Thermometer advice needed.


 
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Nate Brown

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I just got my WSM yesterday and I am looking forward to breaking it in. Through my research I have found that I definately need a thermometer of some sort. I want great results and I think having an accurate thermometer is the way to go. I know I can install a bi-metal through the lid or the vent hole, but is this going to be accurate enough? I thought it would be better to go with a digital probe type, but the reviews on amazon, for both the Polder and Maverick were poor. Is there a digital probe type that isn't a piece of junk (the bbq guru not withstanding)? Do I really need more accuracy that the dial type? I know some of these questions might have come up before, but my searchs didn't quite satisfy me. Thanks for your replies. BTW, I've never had brisket, I will have to try it out on myself/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
 
It depends how pickey you are. I am at the point where I load it up and ignore it. Some people got to watch the smoker all the time.

I used a cheap long turkey fryer thermostat for a couple of years. I balanced it through a top hole. The end ended up at the top cooking grate. I would look out the kitchen window to see about what the temp is. If it got out of wack I could adjust it to the temp of boiling water.

I here too many stories about the digital thermostats breaking down.

I do use a digital meat thermometer to test the temp of meat.
 
I ordered a Maverick at the same time I ordered my WSM. Granted, it isn't an industrial piece of equipment, but if I hadn't had it starting out, I'd probably have messed up some food and it would have taken much longer to learn just how to set the vents to maintain the desired temps.

I think the Maverick it is worth the $40+ that they get for it, after all, it will amaze your friends who have never seen one, and will make you wish that you had a built in probe on the oven of your stove. (I've used mine in the oven, but on low temp.)

The Polder might be just as good--or better--just my own experience talking.

Tom
 
Nate, I have an ET-73 and have never had a problem with it. I've read those reviews too, I have to wonder how many units were sold to happy customers verses the few bad reviews that show up on Amazon? I got mine at "thegadgetsource.com". There are some folks that post here that have experienced problems, they may be able to give some insight to getting customer satisfaction if you did have a problem with a Polder or ET-73.

Bob
 
I use an $8 candy therm in a cork on the lid and a probe in the larger cuts. This works fine for me. I am finding out smoking meat is more art then science for me. I strive to create good Q with each cut of meat. Since no 2 are alike even with a super accurate therm its still an educated guess when the meat is done.
 
Nate, I prefer 3" dial industrial thermometers. I've converted my brewery and grills/smokers to them. The consumer-grade digital probe type thermos have been too problematic for me so I've given up. A dial-type thermo can be calibrated by turning a screw on the back. My Polder thermos were good for only a few cooks before it got so innacurate that I threw them away. Others appear to have more success with them.

The probes on my BBQ Guru, however, are dead on after a dozen or more cooks. I brought them in to recallibrate them but turned out they were fine. The difference is high-quality digital probes.

Good luck!
 
Ed--I think you hit it on the head when you said the consumer grade probes are one downfall of the Mavericks and Polders, at least that is where my first problem has occurred. I do, however, think that the slow update time of them makes some folks think that the unit has failed. I don't know for a fact, but it seems to me that the Maverick doesn't update unless there is a change of more than 1-2 degrees, which would be insignificant IMO.

I wonder if there might be better probes available that could be used with a Maverick. I've seen my neighbor use an industrial tester probe in 600-700 degrees or more in an oven.

Tom

"Season to your taste and may it be a public one."
 
I use the weber replacement thermo placed in the top vent. Look in the mods section and you can see some neat tricks. I am fond of the drill through the rivit idea that came from a WSM fan from the land down under (((Oh yeeeeaah!)))
DP
 
I bought the ET-73 when I got the WSM and haven't looked back once. It tested spot on and I don't have any delay with it updating. There is no metal between the transmitter and the receiver, but my apartment is constructed of concrete block and there is no window by the WSM.

If I had to get a replacement every year, I'd still use the Maverick.
 
Nate,

I also have the Maverick. When it works I love it...when it works. A few times I have lost transmission in the middle of a cook, but wonder if this is more a problem with the house and property compared to where the smoker is than a problem with the unit. I once took the WSM to a friends house to smoke some ribs and it worked flawlessly. Smaller property, less trees.
With all of my complaining, I still love the unit and use it every time...just keep an eye on your transmission and have a manual as a backup.
 
Like Dale P. (above) I have been using the Weber therm through a hole in the rivet. I also use a probe therm in the meat when I?ve done chicken. I?ve done a few cooks now, and I am thinking of the ET-73. I believe that there is too big a difference in temp between the grate and the reading you get through the top of the WSM. I?m not too picky, but if you want to try to plan dinner, being 10 to 20 degrees off on a rib smoke can make a half to even a full hour difference.

I?d like to here from others if there is an industrial probe therm they recommend. I?m not thinking of the ET-73 because it?s remote, but rather because it has two probes (one for the grate and one for the meat).
 
Nate,
Depends on how tech you want to go. I do believe you need some guage as a reference. When I got my WSM I went to Home Depot and bought a Smokin Okie/New Braunsfels therm that wasn't anymore accurate then the cheap therm that cost $7.00 at Home Depot. Chunked the more costly one. Would have meant drilling a bigger hole in the Dome.

I do depend on what Chris has said was the difference between the dome temp and the first grate in trying to guesstimate what the diff is. Mainly cuz I'm cheap and why do something someone else has already done?

Ya gotta have some kind of therm though to give you an idea of what is goin on under the hood. But do you need to have the latest gizmo? That's up to you and what you are most comfortable with.

Mike
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I use a dial type (a bit like the Weber one).
It came with some kind of fancy clip - although I can't really see how it would clip to anything.
Anyway, I use a clothes peg and 'peg' the clip to the top vent - works great.
 
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