Grill Lid Thermometers - How accurate are they and how important is accuracy?

In this video I show my add-on Grill Lid Thermometer being tested for accuracy and discuss how lid or dial/coil thermometers work, the difference between dial and digital thermometers and why pinpoint grill temp accuracy is not important.
KZbin Channel - Temp Control Videos
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[@17rubyrox17]

Your videos showing temp control prompted me to install a gauge in my weber kettle.First cook was a pork shoulder cooked at 235 degrees for about 8 hours then finished at 300 in foil with a cup of the marinade added. Turned out really tender and pulled apart easy, added bbq sauce and was so tasty.It was a hit. Thank you for sharing your experience controlling the temp in a weber kettle.

[@KettlePitmasterBBQ]

Hi 17rubyrox17. Thank you for the feedback. I’m glad my videos were of help.

[@waynerose5047]

My Weber grill came with one installed, but it was opposite side of the vent. It was off by 50-100 degrees compared to the oven thermometer that was near the meat. After watching I may install another thermometer near my vent! Thanks for the videos!!

[@crabbyhayes1076]

Closest to the meat is preferable; but all the thermometers you use rely on physical phenomenon - i.e. the expansion of metal or a fluid, which is pretty well behaved. No matter what the absolute accuracy is, consistency and repeatability is probably accurate enough for a charcoal grill. Thanks for the video.

[@racerx9413]

the big bbq websites and articles are probably sponcerd by the expensive thermometer companies. I installed a lid top therm yesterday, the same way you have yours set up and it worked great. I hope you do more cooking videos tho 👍

[@maclanejones4731]

Some of the best information on you tube thanks

[@bbqfisherman69]

Great video. Just the comparison I was looking for. ☝

[@SonicBoomC98]

I find the non-digital.ones to be inconsistent. Sometimes it's accurate and sometimes it's not. That's with me placing in both my grill and oven. I've used both a lid thermometer and dropped one down in the top vent. It's been a while, so I can't remember if it was off, but I believe I remember it being somewhat off when I dropped the one in the vent

[@danjams]

Another good video Thanks. Would a good way to check the accuracy of a lid thermometer be to take the temp of boiling water on the stove? We know water boils at 212f degrees at sea level and 203 degrees in Denver which is approx 5000 feet. Would that be a way of determining the accuracy of a coil type? I just don't know why Weber instals the lid thermometer opposite the air louvers? does not make sense to me

[@KettlePitmasterBBQ]

Hi Dan. Good question. I forgot to add the clip to my video; testing a new thermometer with boiling water before you install it. The boiling water, according to my neighbor the refrigeration guy, will let you know if the thermometer is close. He said there are a few variables in play with sea level being one of them but if you’re within a few degrees not to worry. Weber deciding to place the thermometers on the opposite side of the vent had me scratching my head also. I think the idiot that come up with that idea never used a Weber grill before and though it made the lid look ‘pretty’ placing it opposite the vent… Who knows.

[@halon181]

Did you add a second thermometer to your lid. I mostly do low n slow so I keep the top vents on the opposite side of coals. That puts the thermometer over the coals giving a reading I don't think is wanted?

[@KettlePitmasterBBQ]

Hi halon181. My lid did not come with a thermometer so I installed one. You are right about the location of the thermometer; they should be next to or near the vent for indirect cooks. When Weber added a thermometer the first one they placed at the 9 o’clock position on the lid (9 o’clock relative to the vent). Then they moved it to opposite the vent at the 12 o’clock. Have no idea why they would do something so stupid. If people want to know what the temp is on the meat side on an indirect cook they have to buy and install a lid thermometer or use a digital thermometer. Even though my thermometer is opposite the coals I still use that to tell the temp for direct cooks.

[@sailer5373]

I really like your vids on temp control. I have one of those digital (The Maverick 733) but if you try to maintain a certain temp. like 250- 275 , forget it! It registers too fast and it really keeps you busy trying to zero in on the specific temp. I think your right I am going to stick with my analog thermometer that came on the grill. Can you speak a little louder on your videos?

[@KettlePitmasterBBQ]

Hi Seller. Thank you for the feedback. I think the video editing software is what makes the sound low. For this video I used KZbin to stabilize the shaking and I can definitely tell a difference in the volume after it made the change. I found a volume option on the program I use so I'll try that for my next video and hopefully that will help. - Once the temp in the kettle stabilizes I would think that the Maverick would only fluctuate + and - 5 or 10 degrees? Then the average temp would be the middle reading. Whereas the dial thermometer would hold steady and eliminate the need to figure the average temp.

[@BbqMikeG]

I've put analog thermometers on a kettle and a WSM and they're good for ballpark temps. No setup time!

[@CowboyGirl007]

What thermometer did you use? My volume is all the way up and only hear a whisper.

[@KettlePitmasterBBQ]

Sorry about the volume. I used an iPhone 3 and the videos sounded fine but when I uploaded them the volume sucked. - The Thermometer I use is a Char-broil. Lowes still sells them but they look different.

[@BigLewBBQ]

I love my analog lid thermometers. Great video, I feel the same way. loved the "common sense" line. I think the digital thermometers with the their probes, wires and batteries are just gimics.

[@KettlePitmasterBBQ]

Hi Big Lew. Thanks for the message and thanks for the poultry seasoning recipe. I visited your channel and watched the turkey vid. Boy did that look good! I cook a lot of chicken on the BBQ and have been looking for a good chicken rub recipe. I will definitely whip up a batch of this stuff. And now you got me hungry for a turkey so I guess that’s now on the BBQ agenda. Take care, KPMBBQ

[@BigLewBBQ]

Kettle Pitmaster Thank You very much. I love cooking with charcoal and very basic inexpensive equipment Like Webers and Old Smokeys. I love your channel too.

[@IamUncledeuce]

I don't subscribe to gimmickry, however I am really not interested in paying 35 to 100+ dollars for a piece of technology that might be more effective but probably is well within the parameters of a succesful BBQ. My dad used Weber years and years ago, my uncle also used one, and so I came from that lineage of cookout experience and I have run the gamut from indirect method cooking to what I now use almost exclusively, which is the snake method. The pile on method is a good idea however, I become accustomed to the snake and can go 10 hours with the tray of hot steamy water with herbs boiling away during the cook. I've never really had a problem with dryness or bark or other things that are what I consider undesirable in a finished product. This video is very informative and I appreciate the comparison and the due diligence, and thank you for validating my choice of an analog thermometer over a digital Gizmo (which at one time I was very tempted to purchase), but I am no longer in need since the analog meets my requirements for gauging cooking temps.

[@idahomountainelk]

I've figured my temp difference to be about 50 degrees from grate to lid. I just use the lid thermometer and compensate. It's easier than messing with the probes and wires. I sure would like a tel-tru but they're spendy.

[@idahomountainelk]

oh, and my lid thermometer goes in one of the vent holes. Probably explains the difference in temp.

[@KettlePitmasterBBQ]

Hi idaho. Christmas is coming, put a tel-tru on your wish list and maybe Santa will get you one. I agree, I prefer not to have anything sitting on the grate getting in the way. Like you said, once you figure out about how accurate the lid thermometer is and compensate things it all works out in the end.

[@rscholey85]

50 degrees hotter or cooler ? I can't watch this vid I can't hear it :( I cook around 300 I always hope it's actually around 250 the food has always come out great ... so far lol

[@mortbrooks8572]

I've watched all your videos and you've covered about question I have but I have a mystery question for you I set up 2 piles of coals on either side of the meat being grilled and only 1 pile will burn the coals are new out of the same bag but only 1 pile burns why is that?

[@KettlePitmasterBBQ]

Hi Mort. I might need a little more info. Are the coals placed in hot (ashed over) and one pile just goes out? Or are you placing a pile of unlit coals on each side then placing some hot coals on top and one side the unlit coals don’t start burning? Either way, if it’s the same coal from the same bag I would think it’s an air flow problem. I never tried piles on both sides of the meat but I have noticed that sometimes when I place the hot coals on top of the unlit coals the unlit coals burn unevenly. What I mean by that is; if the hot coals are on top of the unlit coals and in the center, sometimes the fire will tend to burn to the right at a faster pace. By the end of the cook the coals on the right side of the fuel supply will be ashed over or burning but about 25% of the coals on the left side are still un-burnt. They are burning, but at a slower pace than the coals on the right side burned. What you can try is positioning the grill so the ash sweep handle slot is facing the wind. There’s holes the whole way around the ash sweep holder but the ash sweep slot allows extra air in. If facing the wind does not help, try positioning the grill so the slot is opposite the way the wind is blowing. And I would place the coals in front of the ash sweep handle to the right and left, not front and back. Reason being, the coals in the front might be getting more air underneath then the ones in the back of the kettle. These are my thought anyways.

[@mortbrooks8572]

Kettle Pitmaster. No both sides of the meat the coals.have fuel on them they both have started to ash over but throughout the cook one side goes out

[@KettlePitmasterBBQ]

You’re not getting a good air draw through the kettle. You might need to open the bottom vent more or the whole way. Opening the bottom vent should take care of the problem. If it makes the grill too hot than you’ll need to use less hot coals and add fresh more often to keep the temp steady. Also try rotating the grill so the wind is coming at the ash sweep slot. People use charcoal baskets on both sides and that method seems to work. But the vids I’ve watched they use all hot coals and I think the bottom vent is wide open. To keep the temp steady they add new hot coal once an hour or so.

[@chuck7240]

I like you videos. I plan on getting a lid thermometer. Which do you recommend?

[@KettlePitmasterBBQ]

Hi Chuck. The only one I've ever used is the Charbroil and that is accurate. I don't know if they are all that accurate or if quality control is lacking and it's hit or miss with an accurate one. If I was going to install a new one I think I'd go with the Tel-tru because so many people use them and they seem to be liked. They make two or more types for grills & smokers from what I’ve seen. The max temp range is 550-750. If I was to get one I think I’d lean toward one with a 750 max temp. Reason is; my neighbor has a an expensive gas grill and fired it up to burn off the grease and it got hotter than the gauge’s max reading and he said ever since it’s not been accurate, off by at least 50 degrees. He thinks exceeding the max screwed up the coils. These kettles can go to 500-600 degrees and more and if the thermometer max is only 550 I don’t know if it will damage the thermometer if you go over 550. But it’s rare that the temp would go past 500. You’d almost have to put a lot of coal in the thing, open both vents then forget it’s burning. I burn my grate off at the end of a cook and the highest my reading got was just over 500. --- The 750 max thermometer’s readouts are spaced anywhere from 50-75 degree increments. The 550’s readouts are in 5 degree increments so you’d get a more accurate reading. My Char-broil is in 50 degree increments and that’s close enough for me. --- You don’t need one with a long probe and you might need to purchase an install kit with a Tel-tru. --- My opinion and pros and cons anyway. Hope I was of help.

[@jackwebb5917]

I love your videos but the volume is horribly low!!!

[@BAmerican]

❤

[@garciedarling]

cannot hear you..volume is so low...love your videos

[@KettlePitmasterBBQ]

Sorry about the volume, Alice. I use a phone to shoot the vids and just got a new one, hope that takes care of the problem. If not then it's the video/movie creation program.

[@trod2866]

Volume to low. Csnt hear it in doctors office.

[@KettlePitmasterBBQ]

While you were at the doctors should have had them check your eyes. Maybe you need glasses so you can find the volume button.

[@trod2866]

@@KettlePitmasterBBQ Yeah maybe, but the VA sucks.