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Q-talk *ON TOPIC ONLY* QUALITY ON TOPIC discussion of Backyard BBQ, grilling, equipment and outdoor cookin' . ** Other cooking techniques are welcomed for when your cookin' in the kitchen. Post your hints, tips, tricks & techniques, success, failures, but stay on topic and watch for that hijacking. |
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11-16-2011, 04:47 PM | #1 |
Got Wood.
Join Date: 10-31-11
Location: San Jose, CA
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Thermometers and Temperature Control
Hi All,
I need to get a better handle on my grill and smoker temperatures so I can reliably recreate meals when guests come. To that end, I started looking on Amazon.com for probes and thermometers. NONE of the grill thermometers got good reviews. None of the probes including taylor, polder, etc got universally good reviews. And so then I started looking at automatic temperature controllers ... The iQue 110 seems to be easy to install on Weber Kettles. The Stoker is really neat and cost more than my WSM! It seems to have gromets that fit where my standard screw holes for the WSM are making running probes inside easy. And the BBQ Guru is out there too. But I don't necessarily need the automatic temperature controllers yet. I just want to know what temperature my meat is at and what the grill temperature is. I wouldn't mind having a good thermometer at the top of my kettle either. None of the reviews on amazon are very good for those either. I see two more options -- The laser infrared heat guns which got reasonable reviews. And the thermapens which get rave reviews. Any suggestions? I can't seem to decide on anything. |
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11-16-2011, 04:52 PM | #2 |
Babbling Farker
Join Date: 08-20-10
Location: Livermore, CA
Name/Nickname : Tim
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I think you would be fine with a Maverick ET-732, some of the Brethren here sell it. Infrared thermo is not what you want, only reads surface temps. I have one, but only use it to read the temp of my pizza stone. Thermapen is a fantastic tool, but sounds like the Maverick should be your first purchase.
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Backwoods Party G2 MAK 1 Star XL BGE SM BGE Weber 26" & JJ Blackstone 36" & 22" Brick Santa Maria Pit |
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11-16-2011, 04:57 PM | #3 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 10-16-10
Location: Culver City, CA
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+1 on the Maverick. Got mine from 5-0 BBQ - great place to get stuff.
You might also want to get in the habit of sticking your hand over the exhaust vents, feeling the heat and getting used to gauging heat that way as well.
__________________
50" Klose BYC, Spitjack XB85, 22.5 WSM, Backwoods Chubby, UDS, WRK, 26" & 22.5" Weber Kettles, Jumbo Joe, WGA, WSJ/MUDS, Kanka Grill, a piece of expanded metal I throw over the fire pit sometimes, Stealthy Black & Vol Orange Thermapens Displaced East Tennesseean Proud recipient of a Tick Former outlaw MOINK baller, now IMBAS Certified, but still lookin' over my shoulder. "Relax, it's only BBQ." - Bigmista, 2013 "Don't worry about playing a lot of notes. Just find one pretty one." - Miles Davis Avatar by my son! WTFWGALD? |
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Thanks from:---> |
11-16-2011, 04:58 PM | #4 |
is One Chatty Farker
Join Date: 01-03-11
Location: Smithfield, North Carolina
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^^^^ What he said. I would get a Maverick and a Thermapen.
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Fired Up Smokers KCBS Team, Smokey W's Pit Que NCPC Team / 2011 NCPC Whole Hog State Champion |
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11-16-2011, 04:59 PM | #5 | |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 08-31-09
Location: Homeworth, OH
Name/Nickname : John
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Quote:
+1 I own 2 - Mavericks. An ET-73 (older model) and a ET-732 I also own a Thermapen Because I am somewhat anal - I also own several Taylor oven thermos (CHEAP - LIKE 3.99 EACH) that sit on the grate in my smoker ( to monitor temp zones across the smoker) The Maverick's are great for all night cooks and i want to get some sleep, as they have dual probes and set points & alarms. The Thermapen is best at what is is designed for: Accurate, superfast temp checks.
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John |
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11-16-2011, 05:13 PM | #6 |
is Blowin Smoke!
Join Date: 05-09-11
Location: Granite City, Illinois (Near St. Louis "GO CARDS")
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I just bought the RT600C Super-Fast Waterproof Pocket Thermometer, from thermoworks. 58 to 302°F in 6 Seconds. We did a group buy at work. Buy 5 and they are $15 each. Rated #1 on Americas test kitchen TV show, for low cost thermometers. Couldn't get myself to pay the price for the thermapen.
I also just purchaed the pitmaster IQ 110 controller. Going to try it out on some spared this weekend. I already have Maverick ET-732. It works great.
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22.5 WSM, 120 Gallon Offset, Weber Performer, IQ-110, ET-732 |
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11-16-2011, 05:15 PM | #7 |
is One Chatty Farker
Join Date: 02-24-10
Location: Durham, NC
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Love my ET-732. Looking at purchasing two more actually. Now have two thermapens as well. Both are money well spent.
Sent from my R800x using Tapatalk
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--Lionel You only fail if you do not try. |
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11-16-2011, 05:39 PM | #8 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 12-28-07
Location: annville ky
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You reading too many reviews.
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11-17-2011, 02:18 AM | #9 |
is One Chatty Farker
Join Date: 10-11-11
Location: North Pole, Alaska
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As many have already said I love Maverick 732 Going to order a second one !! my second best BBQ item to date....after my UDS !
pwa |
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11-17-2011, 02:27 AM | #10 |
Knows what a fatty is.
Join Date: 04-06-11
Location: Creston, Ohio
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I agree with all the above. The Maverick 732 is a must have in my book. I also have the IQ 110 and for the price and what it does is hard to beat.
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11-17-2011, 07:00 AM | #11 |
is one Smokin' Farker
Join Date: 10-30-11
Location: Dallas, TX
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Owned two Mavericks, last one a 732 - threw them both away. Changed probes, etc - but always wi d up with some kind of error message. Just unlucky with thermos.
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Primo Kamado | Pitmaker Safe | Pitmaker Mobile | Klose Mobile "On Fire" limited edition Thermapen |
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11-17-2011, 07:44 AM | #12 | |
is one Smokin' Farker
Join Date: 08-27-10
Location: Hampstead, MD
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Quote:
We have the ET-732 $59.99 plus free shipping and save another $3.00 with your coupon code.
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Steve Rogers 5-0 BBQ Competition Team [URL="http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#%21/pages/Hampstead-MD/5-0-BBQ/71788844692"]Facebook[/URL] Owner [B]The BBQ Equipment Store[/B] [URL="http://www.BBQEQUIPMENTSTORE.COM/?sourceCode=bbq-brethren"]www.bbqequipmentstore.com[/URL] [COLOR=red][B][COLOR=red][B]Proud 2015 Sponsor of Christmas City BBQ, Astro Pigs and Drilling and Grilling[/B][/COLOR][/B] [/COLOR]No Thermapen Here, I have a Water & Shock Resistant Backlit Maverick PT-100BBQ 500 Gal Stickburner - Backwoods Gator, Red Kamado Joe, Primo Oval XL, Maverick Competition Smoker CS-55 and Many Others |
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11-17-2011, 10:41 AM | #13 | |
is One Chatty Farker
Join Date: 01-13-10
Location: Houston, TX
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Quote:
I have a Maverick ET-7 and an ET-73. The range on them did not impress initially, until I did the extended range mod by soldering in antennas for each unit. The range is now beautiful and I can monitor temps on my UDS or other grills anywhere in the house (2 storeys, brick walls). I am using my orginal probes which have seen about 4years of moderate use (about once a week). I think many folks have screwed in an Old Smokey type thermometer into the lid or even dropped a turkey thermometer in through a top vent to get grate temps.
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[FONT=Arial Narrow][B]EZ wood handled 3 wheeler | OTS | OTS mod to OTG | [COLOR=red]Ladybug[/COLOR] SS Performer | UglyDrumTandoor | UDS v1 | midi UDS with [COLOR=red]red[/COLOR] [COLOR=black]nipples[/COLOR] | SJG smoker mod | Simpsons SJS | [COLOR=black]Simpsons[/COLOR] OTG | WGA charcoal | SJP | Stacked brick WFO | Lodge Logic Sportsman's Grill cast iron hibachi/sigri | [COLOR=green]LBGE | sbge | [SIZE="1"]mini bge[/SIZE] [/COLOR] [/B][/FONT] |
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11-17-2011, 11:36 AM | #14 |
Got Wood.
Join Date: 10-31-11
Location: San Jose, CA
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Thanks to all who replied. I'll give the Maverick and Thermapen a try and see how that improves things.
In a somewhat related question, I'm finding that I have a much harder time controlling temperature on my new 22.5" Weber Kettle than I do on the 18.5" that I inherited. The 18.5" I've been using now for 3 years and I find I get awesome results on it. I don't know if it's because it's seasoned with a layer of grease on the inside, or if it's because of the difference in size? I use mesquite lump, I have a lot of different sizes. I'm wondering if a single layer of kingsford might give me more consistency on the 22.5. |
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