One of the biggest problems with MES smokers is the fact that the heating element is on the right side (bottom), and the exhaust vent is on the top, back right corner.
That is why the right side is always hotter than the left, unless you put a ceramic or metal (mine) diverter on the right side.
I have been saying, and telling them for years they should move the vent to the top left, so the heat would have to cross through the smoker to find it's way out.
I just watched a video ad of the New MES 40----Really neat!!!
The exhaust vent looks to be on the left side wall, a couple inches from the top.
If I didn't already have one that works excellent, I would have one real soon.
If anyone here goes to buy one, make sure you get the newest model, with the exhaust vent on the top left side!!!!
BTW: There are a couple other new improvements too.
Did the model numbers change ? I am eyeing up the Sam's club version that is not all stainless.
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i dont think the location of the outlet is gonna have that great of difference. it will somewhat as the airflow will be altered, but just convection of the heat(heat rises without airflow) will still make the right side hotter i am pretty sure. i use the heavy ceramic tiles in mine. no big deal as they also double as a heat storage unit sort of doubling as water or sand in a pan.
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Do either of you have a picture of what your diverter looks like ?
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Do either of you have a picture of what your diverter looks like ?
TB,
This is all I do:
The Aluminum plate in the bottom right (above the water pan & heat element) is covered with foil so nobody has to bust "her" butt cleaning it. I have it tilted up on the left to direct the heat from below toward the center of the smoker. I usually put my Maverick smoker probe in the left side of the smoker (like it is in this picture). Then I compare the temp from that and the temp from the MES sensor. If the left side reads hotter than the right, I just slide the tilted plate about 1/4" away from the right wall of the smoker. Works Great !!!!!
BTW: The upside down half foil pan on the left is just to keep drippings off of my AMNPS.
Thanks Bear. Not as complicated as I had envisioned it. Most likely about a month away from pulling the trigger. I want to get one of those offsets that walmart has before they are gone and just cannot justify doing both too close together. Going to be the Sam's club version with the black sides and stainless door. A hundred less than the full stainless model. I read somewhere where a guy called and found out they were the same mechanically Hopefully it will be the new version but if it isn't so be it.
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Thanks Bear. Not as complicated as I had envisioned it. Most likely about a month away from pulling the trigger. I want to get one of those offsets that walmart has before they are gone and just cannot justify doing both too close together. Going to be the Sam's club version with the black sides and stainless door. A hundred less than the full stainless model. I read somewhere where a guy called and found out they were the same mechanically Hopefully it will be the new version but if it isn't so be it.
Yeah, $100 is a big difference in price just for the total SS. I use tape on the top surface to suspend my Temperature probes, and it sticks much better to SS than to the black finish, but that certainly doesn't justify it. I got mine on sale at Cabelas for $349, so I only paid $50 more (Cabelas is always having sales).
Now the other thing that worries me about the ones from Sam's Club is that I have been told that Sam's Club (Wally) gets their's made just for them---Cheaper wiring & such. I have no idea if that is true about their smokers, but I also heard it from a fire inspector about a Wally-World battery charger, after my buddy's garage/warehouse burned down. The story goes that if an item costs a store (wholesale--Bulk) $24 each, Wally will tell the Chinese manufacturer, "We'll pay $19.50 each, but we'll purchase 3 million of them, and you do what you have to do to get them down to that price".
Many guys have had to change the wires in the back of the MES inside of a year or two, but I have not. Could it be because neither of mine came from Sam's?
Like I said, "I have no idea, BUT..........
I'm sure others know more than I do about this---one way or the other.
There is merit to what you are saying. That is exactly what wal mart does. While they do not specify what the manufacturer does to hit the price point they do negotiate and set the price point. With a lot of stuff the supplier takes the smaller margin for the bulk sale. Not always. I try not to buy anything that can only be found there. I have a Cabela's about forty miles away and the foundation is being laid for a bass pro shop even closer. For the piece of mind and the all stainless look(plus easy tape stiction:) I would gladly pay an extra 49 dollars.
Just checked Cabela's site. They too offer the semi stainless but for 379.00. Looks like they have the new model for 449.00
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Last edited by tenacious bee; 07-29-2012 at 11:04 AM.
There is merit to what you are saying. That is exactly what wal mart does. While they do not specify what the manufacturer does to hit the price point they do negotiate and set the price point. With a lot of stuff the supplier takes the smaller margin for the bulk sale. Not always. I try not to buy anything that can only be found there. I have a Cabela's about forty miles away and the foundation is being laid for a bass pro shop even closer. For the piece of mind and the all stainless look(plus easy tape stiction:) I would gladly pay an extra 49 dollars.
Just checked Cabela's site. They too offer the semi stainless but for 379.00. Looks like they have the new model for 449.00
LOL---Our Cabelas is about 40 miles from from my house too.
If you are a member at Cabelas, they often send you coupons for so much off if you buy so much. That plus you accumulate points when you buy stuff.
Actually when I bought mine, my Son knew I was going to leave to go get it, and he told me to wait a minute. He then raced up the Driveway, and handed me 5 crisp $100 bills, and said, Here's your "Early Christmas Present" (It was November). He said I should use the rest for other smoking supplies.
So with the $50 coupon, and the $50 off sale, I still had over $200 left of my Christmas Present to spend, after buying the MES 40.
Somebody raised that kid right!!!
BTW: Cabelas has a lot of sales as we approach Holidays, especially Christmas.
Get to buy a new toy and thought about one of these.
No, The one at your link is last year's model (that's the one I have).
Below is the newest model MES 40:
Note the vent comes out of the left side (near the top), instead of out of the top, back, right corner. The controls are up front, there is a drawer in the bottom to catch drippings, and the chip dumper doesn't stick out as far (might be a couple other improvements).
This one isn't ALL Stainless Steel, but I imagine they make them:
Note: Cabelas (and others) is notorious for showing a picture of the wrong smoker, so don't ever go by the picture in an ad----Good chance it's just a stock picture, and not the one you'd get if you ordered it without seeing it in person!!!
No, The one at your link is last year's model (that's the one I have).
Below is the newest model MES 40:
Note the vent comes out of the left side (near the top), instead of out of the top, back, right corner. The controls are up front, there is a drawer in the bottom to catch drippings, and the chip dumper doesn't stick out as far (might be a couple other improvements).
This one isn't ALL Stainless Steel, but I imagine they make them:
Note: Cabelas (and others) is notorious for showing a picture of the wrong smoker, so don't ever go by the picture in an ad----Good chance it's just a stock picture, and not the one you'd get if you ordered it without seeing it in person!!!
Bear
Thanks Bear... I can't find anyplace around here that has them in stock so I gotta order online
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Seems to be a 149.00 dollar swing between the two models . I see the old one listed at 299 at Cabela's and Sam's club. The new one is 449 at Cabela's which seems to be the only place that I can find it. Do you guys feel that the improvements are worth that ? If so I am willing to wait a bit and see if it goes on sale .The wife is going to kill me. I have an offset charbroil still in the box as I am not sure if I want to go with that or an MES. I am constantly cruising Craigslist on my crusade for a 26.5" kettle and a Weber gas. Pretty sure she thinks I have gone nuts at this point. LOL!
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Seems to be a 149.00 dollar swing between the two models . I see the old one listed at 299 at Cabela's and Sam's club. The new one is 449 at Cabela's which seems to be the only place that I can find it. Do you guys feel that the improvements are worth that ? If so I am willing to wait a bit and see if it goes on sale .The wife is going to kill me. I have an offset charbroil still in the box as I am not sure if I want to go with that or an MES. I am constantly cruising Craigslist on my crusade for a 26.5" kettle and a Weber gas. Pretty sure she thinks I have gone nuts at this point. LOL!
I haven't seen any MES 40 at Cabelas for $299.
If they have that, I'd suck it up quick!
I know Sam's has that price for the one that isn't ALL stainless, but I'm not sure if I trust things made in China for Wally (special cheapness).
Personally I can't see the new improvements being worth $150, and I doubt if you'll see the new model any lower than $399, even at Christmas. The best improvement there is the top vent being moved, but you can use a deflector plate like I use to fix the heat problem.
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Last edited by tenacious bee; 08-24-2012 at 01:11 PM.
TB,
I'm not much of a computer geek, but neither of those links works for me.
I'm dying to see an MES 40 at Cabelas for $299.
The other thing is what I have heard from many places:
They say Sam's (WallyWorld) makes deals with people in China to make Huge orders of different things just for them---Thinner wiring & things like that. Then Wally can undersell everybody else. I don't know this to be fact, but I don't doubt it one bit.
In other words, "We'll buy a million of them if you make them for us at THIS PRICE----Do what you have to do".
Can you get me links to the $299 MES 40 at Cabelas?
Bear
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Newest MES 40
Linear Mode
