MES 40 arrived banged up- will this cause issues?

[SquattingHen]

Hello. I ordered the MES40” Bluetooth smoker from Sams the other day and everything inside the smoker wasn’t secure and must have been banging around.

It’s pretty disappointing buying a new unit and having it arrive like this. I put it together and the racks too don’t sit flat, almost like they are bent a bit, but I am not sure if that is normal.

Sams online is sold out and I don’t have a vehicle big enough to try and exchange at a store that might have stock.

I reached out to Masterbuilt, sent pictures and received a reply two days later.

No apology in the reply. Just said the damage would not affect the smoker and it should still work as intended.

What do you all think? Yeah, visibly it’s awful, but I guess if there is nothing besides that to worry about, I will just keep it. Otherwise I would have to rent a truck to try and exchange it.

 

[SonnyE]

I think you should get a new one.
You paid for a new one, not a scratch and dent model.
How you go about it I'm not sure. Contact Sam's Club.
Here, they are always glad to make the cuss-tumor happy.
I would not accept it if it were me.
And if I was closer, I'd haul it and you back to Sam's.

 

[SquattingHen]

Thanks. Yeah, that’s how I felt too. I called Sams and they said I would need to box it back up and they could have UPS/FedEx pick it up, but could only do a return because it’s out of stock.

I guess I could work on trying to take it back to a store if they have one in stock for exchange.

Quite frustrating. I also somewhat expected a bit more from Masterbuilt customer service, but this was my first time dealing with them.

Thanks again.

 

[gmc2003]

I'd be PO'd if that was me. You paid for a brand new unit and received something that's damaged. Their customer service from what I've read is usually pretty good, but not by the response you were given. Granted it will probably still work just fine, but that's not what you paid good money for. If it were me I keep hounding them or send it back. Think about it, if you paid full price for a car - would you accept it with a bunch of dents already in it.

Chris

 

[tropics]

You would be best to take it back.Tie it to the top of your car or find a friend with a 4 door car,box it lay it on the back seat. JMHO
Richie

 

[SonnyE]

First impressions are quite important.
They, or Sam's, or the carrier that destroyed your new smoker, owe you a new, UNDAMAGED, smoker.
If there aren't any in stock, what about a different source (Home Depot, Lowe's, Tractor Supply, etc.)?
Or a different brand entirely?

The shelves should work well. If they do not, the entire smoker may be bent. Which could be a problem down the road for leakage.
From the pictures, it has obviously been damaged in transit.
NOT your fault.

 

[SquattingHen]

I'd be PO'd if that was me. You paid for a brand new unit and received something that's damaged. Their customer service from what I've read is usually pretty good, but not by the response you were given. Granted it will probably still work just fine, but that's not what you paid good money for. If it were me I keep hounding them or send it back. Think about it, if you paid full price for a car - would you accept it with a bunch of dents already in it.

Chris

I was and am upset about it. I am somewhat concerned that if I do exchange it, the new one will have the same issue. Highly doubtful, but you never know. I think I will try to exchange it then. I wanted to initially, and with Sams, I should be able to take it back, fully assembled, no box needed. I really wanted to see what Masterbuilt would say, but that didn't go anywhere.

 

[gmc2003]

If you exchange at it Sam's or any store, open it up before you leave the store. Give it a good once over to make sure it's not a unit somebody else returned, or was packed up by the same fool who packed up the first one.

Chris

 

[fivetricks]

That unit is pretty widely available. I'd return the item and get it elsewhere.

 

[SquattingHen]

If you exchange at it Sam's or any store, open it up before you leave the store. Give it a good once over to make sure it's not a unit somebody else returned, or was packed up by the same fool who packed up the first one.

Chris

I might try that. I know you guys are aware, but man, this thing is big. I had to cut the box down the side to slide it out. Guess I will bring a box cutter with me to Sams. Ha.

 

[gmc2003]

That's what I did when I bought my WSM at Lowe's. Better safe then sorry, and I didn't want to make two trips.

Chris

 

[chopsaw]

Go thru the motions to get it replaced , and put it behind you . Could be it was packed bad from the start , but more than likely was a return . Like said , I un box at the store to check stuff out , and they can throw the trash away .
Get it done so we can see a first smoke this weekend . Enjoy .

 

[SquattingHen]

Thanks everyone. I guess that will be my plan for this weekend. I will try to find or rent a truck and exchange it. Wanted to make sure I wasn't making a bigger deal about it then it was. Of course I wasn't happy about it, but I see now that I wouldn't be the only one.

 

[fivetricks]

if it was a wood or charcoal burning smoker and didn't leak, I wouldn't be as worried about it. But with it being electric you never know what components may have been damaged even if they don't seem so at first.

Ditch it and get rid of it.

 

[SonnyE]

Thanks everyone. I guess that will be my plan for this weekend. I will try to find or rent a truck and exchange it. Wanted to make sure I wasn't making a bigger deal about it then it was. Of course I wasn't happy about it, but I see now that I wouldn't be the only one.

Make sure it is secured well in the truck.
You are not making any deal out of it. It should be right.
And don't worry about the box. If you can, after it is loaded on the truck, just put the box around it.
Then get Sam's to off-load the thang.
You are most likely spending more than you saved to try and get it right.
Darn it!
Maybe you could pre-arrange it so they have one there for you to make it a 1 trip fix? ;)

 

[SquattingHen]

Once I received the reply from Masterbuilt, ie, smoker should be fine, I replied back stating that the reply was highly surprising and extremely disappointing. That I have numerous choices and for one of their smokers to arrive in this conditions, with dents, scratches and divots, and nothing to be done about it, is unacceptable.

Then, upset I created this thread to get everyone's opinion. Thanks everyone again.

Masterbuilt just sent a response. Stating that I can email the returns department with pictures and proof of purchase and they could get a claim started for a new body.

Anyone have experience with this? Is it usually a quick turn around? I assume I am not responsible to pay to ship the damaged one back....I have the box, but I did cut it open, down two edges to get the smoker out.

Sams is the quickest option, as I could find one this weekend, but I would have to rent a truck and spend a bit of time.

 

[PAS]

Dont blame Masterbuit for the Sams problem. I recently bought two MES 230g smokers from Lowe's and was impressed how well they were packaged. Nothing could move in that box, everything was wrapped, boxed and zip tied down tightly and it actually was an ordeal to unpack the parts.
You got a previously opened package from Sam's!

 

[hillbillyrkstr]

I’d be upset as well. My first mes 40 had a few dents in it from the shelves moving around while on shipment. I also had a bad ding in the corner when the box was smashed. While it’s upsetting I didn’t want to go through the trouble of taking it back. Worked just fine.

If you bought it the other day was it on a holiday sale at sams? If so and they are out of stock and will only refund you you might not get it for the price you paid somewhere else. Just something to think about.

I hope you get everything resolved with no more headaches. My experience with masterbuilt customer service in the past has been good. But I’ve also come to realize after owning 2 mes 40s they are cheaply made. I feel they are over priced for what they are. Luckily I purchased both of mine on amazon deal of the day sales and paid a far cheaper price. But even at those prices they really are over priced imho.

Scott

 

[SquattingHen]

Dont blame Masterbuit for the Sams problem. I recently bought two MES 230g smokers from Lowe's and was impressed how well they were packaged. Nothing could move in that box, everything was wrapped, boxed and zip tied down tightly and it actually was an ordeal to unpack the parts.
You got a previously opened package from Sam's!

I don't know....all the cardboard boxes were still sealed, and things were zip tied, but the foam padding was loose and it didn't look like it was previously opened. Just a tangled mess. Who knows, maybe it fell off a lift or something. But the items inside were not secure, and there was inadequate padding. It had to have been knocked around a bit for things to have banged up the side so much.

 

[SquattingHen]

I’d be upset as well. My first mes 40 had a few dents in it from the shelves moving around while on shipment. I also had a bad ding in the corner when the box was smashed. While it’s upsetting I didn’t want to go through the trouble of taking it back. Worked just fine.

If you bought it the other day was it on a holiday sale at sams? If so and they are out of stock and will only refund you you might not get it for the price you paid somewhere else. Just something to think about.

I hope you get everything resolved with no more headaches. My experience with masterbuilt customer service in the past has been good. But I’ve also come to realize after owning 2 mes 40s they are cheaply made. I feel they are over priced for what they are. Luckily I purchased both of mine on amazon deal of the day sales and paid a far cheaper price. But even at those prices they really are over priced imho.

Scott

Yep, it was on sale, and now out of stock online. So I was only offered a refund, which couldn't cover the price of a new unit currently. Which is why I was wanting to exchange it. Masterbuilt just offered a return process, but I am not sure how that works or how quick of a turnaround that is.

Going to check on that process, but might just have to figure out a Sams in store exchange.