what's people buying for an electric/disappointed with masterbuilt

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jsdspif

Meat Mopper
Original poster
Feb 10, 2007
173
10
Paw Paw , MI
I just got my new masterbuilt digital 30" delivered. I think it's the 130B ? Replaces my old 30" MES that just died after 5 years or so. I figure it's probably the terminals disintegrated ,it doesn't heat. It acts as though it should be heating but it doesn't. Anyway just got the new one delivered and the box didn't look bad but the top of the unit is smashed pretty good. I opened it upside down so until I had it all unwrapped I didn't notice the damage. Even if it wasn't damaged I think I'd still send it back. The build quality has just went so far downhill. It seems like I paid $130 for my old one. This one was $200. Stainless tray,stainless interior,heavy chrome rails for the racks etc. The new one is all aluminum or whatever and the racks fall out of the areas they slide into. The area is just stamped into the interior walls. I don't think that's a result of the smashed top,just racks aren't quite wide enough and the ledges/rails they slide into aren't "sharp" enough so they tend to just slide out/ off the rails. I need an electric smoker and I'd like something built like the MES ,or I should say built like the old MES. I didn't want to mess around with my old one. It's just so filthy I just want to replace it. It may have been longer than 5 years and I've used it quite a bit. It's in my garage and I smoke year round. I've got the cold smoker thing for it so it can smoke for ever (just about). I'd also like something I could buy at a store and open at the store to check for damage. I don't care about bluetooth and all the other stuff. I've got by for 20 years with my digital thermometer and haven't even used the remote unit that came with the thermometer. Maybe step up to a masterbuilt that's "higher up on the foodchain" . Thanks in advance for the replies.
 

Check these out for an upgrade. I don't have one but I haven't heard one bad word about these units.

JC :emoji_cat:
 
I think I may just go with a char broil. There's a couple of them nearby. it's cheaply built to. I saw a MES pro signature model and it looks built the same as the new one I just got but it has blue tooth and a glass door,neither which do anything for me.
 
You're new MES innards are not made of aluminum.More than likely the reason your racks don't fit IS because of the damage as you've stated "its smashed pretty good".Send it back and get your money back or a proper replacement.

That and just add a PID to the old unit.What's a little filth matter,it didn't bother you till it wasn't working.You could have two working units for the price of one.
 
Last edited:
I just got my new masterbuilt digital 30" delivered. I think it's the 130B ? Replaces my old 30" MES that just died after 5 years or so. I figure it's probably the terminals disintegrated ,it doesn't heat. It acts as though it should be heating but it doesn't. Anyway just got the new one delivered and the box didn't look bad but the top of the unit is smashed pretty good. I opened it upside down so until I had it all unwrapped I didn't notice the damage. Even if it wasn't damaged I think I'd still send it back. The build quality has just went so far downhill. It seems like I paid $130 for my old one. This one was $200. Stainless tray,stainless interior,heavy chrome rails for the racks etc. The new one is all aluminum or whatever and the racks fall out of the areas they slide into. The area is just stamped into the interior walls. I don't think that's a result of the smashed top,just racks aren't quite wide enough and the ledges/rails they slide into aren't "sharp" enough so they tend to just slide out/ off the rails. I need an electric smoker and I'd like something built like the MES ,or I should say built like the old MES. I didn't want to mess around with my old one. It's just so filthy I just want to replace it. It may have been longer than 5 years and I've used it quite a bit. It's in my garage and I smoke year round. I've got the cold smoker thing for it so it can smoke for ever (just about). I'd also like something I could buy at a store and open at the store to check for damage. I don't care about bluetooth and all the other stuff. I've got by for 20 years with my digital thermometer and haven't even used the remote unit that came with the thermometer. Maybe step up to a masterbuilt that's "higher up on the foodchain" . Thanks in advance for the replies.

Well since u don't want to full much with anything I would say your best bet is to go to an Academy Sports and Outdoors store and buy one from there. Return the new busted one.

Honestly it sounds like your old one just probably has corroded wire spade connectors which is a pretty simple fix provided you can easily get to the safety rollout limit switch. If you have panels to both the switch and the heating element then its like a $5-$15 fix. $5 if u just need to buy new female spade connectors. $15 if you need to buy a wire crimping/cutting tool and new female spade connectors.

If you feel like messing with your older better built MES then let us know as you can keep it going through a ton of stuff once you get it prepped. Also if the controller goes out it would be easy to do the simple rewire (cut 4 wire ends and wire nut to make 2 wires) so that it could be used with a new and superior PID controller making your smoker 100X better performing than it ever did new.

But if less/no fuss is what you want, Academy will have MES units usually at better prices than other places especially around the black friday/cyber monday sales holidays.

I hope this info helps ya :)
 
What is your budget? If it is in the range of $500-700, I second checking out Smokin-It for a much heavier and better built unit. *

*Disclaimer- I own a #1 and a #3 Smokin-It and use to have two MES30 smokers.
 
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yeah.I already have the label to return the damaged unit. One bit of a problem at this point I'm having back/hip problems (that are all my own fault,afraid to go in public and just going from chair to recliner to chair etc.) anyway,returning the damaged and I don't want it anyway. The rack issue just doesn't seem like it's caused by the smashed top.
I bought my first MES 30" maybe 20 years ago???? That was when a guy was on the forum by the name of Ron P (R.I.P.) I think he at one time owned a restaurant. Anyway, got my 30" MES way back then and maybe a month later (if that) quit heating. Long story short, drilled the rivets off the back panel and folded it up and there were no spade terminals there, only bare wires. I posted it on here wwwwwaaaaayyyyy back then. I went and got what the local hardware guy (no longer in business but knew his stuff!) said "I know exactly what you want these are high heat stainless female spades" I put them on there and that MES lasted a long time. I don't even remember what did that one in. Then I got the one I've had for years now that just died and yes I tend to think the terminals are gone or the wires have corroded and I'm going to save it because I like the way it's built. I think Masterbuilt has just cut ALOT ALOT of corners and raised the price to maximise profits and that's that. Further proof is that signature "PRO" model, it's the same smoker with a glass door and a bluetooth temp remote or something (?) and it's $100 more,no Thanks.
I'm going to get the charmbroil and have the store load it. I have a friend that's offered to help when I get it home in exchange for a few snack sticks. No need to add to Bezos' 200 billion fortune.
 
the smokin it's just seem to steep and too much for what I'm doing. I'm just cooking for myself,my couple friends think I use a diarhea inducing rub/marinade because when they eat it they have to go to the bathroom. I have that problem too. I just think it's our age (let's just say 55 ) and other dietary issues. I sometimes take stuff to my sister but that's lean stuff ,canadian bacon,brisket with fat trimmed etc.. I'd almost like to go without but I like smoking the stuff I can eat. I like whole muscle jerky and ground meat skinless snack sticks,they don't bother me but I hate giving that stuff away,it's just too good!
 
Watch Craigslist and Facebook marketplace for a used Smokin-it, Smokin Tex or Cookshack. I just got a Smokin Tex 1400 for $150.
 
...I'm having back/hip problems ...I'm going to save it because I like the way it's built...I'm going to get the charmbroil and have the store load it...
Sounds like a good plan jsdspif! Hope your health and back improves and you can nurse the old 30" MES back to health in the near future. In the meantime, good luck with the new one and keep us appraised on how it's working out. And a picture of a cook...those snack sticks sure sound good!
 
I ended up repairing my old one. I didn't know there is now an access panel on the back to get to the heating element wiring. My original that I repaired didn't have one so you had to drill out about half the rivets and bend the back panel up or just remove all the rivets . I got the access panel off and one terminal on the wire was gone,just dust in the area. After cleaning up the terminal on the heating element the new terminal for the wire was a little too big so I had to crimp the terminal a little to have a good tight fit slipping onto the heating element terminal. I used a high heat stainless terminal for the wire. I gave it a test by smoking a 6 pound pork butt for about 14 hours at about 225. I had actually tested it running it 6 hours empty at 275. The other terminal was tight and still had the shrink wrap and seemed secure /no evidence of heat so I didn't mess with it. The bad one looked as though it was going bad for quite a while. The shrink wrap was completely gone and it had melted the silicone (or whatever) protective material on the access cover. That does explain the problems which really had been occuring the last few months. Probably be good to go for quite a while now.
 
I ended up repairing my old one. I didn't know there is now an access panel on the back to get to the heating element wiring. My original that I repaired didn't have one so you had to drill out about half the rivets and bend the back panel up or just remove all the rivets . I got the access panel off and one terminal on the wire was gone,just dust in the area. After cleaning up the terminal on the heating element the new terminal for the wire was a little too big so I had to crimp the terminal a little to have a good tight fit slipping onto the heating element terminal. I used a high heat stainless terminal for the wire. I gave it a test by smoking a 6 pound pork butt for about 14 hours at about 225. I had actually tested it running it 6 hours empty at 275. The other terminal was tight and still had the shrink wrap and seemed secure /no evidence of heat so I didn't mess with it. The bad one looked as though it was going bad for quite a while. The shrink wrap was completely gone and it had melted the silicone (or whatever) protective material on the access cover. That does explain the problems which really had been occuring the last few months. Probably be good to go for quite a while now.

Im glad you were able to so easily fix it! #1 failure point on MES is the electrical connectors at the heating element and/or the safety rollout limit switch.

Keep on smokin!
 
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