Monitoring temperature is a key part of smoking barbecue. Yes, I’ve talked about time ranges for specific cuts of meat. But that’s to give you an idea of roughly how long it will take to cook a cut of meat. That’s because you’re smoking to an internal temperature and for the right texture of the meat. Arguably the best way to monitor the internal temperature of meat is a wireless meat thermometer.
These thermometers allow you to put a probe in the cut of meat you’re smoking that connects back to a main unit that may even have a display. These monitoring blocks then connect via WiFi or even Bluetooth to your smartphone so you can keep tabs on whatever you’re smoking without having to check your grill or smoker constantly.
Here at Angry BBQ, we’ve gotten hands-on time with a number of the best wireless meat thermometers on the market. With all that experience, I’ve come up my list of favorites to help you decide what works best for your backyard grilling and barbecuing needs. I’ve focused on how accurate the thermometer is, how easy it is to use, overall features, and the connectivity experience.
My personal favorite wireless meat thermometer is the Typhur Sync Dual. It has two super-accurate fully wireless probes, an easy-to-read display, and a good app experience via WIFI or Bluetooth connectivity.
Before I dive into the rest of our top six list, let’s take a look at what makes for the best wireless meat thermometers.
Our Top Picks At A Glance…..
This wireless meat thermometer boasts incredible accuracy, has a full display to see temperatures at a glance, and offers both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.
The MEATER Pro XL boasts four highly accurate and thin probes with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity,
If you don't want to mess around with using a phone app but want to be able to monitor temperatures remotely, the ThermoWorks Smoke X4 is for you. It comes with three meat probes plus an ambient temperature probe. It also boasts compatibility with ThermoWorks' Billows accessory.
The ThermoWorks RFX system supports up to 50 wireless probes connected to one Gateway unit. So if you're smoking a lot of cuts of meat regularly for catering, hosting big parties, or taking advantage of great sales, the RFX is the way to go.
The INKBIRD INT-11P-B is a great value for a truly wireless meat thermometer. It charges quickly and is accurate enough for smoking large cuts of meat. The app is easy to use as well. It's a great entry-level wireless meat thermometer for someone just getting started.
If you routinely smoke two cuts of meat, the ThermoPro Twin TempSpike provides good value. It boasts an LCD display on the charging base complete with backlight for low-light situations. And the probes are color-coded so you never get confused as to which readout belongs to which probe.
What Should I Look For In A Wireless Meat Thermometer?
When you’re considering purchasing a wireless meat thermometer, there are a few characteristics you want to look at. First, the most important part of any thermometer is its accuracy. You want to know that your thermometer will give you accurate temperature readings and how much is its built-in deviation. You always want a wireless grill thermometer that offers good connectivity. What use is wireless if you’re constantly dropping the connection and having to go outside to your grill to reconnect?
Speaking of connectivity, you also want to make sure that the thermometer’s app is quality. It doesn’t need to have all the bells and whistles, but you want it to be easy to read, have presets for the most common types of meats and cuts, and maybe even have some new recipes to try. That last part isn’t needed, but it is a nice bonus.
You also want to make sure that the thermometer has the probe capacity you want. If you’re smoking one brisket or one pork butt for you and your family, you don’t need four probes because one will do. If you like hosting parties or preparing a lot of food, you’ll want more probes.
Finally, you want to consider what type of grill you’re cooking on and whether you want or have a peripheral for helping maintain steady temperatures for smoking food. Some of these thermometers have the ability to connect to other peripherals (fan blowers) to monitor and control your fire.
So on to the list of my favorite wireless meat thermometers!
Wireless Meat Thermometer Specification Comparison Table
| Typhur Sync Dual | MEATER Pro XL | ThermoWorks Smoke X4 | ThermoWorks RFX | INKBIRD INT-11P-B | ThermoPro Twin TempSpike | |
| Temp Range | Internal: 32°-212°F Ambient:32°-572°F (but Typhur says it can withstand temps up to 707°F for 20 minutes) | Internal: Up to 221°F Ambient: Up to 1000°F | -58 to 572°F | Internal: 14°-212°F Ambient: Up to 1000°F | Internal: 14° to 212°F Ambient: 32°-572°F | Internal: 14° to 212°F Ambient: 14° to 572°F |
| Accuracy | Within 0.5°F | Within 0.5°F | Within 1.8°F for temperatures between -4° to 248°F | Within 0.9°F | Within 1.8°F | Within 1.8°F |
| WiFi | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Probes | 4 | 4 | 4 (3 meat, 1 ambient) | Base set includes 1, Gateway can accommodate 50+ per ThermoWorks | 1 | 2 |
| Water Resistance | IP67 – Dishwasher safe per Typhur | MEATER says it’s 100% waterproof | IP66 – Splashproof | IP69K | IP67 | Probes are dishwasher safe |
| Warranty | 1 Year | 1 Year | 2 Years | 2 Years on Gateyway, 1 Year on probes | 1 Year | 1 Year |
| Fan Blower Capable | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
1. Typhur Sync Dual – My Favorite Wireless Meat Thermometer
What I Like…
- Able to accurately monitor multiple pieces of meat with multiple probes
- Display shows temperatures readings from both probes plus battery levels for base and probes
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity
What Makes Me Angry…
- A pricy offering for two probes, but it’s a top-notch piece of cooking and barbecue equipment
Review
The Typhur Sync Dual delivers everything you could ask for in a wireless meat thermometer in a sleek, futuristic package. The Sync Dual offers connection versatility as it is capable of both WiFi and Bluetooth. Whether you’re grilling at home and can connect to WiFi or on the road and can only connect via Bluetooth, you’ll be able to monitor everything and receive alerts for when food is done. This wireless thermometer checks off every box when it comes to connectivity. And I’ve never had any issues with connectivity.
But how is the Sync Dual as a thermometer? All the connectivity in the world doesn’t matter if you can’t track temperatures accurately. Well, Typhur has you covered in spades. At the time of testing, it was the most accurate wireless meat thermometer I had ever come across, hitting target temperatures within half a degree Fahrenheit. Other thermometers have matched its accuracy, but nothing I’ve seen has beaten it on that front.
One of the other great features I love about the Sync Dual is the large display screen on the base. Now I spend most of my time monitoring temperatures from my phone. And the Typhur app is quite nice. But if I’m working outside while I’ve got my smoker going, it’s nice to be able to just take a peek at the base as I walk by. I even let a friend of mine borrow the Sync for a cooking session and he didn’t have time to set up the app on his phone. So he simply set the cooking session directly on the base and used the screen to monitor the progress. There are plenty of wireless meat thermometers where that’s just not an option.
Also, if you like what you’ve heard about the Typhur Sync Dual but want more probe capacity, Typhur also has the Sync Quad with four probes.
But if you’re looking for a wireless meat thermometer that can monitor two cuts of meat at the same time, the Typhur Sync Dual is my favorite. Check out my full-length review for a more in-depth look!
2. MEATER Pro XL – Perfect For Reverse-Searing
What I Like…
- Four thin probes leave smaller holes in whatever meat you’re cooking
- Super-accurate temperatures
- Probes can withstand up to 1000°F which makes them perfect for reverse-searing
What Makes Me Angry…
- Very occasional connectivity issues
- One of the more expensive units
Review
MEATER is one of the most iconic brands when it comes to wireless meat thermometers and for good reason. The company has consistently pushed for improvement and not willing to rest on its design laurels.
And that’s where the new Pro line comes in. It started off with what was known as the MEATER 2 Plus (now the Pro). And it continued with the new Pro XL released this year. It takes four of the thinnest truly wireless probes and combines them with the best accuracy in the industry (tied with the Typhur Sync series of thermometers).
That’s right, the probes for the MEATER Pro XL are accurate to within half a degree Fahrenheit. That’s thanks to five internal sensors in a probe body that’s only five millimeters in diameter.
But that’s not the only defining feature of these four probes. The ambient/external portion of the probes can withstand up to 1000°F. That makes these probes perfect for reverse-searing steaks over hot coals or fires. The probes are also waterproof which means not only can you clean them in the dishwasher, but MEATER boasts that you can use these probes for sous vide cooking or even deep frying.
Another major perk of the MEATER Pro XL is that it offers Wi-Fi connectivity. The MEATER Pro single-probe unit only connects via Bluetooth which is fine for most home-based applications. But the addition of Wi-Fi with the Pro XL base allows you to monitor temperatures even if you have to leave home to get some ingredients or are smoking while you’re at work.
The MEATER Pro XL is one of my favorite four-probe systems thanks to its accuracy with the slimmest wireless probes I’ve encountered. For a more in-depth look, check out my long-term test review.
3. ThermoWorks Smoke X4 – My Favorite Non App-Based Thermometer
What I Like…
- Included receiver has incredible range and you don’t have to figure out connecting to WiFi or Bluetooth
- Four-probe capacity with three meat probes and one ambient temperature probe
- Large, easy-to-read display on both the main unit and the receiver
What Makes Me Angry…
- Because it uses an included receiver, it does lack some of the really nice features of the ThermoWorks app
Review
What sets the Smoke X4 apart from most other wireless meat thermometers is primarily the addition of a receiver rather than using an app through WIFI. This does limit your ability to monitor temperatures while not at home. But if you don’t want to be anchored to your phone for monitoring purposes, this is perfect.
The handheld receiver is just under half the size of the main unit but it shares the same screen layout. You have the current temperature reading, your desired temperature, as well as alarm thresholds for both minimum and maximum. You can increase the volume of the alarms as well as trigger the backlight feature for easy reading in low-light conditions. However, if you want to set the alarm for the probes, that needs to be done at the main unit and not the receiver.
The Smoke X4 and its receiver also lack the ability for you to see the entire progress of the cook like the ThermoWorks app. You can see at what temperature the cook started and your target temperature on the main unit, but you cannot see the overall progress. So that is a drawback from other app-based wireless meat thermometers like the ThermoWorks Signals and the ThermoWorks app.
However, the Smoke X4 unit does boast one heck of a range. With line of sight, you can walk almost one and a quarter mile (two kilometers) and still be able to see how your brisket is doing. That’s impressive from a handheld device that is smaller than most walkie talkies.
In terms of the performance of the Smoke X4 as a thermometer, it is accurate within two degrees while transmitting updates every 30 seconds. Both the main unit and the receiver run off two AA batteries meaning you don’t have to plug either unit in to use. The battery life is outstanding as well so you won’t burn through batteries on a daily basis.
One other major plus? The Smoke X4 has Billows functionality as one of the four included probes is an ambient temperature probe. This means you can use the Smoke X4 and the Billows unit to help control temperatures in a charcoal grill. For a full breakdown on the Billows unit from ThermoWorks, check out our review.
Overall, the Smoke X4 may lack some of the connectivity features built into the ThermoWorks app, but otherwise it is a great wireless thermometer. For a full breakdown, check out our full review.
4. ThermoWorks RFX – For Cooking A Lot Of Meat
What I Like…
- Thin-profile probe
- Gateway can accommodate 50+ probes, perfect for a catering business or other professional applications
- Wi-Fi connectivity allows you to monitor all those temperatures from wherever you have internet access
What Makes Me Angry…
- Ambient temperature probe may not fit through the probe opening in some grills; Did not fit through Brent’s Green Mountain Grills Ledge PRIME 2.0 pellet grill
Review
ThermoWorks is at it again. We here at Angry BBQ are big fans of their products. It’s why I heartily recommend the Smoke X4 above and even the Thermapen ONE instant-read thermometer (still one of our favorites today). But the RFX is ThermoWorks’ first foray into the truly wireless meat thermometer party. And oh did they take a unique approach.
The RFX probe sits in its own little charging dock, much like a lot of wireless thermometers out there. But it’s the Gateway that really makes the RFX a unique system. And I use the word system because that’s what the RFX is. It’s a system based around the Gateway unit that can connect to multiple probes and their charging docks. ThermoWorks says 50+ which is unheard of in this sphere. That’s why I characterize this as a great fit for not only backyard use but also catering and professional applications.
If you smoke a lot of meat at once, whether it’s for parties or catering events, the RFX is the perfect wireless meat thermometer for you. You can monitor one cut of meat or 50+ all through one Gateway unit and the ThermoWorks app on your phone.
But the RFX isn’t just about the sheer volume of temperatures you can monitor. The probes themselves are nice and thin so you aren’t leaving gaping holes in your cuts of meat. And the main probes do not have an ambient temperature sensor like a lot of the other truly wireless meat thermometers on this list.
That’s because ThermoWorks opted for a wired independent ambient temperature probe. It will give you a more accurate reading than an integrated sensor on a probe. That may not matter for those of us using pellet grills or other grills that have a built-in computer-controlled temperature system. But if you’re using offset smokers or charcoal grills, being able to keep an eye on the cooking chamber’s temperature accurately is quite important.
And like the Smoke X4 above, the RFX system is compatible with ThermoWorks’ Billows system. So you can use this to monitor temperatures and control the grill’s temperature all at once. For a full breakdown of the features of the RFX, check out our long-term review.
5. INKBIRD INT-11P-B – Good Value Thermometer
What I Like…
- Great price point for people getting into backyard smoking
- Sleek charging case is easy to store and looks good
- Long battery life on the probe
What Makes Me Angry…
- Not much leeway between the safety notch and the ceramic end meaning you have to be very careful to insert the probe fully
Review
INKBIRD has gotten into the cooking game recently, and the INT-11P-B wireless meat thermometer is a great entry-level truly wireless probe. While a number of the thermometers on the list are on the expensive side, the INT-11P-B gives people an affordable entry point.
And while entry-level may have bad connotations, I enjoyed my time using this thermometer. It was easy to connect to my phone, and the INKBIRD app has plenty of presets to make setting up my cooking session easy too. You aren’t limited to those presets, but there are plenty there to make cooking a breeze.
INKBIRD also says that the probe has 25 hours of battery life on a single charge. I don’t know about you, but I sometimes forget to put my probes back after washing (ADHD, anyone?). And that can sometimes get me into a jam. But the INT-11P-B can get me out of that jam easily. Not only does it have great battery life, but it takes less than an hour to recharge it completely.
If you are just getting into smoking at home or are looking for a gift for someone else who is, the INKBIRD INT-11P-B is a great starting point. Check out my full review to get all of my thoughts!
6. ThermoPro Twin TempSpike – Good Value For Two Probes
What I Like…
- Temperature display on the charging base (with a backlight!)
- Two probes for monitoring multiple cuts of meat at the same time
- Bluetooth connectivity up to 500ft away
What Makes Me Angry…
- The app won’t record cooking session data automatically, you need to tell it to manually
Review
If you’re looking for a wireless meat thermometer that won’t break the bank but gives you the ability to monitor two cuts of meat at the same time, the ThermoPro Twin TempSpike is the thermometer for you.
I found it quite easy to set up the app and pair the Twin TempSpike with my phone. From there, the app has a number of presets for you to make getting to cooking easy.
ThermoPro made distinguishing between the probe readings quite easy, too. The probes are color-coded, and that carries over to both the display on the charging base and in the app. It takes all the guesswork out of remembering which temperature reading goes to which piece of meat.
Speaking of the display, that’s a feature that I genuinely appreciate. If I’m working outside near my smoker, I like being able to see the temperatures at a glance without needing to pull my phone out. And if it’s dark out, all I have to do is hit the light button to turn on the bright orange backlight. It’s easy to read no matter the lighting situation.
I also like that the charging base has magnets built in. That means I can stick it on the side of my pellet grill’s hopper while cooking. I can also store the Twin TempSpike on the side of my fridge or on my stove hood to keep it out of the way but easily accessible.
In all, I find the ThermoPro Twin TempSpike a good, less-expensive option for people who smoke two cuts of meat at the same time. Check out my full review for a more thorough breakdown!
Wrapping It Up
The Typhur Sync Dual is my favorite wireless meat thermometer for the backyard pitmaster. The two completely wireless probes are enough for more normal smoking sessions. I also love the fact that I can check temperatures on my phone or take a quick glance at the base. It’s super accurate and reliable. I think it’s a phenomenal thermometer for most uses.
Keep checking back as we keep testing new products in this area.
Do you have a preferred wireless meat thermometer from the list? Or do you use one that we didn’t mention? Let us know in the comments!
If you’re looking for a different take on brisket to put your wireless meat thermometer to the test, check out our recipe for a Kansas City-style brisket rub!
FAQs:
Question: How do I use a wireless meat thermometer?
Answer: Each one is going to vary based off its design, but they are all based off the same idea. You will connect the receiving device (usually a phone, sometimes an actual receiver like with the ThermoWorks Smoke X4) to the main unit. This will usually be done via WiFi or Bluetooth. You will then insert the temperature probe into the meat or food you’re attempting to monitor. Most wireless meat thermometers will let you program an alarm for your target internal temperature, so set that up as well. Then cook!
Question: Where should I buy a wireless meat thermometer?
Answer: You can poke around the thousands upon thousands of listings on Amazon. However, you’ll want to arm yourself with some knowledge before you go down that rabbit hole. You can also order directly from thermometer manufacturers. Our favorite way? From the links above!
Question: Where do I stick the wireless meat thermometer?
Answer: You want to ensure that the point of the probe is in the center of the thickest part of the meat you’re monitoring. That will ensure you don’t undercook the meat leading to food safety problems. However, you might have more questions, such as where do I stick the wireless meat thermometer in a turkey? Whenever I’m smoking a full turkey or chicken, I use at least two probes, one in the breast and one in the thigh to ensure everything is cooked properly. For more tips on smoking whole chickens, check out our article here.