Smoker takes an unusually long time to preheat to the desired temperature.

Safety first: Unplug and cool the smoker before cleaning or inspecting the element.

Steps to speed up preheat:

• Keep door closed: Avoid opening the door during preheat; use the display to monitor temperature.
• Inspect and clean element: Remove debris or heavy grease from around the heating element. Do not scrape the element aggressively; wipe gently with a damp cloth when cool.
• Check door seal: Replace the gasket if it is not sealing well.
• Test element output: If preheat remains very slow, test the element resistance and replace if out of spec.