Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Temperature Accessories

I see that a lot of people are big on thermapens.  To me a wireless thermometer seems like it would be the best choice because "if you are looking you are not cooking."  With the thermapen (or similar) you have to keep opening the dome to check it.  Furthermore, I can get a BGE wireless thermometer for $80 vs. $100+ for thermapen or BGE instant read.  What am I missing?

I am trying to decide what to get and it seems like the thermampen thermometers are the favorite here.  

Comments

  • jcaspary
    jcaspary Posts: 1,479
    I have a wireless thermometer and love it. Just started using it so I don't have a total understanding of all it does but it did what I needed it to do and I didn't have to mess with anything.
    XL BGE, LG BGE, and a hunger to grill everything in sight!!!
    Joe- Strongsville, OH
  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,660
    They serve different purposes. Wireless for low and slow. Thermapen for faster cooks. Thermapen is a lot faster than other "instant" read thermometers I have owned. This is an advantage when grilling over crazy hot charcoal...

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
  • Two different tools, two different uses. The Mav probe or Thermoworks 8060 is ideal for low and slows or large chunks of meat cooks, not so good for steaks, chops, wings or brats. Thermapen is ideal for quick checks on small items including potatoes. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • Bwill
    Bwill Posts: 102
    So you wouldn't/couldn't use a wireless for burgers or chicken?  I guess I don't see the negative here.  
  • grege345
    grege345 Posts: 3,515
    Maverick 732 and thermo pop combination is what works for me. You can get both for less than 80$. Not to be a hater but don't buy BGE instant read thermometer. It sucks
    LBGE& SBGE———————————————•———————– Pennsylvania / poconos

  • Bwill
    Bwill Posts: 102
    grege345 said:
    Maverick 732 and thermo pop combination is what works for me. You can get both for less than 80$. Not to be a hater but don't buy BGE instant read thermometer. It sucks
    Thought on the BGE wireless?
  • grege345
    grege345 Posts: 3,515
    It's the maverick 732 with BGE branding. Does it look like this?image Only thing I'd say is if you don't protect your probe wires you'll be replacing them not long after you use it. Original set lasted a few cooks. Second set lasted the past 7 months. Their is a newer version. The 733 which I hear is more user friendly.
    LBGE& SBGE———————————————•———————– Pennsylvania / poconos

  • shtgunal3
    shtgunal3 Posts: 5,629
    Maverick is only used on low and slows. Thermapen is used on EVERY cook. It's even used when cooking inside. I have both and just like my two eggs they each have their own uses.

    ___________________________________

     

     LBGE,SBGE, and a Mini makes three......Sweet home Alabama........ Stay thirsty my friends .

  • hapster
    hapster Posts: 7,503
    Its a $20 difference between the two... don't use that as an reason either way. That point went out the window when you brought the egg home

    Get the thermapen and invest in a tool that will help to improve your cooking a lot more dramatically on your prized cooker (think perfect steaks, chicken breasts, etc) than a Maverick will...

    I have both, and I got the Thermapen a few months before I decided on the Maverick for low and slows. Use the Thermapen just about every cook, most of the time now I don't even use the Maverick for my low n slows; but that's me... I'm a bit of a risk taker :))
  • grege345
    grege345 Posts: 3,515
    Don't get me wrong. I'm sure a thermopen is great but after getting burned with the BGE instant (not so instant) read thermo I couldn't justify another 90$ thermometer no matter how good it was. Thermo pop was 25$ and 2 seconds slower. I can live with that. If I start screwing up a lot of cooks ill buy one sooner
    LBGE& SBGE———————————————•———————– Pennsylvania / poconos

  • Maccool
    Maccool Posts: 191
    edited September 2014
    Bwill said:
    I see that a lot of people are big on thermapens.  To me a wireless thermometer seems like it would be the best choice because "if you are looking you are not cooking."  With the thermapen (or similar) you have to keep opening the dome to check it.  Furthermore, I can get a BGE wireless thermometer for $80 vs. $100+ for thermapen or BGE instant read.  What am I missing?

    I am trying to decide what to get and it seems like the thermampen thermometers are the favorite here.  

    Thermapen is a nice accessory, although probably not cost-effective. I have one, along with an infra-red thermometer and find them both useful. IMHO, a wireless remote thermometer is far more useful. I have learned my lesson over the years relative to the cheap off-shore import models, however. Taylor, Maverick, and the BGE-brand just break too often. I would never give up any of my iGrills for those other cheap toys with their flimsy wires and fragile thermocouples.
  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
    hapster said:
    Its a $20 difference between the two... don't use that as an reason either way. That point went out the window when you brought the egg home

    Get the thermapen and invest in a tool that will help to improve your cooking a lot more dramatically on your prized cooker (think perfect steaks, chicken breasts, etc) than a Maverick will...

    I have both, and I got the Thermapen a few months before I decided on the Maverick for low and slows. Use the Thermapen just about every cook, most of the time now I don't even use the Maverick for my low n slows; but that's me... I'm a bit of a risk taker :))

    @hapster nailed it right here. Thermapan on every cook and maverick if I am goin low n slow and being lazy. The key is once you cook something several times you pretty much now when to start checkin for temp unless it is something like a brisket that each hunk cooks totally different.

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • Can not use a remote for direct cooking, the wires will burn up if they are exposed to direct heat.  I use a Maverick for indirect (wires protected by the stone) and thermapen for direct cooks.
  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
    Maccool said:
    Bwill said:
    I see that a lot of people are big on thermapens.  To me a wireless thermometer seems like it would be the best choice because "if you are looking you are not cooking."  With the thermapen (or similar) you have to keep opening the dome to check it.  Furthermore, I can get a BGE wireless thermometer for $80 vs. $100+ for thermapen or BGE instant read.  What am I missing?

    I am trying to decide what to get and it seems like the thermampen thermometers are the favorite here.  

    Thermapen is a nice accessory, although probably not cost-effective. I have one, along with an infra-red thermometer and find them both useful. IMHO, a wireless remote thermometer is far more useful. I have learned my lesson over the years relative to the cheap off-shore import models, however. Taylor, Maverick, and the BGE-brand just break too often. I would never give up any of my iGrills for those other cheap toys with their flimsy wires and fragile thermocouples.

    Thermapens are cost effective over the long term. I got mine 7 years ago. I use it every day and it still works great. Paid $85 so that works out to $12 per year. One dollar per month is a small price to pay to make sure I don't overcook that expensive steak or get dried out chicken.
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,657
    i only use the maverick for low and slow overnighters and the thermapen for everything else and at the end of an over nighter to check additional spots on the butt or brisket for doneness. in reality though i could just use an old meat dial gage in that butt or brisket, im not too concerned with fires going out anymore and dont really need that alarm. for really accurate temps for chicken, steak, roasts, pork, i want the thermapen, it really pisses me off when i overcook a good steak
    :)) nothing needed to check burgers, i just wing those the old fashion way
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Get the newer 733.......not the old 732.  Much better probes on the 733 and longer wireless range.

    They're only a few bucks more anyway.

  • Agree on the 733 being improved - but it does not have a timer function that I can find. I use the timer every time I use my egg, drop in the electric starter and set timer for 8 minutes. When it alerts I wander back to the egg and unplug it. Found a use for my old 732 Receiver...

    :))
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • Maccool
    Maccool Posts: 191
    edited September 2014

    Thermapens are cost effective over the long term. I got mine 7 years ago. I use it every day and it still works great. Paid $85 so that works out to $12 per year. One dollar per month is a small price to pay to make sure I don't overcook that expensive steak or get dried out chicken.
    It's a matter of preference and priority. I agree that Thermapen is a nice accessory to have. I like mine and find it useful. Relative to not overcooking an expensive steak, roast, or drying out a chicken, I find a wireless remote to be more useful. If I'm new to temp-based grilling, have $99 to spend, and don't have any temperature measuring devices, my opinion is that a wireless remote is the place to start.
  • Maccool
    Maccool Posts: 191
    edited September 2014
    Rocket15 said:
    Can not use a remote for direct cooking, the wires will burn up if they are exposed to direct heat.  I use a Maverick for indirect (wires protected by the stone) and thermapen for direct cooks.
    I have not found that to be the case. Of course, that goes to my point about getting a quality wireless remote. I don't put the Maverick or the Taylors in the same category as my iGrill.
  • I would never be without my Thermapen. It has to be the single most used item ive bought since getting my egg

    It gets used every day whether im cooking inside or out. I use it when making bread or pizza dough to make sure the water temp is right for the yeast.

    liked it so much i bought my dad one for fathers day

    I also have a maverick and an iGrill but nothing gets used as much as my Thermapen ( other than my egg )  lol
    2 LBGE
    Digi Q
    green Thermapen
    AR

    Albuquerque, NM
  • Bwill
    Bwill Posts: 102
    llrickman said:

    I also have a maverick and an iGrill but nothing gets used as much as my Thermapen ( other than my egg )  lol
    Thoughts on the iGrill vs. Maverick?
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    I've had a Mav for 4-5 years now. Used it once in the past three years. Maybe. Use the Tpen for every cook. If it ever dies, I'll get a Pop. The Mav will last forever - cuz I never use it. Was a waste of money.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • gte1
    gte1 Posts: 379
    Have the Thermapen and Maverick, both are very useful and as mentioned already very different.  If I only had one it is not even close, the Thermapen without a doubt.  The Maverick is great for not having to go out of the house to check on the Egg but that is about it.  The temp is only an estimate as you never know if you have it in the thickest part of the meat, so you will end up using the Thermapen on the cooks where you use the Maverick anyway.
    George
  • jaydub58
    jaydub58 Posts: 2,167
    @stlcharcoal, is that the only difference between the to Mavs?
    Probe quality and range?
    Just wondering.
    TIA
    John in the Willamette Valley of Oregon
  • jaydub58 said:
    @stlcharcoal, is that the only difference between the to Mavs?
    Probe quality and range?
    Just wondering.
    TIA
    Those are the two main improvements.  The new probes are hybrids, so you can monitor two meats, two pits, or a meat+pit at the same time.  The 732 was pit+meat only.  The screen is a lot bigger on the 733, and the range is 300ft vs 200ft.  It has a bunch of extra preset meat temps in it too--something I do not use.
  • Maccool
    Maccool Posts: 191
    edited September 2014
    I almost always have several dishes going at the same time. Continuous monitoring of multiple sources...up to four domes and/meat locations and especially having a preselected alarm for one or more target temps on one or more food items is far more valuable to me than the manually applied spot reads from a Thermapen. Glad I have both...(I also have an infra-red), but I'd give up the Thermapen in a heartbeat if I had to choose between it and the iGrill.