Found an electric smoker at the thrift store

[LT72884]

Ok, its been a fat minute sknce i have posted, like 8 years haha.

So i found a meco 5030 electric smoker brand new at my thrift ayore for $20. Still in the box. Since i live in an apartment they are totally fine with it.

This one has no chip box, your supposed to lay the chips or chunks right on and or next to the heating element.

My question is, whats going to produce the best TBS? Chunks, chips, or pellets? And how should the configuration be to gwt the best tbs? Aluminum pouch, a chip box or just place the wood right on the element?

Thanks

 

[cowgirl]

Welcome back!

 

[LT72884]

Welcome back!

Thanks cowgirl. I still browse your old blog every once in a while.

The last 8 years have been busy. I did some bbq comps, taught a professional cooking class for a high quality restaurant in my area, i am almost done with medical and aerospace engineering school.

 

[Fooball]

I was going to say nice score for $20. I see it online for around $120.

Problem is some reviews say they can't get it any hotter than 165-175 degrees. They say don't trust the built in thermometer that says warm/ideal/hot. Other reviews say it works great.

As far as chip placement, a video of the same smoker (knockoff) shows them just filling the plate right under the element.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcpL4YFwIRs

One guy in the amazon reviews said the chips wouldn't light.

Hope you have good luck with yours. That's a steal if it works. Buy a thermometer if you don't have one.

Let us know how it goes on first cook.

 

[Grain Belt]

I had a Mecco like you describe many years ago. There is a reason that it was $20. They are not functional in my opinion.

 

[LT72884]

I was going to say nice score for $20. I see it online for around $120.



Problem is some reviews say they can't get it any hotter than 165-175 degrees. They say don't trust the built in thermometer that says warm/ideal/hot. Other reviews say it works great.



As far as chip placement, a video of the same smoker (knockoff) shows them just filling the plate right under the element.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcpL4YFwIRs



One guy in the amazon reviews said the chips wouldn't light.



Hope you have good luck with yours. That's a steal if it works. Buy a thermometer if you don't have one.



Let us know how it goes on first cook.

First cook and second cook went great. I do use a different thermometer and i had temps of about 275 the whole time

Trying to gwt the thin blue that i always gwt on my drum smokers, but its easier with charcoal and wood to get TBS thanbwith an electric haha

Sent from my SM-S367VL using Tapatalk

 

[Fooball]

Well at least you CAN get it to 275. I guess the bad reviews had bad heating elements.

Glad it worked for you. Easier than wood/charcoal but you won't get thin blue smoke as you say.

Worth the $20. I'd say unless you don't use it much.