Best place to position a thermometer on a webber kettle


 
B

BryanJSmith

New member
Hello all,

I'm setting my kettle up for some proper smoking. Going to attempt a pork shoulder. But first I need to sort out a temp gauge.

I've read a few posts/guides on here, and after a friend of mine successfully drilled and mounted a thermometer into their lid, I'm going to do the same.

However where is best; at the grill level, in the lid between the handle and vent or both. Currently I'm thinking both (mount two) I can see pros/cons of all the options and would like some advice from you guys.....

Bryan
 
A dual probe (one for meat temp one for pit temp) therm like the maverick or similar will give you much more accurate results than any dial therm will.

A thermometer on the lid will tell you the temperature at the lid, but not at the grate were the food is.

A probe on the same grate as your meat will be the most accurate temp you will get.

They go on sale on amazon from time to time.
 
If you're going to the trouble to install one do not waste the time and money on a bi-metal dial. Get a decent digital probe. Even a cheap digital probe will be more accurate the 90% of the bi-metal dials.

If you do decide to install something put it at the cooking grate level, not up at the top. The temperature will be different the farther up you go.

My recommendation is the same as Charlie's. Spend the money on a good dual probe digital, like a Maverick ET-732 or 733. One probe for the meat, one for the Grill. If you can't do that, check out the $15 single probes at Walmart.
 
Agree with the above. I have a Maverick 732, with the remote receiver you can be in the house and watch your food and grill temps without running in and out all the time. Plus they're much more accurate then a dome temp.
Want good Q use good tools.
 
I am another enthusiastic user of a Maverick 732. It makes life SO-O-O much easier! And-d-d, the end product is repeatedly EXCELLENT!

Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
 
I couldn't agree more that dial thermometers aren't worth much until you get up to more pricey models. To get the best bang for your buck go from a dual probe digital. I personally recommend the maverick 733 but there are several good ones out there.
 
get a Tel-Tru dial therm and stick it right in the top vent hole.
No drilling required.

JCN3-x2dHdZMKO73M6miwXHCyaEXDyGl3vKF07NvzvAd=w830-h622-no

R1hB2jSh0hNld4A66_nqvOih4yyH2thWrM_NfvKxMhjI=w800-h600-no


OR, do as the pros do, Weber, in this case... 90º from the top vent.

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I don't worry too much what the temp is at grate-side...
 
I'm with Jim on this, I have a Maverick and I like it and used it until I got used to where I like the temp at the lid, now I use one in the vent it works great.
 
I usually just have no idea on my grilling temp which is weird because I'm OCD with the temp on my smoker. Something about jamming that Tel-Tru into the vent hole appeals to me. I have no idea why...
 
I have the wireless and all, but I like having a gauge on the lid for when I'm keeping things simple and just need a rough idea of what's happening in there.

I cook indirect most of the time, so I mounted mine like Jim's last pic. Fire is on the left, vent is on the right over the meat, and the dial is in the middle where I can see it.

kv0D0fjSKx2z7pvGDW-3hAAv0c0YwNFvG6UUFf-ekqdU=w830-h622-no
 
Jim Lampe said:
get a Tel-Tru dial therm and stick it right in the top vent hole.
No drilling required.

JCN3-x2dHdZMKO73M6miwXHCyaEXDyGl3vKF07NvzvAd=w830-h622-no

R1hB2jSh0hNld4A66_nqvOih4yyH2thWrM_NfvKxMhjI=w800-h600-no


OR, do as the pros do, Weber, in this case... 90º from the top vent.

kv0D0fjSKx2z7pvGDW-3hAAv0c0YwNFvG6UUFf-ekqdU=w830-h622-no


I don't worry too much what the temp is at grate-side...
Click to expand...

I guess the pros decided they were wrong. I still don't like the way they moved the vent and thermometer, wish they would have left it alone. I just can't get used to using my new performer.
 
Last edited:
The only thing I have to add is when you place it, consider the hanging bracket position. People seem to favor near the air vent, viewing angle would be another consideration. Ideally, maybe between the top-center & the air vent.

11913505_10204920094504026_6612353746539457075_n.jpg


This is a lid from a OTG I gave to a friend when I found this one-touch-platinum. I wish I hadn't noticed that flaking stuff :)

Whenever I go to use this hook which would be all the time if it was still on the OTG, the stem always hits first, even though it's pretty short.

11954770_10204920094384023_6165853519726537037_n.jpg


Lots of reasons to use maveriks or whatever, but I like the built in ones too because once you learn how yours works you might not want to drag out a bunch of other things all the time.
 
I say....
It doesn't matter as much what you do,so long as you do the same thing all the time. You get to know your hardware and what works.
 
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