Reliable Probe Thermometers

[Chris Amirault]

Does anyone have any experience with this Williams-Sonoma remote thermometer?

[lancastermike]

Does anyone have any experience with this Williams-Sonoma remote thermometer?

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This looks EXACTLY like my Maverick model. They may well be one in the same with only the label being different. Not sure if I would pay extra just for the WS name.

[Richard Kilgore]

Does anyone have any experience with this Williams-Sonoma remote thermometer?

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Chris, I think you can get the Maverick dual prob Smoker thermometer for only a few bucks more. Over the last few years here it may have recieved the most consistent (though not "perfect") reports.

[hathor]

I have a Bosch oven, and it has a built in probe. Didn't have to wait for the robot.

Can't say how it works because I've never remembered to use it....

[Marlene]

Does anyone have any experience with this Williams-Sonoma remote thermometer?

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I have one of these and I love it. I've found it to be absolutely consistent and range hasn't been a huge problem. When I smoked that shoulder a couple of weeks ago I had that thermometer stuck in the roast outside and the receiver inside with me. Worked like a charm.

I've also given one to my brother and one to my best friend. That is a Maverick thermometer made for WS.

I've also just received the Maverick smoker thermometer that Jack recommends.

I also have a thermapen which is outstanding.

[Richard Kilgore]

Here's a link to the Maverick site's page on their remote thermometers -- the Smoking Model and others. Since the W-S version is less expensive than any on the page, you may want to check to be sure the W-S has the same functions as the ones branded Maverick. W-S sometimes offers products made by companies that have somewhat lower specs than those sold with the company's brand name in order to hit a specific price point. Sometimes it will make little difference to you; sometimes it will.

[Marlene]

I'ts identical Richard, to the ET-72. I checked and double checked this before I bought mine orginially. Actually, mine does all the functions the ET-7 does, as does the ET-72, but the ET-7 is a dual probe so you can monitor two meats at once.

[Richard Kilgore]

I'ts identical Richard, to the ET-72.  I checked and double checked this before I bought mine orginially.  Actually, mine does all the functions the ET-7 does, as does the ET-72, but the ET-7 is a dual probe so you can monitor two meats at once.

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Interesting, Marlene. That's a great deal then.

[shaunchavis]

I've had it with my latest Taylor probe thermometer. (This is number four or five.) Had it. Tonight I put a pork roast in the oven, and after 15 minutes the darned thermometer is telling me the roast is done.

Taylor's going in the trash and I'm not going to buy another. Seems they never last more than a year. (Is it me?)

Anyone have a favorite, consistently reliable probe thermometer to recommend?

Thank you,

Shaun

[Marlene]

I have been using Maverick Redi Check for about 5 years now and it's still going strong. I also have their smoker thermometer. I bought an extra one for the cottage, and I've given several of these as gifts.

[paulraphael]

Yeah, the Taylor's kind of lame, but I can't say for sure what's better.

My guess is your trouble has been with the probes. If water gets into the unsealed space between the probe and the wire, the thing goes crazy. When I replaced my first one, I found it worked fine with the probe from the new one. Now I'm just anal about keeping the connection dry when I wash it. Maybe you can buy spare probes from the company.

The question is, do other brands have the same problem. I don't know.

Other brands definitely appear to have better ergonomics. The Polder that I saw looks simpler and easier to use (no actual experience with it, though).

[John DePaula]

Of all the thermometers that I have (both analog and digital), only the Polder read 100C (212F) when placed in boiling water.

And PaulRaphael is right about keeping the probe connection dry.

And as a side note, I found that one of my digital thermometers went absolutely NUTS when I turned on my spice grinder and the probe wire was laying atop the spice grinder's cord...

[tim]

Hi,

The Polder model 360 series is the long time champion of reliability and accuracy in probe thermometers. It is widely available for around $20. It has recently been updated as follows: Polder 362-86 Digital Probe Thermometer/Timer

Tim

[Richard Kilgore]

Also consider a Thermopen if you are looking for a very accurate digital probe thermometer. It's not a remote so no probes or probe wires going bad, but it responds fast -- 2-3 seconds As I recall instead of the 10 seconds for a Taylor. If you want a remote, the Mavericks have a good reputation among several members.

[Marlene]

The thermapens are fabulous and I have one of those as well, although I don't use it for roasts. I use the thermapen for thinner cuts, like chops, burgers, steaks etc. And the maverick for all of my roasting needs.

[HKDave]

The Polder model 360 series is the long time champion of reliability and accuracy in probe thermometers.  It is widely available for around $20.  It has recently been updated as follows:  Polder 362-86 Digital Probe Thermometer/Timer

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Thermoworks, makers of the Thermapen, sell an almost-identical unit for $19, vs $25 from Polder. Cheaper replacement probes, too.

http://www.thermoworks.com/products/low_co...temp_timer.html

All of these brands are getting their oven probe thermometers from the same few factories in China (like this one: http://www.fobinstruments.com/index.php ) and they all seem to be made as cheap as possible. I'd gladly pay a few bucks more for a more durable one but they don't seem to exist. Watch out for warranties... many probe thermometers die young, and some (like Maverick) only have a 90 day warranty. Polder won't even take returns; you've got to try your luck with the retailer.

On pen thermometers, Thermapens have a great reputation and I wouldn't mind owning one, but I've found the widely-available Cooper DFP450W does the job for 1/2 the price. The response time is a second or two longer but it's still quite fast; we're talking 3-5 seconds instead of 2-3. Plus it's both Fahrenheit and Celsius; Thermapens are one or the other, not both. And it has a lifetime warranty, vs 1 year on Thermapen. And it fits in the shoulder pen pocket on most chef's whites, which the Thermapen doesn't. But it does lack the Thermapen's skinny probe.

And about that lifetime warranty: the battery cover of my DFP450W broke a few months ago. I had bought the thing 3 or 4 years ago in another country and of course didn't keep a receipt. I contacted Cooper-Atkins head office in the US (which wasn't easy; they hide their e-mail address on their website so I resorted to fax) who put me in touch with a distributor here in Hong Kong, who delivered a replacement unit the next day; no charge, no questions. Not bad for a $35 product.

I just noticed Thermoworks now has a similar unit even cheaper:

http://www.thermoworks.com/products/low_cost/rt301.html

[paulraphael]

I'd gladly pay a few bucks more for a more durable one but they don't seem to exist.

I haven't done a thorough search, but there might be some good ones made for lab use. Here's one: http://www.bestlabdeals.com/ProductDetails...InMp054&CartID=

Lots of other out there; some might be more apropriate.

In the mean time, that thermoworks one likes the best deal. It's basically the Polder, sold for what it's actually worth!

By the way, looking for lab thermometers, I stumbled onto a few that look just like the thermopen, but for a lot less money. Might be worth a second look.

[shaunchavis]

Thanks everyone! This gives me a couple options for a better thermometer...

Shaun

[MSRadell]

Omega Engineering makes many kinds of temperature measuring instruments for laboratories and industry. Many of these can be used in the cooking environment with no changes. Most are stainless steel construction and able to withstand a wide temperature range. They also make many probes that are submersible. They are certainly more expensive than any others listed above but they also hold up under extreme conditions! Just google Omega Engineering to find their website.

[John DePaula]

Omega Engineering makes many kinds of temperature measuring instruments for laboratories and industry.  Many of these can be used in the cooking environment with no changes.  Most are stainless steel construction and able to withstand a wide temperature range.  They also make many probes that are submersible.  They are certainly more expensive than any others listed above but they also hold up under extreme conditions!  Just google Omega Engineering to find their website.

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Clickity->Omega Engineering

[HKDave]

Watch out for warranties... many probe thermometers die young, and some (like Maverick) only have a 90 day warranty. Polder won't even take returns; you've got to try your luck with the retailer.

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Further to this... Thermapen has a 1-yr warranty on thermometers and 6 months on probes, but don't warranty detachable oven probes because, in their words, "The probe will eventually burn out and need to be replaced as they can be damaged by moisture and excessive heat. However, the replacement probes are affordable." ($8, and their probes fit the Polder unit mentioned upthread).

[KLwood]

Glad to know Im not the only one that goes through a probe thermometer about every 6 months,( Pyrex is another brand that doesnt seem to hold up..) I didnt know it was due to moisture getting in, so maybe I can get a little more life out of my latest one..thanks for the links above , I have 4 thermometer/timers and only 1 working probe.. I was seriously considering making Christmas Tree Ornaments out of them.

[JimH]

Glad to know Im not the only one that goes through a probe thermometer about every 6 months,( Pyrex is another brand that doesnt seem to hold up..) I didnt know it was due to moisture getting in, so maybe I can get a little more life out of my latest one..thanks for the links above , I have 4 thermometer/timers and only 1 working probe.. I was seriously considering making Christmas Tree Ornaments out of them.

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I had good luck with my Pyrex until I dropped it. I have had one of the Maverick's for about 2 years and the probe died just recently. I bought a Polder but I wasn't too impressed by the lack of an "on-off" switch, but the probe does work in my Maverick. I mainly use them outside when I'm BBQing, so they get exposed to the weather.

[Andrew Chalk]

Had a disasterous experience with a consumer grade oven thermometer this weekend.

Can someone recommend a specific brand and model of commercial grade oven thermometer? Must be remotely readable.

Thanks.

[gfweb]

Had a disasterous experience with a consumer grade oven thermometer this weekend.

Can someone recommend a specific brand and model of commercial grade oven thermometer? Must be remotely readable.

Thanks.

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I have a pair of Pyrex branded ones that haven't failed in 3 years.