verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ For the price, the Weber is a decent thermometer, although it registers a few degrees high, and its design doesn’t do it any favors in separating it from its peers. The Weber Connect’s probes could be sharper to make piercing meat easier, and for the price of this model, the app is shy on features and intuitive design. The Taylor is a good single-purpose thermometer. It has an accurate but limited temperature range, and programmable functionality is limited to the time and target temperature.

The MEATER is another completely wireless meat thermometer that’s part functional, part statement piece, thanks to its minimalist probe design and stylish wood base unit. It ranked near the top of our tests for temperature accuracy and connection range. MEATER recommends keeping the receiver within 5 feet of the probes, though the connection didn’t drop until we moved the receiver about 100 feet outdoors and 30 feet indoors, as the app sounded and sent a push notification. The receiver itself doesn’t use sounds, so hearing the alarms depends on your phone’s volume. The accuracy of the probes veered no more than two degrees in our static tests, which is quite acceptable. The Bluetooth range was good in open spaces, maintaining a connection for over 30 yards, but it dropped off when faced with interior walls as one would encounter going inside their house. The app, however, gives a warning when the connection is lost. The alarm is loud at 90 decibels, enough to hear in a crowded room, should that need arise.

Things to Look For in a Meat Thermometer

The Easy Connect scored high in design and accuracy but fell short in connectivity range. Since the greatest part of the functionality is in the app, the signal dropping at about 30 yards can be an irritant. We used a combination of subjective and objective scenarios to test the thermometers. Starting with initial impressions, we observed the design and shape of the thermometer and how easy it was to hold, use, and read. For wireless and other smart thermometers, we gathered opinions on how easy and intuitive setting up the app and familiarizing oneself with the various controls both in-app and on the thermometer. We moved into a more objective mode for smart thermometers and tested the alarm volume with a decibel meter. During my tenure in restaurant kitchens, I spent countless tedious, sleepless hours watching over smoking, grilling, or slow-roasting projects. As a civilian, I now bemoan even the thought of monitoring a temperature for hours. Thankfully, wireless meat thermometers offer some freedom from the tyranny of these cookers, allowing you to walk away, take on other tasks, or maybe nap during an all-night cook. Temperature range is another factor that you should base on your intended use. If you’re roasting, grilling, or smoking meats, some wireless thermometers have an upper limit of 212°F, which is perfectly in range for this task. If you’re doing something like making candy and need to monitor the temperature closely, you’ll need a higher limit.

The TempSpike is another completely wireless thermometer system, with the probes connected to a base unit that connects to an app via Bluetooth or WiFi. The app is intuitive and easy to navigate, with a large display that feeds you the current, target, and ambient temperatures. It also has graphing capabilities to show your heat profile over the length of the cook. It has good alarm delivery, with clear sound at 84 decibels, vibration, and push notifications.The smaller control buttons present a very slight learning curve, and the difference between the alarm sounds is moot at a distance. It has limited functionality, and the process of setting the temperature takes longer than one would expect. The final performance test recorded the temperature of cooked meat. Leave-in or wireless meat thermometers measured temperature over a period of cooking time, while instant-read thermometers measured temperature after a prescribed amount of time to measure the degree of doneness.