johnmeyer
Master of the Pit
Here's how you can sort this out.
1. Re-do the 32 degree and boiling water tests. You must use distilled water for this, including the ice cubes, if you want perfect results. The 32-degree test should be done with ice from top to bottom of the container, and stirring. The boiling water test needs to be adjusted for altitude if you are more than 1,000 feet above sea level. If you don't use distilled water, and have well water or other water that has lots of minerals, it will change the boiling point. The only reason for re-doing this test is to make sure the two really did agree at those two temperatures. Put both probes in the water at the same time and be sure to stir the water vigorously for at least one minute (especially with the ice bath) before taking a reading. Make sure to not let either probe contact any part of the container, especially during the boiling water test (the bottom is much hotter than the boiling water).
2. Here's the extra test. Put some hot water from the tap into the same container and put both probes into that. The water will probably be between 125 and 160 degrees. This gives you an in-between reading to test the linearity of each probe. This test will not tell you which probe is more accurate, but it WILL eliminate the whole issue of whether the probes are giving you different readings because of hot spots in your smoker or oven. It is absolutely amazing how large a difference in temperature you can get inside a hot enclosure.
3. If you really want to get into this, you can repeat the side-by-side test using a deep fat fryer. This is a little tougher because the oil won't stop at a specific temperature, the way water does when it reaches the boiling point. What I'd do is get the oil to 350 (nominally) and then unplug the unit. Stir the oil with both probes next to each other (you could even tie them together with a piece of wire). Take the measurements after about a minute.
Finally, if you are really concerned about this, you can get a laboratory grade thermometer and test against that. You can get these from various lab supply houses. If you don't want to go that route, you can get a Thermapen. Each unit is calibrated at the factory and has electronics that, once calibrated at the 32 and 212 points, pretty much guarantees accuracy at all other points.
1. Re-do the 32 degree and boiling water tests. You must use distilled water for this, including the ice cubes, if you want perfect results. The 32-degree test should be done with ice from top to bottom of the container, and stirring. The boiling water test needs to be adjusted for altitude if you are more than 1,000 feet above sea level. If you don't use distilled water, and have well water or other water that has lots of minerals, it will change the boiling point. The only reason for re-doing this test is to make sure the two really did agree at those two temperatures. Put both probes in the water at the same time and be sure to stir the water vigorously for at least one minute (especially with the ice bath) before taking a reading. Make sure to not let either probe contact any part of the container, especially during the boiling water test (the bottom is much hotter than the boiling water).
2. Here's the extra test. Put some hot water from the tap into the same container and put both probes into that. The water will probably be between 125 and 160 degrees. This gives you an in-between reading to test the linearity of each probe. This test will not tell you which probe is more accurate, but it WILL eliminate the whole issue of whether the probes are giving you different readings because of hot spots in your smoker or oven. It is absolutely amazing how large a difference in temperature you can get inside a hot enclosure.
3. If you really want to get into this, you can repeat the side-by-side test using a deep fat fryer. This is a little tougher because the oil won't stop at a specific temperature, the way water does when it reaches the boiling point. What I'd do is get the oil to 350 (nominally) and then unplug the unit. Stir the oil with both probes next to each other (you could even tie them together with a piece of wire). Take the measurements after about a minute.
Finally, if you are really concerned about this, you can get a laboratory grade thermometer and test against that. You can get these from various lab supply houses. If you don't want to go that route, you can get a Thermapen. Each unit is calibrated at the factory and has electronics that, once calibrated at the 32 and 212 points, pretty much guarantees accuracy at all other points.
