cbpeck
06-17-2011, 12:41 PM
Hey guys,
A little while back I ordered the Oregon Scientific AW131 from Amazon:
Amazon.com: Oregon Scientific AW131 Grill Right Wireless Talking Oven/Barbecue Thermometer: Patio, Lawn & Garden@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31qRQy3zv1L.@@AMEPARAM@@31qRQy3zv1L (http://www.amazon.com/Oregon-Scientific-AW131-Wireless-Thermometer/dp/B000RL2ZGO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1308324887&sr=8-1)
I used it for the first time last weekend, and since there doesn't seem to be much info about it on here I wanted to share my impressions.
The unit syncs easily and has great range. I'd have to question the "up to 330 ft" claim, but no electronic device transmits as far as advertised because those distances are under ideal conditions. I did have it blank out once, but I was about 200 ft away through 3 or 4 walls. Once I got closer it picked up the signal and got right back on track without me having to reset a thing.
One of the main reasons I got this unit was because Oregon Sci. rates the probe up to 572 degrees. I'm hoping these probes will be more durable than the others, and the braided steel cable housing looks promising. I tested it in boiling water for accuracy, and it was spot on.
The electronic controls are very intuitive. You can use the factory presets or set temps manually; either is easy to do. It is nice that it talks to you as well, though I was watching it so closely the first time out that it didn't make much difference. You can adjust the volume between hi/lo, but I don't think you can turn the voice off.
This model is similar to the Weber model that is almost certainly made by Oregon Sci, but I do think it is a significant improvement over that one and is worth the few extra bucks.
I know that with these wireless thermometers the real question is durability/longevity, but I won't be able to comment on that for some time.
It would've been nice to have a dual probe unit like the Maverick to measure cooker temps, but I was gun shy from all the bad reviews I found. Besides, I have my own solution for tracking the temp in my kettle. It isn't fancy, but it works.
Here's a photo of my Weber 22.5 OTG with the AT131 transmitter & my kettle thermometer (the kettle was running pretty hot when I took this). The kettle thermo is a basic deep fry thermometer with an 8" probe. I drilled a small hole through a cork and slid the probe through. The cork seats the thermometer securely in the lid and allows me to maintain the probe tip's location just about anywhere in the kettle. The cork does plug up 25% of the top vent, but as long as the the bottom vent is also restricted it doesn't seem to make a noticeable difference. It can be easily removed, too.
A little while back I ordered the Oregon Scientific AW131 from Amazon:
Amazon.com: Oregon Scientific AW131 Grill Right Wireless Talking Oven/Barbecue Thermometer: Patio, Lawn & Garden@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31qRQy3zv1L.@@AMEPARAM@@31qRQy3zv1L (http://www.amazon.com/Oregon-Scientific-AW131-Wireless-Thermometer/dp/B000RL2ZGO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1308324887&sr=8-1)
I used it for the first time last weekend, and since there doesn't seem to be much info about it on here I wanted to share my impressions.
The unit syncs easily and has great range. I'd have to question the "up to 330 ft" claim, but no electronic device transmits as far as advertised because those distances are under ideal conditions. I did have it blank out once, but I was about 200 ft away through 3 or 4 walls. Once I got closer it picked up the signal and got right back on track without me having to reset a thing.
One of the main reasons I got this unit was because Oregon Sci. rates the probe up to 572 degrees. I'm hoping these probes will be more durable than the others, and the braided steel cable housing looks promising. I tested it in boiling water for accuracy, and it was spot on.
The electronic controls are very intuitive. You can use the factory presets or set temps manually; either is easy to do. It is nice that it talks to you as well, though I was watching it so closely the first time out that it didn't make much difference. You can adjust the volume between hi/lo, but I don't think you can turn the voice off.
This model is similar to the Weber model that is almost certainly made by Oregon Sci, but I do think it is a significant improvement over that one and is worth the few extra bucks.
I know that with these wireless thermometers the real question is durability/longevity, but I won't be able to comment on that for some time.
It would've been nice to have a dual probe unit like the Maverick to measure cooker temps, but I was gun shy from all the bad reviews I found. Besides, I have my own solution for tracking the temp in my kettle. It isn't fancy, but it works.
Here's a photo of my Weber 22.5 OTG with the AT131 transmitter & my kettle thermometer (the kettle was running pretty hot when I took this). The kettle thermo is a basic deep fry thermometer with an 8" probe. I drilled a small hole through a cork and slid the probe through. The cork seats the thermometer securely in the lid and allows me to maintain the probe tip's location just about anywhere in the kettle. The cork does plug up 25% of the top vent, but as long as the the bottom vent is also restricted it doesn't seem to make a noticeable difference. It can be easily removed, too.