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Temperature Monitors

Chemical Eggineer
Chemical Eggineer Posts: 26
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I'm sure this has already been asked many times, but usually the answers are a bit more than I need. I just want a simple device that will monitor the temperature of the dome as well as one or maybe two meat temperatures. I also need to be able input set points and hear alarms if a temperature goes rogue. A wireless receiver would be nice, but I don't really need a fan and actual controller...just the monitor should be fine. Is there anything like that on the market? The few I've found sounded like crap from their reviews.

Comments

  • civil eggineer
    civil eggineer Posts: 1,547
    One word...Maverick ET-73. It allows you to monitor dome temperature and meat. It also allows you to set limits on both settings that will trip an alarm. It is wireless and allegedly can transmit 100 ft although wall severly limit its range. About $40 on Amazon.com.
  • FearlessGrill
    FearlessGrill Posts: 695
    The Maverick ET-73 does everything you said, and costs about $40 on Amazon. It may not be the greatest thing in the world, but for $40, what do you expect? Only limitation is that it is only for low-temp cooks.

    I've had one for about 2 years now and use it on all my long cooks. It does what it's supposed to, and hasn't had any issues. When I use it, I put one probe in the meat, and replace the dome thermometer with the other probe. The wireless feature is nice to alert you to temp drops on overnight cooks.

    My $.02

    -John
  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    I have and use the et-73 and on occasion have cooked the standard dome and meat probe. What I have done to remedy that issue is ordered two high heat probes for the meat Then I use one for the dome probe and one for the meat probe. I also try to protect my probe leads by routing them in such a way the direct heat cannot get them. Tim
  • Eggzellent
    Eggzellent Posts: 238
    http://www.polder.com/894-90.html
    Not a wireless; yet temp. readings are given at the same spot that your food is cooking. I imagine that the Maverick is capable of this also with much more functionality; yet I'm guessing that you did the same search I did and came up with many varying opinions on reliability (I've never bought a relatively inexpensive wireless unit myself that ever worked consistently over time).
  • 'Q Bruddah
    'Q Bruddah Posts: 739
    FWIW- I purchased the lowest of the low priced thermometers with a probe for one meat temp trusted the dome thermometer for dome temp and put out $13.00 at Walmart. The temp alarm sounded at the appropriate temp. It didn't wake up the neighbors but it got my attention through a sliding glass door. There was no remote monitoring for 13 dollars but it was worth thirteen bucks to know the meat temp all night long.
  • The Maverick ET-73 is one that I looked at, but it seems like almost half the people who bought it claimed it died on them in a matter of weeks. At Ace Hardware, there is one available from BGE that is basically identical to the ET-73. Does anyone have any experience with that one?
  • civil eggineer
    civil eggineer Posts: 1,547
    I have had mine over a year and used it a lot. I figure one night of being able to sleep is worth the price. I was having some trouble recently and call them. I told them I owned it over a year and past the warranty. They said no problem, send it in and they will fix it without issue. It made me impressed. Anyhow, it turned out that it was working O.K. and didn't need to send it in.
  • Thanks for the feedback! Nice handle btw, civil! ;)
  • Boilermaker Ben
    Boilermaker Ben Posts: 1,956
    Mine works just fine. There are a lot of people who have had problems. It seems to me like most of those who had problems bought theirs a few years ago. Perhaps there have been changes that eliminated those problems, or perhaps I just got lucky. Either way, mine works fine, and is pretty handy. It isn't perfect (wires too short, no magnet, has dropped the signal on me in the middle of the night on one occasion), but it gets the job done.

    I'm fairly certain that the BGE version is the same unit, just with a different label. BGE charcoal is made by Royal Oak, BGE starter cubes are identical to the Rutland version...just follow the trend. Careful, though...BGE's instant read thermometer LOOKS just like a thermapen, but isn't.