MES 30 - Model Confusion

[fishacura]

This site is terrific.  Nice people so thanks for all the great posts.

I've read enough to know that electric is for me.  I was propane all the way (since I have a 500 gallon tank heating our home) but I like the set it and forget it aspect of electric since I am new to smoking.

I've read enough to know the MES30 is right for me.  My problem now is...MODEL!  Their web site doesn't seem to show model numbers or have other info....that I can find anyway.

I'm on amazon and I think I want the 20070411  I believe this is the one that is digital, and has a window.  Can anyone confirm this is a decent starter model?  Looks to be around $200 which is fine by me for now....If I do well I can always upgrade later.  Here's the amazon page (but you'll notice there are tabs under the item price to switch between 4 different models a It just says "masterbuilt electric smoker"

 

[fishacura]

OP here.  Sorry....near as I can tell:

20700910 - Digital, no window....approx $169

20070411  - Digital with window....approx $275

Does that sound right?  The window definitely doesn't seem like a $100 option for my needs.

Also, I keep reading about people having to "finish" in the oven.  What's this all about?  As long as you can get your food up over 165 (and these can get up over 200 from what I have read) why would you need to put food in the oven?

 

[whatamess]

I wish you the best of luck if you order one from Amazon. Mine (20070910) arrived destroyed, if you haven't seen my thread from awhile ago.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/158604/my-mes-was-all-smashed-up

I am finally up and smoking and it works great with my new parts, smoked Friday, Sat and Sun with great results with a few mods I picked up on here. I got an AMNPS for it, and I did the "tile heat deflector in the hotspot" trick. Check your temps with a stand alone thermo, the built in is not accurate, mine seems to start off after an hour pre heat at 50F higher than the digital readout, and after a couple hours normalizes to about 15-20 above the display. There are some pretty drastic swings up and down, I have settled on setting at 205 to run in the area of 225 real temp +/- 20 degrees swings either way.

 

[fishacura]

That's unfortunate re: amazon. I swear by them. These things happen I suppose.

As for the swings...unless you're getting a more top-end unit, this is pretty standard with any appliance like this (ovens and the like). They get up to temp...then cycle down to 20 degrees or so below temp before the element will kick back on. Not a lot you can do to maintain a really even temp other than pay more better electronics.

 

[mneeley490]

Nothing wrong with the original, 20070910. I use it all the time, and it arrived just fine from Amazon.

 

[whatamess]

Not saying it doesn't turn out some good food everything has been good so far just my experience so far in learning how it runs if you are considering that model. Nothing new from other reviews I've read.

 

[avfordguy]

I have a MES 20071514 I got from Lowe's, $199.00 (no glass door) actual smoker temp is 30 degrees LOWER than the digital display states. I called MB and they are aware of the problem, and they are sending a "updated" temperature controller. Even with it being 30 degrees low it will hold temperature + or - 4 degrees from set temp, just you have to take into account if you have a large load of chips that start burning, then it will overshoot some ( +8 degrees.)

 

[fishacura]

Not saying it doesn't turn out some good food everything has been good so far just my experience so far in learning how it runs if you are considering that model. Nothing new from other reviews I've read.

Thx!  What's the tile heat deflector all about.  Have not seen that one in my travels on the board yet.

 

[thunder71]

I used mine (20070910) for the first time in 11* degree weather, never varied more than 5 degrees high/low, very impressed so far.

 

[whatamess]

Thx!  What's the tile heat deflector all about.  Have not seen that one in my travels on the board yet.

Search for "MES tile" you will get a bunch of threads on it. I had a bunch of old 10x10 ceramic tiles leftover in the basement, I wrapped it it foil and put it in the back right corner, supposedly stops heat from going straight up the back corner and out the vent. Going to experiment with sand in the water pan as a heat sink soon to see if I can even out the temp swings.