I thought about this years ago, and I find no reason to put one in for any of my Smokes.
I can't think of any of my smokes being wet on the outside, so there wouldn't be any juices to run around the meat as it turns.
Might help those who do a lot of Chickens, but I never baste anything in my MES.
When I do Thighs or Drums, I don't even flip them one time any more, because it's not necessary. They get heat & smoke on ALL sides, just laying there.
My MES is made to heat the whole cabinet so the heat & smoke completely surround everything I put in there.
Seems like a waste of time & energy, and it would be in my way 100% of the time.
Not to say that somebody else might think it's a good thing.
Bear
Exactly! That's why we low and slow cook. This renders the least amount of liquid. I get spots of juice here and there at 235*F smokes. When foiled to power through a stall then juices render more being in it's own aluminum covered atmosphere. Sometimes not. I don't think a MES is the right tool for poultry with skin because it maxes at 275*F. I have three rotisseries: one for my dad's grill, my grill and my 20 year old Showtime. I use a rotisserie to BBQ whole boneless pork loins (med high heat coals off center and the AMNTS off center on the other side.) When you have 275*F+ to push out enough juice to use the water tension effect to baste, then rotisseries are a good set it and forget it tool. IMHO I don't think the MES is quite there on heat output to be a rotisserie machine.
I think the first clue that heat and smoke surround anything inside the smoker is that when you open the door THE SMOKER IS FILLED WITH SMOKE! And although I'm responding to you, Bear, I open up this question to everyone else in this thread: Isn't the meat you cook on the smoker racks fully cooked on both sides when you take it out of the smoker? Of course it is. And the air inside a smoker is so moist and smoky to begin with there's no need for a water-filled pan or a motorized rotisserie. For me it would be a wastejuices render of electrical energy to keep the thing running when it wasn't necessary in the first place.
The one area I differ from you, Bear, is that I do baste ribs and beef brisket at times. But that's only in the last 30-40 minutes of smoking when I've removed the foil and I'm just layering on more flavor by brushing on some BBQ sauce to also help firm up the bark.
-Kurt