SOME dial thermometers, on the other hand, are VERY accurate.

[Mosca]

Just sayin’.

[Mr. Bones]

Yup, some are, indeed.
I have some I regularly use, an rely upon...(Tru-Temp)

[texastweeter]

I'd reckoned a dial thermometer, but I might be biased...

[xaugievike]

The thermo on my WSCG stays very much in step with my externals. If I’m cooking something that isn’t super temp sensitive I don’t bother breaking out the stand alone units.

[Mr. Bones]

Back here, now, to make a query, with yer permission, Brother Mosca
I am summat confused...
(Not a new development, btw.)

[Mosca]

Sure, ask away.

[Huskee]

I suppose you'll get far better accuracy in a kamado that's heat soaked and set up indirectly than other cookers.

[Mosca]

But the temperature is what it is, no? You might get variation from spot to spot, but once it’s heat soaked, they should be the same. We’re talking accuracy, not difference, nor speed. If the BGE dial thermo was inaccurate, then it would read differently. It’s nice to know that it accurately gives the temp at the spot it monitors.

I do calibrate my thermos frequently, but I don’t think I did it last season and I haven’t done it yet this season.

[Huskee]

Mosca absolutely. Merely noting that the stars aligned here, accurate dial therm and a well heat soaked cooker. Might not have both at the same time in other cookers.

[Mr. Bones]

Thanks, Brother...

I've never had/owned/used a ceramic/kamado type cooker, to preface my (likely stupid) question

But science, physics, thermodynamics, etc, as I unnerstand them, would lead my poor ol brain to believe that there actually should be a temp differential between yer cooker grate, where yer probe is presumably located, an th I dunno, 6"-8"-10" above, where yer dome bimetal is...

Please, help me wrap round this, on accounta I'm a lil cornfused, an bumfuzzled how that is.

I'd appreciate th benefit of yer thoughts, an experience, here.

Thanks, in advance.

[Mosca]

At the beginning of the cook there is a difference, As it proceeds, they get closer. It usually takes a couple hours for them to even up, and then they run together until something changes. The grate thermo is more reactive, if temps go up or down it is the first to know. The dome thermo catches up in about 10 minutes (at low temps), as the ceramic cools. It’s not like I’m tossing the grate thermo; but two sources of information are nice to have.

[EdF]

@mosca
His comment matches my kamado experience.

[Mr. Bones]

Thanks guys Mosca EdF
Learnin new things today...

[jfmorris]

I’ve got a couple of 3” dial thermometers in my brewing setup that are pretty darned accurate - one from Tel-Tru and the other from Blichman Engineering. I still spot check stuff with my Thermapen though.

[Attjack]

My Primo dome thermo tends to be very close to what I get at the grate level. Which is interesting because I hear others complain there's is not.

[Mr. Bones]

Thanks, I have zero experience, seekin to learn, Brother.

[Hulagn1971]

Not worth the stress level in my book.

[Mr. Bones]

Hulagn1971 I jus cook till it looks right, rotate if needed, dependin on cooker, start probin when it's approachin doneness.
Reckon ya've seen my foods...
Had a Mav 732, give it away, unused, to Ricky ...
Got couple Smokes, a gateway, an a XR50 NIB...
If I find myself needin one, I'll break one out.
Thermapen, or Thermpop works jus fine, thus far.

[Hulagn1971]

Sorry. I'd rather not risk it. Meat is at a high cost. Bought an XR-50 a few months ago. Appreciate the post but will rely on my alternate accessory dedicated thermometer..

[Mosca]

Oh, I’m still using my digital. But it’s still good to know that the dome thermo is correct.

[jfmorris]

You've got to have a good leave in thermometer in the meat. I think the point is that sometimes the grill thermometer is in fact accurate enough for telling you the temperature you are cooking at. I don't bother with my Smoke grate probe when cooking stuff hot and fast for example.

[Polarbear777]

On my pk360, there’s a 50-150F difference vertically. The only reason the dial thermo is close is because it’s in the right place at grate level. I have to rotate food if I’m packing this thing full.

of course in a Kamado running in steady state, it should be pretty even.

[Mosca]

Same with my Weber kettle. I think it is just programmed to guess at the temperature.