That makes sense. So back to one of my questions: any one know what type thermocouple the Mavericks are based on?
It is not a type, it is product specific propriety to the Maverick unit itself and not interchangeable with other manufactures probes...
There are several different types of temperature sensors available in consumer grade probes, some of them include, Thermocouples, Thermoelements, Thermistors. These sensors work in several ways and are not interchangeable.
Thermocouples create resistance changes in electrical circuits when heat is applied. Changes in temperature cause resistance which lowers the returning electrical voltage. The control unit reads the changes in voltage and registers the temperature accordingly.
Thermoelements may not be as precise, but they react faster than Thermocouples. Thermoelements consist of two different metals or semiconductors connected to one another. If there are temperature difference between both metals, then an electrical voltage develops at the junctions. The control unit reads the created voltage registers the temperature accordingly.
Thermistors are another kind of common temperature sensor. They have a predictable resistance that is affected by temperature change, so as the temperature increases or decreases the electrical voltage also increases and decreases. Since this change is reproducible these sensors can be very accurate.
The standardization you see with "K" type probes are used on higher end units such as Thermoworks.