New MES Bluetooth Digital smoker

dennispfaff · Jul 15, 2015

daRicksta said:
Sounds like you're doing great! I use the ET-733 and after the MES controller stabilizes I don't see a big difference between the MES temp and the ET-733 BARBECUE temp.

Has the temp been tested from bottom to top rack, or they about the same?

dennispfaff · Jul 15, 2015

Krooz said:
A little off topic since I don't have the AMZNPS yet and rely on the little MES chip tray. But I have a rack of baby backs going for a 4 hour smoke at 240°(came out great last time - no foiling). Also have some cubed up sweet taters going as well - experimentin'!

Anyway, I was curious as to the temp accuracies so I checked it's calibration and hung a cheapy remote probe I bought years ago from Wally World off the 3rd rack along with the MES meat probe. Checking several times over the last 1 1/2 hours the cheapy probe and firebox temps were within 1-2° of each other. The meat probe was consistently 5° less than both. I think I can work with that!

I wonder how many times you have to add chips to the chip loader for a 4 hr smoke? And if the ash tray has to be emptied at any point before the end of the 4 hrs?
Dennis

brickguy221 · Jul 15, 2015

dennispfaff said:
I wonder how many times you have to add chips to the chip loader for a 4 hr smoke? And if the ash tray has to be emptied at any point before the end of the 4 hrs?
Dennis

Dennis, when smoking Ribs using wood chips, I add chips every 20-25 minutes ( about 5 times over 2 hrs ) and then none after that and the smoke taste is just right for me and some people, and a wee bit more smokey than prefered for others. This is usually JD chips, but sometimes 2/3 Hickory and 1/3 apple or cherry chips.

I think more than that over 4 hrs would be way too much. Just my opinion here.

As for pellets, I am still learning, but any smoke after 3 hrs here would do nothing for me since I foil my ribs around the 3 hr mark give or take a bit depending how much bone is showing.

krooz · Jul 16, 2015

Brickguy221 said:
Dennis, when smoking Ribs using wood chips, I add chips every 20-25 minutes ( about 5 times over 2 hrs ) and then none after that and the smoke taste is just right for me and some people, and a wee bit more smokey than prefered for others. This is usually JD chips, but sometimes 2/3 Hickory and 1/3 apple or cherry chips.

I think more than that over 4 hrs would be way too much. Just my opinion here.

As for pellets, I am still learning, but any smoke after 3 hrs here would do nothing for me since I foil my ribs around the 3 hr mark give or take a bit depending how much bone is showing.

I do it even less - like every 45 minutes to an hour gives us the smoke we like. Chip tray ash never comes close to needing to be emptied but the longest smoke I've had on the smoker has been 4 hours.....

dennispfaff · Jul 16, 2015

I have been using the AMNPS, but I still have several bags of various chips left from my old smoker. I think next time I have a 3-4 hour smoke I'll use them up.

dhillii · Jul 16, 2015

Hello gang,

First post here after being an avid reader for months. I recently bought a 40" Bluetooth MES from Sam's and am still breaking it in. Not too impressed with the Bluetooth as the range seems pretty weak and the app keeps trying to hook up connection if i am on the other side of the house. But love the MES itself. Geared up with an AMNPS and have tried ribs, brisket and pork loin. YUM!

Looking at investing in a Maverick therm as well.

My comment is about cleanup. I have found that it is a breeze when I use simple apple vinegar and a Scrub Daddy (smiley face sponge) to clean the window/door and grates. Has anyone else used?

mummel · Jul 16, 2015

Definitely get the Maverick 733. Way worth it. I use the app to play with the temps and startup, but that's about it. I have the Cabelas model so have no window. One of the Sams model guys will chip in.

Bearcarver · Jul 16, 2015

dhillii said:
Hello gang,

First post here after being an avid reader for months. I recently bought a 40" Bluetooth MES from Sam's and am still breaking it in. Not too impressed with the Bluetooth as the range seems pretty weak and the app keeps trying to hook up connection if i am on the other side of the house. But love the MES itself. Geared up with an AMNPS and have tried ribs, brisket and pork loin. YUM!

Looking at investing in a Maverick therm as well.

My comment is about cleanup. I have found that it is a breeze when I use simple apple vinegar and a Scrub Daddy (smiley face sponge) to clean the window/door and grates. Has anyone else used?

Congrats on your New MES & AMNPS !!!

If you're into playing with a lot of settings, go with the ET-733.

If you don't want to fight with settings, I would get the ET-732. I have 2 of them & they're Awesome!!

BTW: Here are a whole bunch of things you can Smoke with an MES, in Step by Step form:

Just click on "Bear's Step by Steps".

Bear

daricksta · Jul 16, 2015

dennispfaff said:
Has the temp been tested from bottom to top rack, or they about the same?

That's the thing, Dennis--the temps are all different! They vary from rack to rack and from side to side. That's why I decided to pick 1-2 spots where to place and aim the probes and to stick with it. That's the only way I can get a more or less consistent temp reading every time. I think the temp is hotter on rack 3 so I insert the FOOD probe into the meat on that rack to prevent it from being overcooked. But I place the BBQ probe on rack 2 behind the meat with the probe tip facing to the left to ensure I don't get an excessively high smoker temp reading. When I smoke pork ribs, the BBQ probes go on racks 2 & 3 behind the ribs; the rack 2 probe facing left and the rack 3 probe facing right. It all makes sense to me, anyway.

bard4fun · Jul 17, 2015

Here in Texas, we have tons of Mesquite trees and as we are know as a beef state we use Mesquite to smoke the thick briskets. I personally like hickory if I have to pay for it but if I get it free I will use Mesquite.

dvuong · Jul 21, 2015

How's the temp accuracy on the Gen 2.5? Been having trouble with Gen 2.0 and considering upgrading.

mummel · Jul 21, 2015

Mine is +- 15F. Other guys here are getting +-2-5F. It seems to do the job within my range. My only complaint is the massive temp swings at startup where my MES overruns by 75F. It takes about 2 hours to stabilize to 225F unless you micromanage it.

brickguy221 · Jul 21, 2015

dvuong said:
How's the temp accuracy on the Gen 2.5? Been having trouble with Gen 2.0 and considering upgrading.

So far ..... I am overly happy with my ne 40" BT Gen 2.5.

I do have to set the controller temperature 10* hotter than the shelf temperature. For example if I want a shelf temperature of 225*, I have to set the controller at 235*.

I haven't had any problem with stablizing the temperature nor temperature control so far. (knock on wood) Mine averages 3* over the set point and 4* - 5* under the set point. In other words if I have the set point at 225*, it will shut off at 225*, go up to 228* ... then drop back to 220* - 221* and start back up to 225*

So far .... I haven't had any massive temperature swings at startup (knock on wood) My temperature swing was never more than 15* over and 20* under the set point on the frist run when starting up and stablizing within 30 minutes or less upon start up .... I tried Bear's startup advice and found it to work great and my Smoker now stablizes in 15 minutes and less once it reaches it's set point.

mummel · Jul 21, 2015

Brickguy221 said:
So far ..... I am overly happy with my ne 40" BT Gen 2.5.

I do have to set the controller temperature 10* hotter than the shelf temperature. For example if I want a shelf temperature of 225*, I have to set the controller at 235*.

I haven't had any problem with stablizing the temperature nor temperature control so far. (knock on wood) Mine averages 3* over the set point and 4* - 5* under the set point. In other words if I have the set point at 225*, it will shut off at 225*, go up to 228* ... then drop back to 220* - 221* and start back up to 225*

So far .... I haven't had any massive temperature swings at startup (knock on wood) My temperature swing was never more than 15* over and 20* under the set point on the frist run when starting up and stablizing within 30 minutes or less upon start up .... I tried Bear's startup advice and found it to work great and my Smoker now stablizes in 15 minutes and less.

Wow 15 minutes? That's crazy. Mine takes forever. I really need to get an iGrill with charts to nail down the swings and have proper data.

dvuong · Jul 21, 2015

Do you guys ever find that the smoker has stabilized and then when you put the meat in, the temperature drops and never comes back?

bmaddox · Jul 21, 2015

dvuong said:
Do you guys ever find that the smoker has stabilized and then when you put the meat in, the temperature drops and never comes back?

Never comes back up? The temp will drop due to the door being opened and the cold mass of the meat wanting to pull the temp down but the smoker should be able to overcome those items in a relatively short time.

Bearcarver · Jul 21, 2015

mummel said:
Mine is +- 15F. Other guys here are getting +-2-5F. It seems to do the job within my range. My only complaint is the massive temp swings at startup where my MES overruns by 75F. It takes about 2 hours to stabilize to 225F unless you micromanage it.
Wow 15 minutes? That's crazy. Mine takes forever. I really need to get an iGrill with charts to nail down the swings and have proper data.

Yours must be an exception to the rule. 75° over-run is ridiculous!!!

If I leave mine completely alone, it won't over-run more than 20°, even with a straight run start-up from 60° to 270° non-stop.

Have you tried a real good cleaning on & around the Temp sensor on your back wall??

Bear

brickguy221 · Jul 21, 2015

dvuong said:
Do you guys ever find that the smoker has stabilized and then when you put the meat in, the temperature drops and never comes back?

On my old Gen 2.0 on the controller temperature, yes but on shelf temperature no.

It may have had to do with where the meat was placed, I don't know. In other words, if smoking ribs for example, I use a rib rack and one shelf placing the rack on the 3rd shelf down from the top and this is more close to the thermocouple than the 2nd shelf would be.

five string · Jul 21, 2015

My experience with the 2.5 MES BT is that it takes my unit about 15 - 18 minutes to run up to 225 or 230 from ambient. I put my meat in at that point because opening the door and placing the AMNPS will lower any over-run on temp. It comes back up to within 2 - 3 degrees of my set temp very quickly for the balance of my cooking time. Recovery is quick from any door opening, like removing meat to wrap in foil (I close the door and latch it while that process is being done).

FWIW - the Bluetooth feature is very good. It's much easier to set (and reset) temps and times with a simple scroll and touch, check meat temp on the MES probe, or control other functions like OFF/ON and the light. I give this feature a

.

Five String

dvuong · Jul 21, 2015

Is there a consensus on where it's best to buy the 2.5 from? Cabela's or Sam's? I don't think Bass Pro sells it in the 40".

Anyone have a Sam's membership they want to share with me? :) JUST KIDDING

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