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Maverick is dead...

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Comments

  • The board can be had for as little as $19.95 for the Pro versions (that's no on board USB for programming)
    The full blown board is $24.95

    That leaves me $35-40 to add thermocouples, a blower, and other components.
    $16 - pair of Maverick thermo couples
    $12 - 6.7CFM blower (I don't know how much CFM is enough)

    That leaves me $7 to work with on the model that would have a USB connection and would use a computer as the interface.

    I'd have $12 to add an LCD and a few buttons on the model that lacks USB. That's cutting it really close.

    WiFi can be added for $55, or Ethernet (with PoE even) for $40.

    I'm getting the picture that the margins on devices like the Stoker are reasonable enough that someone shouldn't do this to save money if they place any value on their time. I, however, hack because it is who I am. And because I am nothing without the Open Source community, I give all of my code away for free.

    I will do this because I need the confidence to do low and slows, and because I'd be ashamed to hook something up to my Egg that I didn't make. But, that's just me.
    I finally took the plunge and bought my large Big Green Easter Egg from Roswell Hardware in Roswell, GA 03/31/2012
  • jay75
    jay75 Posts: 153
    Yee Haw Jester's dead, Maverick lives!
    The guys at Macs BBQ Sorted me a brand new maverick set, they said it was most likely a problem with the on button, kinda got the impression I wasn't the first person with this problem.
  • ShaneF
    ShaneF Posts: 26
    Mavericks are JUNK!  I have no idea why people on here recommend them.  Sure you get an occasional unit that works, but after only 4 cooks, all which were under 300 degrees my probe stopped working.  When you look at the probe problems, combined with the dead unit prolems pointed out in this post...they just seem way to unreliable.  These are obvious problems that maverick need to address before I would buy another unit.
  • MikeG
    MikeG Posts: 174
    Mavericks are JUNK!  I have no idea why people on here recommend them.  Sure you get an occasional unit that works, but after only 4 cooks, all which were under 300 degrees my probe stopped working.  When you look at the probe problems, combined with the dead unit prolems pointed out in this post...they just seem way to unreliable.  These are obvious problems that maverick need to address before I would buy another unit.




    Yep.  Mine loses link easily after only 4 cooks and the pit probe is worthless after 2 hrs into a low & slow.  I keep forgetting to contact Maverick about it.  Will prolly round file it and be done.  Hate dealing with companies that are happy to take peoples $$$ for poor product.

  • Hillbilly-Hightech
    Hillbilly-Hightech Posts: 966
    edited April 2012
    Mavericks are JUNK!  I have no idea why people on here recommend them.  Sure you get an occasional unit that works, but after only 4 cooks, all which were under 300 degrees my probe stopped working.  When you look at the probe problems, combined with the dead unit prolems pointed out in this post...they just seem way to unreliable.  These are obvious problems that maverick need to address before I would buy another unit.
    Shane - well, I have an older model, not the 732, and mine has worked fine for several years before finally starting to lose links. 

    And even then, what I've realized when still cooking w/ it, is the receiver might lose the link, but the transmitter still keeps the proper temp - and then when the temp gets to your desired (done) temp, it somehow can still "wake up" the receiver unit so that the alarm goes off & it starts beeping to tell you that your food is at your desired temp. 

    That being said - do you have any alternative suggestions to offer, or are you just looking to vent?  :-\"
    Don't get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup... Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend. - Bruce Lee
  • ShaneF
    ShaneF Posts: 26

    I do not have any alternative suggestions to offer, but I think that is part of the problem, and a reason why these sell.  There are a lot of people like you, who think they have a quality product even though theirs doesn't work.  Others say "mine works great, just have to wrap some aluminum around the wires".....seriously, its made to go INSIDE your BBQ PIT yet you have to wrap aluminum around the wires to keep it from the 300 degree heat??

    While I don't have any other suggestions, I hope that others might.  There has to be a wireless thermometer that holds up better than the Maverick...or are they all garbage?

  • .....seriously, its made to go INSIDE your BBQ PIT yet you have to wrap aluminum around the wires to keep it from the 300 degree heat??

    Amen dude. I have never understood why you would have to wrap foil around it if it's made to be in there. Charge me $100 and make it right if you have to. Good grief.




    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • jay75
    jay75 Posts: 153
    I can't speak for anyone else but I personally use the pit probe for most cooks, including nuclear pizza temps! So forgive me for trying to prolong the life of my 500 degree rated probe.
  • jay75
    jay75 Posts: 153
    I should add I use it to monitor rising temp on pizza so it doesn't overshoot as I had once when the dome thermo maxed showing 200, singed hair day!
  • I can't speak for anyone else but I personally use the pit probe for most cooks, including nuclear pizza temps! So forgive me for trying to prolong the life of my 500 degree rated probe.
    No sweat there. I never use it over 250 so it's a little different
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • I should add I use it to monitor rising temp on pizza so it doesn't overshoot as I had once when the dome thermo maxed showing 200, singed hair day!
    Mmmmmm. hair and pizza. Delish!


    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • tazcrash
    tazcrash Posts: 1,852
    While I totally agree that good money was spent, and these things seem too delicate for their intended purposes, I will do my best to prolong the life of my tools.
    Ive seen a lot of complaints on mavericks. Do people have similar issues with probes on stokers, digital qs, or other controllers?
    or are there just that many more mavericks out there?
    Bx - > NJ ->TX!!! 
    All to get cheaper brisket! 
  • ShaneF
    ShaneF Posts: 26

    I never use mine for high temp cooks, just because I'm not as concerned about the temp accuracy as I am with the low and slows.  For steaks and pizzas I just want it "HOT."  But still, if a piece if a 10 cent piece of aluminum foil protects the wires, how hard could it be for them to add a little more heat protection?

    Again, I don't think any of the other thermometers out there have higher quality wires.  I just want other buyers to beware that it is definitely not perfect.

  • jay75
    jay75 Posts: 153
    I agree, it's definitely not perfect and until another product that's superior is available I guess I'll have to make the best of what I've got, also from what I can tell maverick industries are replacing faulty parts with minimal fuss.
  • Hi54putty
    Hi54putty Posts: 1,873
    Why would anyone need to use a Maverick for a cook over 400 degrees?
    XL,L,S 
    Winston-Salem, NC 
  • jay75
    jay75 Posts: 153
    Meat probe no, pit probe WTH not?..
  • Hillbilly-Hightech
    Hillbilly-Hightech Posts: 966
    edited April 2012
    OK, so because I'm bored, I did a quick search & found some interesting information.  Here's a couple remote thermometers that are NOT Mavericks:

    Brookstone:  <a href="http://www.brookstone.com/grill-alert-talking-remote-meat-thermometers">Brookstone Talking Remote Meat Thermometer</a>

    HIGHLIGHTS:
    1. 1 probe
    2. Uses human words to tell you food is done - i.e., it "talks"
    3. 300' foot range
    4. No indication on website as to what temps the probe on this one can handle - though, I did call Brookstone up, and they are "looking into" finding this info out, and are *supposedly* gonna call me or email me back if/when they get this info (though, in my experience w/ customer service reps on the phone, the moment I hung up the phone, she forgot about me) heh
    AccuRite:  <a href="http://www.klockit.com/products/dept-95__sku-32268.html">AcuRite 00869 Digital Remote BBQ Thermometer</a>

    HIGHLIGHTS:
    1. 1 probe
    2. 100' range
    3. This one says the probe can handle temps up to 700* (this may be the next "go to" thermometer. 

    I also found this website, which gives a pretty decent chart comparison of several different remote thermometers - interestingly enough, according to this chart, only the Maverick ET-7# models have 2 probes - all the other models / brands have only 1 probe!!

    <a href="http://www.partshelf.com/wireless-meat-thermometer.html">WIRELESS THERMOMETER COMPARISONS</a>

    So, it seems ya may have to give up the ability to run 2 probes if ya want the ability to withstand higher temps L-) >:P

    There may be others out there - if I'm bored & get some more time this weekend, maybe I'll dig a little deeper into the "inner-webz" to see what else is out there!!!  ;;)

    Until then,
    HTH,
    Rob
    Don't get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup... Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend. - Bruce Lee
  • Thanks for the insight HTH! 

    The Brookstone is a total POS (I bought it years ago). It only sets internal temps to the standard "doneness" that are generally accepted. You can set "BEEF" to 140, 150, 165 etc but nothing in between. it also does not understand that we cook things to 200 sometimes and does not even go that high. It has all the common BS temp settings for BEEF, CHICKEN, FISH etc and their traditional doneness tables. If you want to cook anywhere in between, it's worthless. Plus it's a squawk box with an annoying voice. This is not a true measuring device. it's a gimmick.....but I'm not bitter about buying it. Used it once 6 years ago and it has rested at the bottom of my BBQ drawer ever since 

    Free To Good Home!
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • volntitan
    volntitan Posts: 95
    Just about to order a 732 from Amazon.  If it is crap, can someone recommend a better alternative in the $50-60 range?
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    you don't have to wrap them for temps over 300, it's more about protecting them from direct radiant heat off the lump when at high temps. 

    for example, you'd never use them when searing direct.  but if roasting at 500, you'd want to run one of the wires out over the leg of a platesetter (if you had one), or foil it if it could 'see' the lump directly.


    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • Cowdogs
    Cowdogs Posts: 491
    edited May 2012

    Like it or not, there is nothing else like the 732 on the market.
    I have 2 of them and never had an issue. I never wrap the wires in foil.  I use them up to 500 degrees direct/indirect.  I leave the transmitters outside all the time, turned on, and the batteries last nearly a year.  I do keep the recievers inside and turned off except when I am cooking.
    Good luck!