MES Generation Number Recognition Pictures & Info (Digital Units)

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Hi there and welcome!

They are basically the same unit.
The MB20072618 is the 40" (larger) unit.
The MB20073119 is the 30" (smaller) unit.

I would go with the larger 40" unit MB20072618. It is better to have more space and to be able to do a whole brisket or whole rack of ribs if you like with the bigger unit. I hope this info helps :)
Thank you! I appreciate the help!
 
I have a work program that would allow me to purchase with points either a MB20072618 or a MB20073119 (MES 130G)View attachment 406141 View attachment 406142 . I can't find much about the MB20073119, but it looks like a hybrid. Is one better than the other beside size wise? The MB20073119 is about 8 inches short and 4 inches narrower.



Can anybody shed light on this for me?


Like @tallbm said, I would go with the 40" unit, for the reasons he mentioned.
Your one Link doesn't work for me, but the picture your showing of the interior is of a Gen #2.5 interior (That's Good).

Bear
 
Well I'm curious about my mes...... its a 40" ss and no window with straight across digital display.
Original? Before gen1?


A picture of the Interior & one of the exterior would be of much help.
Very good chance it's a Gen #1.

Bear
 
Hi guys,

Its difficult to find these at a good price in Australia thats not online - I've read through this thread and it seems like the only way to figure out what version is to see it in person.

Is there anyway based on the model #?
Model Number
20078215
https://www.appliancesonline.com.au...078215-sportsman-elite-30-inch-digital-smoker


That link you posted takes me to a Gen #2 MES. Not Great. I can tell because there is no vent on top. This means the top vent is on the top of the left side-wall. The only Model they ever did that with was the "Early" Gen #2 units. I remember because those who got those units had trouble with backdrafting through that side vent. So then they moved that vent from the side to the top left. But that unit still has the problem with the slanted drip plate in the bottom, with the little water pan hanging from it.

Bear

Model numbers are sometimes helpful, but not always.
Their unhelpful enough that I don't trust them.
Sometimes they've put on special Model Numbers just because of which store they went to---Same unit as another model numbered unit, but at a different store.

Bear
 
That link you posted takes me to a Gen #2 MES. Not Great. I can tell because there is no vent on top. This means the top vent is on the top of the left side-wall. The only Model they ever did that with was the "Early" Gen #2 units. I remember because those who got those units had trouble with backdrafting through that side vent. So then they moved that vent from the side to the top left. But that unit still has the problem with the slanted drip plate in the bottom, with the little water pan hanging from it.

Bear

Thanks for the info.
That model came on a limited sale which saved me about $100 usd so I pulled the trigged as I dont have much choice down under anyway.

The good news is that it is a late gen 2 with the exhaust on the top left side.

Can you explain why you feel the slanted drip tray is bad? I know its regarding the temps but I read the thread and must have missed the why.
cheers
 
Thanks for the info.
That model came on a limited sale which saved me about $100 usd so I pulled the trigged as I dont have much choice down under anyway.

The good news is that it is a late gen 2 with the exhaust on the top left side.

Can you explain why you feel the slanted drip tray is bad? I know its regarding the temps but I read the thread and must have missed the why.
cheers


If your top vent is on the top left, instead of the top right or the left "side", that is Great !!

Slanted Drip Plate:
The slanted drip plate traps too much of the heat under it. Then the heat rises to the drip plate & moves uphill to the right, and eventually escapes around the front & back of the drip plate, and rises up the right side, instead of up through the whole width of the smoker.
This causes the right side of the Smoker to be hotter than the left.

Bear
 
New to MES world is this much white smoke normal when first putting in chip each time?
 

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New to MES world is this much white smoke normal when first putting in chip each time?
There are also times that it is so thick I cant even see the grates. After a 15 minutes it does calm down to seam like nothing is going on but then I can just see TBS.
 
There are also times that it is so thick I cant even see the grates. After a 15 minutes it does calm down to seam like nothing is going on but then I can just see TBS.


In my opinion the amount of smoke I can see through your door window is right at the Max.
Any more than that is Too Much. If you're getting times where you can't see the grates, that's too much:
Light smoke for many hours is a Good thing.
Heavy smoke for even a short time can be a Bad Thing.
I would recommend and Amazing Smoker (Tray for at Low Altitudes) and (Tube for High Altitudes).

An MES matched with an AMNPS is a Thing of Beauty, and a Match made in Smoker's Heaven.

Bear
 
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In my opinion the amount of smoke I can see through your door window is right at the Max.
Any more than that is Too Much. If you're getting times where you can't see the grates, that's too much:
Light smoke for many hours is a Good thing.
Heavy smoke for even a short time can be a Bad Thing.
I would recommend and Amazing Smoker (Tray for at Low Altitudes) and (Tube for High Altitudes).

An MES matched with an AMNPS is a Thing of Beauty, and a Match made in Smoker's Heaven.

Bear
I do have one but I cant seam to keep the thing going. After about 5-10 minutes it out...
 
I do have one but I cant seam to keep the thing going. After about 5-10 minutes it out...


Your Pellets must be Dry.
Put however many you want in---about 3 hours per row.
Fill it to about 1/4" to 3/8" from the top of the walls.
Light one end with a propane torch for Pellets----Butane for lighting Dust.
Let it burn until the flame goes out, then blow on that area until it flames up again.
Then do the same again, blowing down & in to build up the red burning cigar-like cherry.
Keep doing this off and on for at least 20 minutes.
Then let the flame go out one more time & put it in the MES.
I would put it on the bottom rack all the way to the right, just above the chip dumper hole, and pull the dumper out about 3" to allow air flow past your AMNPS. If it burns too good, push the dumper back in.

Try That,
Bear

BTW: If you get it lit right, after awhile it will be burning so good you couldn't stop it if you wanted to. You would have to separate the burning pellets from the non-burning pellets, and they would finally go out in 20 minutes to a half hour.
 
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Your Pellets must be Dry.
Put however many you want in---about 3 hours per row.
Fill it to about 1/4" to 3/8" from the top of the walls.
Light one end with a propane torch for Pellets----Butane for lighting Dust.
Let it burn until the flame goes out, then blow on that area until it flames up again.
Then do the same again, blowing down & in to build up the red burning cigar-like cherry.
Keep doing this off and on for at least 20 minutes.
Then let the flame go out one more time & put it in the MES.
I would put it on the bottom rack all the way to the right, just above the chip dumper hole, and pull the dumper out about 3" to allow air flow past your AMNPS. If it burns too good, push the dumper back in.

Try That,
Bear

BTW: If you get it lit right, after awhile it will be burning so good you couldn't stop it if you wanted to. You would have to separate the burning pellets from the non-burning pellets, and they would finally go out in 20 minutes to a half hour.
Thanks for all the info, I will give it a try on the next smoke.
Is the water pan and drip try dishwasher safe?
Thanks
 
Thanks for all the info, I will give it a try on the next smoke.
Is the water pan and drip try dishwasher safe?
Thanks


I never put anything in my water pan, so I just cover the water pan & the bottom floor drip pan with Foil, and put them in place. Then when they get pretty bad, I remove the foil & Mrs Bear washes them briefly by hand in the sink. Then I re-foil & return to position.

Bear
 
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So i ended up getting the revision MES 2.5 (top left vent) and on the first smoke did a whole chicken, a whole barramundi and a couple of salt brined mackrels - everything turned out great.

Followed Bears initial burn in test for the MES heat cycling by using a slightly lower temp. For the first heat cycle it goes 4-5 degrees higher than the preset temp but then stabilises to within 1-2 degrees of what i set (celsius!), so im pretty happy. The meat probe seems to match within 1 degree my other probe, although its a much slower getting the final reading.

My only complaint with this so far is the smoke generation - seems like after the first 1 or 2 wood chip drops you have to open the machine and empty the ash as it probably doesnt conduct the heat well enough?

I did a picanha last weekend and added crushed bits of charcoal to the chip pan which seemed to help with more consistent smoke generation, but it seems like ill have to get an AMAZE soon. Just not sure how/where it would fit in a 30' version 2.5.
76779550_717416568746871_2898029346184757248_n.jpg
 
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So i ended up getting the revision MES 2.5 (top left vent) and on the first smoke did a whole chicken, a whole barramundi and a couple of salt brined mackrels - everything turned out great.

Followed Bears initial burn in test for the MES heat cycling by using a slightly lower temp. For the first heat cycle it goes 4-5 degrees higher than the preset temp but then stabilises to within 1-2 degrees of what i set (celsius!), so im pretty happy. The meat probe seems to match within 1 degree my other probe, although its a much slower getting the final reading.

My only complaint with this so far is the smoke generation - seems like after the first 1 or 2 wood chip drops you have to open the machine and empty the ash as it probably doesnt conduct the heat well enough?

I did a picanha last weekend and added crushed bits of charcoal to the chip pan which seemed to help with more consistent smoke generation, but it seems like ill have to get an AMAZE soon. Just not sure how/where it would fit in a 30' version 2.5.
View attachment 412013


That's not a Gen #2.5. It's a Gen #2.
That's the one I recommend staying away from, due to the useless Slanted Drip Plate.
If you're happy with it, put the AMNPS on the right end of the Bottom Rack, just above the chip dumper, and pull the dumper out about 3" to allow air flow to the AMNPS.

If you discover the right side to be much hotter than the left side, due to the Slanted Drip plate, I would try the following:
Remove the little water pan & the Slanted Drip plate.
Put the bottom Rack in place.
Put a Foil pan in the center of the bottom rack. (to catch drips & diffuse heat flow)
Put the AMNPS on the right end of that bottom rack.
Pull the dumper out about 3" to allow more air flow to the AMNPS.
Note: This is just my theory, because I never had to try it, because I have the real Gen #2.5.

Bear
 
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Er oops. Yeah it's a later model gen #2?
so many revisions gets confusing!

Cool thanks for the tips. I'll see how it goes and progress towards that as I get better.

I have no baseline yet other than the chip loader doesn't work as well, or for as long as they suggest.
 
Er oops. Yeah it's a later model gen #2?
so many revisions gets confusing!

Cool thanks for the tips. I'll see how it goes and progress towards that as I get better.

I have no baseline yet other than the chip loader doesn't work as well, or for as long as they suggest.


Yup---In my book, those built in chip burners are useless. I would have quit smoking if Todd wouldn't have invented the AMNS & the AMNPS.
One element doing both the heat & the smoking just doesn't work.

Bear
 
MES Generation Number Recognition Pictures & Info (Digital Units)


I got these Pictures together in the hopes of helping people to be able to tell the various MES Generations apart, when buying or discussing the MES units.
A lot of people ask, “Which is the best one, How can I tell which one is which, etc, etc”.
This Thread should help with the identification of the MES Units.

For my Thoughts & Findings on the various Generations, and which I consider the best, go to:
Masterbuilt Smokers (Bear's Thoughts & Findings)

Hope this helps,

Bear


Note: I sold my MES 30, so I will have to use internet Pics for the MES 30:



This is an Early model of the Gen #1 MES 30 (Note the square corners on the Control Box on top).
The Top Vent is on the back right corner of the Top. The door is hinged on the right side:
View attachment 340536



This is the inside of a Gen #1 MES 30. Note the Large Water Pan.
The AMNPS was designed specifically to fit on the support rods to the left of the Chip burner assembly:
View attachment 340537



Here are 2 MES 40 units. The one on the Right is a Gen #1. The one on the Left is a Gen #2:
Note the Window in the Gen #2 is larger than to Window in the Gen #1:
View attachment 340538



This is the top of a Newer MES 40 Gen #1. Notice the rounded corners on the Control Box on top:
The top Vent is on the back right corner of the top:
View attachment 340539



This is the inside of the MES 40 Gen #1.
The Water Pan is nearly full width.
Note the Aluminum plate setting on the right side of the Water Pan. I use that to push heat from the right to the left in the Smoker.
This is needed because the heat comes from the bottom right, & the top vent is in the back right corner of the top.
Without the Heat deflector the heat rises from the heating element, and goes directly to the Top Vent, and out:
View attachment 340540



This is an MES 40 Gen #2. Note the Controls are built into the front of the top of the Smoker:
View attachment 340541



Inside of the MES 40 Gen #2. Note the Slanted Drip Plate, higher on the Right, with a hole on the left end for a small Water Pan.
I removed the small water pan & put a foil pan under the hole. Then I can set my AMNPS over the hole in the Drip Plate:
View attachment 340542



The Top Vent on a Gen #2 MES is on the Left side wall, instead of in the top:
View attachment 340543



Generation #2.5 MES 40. The strap is just to keep it from blowing over in a strong wind.
The Door is the same as the door on the Gen #2:
View attachment 340544



Inside of the MES 40 Gen #2.5. Note the Split level Water Pan (Deeper left side than right side).
Note: I have since found the right side of the bottom rack to be a better place for the Amazing Smoker: (In the Gen #2.5)
View attachment 340545



Top of the MES 40 Gen #2.5. Note the top vent has been moved to the back left corner of the top.
View attachment 340546



Closeup of the Control panel of the MES 40 Gen #2.5. Note the Sun shield that snaps on to reduce sun glare on the panel.
View attachment 340547
I have a new MES 30 It has what u call the split level water pan as well
 
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