Opinions

[Tobeyww]

I plan on buying one or the other soon. I don't really need the bluetooth or meat probe. My question is about the digital controllers, is one better than the other? I've read reviews that state the MES 140G is so dim lit its hard to see. Any insight? Thanks.

 

[Winterrider]

Bearcarver has reviews on most MES

 

[Tobeyww]

I have read his reviews. I guess the two I listed would be considered hybrids?

 

[Bearcarver]

View attachment 406980 View attachment 406981 I plan on buying one or the other soon. I don't really need the bluetooth or meat probe. My question is about the digital controllers, is one better than the other? I've read reviews that state the MES 140G is so dim lit its hard to see. Any insight? Thanks.

I wouldn't worry about the light---They're all about the same in that respect.

I would worry about:
The top Vent should be on the left---Not the Right. (I think that would be the Bluetooth unit).
Stay away from the Gen #2, with the slanted drip plate with the little water pan hanging from it.
I'd like to see the inside.

$299 is a pretty good price for the 140G.


Bear

 

[Tobeyww]

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/masterbuilt-mes-140g-bluetooth-digital-electric-smoker

https://www.samsclub.com/p/mes145s-digital-electric-smoker/prod22810673?xid=plp_product_1_1

From the pictures I believe the inside looks like the GEN 2.5, I could be wrong.
I also think both may have the vent on the right side.

 

[Bearcarver]

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/masterbuilt-mes-140g-bluetooth-digital-electric-smoker

https://www.samsclub.com/p/mes145s-digital-electric-smoker/prod22810673?xid=plp_product_1_1

From the pictures I believe the inside looks like the GEN 2.5, I could be wrong.
I also think both may have the vent on the right side.

Yup---The 140G has the Gen #2.5 Inside.
I would go with that one.
Mine is a Gen #2.5, with Bluetooth. I don't use the BT, because I don't have anything to use with it, but I'm happy with making very rare adjustments at the console when needed.

They both seem to have the top vent on the right, but that can be remedied, and isn't a world ending problem. That's a Great Smoker for $299.

Bear

 

[Tobeyww]

Yup---The 140G has the Gen #2.5 Inside.
I would go with that one.
Mine is a Gen #2.5, with Bluetooth. I don't use the BT, because I don't have anything to use with it, but I'm happy with making very rare adjustments at the console when needed.

They both seem to have the top vent on the right, but that can be remedied, and isn't a world ending problem. That's a Great Smoker for $299.

Bear

Thank you very much. I've been reading a lot about them on here and every time I think i have decided something changes my mind. I believe I'll stop on my way home from work to pick it up. Thanks again!

 

[eddiememphis]

The top Vent should be on the left---Not the Right.

Why is this important?

 

[Ben58]

In a nutshell, better heat and smoke distribution.

 

[Bearcarver]

Why is this important?

The main reason is, If you don't do something about it, in the MES 40, more so than the MES 30, The heat comes off the heating element in the bottom right, and runs straight up the Right side of the Smoker, and Right Out the Vent, if it's on the Right side of the Top. Then the right side will be much hotter than the left side, because of this.

If it's on the Left side, the heat has to cross the inside of the smoker, past the Meat to get to the Top Vent. There are a few ways to remedy that, but having the Vent on the Left is Preferred.

Bear

 

[Tobeyww]

I picked up the smoker Friday after work. I had to take the first one back as it was smash in when I removed it from the box. Seasoned it Saturday and smoked beef jerky Sunday. It turned out great! What is a good thermometer to get? I’ve read a little about the Mavericks and ThermoPros but I have no experience with either.

 

[Hawging It]

I picked up the smoker Friday after work. I had to take the first one back as it was smash in when I removed it from the box. Seasoned it Saturday and smoked beef jerky Sunday. It turned out great! What is a good thermometer to get? I’ve read a little about the Mavericks and ThermoPros but I have no experience with either.

I have had a Chef Alarm for over a year. It is dead on measuring internal temp of the meat as well as temp at grill grate level. Best one that I have used so far. I trust it.

 

[Hawging It]

I picked up the smoker Friday after work. I had to take the first one back as it was smash in when I removed it from the box. Seasoned it Saturday and smoked beef jerky Sunday. It turned out great! What is a good thermometer to get? I’ve read a little about the Mavericks and ThermoPros but I have no experience with either.

If you decide on the Chef Alarm make sure you order the grill clip for 4 bucks. Not included and ThermoWorks carries it.

 

[Hawging It]

The main reason is, If you don't do something about it, in the MES 40, more so than the MES 30, The heat comes off the heating element in the bottom right, and runs straight up the Right side of the Smoker, and Right Out the Vent, if it's on the Right side of the Top. Then the right side will be much hotter than the left side, because of this.

If it's on the Left side, the heat has to cross the inside of the smoker, past the Meat to get to the Top Vent. There are a few ways to remedy that, but having the Vent on the Left is Preferred.

Bear

How does one remedy the issue with the vent on the right. With your modification, is the heat on the left now equal to the heat on the right.... Thanks

 

[Bearcarver]

I picked up the smoker Friday after work. I had to take the first one back as it was smash in when I removed it from the box. Seasoned it Saturday and smoked beef jerky Sunday. It turned out great! What is a good thermometer to get? I’ve read a little about the Mavericks and ThermoPros but I have no experience with either.

Guys who have the ThermPros like them too.
However I still have the first Maverick I bought 10 years ago & it still works.
I used it in my Meat fridge for 8 years 24-7-365.
I also have a Maverick ET-732 for about 7 years & one for about 4 years, and I love them both.

Bear

 

[Bearcarver]

How does one remedy the issue with the vent on the right. With your modification, is the heat on the left now equal to the heat on the right.... Thanks

I only had to do it with my MES 40 Gen #1. And Yes it evens out the heat.
It depends on if you have the MES 40 Gen #1 or the MES 30 Gen #1.
Which do you have?

Bear

 

[Tobeyww]

Thanks guys! Bear, I too am interested in the remedy for the vent on the right, as you know I have a 40.

 

[Bearcarver]

Heat Deflector for MES​

OH guys,
One way to fix the problem with the heat going from the bottom right "Heating element", up the right side, and out the top right Vent, would be to remove the top vent from the top right & put it in the top left.

If you don't want to do that you can do what I did in the Picture below. Check out the caption, above the Pic:

If you look above my water pan, you can see a heat deflector. Mine is just a sheet of Aluminum, about 9" wide, and slightly less in depth that the space between the inside of the door & the back wall. There is a piece of aluminum, bent into a "A", sitting in the water pan, holding the left side of that deflector up above the right side of the deflector. If I slide the "A" to the right a little, the left side will rise, and if I slide it to the left, the left side will drop. The higher the left side is, the more heat will be directed toward the center & left side of the Smoker. I also covered the deflector with foil to make it easy to clean.

BTW: That thing on the left is just an upside-down half of a Foil Pan, keeping drips off of my AMNPS:

 

[Hawging It]

Great idea. Simple too. Thanks for sharing this info.

 

[tallbm]

I picked up the smoker Friday after work. I had to take the first one back as it was smash in when I removed it from the box. Seasoned it Saturday and smoked beef jerky Sunday. It turned out great! What is a good thermometer to get? I’ve read a little about the Mavericks and ThermoPros but I have no experience with either.

Hi there and welcome!

I've owned both a Maverick and a ThermoPro and I prefer the ThermoPro simply based on how much easier it is to work than the Maverick. The ThermoPro seems to be like half the button presses and therefore half or more things/sequences you don't have to remember.

With that said I would recommend you get a dual probe or MORE probes thermometer. I like a minimum of 4 probes.
Two probes for measuring rack temps (left and right on same rack OR rack 1 and rack 2 if using two racks, etc.).
Two probes for measuring meat temps (meat on hot side, meat on cold side of rack, OR meat on rack 1 and meat on rack 2, OR 2 probes inside a large cut of meat like a brisket or a pork butt since getting proper placement of a probe in those big cuts is really not an easy thing to accomplish so the more the merrier).

I bought the Ink Bird wireless 4 probe thermometer on discount when they offered it here and it has worked very well. They seem to have an Amazon discount code or special offering every few weeks or month or so on here so that helps. It has been working well also.

So to sum it up I prefer the ThermoPro Tp-20 dual thermometer over the Maverick dual thermometer options.

I would recommend you get a radio signal, not blue-tooth signal, 4 probe (or more) wireless digital thermometer and the Inkbird IRF-4S works really well.

Finally, poke around on here or reach out to Inkbird on here and see if they have a discount code for thermometers that suite your needs as they are a sponsor and often offer codes to turn a $70 thermometer into a $35-$40 purchase :)