WSM Dial temp vs Maverick (Test dry run)

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bbqbeginner

Fire Starter
Original poster
Jun 18, 2015
62
19
Hi all,

So I fired up my new WSM today since I plan on smoking something tomorrow and wanted to do a test run. I picked up a Maverick ET733 off Amazon. I set up 1 probe on grate during test run to check difference between built in Weber Dial Temp and Maverick and I'm surprised at results. Weber dial temp as I'm typing this is 325. Maverick grate temp is 385. Maverick probe in lid vent is 415. I know these are above smoking temps. I had all vents open so it we getting hot. Now I would expect lid temp to be higher than grate temp which Maverick does indicate, but is it typical for the built in thermometer to be that far off? Which thermometers do I trust? I'm thinking perhaps I should try and calibrate the Maverick thermometer to better gauge of its accuracy.

Also, I don't think this matters, but I did not fill up the water pan. I do plan to do so for cook tomorrow though.

Does anyone have experience with the Maverick?

Thanks!
 
There are a lot of folks here that use the Maverick.  Trust the Maverick and cook to it.  Test the chamber and food probe in ice water and in boiling water, just the tips, not the whole probe!  My chamber probe is right on.  My food probe reads 2F low.  It isn't the probe it is the software in the unit because all my food probes have read the same 2F low.  Maverick said they are fine with + or - 4F. 

My lid therm can read more than 100F lower than my Maverick when I'm doing hot n fast.  Your results as described above are fairly close to mine.  I run a Maverick and a DigiQ blower, placing the chamber therms right next to each other on the grate.  They are either spot on together or within just a few degrees of each other. 

If you never purchased the Maverick, you could cook to your lid therm and would adjust your temps and timings according to results.  The meat doesn't know what the exact temp is; it only knows it is in a heated environment.  There are lots of folks who never buy a Maverick and just cook to their chamber temp gauge on their smoker.  They turn out great Q.  If I smoked to my lid therm at 250F I would actually be running over 315-325F on my top grate.  It doesn't take much of an imagination to see the heated discussions that would result from a 250F Maverick user and a 250F lid therm user on timing.        
 
Thanks for the tips! I can see how that would cause a lot of confusion. I mainly got Maverick for safety reasons since I don't want to be turning out raw meat. I also have been using a digital thermometer when I grill and it helps with not over cooking the meat too. I will trust the Maverick for my inaugural cook tomorrow. 
 
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