Digital Thermometers

[spoon]

after just joining the group, i noticed lots of the the pics include shots of those new-fangled remote digital thermometers. i gotta get me one of those. can anyone give me some input on which is the best. i've seen reference to the NU-temp and the Maverick thermometers. Couple questions:

1. which is better - Maverick or NU-temp? why do you think so?

2. of the Maverick brand, which model? it looks like the ET-7 is the way to go cuz of the ability to have 2 probes connect into one transmitter. plus, it looks like you can put 2 probes into a single transmitter which is nice.

3. of the NU-temp brand, it appears the 701 is the one to get. it seems to come with (1) 751 transmitter w/probe -- and you can add up to 2 more transmitters/probes that talk to the receiver.

4. how long are the probes on both the maverick and nu-temp models?

5. how long do the probes last?

6. are these things accurate?

7. how do you best get a reading of just the temp inside of the smoker box? i saw a post where you stick the probe thru a cork and then jam the cork between two grates in a rack - is that it?

8. how do you get the bretheren biscount on the nu-temp products?

9. are the transmission distance ratings accurate - 100 ft with the maverick, 75 ft with the nu-temp?

sorry for all the questions. thanks in advance for your feedback. just want to get as much info as i can before the purchase so i don't get buyer's remorse. plus, if the wife finds out i dropped $75 on a thermometer, she's gonna blow a fuse. oh well, she won't be complaining when i pull out some fall-off-the-bone grub.

spoon

 

[BBQchef33]

new temp probe wires are 3-4 feet long. they last forever f ya take care of them, but I got thru a few a year cause I beat them up. the range is 75 feet open ground. but walls and doors cut that distance down. I go about 50 feet. You et chamber temps by dropping the proe down the chimney. use a cork or a potato to hold it put, not jam it between the grates, but just to give u something to make it stay put, or just boke it thru the edge of the meat, pointin up so juices dont build up at the point and give u a false reading. all I;ve seen have been accurate witing 5 degrees. If you want to ge the nu-temp, use the link in our Official stuff of the brethren section. They are in wisconsin.

We get deep discounts at nutemp, available to ACTIVE MEMBERS. Contact me at banderabros@optonline.net for details.

 

[rbinms33]

I have a couple of things to add from experience with the Nu-Temp probes.....

1.) Don't expose to direct flame. My buddy has a SnP horizontal and wanted to measure temps across the grate. I put the one probe on the left side right next to the firebox and the flames must have gotten to it because it would only ready about 300-something degrees regardless of where it was at. I think they're only rated to 400-something degrees anyway.

2.) Don't be a cheapskate like me when it comes to batteries. I almost ruined a cook one time because the probe wasn't transmitting right. Put in a new set of batteries and voila!! everything worked fine. They do have battery indicators on them but sometimes you just have to change the batteries.