Wireless Meat Thermometer Links Your Grilled Meat to Your Home Wi-Fi Network
Grilling season ain't over yet, and if you're a die-hard barbeque master, Meater's latest offering, the Pro XL, might just be the ultimate tool for your late summer feast. This bad boy isn't just about knowing when your chicken's cooked to perfection from afar through Bluetooth, it's about ensuring your meat's safe to devour right from your WiFi or the cloud.
The Meater Pro XL comes equipped with four 5mm metal probes that can sense heat in meat and poultry up to 221 degrees Fahrenheit, or a whopping 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit of ambient heat. You'll also notice an upgrade to a bigger wooden case, accommodating those extra probes with more slots. But the real change is the WiFi connectivity—what once required you to monitor tempers with a phone or tablet via Bluetooth, is now an easy wireless affair.
If you're wondering whether the $240 Meater Block could serve as an alternative, it does include multiple probes, but it only monitors heat up to 527 degrees Fahrenheit and solely through Bluetooth. Still, it offers a slightly more affordable option for home chefs.
However, the WiFi connectivity could be a game-changer for those long cooks, whether it's smoking or braising. It's also a promising idea for families with multiple meals at different temperatures scattered across the home—so yes, it might seem excessive for most home cooks, but it's a tempting proposition for those who love a good slow-cooked meal.
Priced at $350, the Pro XL comes with a charging station that connects via USB-C. Should you find yourself beyond your WiFi range, Meater states you can connect to the company's cloud network and track your temperatures via cell service. The Meater app is designed to alert users when their meat goes below or past the set temperature, allowing for adjustments on the fly. According to the company, their probes boast a margin of error of just .5 degrees Fahrenheit.
With my sanctuary kitchen, I prefer to keep it probe-free when I'm behind the stove—it's a hellish place, and I don't need any distractions. But the more appealing aspect of the Pro XL, especially during those hectic multi-dish meals like Thanksgiving, is having multiple thermometers at once. The Meater Plus Smart Meat Thermometer, a favorite of my editor (self-proclaimed grill dad), is why it made our list of 2023's best gadget gifts. The Pro XL's four probes make it a far more costly option at $350 compared to the original $100 Meater Plus and $140 Meater 2 Plus. It's up for preorder now and should start shipping in mid-September.
When pit against other fancy meat thermometers, the Meater Pro XL stands out for its WiFi connectivity, multiple probes, and guided cooking system for flawless results. Other options like the Typhur Sync offer dual-probes at a lower price but with connectivity issues, while the Inkbird provides solid value with multi-probe functionality but struggles with app stability. The budget-friendly ThermoPro Twin TempSpike's affordability and performance earn it praises, while the ThermoWorks RFX excels in reliability and accuracy but is a tad pricier. When selecting an advanced meat thermometer, examine factors such as WiFi connectivity, the number of probes, app support, and your budget to find the perfect grill companion.
- The Meater Pro XL includes four 5mm metal probes that can monitor heat in poultry and meat up to 221 degrees Fahrenheit or 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit of ambient heat.
- Unlike the Meater Block, which only monitors heat up to 527 degrees Fahrenheit and relies on Bluetooth, the Pro XL offers WiFi connectivity, allowing for easy wireless temperature tracking.
- The Pro XL's WiFi connectivity could be a significant advantage for long cooks, such as smoking or braising, and for families with multiple meals at different temperatures scattered across the home.
- The Meater app, designed for the Pro XL, alerts users when their meat goes below or past the set temperature, providing the flexibility to make adjustments on the fly.
