When smoking a valuable cut, you want to get your meat cooked just right and a lot of that is down to the science of getting it to the right temperature then keeping it there.
It is the same deal whether you are experienced at smoking large cuts or someone completely new to it. Control the temperature for long enough and you should have juicy and tender meat to enjoy for you and your guests.
Smoking a brisket can be tricky, no matter how many times you have done it before. You may have gotten it exactly how you want it once but cannot remember what you did, would it not be great to have the cooking data stored somewhere?
In any case, you should be fully aware that there is a little leeway with the temperature. Too low and you could make your guests ill by encouraging bacteria growth, too high and that cut will be tough and unpalatable.
But this is a digital age and with it comes to some welcome technology that can make smoking a whole lot easier. You could also find yourself enjoying the occasion a lot more as a Wi-Fi meat thermometer can let you monitor the temperature remotely via your smartphone or tablet.
Simply check it via a dedicated app at your convenience or be alerted when you need to be.
In this guide, we will look at the best Wi-Fi meat thermometers to help you find the one that allows you to fully enjoy a special event and get your cooking just right.
With four colored probes, you can easily look after several cuts of meat at once and know which one is for which cut. The Inkbird Wi-Fi Grill Meat Thermometer IBBQ-4T is one of the more thoughtful designs out there.
Not only will the dedicated app allow you to easily monitor the cooking temperature and alert you when it has reached a certain one, but you can also download a graph showing you how the temperature changed during your cooking.
The temperature range is also one of the highest out there, from 32°F to 572°F (0°C to 300°C) for short term grilling or from 32°F to 482°F (0°C to 250°C) for continuous monitoring.
Then some features simply make this one of the easiest meat thermometers to use. That includes the rechargeable battery that should last for 26 hours on its own but can even be recharged while you use it.
There are even 12 preset modes to get used to which adjust depending on the meat you are cooking and the doneness level you desire.
Find a metallic surface to store the thermometer when you are using it, or simply leave it on the fridge when you are not to keep it within visibility for an impromptu barbecue.
Also Available At: InkBird
You can feel confident with your Govee Smart Wi-Fi Meat Thermometer. As soon as your preset temperature is out of range you will get an instant notification on the mobile app telling you so giving you the chance to rectify it appropriately.
Use the countdown timer too to control the cooking so it cooks at the desired temperature for as long as you need it to. Feel confident that the thermometer is showing the correct temperature too as it will be accurate within a range of ±1.8°F.
The meat thermometer also helps you out with 28 preset temperatures, the app will make recommendations on the cooking temperature and even make suggestions based on your grilling. As with other Wi-Fi meat thermometers, a magnetic design makes it effortless to use and view as you can keep it on the grill.
The rechargeable battery also lasts a staggering 40 hours which should be long enough for a few truly low and slow smoking sessions. The main difficulty may be deciding what you want to grill.
Also Available At: Govee
For sophisticated smoking, you need a smoker controller that can turn down the temperature of your pit once the desired temperature has been reached. For that, you require a Flame Boss 500-WiFi Smoker Controller which can work with most Kamado-style charcoal grills and smokers.
This includes the Kamado Joe, the Big Green Egg, and several others which shows some great versatility. With this smoker controller, you can access the meat and pit temperature settings and control them completely from the app.
This is the ideal setup if you want to automatically drop the pit temperature once the desired meat temperature has been hit so you can keep your cut warm and ready if you are waiting for guests.
Then there is voice command technology as the smoker controller is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home which means the ultimate in hands-free cooking.
If you want to spend a bit more time analyzing your cooking then use the online dashboard to view graphs from your cooks allowing you to work out why it worked so well. Though the meat probes are sold separately, the smoker controller can support up to three of them.
Also Available At: Flame Boss
The FireBoard 2 Cloud-Connected Smart Thermometer may be small but it sure is effective. This Wi-Fi meat thermometer comes with six probes which should have you covered for a huge barbecue with many friends.
Whatever meat you are cooking, you can enjoy mingling with your guests while your fish, beef, pork, turkey, lamb, or chicken cut is being monitored. Imagine the possibilities with so many probes and the different meats you can cook for so many different recipes.
The LCD is bright enough to see from a distance and it will also tell you the battery level as well as the temperature reading. It should be accurate too, within a range of ±0.7°F for some expertly cooked meats.
Simply hook it up to the Wi-Fi signal, log into the FireBoard app then monitor your food, you can even use Bluetooth connectivity up to 100 feet too. Wander around the house and still keep an eye on the barbecue in the backyard, it’s almost like magic.
Also Available At: FireBoard
Some Wi-Fi meat thermometers will simply report back on the temperature to give you ample time to alter it as you see fit. With the BBQ Guru UltraQ, you can control the temperature by feeding the right amount of oxygen to the charcoal.
Their 10 CFM Pit Viper Fan/Blower can help you achieve evenly cooked food and reduce the occurrence of temperature fluctuations.
All that control comes with easy use too as the temperature probes are dishwasher safe and the sheathed wires provide protection from breakage and kinks.
The BBQ Guru app can also allow you to choose the perfect ambient cooking temperature for your food so you can take the effort out of low and slow smoking.
A Guru Status Light Ring will also mean you can quickly see how close, or far away, the grill or smoker is from hitting that desired temperature just by seeing which color is displayed.
This gives you the ability to add more charcoal, know when the fan is running, and if your cooking requires any attention. Such precision should mean cooking with your grill or smoker is as easy as using the oven.
Also Available At: BBQ Guru
With some Wi-Fi meat thermometers, you can be content to let it tell you the temperature only for you to decide what to do. Some will take action, such as improving the airflow to change the temperature.
However, the MEATER Plus Smart Meat Thermometer goes even further by guiding you through the cooking process itself as if you had an assistant.
Use the app and let it estimate how long your cooking will take at certain temperatures using the Advanced Estimator Algorithm allowing you to plan accordingly.
You can even monitor several different types of meat at their specific temperature settings at once via the dedicated app. The smart meat thermometer is also versatile to work with a wide range of cooking devices from kettle grills, Kamado grills, and gas grills and smokers to rotisseries and ovens.
The range also goes up as far as 165 feet which means you can mingle as far away as you like while still being able to monitor your cooking. Ideal for catching up with friends and family which is likely the reason for the event you are preparing meat for anyway.
Also Available At: MEATER
If you have a truly substantial backyard, you may want a Wi-Fi meat thermometer with a large wireless range. This should give you confidence that your cooking is being looked after, no matter how far indoors or outdoors you go.
The Tappecue Wi-Fi BBQ Thermometer has a wireless range of 180 feet so those app alerts should still reach you. You can always use several mobile devices too just in case you wanted to pick up some more supplies and wanted someone else to take control.
The add-ons are worth making a note of as you can connect the Wi-Fi thermometer to Google Home and use the voice activation. Connect it to your Alexa or even have it accessible on your Apple Watch.
There is even the capability to monitor up to eight separate temperature readings with a thermometer that can withstand even the wettest of weather conditions with IPX-5 water resistance.
You can even improve your cooking by using the cloud-based storage and going through your previous cooks to see what worked that one time you made an excellent brisket or what did not when you cooked a whole chicken.
Also Available At: Tappecue
A built-in blower should be familiar to anyone who appreciates BBQ Guru’s range of Wi-Fi meat thermometers. Guru Control is their ingenious way of preventing temperature fluctuations with tailored airflow to increase the oxygen to the charcoal.
The CyberQ BBQ Temperature Controller & Digital Meat Thermometer goes even further with Open Lid Detection that can sense when the temperature has dropped and even estimate how long it will take to return to the desired temperature.
No more wondering why your brisket takes an hour or so longer than it should do, you can do something about sudden temperature drops now.
The Wi-Fi meat thermometer will look out for your cooking with Ramp Mode that goes some way to ensuring that your meat is never overcooked. If you forget about it the temperature is automatically lowered so it will remain warm and remain juicy.
Not that you have any real excuse about forgetting it with the audible alerts on your phone via SMS or even your email to tell you when the food is ready. Talk about functionality, the LCD also has an adjustable backlight and you can even change from C to F or vice versa.
Also Available At: BBQ Guru
It may not be that outlandish to suggest that you have several cookers in your backyard. For an unforgettable cookout, you may want to use each one for a combination of smoking and grilling.
If you want a Wi-Fi meat thermometer to take care of the ambient temperature of each one and still have enough probes for five different types of meat then the GrillEye Max GE0006 Smart Thermometer should be considered.
Your guests may even be impressed by the remarkable clear design which stands out amongst the competition.
They should be suitably impressed by the meat as the temperature should be accurate up to ±0.18°F (±0.1°C) and such accuracy is unlikely to be beaten. That’s as well as including minus temperatures as it can go down to -40°F (-40°C) which may be ideal for a barbecue in the cold.
Even for low and slow smoking as the battery life lasts up to 48 hours for a few of those demanding cuts of meat. You can also rely on the most ideal viewing angle for your smart thermometer as you can rotate the body up and down.
Also Available At: GrillEye
There can be a point during a barbecue party where you wonder why you bothered smoking a large brisket.
Sure, you know you got the meat rub just right and if you pay attention to it carefully enough, it should be deliciously juicy and slices will come away so easily.
Yet, the main reason for a party is to enjoy it and to spend time with guests you may not have seen in a while. If you are spending an excessive amount of time checking the temperature of your brisket, your guests might not see you at all.
This is where a Wi-Fi meat thermometer comes in. Instead of continually probing your large cut of meat, you can simply insert it in and set up an alert on your smartphone. Once the desired specific temperature range has been reached, you should get an alert or even hear an alarm.
In the meantime, you can relax, mingle with your guests, catch up and perhaps enjoy a beer. In that sense, a Wi-Fi meat thermometer allows you to keep an eye on your cooking temperature while allowing you to enjoy your special event just the way you want to.
No more guesswork, no more forking of your large cut of meat, and no more time worrying about whether you need to check it again just in case. Wi-Fi meat thermometers bring convenience to your grilling and smoking but you may still need some advice to find the right one.
There are several on the market that all claim to make the task that much easier. Each comes with its design, features, and cost.
Having one or two probes at hand can make a lot of difference, especially for various cuts of meat. This is because a single probe is only able to take one measurement.
While you may want to concentrate on the temperature of your meat, you may also want to check the ambient temperature from your grill too.
There is also the chance that you are cooking various cuts of meat at once which require different temperatures so having two probes is ideal for a large cookout and especially if your guests prefer different levels of doneness.
If you are considering a dual probe thermometer then check what each one is capable of. Some second probes are simply designed for monitoring the grill’s ambient temperature and not the meat.
As long as you get the right one, you can check both the meat and the grill temperatures easily.
Should you have three cookers, you may want to ensure you have more probes available. Some manufacturers allow you to buy more probes separately, adding to the two you already have.
This could add up to as many as six or eight which would prove worthwhile for a huge gathering where you are cooking around five different types of meat.
You should ensure that you have an app that can allow for monitoring each meat individually as the cooking time and temperature for chicken will differ wildly from brisket and fish.
The temperature range could be crucial if you are cooking a wide variety of cuts. For instance, for low and slow smoking a brisket you want to control the temperature at around 225 to 250°F. The range could even go as high as 550°F if you wanted to do some serious searing and grilling.
However, simply knowing when the grill is off could be ideal so ensure it can go as low as 32°F too. There are even thermometers that can go below freezing to around -40°F (-40°C) which could be worthwhile if you live in a cold climate and the meat thermometer turns itself off in sub-zero conditions.
One of the plus points of any meat thermometer is to allow you the freedom to move away from the grill while knowing that the temperature is being taken care of.
This is where the other temperature range comes in, making sure that the range is sufficient that you can move indoors or further away outdoors and that the connection remains.
A range of between 100 and 300 feet indoors should be enough while any further could also prove ideal considering how big your backyard is.
As your Wi-Fi meat thermometer can prove such a sizable investment, you should want to make sure that it is durable enough to last for years. Should it fail to be water-proof or even splash-proof, then the odd rain shower is going to prove problematic.
If you regularly use a barbecue in the heat of summer then ensuring that it will not meltdown in the heat is also something to look out for.
There are specific weatherproof Wi-Fi meat thermometers that are especially durable. These may be worth considering for harsh weather conditions yet there may be a compromise.
As long as you look after your meat thermometer, chances are it is unlikely to be exposed to harsh weather conditions, especially if you plan your barbecue to be enjoyed in the best part of summer.
It may be something to consider if you are prone to dropping expensive appliances into the water.
There is not a lot to be desired with the battery type and it should be a simple choice. You can opt for standard batteries or rechargeable ones. The only difference is how environmentally friendly you want to be so opt for rechargeable batteries.
You may even find a design that allows you to recharge your battery while you are using it which could prove ideal so you are not caught out halfway through a low and slow smoke.
The LCD could make a huge difference in how easy it is for you to know when you need to change something on your grill. From a Status Light Ring with color-coded alerts so you know what’s working and what is not just from a glance to an adjustable backlight.
You may simply want a display that just shows the temperature but you can also find one that indicates the battery level too.
Whatever it is, it should be clear and easy to see from a distance if you want it to work remotely without having to get your smartphone out.
All sorts of appliances now come with smart features that are designed to make our lives easier. In a Wi-Fi meat thermometer that means allowing us to socialize while still being able to monitor the cooking temperature of our meat. Simply synchronize the thermometer with your smartphone and off you go.
The smart features of a Wi-Fi meat thermometer should be centered around its wireless capabilities. That means a dedicated app that you can use on your smartphone to let you monitor the temperature.
You may also want a feature that sets up an alert for when the temperature drops below a certain level or when your desired temperature has been reached.
If you are used to a substantial amount of different meats then find an app that can let you monitor multiple probes at once.
The way the app communicates with you is also important. Some Wi-Fi meat thermometers can alter the temperature itself by using a fan to blow in oxygen to the charcoal.
However, you may want an alert simply to tell you if there has been a sudden drop in temperature so you can deal with it.
Open Lid Detection can tell you that but also tell you how long it can take for the temperature to return to its desired level which can mean you can let your guests know how long it should take before the meat is ready too.
Believe it or not, some Wi-Fi meat thermometers go beyond offering hands-free cooking with alerts to let you know when something is ready or if something has changed. You can even use certain meat monitoring apps with Google Home or Alexa.
That’s right, voice activation is the next level in hands-free cooking meaning you can change the temperature remotely, without even physically touching anything.
The finest Wi-Fi meat thermometers should be exceedingly accurate to deliver the best results. While you may be able to get away with having your meat temperature a couple of degrees out, this may only get worse with a faulty thermometer.
The higher-end meat thermometers should have the most accurate temperature reading so you should only expect a couple of degrees of inaccuracy.
Some manufacturers even boast that their meat thermometers only have a margin of error of 0.7°C or even ±0.18°F (±0.1°C) which is staggeringly accurate.
If you have a smartphone app, it should be able to collect data and with one synched with a meat thermometer, it should tell you about each cooking event.
Some apps can display temperature graphs so you can judge how long it can take to reach certain temperatures and how easy it is to control at such levels.
Importantly. Other apps can store data that can be retrieved to help you work out what went well in certain situations and what did not.
This could be ideal for recreating a low and slow smoke so you appreciate when it should be ready and removing the guesswork for next time.
Get your last-minute queries answered here!
If you use your barbecue or smoker regularly, then you should see a lot of use out of your Wi-Fi meat thermometer. They can prove quite an investment yet you should know how to look after one.
Of course, you will have to wash it after each use but do so carefully. Instead of submerging it in water or throwing it in the dishwasher, simply use a trusted cleaning cloth and wipe your thermometer with some warm water and detergent.
You need to be gentle with a Wi-Fi meat thermometer. Read the instructions carefully to find out what the temperature range is and ensure that your cooking does not go past that maximum range.
Exposure to higher temperatures than the thermometer is designed for is likely to damage it and prevent it from working properly.
Storing your Wi-Fi meat thermometer after use is also important. You will likely want to keep it close to your grilling and smoking equipment yet make sure it is not crushed underneath anything.
There is also a simple rule to go by; read the instructions before using the thermometer as the manufacturer may want to inform you of a detail that could make a difference.
When learning how to look after and maintain a Wi-Fi meat thermometer, the best ways are often provided by the manufacturer.
This is relatively simple to prove and you only need a glass of ice water to demonstrate it. Simply insert your thermometer probe into the water and ensure that the stem does not touch the glass.
Give it a few seconds to show the temperature and it should read either 0°C or 32°F. If not, then you may want to make a note of what the temperature is as if it is wildly wrong, you may want to consider returning it or buying a new one.
Even if you have years of grilling experience, you should still be aware of food safety and do everything in your utmost to protect yourself and your guests from foodborne illnesses.
That should mean simple measures such as cleaning your hands and food preparation surfaces while keeping raw meat away from other foods and leaving others in the refrigerator until you need them.
However, one of the most significant measures should be using a thermometer to reach the desired temperature for cooking different cuts of meat.
A meat thermometer removes the guesswork from grilling, which may take away some of the fun but will increase the safety of your social event.
It should also save you time from having to probe your meat every few minutes or so as you can simply leave the probe in the meat then use a smartphone app to check the temperature.
That should free you up to mingle with your guests as you will instantly know the temperature of your meat and the ambient temperature in your grill.
The use of a meat thermometer brings your cooking technique and monitoring closer to that of working with an oven. You can set the temperature accordingly, and even receive an alert when the desired temperature has been reached.
Knowing the internal temperature of your grill can be essential for fine-turning your grilling skills and achieving consistent results.
That knowledge alone can also mean you can become more efficient with your fuel as there is less chance of overcooking your food and using up more fuel than you intend to as you have more control over the cooking time.
The short answer is accuracy as a probe is designed to tell you the temperature within a few degrees while an analog thermometer can be wholly inaccurate.
You may have only a couple of degrees of leeway to spare between getting your brisket exactly right or it falling disappointingly short.
A digital thermometer can tell the temperature right at the grate where your meat is sitting while the dial thermometer may be between 10 and 50°F out which you cannot cook accurately with.
The speed at which a digital thermometer can tell you the temperature can also make a massive difference.
A dial thermometer can take a full minute as the needle moves while a digital one can give you the temperature continuously and precisely, definitely more so than the dial found on your grill’s lid.
To best gauge the interior temperature of your grill, you should place the probe close to the same height as your meat. Try not to place it physically close to your meat as food tends to produce a pocket of cold air around it so aim for around two inches away.
The probe should also be over an inch above the hot grates as close proximity can ramp up the detected temperature.
Ideally, your probe should come with a clip so you can affix it to a certain spot above the hot grates. However, if it does not come with clips you can simply use some aluminum foil to fix it in place.
Ensure you do not cover the end of the probe though as you will reduce the contact and alter the probe’s ability to judge the heat properly.
For meat, you want to insert the probe into the thickest part of a cut and make sure it goes past the center. Once you begin to pull the probe out, take a note of the lowest reading as this will indicate whether the meat is thoroughly cooked.
Remember that if the probe is sat against the bone you will get a different temperature reading than the meat as the two substances heat up differently.
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