Electric smokers

cansmoke

Smoking Fanatic

Original poster

Jul 21, 2012

679

951

Hamilton, Ontario

• Mar 15, 2016

• #1

I am looking into an electric smokers.  The brands I have seen that seem to be favoured are Bradley and MasterBuilt.

Suggestions?  I am open to other brands, presuming I can buy them in Canada.  That tends to be part of my challenge.

 

tom02

Fire Starter

Mar 31, 2015

63

22

pa

• Mar 15, 2016

• #2

I just bought a masterbuilt 40inch last weekend and so far i love it. I read some reviews on here some good some bad so i took my chances. So far the bluetooth works great and the meat probe thst is built in is 3 degrees from my maverick probe..

 

GaryHibbert

Epic Pitmaster

OTBS Member

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Jun 20, 2013

10,099

3,751

Drayton Valley, AB, Canada (Heavy Duty Oilpatch co

• Mar 15, 2016

• #3

I have a Masterbuilt.  A MES 30 Gen 1.  I love it!!  The only things I'm not crazy are:  very little bark compared to a wood or charcoal burner, and there are way to few racks come with it, and as with most smokers the temp readings are way off.  After getting a replacement for the meat temp probe (fail), I just disconnected it and got a remote digital probe therm.  Amazon.ca is a good place to look--generally includes free shipping and is in Cdn $.  As for the Bradley, you'll have to get some input from someone else.

Gary

 

chef jimmyj

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

OTBS Member

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May 12, 2011

22,172

7,150

• Mar 15, 2016

• #4

Bradleys work about as well as any Electric at the same price point. The down side is having to use their propietary Pucks to make smoke. The system is designed to dump the puck every 20 minutes. The cost can add up on a 15-20 hour Pork Butt smoke, compared to Chips or Chunks in other electric smokers. The most common option is to modify an electric by adding a Pellet Smoke Generator, like from A-MAZE-N which reduces them all to Electric Ovens and one is pretty much as good as the next. The Bradley allows the 500W coil to heat to 160°C, good for one step crispy skin Chicken. Where Masterbuilts 1200W coil has a 135°C max temp. It has trouble crisping chicken skin so fininishing on a grill or in an oven is needed. Upside is the bigger coil is more energy efficient in the MES...JJ

 

ristau5741

Smoking Fanatic

Nov 14, 2013

312

70

• Mar 15, 2016

• #5

Bunch of years ago I got one of those vertical electric smokers from the big box store, my first smoke scorched the outdoor electric outlet, never used it again fear of electrical fire on the house.  On the other side, old friend swore by it, hooked it up do his generator, and let it do its thing for the day while he was out and about town.  gas runs out, smoker turns off. hard to overcook that way.

 

25xt

Newbie

Mar 18, 2016

2

10

• Mar 18, 2016

• #6

Is there a way to tell a Gen 1 from another Gen? Thanks!

 

chef jimmyj

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

OTBS Member

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May 12, 2011

22,172

7,150

• Mar 19, 2016

• #7

Model Numbers ending in 10 or 11 are Gen 1 models. Like 20070910, 20070311 and 20070411...JJ

 

smally

Newbie

Jul 20, 2012

12

10

South Central PA

• Mar 28, 2016

• #8

The MES 30 and MES 40 are very popular, and work very well. I use a 30 a lot, and have many friends that use 40's all the time. Of course I will admit I would go with the MES 40 now, the extra space is nice. Like others have said, they don't make a great bark. I use a tube smoker filled with pellets as the smoke source, so no need to constantly add wood chips. As easy as it gets, I do overnight smokes quite often, and like the set it and forget it method.

 

chef jimmyj

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

OTBS Member

SMF Premier Member

★ Lifetime Premier ★

May 12, 2011

22,172

7,150

• Mar 29, 2016

• #9

What don't make Great Bark??? 

 Two MES40's since 2011 and 2013. No water in the water pan and 225-250°F...JJ

Smoked in the Pan...

2013-02-02 19.38.48.jpg

• chef jimmyj
• Feb 3, 2013

Smoked on the Rack with Drip Pan...

0310131831a.jpg

• chef jimmyj
• Mar 11, 2013

2013-02-02 15.03.28.jpg

• chef jimmyj
• Feb 3, 2013

 

Last edited: Mar 29, 2016