My trusty smoker that I purchased on Amazon years ago had been giving me problems lately, not staying lit. I cleaned it. Still no luck. Then I took a closer look inside. Lo and behold, the all-important metal disk I call an aerator because it sits slightly above the bottom of the smoker, allowing air flow under the fuel, was missing. I bet one time when I was throwing away the spent burned-up fuel ashes from the smoker, I turned it upside down over the ash bin and didn’t notice that the metal disk went out along with the debris. Ooops!

I checked online to see if I could purchase just a replacement aerator because otherwise the smoker was in fine shape, and should have been good for many more years of use. Unfortunately, my only buying options were to buy a whole new smoker.

If this happens to your smoker, know that there’s an easy, inexpensive DIY solution. Just cut off the bottom of an aluminum can, about an inch from the top. Then cut down from the edge where you cut off the rest of the can (being very careful – wear gloves – because the edge will be sharp) down to the bottom about 1/2 inch apart, all the way around. Next, bend these small sections up so that the new aerator sits up off the bottom of the smoker on these bent-up supports. Lastly, poke holes in the bottom of the can for air flow. Voila! A do-it-yourself aerator to extend the life of your smoker.