ThermPro Advice

[RiversideSm0ker]

Guys,

I'm looking at buying a new thermometer as my super cheap WalMart special gave up after 8 years of use last weekend. I did get a new cheap one form WalMart as a quick fix but I was looking at getting one of the ThermPro TP08 or TP20 models. I like the alert feature that these have on the second probe. I would really like to be able to set a low/high alarm for my pit temp so that I could not worry about the temp until I get a beeping alarm. It would lower my smoking anxiety during long cooks.

For those of you who own these two models. First, would you personally recommend purchasing either one? Second, if you do recommend buying, is the TP20 worth the extra $15 or so and why?

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to weigh in on this topic. It means a lot to me to get your advice on this decision. Thanks and have a wonderful day.

George

 

[bregent]

>I would really like to be able to set a low/high alarm for
>my pit temp so that I could not worry about the temp until I get a beeping alarm.

I don't own either, but from what I recall, the TP-20 does not have a low alarm.

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

How odd, I just looked at the TP08 and TP20 on the Amazon site and indeed it appears that the less expensive TP08 has a high low alarm but the TP20 only has a single target alarm for the grate probe. That makes no sense to me. Now I'm even more baffled about why that unit costs and additional $15.

George

 

[bregent]

I imagine it cost more because the TP-20 has a larger display - but do you really need the display to show you what type of food you're cooking and level of doneness?

 

[SonnyE]

Well George, I decided on the TP-08 for me.
I'm pretty simple, so knowing the pit temperature, and a single internal temperature was good enough for me.
I was more interested in the 300' range. Only because I wanted something I could rely on through walls, halls, and curvy places.
When it comes to which piece to stick the probe in, I just pick the thickest anyway for monitoring. (Example: Smoking a batch of Salmon pieces. Or maybe ribs.)
I never do a 5 course dinner. Just a meat and tators kinda guy.
YMMV

I look at the ad pictures and try to imagine what the item on the bottom tastes like with everything else dripping down on it. :confused: :eek:

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

I can’t see any real benefit to the 20 over the 08. Lower price and more “real” function seem to make the choice obvious. Thanks for the input guys.

George

 

[bregent]

I can’t see any real benefit to the 20 over the 08. Lower price and more “real” function seem to make the choice obvious. Thanks for the input guys.

George

I agree. ...But if you can swing it, check out Thermoworks Smoke. The list price is quite a bit more, but they have frequent sales and I picked one up last year for $75. The build quality of the unit and probes is FAR superior to Thermopro and the user interface is much simpler.

 

[slapaho_injun]

I own the 20. I don’t care for the alarms so I wouldn’t say that should be a factor

 

[MJB05615]

Guys,

I'm looking at buying a new thermometer as my super cheap WalMart special gave up after 8 years of use last weekend. I did get a new cheap one form WalMart as a quick fix but I was looking at getting one of the ThermPro TP08 or TP20 models. I like the alert feature that these have on the second probe. I would really like to be able to set a low/high alarm for my pit temp so that I could not worry about the temp until I get a beeping alarm. It would lower my smoking anxiety during long cooks.

For those of you who own these two models. First, would you personally recommend purchasing either one? Second, if you do recommend buying, is the TP20 worth the extra $15 or so and why?

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to weigh in on this topic. It means a lot to me to get your advice on this decision. Thanks and have a wonderful day.

George

I own the 20, got it as a gift. I use 1 probe in the meat, and 1 probe on the grate for accurate grate temp.
I find it to be very accurate and don't have the need for high/low alarms. I don't really see any other differences between the 20 and the 8 except for the alarm choices. If I was purchasing, I would most likely get the 8.

 

[chopsaw]

I have the TP-20 . It's a dual meat probe unit . That's why no low alarm . TP-08 is single meat probe , one smoker temp probe . TP-20 can monitor 2 peices of meat , or one meat and the other goes for cab temp if you want .

 

[dr k]

I have the TP-20 . It's a dual meat probe unit . That's why no low alarm . TP-08 is single meat probe , one smoker temp probe . TP-20 can monitor 2 peices of meat , or one meat and the other goes for cab temp if you want .

Or the 20 can be for 2 Cab temps so both ports should have range temps instead of just high limits. I almost went with the 8 but went with the Soraken I titled a thread in meat thermometer forum months ago. Set each of the four probes to range or high limit. Morpilot Pop's uses has same colored probes. The bluetooth range is way way better than all my other rf remotes indoor/outdoor. Super easy to program being on a screen and the graphing for allsix ports is nice to show when the stalls start. $37 after promo code.

 

[chopsaw]

OK , so the 08 has range on both ports ?

 

[dr k]

I don't think so. Maybe a designated port. That's what confused me, then I refrained. If one designated 08 probe is for air then the other bent probes are hybrids (cab/meat) for the 20. Then soooo many warranty 2017 lifetime probe claims, the 2018 aren't, so I pulled the reigns to stop and thought it was similar to Mavericks probe quality. Thermopro gives 20% discounts to members on My Masterbuilt Electric Smoker on FB that is pinned on the site as well. Since it's not a forum with threads so feeds turn into history and feedback isn't close to SMF.

 

[chopsaw]

Well , I guess that's my point , or thought . If the probe can do meat or cab temp , how do you have a low temp alarm ?
If it's air only you can set both . I don't know how they work , but at some point the meat is going to be cooler than a low cab temp .

 

[dr k]

I set my air probe to a range of 145-300. So I can drift off. I'm a light sleeper so I'm up always but it's a backup from the high temp snap disc switch MB put in that is a must.