Saw a pic in a thread recently here I've already forgotten of a (different) thermometer stuck into a piece of meat. I've never been tempted to do this, but apparently these thermometers could be yanked from their kettle (or old gasser!) lids and then shoved into meat for an "instant read" bead on meat temp. Assuming you of course leave it in and wait. The fact that "lid temp" doesn't equal grate temp doesn't matter here!
It's actually a neat (and, old) idea, right? Buy a spare, one to view overall machine temp and one that tells you what's happening
to the food once you lift the lid.
Be that as it may, every time I come across one of the many grills that use this thermo I buy a new one, because the original has of course weakened to the point it reads 20 more degrees too low.
"GET A FREAKIN' MAVERICK, HELLO?"
Thanks, I have one. And your point is ... what?
I like knowing at a glance the relative too hot/too cold status as I walk up to the machine. Bimetal dial thermos, despite inaccuracies as they age, excel at this. My craigslist WSM came with a 3" dial thermo added to the lid and I've never once wanted to get rid of it. I can tell from inside the house if the temp is OK.
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I wish Tel-Tru made a replacement for the 9815. I feel an unnatural temptation to hoard the 9815, "just in case" the discontinued supply runs dry.