New Smoker Setup

[tjwheels]

I am moving on from my propane smoker due to the cold winters here in Michigan. I just purchased a new smoker, a Masterbuilt Sportsman Elite 40'' Bluetooth Smart Digital Electric Smoker, (say that 3 times real fast) from BassPro and it will be here in 5-7 business days. I've searched the forum and have made some notes on how to season it and found some great advice.

What I couldn't find is do I do anything to help preserve the integrity of the smoker itself. My question to all of you experts; Is there something I should do prior to turning it on for the first time? I'm thinking along the lines of door gaskets, sealing any seams with food grade silicone, anything with the wiring, etc.

Thank you in advance

 

[bmaddox]

That is a new model so there aren't many reviews and known issues for that specific model. I would suggest running a 3-4 hour smoke session with no food in it to see how it performs then go from there. Make sure you have a secondary thermometer to track the temps and check the factory one (MES units are known to be off by upwards of 30 degrees).

There are a lot of MES owners on here that are eager to know how the new units perform so please let us know how it works for you. Good luck.

 

[daricksta]

From the little I've read this might be Masterbuilt's best model yet and their Sportsman Elite models offer more features than the standard MB models. This is their new flagship model.

My advice to you is to thoroughly read the owners manual and do just what it recommends that you do. If you choose to customize it right away or within the warranty period you'll void that warranty and then you're out of luck if you do need legitimate repairs or parts replacement.

Also, why try to fix problems that haven't happened yet? Just use the smoker as it comes from the factory to make sure all's well. After the warranty period expires you can customize it or seal it however you choose.