Barbecue thermometers are getting progressively more complicated.
Manufacturers are fitting in as many features as they can including Bluetooth and other luxuries so that they can charge extra.
That brought in this review for an older, cheaper ThermoPro TP-17
Read on to find out more.
The ThermoPro TP-17 provides a good but basic dual probe thermometer.
But bear in mind it won’t have any fancy add-ons.
If you’re looking for a cheap dual probe thermometer, just to keep your eye on the temperature, then this is a good option to consider.
Key Features
-Dual Stainless-Steel probes with steel mesh cables that are used to measure and monitor the heat of one or two pieces of meat.
-A big, 2.5” LCD display to show settings and temperature.
-Programmed with different presets for cooking different meats.
-Can set temperature manually.
-99-hour and 59-min timers.
-Handy flip-out stand and a magnetic back.
-Comes with a one-year warranty.
We tested the ThermoPro TP-17 on some chicken legs with a Pit Boss Pellet Smoker.
What We Liked:
-Customization - the option to be able to select customised temperature presets.
-Calibration is accurate - One probe measured spot on, whilst the other was around 2C off.
-Good versatility - The probes can be used as timers, for monitoring heat or ambient cooking temps.
What We Didn’t Like:
-The Backlight - Only comes on momentarily after you’ve pressed the button which is a problem if you’re cooking at night.
-Inaccurate presets - The meat preset temperatures that you can pick are wildly inaccurate sometimes, and not at all useful.
Most of the preset temps I checked were off, but you can create and set your own presets very easily, so it’s not a problem.
The thermometer is neatly packaged inside a plastic tray in a small cardboard box.
The thermometer is kept safe with small throw-away plastic bits over the sharp ends of the probes, as well as a plastic cover over the LCD display. The package is nice and neat.
The contents of the package:
-1 thermometer display
-2 stainless-steel probes
-1 triple-A battery
-1 probe clip rack
-1 setup manual
The required triple-A battery comes with the thermometer, so as soon as you open up the box it’s ready to go.
The setup manual is easy to use and understand
The probes are pretty average in size, being at around 6.5 at probe length and around 40” in cable length.
The knurled handle on the probes are pretty neat too.
Temperature Range: -10C to 300C
Battery: 1 X AAA Battery
Temperature Accuracy: 1C from 0C to 100C
Resolution: 1
Probe Length: 6.5” Stainless-Steel Probe
Cable Length: 4” Steel Mesh Cable
Uses: BBQ, Smoker, Candy, Meat, Oven, Food
The first thing I did was a quick boil test, to test the accuracy of th thermometer.
The first probe was spot on 212F, whilst the second was 210F.
This isn’t too much of a problem and is within the manufacturer’s range of accuracy.
Before setting up the thermometer, the user needs to decide whether to cook by temperature or time.
This thermometer can count up or down, so either way will work.
It is controlled by an on/off switch at the back of the display block.
The setup is roughly as follows:
The setup was overall pretty quick and easy.
This product works very similarly to the Thermoworks smoke product, but with considerably less luxuries of course. But at its base, they’re both the same leave-in thermometer.
The Thermoworks Smoke has much larger more industrial looking probes, but that comes with the price tag.
Apart from that, all other models you would want to consider are produced by ThermoPro, but just newer more expensive models like the TP-20 wireless digital cooking thermometer.
We've also put together a full guide on the best meat thermometers.
The ThermoPro TP-17 is a thermometer that does its job, accurately measuring and displaying foods internal temperatures in a way that’s easy to read.
It won’t, however, please the more seasoned pitmasters who look for more advanced technology.
The most important thing to remember is to do the research and find your own temperatures, don’t trust the presets!