Need help please--need a reccommendation for my 2nd electric smoker

[ctraugh13]

So I got into this whole smoking game 4 or 5 years ago, with the masterbuilt (Bass Pro version) 30" smoker---a good starter and it was a good smoker.....smoked a LOT of good stuff on this.

Like to use the smoker about 3 or 4 times/month.  It's only the wife and I, we have visitors/party once a quarter.  I also have a large charcoal grill I do some good work with.

So it simply quit heating as good,--died-- and I was going to buy another as I really liked that one.  

Pros-

Size

ease of use, like the electric with chips as these are very easy and produce good smoke.

ease of cooking, setting, etc..... set it and forget it

CON-

Lot of stuff to clean

could be bigger

I'm not ready to drop $700 or 800 or even more on a big green egg as I've heard very very good things about these

Ideas for something a little bigger, and is there anything easier to clean?

thanks much, your help is appreciated!!

 

[klarsen]

I am in the exact same boat.  I just got rid of my MES 30.  It kept tripping my GFI outlet and I didn't have the desire to drill out rivets and rewire it.  I too am looking for something reasonably priced.  I like the ease of having a temperature controller for longer smokes like pork butts, but I want something more reliable than the MES.

 

[redoctobyr]

Hopefully those with experience will chime in, since I'm new at this.

But I've seen people say they love their Smokin-It units, they seem to have an excellent reputation. They're a higher price-point, however.

I think there was some positive discussion of Smoke Hollow recently, that could be something to look into. I think they're priced more like a Masterbuilt, however, which means you probably won't get the quality of a Smokin-It.

 

[old sarge]

Being the biased person I am, I will recommend looking at the line of smokers from Smokin-it.  Easy to use, easy to clean. 

 

[mark4mn]

I concur with Old Sarge. Wonderful smokers, rugged, and service is off the hook.

Mark

 

[gnab2]

As for the MES tripping the breaker, Take the little square plate off the back of the smoker.  It will have 4 to 8 screws holding it on.  In there you will see where the power from the T-stat connects to the heating element.  This connection is a high heat area and will need to be redone.  I personally think it is a design flaw in the connection but it make for an easy fix.

I am on my 2nd MES40 over the past 5 or 6 years and the first one was used a lot.  We would cook 50 or 60 pounds of chicken or pork weekly.  I now have 6 people that have bought one off the results and how easy it is to work.  The only thing  that I don't like is that you don't get the heavy black barking like a cross flow pit smoker.  However the meat is always moist and not dry.

Well the is my $.02 on the matter...   

 

[gmc2003]

Well since you considered a BGE why not a WSM. The 18 is 299.00 and the 22 is 399.00. Once seasoned it's pretty much set it and forget it. Great customer service and will basically last a lifetime. 

Chris

 

[daricksta]

 
So I got into this whole smoking game 4 or 5 years ago, with the masterbuilt (Bass Pro version) 30" smoker---a good starter and it was a good smoker.....smoked a LOT of good stuff on this.

Like to use the smoker about 3 or 4 times/month.  It's only the wife and I, we have visitors/party once a quarter.  I also have a large charcoal grill I do some good work with.

So it simply quit heating as good,--died-- and I was going to buy another as I really liked that one.  

Pros-

Size

ease of use, like the electric with chips as these are very easy and produce good smoke.

ease of cooking, setting, etc..... set it and forget it

CON-

Lot of stuff to clean

could be bigger

I'm not ready to drop $700 or 800 or even more on a big green egg as I've heard very very good things about these

Ideas for something a little bigger, and is there anything easier to clean?

thanks much, your help is appreciated!!

What did you wind up doing? And why not order a replacement heating element from MB? I've seen on YouTube that they're fairly easy to install and it would be a lot cheaper than buying a new smoker--IF the problem is that the heating element went out.