If you have been searching the web for a new thermometer to parter with your smoker chances are you have heard about the Maverick ET-733. However, there are concerns when it comes to the build quality of the Maverick.
This is why we are reviewing the ThermoPro TP-20, the Mavericks nearest challenger. It has gained plaudits for its usability, accuracy, price, warranty and durability.
When grilling it is important to not constantly have your grill open as your food will not cook! The TP-20 boasts a range of 300 ft, a 3” grill probe and 6.5” meat probe meaning you won’t have to open the grill to check the temperature. You won’t have to be fully focussed on your cooking which is great.
Even better still you can set an alarm for when your meat reaches a certain temperature between 32° and 572° Fahrenheit, the addition of a timer as well means you can keep track of a side dish at the same time.
The pre-sets that it comes with aren’t great but settings are saved when the unit is off so you can keep ones that work for you.
In the box you get:
In terms of the features that the unit boasts you get: a backlit LCD display, an alarm, either Celsius or Fahrenheit, a durable rubber sleeve, manual temperature settings, a receiver belt clip and pullout stand and an alert if you are losing connection due to distance.
Specifications:
You would expect a thermometer to be a very easy and self-explanatory piece pf equipment to use. However, that’s not the case anymore as they are becoming more and more complex to use with all the new features.
This is why it is a strength rather than a negative of the TP-20 that the list of features isn’t too extensive. It means that this thermometer is straight forward to operate.
It’s worth noting that if you have any problems there is a live chat on the ThermoPro website and the customer service there is excellent. Therefore most problems will be easily solved by one of their representatives.
The fact that you can use the TP-20 as a thermometer for candy tells you just how accurate this instrument is. If you compare it to other thermometers in terms of accuracy it certainly comes out well. That is not to say however that it isn’t good practice to check the accuracy using an ice bath every now and then.
Its tolerance is 4° - 6° Fahrenheit up to 300° and after this, the range can increase. However, this is no big problem for a normal chef so there are no issues when it comes to accuracy.
When we look at the speed, it would be false to claim that the TP-20 is the fastest out there. This is not necessary, though, as we are just measuring the pit temperature and internal temperature of the meat. If you were looking for a quicker piece of equipment look at the instant-read thermometers on the market.
So although it is not the fastest its accuracy is very impressive, as long as you don’t need to take any quick readings you will be fine.
The durability of the TP-20 really is one of the downfalls of this product, however, this is to be expected when you look at the reasonable price. For starters, neither of the units are heat or waterproof.
This means that if you leave it out in the rain or hot sun for an extended period of time it is possible that the thermometer will break. Therefore if you are going to leave it outside you should at least put it in a plastic bag.
Another problem is that the rubber sleeve can fairly easily become loose.
On a more positive note, the cables and probes are both of good quality and there are no problems associated with them. It should be said that you shouldn’t clean the probes in water rather with a disinfected towel.
So just make sure that you are being careful if you do purchase the TP-20 and make sure that you don’t leave it outside and it will last a good amount of time.
Should you go for the ThermoPro or the Maverick ET-733?
This depends on if you have previously used and had problems with the Maverick, as there have been quite a few complaints and people reporting that their probes have easily been broken or damaged. This does have to be a factor especially when you consider that the TP-20 is actually cheaper than the Maverick ET-733.
Of course, the Maverick does have an advantage in that its probes are versatile, had it been that the TP-20 had this feature then it would probably come out on top. The TP-20 can also be annoying due to its button layout and one clumsy press of a button can mean that you have to scroll all the way back through to find the temperature that you want.
However, that fact remains that the ThermoPro is the cheaper option. When you look at the comparable technology, easy pairing, good range and potentially better build quality it may well be worth going for the cheaper option as you can then splash out a bit more on some of the other components of your grilling set up.
So it all depends on whether you want to spend a bit more to have a product that is slightly easier to use, or whether you are nervous about the fragile probes that come with the Maverick and would like to save some money.
The best place to buy the ThermoPro TP-08 is here at amazon. The TP-07 will also be available but it’s better not to buy older products.
Last update on 2023-06-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API