Periodically I may let you know about some camping & RV gadgets that I’ve come across that I use & like. First up on the list is The Grill Gauge.
I’ve had a few devices that claim to measure the propane in your tank, including an inline gauge….
and a magnet you slap on the side of your tank that changes color according to the amount of propane in the tank.
Both gauges technically worked, but the readings were unreliable at best. When I first had an inline gauge, it read that I was on the line between red & yellow. I decided to have the tank topped off at Camping World in Indianapolis while on our way to a weekend camping trip. After the tech filled it, the bill was just $9 & change. Expecting the bill to be in the $15 range, I asked him if he filled it, and he told me that it was already half full. So, that’s when started looking for something else. I picked up the magnet thinking maybe this would do the trick. Well, I’m not sure if it did or not. The magnet is a series of bars that change color as the propane level drops. But figuring out which column of bars you’re supposed to read was a little confusing and made for a lot of guesswork.
I then continued to look for the perfect gauge and I think I’ve found it in The Grill Gauge. It’s really simple to use. After loosening the strap that secures the tank to your trailer, attach the hook on bottom of The Grill Gauge to the tank handle:

Then, while holding The Grill Gauge handle, pull up on the tank about 3 inches…just enough to free it from the trailer tongue. You don’t even need to pull it out of the loosened strap. This will give you your reading on the gauge.

I know this is an accurate reading, as this was a full tank I picked up last fall, with minimal use. So now my search for a reliable propane gauge appears to be over. And as an added benefit, it has a handy 40″ tape measure built in to the bottom of the gauge. I picked up mine for about $10 through Amazon.com, but you should be able to buy it locally at hardware stores and propane dealers. Highly recommended!