Maverick PT-100 Meat Thermometer Review

The Maverick PT-100 meat thermometer is a digital instant-read thermometer with a Type-K thermocouple probe.

Officially named the Maverick PT-100 Pro-Temp Professional Digital Meat Thermometer or the Maverick Pro-Temp Commercial Meat Thermometer PT-100, it was originally released over a decade ago.

A lot has changed in the world of meat thermometer technology since then.

With a waterproof rating of only IP44 and a static LED display, the PT-100 would benefit from an upgrade in features and usability.

Fortunately, Maverick has newer models such as the PT-51 model that includes some of these updated features.

Read the review of the Maverick PT-51 here. Here’s the review of the Maverick PT-55 as well.

The PT-100 is the premier probe thermometer model in Maverick’s lineup of digital probe thermometers and has a price tag of $99 on its website.  (I purchased my model for $60 on Amazon.)

Does this thermometer still warrant its current price?

I will answer this question as well as take a look at its features, usability, accuracy, and durability to determine if the PT-100 is a meat thermometer worth owning.

Maverick PT-100

The Maverick PT-100 food thermometer is the highest-priced thermometer in Maverick’s lineup of digital probe thermometers.

Maverick Industries, Inc. has actually been around since 1981 and actually invented the modern wireless food thermometer.

There’s no disputing that Maverick has a long history of producing many meat thermometer models, so it is curious to see that their most expensive model has not been upgraded in over a decade.

In comparison, the Thermoworks Thermapen has gone through three iterations in this time, the Classic Super-Fast Thermapen, the Thermapen MK4, and the Thermapen ONE.

The Thermapen ONE has a current price tag of $105 compared to the $99 price of the PT-100 on Maverick’s website.

However, in all fairness, Maverick has produced newer digital probe models such as the PT-51, which is rated IP67 waterproof with a rotating display and a reported response time of under 3 seconds.

The PT-51 is also half the price of the PT-100 model.

They also produce the PT-55 model which is also IP67 waterproof but the display is non-rotating.

Which begs the question, why is the PT-100 model still so expensive with its outdated features?

It’s time to look at the features that you do get for $99.

Features of the Maverick PT 100

Here are all of the important features and specifications of the Maverick Pro Temp Commercial thermometer:

• A Type K Thermocouple micro tip probe
• Temperature Reading range of -40°F (-40°C) – 450°F (230°C)
• Accuracy of +-2°F (+-1°C)
• Stated Response Time of 3 to 4 seconds
• Shock Proof in drop tests up to 3 feet.
• An IP44 rating, which means it’s protected against water splashes
• The LCD resolution is .1C/ .1F
• A 100 Factory Calibration Certificate that guarantees performance and accuracy to NIST Standards
• 5-inch probe length
• Auto Power Off function after 3 minutes of inactivity
• Low Battery Indicator
• Celsius/Fahrenheit selector
• Quick Reference Temperature Chart on Front
• 2 AAA Batteries Included

Usability

The first thing you notice right away using the Maverick PT-100 is that it is a lot larger than most digital probe meat thermometers.

Touted as a professional or commercial grade thermometer for the professional kitchen I’m not sure that due to its size if the PT-100 would even fit in most chef’s jackets.

The other thing you notice right away is that the fold-out probe is very loose and extends out a little too easily.

The thermometer’s display will illuminate once the probe is folded out and it is bright but there are certain angles where the digits are hard to read.

There is an auto-shut-off function where the unit will shut off after three minutes of inactivity.

As mentioned earlier, the display doesn’t rotate around making it difficult to insert the probe to track meat temperature at any other angle than from the right.

There is also no motion sensor that will turn the unit on if it’s moved.

I also wouldn’t wash the thermometer under running water to clean it. With an IP rating of only 44, the owner’s manual recommends cleaning the thermometer with a damp sponge instead.

Taken together, the lack of a rotating display, mediocre waterproofing, and no motion-sensing power-on function leaves the PT-100 out of touch with the current technology.

Accuracy

Although the Maverick PT-100 comes with a manufacturer’s certificate of calibration, I still found it to be an outlier in measuring temperatures alongside other very accurate thermometers.

When measuring the temperature of a sous vide bath it was consistently lower than the consensus by 0.8 to 1.0°F.

I consider this type of accuracy as “just ok”. However, considering the price tag you would expect it to be more accurate than a thermometer that cost $17.99. (It isn’t.)

Can you calibrate this thermometer? Nope. There are actually no buttons at all on this thermometer unless you count the invisible one in the back inside a pinhole.

There is a little hole in the back that houses the Celsius/Fahrenheit selector button. You need a paper clip to insert into the hole to change the temperature readout between Fahrenheit and Celsius.

The Durability of the Maverick Pro-Temp Thermometer

One of the selling points of this thermometer is its shockproof capabilities.

I will say the industrial gripper pad on top and rubber bumpers on the ends make it one of the sturdier thermometer bodies I’ve seen.

But this is a moot point considering the PT-100’s minimal protection against water intrusion.

The battery compartment latch assembly doesn’t inspire confidence in terms of keeping water out either.

So, it’s durable in terms of dropping it, but it won’t handle much water hitting it.

Price

The price of the PT-100 varies depending on where you’re shopping. On the Maverick website, it is currently selling for $99.

I bought my model on Amazon and it was $70 after taxes.

My Thoughts

The Maverick Pro-Temp Commercial Thermometer PT-100 has an elevated price tag and outdated features.

The digital thermometer market has made amazing strides in the last ten years.

Enhanced waterproof ability, a rotating digital display, and motion-sensing sleep and awake modes are necessary features a digital instant-read meat thermometer must have if it’s to even be considered among the best models.

Models such as the InkBird IHT-1S or the ThermoPro TP19H have these features and are faster, more accurate, and most importantly, cost considerably less money.

The PT-100’s less expensive sibling, the PT-51, has an IP67 rating and a rotating display for half the price as well, although I haven’t reviewed it yet to determine its accuracy.

And just in case you were in the market for a meat thermometer that cost $100, the Thermapen ONE will be the only thermometer you’ll need for years to come.

I still use my Classic Thermapen and have yet to calibrate it after 10+ years.