Electric smokers
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I’ll stick with old faithful, my Treager, it has its faults but I can work through them. It has a bad habit of shutting down on long smokes at lower temps. I have a new controller with dual temp probes, but yet to put it in. The thing just chugs along and makes the neighbors mouths water every time I fire it up.
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I also have a Big Green Egg but I needed something that would maintain temps between 120 - 170 deg. to make snack sticks, smoked sausage, jerky and bacon. I broke down and bought a 40” Masterbuilt for the sole purpose of making the above listed items. I got fed up with the large temp swings. I would get a +15 to a -15 of the set temp, I finally ripped out the Masterbuilt controller and replaced it with a PID controller. Now when I set the PID to any temp, the temp of the smoker the stays rock solid at that temp without any +/- temp devastation. I highly recommend the use of a PID.
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I also have a Big Green Egg but I needed something that would maintain temps between 120 - 170 deg. to make snack sticks, smoked sausage, jerky and bacon. I broke down and bought a 40” Masterbuilt for the sole purpose of making the above listed items. I got fed up with the large temp swings. I would get a +15 to a -15 of the set temp, I finally ripped out the Masterbuilt controller and replaced it with a PID controller. Now when I set the PID to any temp, the temp of the smoker the stays rock solid at that temp without any +/- temp devastation. I highly recommend the use of a PID.
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@Retired-RailRoader Perhaps that would help with my Masterbuilt problems. What controller do you use?
Joe Hell The PID controller I use is from Auber Instruments. The model number is WSD-1501GPH
https://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_28&products_id=381
As I don’t know how to post pics here below is the link of the write up of my mod I posted on another smoking forum. Hopefully I’m allowed to link to another site. Jonathan If I’m not please delete.
John Belvedere
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Joe Hell The PID controller I use is from Auber Instruments. The model number is WSD-1501GPH
https://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_28&products_id=381
As I don’t know how to post pics here below is the link of the write up of my mod I posted on another smoking forum. Hopefully I’m allowed to link to another site. Jonathan If I’m not please delete.
John Belvedere
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@Retired-RailRoader they are great controllers. Wat to think outside the box on using it with the MB.
Stats77 I also flipped the heating element so it’s in the center of the Masterbuilt so it heats dead center instead of the side. I also screwed in 2 pieces of angle iron into the sides so I could use a real water pan rather then the small original pan.

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Stats77 I also flipped the heating element so it’s in the center of the Masterbuilt so it heats dead center instead of the side. I also screwed in 2 pieces of angle iron into the sides so I could use a real water pan rather then the small original pan.

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I did 25# of snack sticks on the Camp Chef XXL vertical pellet yesterday. I was able to fit the whole batch in the smoker using the racks. The smoker worked great it was 35 degrees out and very windy and had no trouble with temps. The lowest temp setting is 150 so I started there with the vent wide open for the first hour and it held steady at around 120. After the first hr I rotated tracks and left it at 150 with the vent half open and the temp rose into the 130’s. The 3rd hr I rotated racks and turned it to 175 and put the 2 meat probes in. When the meat temp broke 130 I pulled them and finished them in an electric roaster with the water temp 170-180. I was impressed with the Camp Chef, the pellets produce a good amount of smoke while cooking. The sticks turned out great thanks to all the good information on this website!

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Brianh that really blows… . I hope they reply to you.and fix the problem . Did you purchase online or at a store? Possibly be Able to get assistance from where you bought it. I bought a gas grill for my work at Lowe’s . When I got it out of box the side burner was damaged. I called them up to see about getting me a new replacement part and they just repacked the whole grill. Worth a shot
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Brianh The Masterbuilt rep from instagram reached out this morning and also contact the son of the owner. I’m sure they will eventually make it right but we will see. They said if I don’t hear by the warranty department by Monday at 5:00 to let them know. Despite my current and past issues with their products I have always spoke fondly of them. When they work I feel they are the best bang for the buck on the market.
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Joe Hell I am now over a week since I sent my original email with zero response. do you have any contact information that I can use to get a hold of someone?
Brianh I haven’t heard back anything from them after directly contacting CS through their website. I had also left my phone number through their automated system a week or two ago with no response. I had been trading messages with whomever works on their instagram page lately and it’s hit and miss. They claim someone will be contacting me by 5pm today.
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Hello. I have been smoking a couple years using the Big Green Egg. Although it does well it is cumbersome to keep temperatures below 180 so I have been researching electric smokers. Although I would love a pk 100 it is not in the budget. I have been looking at the char broil and master built digital electric smokers but see a lot of people say the temperature is off and other issues. Just looking for some thoughts from the community about a good electric smoker under $500.00 and what they like and don’t like. Thank you
Stats77 I have a pit boss series II and I love it, just wish it was a little bigger. Secondary I would prefer pellets over chips, just makes the smoking process easier not having to refill every few hours
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I did 25# of snack sticks on the Camp Chef XXL vertical pellet yesterday. I was able to fit the whole batch in the smoker using the racks. The smoker worked great it was 35 degrees out and very windy and had no trouble with temps. The lowest temp setting is 150 so I started there with the vent wide open for the first hour and it held steady at around 120. After the first hr I rotated tracks and left it at 150 with the vent half open and the temp rose into the 130’s. The 3rd hr I rotated racks and turned it to 175 and put the 2 meat probes in. When the meat temp broke 130 I pulled them and finished them in an electric roaster with the water temp 170-180. I was impressed with the Camp Chef, the pellets produce a good amount of smoke while cooking. The sticks turned out great thanks to all the good information on this website!

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Brianh The Masterbuilt rep from instagram reached out this morning and also contact the son of the owner. I’m sure they will eventually make it right but we will see. They said if I don’t hear by the warranty department by Monday at 5:00 to let them know. Despite my current and past issues with their products I have always spoke fondly of them. When they work I feel they are the best bang for the buck on the market.
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Joe Hell Joe, thanks for the help getting in touch with Masterbuilt. Not resolved yet but they are at least responding and giving me things to try. Nothing successful yet but we’ll see what happens.
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A question for the house or the retired railroader. I have a Smokin Tex electric 1400. My low temp is somewhere all over the map. Little or very little temp. control. Looking for a good controller and we read about the PID on this forum. My question to you please. Which PID controller should I be investigating. From their web site the price range ± $200 and many to choose from.
All ideas, suggestion, and inputs are appreciated.
Best regards
Tommy -
This is pretty sweet set up https://meatgistics.waltonsinc.com/topic/1732/working-on-opening-day hotkarl do you have any advice/thoughts on this?
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