Hey everyone, just got an ET73. Just wondering where everyone places the smoker probe to monitor the temp.

Should I just drop it in the top vent, or underneath the lid on the grate?

Thanks for the help!

I place it into the top vent. But either way is fine. If using the grate just try to stay away from the hotter edge and don't place it right next to the cold meat.
HTH

Tim

Paul;

BBQ Guru company makes eyelets that replace the WSM water pan and cooking grate support bolts, and are designed to pass probe leads thru. Really inexpensive at $8.50 for a set of two eyelets. I place my pit probe next to but not touching the meat in the center of the cooking grate away from the edges where the heat rises.
If you go the least troublesome route, run the probe leads under the lip of the access door.

I would not run the probes under the lid - possible pinch damage.

Run them through the top vent is easy enough.

Replacing one of the upper grate bracket bolts with an eyelet is an excellent solution. You could buy or make an eyelet easy enough - Make your own eyelets.

Personally, I went el-cheapo and just left one of the upper bolts out. There's more than enough support from the lower bolt and the other upper bolts and enough gunk built up to 'glue' the brackets in.


Also you could build a small ET73 holder. A piece of wood, 2"x2" and about 1" thick. Attach the ET73 bracket to one side with a screw. Glue or screw on flat magnets to the other side. The wood will insulate the ET73 from the heat.