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MAK 2 Star Owners I Need Advice Please

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    MAK 2 Star Owners I Need Advice Please

    I just sold my Memphis Pellet Grill which I really liked but have decided it's time to try something new & different. Next week I'm going to order a MAK 2 Star. Has anyone got the Large Smoker Box? I like the way you can hang sausage for smoking. Does anyone have any advice on the Accessories for the MAK 2 Star? Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

    #2
    I can't help, but what to go getting ahead of your MCS by asking for accessories in advance...

    Comment


      #3
      Skip I have the MAK 2 Star , but not the large smoker box add-on. However, I know some other folks who do have it and love the additional space for sausage, jerky and for cold smoking cheese. It really just sits on top of the side warming box that comes with the MAK and gets it's heat and smoke through that.

      I would consider getting the front shelf option. I find having that for staging food into and out of the MAK very useful. It does have a towel bar underneath that as well, although I can't leave a roll of paper towels on it as it blocks the front cabinet door if you get the enclosed cart options.

      It only comes with one K-style meat probe, but the controller has ports for 3, so if you monitor more than one product, that is an option to consider.

      Not sure if the current MAK comes with more than the main grates (two half-size). if so, you might consider getting an optional full grate, then use that as your main, leaving you with two 1/2 grates to use on the upper two shelves. Or get a 3/4 - that is what I have and I do most of my cooking on it. However, my MAK only has one upper shelf kit, but that is plenty for me.

      MAK makes a cover that will fit over both the main smoker and the Large smoker box add-on. I always keep mine covered to protect from moisture in the sea air we get.

      I would hold off on getting their version of grill grates until you have done some cooks with the Flamezone covers off and the MAK set to Grill. You won't get the same heat level for searing like the Memphis could generate. Many find the MAK quite fine for what it does do for grilling/searing. I like more heat, so I use my gasser's sear burner for that. I also do not have MAK's griddle insert as my Blackstone does great for that purpose, but others have reported it works really well - like, grill with open Flamezone on the rear half, and have the griddle for veggies and such on the front half.

      Lastly, I believe the WiFi is still optional and is a bit pricey. I have it and it works great for both monitoring food temps as well as changing setpoints if desired without having to go to the smoker.

      I hope some of this helps you. I think you are going to love the MAK and the quality of the smoke profile and consistency of one well built machine. Bon Appetit!!

      Comment


      • ItsAllGoneToTheDogs
        ItsAllGoneToTheDogs commented
        Editing a comment
        I think the new ones come with 2 probes, unless that's only the all stainless model

      #4
      I really want the cold box add on, folks that have it are smoking cheese year round. I can smoke cheese in the standard 2 star warming box until it starts hitting 70 out, so pretty much all summer I'm cheeseless I have no problem making jerky in the main chamber, smoke mode will fluctuate between 160 and 180 depending on your pellet type and wind.

      As GG said above you can grill without grill grates, but if you have another high heat option you'll likely prefer that for steak. It's plenty sufficient for fish and poultry usually. You can get by with a cast iron pan for searing until you decide whether to by the MAK sear grate.

      I just bought the wifi and while I feel it's over priced, and the initial setup is archaic for inputting your wifi password, it's a one time pain in the rear. If you do get it, I would suggest making a guest network on your home wifi, make the password simple and then after the MAK is setup on that network, you can make that network ONLY for the MAK IP address so it's still a secure network. Once setup, it works flawlessly and does lots of things you would expect a wifi thermo to do while also giving you advanced programing and remote temp adjustment.

      For the grates, if you just buy a full size then technically you can use the stock grates as 2 1/2 grates in the above slots. I got the 3/4 which is nice because it lives in the grill full time and the bottom rack is more accessible, but the new models have multiple racks so I'd probably get 1 or 2 full size grates additionally.

      You can get additional probes from many other places now that MAK has switched to a more common input for the probe, so you don't need the one they sell (other than the one(s) that comes with the grill of course)


      FWIW make sure you buy through bigpoppasmokers, the points you get from the initial purchase will let you get an accessory later on for free or cheap. If you don't buy the bundles from BPS, you'll want a cover. The MAK cover is the first grill cover I've ever had that has lasted more than 2 years without a single tear.

      @rwalters has the newest MAK and most of the accessories so he can probably provide the best input
      Last edited by ItsAllGoneToTheDogs; June 27, 2020, 03:30 PM.

      Comment


        #5
        Do any of you have the Remote Boss? Maybe the WIFI Control is better? Thoughts?

        Comment


        • GolfGeezer
          GolfGeezer commented
          Editing a comment
          Does the Remote Boss even work with the new Pellet Boss controller? I thought the Remote Boss was for the older MAKs, pre-2018. Even if it does work, it is only Bluetooth, so a very limited range versus WiFi and costs $100 more than the WiFi add-on.

        • Skip
          Skip commented
          Editing a comment
          I talked to Caleb at MAK yesterday and he said that Remote Boss does work on a current New MAK 2 Star General. IMO the Wifi version seems a better value. Now I need to decide if I want to order it with Wifi. Thanks again for all the comments.

        • ItsAllGoneToTheDogs
          ItsAllGoneToTheDogs commented
          Editing a comment
          If you buy a bundle from BPS you could hold off on the wifi and use your points to buy it later down the road if you decided you needed it.

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