MES 40 with Remote (Christmas Present)

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
I am buying a mes 40 on Saturday anything I should know
See what Bill (below) said. That pretty much covers it. Try to find a Gen #1 MES 40, and avoid the Gen #2.

The good one (Gen #1) has the controls in a little slanted box that attaches the the middle back of the top.

The one to avoid has the controls built into the top front edge.

Bear
 
Hello,

my advice, don't buy the mes generation 2, if you can your hands on a Gen1 go for it. I had FIVE Gen 2's. Each one had problems from failing the seasoning process (2 failed) to temperatures being as much as 40 degrees too low, to leaking doors etc. Masterbuilt keeps putting bandages on these units, sending out replacement parts but won't address the problems and fix them. Can't successfully use an AMNPS in this model the air currents are all screwed up (just ask Todd at Amazing products). I finally got MES to take back the "512" model and send me a "311" 40". Amazon might still have the Gen 1 40". do yourself a favor avoid the Gen 2.

Bill
Good advice.

Bear
 
I was going to get one from SAMs 299.99
I think it is gen 2
Would it be all right for smoking every know and then
I would stay away from Gen #2 entirely.

I would find a Gen #1, or wait for a Gen #3.

Bear
 
I went through the same thought process as you and "almost" bought a MES Gen #2. However after reading this thread and others have moved on from the MES.

From what MB has told me via email, there are no plans for a Gen3 any time soon.

This is what I have been told:

The main problem which we are correcting is a temperature variance of 20+ degrees between the meat probe and the smoker. We are making some modifications to the unit to address these issues and will have a new smoker come out at the end of this year or beginning of next year. If you were interested in one of our older generation 40 inch units (the 20070211, 20070311), we have not experienced any problems with these smokers.

This email was from 1/16/2014. So even if changes come, it doesn't appear to me that they are going to address the main issues of the Gen #2.

As I mentioned, I have moved on and am currently researching and planning on buying a Smoken-It #3.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Gregg
 
The main problem that I am concerned about is with the heat fluctuation of the smoker, not the probe fluctuations that they are trying to fix.

While not necessarily defects, the following are things that moved me away from the MES: hinges not well built, small wood chip tray that only allows chips, side vs top vent, glass window to try to keep clean, the tiny drip tray, etc.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying it is as bad as some here have found it to be and for some it will and has worked great. Also, to be clear I do not have direct experience as I do not own one. I just know what I have read here and in Amazon reviews. I am just saying that for me I originally started down this road and have decided for a little more money the Smoken-It seems like a better option for me even though it is still an electric that has temp swings like most do. I just think it is way better made, will last longer, and has less things that could go bad over time.
 
Like I said, either get the Gen #1, or wait for the Gen #3. I expect it to be out before very long.

Of course, any email the company would send out would deny a Gen #3 coming out.

They don't want hundreds or more people waiting for the Gen #3, and not buying their current product.

I can't say any more.

Bear
 
 
Like I said, either get the Gen #1, or wait for the Gen #3. I expect it to be out before very long.

Of course, any email the company would send out would deny a Gen #3 coming out.

They don't want hundreds or more people waiting for the Gen #3, and not buying their current product.

I can't say any more.

Bear
That's a good point that they probably wouldn't tell me the real skinny on when/if a Gen3 was coming.

All I know is what they told me. I still think that the Gen2 may work for some people and I do like some things on the Gen2 better than the Gen1. But if I were to buy a MES right now, I agree it would have to be the Gen1.
 
What do you like on Gen 2 vs Gen1? The only thing I can say is a little nicer is the controls up in the front, but if that fails you cant replace it. Gen 1 controller in the top back is replaceable and it just plugs in. Gen 1 has a light inside the unit, vs Gens 2's led light which is on the outside.If you know anything about AMNPS, you can't keep it lit in Gen 2 partly because of the side vent. I say all this from experience. I suffered through several Gen 2's with nothing but failed units. I finally got Masterbuilt to send me a Gen 1 (20070311) to replace the final Gen2 and it really is world of difference. The temperatures were within 5 degrees of my Maverick ET-732 and occasionally they were in sink, both the meat probe and the internal temperature of the smoker. I smoked a pork shoulder yesterday, used my AMNPS, got great smoke the entire smoking time and never had to relight it. The meat reached 195 degrees in 11 hours as expected for a 6 pound roast. My previous Gen 2 turned out to be 40 degrees off from where it was set. I did a shoulder in it, started it at 7:00 am thursday and by 2:00 am friday morning it was still not done. I gave up an went to bed. I finished cooking it in the oven. That was the last straw. I got hold of MES and worked out the exchange. NOW I am happy.

Smokin in Nye
 
I like the controls in the front. I like the idea of a front loaded drip tray if it would be bigger. I may be mistaken, but I think the Gen2 has a little bigger chip tray. Other than, that I don't know. Like I said, if I were to get one today it would definitely be a Gen1.

I am still researching and reading lots in the SMF as well as Smoken-It forums to try to learn and absorb as much information as I can before I make my purchase. I am very analytical and tender to really dig into these things before making a decision (sometimes maybe too much).
 
Hi NDKoze,

I am the same way as far as researching something as much as possible before buying. when is was time for a smoker. Didn't know about this forum or others. Price played a factor, new I wanted an electric smoker so I found the MES on Sam's clubs on line site. Great price, looked great etc. that was my first and it crapped out during the seasoning process so I returned it to Sam's. Next two came from Amazon, both had radical temperature problems among other things and by now I started hearing from other sources all the problems with this "new model". The companies customer service is great and will send you out parts as needed but they are not addressing the real issues, just putting bandages on the existing ones. I guess when Gen 1 came out it had some bugs too, but Masterbuilt apparently addressed them and most people agree it's a good, reliable unit. So far, after just one use, I can agee. Look in to AMNPS, referred to as a smokers best friend. (amazenproducts.com). it's kind of a set it and forget it thing. Yes the chip loader is smaller on Gen1 vs Gen2 but with the AMNPS it doesn't matter, you don't use the loader.
 
Hello.

It is a beauty, I too now have the "311" all stainless and so far I love it. Masterbuilt does make a nice metal stand for this unit. I had bought one for my Gen2 40" smoker so after they sent me the Gen1 replacement,I found the stand fits the Gen1(holes are already there). It is their MODEL: #20101213 @ $69.00. 

Best of luck.
 
 
Hello.

It is a beauty, I too now have the "311" all stainless and so far I love it. Masterbuilt does make a nice metal stand for this unit. I had bought one for my Gen2 40" smoker so after they sent me the Gen1 replacement,I found the stand fits the Gen1(holes are already there). It is their MODEL: #20101213 @ $69.00. 

Best of luck.
Cool !!!

Too late for me. I took two of my four Pressure treated 12 X 24 X 24 stands that I used to use to get my small chainsaw carvings up higher to work on.

Two of those raised my MES 40 about 24" off the floor.

Bear
 
 
 A lot of you guys have known for awhile that I was getting tired of my MES 30, because of it's size. I don't like having to cut my ribs up to smoke them. I don't like mixing up a 10 pound batch of Unstuffed Beef Sticks, and only be able to fit 7 pounds on my smoker racks. So when everybody was saying the new MES 40 wouldn't be out until January or Spring, I said I'm waiting until the end of October or November, because that's when I think the new models will be out. Then they started popping up in Sam's Clubs & Cabela's at the end of October. I was real glad I waited when I saw the new model, with the remote control, wheels, and tilting handle. I wanted one real bad! I kept calling Sam's & searching the web. Then my son called me to tell me they had them at Cabela's, but they were $399, instead of the Sam's price of $299. I called Masterbuilt to ask what the difference was between the Sam's model (#211) and the Cabela's model (#311). A very nice lady there told me, "Only the model number, they are both the same---All Stainless Steel--inside & out". I could not understand how that could be possible. Then one of the guys on the SMF bought one at Sam's & posted pictures of it being black on the outside, and my son personally saw one at Cabela's, and told me it was all Stainless. Now we knew why the difference in price. I was quite willing to get one from Sam's, saving the $100, and not getting All Stainless, but there were none anywhere within 70 miles of my home, and the Sam's main office said no new model was even on their computer system (this was after I knew somebody had already bought one at a Sam's Club in Illinois). So Cabela's it is. I hate to lay out that much money, and the sales will be coming up in December, but I'm not taking any chances of missing one and having to wait until Spring. We're going to Cabela's with nothing but a little $30 OFF coupon! While we were getting ready to go, my son called and told my wife, "Don't leave until I get there". Our son only lives about 200 yards away, down the same driveway, farther back in the woods. So we're locking up the doors & my son pulls in, walks over to me, and hands me $500. He says, "I was going to get you that new smoker for Christmas, but since you're getting one now, I want you to use this to buy it. There's a little extra there, so get something else with that". Wow!!! What a great kid!! Somebody did a Helluva Job job raising him!!!

  So we get there an hour later & buy one of the 49 brand new #311s Cabela's had in stock. The next day I cleaned up my old MES 30 (what a job!), and put it away. Yesterday I put the loose parts on the new one & tested the remote control (results below). I was going to season it yesterday, and do a bunch of tests, but it was so windy here, the tests would not have been accurate. I hope to do that today.

As you will see below the next problem I had was figuring out where to put this new smoker, but my wife was very helpful in making my decision:

Bear:   If I put it in the Living Room, I'd be close to my guns, in case somebody tries to steal my Bacon.

Mrs Bear:   NO!



Bear:   If I put it here, I can smoke while watching the game.

Mrs Bear:   NO!



Bear:   If I put it here, I can keep a close eye on the Night Smokes.

Mrs Bear:   NO!



Bear:   If I put it here, I wouldn't have to carry the stuff very far.

Mrs Bear:   NO!



Bear:   How about here, next to my Weber "Q"?

Mrs Bear:   OKay.



Bear:   Boy does she drive a hard bargain!



No bending over, thanks to my stacker boxes (using two of my set of 4).





I tested the remote from where I'm standing while taking this picture (more than 210') from my mailbox to my front porch. The smoker is on the porch, to the left of my American Flag, and the only thing between me & the smoker is the wood porch railing & pickets. I also tested it from my chair in the living room, from the Kitchen, Dining Room, both Bedrooms, The upstairs Loft, the Basement, the Garage, and even from my deck on the other side of the house. I could turn the light in the smoker "on & off" with the remote from any of those places. I would have tested it with a clear shot from 300 feet, because that is how far it's supposed to work, but you can't walk that far in any direction from my house without going into the woods, and that would not be a "clear shot". A distance of 200'+ is fine with me:



Thanks for looking,

Bear
What? You don't keep it by the jacuzzi--either your indoor or outdoor one? Now that would be luxury smoking to the max!

Are these photos you took or are they stock Masterbuilt publicity shots? Your smoker likes like you just took it out of the box and assembled it. The inside of your smoker looks untouched by both human hands and meat. By contrast the inside of my MES 30 Gen 1 is black and crusty except for where I don't want it to be that black and crusty. I clean the racks but you can still see blackened areas that can never be fully cleaned by me unless I want to put a lot more effort into it.

What I really don't like about your log home and land is that I'm not the one who owns and lives there. You have one gorgeous place there, Bear. I imagine Mrs. Bear is responsible for the interior design.
 
Last edited:
 
What? You don't keep it by the jacuzzi--either your indoor or outdoor one? Now that would be luxury smoking to the max!

Are these photos you took or are they stock Masterbuilt publicity shots? Your smoker likes like you just took it out of the box and assembled it. The inside of your smoker looks untouched by both human hands and meat. By contrast the inside of my MES 30 Gen 1 is black and crusty except for where I don't want it to be that black and crusty. I clean the racks but you can still see blackened areas that can never be fully cleaned by me unless I want to put a lot more effort into it.

What I really don't like about your log home and land is that I'm not the one who owns and lives there. You have one gorgeous place there, Bear. I imagine Mrs. Bear is responsible for the interior design.
Thank You Rick!!  I had just taken it out of the box & assembled it.

No Jacuzzi here, inside or out.

You're right, Mrs Bear did the decorating, except I made the Corner Gun Cabinet, and I designed, built, and installed our Small Kitchen. The Gun Cabinet was the first Cabinet I built when I started my Cabinet Shop, and the Kitchen was the last Kitchen I built when I shut my Shop down.

Bear
 
 
 A lot of you guys have known for awhile that I was getting tired of my MES 30, because of it's size. I don't like having to cut my ribs up to smoke them. I don't like mixing up a 10 pound batch of Unstuffed Beef Sticks, and only be able to fit 7 pounds on my smoker racks. So when everybody was saying the new MES 40 wouldn't be out until January or Spring, I said I'm waiting until the end of October or November, because that's when I think the new models will be out. Then they started popping up in Sam's Clubs & Cabela's at the end of October. I was real glad I waited when I saw the new model, with the remote control, wheels, and tilting handle. I wanted one real bad! I kept calling Sam's & searching the web. Then my son called me to tell me they had them at Cabela's, but they were $399, instead of the Sam's price of $299. I called Masterbuilt to ask what the difference was between the Sam's model (#211) and the Cabela's model (#311). A very nice lady there told me, "Only the model number, they are both the same---All Stainless Steel--inside & out". I could not understand how that could be possible. Then one of the guys on the SMF bought one at Sam's & posted pictures of it being black on the outside, and my son personally saw one at Cabela's, and told me it was all Stainless. Now we knew why the difference in price. I was quite willing to get one from Sam's, saving the $100, and not getting All Stainless, but there were none anywhere within 70 miles of my home, and the Sam's main office said no new model was even on their computer system (this was after I knew somebody had already bought one at a Sam's Club in Illinois). So Cabela's it is. I hate to lay out that much money, and the sales will be coming up in December, but I'm not taking any chances of missing one and having to wait until Spring. We're going to Cabela's with nothing but a little $30 OFF coupon! While we were getting ready to go, my son called and told my wife, "Don't leave until I get there". Our son only lives about 200 yards away, down the same driveway, farther back in the woods. So we're locking up the doors & my son pulls in, walks over to me, and hands me $500. He says, "I was going to get you that new smoker for Christmas, but since you're getting one now, I want you to use this to buy it. There's a little extra there, so get something else with that". Wow!!! What a great kid!! Somebody did a Helluva Job job raising him!!!

  So we get there an hour later & buy one of the 49 brand new #311s Cabela's had in stock. The next day I cleaned up my old MES 30 (what a job!), and put it away. Yesterday I put the loose parts on the new one & tested the remote control (results below). I was going to season it yesterday, and do a bunch of tests, but it was so windy here, the tests would not have been accurate. I hope to do that today.

As you will see below the next problem I had was figuring out where to put this new smoker, but my wife was very helpful in making my decision:

Bear:   If I put it in the Living Room, I'd be close to my guns, in case somebody tries to steal my Bacon.

Mrs Bear:   NO!



Bear:   If I put it here, I can smoke while watching the game.

Mrs Bear:   NO!



Bear:   If I put it here, I can keep a close eye on the Night Smokes.

Mrs Bear:   NO!



Bear:   If I put it here, I wouldn't have to carry the stuff very far.

Mrs Bear:   NO!



Bear:   How about here, next to my Weber "Q"?

Mrs Bear:   OKay.



Bear:   Boy does she drive a hard bargain!



No bending over, thanks to my stacker boxes (using two of my set of 4).





I tested the remote from where I'm standing while taking this picture (more than 210') from my mailbox to my front porch. The smoker is on the porch, to the left of my American Flag, and the only thing between me & the smoker is the wood porch railing & pickets. I also tested it from my chair in the living room, from the Kitchen, Dining Room, both Bedrooms, The upstairs Loft, the Basement, the Garage, and even from my deck on the other side of the house. I could turn the light in the smoker "on & off" with the remote from any of those places. I would have tested it with a clear shot from 300 feet, because that is how far it's supposed to work, but you can't walk that far in any direction from my house without going into the woods, and that would not be a "clear shot". A distance of 200'+ is fine with me:



Thanks for looking,

Bear
That is a Good kid right there! I wont let mine buy me things, I tell them buy yourself something and that will make me happier. But i would not refuse a kick ass smoker lol
 
 
Thank You Rick!!  I had just taken it out of the box & assembled it.

No Jacuzzi here, inside or out.

You're right, Mrs Bear did the decorating, except I made the Corner Gun Cabinet, and I designed, built, and installed our Small Kitchen. The Gun Cabinet was the first Cabinet I built when I started my Cabinet Shop, and the Kitchen was the last Kitchen I built when I shut my Shop down.

Bear
You are an artisan and a craftsman, sir. Showed my wife the pics and she was impressed. Her brother-in-law built his own log home years ago but it looks nothing like yours.

We don't have a log home but we have a jetted tub in the master bath!
 
Last edited:
@Bearcarver, for some reason I can't find your original post with the photos of your then-new MES 40 (but just now I recall you sent me a link to it. Doesn't matter. But I just wanted to address the different model numbers for the same smoker in different retail outlets. That's a little trick manufacturers have been using for years at the request of retailers to prevent price comparisons by shoppers. Remember that retailers like Wal-Mart will advertise they'll match or beat the price of any other retailer for the same exact product. But if Cabela's sells an MES 40 #311 for $299 and Wal-Mart sells the same smoker but designated #211 for $399, that's how they get around the price comparison because it isn't the same model number. I used to sell beds and it was the same thing. Macy's would sell a Sealy's Posterpedic queen size pillowtop mattress set for $2200 with a certain fabric design and name. My store would sell the same exact mattress set with a different fabric design and name for about $1800. Inside they were the same exact mattress and box spring construction but because the names and fabrics were different Macy's would refuse to match our mattress set prices. You also see the same thing with TVs and some other home electronics.

And I know it's an old post but you do have a great son, there. That's something else we have in common.
 
 
Thank You Rick!!  I had just taken it out of the box & assembled it.

No Jacuzzi here, inside or out.

You're right, Mrs Bear did the decorating, except I made the Corner Gun Cabinet, and I designed, built, and installed our Small Kitchen. The Gun Cabinet was the first Cabinet I built when I started my Cabinet Shop, and the Kitchen was the last Kitchen I built when I shut my Shop down.

Bear
He doesn't wanta take a chance of short circuiting Mrs. Bear's new electrical system!
 
 
You are an artisan and a craftsman, sir. Showed my wife the pics and she was impressed. Her brother-in-law built his own log home years ago but it looks nothing like yours.

We don't have a log home but we have a jetted tub in the master bath!
Thank You Rick!!

I Appreciate that.

Bear
 
@Bearcarver, for some reason I can't find your original post with the photos of your then-new MES 40 (but just now I recall you sent me a link to it. Doesn't matter. But I just wanted to address the different model numbers for the same smoker in different retail outlets. That's a little trick manufacturers have been using for years at the request of retailers to prevent price comparisons by shoppers. Remember that retailers like Wal-Mart will advertise they'll match or beat the price of any other retailer for the same exact product. But if Cabela's sells an MES 40 #311 for $299 and Wal-Mart sells the same smoker but designated #211 for $399, that's how they get around the price comparison because it isn't the same model number. I used to sell beds and it was the same thing. Macy's would sell a Sealy's Posterpedic queen size pillowtop mattress set for $2200 with a certain fabric design and name. My store would sell the same exact mattress set with a different fabric design and name for about $1800. Inside they were the same exact mattress and box spring construction but because the names and fabrics were different Macy's would refuse to match our mattress set prices. You also see the same thing with TVs and some other home electronics.

And I know it's an old post but you do have a great son, there. That's something else we have in common.
Exactly!!

Also years ago I was told that WallyWorld (Sams) orders huge amounts of particular items, but only if they can get them for a special price (Their own Model Number), and if undersize wiring had to be used to get the price down, so be it. I was told this by a Fire Inspector, who inspected my Son's Buddy's 4 car garage fire, which included 2 Cycles, a Corvette, a Back Hoe, etc, etc.

He said the fire was started at the charger that was hooked up to a Cycle, but it wasn't the Sears Charger, it was the WallMart box it was plugged into (Undersized wiring).

Since most of the MES that had the wiring problems a few years ago came from Sams, I tend to believe this.

Bear
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky