Wife bought me a fairly cheap Masterbuilt electric smoker from Sam's Club last Christmas.  Ive been happy with the results I've got from it as far as the product it turn out since the last smoker I had was a barrel charcoal smoker.  I got tired of having to spend all day tending to it and managing the temperature so I went the rookie route and asked for the electric one.

The problem I'm having is every single time I use it I remove the drip pans and clean them, close it up tight, and three days later it's filled with putrid mold.  I see other guys smokers filled with that beautiful smoked crust but mine has to be stripped and sanitized once a week.  The only thing I can come up with is that I keep it on an elevated deck outdoors and it's possibly getting moisture from underneath.  But another buddy has the same smoker outside on his concrete porch.  I can't imagine his wouldn't get the same amount of moisture.

What gives?  Am I just gonna have to keep it in the garage?  Any help is appreciated.

Try not closing it up tight. Let air flow prevent the mold. My two cents...

I'll damn sure try it.  This thing is driving me nuts.  I just figured by keeping it sealed and the moisture out it would be best.  At this point I don't have anything to lose.  I literally have to spend a full day cleaning it just to spend the next full day smoking

Run it hot, empty, after done cooking.

Well, shit, I better check mine.

If you buy the masterbuilt cover for it, you can’t have the chip loader inserted.

If you leave it open, spiders love to nest in it.

I got a magnetic register cover and covered up the hole.

Are you saying to run it for a few hours empty?

I literally just ordered the cover from Amazon.  I honestly think my issue is with moisture coming from the bottom through the drain hole.  I'm gonna move it inside the garage and see if that changes things.  Just sucks cause that's my workshop which is why I went ahead and got the dust cover

mine does the same thing

in for solution

OP, fill the water pan with sand. Seriously.

Just crank it up to 275 for an hour or so.  Enough time steam the moisture out.  Moisture + biological material = mold.  Get rid of the moisture and it should help immensely.

You serious Clark?  How does this work?

Makes sense.  I'll give it a try.  Thanks

For real. Stop using water and use the sand as a heat sink.

Fo real