Maverick ET-732

[kendoll]

From my understanding the issue is when you get the 'inside' of the probe wet. It's when water gets in through the top cover of the probe where it crimps to the lead. Does that make sense?

Btw, there is also a copper version of the ET-732. Nice match for the Target/Sam Adams grill.

Ken

[Johnpv]

I'm really happy with my Maverick.  It's been pretty solid for me.  The only issue I've run into is on windy days.  When the wind really gets going it seems to knock out the sync between the two units, and I have to do the old rabbit ears tv antennae dance to get it to connect again.   I haven't run into any problems with my probes *knock on wood*.  Though when I clean them I tend to use one of those green scotch pads and focus on just the ends, or with the meat probe the areas that did touch the meat.  So I suppose I've kept away from the crimped ends.   I worry about scrapping off the dark build up that ends up on the pit probe, that I'm screwing it up by doing that.  So far though it's been alright. 

[MacEggs]

Man. I beat the shit out of my maverick and have never had any issues.

Me, too! 

From my understanding the issue is when you get the 'inside' of the probe wet. It's when water gets in through the top cover of the probe where it crimps to the lead. Does that make sense?

Makes perfect sense. This is exactly what needs to be avoided. My three yr old ET-73 is still going strong.
I don't go nuts cleaning the probes. Spray PAM on some paper towel ... give them a wipe ... all set for the next cook. 

[225tostayalive]

The Maverick ET-732 was one of the first pieces of kit I bought after buying my Kamado....would not think of cooking without it

have never made anything over or undercooked using it     I believe good  thermo is as essential as charcoal

very happy with this unit

I did have the pit probe die but that was my fault    left in during high temp pizza cook  probes good to about 500f (but I only really use for the low and slow's now)

bought the replacement 6 foot hybrid probes for 20 bucks on amazon

on the same batteries that came with the unit   have used it for at least 100 cooks!

[Eapples]

I was concerned with the negative reviews of the product.  After combing over the reviews on Amazon, I determined that the negative reviews, with a few exceptions, were outliers and not indicative of the quality of the product.  So, I purchased it and started testing it almost immediately upon arrival from UPS.  The product works.  I tested it in our Maytag oven.  There were disparities between the temp on the oven display and the readings from the ET-732.  The ET-732 kept fluctuating, first upward and then downward.  I figured that this was caused by the cycling of the oven (it's electric).  I then tested it in my kettle grill.  The reading from the dome thermometer never agreed with the ET-732, and was usually higher, due no doubt to the location of the kettle in direct sunlight, intense sunlight, down here on the space coast.

The alarms work when they're supposed to work.  The probes and the connecting wires seem long enough to accommodate any cooking I do on the kettle or on my gas grill.  I've only tested the oven/grill probe.  I haven't tested the food probe.  However, when the food probe was resting on the aluminum table, it picked up a reading of 154 degrees, which sounds reasonable to me since I couldn't touch the table without getting burned, and this was before I put any lit coals in the kettle.

[HalfGrilled]

Well this started on September 4. After several e-mails to Maverick Customer Support without responses, I e-mailed a Manager listed on their website, magically the next day I received a reply asking me to send my units in for inspection. I shipped these on 09/17 and have been awaiting a response. Today from the UPS truck I received a package from Maverick with a complete new unit. It was out of warranty but Maverick replaced the defective unit, No Charge! Leaves me with a positive feeling about Maverick knowing they didn't have to do anything for me but have stood behind their product and cared for a customer. I will continue to recommend them and use their products, it's so rare to have this kind of experience with corporations these days. Thanks Maverick, I appreciate the effort.

[kendoll]

Nice to hear you got a great result.

Ken

[Eapples]

I should clarify a couple of things:

1.  The Maverick is AMAZING when the probes are working.  A really long range, nice alarms for overnight cooks, accurate and awesome.

2.  Maverick Customer Service is very kind, totally trusting, and are quick about sending out replacements.  It's just that replacements are inconvenient when they are not on hand for cooks, and I'm afraid that their CS department will eventually cut off my supply of replacement probes. 

3.  I've never put my probe wires through a lid or a vent.  I have a grommet in the side of my WSM  and they go right through there.

I finally used my Maverick yesterday in earnest, using both the food probe and the grill probe for beer can chicken.  I got a food temp reading of 165 after only 45 minutes.  When I checked the food temp with another digital thermometer, I got a reading in the 120's.  When I let the chicken go for the full 90 minutes, the Maverick was giving me a food temp reading of 190, while the other digital was giving me a food temp reading in the 165-175 range.  I figure that the position of the food probe was where I was having a problem.  What's your opinion?

[Johnpv]

It's possible that you were hitting bone, or something like that, that would mess up your temp reading. 



On a different note, has anyone tried taking a small bit of nomex and wrapping it around the part of the probe wire that would be between the lid and the bowl?  I got my first bit of weirdness with my temp prob this weekend while making some ribs, and I think possible the probe wire got a little too pinched or something.  After some movement and adjustment it worked just fine again.  Thankfully I have a replacement handy in case it gives up totally, but I'd rather not kill it.  I was thinking a little bit of padding might go a long way in keeping it from pinching too tight.  Just wondered if anyone had tried that?

I know a lot of folks drill holes into their kettles but I just don't want to do that.

[HankB]

Inaccurate readings are likely the result of probe placement in the food. Pinching the wires seems to me to more likely result in no reading than an inaccurate reading.

I don't usually run probes under the lid. On my WSMs I have put grommets in the middle section for that. On my kettles I usually run the probe through the lid vent. The lid vent works well for cooker temperature but is awkward for food temp. However I usually only monitor foot temp on long smokes where I do not need to open the lid (often remains closed for hours.) For shorter cooks like chicken I'll make do with visual clues such as the meat pulling back on the drumstick.