candy thermometer for determining inside smoker temp?

ok i just fired up the smoker... it's one of those silly char broil water smokers (using sawdust in the water itself). have used it once and didn't like it much, but i figured i'd give it another go before deciding to toss it or not.... i don't trust the silly thermometer on the lid and have been told to use a more accurate thermometer.

i only have a brand new electric meat probe type and two or three that i've broken by doing stupid things with them (like this, maybe?)... i think the reason i've broken them in the past is they don't like high heats and are only designed to go up so far past where the inside temp of meat?? i'm gonna put that in the pork shoulder later on anyway when i'm measuring the internal temp

i had a metal instant read that i can't seem to locate, so that's out.

i also have a glass candy thermometer.

the ideal temp i'm looking for is somewhere around 215 iirc... the candy thermometer goes up to 400. so temperature wise that's not an issue... will it be an issue measuring dry air with it? or should i stick it in a small cup of water (i could put it in the water bowl at the bottom, but that's a pain to access to read then...). and read it after a long while?

any other suggestions? i'm attempting this verrry soon. :]

A: Yes it will work, but the top is plastic so it might start to melt! :]

...as it turns out, the thermometer built into the lid isn't so bad after all...

I wouldn't put it in a cup of water. The water won't go above 212 degrees and will evaporate over time.

I use a cheap oven thermometer in my smoker. The glass front of the thermometer tends to get covered in smoke/gunk and would eventually become unreadable, if I don't drop and break it first.

I generally use my hands. I touch the smoker and can judge if it is at the right temp. Through laborious testing, I have determined I am accurate within +/- 50 degrees.

Jamie