why so many posts about temperture gauge

[kryinggame]

I've read so many postings about the MES thermometers/temperture guage being off by so many degrees. Okay, if this is so, what can really be done to correct it. I don't think anything.  FOR EXAMPLE,  if you want to cook at 240 degrees but your gauge is off and it's actually 220, is there anything that can be done to get it to the true and accurate temp? I don't think there is, so what's the big deal?

 

[whistlepig]

My MES temp gauge is off by 25 degrees. I bought a Maverick ET-732. It has two probes. One probe to monitor the internal smoker temp and the other to monitor the meat temp. I am very pleased with it. I adjust my smoker temp to match the smoker probe on the ET-732. 

 

[chef jimmyj]

 Masterbuilt is real good about figuring out what is wrong. My MES meat probe was indicating 15* lower than the MAV probe right next to it. I called Masterbuilt and received a new Probe 2 days later. Changed it out, still reading 3-5* low but I can live with that ...JJ

 

[kryinggame]

That's good that they have excellent customer service but has anyone's food ever been ruined, soley based upon the temperture not reading correctly? I'm asking nothing behind that.

I will say this, my digital display will read as high as 280 degrees. I don't think that's correct since these machines can only do 275.

 

[kryinggame]

My MES temp gauge is off by 25 degrees. I bought a Maverick ET-732. It has two probes. One probe to monitor the internal smoker temp and the other to monitor the meat temp. I am very pleased with it. I adjust my smoker temp to match the smoker probe on the ET-732. 

So, you're saying if your MES says 240 for example but your Maverick reads 225, you'll adjust your MES to meet your Maverick? The problem with that is, temperture fluctuates all of the time. It's impossible to get an actual constant reading. I have the Maverick but have found the probe that goes into the meat to be off a bit. I actually have 2 Mavericks and will get different readings from them.  I guess nothing is perfect.

 

[venture]

One man's opinion.

I never trust one therm.  Two or more are best.  Your testing and your results will lead you to the right path.

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[whistlepig]

I mostly smoke at 225 degrees. My Masterbuilt readout says 225 degrees but my Maverick ET-732 says the smoker temp is 250 degrees. I default to the Maverick ET-732 readings and the results are much better. I also have a Thermapen. Thermapen's are expensive but as far I am concerned they are the last word on smoking temps. The Thermapens are extremely accurate.

 

[kryinggame]

In all due respect, doesn't the Thermapen judge the temperture of the meat and not the temperture of the oven?

Gents, I hear your logic but I'm still not convinced that I would want to use my Maverick over the temperture on my MES.

I still haven't read anything convincing enough to make me change the temp on my machine. And here's something else, at what point do you judge the accuracy of your Maverick or whatever you're using? Some gents here will spritz their ribs hourly. If you do that, it's gonna take a little while to get back to an ideal temperture.

So, if your MES is reading 240 and your Maverick is reading 225, are you saying that you'll lower the temp of your MES by 15 degrees? That really seems to be on the side of extreme caution to me. 
 

I mostly smoke at 225 degrees. My Masterbuilt readout says 225 degrees but my Maverick ET-732 says the smoker temp is 250 degrees. I default to the Maverick ET-732 readings and the results are much better. I also have a Thermapen. Thermapen's are expensive but as far I am concerned they are the last word on smoking temps. The Thermapens are extremely accurate.

 

[venture]

I thought your question was about pit temp?

For pit temps, I would go by a couple of different therms? I would verify and question the temp.  I would go with the Maverick over a stock therm on the unit.

If you are talking about internal meat temps, the Thermapen is a well respected unit.

In either case, probes need to be tested in boiling water for temps adjusted for your altitude. A test in ice water wouldn't hurt to test the lower range.

Nuff said, I am outta here.

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[chef jimmyj]

The MES will never be steady at any temp. If you set it to 225* the temp will swing between 215 and 245+/- as the unit cools to kick on and then over heats as the coil peaks and turns off. The only time you may need to Change the set temp is when your AVERAGE temp runs high or low. Like when you put a Butt in on a cool summer morning and by 1:00PM it is 100+*F and the MES is in direct sunlight and the average temp is running high.

You go by which ever probe you are able to test accurate. Since you are at sea level in Carolina test all your thermometers, which ever probe reads 212*F in boiling water is the therm you go by. With my equipment the MAV is spot on at 212* in boiling water so that is the Therm I go by...No questions asked because it tested balls on accurate!...JJ

 

[pearlheartgtr]

My MES 30 meat probe seems to only be off by 1-2*F. I was afraid of it being off as much as the 12-15* people complain/warn about here, so I picked up a Master Forge remote meat probe from Lowes today (it was $19.88 on clearance). With both in the butt I was smoking today, there was only 1-2* difference between the two.