# Where do you store your smoker, especially during the winter?



## teeroy (Oct 4, 2009)

I have a 30" MES. I will be getting a cover for it next weekend. One of those that has the elastic on the bottom. 

I live in the central valley in California so we're pretty dry during the summer but we can get some rain during the winter. We don't get any snow. Would it be OK to store the MES outside with the cover when it is raining or is that a bad idea? I don't have a covered patio so it would right out in the elements.


----------



## chefrob (Oct 4, 2009)

winter here is grilling/smoking weather for us......


----------



## desertlites (Oct 4, 2009)

ain't that the truth rob. to hot in the summer at tmes-and yes with your cover it will be fine out in the central calif. elements-just make sure u don't keep it covered to much. grin


----------



## flash (Oct 4, 2009)

My smokers stay right under the pole barn free from rain, but they can receive some cold........not that that ever stopped me from smoking.


----------



## carpetride (Oct 4, 2009)

The Traeger sits on my back deck with a cover over it.  The Stumps roles in and out of my shop.  We smoke year round.  We get 48 inches of rain annually and we get lots of ice and some snow.  Winter is my biggest smoking season.


----------



## daboys (Oct 4, 2009)

No storing the smokers here. They all get used year round. Just brush off the snow in the winter. If it gets too cold, below 0, I'll move 1 of them to the garage.


----------



## mballi3011 (Oct 4, 2009)

As you can see in the picture below the grills and smokers are tuck nicely in their places on the back porch with no fear of the elements. Plus we can grill/smoke all year round and really more during the winter then we move to about 5-6 times aweek.


----------



## gnubee (Oct 4, 2009)

I keep my 30" MES on the porch to keep the snow off of it. I use it all year round. My Masterbuilt 7in1 sits out in the elements ever since the snow crushed my shelter last winter. So when it snowed about a foot near Christmas I just took the lid off filled the firebox with charcoal and lit it, then put the lid back on and when the fire melted the snow off of it and the ground around it a bit.  I filled it with ribs and smoked them.

PS , I almost forgot , I store my Small Cobb smoker inside the 7&1 masterbuilt , it just fits nicely like one of those nesting russian dolls.


----------



## kookie (Oct 4, 2009)

I store mine in my garage and roll them out when needed in the winter. During the summer my char-griller is on the patio with the cover on it. The others are stored in the garage year around.


----------



## chainsaw (Oct 4, 2009)

Hi, I am a fairly new member with the same smoker that you have. I have shared this information with many on this post. I got (bought myself) an MES smoker back in June for a Father's day gift. I looked at cheaper ones and more expensive ones. Anyway, it failed after 5-6 smokes. Lucky for me it was under warranty (90 day) so after they sent me a duplicate electrical box that did not fix the problem, I got another unit, sans door, pan, racks,etc. The one I have now seems to work fine, but bear in mind the MES is electrically weak. There are many posts on here of members that went to extrordinary lengths (in my opinion, for a $200 smoker) re-wiring, etc. The whole reason we got an electric smoker was less hassle and constant temps. Anyway, the MES people told me to detach the box control and keep it inside to prevent exposure to moisture. I have faithfully done that, comments on this post notwithstanding (they did not think it was necessary). 

I would encourage you to do the same. Many other members have commented that the wires that plug the unit in are not robust enough to continually plug & unplug, however unless you are comercially using this unit I see no validity to that argument. We have fairly mild winters here in OK, so if the temp control is a weak point I will continue to bring it in the house. Several other members that own this unit reported doing this as well. I bought a Weber grill cover that works well for not too much. I am anxious to see how the unit comes up to temp in winter. It runs about 10-15 degrees hoter than it says, based on a digital temp probe I got at China Mart.
Happy smoking!


----------



## scarbelly (Oct 4, 2009)

My smoker sits on top of a hose reel with a piece of treated wood on top - perfect height - use a cover when not in use to keep the dust off


----------



## bassman (Oct 4, 2009)

Mine has spent it's entire life in it's own corner of the garage.  On smoking day, I just wheel it out the door, do the smoke, clean it up and wheel it back into the garage.  I realize some don't have that luxury so keeping it covered should suffice.


----------



## teeroy (Oct 4, 2009)

Thanks everyone for the response. I should have been more clear re: "where to store it between smoking" as I plan to smoke a lot this winter especially if everything on the job front goes as planned and I'm home more (I sometimes can travel a lot for work). Sounds like the unit should be OK with the cover on even during the rain.

My challenge is going to be figuring out how to smoke when it is raining since I don't have a patio cover. Maybe some sort of makeshift contraption with a tarp or something along those lines. Sounds like a nice little challenge to tackle.


----------



## chisoxjim (Oct 5, 2009)

As soon as the weather starts turnig really bad, I will be bringing my GOSM, & Weber kettle into the garage when they are not being used.  In the past I used to just leave my Chargriller offset covered on the deck year round.


----------



## beardo (Oct 19, 2009)

I'm with Bassman on wheels and protected,but we are lucky.I would worry about moister maybe heat it up after rain just to be safe.


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Oct 19, 2009)

I don't "store" any of my smokers...I keep 'em happy with meat and smoke.

Eric


----------



## chefrob (Oct 19, 2009)

couldn't have said it any better..........


----------



## treegje (Oct 19, 2009)

He is in the car port,he is winter and summer use


----------



## rivet (Oct 19, 2009)

As Bassman said 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Mine's kept in the garage until I need it, all year-round. Rain, shine, sleet and snow, I smoke and barbecue....I just dress warmer in the winter, and don't hang out with the grill as much 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I always let it stay outdoors the-day-after to ensure all embers are cold before I clean it out and put it away. My garage is 90 years old.


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Oct 19, 2009)

HAH-HAH-HAH!!!!!!!! Close........I have a temporary structure for an outdoor kitchen...2 enclosed walls & roof. Couldn't have spent my time or money any better than to make my hobby this much more enjoyable by being able to do all weather cooking. Where I live, if you aren't prepared, you won't like the outcome when the weather comes in on you.

Eric


----------



## bud lite (Oct 19, 2009)

I keep the MES in the garage and use it in the garage.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=82923


----------



## fire it up (Oct 19, 2009)

Keep my smoker on the porch, even in the Summer I store it inside (somnetimes I will let it sit out overnight if it is nice out and I am smoking a few days in a row, but I keep it on the porch, it's closed in and I have a tarp on the floor in case anything drips.
Then when I want to use it I simply wheel it out the door.


----------



## ravenclan (Nov 10, 2009)

forluvofsmoke, you posted ,

i also need "WANT" to make an area so i can smoke without the elements raining down on me.

do you have any pics ????????

my buddies call it a temporary "man cave"
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






love to grill and smoke no matter what the weather is doing !!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





thanks in advance

bob


----------



## forluvofsmoke (Nov 10, 2009)

Heh-heh, yeah, I call mine the "Smokin' Sanctuary"...


I have some pics on post #12 of this thread...they're thumbnails (click to enlarge):
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=77535

There should be 5, I think...only 2 showed up on my display right now. I guess that's just one of many reasons why I dumped postimage.org...very slow and unreliable.

Anyway, if you move your mouse down in between the lines of text, it will change and you can left-click to (maybe be able to) upload the full size image. I just tried that too, no red "X", just a blank space to click on...took forever and didn't load.

These are from awhile back as the post date will show. I've done a few other things since then, including a larger tarp for the roof, and I'm still find some tinkering to do everytime I'm cooking outdoors.

Eric


----------



## bbqhead (Nov 10, 2009)

ole' hickory stays under the carport,for now.too big to move,hope new building is ready by spring. cookshacks stay in the comp trailer or garage for now. hasty-bakes in tool  shed, for now.


----------



## oneshot (Nov 10, 2009)

Mine gets used all year round!!!! But I do have a cover for it.

Nuttin like a smoked prime rib in the winter!!!!!


----------



## coyote-1 (Nov 10, 2009)

I keep it in the garage, right next to the red Weber gas grill. I roll 'em out whenever I want to use them.

I'm pretty sure the Weber would not be in nearly as good shape if I had left it outside for the past decade, and the CGSP is not as high quality so if I want to preserve it I can't just leave it out.


----------

