Masterbuilt Smokers (Bear’s Thoughts & Findings)

Bearcarver · May 21, 2016

REMSR said:
Darn! I should have just ask you hoe many racks were in yours. I could be real interested in one with a window but it has to be a 2.5 gen. 40" with 6 racks. I can't find one with a window and 6 racks. And there are at l

Here's mine:

The last one in the Pics on post #1, with the orange strap over it is my Gen 2.5.

You can see the 6 rack brackets:

MES Generation Number Recognition Pictures & Pics (Digital Units)

Bear

remsr · May 22, 2016

We have Cabela's, Sam's Club, Home Depot, Manards, Fleet Farm, Gander Mountian, Low's, Costco, Gertens, Dicks, and a few more that are within a mile of me Cabella, Home Depot and Dicks are all across the street. The others are no more than a mile away. But no Basd Pro that I know of.

Bearcarver · May 22, 2016

REMSR said:
We have Cabela's, Sam's Club, Home Depot, Manards, Fleet Farm, Gander Mountian, Low's, Costco, Gertens, Dicks, and a few more that are within a mile of me Cabella, Home Depot and Dicks are all across the street. The others are no more than a mile away. But no Basd Pro that I know of.

Wow!!!

That's a lot of big stores within one mile!!!!

You should be able to find the one you want.

Bear

jgmankos · May 24, 2016

Thanks alot for this Bearcarver. I've been searching for an electric and I found all the variations of the MES smokers a tad confusing to say the least. Sam's Club has a deal on the MES 40 Bluetooth model for $329 right now so I'm gonna grab me one of those!

mummel · May 24, 2016

jgmankos said:
Thanks alot for this Bearcarver. I've been searching for an electric and I found all the variations of the MES smokers a tad confusing to say the least. Sam's Club has a deal on the MES 40 Bluetooth model for $329 right now so I'm gonna grab me one of those!

Great deal. Get the extended warranty for $30.

Bearcarver · May 24, 2016

jgmankos said:
Thanks alot for this Bearcarver. I've been searching for an electric and I found all the variations of the MES smokers a tad confusing to say the least. Sam's Club has a deal on the MES 40 Bluetooth model for $329 right now so I'm gonna grab me one of those!

That's Great !!!

You'll love it !

Once you get it seasoned, check my Step by Steps Index:

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

And Thanks for the Points!!

Bear

link · May 24, 2016

Yes, follow Bears steps and you will not go wrong. I use them all of the time there are so many to choose from.

And Congrats on the new smoker!

Link

Bearcarver · May 24, 2016

link said:
Yes, follow Bears steps and you will not go wrong. I use them all of the time there are so many to choose from.

And Congrats on the new smoker!

Link

Thank You Link !!!

You just made my Day!!

Bear

coconuts · May 29, 2016

Hey Bear,

Bought another Gen 1 40" all Stainless Steel with Window back on August 14, 2015 and after only 3 - 4 smokes it waaay overheated today. I think it went up to 800-1000 degrees as it burned up the aluminum foil that I had wrapped the smoking box with. It got so hot that it melted the plastic trim off the bottom of the exterior door. Can't believe the limit switch failed! So lucky I went outside to check on it as it was right up against the house. The exterior was smoking and it was so hot smoke was coming out from under the top controller as well. Feel very fortunate I didn't catch the house on fire. I'm losing confidence in Masterbuilt's safety and quality control. I bought it at Walmart.com and luckily purchased the extended warranty again so I will not be out anything but the cost of the warranty.

Coconuts

Bearcarver · May 29, 2016

Coconuts said:
Hey Bear,

Bought another Gen 1 40" all Stainless Steel with Window back on August 14, 2015 and after only 3 - 4 smokes it waaay overheated today. I think it went up to 800-1000 degrees as it burned up the aluminum foil that I had wrapped the smoking box with. It got so hot that it melted the plastic trim off the bottom of the exterior door. Can't believe the limit switch failed! So lucky I went outside to check on it as it was right up against the house. The exterior was smoking and it was so hot smoke was coming out from under the top controller as well. Feel very fortunate I didn't catch the house on fire. I'm losing confidence in Masterbuilt's safety and quality control. I bought it at Walmart.com and luckily purchased the extended warranty again so I will not be out anything but the cost of the warranty.

Coconuts

Wow!! Thank God your house didn't catch!!!!

I don't like to hear that !! Which Generation was it?

Do you keep the Limit switch sensor & the heat sensor clean? Maybe it's all gunned up & the heat didn't get to it.

Maybe the controller went bad too.

I would call Masterbuilt, and tell them what happened. Maybe they'd want to look into what caused it for future safety.

Things like that are why I would never leave the house or go to bed while any smoker is going on my front porch.

Bear

coconuts · May 29, 2016

It is a Gen 1 40" all Stainless Exterior. I always clean the probe and limit on inside back panel after every smoke. It was acting strange as I was setting it it would just quit. Had to try half a dozen times just to set it. If I pressed the temp probe button on the remote it would shut down. Then couldn't set it with the remote. Thing just went wacko.

remsr · May 30, 2016

That is the beauty of wi-fi and remote probes that sound an alarm if I am sleeping. But I am limited to 300 feet. These stories is why I am considering a IQ 120 or 130 by Pitmaster for my WSM 22.5" no chance of temps that high in a WSM.

Bearcarver · May 30, 2016

Coconuts said:
It is a Gen 1 40" all Stainless Exterior. I always clean the probe and limit on inside back panel after every smoke. It was acting strange as I was setting it it would just quit. Had to try half a dozen times just to set it. If I pressed the temp probe button on the remote it would shut down. Then couldn't set it with the remote. Thing just went wacko.

One thing I know with my Gen #1------If you're going to use the Remote, you have to turn it on & set it with the remote, and keep using the Remote.

If you start it with the control panel on the smoker, keep using the control panel.

However, Going to 800° or 1000° sounds like a bad controller.

Bear

Bearcarver · May 31, 2016

REMSR said:
That is the beauty of wi-fi and remote probes that sound an alarm if I am sleeping. But I am limited to 300 feet. These stories is why I am considering a IQ 120 or 130 by Pitmaster for my WSM 22.5" no chance of temps that high in a WSM.

Not much chance of it happening with the MES control either.

This was the third time I heard of it in 7 years.

Bear

bklynboy88 · May 31, 2016

I'm looking for a new door for an MES 40 inch digital. I know many of these were decommissioned and there should be plenty of parts floating around so I was wondering if anyone saved a door (maybe even with hinges and latch) and would be willing to sell it? They are kind of pricey new.

Thanks for the treatise on MES Generations...

remsr · May 31, 2016

There should be none in 7 years if I were the CEO of Masterbuilt I would have back up features installed that would cut the power to the heating element at 375 degrees That would have to be reactivated by a reset button.
I say 375 because it seems normal to hit 300 degrees or better when I set the controller for 275 I wouldn't want to hit the reset button every time that happened which is every time I pre heat.
something is seriously wrong that could cause serious damage or even death so maybe we should all be at least causious until the problem is resolved.
Randy,

Bearcarver · Jun 1, 2016

REMSR said:
There should be none in 7 years if I were the CEO of Masterbuilt I would have back up features installed that would cut the power to the heating element at 375 degrees That would have to be reactivated by a reset button.
I say 375 because it seems normal to hit 300 degrees or better when I set the controller for 275 I wouldn't want to hit the reset button every time that happened which is every time I pre heat.
something is seriously wrong that could cause serious damage or even death so maybe we should all be at least causious until the problem is resolved.
Randy,

Exactly!!

They do have the limit switch, but I don't know what that is set to. I'm sure it could only get to 800° if there is a problem with the limit switch too.

Any time the element is still on, and the Digital read-out is reading above 275° in an MES there is a problem.

And as far as being cautious-----That's why I wouldn't go away or go to bed, or ignore it completely at any time, day or night. However since I use mine on the front porch of my ALL wood Log House, I would be at least this cautious with any smoker I would use there.

Bear

remsr · Jun 1, 2016

That works for me, I'm still thinking about another 40" with a glass door.
Randy,

backpacker048 · Jun 14, 2016

Hi Bear,

I was told that you had posted a lot of information on the Amazen AMNTS/AMNPS devices, but I wasn't able to find it. Do you have a special post or are the tips mixed in with your recipes?

Thanks,

Backpacker

Bearcarver · Jun 14, 2016

REMSR said:
That works for me, I'm still thinking about another 40" with a glass door.
Randy,

Get a Gen #1 or a Gen #2.5, with a window, and you'll never regret it, Randy.

Bear

Backpacker048 said:
Hi Bear,

I was told that you had posted a lot of information on the Amazen AMNTS/AMNPS devices, but I wasn't able to find it. Do you have a special post or are the tips mixed in with your recipes?

Thanks,

Backpacker

Hi BP,

I don't have an actual thread on Amazings---Just comments all over the forum.

If you want, just PM me with all the questions you want.

Bear

Masterbuilt Smokers (Bear’s Thoughts & Findings)

Gone but not forgotten RIP

Smoking Fanatic

Gone but not forgotten RIP

Newbie

Master of the Pit

Gone but not forgotten RIP

Smoking Fanatic

Gone but not forgotten RIP

Newbie

Gone but not forgotten RIP

Newbie

Smoking Fanatic

Gone but not forgotten RIP

Gone but not forgotten RIP

Newbie

Smoking Fanatic

Gone but not forgotten RIP

Smoking Fanatic

Smoke Blower

Gone but not forgotten RIP

Similar threads

Hot Threads

Featured Blackened Rockfish...