It must just be me but I am disappointted with the Maverick 73...


 
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Spyro Ananiades

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I bought the Mav 73 about 6 weeks ago and I have to say that I am extremely disappointed with it.

From the very begining, I should have sent it back but I figured "what the heck, who cares that the receiver's on/off switch doesn't work? I can take a battery out to turn it off"...

Now on Friday night, I plug it in and start up my cooker... everything is working great until about a hour into the cook... BEEP BEEP BEEP...

I go over to the Maverick and the meat is at 360 degrees.

Opps, I guess it is over done or the temp probe just might be broken...

Anyway, does anybody have the contact info for the Mavrick 73 folks. I need to get these issues with their product resolved.

Thanks
 
I agree with Spyro, great concept, poor design. This is one of the most tempermental pieces of equipment I have ever owned. I used to get decent range, but even with new batteries it still gives me a hard time. During my last cook this past weekend I had the receiver by the sliding-glass door - approx 5 feet from the transmitter and it refused to update. It wasn't until I opened the door and stepped within two feet of the transmitter that it worked. This happened several times during the cook. Later in the cook it started working a little better. I called Maverick about this problem and was told that it was impossible - it either worked or didn't. I'd happily pay twice the price for a similar unit build to better standards.
 
The first couple of times I used the 73 I thought I was loosing connection or missing updates. I would stare at the remote for a long time looking for the update icon to display.

I finally sat for an hour right by the WSM and watched the 2 thermos. I finally realized that the 73 only updates if there is actualy a change in temperature to be sent.

Once the WSM settles down, there were often 10 minutes where the temperature didn't change.

As for the on/off switch, mine broke as well. Now I just leave both units on all the time. It's been over 3 months now and they both sit in my BBQ tools drawer measureing the ambient temperature.
 
Just to give the other side coverage as well, mine has been great. Probably 30 cooks on it now, both on the log burner, in the WSM, and in the (gasp) real oven in the house. The only problem I've had with it was when the LCD on the transmitter went blank. Switched batteries, no effect. Switched batteries to some fresh out of a NEW PACK, and all was great again. Blasted old el cheapo AAAs... seems the ET-73 prefers the expensive ones.

Anyway, I've had great luck with mine and have become quite spoiled to being able to check pit temps while working in the house.

Keri C
Still smokin on Tulsa Time
 
I noticed the same thing as Clay. If the transmitter had nothing to report it may just sit there and look like its not working. Remove the probe from the grate and see what happens. The red light on the transmitter will go off like crazy. The WSM holds a temp for so long the 73 is in hibernation.
 
I have a Polder remote that has a temperamental range also. I don't know if the transmitter has a built in "sending antenna" or if it possibly uses the braided wire of the probe to double as an antenna. But it seems like it works better if I have the probe wire stretched in a straight line from the smoker, to the transmitter sitting on my nearby picnic table. This is just a guess, and could be purely coincidental.
 
I know the Maverick only updates when the temps change, but I have stood five feet from the unit, saw a 15-20 degree deifference in temps, watched the transmitter change temps, and watch the receiver stay still. Maybe I got a bum unit, but Maverick says the problem I am having is impossible. Who knows. /infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif
 
I too am happy with my 73. The first time I used it I fried out the smoker probe. I called Maverick and they sent me a replacement. It has worked great ever since. I put new batteries in it and it works fine. The cheapo's it came with didn't work very well for me.
 
My $.02 worth. I have use my ET-73 a dozen times since I bought it with no serious problems. Pulled a couple of semi all nighters, by that I mean I really didn't stay awake the whole time. I set the alarms and crashed. I did get up a few times to check on the WSM and it was chugging along at 230F. The only real problem I've had was the crappy cover on the xmitter. The little lock gizmo busted, so like any good backyard mechanic I put a piece of Duct tape over it. Works better the original lock. If you were to ask me if I'd buy another I'd say yep!
 
I have a love/hate relationship with the Maverick. The original unit was sent back in the first month with transmission problems. The second unit also transmits when it feels like it.
When it works, I love it....when it works....
I also would pay twice the price for better transmission and an alarm that goes off if I lose transmission.
Now I just put my manual thermometer in the top vent as a back up.
 
My 73 smoker probe failed during its first use also. Maverick sent me a food probe instead of a smoker probe as a replacement, but it doesn't seems to matter except that it's longer and it takes a little more thought on placing it to make sure it doesn't contact the meat. I was concerned that my first experience was a bad omen, but it has worked well ever since.
 
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