 800 watts. http://www.masterbuilt.com/index.ph...ec-smokehouse-30-bsw-w-window-rf-2nd-gen.html  and click on the specifications tab.
 
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 Todd this was very valuable and informative. I can see that the Vent on the 2012 is going to be an issue not only from back draft but it is Small. I think it is responsible for the Convection issues causing the uneven rack temps. Additionally, is the new Controller Plug and Play? Masterbuilt Customer Service determined a temp variation in my 2011 40 was a controller issue. New one arrived 2 days later... Five minutes, 2 screws and the 2 connectors later and it was good to go. The MAV and MES temp readings all match. This is measured on the left side of the middle racks after all settles and gets going strong, about 2 hours.

How well did the AMNPS perform in the new gen? I am curious if placing it over the drip pan hole causes accelerated burning from any rising heat that is now directly hitting it...

Last December I was toiling over which new smoker to buy and was considering waiting for the new Gen when Bearcarver sang the praises of the 20070311 all Stainless MES 40. Got to say I am Glad I jumped and got it. After the above issues the first month has performed well...Fingers Crossed the wiring stays good at the element.
This is a good review - very focused. But it begs the question:  Do you or any of the users/owners of the Masterbuilt point out the strong and weak points to Masterbuilt?  Seems like that would be the best way to turn a decent smoker into a great smoker. Just a thought.
Sarge, great point but... Masterbuilt should have marketing and/or engineering people dedicated to just monitoring the top 6 Smoking Forums if they want to stay Cutting Edge. Customer service is there to put out fires, send what is needed to fix the existing failure and take the next call. If designers were paying attention they would have seen things like, the window gets smoked up and is useless after a couple of hours and is a far better conductor than insulator...Make it Smaller not bigger. Pretty is not always more functional...
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...JJ
 
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I did not run either MES with the AMNPS

The test was done during the Break-In Period or "Seasoning" the smoker

The pic with the AMNPS only reflects a possible solution to increasing airflow to the left side, and possibly level the heat on each rack

TJ
 
Good points JJ.  But sometimes you got to ring a bell or two and contact them direct.  I see some good ideas in the various MES posts but it is a lot to wade thru.  I was merely inquiring if any owners (and there are legions of them) have gone to the trouble of making suggestions for improvements in addition to exercising their warranty rights. I agree their customer care seems to respond quickly without fail when a problem crops up. But I do wonder if they in fact actually subscribe to or monitor the various forums.  Thanks.
 
Roadkill, Someone in another thread posted a copy of the 2012 MES 40 ad where it states the heating element was 650 watts and the poster commented that he'd hoped it was a typo. Todd says his is 1200 watts so I wonder what's going on? I just verified on the nameplate of my MES 30 that it's 800 watts. Maybe the ad copy for the new unit is wrong or maybe it's the 2012 MES 30 that's 650 watts.
 
*** UPDATE ON TEMP VARIATIONS IN NEW 2102 MES 40 ***

I brought my New 2012 MES 40 into work, and set it up in the warehouse

Temp in the warehouse is 60° f

I set the temp to 275°, and after 45 minutes, the unit is still warming up

Inside, on the bottom shelf are (2) Maverick ET-732 Probes to monitor the temps

Both probes were tested in boiling water and ice water...212° & 34° each

Controller is set to 275°

Time is set to 5 hours

The right side of the shelf reads 316° and the left side reads 302°

Controller reads 262° after 45 minutes

Heating Element has not shut off

 
Thank you Todd for all the effort!  I really appreciate seeing how the newer MES 40 tests continue to play out.  Are you planning on testing each shelf temp again?
 
Thank you Todd for all the effort!  I really appreciate seeing how the newer MES 40 tests continue to play out.  Are you planning on testing each shelf temp again?
After taking out the water pan, each shelf was within 10° - 12°

The right side is still a higher temp

The heating element never shut off, and the internal temp got to 329° before I turned it off

I called Masterbuilt, and they want to replace the cabinet

I want a whole new smoker!

I called SAMS Club, and they're exchanging it

I'll perform the same tests in the new unit I receive from SAMS Club

TJ
 
How long was the smoker running to get to 329*...i wonder if the element would ever kick out. Sounds like a fire hazard to me in a well used smoker. Did the smoker still have the burning plastic smell this go around?

Len
 
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