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Thermopen vs BGE Irt?

Dave Shady
Dave Shady Posts: 247
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
They look the same is there any real differances? I see that many recomend the Thermo and I have been using the IRT for a while now seem to work real well for the $25 if cost me. WAY Better than the digital POS weber I had.

What is the differance?

IRT.jpg


and


31i56eHIfkL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

Comments

  • BamaEGG
    BamaEGG Posts: 170
    I have had both now for about 2 months and I can tell you the Thermapen is well worth the added expense. The Thermapen creates a smaller hole in the meat so you will lose less juice when you poke food. The biggest difference is the amount of time it takes to get a accurate reading. The BGE IRT will give you a reading quickly but it is always way low. Then you have to wait about 15 seconds or longer to get the accurate reading. Meanwhile back at the ranch the fire in the Egg has raced up and gotten a lot hotter than you wanted. With thermapen you'll cut that time down to less than 5 seconds.
  • Bluecrab3
    Bluecrab3 Posts: 328
    The thermopen is well worth the added $....enjoy.
  • Dave Shady
    Dave Shady Posts: 247
    When you say its way low? do you mean its not accurate or? The time it takes to go from open air temp to actual meat temp?
    The BGE IRT will give you a reading quickly but it is always way low
  • Darnoc
    Darnoc Posts: 2,661
    Cooks Illustrated has rated the thermapen and the cooking thermometer and timer their number one choice.Looks like they are doing something right.Their cooking and timer unit is a new model that is good up to 390 degrees and it is only $19.00.Model#TW362B.
  • eggfan
    eggfan Posts: 73
    What is the cost difference??
  • Dave Shady
    Dave Shady Posts: 247
    25.00 vs 80.00
  • The Naked Whiz
    The Naked Whiz Posts: 7,777
    The photo of the BGE seems to indicate that the probe is constant diameter down to the tip. This means it will take longer to produce a final accurate reading. You have to heat up the metal in the tip which then heats up the thermocouple (assuming the BGE uses a thermocouple). The much thinner tip of the Thermapen will heat up faster and thus you get an accurate reading in a few seconds.
    The Naked Whiz
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    Thanks for noting the timer.

    Here is a link for those interested Thermoworks Original Oven Thermometer / Timer

    Sure wish they made a Maverick ET-73 look-a-like.

    GG
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    eggfan, IMHO - that is the worst way to decide!!!!

    I would still have my 3 gassers, charcoal grill, charcoal smoker, Brinkman propane water smokers and a Rocky Mountain propane water smoker if I used that logic.

    I fought buying the thermapen pen when I asked which thermometer. I ended up spending well over the cost of the thermapen in other thermometers trying to find something that would work.

    Now a drawer full of 'it was cheaper' thermometers and one thermapen.

    The thermapen, as the forum recomended, is probably the best money spent, other than the egg itself.

    It's not very often in live when one can look at something and not at all be concerned about the money spent on that item. Further, if something happened to that item it would be purchased over without hesitation.

    I feel that it was money well spend about my eggs, thermapen and tjv's adjustable rig and spider - almost forgot, my wife.

    I absolutely love the thermapen and use for all types of cooking, including indoor cooking when I do that.

    BamaEgg has both so there is no bias with his opinion. Me, I have a whole drawer full of thermometers of which the thermapen is the best.

    GG
  • Mainegg
    Mainegg Posts: 7,787
    I am with you GG it is a necessary tool with the egg. it is such a little thing but is so very important. I have given one to my dad as a gift and every time he uses it and we are there he thanks us! it is that good. yes it is expansive but if you over cook a few nice cuts of meat a couple of times, you will wish you had invested in one. Julie
  • CCB299
    CCB299 Posts: 20
    I bought a thermopen and am amazed by it.

    However, I also purchased one of their cooking and timer units and there is a significant difference in the temperature showing on it and the pen (about 40 degrees).

    I was cooking a pork loin and had the timer set at 165 and put the pen in to check and the pen showed 125.

    Not sure why the discrepancy but it makes me wonder about the timer.