When cooking, thermometers are just as important as any other tool because they help you make sure that your food is safe, tender, juicy, and full of flavor. For the most part, you are not able to rely on the thermometer that’s already built into your smoker. Most manufacturers tend to cut costs in these areas and these thermometers only tell you the temperature of the air within the cooker and not the internal temperature of the food.
Obtaining the best smoker thermometer will help you accurately measure the temperature and really tell when the food is ready to be served. We have reviewed the best BBQ smoker thermometers and created a list of some of the most reliable thermometer models for 2020.
Here you go:
| # | Product | Name | Dimensions (in) | Temperature Range | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
ThermoPro TP18 | 6.4 × 2.4 × 5.9 | 32 – 572 °F (0 – 300 °C) | Check price |
| 2 |  |
Maverick ET-733 | 2.5 × 1 × 4.8 | 32 – 572 °F (0 – 300 °C) | Check price |
| 3 |  |
DozyAnt Temp Gauge | 4.8 × 3.4 × 3.5 | 100 – 550 °F (38 – 280 °C) | Check price |
| 4 |  |
ThermoPro TP-16 | 2.2 × 0.6 × 1.5 | 32 – 572 °F (0 – 300 °C) | Check price |
| 5 |  |
Lumsing Wireless Thermometer | 3.1 × 3.1 × 0.9 | -40 – 482 ˚F (-40 – 250˚C) | Check price |
Reviews of the Best Smoker Thermometers for 2020
1. ThermoPro TP20 Wireless Meat Thermometer
Editor’s Pick
ThermoPro TP20
Digital Thermometer with Dual Probe for Smoker, Grill & BBQ
Top rated meat thermometer intended for serious chefs
This is a top rated meat thermometer intended for serious chefs. The probe wires are rated for temperatures of up to 716 degrees Fahrenheit (380 degrees Celsius).
It comes with an extended five-year warranty on the sensor. If you have any problems or incorrect temperature readings, the company will replace the probes without asking any questions.
In this thermometer, you will find all of the features you would expect to find in a professional kitchen gadget. It has a large and simple LCD display that shows all the important and necessary information.
With the twin probe design, the thermometer can be used to read the temperature of the food and the pit temperature as well as be used as a grill surface thermometer. The screen is backlit and it can be used even in low light conditions.
There are preset temperatures for nine different types of meat (ground beef, ground poultry, veal, chicken, pork, beef, poultry, lamb and fish) and for different levels of doneness (rare, medium rare, medium and well done). You can also manually set your own temperatures.
The receiver, which runs on four AAA batteries, is equipped with alarms, a countdown or count-up timer, and can operate when it is up to 300 feet away from the base.
As far as remote meat thermometers go, this unit is pretty good. It’s a great thermometer for any grill or smoker.
Pros
- Dual probe design with large back-lit display
- Includes timers and alarms
- Comes with its own receiver
Cons
- There is no alarm
- Beeps loudly every time a button is touched
2. Maverick ET-733 Long Range Wireless Dual Probe BBQ Smoker Meat Thermometer
This one has become one of the most popular and top-rated meat thermometers which come as no surprise.
The brand is known for manufacturing accurate meat BBQ thermometers that are constantly receiving good reviews and are recommended by amateurs and professionals alike.
This dual probe meat thermometer lets you simultaneously monitor the meat and the internal pit temperature from up to 300 feet away. The probe wires are three feet long and are rated for a maximum temperature of 716 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you’ve used a wireless thermometer before, especially one with two probes, nothing will surprise you about the unit’s setup. It comes with a transmitter that connects to the two probes which are then placed inside your smoker.
You can choose from fifteen presets of different types of meat: beef, veal, lamb, pork, chicken, deer, elk, moose, buffalo, rabbit, boar, duck, bird and fish. Presets for several degrees of doneness is also offered but also comes with manual settings.
Setup is pretty straightforward. You select the probe then choose what temperature you want. You can also set a temperature range.
An audible alarm sounds when the temperature gauge reaches outside a lower or upper limit which can be turned off. The backlight on the receiver goes out after only five seconds.
This is long enough for a quick temperature reading, but a little bit annoying if what you’re trying to do is change the settings in the dark.
There is also an alert to let you know if a loss of signal has occurred if you go out of range. This is another nice feature to have.
We think that this model works best when used in a smoker setup. The best features of the thermometer really shine when used to measure the pit temperature and meat temperature during a low and slow cook.
Pros
- Easy temperature monitoring for each probe
- Preset or manual temperature setting
- There is an alarm
- Great build quality
Cons
- Changing batteries requires a screwdriver
- It can be difficult to program
3. DozyAnt 3 1/8″ Larger Face 550F Temp Gauge
Before the digital era and before everything became electronic, grills used to rely on analog thermometers and they are still considered to be accurate BBQ thermometers and some of the best meat thermometers for grilling.
Some experts also think that this kind of temperature gauge is the best grill surface thermometer for an oven because it’s made of steel and there are no delicate probes or cables that could potentially melt inside the oven.
The unit has a 3 1/8 inch dial face with a 3-inch stem. Installation is super easy, all you need to do is insert the stem through a 7/8 hole on your grill, oven or smoker and attach the installation kit that is included.
The dial has color-coded zones: the blue zone is for temperatures of 100 – 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Smoke and the red zone are for 250 – 350 degrees.
The construction of this heavy duty stainless steel thermometer is meant to last, resisting rust and withstanding weather elements. The glass on the dial is no-fog which helps avoid any condensation under the glass.
Pros
- Simple design, no electronic parts
- Easy use: no buttons or settings to deal with
Cons
- Needs calibration before use
4. ThermoPro TP-16 Meat Thermometer for Smoker
This is one of the simpler electron thermometers from the brand. It keeps things simple which means that it’s also cheap. If you’re on a really tight budget, this just might be for you.
This great wired meat thermometer is a single-channel food thermometer with good accuracy and a very good price.
It runs on one AAA battery and has some nice features. There is a temperature measurement function and a countdown timer. When the target temperature is reached or the timer runs out, an audible alert will sound. A countdown timer can be set and an alarm will sound when it times out.
While the timer can run in the background when monitoring food temperature, a countdown timer may expire and you will have to go back to timer mode to silence the alarm.
The target temperature can be selected by choosing the type of meat and the desired degree of doneness. You are able to select any temperature that you desire.
The thermometer has a magnetic back and a 40-inch long stainless steel mesh probe cable. The probe itself can withstand temperatures of up to 716 degrees Fahrenheit.
One disadvantage of this model is that it is not waterproof, so keep it away from splashes and liquids.
Pros
- Easy to use and program
- Long enough probe cable
Cons
- Not water (or marinade!) proof
5. Lumsing Wireless BBQ Grill Smoker Oven Thermometer
This is one of the remote thermometers that you have to use with a mobile device; it does not come with a receiver at all. There is a basic LED display that you can use, but to do things remotely, you will need to pair it with your Android or iOS device.
Fortunately, this is easy to do. The thermometer can connect to a tablet, phone, or laptop using Bluetooth and delivers constant updates.
Instead of having to carry some new gadget around the house, all you need to do is keep your phone handy, which is something you probably already do anyway.
The thermometer is very easy to program since this is taken care of through the app’s interface rather than through a few plastic buttons. The companion app has been designed to be incredibly intuitive and easy to use.
The specifications on the thermometer are pretty nice. It’s available in both one-probe and two-probe versions. We recommend the two-probe version. It’s not that much more expensive and being able to monitor the temperature of the oven or grill along with the food comes in pretty handy.
The Bluetooth transmitter works out to about 300 feet while long cords on the temperature probes enable you to place the base fairly far from your oven or BBQ. Best of all, Lumsing offers a lifetime limited warranty with every unit sold.
They’re pretty confident in the durability of this product, so you don’t have to worry about it breaking or burning out.
As far as downsides go, the temperature probes only go up to about 482 degrees Fahrenheit. Although you certainly don’t want your meat to get anywhere near this hot, it is kind of a limitation on how you can use it to measure your oven or grill temperature.
It’s probably best if you remove the probes from your heating area before you broil or sear anything. But other than that, this digital meat thermometer is pretty great.
It’s perfect if you don’t want to carry around an extra gadget or if you want a user interface that is easy to use. It’s probably not for you if you’re into more serious, heavier cooking.
Pros
- Well designed app interface
- Easy to use and program
- Comes in more than one version
Cons
- Probes cannot withstand too high temperatures
Conclusion
So, what is the best smoker thermometer?
We think the ThermoPro TP20 Wireless Meat Thermometer is a great choice. It’s simple, it’s cheap and it does not come with any fancy features that might not be necessary for some cookers.
It’s not water-proof, which is a pity, but it should be good for most purposes which don’t require any complicated set-up.
Why Do You Need a Smoker Thermometer?
Cooking without an accurate BBQ thermometer is like driving at night without headlights. Invest in a good thermometer or you will end up spending extra money on food that will be ruined later.
A good thermometer will pay for itself by saving your meat and your money.
Perfectly Cooked Meat
Without a good thermometer, there’s a good chance you’ll be overcooking or undercooking your meat. Then you’ll have a bunch of guests and family members sick from a foodborne illness.
You can avoid all these things by using a good thermometer that helps you monitor when the food has reached the desired temperature.
Reliable Detection of Food Temperature
Using a meat thermometer for smokers is the only way to reliably tell what temperature the food is. Try to avoid those methods that you’ve probably seen on television or have heard people talk about, they are not reliable.
You can’t tell if your meat is done by poking with your hand because different meats have different levels of tenderness. You can’t tell by putting your hand over the grill and counting because not everybody reacts to heat in the same way nor can you do so by cutting the meat because color changes as the meat absorb oxygen.
The only way to tell if your meat is done is with a thermometer, so we strongly recommend that you use one. You can click the link to read more about some of the Best Wireless Meat Thermometers.
No comments:
Post a Comment