Maverick ET-735 Review

The Maverick ET-735 is a four-channel, Bluetooth-enabled wireless thermometer system with features that will make it a star with the barbecue crowd. It comes with two (not four!) sturdily-constructed probes, and will accept the same probes used on its siblings, the ET-732 and ET-733. It can be used as a stand-alone readout or it can be paired with a smartphone for remote operation.

When used as a Bluetooth remote, make sure you have one of the phones that is compatible with the unit. They are:
Apple:
– iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, 5S and iPhone 6
Android:
– Samsung Galaxy S4, S4 Mini & S5
– Samsung Note 2 & 3
– Sony Experia Z1
– LG Nexus 5
– LG G3
Other products may be added to this list as the phone app is revised.

One of the drawbacks usually associated with Bluetooth gadgets is their lack of range. This unit uses version 4 of the protocol, and is supposed to reach 160′ (49m). That’s line-of-sight, and more than you should probably expect if there are intervening obstructions, like the wall of a house. It’s a tricky thing to test, but I can say that the unit worked fine in my shed which is insulated with foil-backed material. Older Bluetooth devices would not stay connected in this setup, so this does seem to be an improvement over the earlier technology. Of course, you do have to use a compatible smartphone or tablet if you want to monitor things from a distance.

Most of the functionality is contained in the app which is downloadable from either Apple or Google. It’s pretty straightforward. Each of the four channels can be set in one of two modes: food or BBQ. In the food mode, you can pick from a list of meats and tastes, and it will insert the “correct” temperature, or you can specify your own target temperature. The app will display a bar graph of temperature relative to the target and the probe temperature. When the food reaches the selected temperature, you’ll get an audible and visible alarm. In the BBQ mode, you set an upper and lower limit, and the alarm will annunciate if the temp wanders outside this range. Each channel is independently settable. The alarm settings are conveyed to the transmitter unit and will beep and flash on that unit as well. The settings have to be done via the app; they are not settable on the transmitter itself.

There are also four alarms that can be individually set to four time intervals. Each works as a count-down timer with audible and visible alarms when the clock reaches zero. Each can also be set as a count-up stopwatch, but these are not alarmed.

The manufacturer says the unit is moisture resistant. The jacks that accept the probes have covers and silicone seals, and the battery box is sealed. I don’t know that I’d submerge the transmitter, but it looks impervious to rain.

A quick-start guide to using the unit comes with it. It’s borderline useless. There is a downloadable “manual” that also comes bundled with the app, although you can’t read it while you’re experimenting with the settings. I would rather they provided the more thorough instructions in printed format instead of making you download and print them yourself. But, hey, I’m an old geezer, addicted to doing things the old way.

I use a Maverick ET-732 unit at my house. I like the display on the receiver, and I don’t have to play with my phone or tablet to get information. Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer the dedicated receiver to using my phone. A matter of personal preference, I suppose. My daughter would probably laugh at me.

The quality of the unit is high, and the probes, always the Achilles’ heel of in-food/in-cooker thermometers, seem more robust than most and are claimed to be waterproof. The probes can be used as either in-food or in-cooker using the supplied grill clamps. For testing purposes, we obtained two additional probes. While the two that accompanied the unit gave accurate readouts, the two accessory probes read 207°F when they should have read 225°. I will investigate what may be causing the discrepancy.

The manufacturer’s contact info is found on the user’s “manual,” but I couldn’t find an explicit warranty period, although the manufacturer has a good customer relations reputation, so I wouldn’t fret it.

We like the Maverick remote thermometers, and I suspect this one will be a hit as well. Given its apparent quality and usefulness, I’m giving it a Gold medal.