Good Deal?? or Good Deal !!

[ausome]

I was in the market to replace my MES 30" 1st Gen after the heating element went out.  I found this one on Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B007ZTN01K/tbes-20  I also found this one at Lowes, which is on sale right now (http://www.lowes.com/pd_673793-5835...UserSearch=smoker+20077915&productId=50408344).  I also found two other different models...ALL were pretty much identical as far as I could see.  So, I called Masterbuilt to ask them what was different among the various ones.  Answer was pretty much nothing of great substance.  I asked the girl which of the four she would recommend if she were buying...and she said the first one I listed the link to above.  I asked why, if these were pretty much the same, should I pay almost $150 more for that than the one at Lowes.  She laughed and said...what if she could offer me a good deal...and I think she did.  I got the 20070312 (first link) (brand new, not a second or a scratch and sell) for $189, but this included the following:  a Masterbuilt CD (not sure how much use this is yet), a cover (around a $39 item on Amazon), a sausage hanger, a rib rack, a chicken rack and rubber gloves.  AND, to top it off, I found out MasterBuilt was in Columbus GA (less than an hour drive for me), so I was able to save the $30 or so delivery charge to boot.  

Anyway, if you are in the market for a 30" MES smoker, you might want to call the company and see if they can make you a similar deal.  I paid around $25 less than the sale priced one at Lowes, but got the cover and accessories in addition at no additional cost.  

 

[chef jimmyj]

I wish you the best of luck with that unit. That is the now Infamous Gen 2 MES. Masterbuilt has made a few that work with minimal issue but the design is problematic, side exhaust, crappy door hinges, uneven heating, and they spent a fortune on warranty repairs as the electronics failed frequently. They will not work with an AMNPS inside the unit. For Cold/Cool smoking or avoiding refilling the chip tray every 30 minutes, you need an A-MAZE-N Tube, a Mail Box Mod with an AMNPS or Masterbuilt's Cold Smoke Accessory. The one from Lowes is a Gen 2 that was redesigned with most of the above issues repaired...JJ

 

[brickguy221]

 
I wish you the best of luck with that unit. That is the now Infamous Gen 2 MES. Masterbuilt has made a few that work with minimal issue but the design is problematic, side exhaust, crappy door hinges, uneven heating, and they spent a fortune on warranty repairs as the electronics failed frequently. They will not work with an AMNPS inside the unit. For Cold/Cool smoking or avoiding refilling the chip tray every 30 minutes, you need an A-MAZE-N Tube, a Mail Box Mod with an AMNPS or Masterbuilt's Cold Smoke Accessory. The one from Lowes is a Gen 2 that was redesigned with most of the above issues repaired...JJ

All parts are replaceable in the one at Lowes as well as the redesigned 40" ones, just like they are replaceable in the new Bluetooth 2.5. The model no for the redesigned 40" one is 20075315.

I don't think the redesigned 30" and 40" ones are being made anymore, but I could be wrong there. 

 

[ausome]

 
I wish you the best of luck with that unit. That is the now Infamous Gen 2 MES. Masterbuilt has made a few that work with minimal issue but the design is problematic, side exhaust, crappy door hinges, uneven heating, and they spent a fortune on warranty repairs as the electronics failed frequently. They will not work with an AMNPS inside the unit. For Cold/Cool smoking or avoiding refilling the chip tray every 30 minutes, you need an A-MAZE-N Tube, a Mail Box Mod with an AMNPS or Masterbuilt's Cold Smoke Accessory. The one from Lowes is a Gen 2 that was redesigned with most of the above issues repaired...JJ

Wow...if this is even halfway true, I am sorely pissed.  I had called Masterbuilt to ask their tech people to help me wade through several models that all appeared to be largely identical...and the girl I spoke to, pretty much told me to forget the other models...the 20070312 model was the one to get...and "oh, by the way, we can get you a great deal on it."  I have shared your post (not name, just the details) with her and have asked for her to respond and defend her having "pushed" that model.  I will post her response if I get one.  Can Masterbuilt be that underhanded and unprofessional/disreputable??  Sure hope that is not the case.

 

[daveomak]

The gen 1 is a dependable smoker.......

 

[mummel]

 
Wow...if this is even halfway true, I am sorely pissed.  I had called Masterbuilt to ask their tech people to help me wade through several models that all appeared to be largely identical...and the girl I spoke to, pretty much told me to forget the other models...the 20070312 model was the one to get...and "oh, by the way, we can get you a great deal on it."  I have shared your post (not name, just the details) with her and have asked for her to respond and defend her having "pushed" that model.  I will post her response if I get one.  Can Masterbuilt be that underhanded and unprofessional/disreputable??  Sure hope that is not the case.

Good luck trying to get an email response.....

 

[hank2000]

I have emailed them several times and have always got a response from them. Of course it's always been about replacement parts. And I know that is not the same as what u are talking about. Now it did take a few days in some cases to hear back from a them.

 

[chef jimmyj]

 
Wow...if this is even halfway true, I am sorely pissed.  I had called Masterbuilt to ask their tech people to help me wade through several models that all appeared to be largely identical...and the girl I spoke to, pretty much told me to forget the other models...the 20070312 model was the one to get...and "oh, by the way, we can get you a great deal on it."  I have shared your post (not name, just the details) with her and have asked for her to respond and defend her having "pushed" that model.  I will post her response if I get one.  Can Masterbuilt be that underhanded and unprofessional/disreputable??  Sure hope that is not the case.

Sorry to say but it is true. Here is the side by side extensive testing of the Gen1 and your Gen2. The post is on the 40 inch models but the 30's are the same... http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/133955/2012-mes-40-vs-old-model-mes-40 There are many more posts on Gen2 problems.

Masterbuilt did give you a deal, but although I don't think they were out to screw you, they do have a lot of the gen2 around and it is good bizness to move them. There may be no serious issues with your's, see Todd's Door Mod and Smoke Stack Elbow Mod, and Masterbuilt ALWAYS makes good on repair issues, like the electronics failures. You can expect 20°+ differences between Set Point and actual, but 50°+ is a problem and run away, uncontrolable temps were common. The guys that got good ones are happy, your's maybe new but refurbished, electronics, etc. and you may be satisfied as well...JJ

 

[daricksta]

 
Wow...if this is even halfway true, I am sorely pissed.  I had called Masterbuilt to ask their tech people to help me wade through several models that all appeared to be largely identical...and the girl I spoke to, pretty much told me to forget the other models...the 20070312 model was the one to get...and "oh, by the way, we can get you a great deal on it."  I have shared your post (not name, just the details) with her and have asked for her to respond and defend her having "pushed" that model.  I will post her response if I get one.  Can Masterbuilt be that underhanded and unprofessional/disreputable??  Sure hope that is not the case.

I have the same MES 30 Gen 1 you had. Masterbuilt is now marketing it with a redesigned top controller, otherwise it's the same smoker.

http://www.masterbuilt.com/30-inch-electric-digital-smokehouse-black-top-control.html

You may be able to find it at some big box stores. My local Tractor Supply Store has it in stock.

 

[old sarge]

 
 AND, to top it off, I found out MasterBuilt was in Columbus GA (less than an hour drive for me), so I was able to save the $30 or so delivery charge to boot.  

Less than an hour away I would box it up, return it and get the model 1 and see what kind of a super deal is available on a Model 1, if you still want to go with Masterbuilt.