What is the best overall electric smoker?

[mneeley490]

Ok, so is this one what people are calling the 1st gen MES30? pulled from Home Depot site

Yup. $177 on Amazon right now. Free shipping if you have Prime.

It's the one I have, and I'm getting a lot of use out of it for smaller smokes.

 

[mdgreco191]

Great! My ma in law has the GEN1.  I was worried about the issues with the GEN2.

 

[bkleinsmid]

Cookshack has a line of electric and pellet commercial smokers that are hard to beat IMO

http://store.cookshack.com/c-69-smokers.aspx

 

I have never used a MES so my opinion may be a bit biased.

I had used several variations of Brinkmen’s, charcoal, gas, and electric. I bought my first Cookshack around 2000 or so because I saw one in a well known local restaurant.   That and I researched them. I liked what I saw.

My first Cookshack was the Smokette model. I think I paid around $600 for it with the stand, a cover, some odds and ends, and shipping from Cabela's. I think the smoker by itself was around $325. Today, I think, the Smokette and all the crap I bought with it would be around $800 with the shipping from Cabaea’s.

The only problem I have ever had with my Smokette was when I did wings I would have to load it 3 times to get the job done, but then I will do a heaped up roaster full when I do wings.

Last March I bought a Cookshack AmeriQue so I could have more capacity. I had plans of leaving my Smokette at my cabin so I wouldn’t have to drag the AmeriQue back and forth. Last month someone offered me $600 for it so I sold it, I kind of wish I wouldn’t have now because I was still using the Smokette once a month or so.

I use the AmeriQue almost every weekend. I have never had a temperature fluctuation with either smoker. All Cookshack smokers have 850⁰insulation. I have never thought twice about starting either smoker up at 9:00 PM, throwing in a brisket, going to bed at 10:00, and not worrying about them till what ever time I woke up and decided to start getting around in the morning.  Below zero smoking? No problem.

Cookshack is an American company. Their smokers are American made. Should you ever have a need to call customer service you get to talk a real person (no recordings) who: has used the smoker, knows what you are talking about, and is able to solve whatever problem you are having.  No run around.

Stop by the Cookshack forum and check it out http://forum.cookshack.com/eve . Look for Mainely Dave. Dave is a diabetic who bought a Smokette and started a blog to conical his smoking experiences with his new toy.

I hope I was able to help, but like I said I am a little bit biased when it comes to my Cookshack

I have to agree 110%. I bought my CS50 in 2001 and am still using it today. They are not cheap but IMHO they are worth every penny.

That being said, my neighbor has a MES40 (new version) and if money is a major consideration, I would pick that one.

Brad

 

[ribwizzard]

question,  Ive read about having to use a water pan or fill pan with sand.   I really thought these electric models wouldnt have an issue with the heat coming from a heating element instead of a fire?   Do you really still need the water pan? 

And it sounds as if you have to manually light the wood, I had thought that the heating element some how burn the chips?  Is that true?

 

[bkleinsmid]

question,  Ive read about having to use a water pan or fill pan with sand.   I really thought these electric models wouldnt have an issue with the heat coming from a heating element instead of a fire?   Do you really still need the water pan? 

And it sounds as if you have to manually light the wood, I had thought that the heating element some how burn the chips?  Is that true?

In my Cookshack, I have never used a water pan. It has a 1/2" air hole in and the same going out. Moisture retention has a problem. It fact it is so efficient that I only use about 1 oz of wood each time......and it does light it on its own.

 

[ribwizzard]

Thanks, I will check them out.   This will be for sausages and wieners, not big cuts of meat, so ultra low steady heat with light smoke is what I'm looking for, along with simplicity and ease of use.  The necessity of a water pan in those R2D2 and brinkman smokers of way back when is not something I want to deal with again. I just want to hang the wieners, set the temp. add a few chips and not much else.

 

[mneeley490]

Pans filled with water or sand are mainly for temperature stabilization. Lesser highs and lows when the element kicks on and off.

Water, in addition, can also provide moisture for less fatty cuts of meat, so they don't dry out.

 

[bkleinsmid]

Thanks, I will check them out.   This will be for sausages and wieners, not big cuts of meat, so ultra low steady heat with light smoke is what I'm looking for, along with simplicity and ease of use.  The necessity of a water pan in those R2D2 and brinkman smokers of way back when is not something I want to deal with again. I just want to hang the wieners, set the temp. add a few chips and not much else.

I have done cheese at 70* and I have a packer in there as I type at 225*. I use a 1 oz chunk of wood and start my sausages at 100* after a little drying time. Then up 10* each hour as needed to finish. Set it and (almost) forget it....

Brad

 

[ribwizzard]

bleinsmid,

would love to see some pics. about how many sausages can you hang at a time?  I'm thinking I want to be able to do about 10lbs batches.

 

[bkleinsmid]

bleinsmid,

would love to see some pics. about how many sausages can you hang at a time?  I'm thinking I want to be able to do about 10lbs batches.

If I lay them on the 4 racks I can do about 8 to 10 lb batches. If I hang them so I don't get grill marks then I do them in 5 lb batches of brats or kielbasa's......or about 8 to 10 lb's of snak stix.

 

[arnie]

I need to update my position on electric smokers.

While I still believe Cookshack makes the best electric smoker on the market without a doubt I believe MES makes a good entry level smoker.

A MES smoker will not last near as long as a Cookshack, but they don’t cost as much either and you get what you pay for.

The thing is if it is easy to use you’ll use it a lot more than if it is a hassle to use.

I have used Cookshacks extensively and am now on my 3[sup]rd[/sup] Cookshack, each one bigger than the last one.

I have several friends who have MES smokers and I have spent quite a bit of time using a MES 40 1[sup]st[/sup] generation.

I have to say the MES 40 I borrowed kept up with my AmeriQue and produced as good of ribs and pork butt as you could expect.

I don’t think the MES40 I was using will be around anywhere as long as my AmeriQue, but as I said for the price it is a good starter smoker and it is almost as easy to use and care for as my AmeriQue.

In the end that’s what matters

 

[tjohnson]

I need to update my position on electric smokers.

While I still believe Cookshack makes the best electric smoker on the market without a doubt I believe MES makes a good entry level smoker.

A MES smoker will not last near as long as a Cookshack, but they don’t cost as much either and you get what you pay for.

The thing is if it is easy to use you’ll use it a lot more than if it is a hassle to use.

I have used Cookshacks extensively and am now on my 3[sup]rd[/sup] Cookshack, each one bigger than the last one.

I have several friends who have MES smokers and I have spent quite a bit of time using a MES 40 1[sup]st[/sup] generation.

I have to say the MES 40 I borrowed kept up with my AmeriQue and produced as good of ribs and pork butt as you could expect.

I don’t think the MES40 I was using will be around anywhere as long as my AmeriQue, but as I said for the price it is a good starter smoker and it is almost as easy to use and care for as my AmeriQue.

In the end that’s what matters

Thanks Arnie

What a GREAT Summary!

Think of your smoker as an "Outdoor Oven"

Do you want gas, charcoal, electric or wood for heat?

Do you want timers and digital displays?

How many racks do you need?

As with any appliance, there are many different grades and options

Some people get hung up on a Brand Name and others could care less

Some people like all the bells and whistles and others don't

IMHO: The cook is what makes the difference, your smoker is just another tool to get you there!

My 2 Cents

Todd

 

[ricwit]

I won a MES 30 Gen 1 last fall on DealDash(penny auction) for right at $30, total cost. I didn't know anything about it or any other ES, but now coming up on a year having it, I have not had one problem with it and have never been disappointed with any food that has come out of it!
I have since gotten a Mav 732, and I think I will get an AMNPS very soon'

 

[ricwit]

Oh yeah..it's the SS with the window model...I like to sit there and watch the smoke swirl around.

 

[shtrdave]

Ribwiz if you are wanting to hang sausages and weiners stay away from the cookshack unless you buy an amerique for $2000 you won't have the inside height to hang them. I love my CS but not for your purpose, I would look to the MES 40 for your needs.

 

[bgosnell151]

Just bought the MES 30" Sportsman Elite from Cabelas... mine is a Gen 1. It has a meat probe, which I haven't used thanks to my Maverick, and comes with a cheap cover. I keep it in my garage so it is perfect. I just pick it up and carry it out back when I want to use it. Love it. If you get one, pick up an AMNPS too... you will love the ease of it.

 

[ribwizzard]

I ended up getting the bass pro version of the mes30 this weekend. I'm not sure what all is different about it from the 1st generation, but it looks the same. I'm very impressed with the quality, and cooked some german weiners in it Sun. nite and it worked great.

 

[breezeby]

Can someone let me know if you are getting smoke rings from the MES's? I am using my CharBroil smoker/roaster and while it cooks the food nicely i am looking for that smoke ring...


thanks

joe

 

[ribwizzard]

I have only cooked sausage in mine, but I do get good penetration of color into the sausage, I see no reason why it would not provide some smoke ring to a roast.

 

[breezeby]

I hope to be able to get rid of my current smoker and thinking of switching to the MES 40" and get some smoke rings on ribs and butts. I would also like to option of smoking more than two racks of ribs because i am very limited on my cooking space. If anyone gets pictures of meat smoked in the MES with smoke rings or if there are any within this forum somewhere let me know.

thanks