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Capt Chrysler
BBQ Super Fan
Joined: 24 Sep 2007
Posts: 438
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 Posted: Dec 22 2010 Post subject: spk1 pocketknife style thermometer |
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Hi folks,
My local HVAC supplier had these on sale $14.99 (list $20.50)
What do you think?
Battery A76 (included)
Range -58ºF to 392ºF
Accuracy ±3.6ºF (-58ºF to -4ºF)
±1.8ºF (-4ºF to 302ºF)
±5.4ºF (302ºF to 392ºF)
Resolution 0.1ºF
Operating environment 32ºF to 122ºF
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Cranky Buzzard
BBQ Super Pro
Joined: 13 May 2008
Posts: 2385
Location: Plano, Texas
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| Posted: Dec 22 2010 Post subject: |
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I'd say test it in boiling water and then in a cup of ice and see how accurate it is!
Looks like it could be a great score for you!
Charlie
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k.a.m.
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Joined: 12 Dec 2007
Posts: 26020
Location: Southeast Texas.
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| Posted: Dec 22 2010 Post subject: |
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Capt Chrysler, if I am not mistaken BigPhil32 has one of those and loves it. He attended a cooking class and that is the therm. that the instructor used.
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Soapm
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Joined: 06 Aug 2010
Posts: 2087
Location: Mile High City
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| Posted: Dec 22 2010 Post subject: |
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| The question is how fast do you need the temp displayed? This is a fine buy if you don't mind waiting but my blue thermapen tells me the internal meat temp before I open the grill so I know if I should open it or not... |
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Pit Boss
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Joined: 04 Sep 2008
Posts: 2362
Location: Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina
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| Posted: Dec 22 2010 Post subject: |
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I have two Thermopens and love them, but the question remains...what is the big deal about getting your temp in 3-5 seconds vs. 10-12 seconds? Accuracy is much more important. If that unit is accurate and it reads temp in under 15 seconds or so, I say go for it.
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Teleking
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Location: Maine
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EastTennQcrew
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Joined: 23 Feb 2006
Posts: 1083
Location: Kingsport, Tenn.
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| Posted: Dec 22 2010 Post subject: |
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If you are checking several things at the same time like alot of chicken. The time differnece means the lid will be open much longer and take longer to recover temps.
I have two thermopens and love them. I have used others, but I hate teh time they take.
RandyE
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Cranky Buzzard
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Joined: 13 May 2008
Posts: 2385
Location: Plano, Texas
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| Posted: Dec 22 2010 Post subject: |
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NOT trying to be a jerk, but the lid/door open for 3 seconds or 3 minutes... Whatever...
As of right now I use a thermocouple probe connected to a Fluke temperature unit... I have the door open for at LEAST 3-5 minutes while checking temps and mopping... It hasn't hurt my cooks yet... I did 9 briskets 2 weeks ago, and I GUARANTEE the door was open for MORE than 5 minutes each mop/temp check for that one!
Also, I don't have ANYTHING listed on the Huffington Post website as one of the THINGS to have! Extra long suede leather gloves, REALLY? WHAT? WHY?
C'mon guys... Get over the hype and cook. IF your pit is efficient, you have the dampers set right, and you have the basics down, keep the darn thing open for up to 10 minutes!
IF you need IMMEDIATE readings, get a remote probe that you trust and NEVER open it up...
Have fun and cook... 
Charlie
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Big Ron
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Joined: 30 Jan 2007
Posts: 2601
Location: Houston
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| Posted: Dec 22 2010 Post subject: |
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As long as it is accurate I also say buy it. I remember the post by Phil and he has not complained yet about his. I look at the color and texture of whatever I am cooking and use a toothpick to tell is my stuff is done. Only thing I use the temp for these days is comp chicken cause I want to be certain it is ready just in time to turn in.
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Pit Boss
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| Posted: Dec 22 2010 Post subject: |
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Did I read that someone probes every piece of chicken he's cooking?
To be honest, I never temp chicken...but do on occasion for pork and beef.
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Teleking
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Location: Maine
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| Posted: Dec 22 2010 Post subject: |
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| Cranky Buzzard wrote: | | NOT trying to be a jerk, but the lid/door open for 3 seconds or 3 minutes... Whatever... |
Not to be one either but on the UDS thread every second counts that the lid is off so which is it????
If you actually had a UDS, tell me what leaving the lid off for 3 or 5 mins will do
You have no idea what you are talking about on this topic for the UDS and I dare you to leave a UDS open for 10 mins. If you are that good tell me what your temps will be after 10 mins  
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Teleking
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Big Ron
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Location: Houston
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| Posted: Dec 22 2010 Post subject: |
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I just read this list, did you post the right link? This one says "12 Great Christmas Gifts for the Barbecue Lover" and you said the top 10 cooking list. I am confused?
I would like to know what is on a real cookers top 10 cooking list. Would be a good topic to post also.
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Big Ron
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Oregon smoker
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Joined: 07 Nov 2006
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Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Dec 22 2010 Post subject: |
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Buy it! That is a good deal on those. It was mentioned by Bigphil, and he learned about it in a BBQ class he took. I plan on finding one this week or next. And i may even buy 2 of em.
Most times i only really need to check temps towards the end. I can also tell if the meat is done by feel. I never thought about using toothpicks. Thanks BR!
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biker.chef
BBQ Pro
Joined: 28 Jun 2010
Posts: 558
Location: Burnsville Minnesota
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| Posted: Dec 22 2010 Post subject: |
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| Pit Boss wrote: | Did I read that someone probes every piece of chicken he's cooking?
To be honest, I never temp chicken...but do on occasion for pork and beef. |
I'm with ya on that. Most thing I cook to touch. Chicken is easy to tell by touch.
Here is link to show how to tell meats by touch
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/the_finger_test_to_check_the_doneness_of_meat/
I learned ear, cheek, nose, forehead but it don't matter. Soon you know the feel.
Of course that doesn't work for a butt or a brisket.
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Last edited by biker.chef on Dec 22 2010; edited 2 times in total |
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Cranky Buzzard
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Joined: 13 May 2008
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Location: Plano, Texas
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| Posted: Dec 22 2010 Post subject: |
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| Teleking wrote: | | Cranky Buzzard wrote: | | NOT trying to be a jerk, but the lid/door open for 3 seconds or 3 minutes... Whatever... |
Not to be one either but on the UDS thread every second counts that the lid is off so which is it????
If you actually had a UDS, tell me what leaving the lid off for 3 or 5 mins will do
You have no idea what you are talking about on this topic for the UDS and I dare you to leave a UDS open for 10 mins. If you are that good tell me what your temps will be after 10 mins |
Actually my friend I have no clue what the temps would be, but I do know that the pit will recover, especially a UDS... Heat rises, and a UDS is one of the perfect examples of a true vertical cooker. Now some may come back and say that the UDS will get too hot when open for that length of time, but I say again that it will recover.... Do we really cook anything that will suffer from a few minutes of high temp? Most of the time, no. Chicken might, but everything else, I doubt it.
In all actuality, I feel that a UDS will recover faster than most offsets... One like mine DOES take a while to re-stabilize, but the meat is still good...
Also, for the record, I didn't reference a UDS...
As for my recommendation on a remote probe you can trust; I use an additional Fluke meter that is calibrated to within +/- 2° F when cooking on the offset. The Fluke is capable of 2 readings and I have 2 Type K thermocouples with 2mm probes running from it into the meats I am monitoring. For the vertical I recently built, I'm using 3 Type J thermocouples with a 1.5mm probe fed into calibrated head units that are a bit less reliable than the Fluke, they are only good to within +/- 4° F... Once I feed them into the PLC that is soon to be mounted they will be within +/- 1° F... That's what I'd use, but I'm a geek.
Charlie
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Soapm
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Joined: 06 Aug 2010
Posts: 2087
Location: Mile High City
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| Posted: Dec 22 2010 Post subject: |
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| Big Ron wrote: |
I just read this list, did you post the right link? This one says "12 Great Christmas Gifts for the Barbecue Lover" and you said the top 10 cooking list. I am confused?
I would like to know what is on a real cookers top 10 cooking list. Would be a good topic to post also. |
Probably had his shoes on, explains why he couldn't count past 10... |
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Soapm
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Joined: 06 Aug 2010
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Location: Mile High City
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| Posted: Dec 22 2010 Post subject: |
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| Cranky Buzzard wrote: | | In all actuality, I feel that a UDS will recover faster than most offsets... One like mine DOES take a while to re-stabilize, but the meat is still good... |
Actually, a UDS does just the opposite. The temp goes up the longer you keep the lid off. Then you'll have to fight to get the temp back down but good luck after the coals take off... |
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Cranky Buzzard
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Joined: 13 May 2008
Posts: 2385
Location: Plano, Texas
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| Posted: Dec 22 2010 Post subject: |
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| Soapm wrote: | | Cranky Buzzard wrote: | | In all actuality, I feel that a UDS will recover faster than most offsets... One like mine DOES take a while to re-stabilize, but the meat is still good... |
Actually, a UDS does just the opposite. The temp goes up the longer you keep the lid off. Then you'll have to fight to get the temp back down but good luck after the coals take off... |
I stated that as well. Common sense says that feeding oxygen to a fire will raise the temp; but putting the lid on and adjusting the dampers (ball valves) will assist in getting it back to temp... Yeah, it may take a few minutes, but as I also said, what do we cook that cannot handle a heat spike for a few minutes?
As I have said before, I am NOT a UDS user, but I have been onsite for MANY UDS cooks. It's all physics ladies and gents, and if you get down to it, it's physical science... Fire needs 3 things to sustain; heat, fuel, oxygen... Put the lid on, tighten the dampers, and you have choked the oxygen... How long will it take to deplete the oxygen in the drum before you begin to smolder? Good question and there are a lot of variables! Chances are you have a thermo, watch it and adjust from there.
Is a UDS really that hard to cook on and regulate temp spikes when you open it to take a temp reading or 2? If so, I applaud a LOT of my friends I know in person and many others on the ring I've never met! IF that is the fact, I'll start recommending off-sets or verticals with a firebox to the new guys...
Now, we have REALLY hijacked this thread!
If others want to continue this banter, lets open a thread in the cooker section.
As to the OP, I look forward to the results... If they are as positive as I have heard from Phillip, I'll buy one!
Charlie
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Oregon smoker
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Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Dec 22 2010 Post subject: |
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