How to make electric smoker hotter

Last Updated on: 20th April 2023, 10:28 pm

Electric smokers are comfortable when you need to avoid the effort needed for smoking with traditional smokers, but they can be difficult to heat up to higher temperatures.

In this article we are going to share a complete guide on how to make your electric smoker hotter.

Let’s get started.

How to make electric smoker hotter

Now that we have discussed most of the causes associated with lower temperatures in an electric smoker, We will also guide you on how to fix them and get your electric smoker hotter .

By following these tips, you can get the best possible temperature in your electric smoker.

Cook in warm weather

As mentioned above, smoking in cold weather can be a difficult task, even if your smoker is insulated.

The reason behind it is that if the external weather is cold, it will also influence the internal temperature and result in lowering the temperature.

To avoid panicking in cold weather, it’s better to plan your smoking beforehand.

You should consider checking the weather forecast and scheduling your smoking on a day when the temperature is warmer and no rain is expected.

In addition to the temperature, the wind can also be a problem because it pushes the heat out of the smoker.

To protect your smoker from the wind, you should consider putting it in a shelter.

But you should also avoid putting it indoors because it can result in poor ventilation.

Insulate your smoker

Heat loss is the major problem faced by the pitmasters when smoking in cold weather.

The heat produced inside the smoker will be wasted if the smoker can’t retain it.

You should consider insulating your smoker to make sure it can heat up to its highest temperature range .

Most of the high-end smokers are insulated and retain heat for a longer period of time, thus preserving the fuel at the same time.

If you are using a low-quality smoker that isn’t insulated , then you should consider modifying your smoker with an insulation blanket to provide insulation to your smoker.

In addition to the insulation, the gaps inside the body of the smoker are also a major reason for heat loss.

You should consider sealing them with a fire-resistant seal to make sure the smoker functions as a whole.

It’s better to use a food grade seal inside the smoker to avoid contaminating your food.

Use a proper fuel source

A fuel source is also essential for heating up your smoker.

You should consider using good quality wood chips to avoid the lowering of the temperature.

You should avoid using damp or old decaying wood in the smoking process because it can result in low temperatures and bad food taste.

To heat up to a higher temperature, you can consider using charcoal inside your electric smoker .

But keep in mind that it’s not the main fuel source, so you will have to use it in a smaller quantity.

In addition to that , you should also avoid putting a water pan inside the smoker.

Upgrade to a high-end thermometer

Last but not least, you should also consider modifying your thermometer if it’s not accurate.

You can upgrade to a digital dual thermometer that can provide you with the internal temperature and the temperature of food at the same time to make sure you get an accurate reading.

You should also consider getting a thermometer with longer probes so that it can measure the temperature from the bottom of the electric smoker because the temperature at the bottom is higher than that at the top of the electric smoker.

Consistent power supply

Electric supply is the backbone of cooking in an electric smoker.

If you can’t find a constant supply of electricity, then you may not be able to smoke effectively.

You should consider keeping your smoker away from doorways and other passages to avoid disconnecting electricity unintentionally.

Preheat your smoker

To avoid the panic of not heating up your smoker , you should consider preheating it before use.

It normally takes 30–45 minutes for smokers to heat up, but you should consider giving it more time if it has not reached the desired temperature.

Once it has reached the temperature required for smoking, you can To begin smoking, consider putting your food in it.

But you should avoid putting large batches of food at once to avoid the rapid drop in temperature because food also absorbs the heat.

Why does the electric smoker not get hot enough?

Smoking requires the ideal temperature to be consistent for a longer period of time to cook meat effectively.

But it can be difficult if you can’t achieve the desired temperature with your electric smoker .

There are several factors that contribute to the lowering of the temperature of an electric smoker.

Some of the major factors are discussed below.

Weather conditions

Weather conditions are one main factor that should be kept in mind while planning your trip.

Smoking in cold weather can be as difficult as fighting an uphill battle.

The product is lost easily due to the fact that the smoke can’t heat up.

In addition to the cold weather, wind is also a major contributor to lowering the smoker’s temperature .

The cold air of the wind enters the smoker and pushes the hot air out, which can result in continuous heat loss.

Cold weather can influence the temperature of your smoker, even if it’s insulated.

It can also use more fuel than it does in warm weather.

The reason is that the heat is lost during the process due to which more fuel is burned to reach the same temperature.

electric supply

Electric Smokers are electronic instruments which work effectively if a continuous electric supply is provided.

But the electric supply might disconnect or fluctuating voltage can lead to the shutting off of the smoker and a sudden drop in temperature.

The most common and often neglected cause of low voltage in an electric smoker is using a long extension or cord for the electric smoker.

The electric voltage is affected if the cord length is increased because the voltage can’t be amplified in the cord.

The other cause of disconnecting the electricity supply is that someone might have pulled off the smoker’s cord from the electric outlet intentionally or unintentionally while passing nearby.

These basic things can often result in bad consequences.

And last but not least , the smoker might shut off due to reaching a higher or lower temperature threshold.

Electric smokers are advanced smokers that are equipped with modern technology that can shut off the smoker if the set temperature is reached.

Sometimes it might be a problem.

Fuel source

The fuel source can also be a major determinant of the lower temperature in an electric smoker.

Although electric smokers use electricity as their main fuel source, wood and charcoal are also used to provide a higher temperature and smoke for cooking.

These fuel sources can also be the cause of lower temperatures.

Wood is often used in electric smokers to provide a constant stream of smoke.

It comes in several forms, like wood chips , chunks, and logs.

You should preferably use wood chips in an electric smoker because they burn easily.

In addition to the wood type , other factors in the wood can also result in lowering the temperature of the smoker.

Some pitmasters like to soak wood chips before smoking.

Although it can be useful for generating smoke, it can result in the slow burning of wood and produce a low temperature.

Water pan

A water pan can also be a common cause of a low temperature in an electric smoker.

It is often used to maintain humidity inside the smoker to avoid drying out food, but it can result in lowering the temperature because heat is being absorbed to evaporate the water.

Heat loss

Heat loss is also a major factor for lowering the temperature in an electric smoker because the heat produced can be easily lost due to the temperature dropping instead of increasing.

If heat loss is not fixed, then you can’t go anywhere even if you fix all other factors.

The common cause of heat loss is the gaps in the construction of electric smokers.

Good quality smokers are often sealed properly, but cheaper electric smokers or homemade smokers may have some gaps in the build which can contribute to heat loss.

Some pitmasters also have the habit of opening the lid of an electric smoker too often to check whether the meat is being smoked at the right temperature or not.

It can also lead to heat loss from the smoker, which can be a problem even if you are using a high-end smoker.

Insulation on a smoker can also be a problem when heating up the smoker.

If the smoker is not insulated, then it can be easily affected by the external weather.

Even a slight change in weather temperatures can drop the temperature by several degrees.

A faulty temperature gauge

Sometimes the electric smokers are doing their work efficiently, but it’s a user error that you are not able to measure the temperature accurately.

Using an inaccurate temperature gauge or one that you don’t know how to use can be like shooting arrows in the dark.

Most of the built-in smokers are inaccurate , so you should modify it to an accurate smoker that can provide the correct internal temperature without opening the lid.

Even if the thermometer was accurate at the start , it can be demaged over time,so you should check it from time to time.

How hot can an electric smoker get?

When trying to get your smoker hotter, you should keep in mind how hot it can get to avoid demaging its build.

An electric smoker usually gets around 250 F °, which is enough to smoke meat efficiently.

But if it’s below 200 or 220 F, then you can consider tweaking different factors to increase the temperature.

Conclusion

Electric smokers are usually used for low and slow cooking, but it can be difficult when we need to heat them up to a higher temperature for grilling or other purposes.

We hope that this guide will help you get your electric smoker hotter.

If you have enjoyed this article ,then make sure to check our article on How to smoke cheese in an electric smoker