I have an electric Masterbuilt that has a probe and automatic time and temperature control that function well. The only thing I am not happy about is that at lower temperatures (180*) the heating element does not seem to make the wood chips smolder and produce smoke. As a result I tend to use it more as an oven/dehydrator than as a smoker.

If I were buying one again, I think I'd look for a gas/propane operated one because it would have a flame that would be better at making smoke, I think.

If anybody has a suggestion about how to make this work better for me I am all ears. Thanks!

I keep a record of what I smoke, the door temp., the meat internal temp. at the top rack and at the bottom rack, etc. I check it each 15 minutes and write all this down. I reviewed this and noticed that I usually do not get smoke until the door temp. is around 120-150 degrees on a warm day. However, on a day that was 53 degrees I started getting smoke when the door thermometer said 105 degrees and the meat temps were 61 degrees after I just started the smoker. Maybe on a cold day the smoker loses heat thru the walls and the heating element has to stay on more to compensate and that put more heat on the wood tray. I nearly always use hickory chunks to smoke with and add some very small mesquite that will heat up quicker and get the hickory chunks going. You might try smoking on a cold day and use finely cut chips and see if you get smoke at low meat temps. I also put the meat in a cold smoker and go from there instead of pre-heating as most folks do.

would not waist my money on a masterbuilt smoker the digital ones are junk o alot of guys that bought one incluiding myself and none of them work any more

Mine is not one of the digital jobs and it has worked well so far. There is not much to go wrong with it except the 1,500 watt heating element, if it goes bad I will replace it.

I've had my masterbuilt for 4 or 5 years now. There is a smoke box attatchment that you can get pretty cheap that allows for cold smoking. I use it instead of the one inside the actual smoker.

Smoker Problems
 

I have had nothing but good to say about Masterbuild and their service has been great. Lately I have replaced the control unit and heat element. The control unit comes on, the remote doesn't work and I have no heat. I have sent three e-mails asking for some tech advice, but have no response and they are taking no calls and I have no idea where to go or if it's just time for a new smoker??? Smoker is about 5 years old.