Meco Double-Grid Electric Water Smoker

First off, I bought my Meco 5029 from another vendor, but because I'm an Amazon Prime customer, I wanted to relay my experience here.

This is my 4th water smoker. The previous three were the painted variety and rusted apart. That was my justification for spending three times as much on this stainless model.

I received the unit yesterday. It arrived in perfect shape no dents or scratches.

If you like an installation challenge; like drilling-out misplaced rivets, adding screws where rivets should have been, and trying to locate part #23 when they really meant part #18, then you'll love this chore.

Also, the instructions say to install the handles with the Meco logo up, but no logo was found. (Not really a big deal, just humorous.)

Here's an interesting manufacturing technique used.....the sliding front door is held in place by loose rivets an interesting technique that does not provide a tight seal. I estimate there are 3/16" gaps in four places where the sliding door should be tight. I haven't used the smoker yet, but I'm going to lose a lot of heat and smoke through those gaps. And unfortunately I can't press the metal door into place, it just springs back.

Also, the cooking grates have nice handles on them, but getting the bottom grate in place requires some maneuvering, because the screws provided to attach the grate support brackets extend about 1/2" over the grate. Installing or removing the grate requires some twisting and adjusting. I cannot imagine trying to remove the grate with a pork shoulder on top. (Next time I have the unit apart I'll cut-off those long screw ends.)

Based on the design and manufacturing missteps, I rate this unit 3 stars. (And like I said, I haven't even used it yet.)

I love this smoker as it's very easy to use and homemade brisket beats the local bbq joint offerings (in the pacific northwest).

The best feature, and the main reason I bought the MECO, is its side doors which allow you to add water/wood, without having to take the lid off and the meat out.

What I'd like to see better is a real temperature gauge. All it does now is show you Warm/Medium/High. And if you cook a 12 hour brisket (the best way of course!), you'll need to turn it on medium/high to get the smoke going for a while before turning it down low for the long haul as the heating element won't make the smoke happen when on Low. So a side chamber would be the next step up to make this a perfect solution.

Regardless, it works wonderfully as a starter and barbecue is now a staple in my house. Yummmmmmm!

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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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The replacement coil and controller for this unit is MECO part number 1521.9.001. When searching for a replacement on-line it's apparent that these units fail frequently and always in the same spot; where the controller attaches to the coil. The failure mode is a fried contact and it results in melted plastic of the controller. In two years of infrequent smoking, mine failed in the same location as everyone else has reported and although I'm not pleased, I to am happy that at least it didn't catch on fire. Much to my surprise, Meco's price on the spare at $36 is less than from other on-line companies that specialize in grill replacement parts. However, their price to ship it is $17.00 for UPS ground which is ridiculous.

I agree with other reviewers that the lid doesn't fit very well allowing a lot of smoke to escape, the lower rack is difficult to remove because it catches on the hooks that the upper rack rest on and the thermometer in the lid is close to worthless. Other than that, i've been relatively happy with it until now because the last smokers i have owned have been painted and charcoal fired. Others have complained that it doesn't get very hot; i'm not sure what they are talking about. I prefer to smoke over low heat for a longer amount of time; something i was never able to do with my old charcoal smokers.

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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.

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Char-Broil 5584355 14-Inch Porcelain Cast Iron Grid Section

Short story they fit, they cook very well and clean up nicely. No rust so far, old ones did despite coming with a very expensive grill.

I have used these for 3 years and given a number of sets as gifts, and everyone who got them raves about them. I grill 3 to 5 times per week, and those friends grill about the same amount.

What some people may not like about these grates:

*Pricey (you will need 3 for a 3 burner Weber)

*They are heavy (do not drop on your foot, it would hurt)

*Each one of these grids is actually 3 interlocking pieces that slide to increase or decrease the front to back length to fit the depth of almost any grill large or small. When you need to handle these it makes that trickier as the 2 end pieces will hang from the middle piece in a U shape when you handle it if you are not paying attention.

What a serious griller will love about these:

*The grids will fit the depth of almost any grill

*This is the heaviest (THICK) cast iron grate I have been able to find. Possibly 3 times the thickness of Weber's cast iron for instance.

*These things get HOT and they STAY HOT. If you like to sear your steaks, get your grill properly warmed up and drop them on these for top notch searing. Plus, these retain heat so well the meat does not suck all of the heat out of your cooking surface.

These put a lot of hot iron in your rig, perform fabulously, and they are a serious upgrade for any grill at any price range. You can find $5000.00+ grills all day long that do not have grates that perform like these.

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When I ordered this product, there was only one review. I decided that the description and potential usefulness of this product outweighed the negative words in the review. A piece of the grate broke off as I was putting it on the grill for the first time. Even if the item were not packaged correctly, a grill grate should stand up to some stress. If you don't plan to handle a grill grate as carefully as you would your wedding china, avoid this one. Thanks to Amazon for having a decent return policy.

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while these grates are high quality and stay hot for a long time, they are very difficult to use. if you need to remove them at any point, they are difficult to put back on the grill because the three interlocking pieces don't stay in place. if for some reason you need to get under the grates during grilling, moving these are very difficult. don't recommend.

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I purchased two of these to replace the flimsy grates that came with my grill and could not be happier.

These are heavy duty cast iron and really do a great job!

I typically turn on the grill to as hot as it will go and cook off the remnants of the previous night's meal, give the grates a good once-over with a wire brush, then spritz on a heavy dose of canola oil that I keep in a squirt bottle.

Once that's done, nothing sticks to them. And they hold the heat just like you would expect cast iron to.

Pros: Heavy. Adjustable.

Cons: Two grates don't quite fill the full void left by my old grates, but three would be too much.

Because the grates adjustable, they do tend to retract into themselves if too much force is used while brushing them north/south, causing them to fall into the grill.

Jalapeno Pepper Grill Rack Set

This is a sturdy jalapeno pepper stainless steel rack for your grill. The rack works as advertised but you need to choose peppers of just the right size. If they are too big, they tip over. If they are too small, they fall through the holes.

Baste the peppers with melted butter and garlic salt. Use sharp cheddar cheese sticks for convenience. Roll the cheese in salt. Put a half stick of cheese in each pepper and grill at low heat until the peppers feel tender when grabbed with tongs. Yum!

George Foreman GR35SBTMR Stainless Steel Grill With Timer

We purchased a stainless steel George Foreman Grill that has over 120 square inches of cooking space a few months ago. Not only does it match our existing stainless steel appliances, it does a fantastic job of cooking all sorts of things, including hamburgers, polish sausages, steaks, salmon and chicken to name a few. One of the great benefits to cooking on the George Foreman Grill is its inclined surface that allows rendered fat to drip away from the food that is cooking. Not only does this reduce unwanted calories in what you're cooking, it keeps many foods from being as greasy, especially hamburgers. (Just remember to put the drip pan beneath the opening; otherwise, you'll have quite the mess to clean up!) Another great benefit of using the George Foreman Grill is that it heats both the lower and upper cooking surfaces so that cooking times are greatly shortened. Hence, not only is food that is cooked on the grill less greasy, it cooks much faster than if you were using a frying pan or a barbecue grill. Since both the upper and lower cooking surfaces are coated with non-stick materials, cooked food doesn't stick and clean up is very easy. To give an idea as to the amount of available cooking space, four 1/3-pound hamburgers easily fit and cook simultaneously. (If the hamburgers are smaller, it can cook more than four.)

Overall, I rate the stainless steel George Foreman Grill with 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it. It's especially useful & timesaving if you're on a low-carb diet.

Nordic Ware Microwave 10.5 Inch Spatter Cover

These covers are great! No more using plastic wrap, paper, or anything else to cover the food we microwave. Works on any size plate, and our dinner plates are large. There is plenty of room above the plate which is good, because we sometimes heat 2 plates of food on one plate, then split, so having the higher cover is much better. So far there are no negatives except for this, and it isn't really a negative it is a question:

I've been trying to find some documentation online relating to possible toxins in this type of plastic/polymer. So far I've been only able to find good things about polypropylene, but have not been able to find anything relating to microwaving it.

The previous 37 mostly positive reviews point out the advantages of this product (Nordic Microwave Splatter Cover #65000). However, none of these reviews mention whether the cover is free of BPA (bisphenol A) and melamine, which are compounds in plastics shown to have neurological toxicity and other potential negative effects on health (see Wikipedia). The labelling on the cover itself as well as on the paper sticker are silent in this regard. However, Nordic's website specifics that the cover (#65000) is indeed "BPA and melamine free."

Two other points: (1) The cover should be hand washed with hot soapy water. It may not be dishwasher safe. (2) The cover may be purchasable in your local hardware store (Ace) or department store (Target) for about half the Amazon price.

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This large diameter cover works well on dinner plates and is easy to grasp for removal via the indented handle on top. The cover is vented, but not so much that all moisture escapes. This helps food remain moist during reheating, which I find enhances the quality of most things.

At approximately 3" high, it covers most things you'd be heating on a plate, and although it does cover a standard soup bowl, there is little or no room above the bowl, which is fine for soup, but not if the bowl is heaped with something.

When I purchased this cover, I also purchased the dome shaped cover, and actually like and use both. The dome cover is better for taller things, for example steaming vegetables in a serving bowl, but I can't remove it from the oven by the handle because it's so tall. It's not a big deal; I just have to use both hands to grasp it by the sides, but for standard plated fare, I find this cover easier.

Both covers are large and may not fit in a small oven, but certainly have improved the quality of my microwaved food now that I have a larger oven. They also reduce oven cleanup and are easy to rinse clean if they get splattered. I recommend them both, but I use this one the most.

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I am very happy with this cover. It works on small and large plates and bowls. I am saving a lot of paper towels these days. Best of all, it is made in the USA!!!!

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Interestingly, the covers look like something that you'd normally find atop a fruit arrangement at your grocery store-and would throw away after eating the fruit. I know plastic is all The Big Scare these days with BPA just waiting to leach out and cause us all horrible, painful diseases. Relax, as a chemist, I can assure you that anything leached out of these containers will drip down the sides and all over your hands when you take the plate and cover out of the microwave. I'm serious about that-condensation does form and it is often very hot, so pot holders are in order. Anyone who has ever cleaned a microwave after a potato detonated, despite the potato being poked in several places, will appreciate these covers. The covers sit nicely on standard dinner plates. Good product.

Frigidaire EA109T Protective Rear Grille for Through-the-Wall Air Conditioners

This is a probably an nice grille. The only issues is the case it goes on already comes with a grille. Thats crazy enough but, it gets more interesnting. The unit that goes in the case also has a grille included which is required to replace the grille that is provided with the case. Bottom line is I returned the grille and got a partial credit. Not sure what this grille is for unless you just like it better than the other two you will automatically have.

This product fills a long overdue need for protection of the exterior fins of an air conditioning unit installed either in a window or through the wall. My product arrived damaged, but it was usable and it was not worth the postage to return it. I am very pleased with the product and its design which perfectly serves the design purpose.

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I was a bit skeptical from previous reviews as regards the noise level as it is used in my studio. But the noise level is fine and it does a great job of cooling quickly. I am pretty happy with it.

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Outset QB53 Rosewood and Stainless Steel Meat Hook

This is a great gadget to have if you like to barbeque a lot or a little. It's great for turning ribs, steaks, hot-dogs, etc. I looked through all of my local stores and could not find a tool like this anywhere so I started searching online. This is a great value at only $9.95. I found similar items that were shorter in length and longer in price. The meat flips quickly and effortlessly saving time and the length is perfect to reach over most grills without getting burned.

My folks are retired and have started the snow bird travel with their fifth wheel, this year when they stopped by on their way back home, they barbequed up some rib eye steaks for dinner, my dad had one of these "meat hooks" or "pig tails" to flip the steaks, making it so much nicer and easier.

I searched all the BBQ stores with no luck. Searching the internet I found what I was looking for. My dad has three of these, and told me that if I get one make sure it is a long one, these work great when using a grill on a fire pit.

Everyone that loves to BBQ should have one of these.

Somebody should really start distributing them to all the BBQ stores including merchantile stores these should be easier to find and purchase.

I love this item, this would receive a higher rating if there was a higher number to choose......

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This meat hook looks odd, but it will let you turn any meat and not have it fall off the grill...Great gadget for tailgait party.

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The only complaint I have about this product is that if you use it while camping, over an open fire it is too short.

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This is pretty awesome for flipping steaks or whatever else you want to do. I didn't have it long because I took it camping and I'm pretty sure one of my buddies jacked it from me. I would recommend this to anyone.