Meco 5025 Stainless Steel Charcoal Combo Water Smoker

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Stainless Charcoal Water Smoker, Two 15.5 Daimeter Grids, Built-in Heat Indicator With Two Acess Doors
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Technical Details

- Charcoal Water Smoker
- Sliding Acess Door
- Removable Thermostat
- Heat Resistant Wood side and Hood Handles
- 351 Square Inches of Cooking Surface
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 "Stainless Steel Smoker" 2008-08-04
By Paul F. Carpenter (Brandon,Florida)
It cooks so good the wife wants me to use it every day.Its great.Put the meat on,walk away for hours,come back take it off and enjoy.

 "Incredibly dissapointed :(" 2007-08-04
By B. Seymour (Portland, OR)
I have owned a MECO Charcoal Water Smoker for over 10 years and wanted to replace it since the firebox and charcoal grate were wearing out from so many years of use. I used the smoker about once a week, 52 weeks a year for the 10 years I've owned it and it's held up very well.



What a complete dissapointment my new Stainless water smoker is!!! Instead of improving on the fantastic unit that I purchased so many years ago, the new "Upgraded" Stainless model I recently purchased was a total dissapointment! The "fire box" is simply the same as the water bowl...Hey, MECO, that's WAY TOO LIGHT a gauge of steel for a fire box. Also, it has no charcoal grate that the charcoal rests on. You just put the charcoal directly into the flimsy bowl [which is fine for holding the water....but no way will it hold up to contact with burning charcoal. I'm guessing it would burn through in a matter of months. Further, the firebox is no longer seperate from the body of the smoker, which was very convenient to start the charcoal or to take off the body while cooking to easily mess around with whatever you were cooking or refill the water bowl, add charcoal or whatever. Now, you'll be leaning right over the fire while you attempt to do any of these operations.....BAH!!!



Meco, what happened to your lovely, practical and reliable smoker??? WHO changed the wonderful design of your fantastic product to turn it into a mere shadow of it's former self??



You force me to look elsewhere to replace your formerly great product!



Regretfully,

Bruce in Portland

 "Looks better than it cooks" 2005-09-05
By L. Moyse (Baton Rouge, La.)
The pluses here are price and ease of assembly, even for me. The smoker has an outside heat guage that is convenient, if general: the settings are warm, ideal and hot. So, it's not a thermometer but useful enough.



Some negatives have to include cheesy material and insecure fittings that result in any number of leaky spots, even along seams. The smoker has a vent, but you don't really need it because of the ill fitting parts. My biggest complaint, though, is the material itself, because the thing is so lightweight that cooking in a stiff enough wind might be an invitation to a conflgration.



Ok, I guess, if you are an occasional enthusiast, but for those who are serious about outdoor cooking, skip this and step up and spend some money like I'm fixing to do.


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Meco 5029 Stainless Steel Electric Combo Water Smoker

Buy Cheap Meco 5029 Stainless Steel Electric Combo Water Smoker

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Stainless Electric Water Smoker, Two 15.5 Daimeter Grids, Built-in Heat Indicator With Two Acess Doors
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Technical Details

- Electric Water Smoker
- 1650 Watt Heating Element
- Removable Thermostat
- Heat Resistant Wood side and Hood Handles
- 351 Square Inches of Cooking Surface
See more technical details

 "Bought as a gift" 2008-10-15
By Heather Goodwin
I use a charcoal smoker, but bought this for my father who really wanted the electric version. After a lot of trying, I could not convince him that an electric smoker was just a big old crock pot. He's glad he held out. He called me after using it and was thrilled with the results.



Brownie points from dad are always a great thing!

 "Fine for most people most of the time..." 2007-12-13
By Eric in MO
I've owned and used both the black steel model (5030) and this stainless one (5029). There are 2 things missing on the stainless model that my black 5030 had: 1) There are no dampers in the lid to help regulate smoke/heat and 2) The body does not rotate a few degrees and come up-off the base. You have to reach down in this model to clean the pan around the element and empty ashes. I miss both of these features.



Tips:

--Soak wood chunks overnight, at a minimum. As soon as you open the lid to take food out or open the door to check your wood, it's pretty easy to start a fire in the bottom. Wood that is soaked to the center really helps.

--The first time you use it, turn the dial to low and let it heat up. You may be temped to crank it up, but the element will stay on without occasionally turning off -- good way to start a fire.

--Unplug before spraying hose in bottom to put out fire. You'll end up wandering around the house trying to find which GFI circuit your patio outlet was piggy-backing on.



Cons;

--The thermometer is a "Low/Ideal/High" type - completely worthless. I drilled a hole in my 5030 for a large dial thermometer, but no such luck with stainless. You'll definitely want to keep a thermometer inside, either wireless or wire pinched under the lid, if you care about temps like I do.

--The bottom rack is very awkward to get in and out, especially with anything on it. The top rack supports get in the way.

--The body does not detach from the base making it difficult to clean out the ashes. I recommend letting it cool and using the shop-vac.

--The 2 racks won't fit nearly as much meat as you may think. A cabinet style smoker is for you if you want to cook for more than a small get-together.



Overall I'm actually pretty happy with this smoker. Sure, it's not a giant competition rig, but for 200 bucks it's hard to beat. This is my go-to backyard smoker.

 "Wish to top fit better" 2007-12-08
By Kevin P. Decker (Harsens Island, MI USA)
This is a replacement for another (not stainless) smoker. It is as advertised, quite easy to assemble, however, the cover should fit more snuggly as to retain more of the heat. Other than that - a fine unit.

 "MELCO 5029 Stainless Steel Electric Water Smoker " 2007-06-26
By K. Norton (California)
The smoker was delivered as promised. It took around an hour to assemble it while I was having my morning coffee. If you are in a hurry, just buy your meats from the market already smoked.



So far I have smoked beef tri-tip with apple wood, and king salmon with cherry wood. Both turned out fantastic.



Beef takes a few hours and the fish takes around one hour; of course it depends on size and temperature, etc. It is nice that I only need to add wood chips and turn the electric thermostat on without the need for charcoal.

 "Good, but..." 2007-06-12
By Frobozz (Alexandria, VA USA)
This pulls some serious electricity -- it runs off a 1000-plus-watt element -- and in my house, it causes breakers to switch off. I eventually converted this to a charcoal smoker (Meco sells a kit to do this). This really shouldn't be a problem in newer houses.



At this price, though, I'd have to look hard at a Weber Smoky Mountain cooker. It's not stainless but it is enameled steel and it comes with a cover -- it should last for years and years, if not decades and decades. It also has superior heat control (this Meco unit, like many water smokers, has no controllable vents). I've made some very good BBQ with this Meco but it does require a lot more attention than my Smoky Mountain. I use this at big BBQs when I often will fire up this, plus a Weber, plus a big barrel grill.


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Meco 5023i4-181 Double Grid Charcoal Water Smoker

Buy Cheap Meco 5023i4-181 Double Grid Charcoal Water Smoker

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Satin Black Double Grid Charcoal Water Smoker, Two 15.5 Daimeter Grids, Built-in Heat Indicator
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Technical Details

- Charcoal Water Smoker
- Sliding Acess Door
- Built-in Temperature Gauge
- Heat Resistant Wood side and Hood Handles
- 351 Square Inches of Cooking Surface
See more technical details

 "no exhaust damper" 2009-08-29
By John A. Wetmore (STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK United States)
I was unable to keep a constant temp because there is no damper on the lid. I had to use a stick to keep the lid open slightly. Took forever to cook ribs and chicken and they came out slightly dry because of no convection without the damper. Barrel section was dented also. Very cheap design, I would not recommend this item when there is so many better ones for a quarter of the price.

 "Meco 5023i4 Smoker Review" 2008-07-28
By M. Gordner (Allentown, Pa USA)
Overall the body of the smoker is structurally stable. However, when I was putting it together, I noticed the barrel was bent slightly and affects proper application of the lid. It is a very simple product to use, but requires attention to ensure the temperature remains stable.

 "Great product" 2008-06-23
By Pat (Rochester, NY)
Excellent product - this our second smoker - the first provided service for us for 15 years!

 "Fit & finish is terrible" 2008-06-11
By M. COCHRANE (Calif.)
If you're going to put out such a poor quality product it would be better if you just passed. Materials are as cheap as you can get. Top of smoker does not fit securely. No integrity to retain smoke in smoker.



The workmanship on this product is just awful. Really sucks!

 "Good for the money. Needs better packaging" 2006-09-30
By M. Damberg (Seattle, WA USA)
I've used this as a grill and a smoker so far. It's okay as a grill. It works great as a charcoal smoker. I did a rack of spare ribs and they turned out tender with great flavor. Best ribs I've ever made. The only complaint is in how it arrived. The smoker body came out of the box slightly flattened on the sides even though there was no visible damage on the box. I used a rubber mallet to tap the body back into a circular shape before assembly, and everything fit together after that. If Amazon or Meco beefed up the box for shipping I would have no complaints. Otherwise, the smoker itself is a great value.


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Meco 5031 Charcoal Combo Water Smoker

Buy Cheap Meco 5031 Charcoal Combo Water Smoker

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Satin Black Charcoal Water Smoker, Two 15.5 Daimeter Grids, Built-in Heat Indicator With Two Acess Doors
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Technical Details

- Charcoal Water Smoker
- Sliding Acess Door
- Removable Thermostat
- Heat Resistant Wood side and Hood Handles
- 351 Square Inches of Cooking Surface
See more technical details

 "Enjoyed every weekend since I bought it!" 2009-09-28
By Timothy A. Calligan
Great lil smoker. Only downside is temp gauge. It would be better if it was numeric.

 "Budget Smoker" 2007-07-31
By Meat Lover (Maumee Ohio)
After several hours of searching and reading reviews of many different budget smokers I bought the Meco 5031. Easy enough to assemble. Kinda cheaply made, but it is a budget unit. I did check out the competition (under a $100) at the Big Box stores and they were cheaply made also. You get what you pay for! I have used this smoker once and it did a fairly good job. The Pulled Pork tasted great,was tender and moist. I did find it difficult to regulate the heat with the vents in the lid of the unit. Could best control in side heat by adding small chunks of lump coal at a time and leaving the top vents wide open. Hopefully with more practice I'll get this part down better. So, if your on a very tight budget this will get the job done with a little bit of babysitting. If your budget will allow, and you like quality built items,maybe spend the $200 to $300 for a better unit.

 "Best smoker on the market...." 2007-05-13
By Jimmy Porter (Clarksville,Fl)
The Meco smoker has really won our family, this is the second one we have purchased. We have tried other smokers but none other is as consistent with preparing food quality, it is always cooked evenly and throughly. The price is pretty amazing also, we got a extra 30 dollars off for registering with Amazon Visa, so we got it for 46 instead of 76. I do highly recommend this product...if you, enjoy great food!

 "My son loves his smoker!" 2007-01-12
By C Hale (Austin, Texas)
Bought this smoker for my son for Christmas. First of all, it arrived about a week before I expected it, which was great. My son has already used it 3 times since Christmas and is just delighted with the results. He says it cooks faster than he expected, but the flavor and juiciness of the meat is terrific. The size is fine too - he has cooked ribs and sausage for 6, and also a whole large chicken. He has already recommended this smoker to a couple of his friends!

 "But it works..." 2006-03-11
By R. Morford
If I had been able to see one of these smokers in the store I would not have bought it. It seems poorly made and doesn't fit together very well. But since I bought it and went to the trouble of putting it together, we gave it a try. It works! We've used it every weekend since we got it - ham, chicken, sausage - everything is great. I don't know how long this thing is going to last, but I'm going to use it until it falls apart - then buy something else.


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Meco 5030 Electric Grill and Combination Water Smoker

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Satin Black Electric Water Smoker, Two 15.5 Daimeter Grids, Built-in Heat Indicator With Two Acess Doors
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Technical Details

- Electric Water Smoker
- 1650 Watt Heating Element
- Removable Thermostat
- Heat Resistant Wood side and Hood Handles
- 351 Square Inches of Cooking Surface
See more technical details

 "Junk!" 2009-08-02
By Kurt W. Baumgarten (Mendon, MA United States)
Total wast of money. Will not heat up enough to cook anything unless you plan to cook it over the course of three to four days. Because the heating element it soo cheap and the fit of the rest of the smoker is loose - it will not hold even enough heat to generate smoke. The design of having a smoking pan at the bottom that is also the base for the heating element just does not work. It even has a hole in the middle of the smoking pan for ???What??? I dont know. Its a water smoker and has a water pan between the element and the meat - so it cant be for a drip cup. Just an all around aweful thing. I went out to Lowes and bought a Brinkman $89 electric water smoker that does a MUCH better job. Amazon should not even sell these as they really are not fit for use. Total garbage and now in the garbage!

 "DON'T BUY! - Lasted 9 months: Already THROWN Away - Electrical Problems" 2008-10-16
By K. Laere (San Francisco, CA)
I'm editing my review (thanks Amazon) less than a year later (about 9 months) to tell you I've already TRASHED this smoker. I have run into the same exact problem other have, namely the dreaded electic element/controller burnout. Don't believe me? Check out Amazon's own page on the replacement element (http://www.amazon.com/Meco-Replacement-Heating-Element-Grills/dp/B0000CGEQX/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1247782625&sr=1-1) which gets a two star review by the way. The reviews on the side of the main Meco 5030 page tell the story, as others mention the power problems.



I noticed that the smoker had been having temperature issues and ended up checking the electrode of the heating element. Sure enough, one had cracked completely where it joined the element, and melted (metal) itself so that it wasn't straight anymore. The electic controller had plastic burn marks at the hole and the conductors where burned as well. I even thought about shelling out the $50 bucks to replace these parts, but then noticed that people were having these issues over and over again, even with the replacments!



If you buy this smoker, you expose yourself to a systematic defect since there seem to be numerous instances of this. I can't believe this grill didn't last a year. On top of that, the wire grills are rusted out and have lost their coating and the thermostat is broken as well.



Planned Obsolescence? Perhaps, but they won't be getting any more of MY money. I'm buying a new smoker: the Old Smokey Electric. So long, Meco. There's a reason why the smoker gets lots of one and two star reviews.



DON'T BUY!

 "Not well built" 2008-09-02
By SMK (New Mexico)
This smoker creates some terrific Bar B Q, but the construction of this smoker is disappointing. After two years of use, we have to replace it. The metal lid warped the first time it was used, which means the lid and body don't fit together well. The biggest problem, though, is that the electric control is flimsy and must be jiggled constantly or it stops cooking. This smoker was recommended by Cook's Magazine, and while the food is terrific, poor construction means that after only two years of infrequent use, we have to replace it.

 "Great Performance at a Good Price" 2008-08-08
By Timothy S. Shropshire (Boulder, Colorado)
First let me say that I am not a cook, But I have gotten nothing but rave reviews on the BBQ briskets and chicken that I have done on this great little smoker. An eight pound brisket fits quite well on the top shelf, while a chicken and some links snuggle on the bottom shelf. I followed the cooking times given in the Meco instruction sheet for all items, and the results are Great! Both mesquite and hickory have yielded excellent flavors. We can't wait to try some other fruitwoods and rubs.



Given the price of this smoker, I find the quality to be right on. I can, and have, recommended this water smoker to friends and family. It is well made, Very easy to use and very easy to clean up (both grates and the water pan clean up well on the pots-n-pans setting on our dishwasher).



If you are looking for a good, easy-to-use home smoker, look no further ... You've Found It in the Meco.

 "Quality control stinks" 2008-07-05
By D. Vawter (Aurora, CO USA)
The first shipment arrived missing the heating element. The replacement arrived with a damaged bowl. Fortunately I had not yet returned the first one so I managed to cobble one together by combining parts. Assembling was not too bad, given that the manual did not have step by step pictures but only a picture of the overall assembly.



I really can't comment on the smoker's performance yet as I have only used it once. At least it didn't blow a fuse and given the poor quality control exhibited I had my doubts about that.



I will probably keep it unless it fails to perform correctly but I cannot recommend anyone purchase it given the quality control issues.


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