Customer Reviews

RediCheck Remote Cooking Thermometer

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(15)

 

 

We have been using this wireless thermometer since Christmas 2007. When researching wireless thermometers I liked the idea that this model allows you to set actual temp of the food rather then a setting of 'Well Done' or "Medium Rare' for various kinds of food. What I didn't realize is that we don't neccessarsily know what the ideal temperature might be of various foods based on thickness, size etc. So be aware that this wireless thermometer does what it says it will do you need to know your temperatures for various foods. Obviously I am not the cook in the house!

About the product
This item comes in two pieces. The receiver, which shows you the target temperature you have set that you want to cook to, as well as the actual temperature of the food you are grilling. It has two buttons on the front with up/down arrows. Upon turing on the receiver, which is done via a small black button on the back, you hold both black buttons down together until the display starts flashing with dashes. You then use the up/down buttons to set the intended temperature you want. Let go of the buttons and within 5 seconds (supposedely), the temperature is memorized.

The probe is the typical variety and is attached with a foil type of wire to the transmitter. The trans is non-descript with just a red LED on the front which blinks as the unit is sending out updates to the receiver. There is a push button toggle on the back for off/on and a recessed transmit button that occasionally we have had to push to get the transmitter and the receiver "talking".

Some of the pros -
Probe and foil wire have been very resiliant. Other devices have experienced these wires breaking at the slightest pinch from an oven door or grill lid. This one has proved to withstand basic wear and tear in both the grill and oven. You should be careful with it though when running the wire from the probe to the outside of the oven/grill as I doubt it is unbreakable.

Accuracy - we have found the temperature probe to report accurate food temperatures when compared to non wireless probes inserted into the food for comparison. You gotta be careful though that you insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat/poultry etc and only to the middle of the meat or else you will get inaccurate readings as the probe will pick up actual heat from the gas/coals and not just the food.

Ease of use - it is pretty easy to operate and is fast to register temperatures. It should not be considered a device to utilize for occassional temperature readings by inserting the probe now and then into the meat. The probe needs to remain in the meat and allowed to continuously monitor.

Cons

The transmitter battery cover is secured with 4 very small screws. It takes a jewler's screwdriver to remove them to gain access to the batteries. My only guess here is that because this device could be outdoors in various climates that a secure and tight fit is important. None the less it's a PITB.

Neither the trans or receiver have auto-off power. More then once we have left the receiver's switch in the on position (probably because we were more interested in eating the food then turning off this device) and the batteries expired.
Both units run off 2 AAA batteries.

Build Quality

For the most part these devices are manufactured to withstand over-all day to day use. The housings are plastic and the fittings are true.

Overall a good wireless digital thermometer set from a well-known company. The fact it does not provide "well done", "medium rare" etc. readings is of no fault of the manufacturer. It would have been nice if they provided some hints with various kinds of meats etc. of what temperatures to shoot for but the rather skimpy one page instruction sheet, in various languages, makes no substantiative mention of this.

Considering the price and the good experience we have had over the last few months with this device, I would recommend it assuming you are looking for a unit that provides real-time temperature readings instead of the more typical "well done", "medium well" readings.

I'm a thermometer nut so I have lots of different brands. I have this exact thermometer with a different brand on it but it's exactly the same as the photo. I've used it for about 3 years with no failures in the probe. I haven't found a source of replacement probes yet so I don't use this one on my outdoor grill as I'm afraid of burning out the cable and not finding a replacement. But, I do use it indoors all the time and I find it to be pretty accurate. I compare it to my Thermapen and it reads pretty close in ice water. The wireless operation is pretty reliable. I can go all over the house and the unit still picks up the signal. Operation is very intuitive so I've never read the instructions. That's uncommon for wireless models in my opinion. I think this is a better deal than some of the other Mavericks. As far as not showing rare, medium or well-done; I prefer it that way. The pre-sets in other models are always useless. You want the alarm to sound BEFORE it reaches the pre-sets and you want to allow for a temperature rise during "resting" so this model is perfect and simple. Great value at this price.

Used to have oregon scientific unit. It worked fine the first cuppla' times. Then it went down,turned on it would show 90 deg. put the probe into the freezer,down to 65deg. This new RediCheck is the best. The temp that it shows I believe is right on. I felt good enough to build a nice walnut case for it.

Range at my location is about 50 to possibly 75 feet. Also, don't forget to turn it off when not in use as it will drain the batteries quite fast. Does a decent job.

I love to grill. Usually I am a very good cook but sometimes I do get distracted. I ordered this thermometer from Amazon and I just love it. I can serf the web or watch the game and know exactly when to go flip the meat, and when it's done. No more overcooked steak, no more dried out chicken breasts. This thing pays for itself at the dinner table because our food is cooked properly and therefore is enjoyed more. After several uses it seems to be reliable but only time will tell. I find it easy to use and my only complaint is that if they can put an easy open battery door on the receiver they should have been able to put one on the transmitter as well. The 4 screws are easy to remove but it's still a hassle to need a screwdriver. Hopefully the batteries will last a very long time so this will not become an issue.

I have used this thermometer several times with great success. Before purchasing this, there were many occasions when I relied on time per pound alone to determine doneness of the meat(invariable the meat was overdone). With this remote thermometer, I continue in the kitchen while my meat is safely smoking or grilling outside. Be sure to turn on both pieces--the transmitter and receiver. I also use it in my oven as it keeps me from guessing the temperature. You are able to guage when the meat is going to be done in order to prepare the rest of the meal to facilitate everything getting done at the same time.

I've only used this a couple of times, but thus far it has worked perfectly. My previous thermometer did not have an on/off switch on the transmitter unit, so the battery was continually dying. I'm very pleased that this product does have this feature.

This unit feels cheap and is cheap. But it works!

The plastic is crappy and feels brittle. The clips on the back feel like they will break in you hands.

The features are basic ... perhaps too basic:

There is no warning that you are out of range however it's range is sufficient to cover our house. When you exceed the range the temperature just stops going up requiring you to keep half an eye on it.

There it no auto shut off so remember to turn it off after use.

There really needs to be a case to store this in (keep the packaging and keep using in mind when you cut it free).

I think the probe cable is better quality than some more expensive units as it has a braided steel housing.

For the price I am happy with the product.

Bought this one while waiting for a replacement of a new, more-expensive different brand. The replacment eventually arrived, with the key word here being "eventually." This unit is perfect for my needs. Unlike the other brand, this one is easy to use right out of the box and straighforeward whereas the un-nammed brand should require some sort of manufacturer's training course. The bells and whistles I would very rarely use get in the way. I forget how to use features I don't regularly use. Keep It Simple and Stupid (KISS) applies even to advanced technology devices such as this. Congratulations RediCheck. You got it right!

Works great. only 2 buttons. Simple and very easy to work with. Rated 4 because of the 4 small screws you have to remove to change the battery.