Choosing a Bluetooth thermometer might seem confusing:- How many probes do I need?
- How accurate are the probes?
- How quick does it yield a reading?
- How far is the range?
- How many probes do I need?
- How accurate are the probes?
- How quick does it yield a reading?
- How far is the range?
We’ve made it simple by narrowing it down to only the top 5 Bluetooth thermometers for grilling and cooking; and then providing you with the details you need to discover the best one for you. Here are the five top devices as well as a few important things to look for.
| S.No | Our Top Rated Product |
|---|---|
| 1 | Inkbird Bluetooth Thermometer |
| 2 | ThermaQ Bluetooth Thermometer |
| 3 | IDevicesIGrill 2 Bluetooth Thermometer |
| 4 | The GrillEye Bluetooth Thermometer |
| 5 | Uvistare Bluetooth Thermometer |
What Smart Features Does It Have?
At minimum, you (obviously) want to be able to monitor real-time temperatures, but you also want to be able to set alerts, timers, minimum and maximum temperature warnings, and be notified when your food is done. This way, you can step away from the oven or grill freely and not have to worry about overcooking and drying out that chicken or steak. Some Blueooth thermometers even let you create graphs of your cooking temperature over time, and create logs of all the different foods you’ve cooked for future reference.
What Is the Range?
Bluetooth thermometers will likely have at least 150 feet of range – before walls and structures get in the way, which means it could effectively be much less. Some devices have better signals than others, and a few might even get up to 300’ feet.
How Many Probe Channels Does it Come With?
Most thermometers will have 4 probe channels and probes, but some may have 6 or more, while others might have only one two. You really want a minimum of at least 2, so you can use both an ambient probe and one for your food. But if you get one with 4 or more, even better.
What Accuracy Are The Probes Rated To?
The best Bluetooth thermometers have probes rated to an accuracy of +/-1F. That’s essentially spot-on and as good as it gets for more reasonably priced models. Higher-end devices, like the ThermaQ Blue, can get to within .7F – which is as good as it gets. Also be sure that the probe and device have a reputation for maintaining a consistent temperature; many cheaper models can behave erratically, reporting accurate temperatures one second and temperatures 20 or 30 degrees off the next
Inkbird Bluetooth Thermometer
The Inkbird is our top pick for a Bluetooth thermometer; affordable, compact and easy-to-use, as well as accurate, solidly-built and with enough probes for most jobs. Let’s take a look at what makes this thermometer stand out from the rest.
The Good
- It’s affordable. It’s a fraction of the cost of high-end models like the ThermoWorksThermaQ Blue, but still has everything you need from a good meat thermometer.
- It has 4 probe ports. It comes with 4 probes (can be used either for meat or for ambient temps) and includes clips for mounting them as ambient probes. They come with relatively-long 4.9-foot-long cables, which should be enough if you place the device nearby (it has magnets on the back, for mounting to the side of your grill).
- The probes are super-accurate, rated to within +/- 1F. They also have an effective temperature range of 32F to 572F, which is more than you’ll ever need.
- It has a 1000Mah Li-Ion battery and can be charged via USB. This is a very convenient way to charge the device, and the battery will last up to 60 hours of use – enough for a couple of marathon backyard smokes.
- The app is really easy to use. It has a whole host of smart features – minimum and maximum temperature settings, alerts, presets for different cuts of meat, etc. It’ll alert you on your phone as your food nears desired temperature, and when it’s done. There’s also the ability to graph your cooking session and create logs and export them to view on your PC later on for learning, comparing, and sharing.
- It has a good Bluetooth range – about 150 feet. Not as good as some other devices (as you’ll see below) but standard for most Bluetooth thermometers. It’ll even go through doors, windows and thin walls, so you can wander about the house and yard freely without losing connection.
- It comes with a 12-month warranty. It’s always good to know that the manufacturer has your back and that the product can be expected to last.
The Bad
- It’s not waterproof. This would be our first recommendation for improving the Inkbird; waterproofing is important for a device that is going to see everything from spills in the kitchen to being left out when an afternoon thunderstorm hits. If Inkbird adds this on later models, it would be pretty close to perfect.
- The cables are very long and get tangled easily. The nearly-5-foot long cables are perfect for when you need to move the thermometer away from the grill or oven, but they are hard to wind up and tend to get tangled.
Final Take: The Inkbird IBT-4XS is an excellent thermometer for the price; a reliable, durable device that, has all the smart features you could want in an easy-to-use app, and comes with very accurate and consistent probes capable of reading a wide variety of temperatures. The best part is, of course, that it’s still quite affordable.
ThermaQ Bluetooth Thermometer
The ThermaQ Blue is a pricey one, for sure, but it’s seriously one of the best – a trusty Bluetooth thermometer from ThermoWorks – known for making some of the best thermometers of all kinds. It’s a lot like the ThermaQWiFi thermometer, but with Bluetooth – in addition to all ofThermaQ’s awesome features.
The Good
- It has a 150-foot line-of-sight range for Bluetooth. This isn’t as much as some other thermometers but is plenty more than many other cheap ones. With 150 feet, you can go from the grill to the kitchen, to the backyard wit a drink, without dropping connection.
- It’s Compatible With Virtually Any Probe. 2 Type K Thermocouple Probes are included, which are known for their accuracy (within .7F +/-), and can handle temperatures up to 662F. With the right probes, the ThermaQ Blue can actually read temperatures up to 2500F.
- The Body is IP55 Rated – meaning it’s splashproof, dustproof and impact resistant. As a competition grade device, it can withstand anything from a drop off the top of the counter to a hot grease getting all over it. There’s an LCD screen for controls and glancing at the temperature.
- The included ThermaQ app lets you track temperatures on your phone, set alarms, minimum and maximum temperature alerts, etc. You can also make graphs and logs of your cooking sessions and export them to spreadsheets.
- Battery Life is up to 4000 hours. It runs of two AA batteries.
The Bad
- It only has two probe channels, which severely limits how much you monitor. Most other devices have 4 to 6, allowing you to track multiple pieces of food and the ambient temperature.
- There’s no way to mount it to the grill, fridge, stove, etc. It would be nice to have magnets on the back. To make up for that, however, ThermoWorks included a mini tripod stand.
- The app can be difficult to use. It’s the opposite of intuitive and needs an update.
Final Take: Got the money to spend?This is a beast of a Bluetooth thermometer, perfect for pros, serious aficionados, and everyday cooks alike.Strong and durable, splash-resistant extremely accurate, and capable of doing anything you ask of it. If only it could take more than 2 probes.
IDevices IGrill 2 Bluetooth Thermometer
IGrill 2 is handy, portable Bluetooth thermometer with all the features you could need – but without the high price tag accompanying so many Bluetooth thermometers.
The Good
- It has 4 probe channels. Twice as many as the ThermaQ, and enough to monitor several different food items as well asambient temperature of your smoker or grill.
- It’s super accurate. The included probes are accurate to within +/- 1 degree of actual temperature. They can also read temperatures from -22F to 572F, which will cover virtually anything you need them for.
- It has a range of 150 feet. That’s more than enough for most Bluetooth thermometers, and the connection strength is also very strong and doesn’t drop, like it does on a lot of other thermometers.
- You can pair several IGrill devices together at once.So if you’re cooking a lot of food and need more than 4 probes, just plug in a second thermometer and control them both from one app.
- Battery life is rated to 200 hours. It runs off 2 AA batteries (included).
- You can mount it on your grill/stove/fridge with the magnets in the back. This is super handy when you don’t have a table or flat surface to hang it up on.
The Bad
- The Bluetooth signal isn’t strong enough to go through walls. It’ll drop if you’re walking around the house and lose line of sight with the device.
- It’s not very durable. Compared to the IP55-rated ThermaQ Blue, for example, it’s just not a high-quality, durable device.
Final Take: The IGrill2 isn’t bad if you’re on a budget. It’s compact, easy to use, does everything you need it to, works with 4 probes, and looks cool, too. But the build quality is subpar and the Bluetooth signal is poor, making it no more than a budget option.
The GrillEye Bluetooth Thermometer
The GrillEye BBQ Meat Thermometer is still quite affordable, but somehow manages to pack an impressive 300’ of Bluetooth range. That’s pretty good – and makes it the most-powerful Bluetooth thermometer you’ll find.
The Good
- It has 6 probe ports. That’s enough for quite a bit of food and monitoring the ambient temperature, all at once. It’s also some of the most probes you’ll find on a meat thermometer. 4 probes come included and you can purchase more as you like. The included probes are also FDA-certified for use in food.
- The LED Screen has dual temperature display. It shows both your target temperature and current meat temperature in real time. The screen is also coated with anti-glare polymer, which makes it easier to read in bright sunlight.
- The body is aluminum. It’s compact and light and features an adjustable aluminum kickstand for standing it up on the counter or next to the grill.
- The Bluetooth has a range of 300 feet. As mentioned before, that’s the most range we’ve found on a Bluetooth thermometer and makes wandering freely around the yard while food is on the grill, much easier.
- The GrillEye app has tons of different smart features. You can set target temperatures, min and max threshold alerts, alarms, and even export logs and graphs for your own archives.
The Bad
- The probes are very inconsistent. It can be difficult to get an accurate temperature reading as they will often be a bit off, and often wildly fluctuate in seconds. In fact, GrillEye even points out that they can be up to 34F off – which is a huge amount, when you think about it.
- The build quality isn’t great. The aluminum + plastic body isn’t as strong as we’d like, and it’s not waterproof or weatherproof – which would really make a huge difference when this thing gets left out in the rain.
Final Take: For the price, you could do a lot worse than with the GrillEye. The extra-strong Bluetooth signal with 300’ of range is unbeatable, and it can monitor up to 6 probes at once, making it pretty versatile, too. The downsides are that the temperature readings can be quite inaccurate and inconsistent, and the construction is not waterproof.
Uvistare Bluetooth Thermometer
It’s always nice to have a good budget option, and the Uvistare delivers on that front. At the same time, it also delivers in terms of features, with a solid 6 probe channels – a lot more than anybody else.
The Good
- It has a Bluetooth range of 164 feet. It’s also decently strong and can even go through walls and windows more than some other, more expensive models can.
- It has 6 probe channels. Load it up your grill with a heck of a lot of meat, and keep an eye on the ambient temperature – all at the same time.
- It comes with stainless steel probes, rated to within +/-1F of actual temperature (below 392F). They can read temperatures as low as 32F and as high as 572F accurately; as the temperature climbs above 572F, they’ll be accurate to within +/- 2. The probes also have these cool “flameproof grips” that don’t use silicone; these supposedly helps the probes get better readings, without silicone’s insulating properties getting in the way.
- The Smart App has tons of cool features. It works on both iOs and Android, and you can set timers, alerts, minimum and maximum temperatures, and you’ll be alerted when your meat is done via alarm or even text message. There are presets (Medium, Well Done, Rare, Medium Rare, etc) for 11 different cuts of meat, including steak, chicken legs, lamb, etc.
- The large LCD screen lets you see temperatures at a glance. It also displays such information as battery life and connectivity status.
The Bad
- The Bluetooth signal is inconsistent. When it works, it really works and goes a long way. When it doesn’t work, it frequently drops connection, even at close range.
- The temperature probes can be quite inconsistent.Uvistare says they are rated to within +/-1F and 2F (depending on use and temperature), but they’ve been known to swing quite wildly – often up to 20 or 30 degrees. That doesn’t make for precise cooking and perfectly-done food.
Our Take: If you just need a Bluetooth meat thermometer but don’t have a big budget, the Uvistare BBQ Meat Thermometer will do just fine. It has 6 probe ports and all the smart capability you need. It just doesn’t have the accuracy, reliability and quality you might want; the signal drops a lot and the temperature probes swing wildly.
