Plusses and minuses? Trying to decide which one to get before my 4 rack digital arrives.
Kinda depends on what you're going to use it for. Do you want two meat probes (ET-7) or do you need a probe to monitor cabinet temp (ET-73)?
I prefer the ET-7 because I can monitor the IT of two different pieces or kinds of meat in the smoker or use it in my Big Easy to keep track of both the breast and thigh temperatures of a turkey. I don't have big issues with cabinet temp since I mostly do "non-sensitive" stuff in a fairly stable ambient environment and a few degrees one way or the other doesn't make that much difference.
If I did need to monitor and had to stabilize the cabinet temp more than I do now (if smoking sausage or fish, for example), I'd probably go for a PID and still use the ET-7.
I'm sure some of the others will hop in here with far more erudite and informative answers and recommendations, but that's my take.
The ET-7 has a lot more bells and whistles then the ET-73, and you can use one of the ET-7 probes as a cabinet monitor. To monitor the cabinet, some just lay the second probe on the rack, while others have ridged up homemade clips to hang the second probe.
The ET-73, though it doesn't have all the features of the ET-7, it is a little more convenient and easier to setup for monitoring the cabinet. It's cabinet probe has a clip that makes it easy to attach to a rack.
What they said! However, I don't use my Mav, much anymore - learned to trust the digital readout for the CT and usually test for doneness, unless I'm doing something a little trickier and prone to drying out such as chicken breasts, loins, etc. I've got the Et-7 and it has worked fine for me.
I own both the ET-7 and the ET-73 and believe I would probably stick with just the ET-7 if I did it again. It''s funny though cause I use the ET-73 all the time. The ET-7 has all the features the ET-73 does +, so it is the better investment. The only reason I use the ET-73 more is cause I opened it up and learned it first. ;D
I have the ET-73 and replaced the smoker probe with another food probe and use it to monitor the meat only.
I dont need all the bells and whistles myself.
Eather way you go you wont go wrong.
Thanks for all the input. Looking at yard and pool site I see the ET-7 is $44.99 and the ET-73 is $39.75, so for a difference of $5 I don't see why I would not go for the ET-7. That way I can use the second probe for a second piece of meat, or for cabinet temp.
Is smoking salmon really that sensitive for cabin temp that you would install PID? I ordered the digital version so I would not have to install PID.
Can anyone xplain or have a pic of where the on off switchs are on the ET-7 ?
Hopin they aint in the same location as the ET-73
The ET-7 has a little smarter design, both the Tx and Rx have the switches on the outside on the back of the unit.
Thanks Kevin
The switch on my transmiter took a crap, good thing is it crapped out when it was on. Now I have to remove the battery to shut it off.
That's how I operate both tx and rx....gotta open at least one battery cover anyway, just as easy to pop a battery.
I just ordered the ET-7 from Yard and Pool. I also ordered a set of 3 bubba pucks.
Are there problems with range on the ET-7, or just the ET-73? My brookstone wireless remote lets me go to the far reaches of my townhouse without a problem.
It hard to tell what range you will get until you put the instrument in the environment that it will be used in. There are just to many factors that can cause interference and block the signal. My ET-73 is about 4 years old, and my ET-7 has better range. Note that the early ET-73's had worse reception then the newer models.
How far away does the signal have to travel, how many walls and what materials are the walls made of?
I have been following this thread and it has been very interesting.
I have a 73 and now I find myself wanting a 7. ;D
May try what OU has done and replace the temp probe with a product probe first.
Thanks guys for all the great info.
Habanero,
Thanks for the reply. I live in a townhouse which ends up being about 3 levels, but it is straight up and down. With my existing wieless theremometer I can carry the receiver pretty much all through the house.
It sounds like the best way to know is to try it when I get it. (Duh.. I probably should have just done that instead of posting a silly question) :)
I will let you guys know how it works when I get it.
Thanks again.
On this board there is no such thing as silly or stupid questions.
I have the ET-7 and the range is not very good for me. When it was brand new I could get the signal at 15 feet (no windows, no walls) but at 20 feet it would be intermittent. If I bring it inside and have a straight shot through a window I have to be around 10 feet or less. So I was a little disappointed. I plan on doing the antenna modification but haven't done it yet. Hopefully yours will have a little better range.
SIA
Hi I'm thinking of buying one ET-7 but on amazon the reviews are not so great what do you think? Are the thermometer better than what amazon reviews say? I will wait to hear from you before i buy one thx.
I was thinking maybe my range is not so great because of some interference with a cordless phone or something. You may have better luck than me. I will play around with mine and turn off the cordless phone and wireless internet and see if the range improves.
SIA
Quote from: toker on February 21, 2010, 09:20:26 AM
Hi I'm thinking of buying one ET-7 but on amazon the reviews are not so great what do you think? Are the thermometer better than what amazon reviews say? I will wait to hear from you before i buy one thx.
I had a tough time with this decision as well. I actually ended up ordering one from Nu Temp because I thought it faired better on peoples comments, but it never showed up. A year later, they contacted me and said it was available. Too late, I already bought both Mavericks. I'm happy with them, it sure beats hovering over the smoker all day long.
Yeah i just seen the post where you explain your range trouble, but i don't expect it from me I'm never really far from my smoker maybe 25 ft max i live in a small apartment and I'm planning to put my smoker inside with a pipe through the window so i will be even closer.
So i can buy one without fear? I already have an ET-73 but i need food probes that's why I'm thinking of buying it.
My ET-7 is great, has not failed me once. I love the dual meat probes. My only thing is the range and it sounds like it won't be a problem for you.
SIA
ok thx, i will buy one if Smokeitall says its ok. :D
If worse comes to worse, you can always do the mod. It's still gotta be better than having to babysit the smoker. Especially on an extremely hot or cold day. If you have to you can keep the receiver closer to the transmitter in the house. It has a reasonably loud alarm and should be able to notify you if your running about the house.
I would like to (to make the mod) but i'm not really handy >:( I wish i could buy it already moded :D
others have stated that keeping a fresh lithium battery helps with the range.
Anyway, I've never had any problem with my ET-73 so i don't see why i would have any with the ET-7.
Thank you i just bought one at 27$ on ebay :D
Has anyone used an ET-72? Is this the cheaper version of the ET-7?
It is my understanding you buy the ET-73 to monitor the box temp, buy the ET-7 or ET-72 for IT of your meats?
Please correct me if I am wrong. I just bought the ET-72, but now wondering if I should have bought the ET-7??? Any difference beyond having dual temp ability?
the only difference between the et-7 and et-72 as far as i understand is that the et-7 has 2 meat probes. I have the et-73 for meat and tower temp and the et-7 for monitoring more meat pieces. + i have a pid but it is not remote so i will use my et-73 to remote my pid too.
Quote from: toker on February 21, 2010, 07:03:17 PM
the only difference between the et-7 and et-72 as far as i understand is that the et-7 has 2 meat probes. I have the et-73 for meat and tower temp and the et-7 for monitoring more meat pieces. + i have a pid but it is not remote so i will use my et-73 to remote my pid too.
toker I bet when you smoke, that thing looks like it is on Life Support.
I love all your gadgets!
LOL!! ;D ;D it will sure be allot of cords but i will be sure of my temps.
Quote from: toker on February 21, 2010, 07:32:16 PM
LOL!! ;D ;D it will sure be allot of cords but i will be sure of my temps.
Yes you will!
The et-7 is for the auto-shut off story that we spoke friday night remember?
Yep, You go toker!
Love your post about what we can do.
But this idea comes from you i mean you re the one who told me how to handle the auto-shutoff thing. Without you i wouldn't think about it. :D
I musta had my helment off! ;D
And also i just ordered a 8 rack kit and a fan kit from Smokeitall. So i have to use it i mean more than one or two briskets at the time to enjoy it a bit at least to make it worth it. So far i never cooked more than 2 pieces at the time
that will give you alot of flexibility in placment of your racks.
I love mine.
And the ability to add a water pan under my brisket on the lowest rack when my butcher overtrim the fat on it like last time i bought from him. Dont know if it will change anything but last time, it came out to dry.
toker, I have been using tea bags in my water bowl and I like it.
If nothing else, it smells good with the smoke.
i use wine or beer some time.
I drink the wine and beer. ;D
Quote from: idahosmoke on February 21, 2010, 06:38:28 PM
Has anyone used an ET-72? Is this the cheaper version of the ET-7?
It is my understanding you buy the ET-73 to monitor the box temp, buy the ET-7 or ET-72 for IT of your meats?
Please correct me if I am wrong. I just bought the ET-72, but now wondering if I should have bought the ET-7??? Any difference beyond having dual temp ability?
Idahosmoke
The ET-72 comes with only one probe - a so-called "meat probe"
The ET-7 comes with two "meat probes"
The ET-73 comes with one "meat probe" and one "cabinet probe"
They all have different receivers and how they work. But all work similarly. The ET-7 seems more flexible for use. The 72 only has the one probe and the 73 has the one cabinet probe, that is harder to use for other uses. Read their reviews. I have also used cheap WallyWorld ones and have had good luck with them at 1/2 the price - although not dual probes. I have an ET-7 and have had good luck with it, however, I hardly use it anymore - for various and sundry reasons. My smokes and like my babies, I take care of them, I don't just go off and sleep through them. H E double hockey sticks - what kind of fun is that! ;D ;D This smoking think is not an exact science thing. Within reason, that butt, brisket, ribs doesn't care if you are cooking it at an exact 225 or an average 225 or even 215 or 240. Those remote reading thermometers, can give you a false sense of security. What happens when during a smoke, a smoke spot roars off toward your smoker and disrupts the signal between the tx and the rx? Sometimes they just shut down with no warning - while ones like the Mavericks continue to show the last recorded temp on the rx. So then, if the smoker drops to 100 or raises to 350, you don't have a clue and you end up with a raw butt, or worse yet, a big piece of leather. Are they handy yes, but to be sure, you still need to treat your smokes as you treat your wives - give them your time. With all that being said, they are very good an monitoring for major problems. Smokers have been known to flame, and having a Maverick set up monitoring cabinet temps, with a high temp alarm set up could warn you of this problem!
Two Questions.
With the ET-7, I assume I can rig one of the probes to monitor cabin temp. I was thinking of using a binder clip to clip it to one of the racks. Is this ok?
Also, my first try at smoking in my new smoker is going to be ribs (bb or spare). From all the recipes it seems that you don't even monitor the temp on these ribs, you do the 3-2-1 and check for the meat pulling away from the bone. Is it even worth placing a probe in, and if so, do you also put it through the foil for the (2) part?
I thnk it would be OK to clip it. I just dangle mine in through the jerky screen.
I suppose you could take temps on ribs, most don't. When you see the meat pulling back on the bones, they are usually about done. It also depends on how meaty the ribs are. Meatier (meteor?) ribs will take longer.
When doin ribs I dont use a probe to check if there done.
I do the 3 hr smoke, put in foil, splash the ribs with some sort of mop throw back in the smoker, no smoke, and keep in the foil till the meat starts to pull back from the end of the bones. Then take out of the foil mop again and put back in the smoker till the meat has pulled back about 1/2". Check if they are done to your likin then roll up the sleeves and dig in.
OK That's what I thought. I guess I might have to just dangle my thermometer probe in there or clip it just to make sure it works...but no sense in actually putting into the ribs. Maybe I will have to throw some chicken breasts in to catch the pork fat, just so I can use the new thermometer. :,)
I bought the Et-73 and have had good luck with it. I already had another thermometer so I bought the ET-73 to monitor the cabinet temp. I just gives me a little peace of mind in case of any flair ups or I lose track of time and the ES shuts down. I like the remote features with the mavericks but since I'm a newbie I still hover over the ES like I am tending to a fire....
Where do you folks put the "sender" end of your ET-7? I assume the top of the smoker is too hot for the plastic. Do you put it on a table on the side?
Quote from: OTB on February 27, 2010, 07:19:17 PM
Where do you folks put the "sender" end of your ET-7? I assume the top of the smoker is too hot for the plastic. Do you put it on a table on the side?
I put mine on top, it is cool to the touch.
Cool. I was going to have to wrangle one of the remaining tv trays from the wife (who stores her craft paints on it) but if it is OK to put it on the top...all the better.
Thanks!
Just make sure you keep it far enough from the vent so that moisture does not collect on the transmitter.
Quote from: Habanero Smoker on February 28, 2010, 01:17:58 AM
Just make sure you keep it far enough from the vent so that moisture does not collect on the transmitter.
Maverick sells 6ft hi-temp probe replacements. It actually mentions that in the manual. The extra length should help a lot. I have ordered mine already and I have yet to receive my Maverick itself!
UPDATE: I tried my ET-7 today....and.... it is going back.
I have read the threads about modifying the antenna, but I think I have a really bad one. At 5 feet (no walls just air) it loses signal.
I will try to get another one before I even think about the mod.
Quote from: OTB on March 07, 2010, 05:47:19 PM
UPDATE: I tried my ET-7 today....and.... it is going back.
I have read the threads about modifying the antenna, but I think I have a really bad one. At 5 feet (no walls just air) it loses signal.
I will try to get another one before I even think about the mod.
Just a thought, the battery supply is important to the transmission.
It has been mention to used fresh lithium batteries and you will get a stronger signal.
I buy a brick of batteries and on a long smoke I change them out and let my son use
the old ones up in his Game kid/Ipod/whatever else.
Thanks. They were brand new batteries.