# New thermo yesterday- I love it



## smokyokie (Jul 2, 2007)

I bought a wireless remote thermometer yesterday that really impresses me. I have owned a few, but this one is just a cut above, so I thought i'd share it with you. 
It is an Oregon Scientific model AW131. Price, as I remember, $35.00. Things that impress me: 1) the range is realistically in excess of 100 yards- not feet-yards. :shock: 
2) the probe cable is about 4 feet long ( great for reaching inside a good sized smoke, and it's about twice as thick as any other I've ever seen
3) It talks! and in a few different languages.
4) It's accurate to within +/- 1*.
5) It seems to be really well made. It seems more like a lab instrument than a cooking thermometer.
I found it @ Lowe's, but I would imagine that you can find them on line as well.
Tim


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## flagriller (Jul 2, 2007)

EEEkkk 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






  I'm heading to Lowes at lunch, I'll have to check it out.  Guess I should leave the money home or I'll get one...


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## desert smokin (Jul 2, 2007)

Sounds like a neat piece or gear. I've seen Oregon Scientific gear at different places. Looks to be quality stuff. Range is definitely impressive. Thanks for sharing.


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## smokyokie (Jul 2, 2007)

Isn't that the idea?


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## flagriller (Jul 2, 2007)

Ohhhh, yeah, yes by goodness it is!  Thanks for reminding me.  

Wife: Where'd you get that?
Me: What?
Wife: That thing-a-ma-giggiie
Me: Oh you mean this?
Wife: Yes, what is it.
Me: Oh it's an old thermometer
Wife: Oh, where did you get it?
Me: Lowes
Wife: When?
Me: Hmm goodness, I've had it so long I really don't remember.
Wife: Then why is the packaging in the trash?
Me: I just never used it
Wife: Jiimmm..
Me:SmokyOky made me do it!


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## hawgheaven (Jul 2, 2007)

Hey Tim, I saw a whole display of them at Lowes a couple weeks ago and thought about getting one, but passed. Thanks for the heads up!


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## peculiarmike (Jul 2, 2007)

I eyeballed them, Jane slapped my hand. May pick up a couple anyway.
Smoking meat is a lot like bass fishing - you can NEVER have too much stuff.
I have a Brookstone Grill Alert Talking Thermometer. Range is 300 ft. $75.
Christmas present from Jane's sister 3 years ago. Works great, I like it.


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## blackhawk19 (Jul 2, 2007)

Now thats funny, that's why I keep my stuff in the shop about 75' from 
the house and take care of my own garbage from there.
Oh Yeah, I'm going by Lowe's in the morning to check them out and for
 anybody that qualifies they are giving a 10% Military discount through July 4th


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## peculiarmike (Jul 2, 2007)

Darn nice of them. Should be more like 25% for military folks.


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## flagriller (Jul 2, 2007)

Wanted to take a moment to say thank you for your service! My family and I appriciate it.  Jim


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## smokyokie (Jul 2, 2007)

The method I was taught was to walk in forcefully, slap it down on the table, state even more forcefully "I never thought I'd find one of these for under $100, and they had them on sale for only$35,", then turn, walk away and don't look back...whatever you do don't look back!

Actually, the way it worked this time was that I hid it under the $150 worth of bathroom vanity lights that she had picked out.

Tim

BTW, do I get any rep power for the hook up?


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## smokyokie (Jul 2, 2007)

Wanted to take a moment to say thank you for your service! My family and I appriciate it. Jim
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  DITTOS from the Okies!


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## flagriller (Jul 2, 2007)

Sweet....Let me try it.


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## gypsyseagod (Jul 2, 2007)

going to lowe's post haste. 1 rep power coming up.


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## jts70 (Jul 2, 2007)

Tim,

Thanks for the heads up, I have been looking for a good remote.


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## hillbillysmoker (Jul 2, 2007)

Thanks for the heads up on the thermo.


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## catfish (Jul 2, 2007)

I also use that thermometer. I love it it really works nice. Got mine at lowes also.


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## smokyokie (Jul 3, 2007)

Glad to be of service.  Now don't forget the those rep power points fellas.


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## pne123 (Jul 6, 2007)

I bought the Maverick RediChek Remote Wireless Smoker Thermometer from amazon.  It has two probes, one for meat and one for the chamber.  It works fine.  Both readings are accurate (matches my other thermometers so at least consistent)  The range is not as good as i would have hoped but in thru my house walls I am glad it even works.  My cell phone does not and my wireless router barely does.  old thick plaster walls.  When it does stop receiving it does not let you know.  Just reads the last number.  It would be nice if it would blank out or beep when it loses reception.  Also you have to turn them both off and on to reconnect them and one switch is behind the battery door.  All minor but a pain
But after all that complaining it does work well.


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## pigcicles (Jul 6, 2007)

... LOL those all important rep power points. For an Okie Report of that quality with a description of how to get by with spending the money... yeah that's worth a spot... look for it in your User CP

Keep Smokin

Edit: Apparently I have to spread some reputation around before giving it to SmokyOky again... silly cyber rules anyway.. I tried - AGAIN


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## gypsyseagod (Jul 6, 2007)

just my opinion & others here will surely disagree- when i set uot to cook food - i babysit my pit- i tend wood- otherwise i have an oven & a timer.cooking & the smoke means- porch time(that cost a few for the improvements & view)friends family &... well, ya know- if i wanna set it & fergetit i'll buy a ronco rotisserie.thats my opinion & i'll shout it out loud.


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## pne123 (Jul 6, 2007)

I have a gosm so there is no fire to tend and the guage on the door is not accurate. So i do use the gadget to alarm me if the temp gets to high so I do not have to go out side as much or for as long. It was 113deg today. The dogs would not even walk out to the smoker w/ me. When we have friends and family over I want to spend time w/ them and feed them great food w/o missing anything but it is a great excuss if we need to get away from the kids though. It is nice to be able to check the meat temp w/o opening the door, letting all the heat and smoke out and getting a faceful of smoke.


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## gypsyseagod (Jul 6, 2007)

oops- sorry- didn't man to pizz ya off. i think i stated it was my opinion & my way of cooking- it's hot (& rainy lately) here. i have a 4wk old w/ colic so i know the diaper dilemma-i've fed over 10,000(yup 10 thousand) plates  so i don't have to do a show anymore- i just simply meant for me, i spent a lot on the porch & a gathering place & my pit needs tending.best to you & your's. i'm entitled to my opinion just like you are - if yer offended- so sorry. i served this country for your right to disagree.i'll stop there & leave it @ that. most respects to you & yours- we all speak our opinions here. i never meant anything bad about it bro- just sharing.ps. i just read that back- i did sound cocky- sorry. i'm a leo - no offense.


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## pne123 (Jul 6, 2007)

I reread my post and I sound diffently sound pissy so I am going to edit it.  I have been a little stressed and w/o sleep lately and that came out. sorry and no worries.  Try swadling, worked great on my coalic baby


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## gypsyseagod (Jul 6, 2007)

no worries man - i got 4 girls (3 red heads & a red headed wife scots/cherokee i'm irish/norse/comanche) these girls won't wear shoes- it's flippy flops & barefeet- ain't no swaddling involved/ never was. ... it's just that time ....... poor me - thats why i go outside to tend the pit. and being ex mili- i blow crap up in the field


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## smokyokie (Jul 6, 2007)

Give some to Clyde.  He's a pretty good snort of a guy.


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## smokyokie (Jul 6, 2007)

Do you like to blow things up too?  I mean like tree stumps, old fence post s that are in the way, etc.?

Hey Gypsy, now that both temps have flared down, using a good thermo is far from "Ron Popiel" Q.  In fact, it's quite the opposite.  A good remote thermo is for the Qer that wants to be in touch w/ his pit even while he's sitting down and relaxing.

There's no way to take the babysitting out of good Q (no offense to Jim Minion).  If Q was about setting a timer and walking away, everyone would be good at it, and it wouldn't be anything special.

I use a good sized stick burner.  Most stick burner cooks agree that there's nothing that cooks Q quite as well.  Stick burners require a lot of attention.

Tim


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## chris_harper (Jul 6, 2007)

tim, i gave you a rep point the day you started this thread. i am going to lowes to see if they still have them. i saw them last year, when i started smoking meat.


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## smokyokie (Jul 6, 2007)

I think you will be pleased.


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## smokyokie (Jul 6, 2007)

IOHO, the things you are "complaining" about, amongst a few more as well, are exactly what makes it worthy of returning to the vendor.  I even sent mine back to Maverick asking for them to install an antenna like it's supposed to have, and they told me that the 20 foot range was within specks.  There's a loooong thread on the maverick @ the vwbb.

Tim


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## devolutionist (Aug 17, 2007)

Hey Tim & all that have the Oregon Scientific AW131...

I've been having problems with my wireless probes.  I've been through two AW131's and another inferior one from Target, which ironically worked for longer than the AW131 did.

My problem with both of the AW131's is that for the life of me I can't get the base to sync with the monitor.   Took the first one back to Lowes and the 2nd one is having the same issues, so something is up, probably with procedure.  I've tried resetting both, changing batteries... nothing.  All I can figure is that I've got some serious RF interference coming from somewhere in the 433MHz range.  Pretty sure the first cheap Target one died because my wife submerged the probe in the dishwater... I've done that before with the hardwired ones I've used for frying and have found that that'll kill a probe quick - not sure why though.

Anyway, if any of you guys have had problems getting the monitor to pull a signal from the base, please let me know how you fixed it... I've got 4 boston butts in right now and I'm flying blind with them.  OK, not ENTIRELY blind - I've got a regular probe that I left stuck in the bottom one.

First one to fix it gets some rep power!


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## devolutionist (Aug 18, 2007)

OK, well... it just mysteriously started getting a reading.  So disregard the last post for now... 

Just not sure who to give the rep points to - maybe the AW131 since it fixed itself?


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## pigcicles (Aug 18, 2007)

Devo I have an aw 129. It likes to have the base (display) turned on first then the remote within about 5 seconds. Otherwise it can be a pain in the butt. Maybe that is what you did wrong / right.


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## devolutionist (Aug 18, 2007)

Dude, I tried seven ways to Sunday to get it working - the weird thing was that it just started working as I was siting here reading through the boards.  Maybe there was some kind of RF interference that was jamming the channel that it works on.  It's been working nonstop all night.  

Boston butts are all done, and are resting comfortably, so all is well.


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## smokyokie (Aug 20, 2007)

I'm still loving mine.  In fact, I bought another one.  One thing that'll kill a probe quicker than a silver bullet is to position the wire over direct high heat.  I've done that w/ other thermos.

The main thing to remember is that as long as you've got your sense of touch and sight, you're never flying blind.  I was cooking butts and briskets a long time before they invented digital thermos for the smoker and turning out good Q.  It was done by look and feel.  I'm not sure that that isn't still a better way to do it.


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## smoke freak (Aug 20, 2007)

I went to the Oregon Scientific web site to check it out. Price was 60.00

Lowes.com was 40.00

kinda crazy


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## smokyokie (Aug 20, 2007)

Not really, they're just trying to protect all their retail outlets.  In other words, they will sell you one direct, but a the highest price.


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## wookie (Oct 19, 2007)

For anyone interested in this thermometer, I saw it on sale in my local Lowe's yesterday for under $14!  Not a bad deal, and they still had quite a few left.  I picked one up for myself.


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## vlap (Oct 19, 2007)

I am going to have to swing by there on the way home tonight

Lowes here has it for $27


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## gypsyseagod (Oct 19, 2007)

our lowe's STILL doesn't have those. this place drives me nutzz. all i can find locally is the taylor weekend warrior.


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## smokyokie (Oct 19, 2007)

If they're on sale that cheap, I'm gonna go get 4 or 5.  Thanx for the heads up.


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## vlap (Oct 19, 2007)

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...il=&lpage=none


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## flyboys (Oct 19, 2007)

DARN!!  I just left Lowes, and the wife wasn't even with me or at home.


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## smokyokie (Oct 19, 2007)

That's a shame


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## smokyokie (Oct 19, 2007)

That's the one alrighty, and that's about what I paid for the two I have.  If they're on sale for $15, I'm on my way to get a few.


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## vlap (Oct 19, 2007)

I am going to swing by there on my way home from work before I go fishing 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 When am I going to find time to cook?


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## smokyokie (Oct 19, 2007)

Are you married?  Maybe the wife'll take care of that end.


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## vlap (Oct 19, 2007)

As of now nope not married. Probably need to stop spending so much time fishing and start looking for a date. But tonight the fish are biting so I will be heading out for more saltwater action.

Turkey breast goes into brine after fishing ;)


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## navionjim (Oct 19, 2007)

Tim, I wish I had caught this post earlier. I'm a big fan of anything Oregon Scientific. I have one of their weather stations on my roof and it has held up for three years and 100 mph winds. Plus I'm an Oregonian anyway. I bought the Maverick on Woot a few months ago and paid $35, no problems with it so far except it only has the single probe. Wish I gotten the OS unit though.
Jimbo


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## low&slow (Oct 24, 2007)

I dropped my Oregon thermo the other day and never could get it to pick up signal again. It was an older model but it worked great. It was like losing a loved one 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





. Well, today I was at Lowes picking up some supplies for work and I wondered into the bbq isle. I found the Oregon Scientific AW131 for $17.99. I figured that was a heck of a deal so I grabbed 2 of them 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





. This thing is cool! It talks and everything. I really like the fact that you can program the target temp manually. That is a BIG plus for me. Its great, Ive been having fun playing with it and Im not even cooking.


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## smokyokie (Oct 24, 2007)

Someone else posted something about finding them on sale that cheap.  I checked all the store in my area and they were out of them.  I'd be much obliged (even buy one for you) if you were able to go back and pick up 4 or 5 for me.

BTW, I've dropped mine several times (Mr. Coors always makes me do that) and it's never seemed to hurt them.  Maybe the folks @ OS know how Mr. Coors is.


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## ba_loko (Nov 2, 2007)

Well, as luck would have it, I was in a nearby town and decided to see if Lowe's had the OS AW131.  They did......for $13.99!!  They had 12 in stock and now they don't have any.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Tim, if you didn't get the 4 or 5 you wanted, give me a call.


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## low&slow (Nov 3, 2007)

Great timing!! Im going to Lowes first thing in the morning to pick up a threshhold and some more boards and screws (im remodeling the house). I will buy all they have left. Ill let ya know how many I get.


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## porkbutt (Nov 5, 2007)

My local Lowes had the OS yesterday for $26 and change. Had two displays almost full of them. Will have to watch for them to go on sale for the cheaper price! Would have bought one or two if they had been $13!


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## wavector (Nov 5, 2007)

I saw them at WALMART for $29.99. I went with a $12.00 wireless digital probe unit I found at Hudson's Treasure Hunt that seems good enough for me right now. I need to check accuracy because the brisket smoke I had Saturday said 200Â° F, but it wasn't yet fall apart done. Brisket turn out excellent though, definitely worth the time.

www.jlrgear.com


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## smokyokie (Nov 5, 2007)

I am now the proud owner of 6 more OS AW-131 thermometers thanx to BA LOKO Kevin.  

KEV, U DA DUDE!!!!!!!

$13.99 ea @ the Claremore Lowe's

Thank you also to all of you that looked around @ your local Lowe's for me.


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## taz6317 (Nov 7, 2007)

Hey SmokieOkie etal,

  I just snagged three of these from Lowes for $9.99 each.  (That's all they had or I'd have gotten more.)  Can you use more than one at a time without them crosstalking?   I mean does each remote somehow identify it's own base unit, or do they all use the same frequency?  I'm hoping to use one for pit temp and one or two for what's smokin'.

  I have a Polder I bought last year that worked about twice before the probe died, pinched I guess where it was under the smoker door.  A new probe for the Polder is like $15.95 on Amazon ( I paid $30 retail for the whole thing), and the Polder's not remote or talkie, so I figure I did pretty good.


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## smokyokie (Nov 7, 2007)

HMMMMMMMMM, Hey Kev, How much did you say you paid for those?
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	









$9.99 is tooooooogood a deal.

Take a sharpie marker and number each base and corresponding receiver.  They are each on their own frequency.  I don't know how many you can use at once before you run into problems because I've only ever run 2 at a time.

As to probe problems, be sure not to put the cable where it's exposed to extreme heat, that can ruin them.  Also, make sure not to immerse the probes.

You stole 'em Bro,  great score!


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## porkbutt (Nov 9, 2007)

Gonna check my local Lowes tomorrow and see if they've marked them down yet. May even ask about a mark down since they have nearly two full displays of them sitting there and grilling season is over. Wish me luck!


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## porkbutt (Nov 11, 2007)

My Lowes has them for $13.99 now. Gonna pick up a couple.


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## chris_harper (Nov 11, 2007)

i went to my lowes friday, and they don't have any. i checked the site when i got home from work, and it says they are "temporarily unavailable at the lowes of waco, tex". bummer eh.


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## jmedic25 (Nov 11, 2007)

Chris you may be able to find it online cheaper....And availiable.  I got mine last week and it works great.


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## porkbutt (Nov 12, 2007)

Picked up two. Will try to scrape up enough blow money (with a 3.5 month old daughter, it's scarce...) to pick up a couple more while they are marked down. They had maybe 20 more left at $13.99 each at my Lowe's. I actually have enough thermometers for now, but I hope I need more to monitor all that meat on the Lang or DP someday down the road.


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## chris_harper (Nov 12, 2007)

Chris, I already have 2 thermometers. I just want another one, 1. because it is wireless; and 2. just to have it.


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