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Can an electric smoker get wet? This is a common question since most people store their electric smokers outdoors.
The average person simply doesn’t have room to store something so big under the cover of a roof. If this explains your situation, you may be wondering whether it’s safe to use an electric smoker after it’s gotten rained on.
Frankly, there is no cut-and-dried answer to this question. But here’s some information you can use to help you decide for yourself whether or not it’s a good idea.
Can you use an electric smoker that’s gotten wet?
Anecdotal evidence indicates most people who get their electric smokers wet don’t have a problem using them afterward.
Of course, there are always those few cases that are the exception rather than the rule.
In other words, there is no way that you can be absolutely certain that you can get your electric smoker wet and then continue using it without any issues.
There is always a certain amount of risk involved when talking about getting an electric device wet. Electric smokers simply aren’t designed to be waterproof.
The problem is not so much with how an electric smoker works as it is with the electric control box. Ideally, your smoker’s control box is constructed in such a way that it’s protected from the elements.
If it is, you can probably use your smoker after it’s gotten wet without any problems. Otherwise, you may be in for an unpleasant surprise the next time you try to use it.
If you live in a rainy climate, you might consider shopping for a smoker specifically designed for indoor use or buying a propane smoker instead.
Safety precautions when your electric smoker gets wet
Never turn a wet smoker on. If your smoker gets caught in the rain, splashed with a hose or otherwise gets exposed to water, make sure it’s totally dry before turning it on.
Always plug your electric smoker into a grounded outlet. These outlets are easy to identify because they have a sticker on them labeled “GFI” or “GFCI.”
If you don’t see that label, try to refrain from plugging the smoker into that outlet. That way, if there is a problem, it’s likely to simply blow the fuse in the outlet as opposed to shocking you or starting a fire.
Protect your investment
A slightly wet smoker most likely won’t be a problem as long as you follow these simple safety precautions. But if you’ll be storing your smoker outside, you should definitely invest in a cover to keep it dry.
As long as you don’t leave it out in a heavy rainstorm without protection, your smoker should do just fine.
Want to learn more about electric smokers?
Are you a first-time buyer, or are you in the market for a new electric smoker? Check out our roundup of the best electric smoker reviews.
If you’re not yet convinced that an electric smoker is essential for your home, read ten advantages of using an electric smoker and why an electric smoker is a healthy choice.
Good article. I definitely appreciate this website.
Continue the good work!
Water pan or no water pan
When you don’t have your smoker properly seasoned it causes rust in the inside from the moisture.
So then, all of the contamination from the wood sticks to the rusty smoker walls. And you taste that.
When you think you do have it properly seasoned the smoke will still eventually dry and burn the oiled seasoning on the walls, and not properly work.
The water pan will help keep the oil seasoning on the inside of the smoker moist, like a lubricant. It will help heat travel through and out rather than smoke sticking to the inside and making food taste like burnt up oil from the inner walls.
The water pan will keep the meat moist.
It will also make the taste difference because the juices are not being sucked out by just smoke. The juice sits in and on the meat.
Make sense? Or am I talking out my rear?
That’s what happens when you’re smoking food and have nothing to do.
I use a water pan.