New MES Bluetooth Digital smoker

[remsr]

Your welcome Dave.
Bear is the MES guru, I just know what I have and how well it works compared to other modals and of course a lot of valuable information that I got from Bear. The only thing I would chang about mine is the door, mine doesn't have a window, but it would have if I had talked to Bear befor I bought mine.
Looking forward to some Q views of your smokes on your new MES 40" you will be glad you went with the 40" and don't have to cut your ribs racks and briskets to make them fit.

Randy,

 

[Bearcarver]

Man, I have learned more since joining the forum on Sunday than I thought I would ever know about these electric smokers. Thanks Bear and Randy for all the input. I hope this weekend I will be seasoning in and starting on my world of watt burner smoking. My wife is even looking forward to leg quarters and pulled pork since we have talking about this.

David

That's Great, David !!

Sounds like you're about ready.

The only other things you need to make your Smoking easy with an MES is an AMNPS & some type of Digital Wireless Therm, like a "Maverick ET-732".

I wouldn't trust the accuracy of any built in Therm on a smoker.

Digital Wireless Therm probes are easy to test if there's any question of their accuracy.

In case you haven't seen this yet, you could get some help from my Step by Step Index:

Just click on "Bear's Step by Steps".

Bear

 

[iamdmphil]

Just wondering, does Todd do any discounts/promo codes for SMF members?  About to order a AMNPS package deal.

David

 

[crankybuzzard]

 
Just wondering, does Todd do any discounts/promo codes for SMF members?  About to order a AMNPS package deal.

David

He sometimes has a promo for SMF members.  Never hurts to call and see.

 

[iamdmphil]

 
He sometimes has a promo for SMF members.  Never hurts to call and see.

Thanks, I will make a call today or tomorrow.

 

[teddyp]

As far as I'm concerned the Gen #2.5 MES 40 is better than the Gen #1, but mainly because the top vent is on the left on the #2.5, and on the right on the Gen #1.

I needed the Heat deflector in the bottom of my Gen #1 to push the heat over from the right to the center before it rose up through the food in the smoker.

I don't need any deflector at all in my Gen #2.5, and the heat is balanced from right to left.


Bear

In case I missed it. What is the model # on the 2.5 generation 40 inch smoker? And where is the best place (amazon, home depot?) to find it for the lowest price? I am brand new to the game, but as I have been reading and doing my research, I think this is the model I would like to buy. It seems there are many models out there and I don't want to order/buy the wrong one. Thanks! I can't wait to get started!

 

[Bearcarver]

In case I missed it. What is the model # on the 2.5 generation 40 inch smoker? And where is the best place (amazon, home depot?) to find it for the lowest price? I am brand new to the game, but as I have been reading and doing my research, I think this is the model I would like to buy. It seems there are many models out there and I don't want to order/buy the wrong one. Thanks! I can't wait to get started!

I haven't tried to track Model numbers for years. Some model numbers are made just because of what store they're selling them to.

If you want a Gen #2.5, the important thing is that it has a full width water pan that has a split level bottom, being deeper in the left than the right.

I think it's the only unit that is Bluetooth.

It also has a shield over the top front controls.

If you're still not sure, get a picture of it or a link to pictures of it, and PM it to me.

This should help too:

MES Generation Number Recognition Pictures (Digital Units)

Bear

 

[iamdmphil]

TeddyP in my research over the past couple of weeks I have found that Sam's Club has it for the best price with the stand. $329 on the website. At least on the gen 2.5.

 

[Bearcarver]

TeddyP in my research over the past couple of weeks I have found that Sam's Club has it for the best price with the stand. $329 on the website. At least on the gen 2.5.

Yup---Best deal I could find too.   Says "Free Shipping" too.

Bear

 

[bullyboy13]

I'm looking into buying a MES and I saw that sams club has the gen 2 40inch Bluetooth for $279 also Walmart has a gen 1 40inch for $265.

so I was wondering which would be the best one to get out of the 2 since they are less than a $15 difference. also would it be best to buy the cold smoker to go with it or get the Amazen Pellet Smoker?

sams club bluetooth

https://www.samsclub.com/sams/masterbuilt-smoker/prod15560335.ip?xid=plp:product:1:1

walmarts

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Masterbuilt-40-Electric-Smoker-with-Window/22139073#about-item

 

[Bearcarver]

 
I'm looking into buying a MES and I saw that sams club has the gen 2 40inch Bluetooth for $279 also Walmart has a gen 1 40inch for $265.

so I was wondering which would be the best one to get out of the 2 since they are less than a $15 difference. also would it be best to buy the cold smoker to go with it or get the Amazen Pellet Smoker?

sams club bluetooth

https://www.samsclub.com/sams/masterbuilt-smoker/prod15560335.ip?xid=plp:product:1:1

walmarts

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Masterbuilt-40-Electric-Smoker-with-Window/22139073#about-item

The WallMart one is a Gen #1, and is a Great Smoker, second only to the other one you're showing---The Gen #2.5 (Bluetooth)---The Best of All.

And I would recommend the AMNPS over the Masterbuilt Cold Smoker.

The Gen #2.5 & the AMNPS are truly a "Match Made In Smoker Heaven".

Bear

 

[bullyboy13]

 
The WallMart one is a Gen #1, and is a Great Smoker, second only to the other one you're showing---The Gen #2.5 (Bluetooth)---The Best of All.

And I would recommend the AMNPS over the Masterbuilt Cold Smoker.

The Gen #2.5 & the AMNPS are truly a "Match Made In Smoker Heaven".

Bear

​thank you bearcarver for the information. which amnps should I look into buying the tubes or the tray and the bigger or smaller 1?

 

[Bearcarver]

 
​thank you bearcarver for the information. which amnps should I look into buying the tubes or the tray and the bigger or smaller 1?

I would personally only get the Tube (AMNTS) if I lived at a high altitude, like above 3,000'.

The 5 X 8 AMNPS (Maze-Tray) is Awesome for the rest of us.

At my low altitude, I find the Tube puts out too much (Heavy) smoke.

Bear

 

[bullyboy13]

 
I would personally only get the Tube (AMNTS) if I lived at a high altitude, like above 3,000'.

The 5 X 8 AMNPS (Maze-Tray) is Awesome for the rest of us.

At my low altitude, I find the Tube puts out too much (Heavy) smoke.

Bear

​thank you ill look into the tray. now i gotta find someone that has a sams club membership so that I don't have to pay the extra $30 for the smoker. since I don't want to pay $100 for a membership since that they are almost a hour away from me.....

 

[remsr]

I second that motion Bear the cold smoker is OK but real messy I use it only when I can't find pellets in the flavor I want which is red oak mostly.

Randy,

 

[bullyboy13]

now which to go with the amazn tray pellets or sawdust?

 

[Bearcarver]

 
now which to go with the amazn tray pellets or sawdust?

If you get the 5 X 8 AMNPS, get some Pellets & some Dust. You can use either in that one.

You'll want to use the Dust for cold smoking, but no higher than about 220° Smoker temp.

Bear

 

[madtownmonkey]

I just bought an mes 40 at sams club I seasoned it . It heated up fine I tried cooking a tritip at 225. The issue was that my third party thermometer smoke by thermopro read at least 20 degrees lower than the set temp even as the smoker had reached it set temp. Is there a preferred place to put a probe to monitor the temp of the smoker.

 

[smokingearl]

Yea 20 degrees lower is about normal really for the MES 40. I like to keep the probe on the rack behind the food I'm cooking which is on the second rack from the bottom. If my smoker is full with food on all the racks I still leave it in the same place.

 

[Bearcarver]

I just bought an mes 40 at sams club I seasoned it . It heated up fine I tried cooking a tritip at 225. The issue was that my third party thermometer smoke by thermopro read at least 20 degrees lower than the set temp even as the smoker had reached it set temp. Is there a preferred place to put a probe to monitor the temp of the smoker.

The only place I worry about the Smoker Temp is where the meat is.

If I'm only using one rack, it would be the 2nd rack from the top (in a 4 rack MES), which is usually the most consistent.

I stick the Smoker probe through that rack, so the point is about 2" to 3" below the rack, and about 2" to the left of the Meat.

That way it will be far enough away from the Cold meat at the start, yet close enough to measure the Temp near the meat.

My MES usually reads 15° lower than the actual Temp that my Maverick reads, so I adjust accordingly. The thing to do is adjust your MES to get your third party Therm to read the Temp you want the meat to be in. That's why you want your third party Sensor near the Meat.

Bear