What is the best digital thermometer out there?

I would like to find one with a replaceable probe, I seem to keep torching these things when I use them mainly in the oven and on the grill. Why doesn't anyone sell the probes as a replacement item? I can't be the only one burning them up out there. I bet I have 5 display units in case anyone needs any for parts.

I've had my Maverick Redi Chek for close to 10 years now and haven't had one problem with it. It never gets wet though other than to wipe the probe with a soapy dish rag and a rinse, carefully avoiding getting water in the probe. Granted, i haven't started using it for grill, fire or smoke cooking until last summer, always using it in the oven or crockpot, but still, it's lasted a long time.

I JUST GOT a Thermoworks & have used it 3 times without any problems. It was highly rated @ Amazon.com. So far, so good?

Not much info going on here. lets remedy that please as I think this info is kinda importent to new folks and old alike.
I have bought 6 digital thermometers over the years. they have not been used that much, but non the less have been used. I try my best to take great care of them ie: cover with a towel so the sun does not cook them. clean the probes as instructed. gently put them away with the cords and probes not kinked.
lets see. I have two Taylors weekend warriors, 1 sun beam, 1 accurite, 1 tru temp, and 1 taylor . all these have the probes that inserts into the meat and attaches to the instrument, I do not have any of the wireless type.
I now find the need to aquire more thermometers. I guess as more smokes go under your belt they are a waste of time from what I hear from others that I have talked with that has done plenty of smokes. they say they go by looks, feel and do not need thermometers. well, I am not at this point yet. and need good equipment for sure.
I do not want to invest in the remotes / wireless as the cooker I have is 1/4 steel and I do not think the remotes will work trying to transfer info through the steel to me.:noidea:
so I am looking to buy several of the same brand models. so far I think the accu rites is pretty good. and the weekend warriors work but they have gliches that I do not want to put up with. (all these thermometers seem to look the same BTW. just with differnt names on them and all seem to be made in china. can not get around that for some reason)
the sunbeam has never realy worked (POS) the tru temp well it does work for a while then craps out and stalls itself.
So, what works for you? what is the best? what last the longests and has good back up from the manufactors. is there any thing made in germany? switzerland? even japan makes better electronics then the chinese.


thanks for the input. I am sure we all can use something better if we can nail it down.

The Maverick ET-73 came highly recommended, as well as the orange Thermapen.

http://www.partshelf.com/maet73.html

Unfortunately many of the replies were wiped out when the server crashed.

I do not want to invest in the remotes / wireless as the cooker I have is 1/4 steel and I do not think the remotes will work trying to transfer info through the steel to me.:noidea:


The transmitter is outside the smoker. Only the probe is in the smoker and is connected to the transmitter. The transmitter "transfers" the info to the reciever.

So if you wanted to invest in one, it would work fine.

Dave

The ET73 works great for me...the probes can be replaced...only problem for me is this old house Im in has thick plaster walls so it wont transmit well outside to inside. If I keep the reciever on the back porch it works fine.

thanks I just got off the phone with thremo works, they make a great instaread as we know. I talked with the tech about what I need. he was honest and said the probes normally do not hold up in a smoke enviroment which normally has moisture in it. none that he knows of last to long in that type enviroment. But longevity can be had by foiling from the cable going into the probe to where it comes out of the smoker, he said this will help prevent an intrusion of moisture and smoke in to that area and will increase it's life (the probe) and the digital instrument should last a very long time with care. as normaly the probe is the thing that goes belly up and cause failer of accurate readings of tempatures.
the price is right on them and spare / replacement probes are 8 bucks. so I bit the dust and ordered several of them w/ some replacement probes.
the link if you want to check it out.http://www.thermoworks.com/products/low_cost/oven_temp_timer.html

I will let the forum know how they fare over time. and I will foil em from the cable going into the probe to where they come out of the smoker. should only have to be done one time and I believe I have some aluminum tape that I can further seal with. just have to keep the tip clean and wipe off the foiled stuff.. heck may be the alum heat tape I have will be the ticket to sealing it up.:noidea:but will give it a shot..

To be honest, I would rather spend $11 on a taylor and just expect 3 or 4months or so out of it. It'll help to wipe down the probe soon after use. I don't usally use a probe much until I need it anyways.

My weekend warrior has held up really well. Taylor sent me a new probe for that FOC.

Besides, I'd have to light a fire before I could wear one out anyways.

Bill, Rich had the great idea of putting a length of the heat shrink tubing that is used to seal electrical connections over the spot where the probe and cable join and shrinking it. Not only should it keep moisture out of the probe, it will prevent kinks at that point too.

I've had 2 of the Taylor 1470s and the Maverick ET-73 for over a year and a half. I lost one probe on the Taylor due to a broken wire - my fault, pinched it in the SnP.

The Taylors have a plastic coated sheath but the Maverick is braided. I foiled the Mav once and it was such a pain in the ass to get it threaded through the hole in the UDS I took the foil off and never foiled it again.

I don't wash the probes in water -- just wipe them down with Clorox wipes and I'm very careful how I route them and how I wrap them up when I put them away. I keep the probes and the units in a Ziploc bag when not in use.

I imagine probe replacement over time is to be expected given the delicate nature of the wire and the junction. I think if you're reasonably careful, you'll get good life out of what ever one you buy. But it is a good idea to boil test them every once in awhile. I don't ever bother with the ice water test since the thermistor type will only read down to 32° anyway and I never need to measure 32° in my smoker -- or in a cut of meat for that matter -- so I don't care if it is correct there or not.

Dave

Bill, Rich had the great idea of putting a length of the heat shrink tubing that is used to seal electrical connections over the spot where the probe and cable join and shrinking it. Not only should it keep moisture out of the probe, it will prevent kinks at that point too.

I was thinking about that also. as I do have several feet of the shrink tube.

thanks. any thing we put on this thread has to be of help to old and new alike and yes, every now and then boil test the little suckers to insure correct calibartion.