Steve, A probe that will give you grate temp cannot be placed directly on the grate. Place it through a wood block or potato or a grate clip, if you have one. This will position the temp probe approximately 1" above the grate. That way you are getting the proper cooking temp and it is not skewed by the metal grate. As far as an external gauge is concerned, if you can replace the factory gauge, use a River Country gauge. Lots of folks talk about the Tel-Tru, but the River Country is just as good and is much more economical. I use the 3" gauge with a 4" stem. It is easy to read and penetrates far enough into the CC body to get an accurate temp without being influenced by the heat of the steel. Good luck, let me know how it works, Joe