Why Is My Masterbuilt Electric Smoker Not Smoking? Let’s Explore

Are you wondering why is your Masterbuilt electric smoker not smoking? If you answered “yes”, read the article now; it will only take a few minutes!

For a variety of reasons, your Masterbuilt electric smoker may not be smoking. The most typical problem is a chip tray that isn’t balanced properly on the burner element. When your smoker is cold, you can bend the tray support or the tray to achieve complete contact with the element.

If your Masterbuilt electric smoker is still not smoking, make sure the tray is as clean as possible and is touching the heating element. A clean try increases the possibility of the chips smoking because there is no debris or dirt in the path!

Wet chips should not be used since they stop the smoking process completely. In your Masterbuilt smoker, see if utilizing dry chips makes a difference.

Experiment with different kinds of wood chips to see if they make a difference. Smaller wood chips are easier to smoke, and there is a range of options.

We recommend contacting Masterbuilt’s customer support department if you’re still having issues. Usually, one or more of these suggestions will persuade your smoker to resume smoking!

Let’s find out why your Masterbuilt electric smoker is not smoking.

Do You Soak Wood Chips for A Masterbuilt Electric Smoker?

No, you don’t have to soak wood chips before using them in a Masterbuilt electric smoker. While Masterbuilt does not rule out the use of wet wood chips, several other electric smoker manufacturers do not recommend it.

Because damp wood chips must be dried on the element before smoking, this is the case. It’s a personal choice, so don’t feel forced to soak your wood chips if you don’t want to!

According to Masterbuilt, you should soak your chips for 30 minutes before using them in an electric smoker. Soaking your wood chips for this long will ensure that your smoker maintains a constant and steady temperature, ensuring that your meal is cooked to perfection!

You may also use wet chips or soaked wood chips to manage the temperature of your electric smoker if things get out of hand while cooking! Any temperature changes or heat spikes that may affect the ultimate outcome of your food will be mitigated by the chips.

Wet wood chips should be no thicker than half an inch and no longer than 1-2 inches. Soaking your wood chips can take anywhere from 1 to 12 hours. Wrap them in foil with holes drilled through it before putting them in the smoker.

Soaking wood chips, on the other hand, isn’t always a good idea, and in some situations should be avoided! Make sure your wood chips aren’t moist if you’re cold smoking your food.

Drying the food is required for cold smoking, which is practically impossible to achieve with wet wood chips; instead, dry chips are advised for good cold smoking. We never advocate using wet wood chips in electric smokers due to insufficient circumstances.

In an offset or stick burner, wet wood chips can slow the burning process just enough to generate long-lasting smoke. However, I still recommend utilizing dry kindling or wood chunks for the best results.

What’s The Best Way To Clean Masterbuilt Smoker’s Glass?

Cleaning the glass on your Masterbuilt smoker with Apple Cider Vinegar and hot water is simple! Fill an empty spray bottle halfway with Apple Cider Vinegar and hot water. Simply spray down the glass window of your smoker, ensuring sure it is well covered.

Allow a minute or two for the solution to break down the grime and dirt before wiping it down. Newspaper sheets can be used to clean the glass and leave no residue!

To avoid streaks on your glass, you’ll need to clean it properly. If you’ve gone to the work of cleaning it, you want it to shine!

You can use a towel to clean the windows, but this will create streaks and take longer! Consider what you generally use to clean glass; if you have a dependable cloth, go ahead and use that, but we like to use newspapers.

Depending on how dirty your glass is, you may need to repeat the cleaning steps a few times, which is fine! If at all feasible, clean the glass after each smoking; however, we appreciate that not everyone has the time.

Simply clean the glass on a regular basis and wait until the smoker is completely cool to ensure it stays clean, and you’ll be able to see your meat cook right through it!

While seasoning your smoker, apply an additional thick layer of oil to the inside of the glass door. The oil will leave a film on which the smoke will stick, which can be cleaned with a warm cloth and dawn dish soap. After cleaning, reapply a thick layer of oil to the glass to make future cleaning easier.

How Often Do You Refill Your Masterbuilt Electric Smoker With Wood Chips?

Add wood chips to your Masterbuilt electric smoker once each hour or when the smoker stops producing smoke. Wood chips should not be added until the cooking period is complete and the food is ready to consume.

Most longer cooking only requires smoke output for the first four hours, depending on the cuisine or recipe.

To maintain the smoke going and your food cooking with that great smokey flavor we all appreciate, add a handful of wood chips to the electric smoker. You can add these wood chips wet or dry, depending on the style of smoking you’re doing, keeping the smoke burning, and your meal cooking!

Place the wood chips in the loading tube of your electric smoker with a cup or scoop. Insert the loading tube into the smoker and turn it to fill the chip tray. Smoke emission can be unpredictable if the chip tray is overcrowded.

How Can I Get More Smoke From My Masterbuilt Electric Smoker?

Use fine wood chips in your Masterbuilt electric smoker to get more smoke. Because wood chips burn faster, the finer they are, the more smoke they emit. You’ll have to replace your smoker’s wood chips more regularly, but the smoke flavor will be better.

Additionally, when utilizing your smoker, the size of your fuel may be directly linked to the cooking temperature. When cooking at 180 degrees, for example, a tiny wood chip should suffice, but when cooking at 250 degrees or more, massive wood chips are required.

Chips are labeled in a variety of ways, depending on the manufacturer. Small wood chips resemble those produced by Smokehouse Products, while huge wood chips like those produced by Weber.

Use dry wood chips instead of wet chips in your Masterbuilt electric smoker to get more smoke. Wet chips take longer to heat and smoke than dry chips, and they produce less smoke in some cases!

It’s worth giving it a shot to see if it helps. If you don’t like the taste of dry wood chips, soak them for a shorter time to see if it makes a difference.

Finally, most wood chips will not burn reliably below 160 degrees. Preheat your smoker to 150°F, then add your dry wood chips, raise the temperature to 160°F, and then add your meat to the smoker. Following these steps should produce clean, immediate smoke, giving your food the flavor you want.

Related: How To Use Masterbuilt Electric Smokers: A Step-By-Step Guide

Where Is the Water Pan Located In A Masterbuilt Electric Smoker?

Your water pan is located on the lowest tray of your Masterbuilt electric smoker. It’s easy to fill because the retractable drip tray/water pan slides out! When cooking, we recommend filling it halfway with hot water to maintain the humidity level.

Before cooking meat in the smoker, fill the water pan halfway with water to keep the meat moist and avoid it from drying out! In the water tray, stock can also be used to make a smokey stock. Line the tray with foil prior in these cases to make it easier to remove the stock once it’s finished cooking.

Another option is to keep your stock in a disposable aluminum foil pan on the bottom rack of your smoker. Your food’s liquids will flow into the stock, giving it a smoky flavor and adding moisture to your dish. The best part is that you can just throw the pan away when you’re done with it.

While the water pan is located at the bottom of the smoker, some Masterbuilt electric smoker owners also fill other trays with water. Some users believe that adding water to the main grease tray helps the smoking process!

You can relocate the water pan to another location if necessary because it is removable. The water pan should be positioned over the heat source to ensure that the water is heated and your smoker continues to smoke. Locate the heating source and place the pan above it when using an electric smoker.

The water pan on your Masterbuilt electric smoker is most likely on the bottom tray, at the most convenient location! If a recipe calls for it, go ahead and shift the tray, but we think it’s better to leave it alone!