Can you use an electric smoker in rain?

Last Updated on: 23rd April 2023, 01:52 am

Electric smokers are the most convenient smokers for smoking food without much effort .

They run on electricity but also use wood chips to produce smoke to impart flavor.

They work on a “set it and forget it” methodology.

But there is no black and white answer to whether we can use electric smokers in the rain or not.

Using electric smokers in the rain is like doing something in a grey area.

Although you can use them, you will need to be highly careful because you are dealing with electronics.

You can use electric smokers in the rain if you are prepared for it.

It means that if you know that you are going to be interrupted by rain during the smoking process, then you should take some precautions to avoid panicking during the process.

But you should be careful at the same time , because electric smokers are also electric devices just like any other electronic instrument and cannot be used in heavy downpours.

Using them in direct contact with water can be risky.

Just like any other pitmaster , we also encounter rain quite often while smoking.

Smoking is a lengthy process, and the weather can change at any moment.

moreover using them indoor can result in smoke buildup.

To cope with this situation , we have acquired a couple of canopies, which are really effective in keeping the process going.

Although using electric smokers in the rain is a little difficult, you can still do this if you take proper precautions.

You should keep in mind that these precautions can help you with a light sprinkle of rain, but if you encounter a downpour, then it’s better to stop the smoking for some time.

How to use electric smoker in rain

Using an electric smoker in the rain is possible if some precautions are taken to avoid the water from coming into direct contact with the smoker.

Electric smokers are not affected by light rain, but you should avoid using them in a downpour.

Like any other electric equipment, electric smokers can also be dangerous if they come into direct contact with water.

But by taking the precautions mentioned below, you can easily use your smoker in the rain without any worries.

Use smokers’ canopies or tents

A smoker canopy is a huge relief when it comes to using electric smokers in bad weather conditions, let it be rain or wind.

They are really effective at protecting the smoker from rain water and keeping it going.

Smoker canopies are specifically designed to serve the purpose of shelter for electric smokers.

These are your go-to options if you don’t have a good shelter to hide your smoker in the rain.

They are similar to tents in shape.

They can easily protect the smoker from light sprinkles, but if rain is coming in from the side, then it can be a problem.

Smoker canopies are wide open at the sides to maintain ventilation, which can be a problem in the monsoon season.

You can use a smoker canopy of any size as long as it protects your smoker from bad weather conditions.

But it should be large enough to not come close to the smoker and provide ventilation so that airflow inside the smoker can be maintained.

Use a shelter

Using a shelter to hide your smoker from rain is as effective as a smoker’s canopy.

But everyone doesn’t have shelter to place the smoker, so they can go with a smoker canopy.

They can prevent the rain water from coming into direct contact with the smoker.

If one can afford smoker canopies, they can be a good option.

A shelter can be anything as long as it protects smokers from rain while maintaining ventilation at the same time to provide airflow within the smoker.

A shelter can be the extended shed of a roof or the wall of a house.

You can use any area of the house as a shelter as long as it protects smokers from rain, except the area where garbage is collected because the smoke from garbage can affect the aroma of food.

Use a good-quality extension cord

An extension cord is used to provide the smoker with a constant supply of voltage to keep the smoker going.

Because rain might come in direct contact with the smoker so it’s better to use a good quality cord to avoid any incidents.

If you are using a cheaper cord, then it can result in dangerous incidents if it becomes wet due to rain.

Using a good quality cord negates the chance of such incidents and allows us to get involved in the smoking process without any risk.

The cord should be waterproof and should not be damaged from anywhere.

You should preferably check the surface of the cord for current with a voltage tester before starting the process of smoking to avoid any accidents later.

Furthermore, you should preferably use a shorter cord to minimize the chance of such incidents.

If the cord is short, then it can be monitored easily for any leakage.

Furthermore, a longer cord also results in a decrease in the voltage of electricity.

That’s why a shorter one is better.

Insulate the smoker

Using an electric smoker in the rain is still a problem, even if you succeed in protecting it from direct water.

Rain results in lowering the weather temperature due to how heat is lost from the electric smoker, and it can’t heat up to a higher temperature.

Rain can prolong the smoking process if the smoker is not insulated.

That’s why you should consider buying a good quality electric smoker or modifying the current one with different insulation techniques to avoid the heat loss.

There are various methods available for insulating an electric smoker commercially.

One of these is an insulation blanket.

These are really effective in insulating the electric smokers to avoid heat loss.

If you can’t afford to buy an insulation blanket, then you can make a cement board and use it for insulating the electric smoker.

Plan smoking effectively

Rain can still be a problem even if you take the best measures to protect your smoker from rain.

It can result in heat loss from the smoker, which can prolong the smoking process.

Furthermore, there is always a risk of electric shock when using an electric smoker in the rain.

So it’s better to plan the smoking carefully to avoid ending up in such situations.

You should see the weather forecast and schedule your smoking process according to that.

You should schedule your smoking process on a day where the least amount of rain is expected.

Electric Smokers can smoke in light sprinkles of rain, but you should consider stopping the process if you encounter a heavy downpour.

Planning your smoking is the most effective way to smoke your food without much effort to protect it from rain.

Can you use an electric smoker in the snow?

The short and straightforward answer to this question will always be “no” because snow results in an extremely low temperature at which smoking becomes difficult.

Smoking in the rain is much easier than smoking in the snow due to the temperature difference.

You can use your smoker in the rain if your smoker is insulated, but in the case of snow, insulation becomes ineffective.

Snow can result in heat loss from the smoker due to which the smoker can’t heat up to the desired temperature.

You should preferably avoid smoking in snow, but if you are left with no other option, then you should consider following all the instructions provided above for using an electric smoker in rain to minimize the heat loss and smoke efficiently.

How do you dry an electric smoker?

Rain can result in making the electric smoker wet, which can result in different incidents if not dried before use.

If you are using a good quality smoker, then we can expect that the water might not have reached inside the smoker, but in the case of cheaper smokers, drying is a must.

To dry your electric smoker, you should consider removing the removable parts first.

These include cooking racks ,water pans, etc.

After you have removed the removable parts from the smoker, you should wipe the smoker with dry paper towels.

You can also use newspapers or sponges for the same function.

While wiping the smoker dry, you should be careful to not scratch the build of the smoker, especially the glass window used to look at the food during the smoking process.

After you have wiped down the interior and exterior surfaces of the smoker, you should consider placing the smoker in an open area for an hour to dry it completely.

After that, it has been dried.

You can place the parts inside and prepare them for next use.

Conclusion

Using an electric smoker in the rain is possible, but not easy.

You should preferably consider aborting the process if you encounter a downpour and schedule it on a day when the least amount of rain is expected.

You can easily smoke in light sprinkles by following the precautions mentioned above.

If you have enjoyed this article ,then make sure to check our article on Are electric smokers bad for your health?