I have a Traeger Pro 34 (which I’m loving btw) but am getting inconsistent readings with my 3 meat thermometers, both ambient and probed.
I have wireless from InkBird and wired from CuisinArt, in addition to the one that came with the grill.
I attached some photos, but pretty much I’m getting vastly different ambients and probed temps and curious how I learn what is more accurate.
Ambient Numbers:
Traeger @ 302
CuisinArt @ 266
InkBird @ 246
Probed Numbers:
Traeger @ 180
CuisinArt @ 149
InkBird @ 156
I accept an error of +/- 10 degrees, even the grill manual says it can be accurate within +/- 15 degrees, but I’m getting swings between 30 to 60 degrees. I realized it when I was smoking brisket that my InkBird read 171 when the Traeger probe read 204. Pulled it out and it was cooked properly. Waiting on the InkBird definitely would have overcooked it.
Can someone help direct me what I should be doing to ensure my thermometers are accurate? Is the Traeger one known to be pretty accurate, or grossly wrong?
by StreetOar
7 Comments
Hey! It looks like you posted an image!
If this is a photo of one of your cooks, maybe share the recipe and techniques
used, as it’s almost guaranteed one of the first questions you will be asked!
*What seasoning did you use?
*How long did you cook it, and at what temperature?
*Did you use any special tricks or techniques?
Traeger on!
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I was just asking about this as well, also got a new 34. The ambient on my Meater+ (not the best for ambient but still) was registering anywhere between 50 and 90 less than the Traeger display.
I seem to have trouble with the inkbird if it is a thinner piece of meat for what it’s worth. I use at least 3 and take an average.
Check them with ice water and then again with boiling water. Having a probe on the grill directly isn’t a fair test, and 3 probes in one chicken breast could be different temps, but you’d think closer than they are.
I’ve been using ink bird for years but not the wireless probes.
Bro that breast 😂 I would for sure test this in a larger piece of meat. That chicken is way to thin to test 3 probes stuffed in there lol
I think the temperature reading on the traeger probe is garbage. Mine was consistently off and let’s be real that’s the temp that matters the most. I switched to the thermapro tempspike and that has been great. I can’t speak to the ones you have…but a good way to figure those out would be to fill a glass with as much ice as possible and put just enough water to be able to submerge the probe. That probe should read 32*. Note whatever the difference is — say it’s reading 40* your temp probe is 8* warmer than actual and just subtract 8 whenever you’re cooking. To my knowledge you can’t calibrate the traeger probe, but those others you might be able to. Sometimes while it’s in the ice water there is a calibration button or some combination of buttons to press do so.
If you got 1 thermometer you know the temp, if you got multiple thermometers you’ll be forever doubting