The Best Meat Thermometers for Smoking

Written in 2023
by Adam

    We all know how hard it is to cook using a barbecue if you aren’t using an accurate smoker thermometer. It is near impossible to keep the temperature of the smoker consistent which makes it difficult to slow-cook anything. And don’t even think of using the built-in thermometer on your smoker because it won’t end well, they're notoriously awful.

    Your barbecuing experience will be so much more successful and simple if you invest in a quality wireless thermometer and follow some setup instructions.

    To help you we have found the best smoker thermometers available to you and reviewed them to help you decide which one is right for you.

    Our Winner

    Sale
    Thermopro TP08 Digital Meat Thermometer
    • Easy to Setup: The wireless meat thermometer equipped with a pre synchronized transmitter and receiver which helps to get rid of the hassle of synchronization or pairing before using it; Thanks to its...
    • 2 Accurate and Fast Response Probes: The leave in thermometer comes with its 8.5 inches food grade stainless steel food probe and BBQ or oven probe, helping monitor the food and ambient temperature...
    • Alarm Function and Timer Capabilities: The BBQ thermometer can be set your desired food temp and high low temp range and helps to know if your grill or smoker needs attention for temperature control...
    The great thing about the TP08 is that it combines all the important aspects of a thermometer; great range, excellent durability, and lots of features, whilst still being at a budget price point.

    This product has dual probes with a range of up to 300 feet and that are accurate to 1.8 °F. The temperature display is on a lightweight, portable device and if the temperature goes above your programmed range the device will flash and beep. This is great as it means you can get on with other jobs or even relax without having to worry about your smoker.

    Pros:

      • Accuracy - despite this thermometer being cheaper than most they certainly don’t compromise on accuracy when compared to a high-end thermometer it is only a couple of degrees off.

      • Focus on Important Aspects - we understand that the Thermopro isn’t going to come with lots of added features due to its price. However it nails the key features such as the display, the lost link warning, and the temperature alerts.

    Cons:

      • Complicated Buttons - you may find yourself rereading the user manual a few times as working out how to program the temperature range can be tricky.

      • Back Arrows Needed - if you overshoot the temperature there are no back arrows so you have to go all the way back round which can be time-consuming.

    This thermometer is perfect for you if you aren’t interested in having a fancy thermometer and would prefer to save some money.

    Runner Up

    INKBIRD IBBQ-4T Wireless BBQ Thermometer Rechargeable WiFi Cooking Thermometer with 4 Probes Timer High Low Alarm BBQ Digital Thermometer WiFi BBQ...
    • ✅【Wi-Fi Connection】Download Inkbird Pro app, this smoker grill thermometer is connected over 2.4GHZ Wi-Fi with your phone.One phone can pair with more than one IBBQ-4T and more than one people...
    • ✅【Rechargeable Battery to Save Money】The 2000mAh lithium battery of this Kitchen cooking thermometer could last about 26 hours once fully charged. Don’t need to spend extra money on replacing...
    • ✅【Temperature Graph & Calibration】The temperature graph of this food grill thermometer can be download through the APP. No worrys about losing the data any more. What’s more, this wireless...
    This product has been a staple among experience pit masters for ages. It has two probes and a range of 300 ft (when in the open). It's perfect as it is the match of accurate temperature reading and quality construction, what's more there aren't lots of confusing settings to slow you down. It also has a decent-sized backlit LCD screen.

    Pros:

      • The super long battery will give you 26 hours, and after that is rechargeable! It's super convenient and will keep you from any mishaps.
      • On the topic of convenient, the WIFI connection to your phone will let you track whatever your smoking on the go!

    Cons:

      • Its on the expensive side of the market, so not necessarily for new chefs just trying to get into smoking.
      • As convenient as the WIFI connection is, it only works on a 2.4GHz bandwidth.

    This Inkbird model is a great quality thermometer and the accuracy of the temperature reading will mean that you can perfectly cook meat using your smoker.

    Its a little bit on the expensive side, but you pay for what you get, wireless and rechargeable, as well as being able to connect to your phone on the go, its incredibly convenient and is an amazing product.

    The price means this product is for people a little more into smoking that know what they're doing and are looking for a premium product.

    More Options

    Sale
    Inkbird IBT-4XS Meat Thermometer
    • 🍗 【Notes for This 4 probes Bluetooth BBQ Thermometer】Please make sure the Bluetooth meat thermometer probes are firmly inserted into the Wireless BBQ thermometer ports. You may hear a click...
    • 🍗 【Let You Free When Grilling】 This Inkbird 4 probes grill thermometer can pair with Android or iPhone (Please make sure the GPS location is open). This bbq thermometer read your cooking...
    • 🍗 【Magnetic Design and Large LED Screen】 The digital thermometer magnetic design on the back of the Inkbird IBT-4XS could be adsorbed on the smoker or oven ect. strongly. Another amazing design...

    The main unit of the IBT-4XS is very minimalistic with only one button located on the screen, this is because almost all of the settings and controls are located on the companion app. Made from plastic, the main unit is also very lightweight, however, this does mean that waterproofing is sacrificed so you'll want to avoid smoking in the rain.

    With a capacity of four probes this thermometer provides a lot of flexibility, you can opt to order two or four probes if you don't think you will need four.

    Pros:

      • Easy Setup - all you need to do to get this thermometer up and running is simply install the app on your phone and follow some straight forward instructions. Great!

      • Accurate Readings - you can easily forget with all of this Bluetooth tech that what we are looking for is accuracy and this thermometer comes within 2 degrees of the higher end thermometers.

      • Brilliant App - the in-app experience is great as you can easily check temperatures and even name your probes so that you won’t forget what they are measuring. In addition, you can set temperature ranges and alarms that alert you if the temperature leaves these ranges.

    Cons:

      • Lack of Waterproofing - the main unit is vulnerable to the conditions which is not ideal as it is another thing to think about when planning your cook.

      • Limited Added Features - things like exporting your graphs or increasing their scale would’ve been nice additions however this is by n means the be-all and end-all.

      • All Probes are the Same - you will notice that all of the probes have a curve in the prong that is designed for meat, this is not a huge problem it just means that it will take up more space in your smoker.

    Weber iGrill 2 Bluetooth Thermometer

    The iGrill 2 is one of the most exciting products available. This is because instead of using WiFi technology to connect to a receiver it uses Bluetooth to connect to your phone/tablet using a free app.

    The app allows you to name each probe, simplifying the process of monitoring more than one piece of meat. 2 probes come with the iGrill but it has a capacity of 4 (you can purchase probes from Amazon).

    You may have heard about connection issues however we can assure you that these have been resolved. As long as you don't have too many walls between you and the thermometer the range will not be an issue either.

    Sale
    MEATER Long Range Smart Wireless Meat Thermometer
    • ► [The ideal choice for indoor and outdoor cooking enthusiasts] MEATER Plus is 100% wire-free, allowing you to cook with complete freedom and flexibility. This Long Range Model features Bluetooth 5...
    • ► [The perfect gift for the chef in your life] Whether it's for your husband, dad, brother, wife, mother, sister, or a food-loving friend, this versatile kitchen gadget is a must-have for anyone who...
    • ► [2 Sensors, 1 Probe] The dual temperature sensors on this meat thermometer enable you to monitor both the internal meat temperature (up to 100°C) and the ambient/external temperature (up to...

    No products found.

    Is this guide for you?

    This guide focuses on people that are looking to smoke pork butts, briskets, turkey, or whole chicken. More importantly, if you want to take away the stress that comes with maintaining temperature over long cooks.

    The two main things you need for success is for your smoker to consistently sit at a low temperature ( 225 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit), and to be keeping track of the meats internal temperature so you can take it off the smoker to rest at its ideal temperature.

    Getting a good thermometer will allow you to get on with your day without worrying about how your smoker is doing, which can really hinder the progress of whatever else you are trying to do.
    If you aren’t as interested in smoking larger pieces of meat and would prefer cooking something smaller such as fish or ribs then the majority of this guide will still be of use. The only difference for you is that you may only need one probe and an instant-read thermometer.

    How to Set up Your Wireless Thermometer

    If you manage to set up your thermometer correctly it will make life so much easier when it comes to cooking using your smoker. It will enable you to keep track of the meat’s temperature and the ambient temperature without having to open the smoker.

    The probe for your ambient temperature needs to be measuring the air temperature where your food is. However, if you place your probe too close to the meat then the cold meat coils affect the reading.

    What to consider when placing your probes:

    • When placing the meat probe put it in the thickest part of the meat away from any bone.
    • Use a probe clip that will come with most thermometers to attach your probe to the grill grate.
    • Remember that smokers are hotter in the middle than at the edge so place your probe near enough to the meat however not closer than a few inches as this could lead to false readings.

    If you don’t have or have lost your probe clips then do not worry as you can use scrunched up tin foil to hold the probe in place with.

    Why not just use the built-in thermometers?

    We know what you are thinking, I’ve just spent all this money on a new smoker and I shouldn’t trust the thermometer that comes with it?

    We say this because dome thermometers do measure the air temperature but it is the temperature of the air above whatever you are cooking. You want to know the temperature of the air directly next to your meat. That’s even without considering how manufacturers try to save as much money as possible on their built-in thermometers making them sub-par at best.

    Keeping your thermometer in good condition

    There are always lots of complaints in which people are angry that their new probes have stopped working after only a few uses. This is really not the case if you purchase a good quality thermometer, like the ones in our guide and you take good care of them. We have found that when doing this you can keep your probes working for at least a few years, normally longer.

    Here are some ways that you can maintain the quality of your thermometer:

    • Make sure that your meat and grills do not exceed the temperature rating. When cooking at low temperatures and over a longer amount of time this should not be an issue as all of the thermometers on this guide have a rating of over 700 degrees Fahrenheit.
    • Never submerge your probe, even when washing it. Submerging your probe will most likely lead to your probe breaking, when washing stick to just wiping it down with a paper towel.
    • Be careful with how you store your probes, try to keep it as neat as possible to avoid crimping the wires.

    To Conclude

    We know that picking the right thermometer for you can be very stressful, especially if you are a beginner just getting into smoking and barbecues. You may not have even known what a probe was at the start!

    We think the best option on the market for at the moment is the ThermoPro TP-08 due to its multipurpose probes that allow maximum flexibility. As well as the fact that it is produced by such a reliable brand in ThermoPro.

    We hope this guide has helped you to make a well-informed choice on what thermometer is best for you.

    Last update on 2023-10-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

    Written by Adam

    Adam is the creator of the SmokeGuys website, running it since 2016. Hater of coriander, lover of all things meat... Adam currently works in marketing with a dream of being able to make food his full-time 'job' in the longer term.

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