I'm looking to buy a digital thermometer for smoking. There's many
conflicting posts on the net regarding the reliability of the popular units
with many pros and cons. Wireless isn't an issue, but would be nice. What's
the best suited for smoking and good 'que? What do you use?

Marie wrote:
> I'm looking to buy a digital thermometer for smoking. There's many
> conflicting posts on the net regarding the reliability of the popular units
> with many pros and cons. Wireless isn't an issue, but would be nice. What's
> the best suited for smoking and good 'que? What do you use?

I've almost completely given up on those and use a Thermapen, a truly "instant
read" thermometer.
http://www.thermoworks.com/products/...pen/index.html

BOB

" BOB" > wrote in message
...
> Marie wrote:
> > I'm looking to buy a digital thermometer for smoking. There's many
> > conflicting posts on the net regarding the reliability of the popular
units
> > with many pros and cons. Wireless isn't an issue, but would be nice.
What's
> > the best suited for smoking and good 'que? What do you use?
>
> I've almost completely given up on those and use a Thermapen, a truly
"instant
> read" thermometer.
> http://www.thermoworks.com/products/...pen/index.html
>
> BOB
>
>
I find wireless handy especially for an overnight Q. I am currently using
the Weber wireless,
but plan to move up to a 2 probe (Maverick ?) unit.

The Weber can only measure meat temp (wont go over 200 or so).

I am currently using a NewBraufels dial thermo fo the WSM/s vent temp.

fatsam

"Marie" > wrote in message
.. .
> I'm looking to buy a digital thermometer for smoking. There's many
> conflicting posts on the net regarding the reliability of the popular
units
> with many pros and cons. Wireless isn't an issue, but would be nice.
What's
> the best suited for smoking and good 'que? What do you use?
>
>

I use the Maverick two probe unit, and love it. One bit of advice - don't
even bother installing the cheapo batteries that come with it. A fresh pair
of Duracells gave me much better range.
H

I'm looking for a new thermometer too. My old one was a BigTime
digital. I finally broke the probe wire Sunday doing some ribs. The
wire covering cooked where it contacted the vent of my WSM.
What do you guys use to insulate the probe wire? Do other brands get
damaged where they contact the metal?

Cam

Whatever you do, avoid the Brookstone wireless. Nice range, but is unable to
display temps higher than 190.

It's ok for meat temps I guess, but no good for the chamber.

--

Marie wrote:

> I'm looking to buy a digital thermometer for smoking. There's many
> conflicting posts on the net regarding the reliability of the popular units
> with many pros and cons. Wireless isn't an issue, but would be nice. What's
> the best suited for smoking and good 'que? What do you use?

Look at the following, they have options: http://www.nu-temp.com/

I've owned one for about 5 years. Nice thing about this one is that both
local unit and remote unit have temp read-out. Will hand two transmitters.
Need to take batteries out when not in use, or just stock AAA size.
Like all these using plug-in probe, probe lead should not be in flame, as it
will ruin the probe.
I ordered new probe, and rec'd within 6 working days.

Dick

"Marie" > wrote in message
.. .
> I'm looking to buy a digital thermometer for smoking. There's many
> conflicting posts on the net regarding the reliability of the popular
units
> with many pros and cons. Wireless isn't an issue, but would be nice.
What's
> the best suited for smoking and good 'que? What do you use?
>

Marie, I've been doing my own unofficial research during the summer
regarding the pros n' cons of various thermometers, and this is what I have
found.

Polder duel-sensor thermometer: Good thermometer, that can read the internal
temp of the meat and the smoker temp simultaneously. Reliable, to date, but
the down side is the timer only goes reads up to 9 hrs, 59 minutes then it
cuts the timer off.

Maverick Redi Chek Remote: Remote probe thermometer that can read the
internal or dome temp up to 100 ft away. It is pre-programmable, but only up
to a maximum of 410F. Again I found it reliable and I use it most smokes.
(saves walking outside in the rain) It is not waterproof and should be
placed in a plastic bag.

Brookstone Grill Alert: Crap! Although it is a remote thermometer, all the
settings are pre-set and it only reads to a maximum of 170F. I would steer
well clear of this unit.

Maverick Redi Chek Roast Alert: Good thermometer with the added benefit that
the timer function works up to 19hrs 59mins. It is pre-programmable and is
an easy unit to master.

Taylor Instant Read Thermometer: Only use is for reading temp once meat is
cooked as the unit is made of HDPE.

Standard Polder: Used once, it worked, then I gave it away to a friend who
was in need of a new thermometer.

All the above thermometers have one thing in common. They are all made in
China.

The best thermometer I have used to date, is manufactured in the UK by a
company called ETI.

http://www.etiltd.co.uk/low_cost_thermometers.htm

This (Digital Timer and Thermometer) is a low cost unit that has the benefit
of giving you a maximum/minimum temp reading during the entire smoke. It
also reads to 0.1F, which I find useful and helpful by insuring the
meat/dome is moving in the right/wrong direction.

I still have another few to try, but these are my findings.

Graeme

"Marie" > wrote in message > ...
> I'm looking to buy a digital thermometer for smoking. There's many
> conflicting posts on the net regarding the reliability of the popular units
> with many pros and cons. Wireless isn't an issue, but would be nice. What's
> the best suited for smoking and good 'que? What do you use?

Marie,

I have just purchased a Maverick Redi Chek remote reading
themometer. It seems to work well, and it has a high temperature
alarm as well as a timer. Depending on your budget I would check out
Omega.com They make a wide variety of sensors (pressure, temp etc).
I paid 40.00 USD for my meter, but for about twice that you could get
a two channel thermocouple reader that records high and low temp
excursions, or one that prints out temperature vs time and all kinds
of cool stuff. You could, if you were so inclined spend over 200 USD
there. One other nice thing is the documentation that comes with the
product. I used their stuff quite a bit as a physics graduate
student.
Try here http://www.omega.com/toc_asp/section...ok=temperature

Thank you all so much for the valuable input, with most special thanks to
Graeme! Work was slow today, so I spent some time Googling over reviews and
fourm postings. My general impressions a Polder thermometers appear to
have an issue with probe failure after few uses. Pyrex is uniformly
unsupported and consider them disposable. Weber's wireless has virtually no
competitve features for the price range and also has a high failure rate.
Most seem to favor the Taylor and Maverick models with few problems and good
customer support. I found many of the manufacture's websites not
representing many of the current models they have available with relatively
poor product descriptions to make an accurate comparison. One point that I
find very confusing is the Preset/Programmability features. My assumption is
that the preset models offer you a menu of meat and doneness instead of
keying in a target temperature. While price isn't really a consideration, I
don't think I need one of the dual probe models. I'm no longer fighting with
dampers having bought a Cookshack and we don't need to know chamber temp
trends or temp over 350 degrees. I think that a good, reliable unit with a
24hr. up/down timer would be adequate. The Taylor Tru Temp's features are
sketchy, but I get the feeling that their's only counts down from a preset
time.

Thanks again all!

Marie wrote:
> I'm looking to buy a digital thermometer for smoking. There's many
> conflicting posts on the net regarding the reliability of the popular units
> with many pros and cons. Wireless isn't an issue, but would be nice. What's
> the best suited for smoking and good 'que? What do you use?

I ordered a Maverick ET-73 and while I have only had a chance to use it
for a few smokes, I can report that I have not [yet] had any of the
problems that dogged many of the earlier shipments. I love it.

Dan

I second that motion.
Thermopen fast & accurate.

On Tue, 5 Oct 2004 01:17:40 -0400, " BOB" > wrote:

>Marie wrote:
>> I'm looking to buy a digital thermometer for smoking. There's many
>> conflicting posts on the net regarding the reliability of the popular units
>> with many pros and cons. Wireless isn't an issue, but would be nice. What's
>> the best suited for smoking and good 'que? What do you use?
>
>I've almost completely given up on those and use a Thermapen, a truly "instant
>read" thermometer.
>http://www.thermoworks.com/products/...pen/index.html
>
>BOB
>
Yes, I met up with a Thermopen at Dr. BBq's session in NC last July
and switched over too.

Harry

Harry Demidavicius wrote:
> On Tue, 5 Oct 2004 01:17:40 -0400, " BOB" > wrote:
>
>> Marie wrote:
>>> I'm looking to buy a digital thermometer for smoking. There's many
>>> conflicting posts on the net regarding the reliability of the popular units
>>> with many pros and cons. Wireless isn't an issue, but would be nice. What's
>>> the best suited for smoking and good 'que? What do you use?
>>
>> I've almost completely given up on those and use a Thermapen, a truly
>> "instant
>> read" thermometer.
>> http://www.thermoworks.com/products/...pen/index.html
>>
>> BOB
>>
> Yes, I met up with a Thermopen at Dr. BBq's session in NC last July
> and switched over too.

Please, I'm not usually critical of typos, but there is a knock-off using the
name "Thermopen"
The true one is a Thermapen. They are *not* the same, even though the case is
very similar.

>
> Harry

If all my thermometers gave up at the same time, none of the Polders or clones
would be replaced. The Redi-Chek *might* be in a few months, but the Thermapen
would be replaced as soon as I could e-mail them. I'd even put off replacing a
foodsaver if I had to, to replace the Thermapen.

BOB