We Tested the Best Meat Thermometers for Grilling, Smoking, and Roasting

Best Meat Thermometer Overall

ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE

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The Thermapen ONE is about as easy to use as it gets. Extend the probe, stick the pointed end into whatever you want to temp, and read the display. Fold the probe back in for storage when you’re done. Too easy, right? So, why does such a simple thermometer come with such a high price tag? That answer lies in its speed, accuracy, and display. In our sous vide and boiling water tests, the Thermapen was within one degree of accuracy every time. Its response time is impressive, too, settling on a reading within about two seconds. 

It’s an instant-read design, meaning you don’t leave it in for any length of time; you just examine where the food stands right now. In terms of aesthetics, readability, and how it fits in your hand, we found the Thermapen to be functional and middle-of-the-road. But the display is ample for the unit’s size and backlit for easier reading, and it rotates with the orientation of the handle so you don’t have to attempt to read it upside down.

After six months of long-term testing, the Thermapen ONE continued to hold up with incredibly quick and accurate readings. We were particularly impressed with its battery life, which hasn't faltered in the slightest, even with the use of its automatic backlight and auto-adjusting display. It helps that the tool automatically shuts down when you fold the prong back in to store it, which makes this thermometer both long-lasting and reliable.

Probe Length: 4.3 inches | Temperature Range: -58 to 572°F | Bluetooth/Wi-Fi: No | Warranty: 5 years

Best Wireless Meat Thermometer

Meater Plus with Bluetooth Repeater

$100 at Amazon $100 at Target View on Bbqguys.com

The MEATER is unique in that it is a genuinely wireless thermometer. The probes connect via Bluetooth to the base unit, which then connects to the app, and you can extend the range by connecting the entire assembly to WiFi. In testing, we found the probes pretty accurate, either dead-on or within two degrees in our static tests, but it registered three degrees short on the boiling water test, which was approaching the upper limit of the probe’s range. The probes have two sensors each, one end to insert in food and the other to monitor the ambient temperature, so there is no need to dedicate a probe to monitoring the grill.

This is a set for the gadget person. All functionality for the collection is built into the app, as the block has no control functions at all. The app has useful features such as target temperature, ambient temperature, and estimated time remaining. Each setting is touch-responsive, with no need for drop-down menus for setting temperatures. The alarms leave a bit to be desired, as they depend on your phone’s volume, and there are pop-up notifications for various states that alert once with a short audible alarm.

During the six-month long-term testing period, the MEATER continued to perform well. However, we did experience a few connectivity issues that were minor, though not ideal. Occasionally (around two or three times over the entire testing period), the app would disconnect entirely from the probe, requiring us to restart it and manually reconnect. This wasn't a dealbreaker, but it could be frustrating if it were to happen in the middle of cooking. The probe works great for larger proteins like turkey or prime rib, and we loved how helpful the app was for entertaining by alerting us when the meat should be done cooking and preventing us from getting distracted by guests.

Probe Length: 5 inches | Temperature Range: Up to 212°F (internal) and 527°F (external) | Bluetooth/Wi-Fi: Yes | Warranty: 1 year

Best Value Meat Thermometer

ThermoWorks DOT Simple Alarm Thermometer

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The DOT is the bare-bones little cousin of the ChefAlarm. That’s not to diminish either model, but for someone who doesn’t need or want the extra functionality of the ChefAlarm, the DOT could be the right choice. It shares the same accuracy, but the display only operates in whole numbers, so the tests showed spot-on for our sous vide and ice water tests and only one degree of variation in the boiling water test.

It’s a compact model with a circular design about three inches in diameter and a backlit display showing the current and target temperatures. With that, it has one function, which is limited to the target temperature but is simple and intuitive to use. The alarm is consistently audible at 80 decibels, loud enough to hear clearly at 50 feet. Like the ChefAlarm, the temperature control can be frustratingly slow to set, as the up/down pushbutton controls take five seconds to cover each 100-degree increment. If one changed the setting from 100 to 500°F, it would take at least 22 seconds to accomplish.

Sluggish temperature controls aside, this model performed just as well during long-term testing. Over the six-month period, we used it for grilling, oven roasting, and even checking the temperature of frying oil, and it continued to give out rapid and consistent temperature readings. Its battery and display also held up well, showing no signs of slowing down or fading. We also found the magnets on the back of the display to be quite useful when it came to hands-free monitoring, and it also includes a small kickstand for when there isn't a magnetic surface available.

Probe Length: 4.5 inches | Temperature Range: -58 to 572°F | Bluetooth/Wi-Fi: No | Warranty: 2 years

Best Leave-In Digital Meat Thermometer

ThermoWorks ChefAlarm

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The ChefAlarm is more of an appliance than a spot-checker like the Thermapen is. The temperature probe connects to a base unit for constant monitoring during your cook. Its accuracy is fantastic; for all of our static temperature tests, like measuring boiling or ice water, the ChefAlarm registered within a fraction of a degree. If there are any downsides, they lie in the limitations of the control settings. The timer works in minutes and hours but not seconds, and we found that setting the temperature can be frustrating due to the amount of time it takes to move the indicator via the up/down buttons.

However, the unit has a few useful features, like a count-up/count-down timer and a target temperature setting with low- and high-temperature alarms. The alarm that indicates you’ve reached the target temperature or the end of your timer is reasonably clear and loud, ranging between 72 and 88 decibels. For reference, sirens on emergency vehicles operate at 110 to 120 decibels, so there’s only a small chance of not noticing your alarm. In our tests, it was audible at a 50-foot distance, with some diminishment at 75 feet.

The ChefAlarm continued to perform well throughout our six-month long-term testing period, with only a few minor kinks in the probe wire that bore no ill effects on its overall efficacy. We were pleased with its continued quality, ease of use, and variety of applications, both indoors and out. It saved us numerous times when we were confronted with fluctuating oven temps, ensuring that our meat came out perfectly done despite unreliable heat settings. The included carrying case also made a nice addition for keeping the thermometer stored and protected when not in use.

Probe Length: 6 inches | Temperature Range: -58 to 572°F | Bluetooth/Wi-Fi: No | Warranty: 2 years

Best Multi-Probe Meat Thermometer

ThermoPro TP25 4 Probe Bluetooth Remote Meat Thermometer

Orig. $70 $60 at Amazon Orig. $60 $53 at Target $60 at Walmart

The TP25 lets you monitor up to four ranges simultaneously. It comes with two grill clips to enable monitoring of heat zones, or the probes can monitor individual pieces or types of food. Quadrants for each probe’s temperature dominate the display on the base unit, but the app gives more versatility and information. Among the app features is a heat graph for each probe to view the entire cooking process. One of the app's drawbacks is that while it comes with pre-set FDA-safe temperature levels for different foods, setting custom temperatures could be more intuitive. 

The accuracy of the probes veered no more than two degrees in our static tests, which is quite acceptable. The Bluetooth range was good in open spaces, maintaining a connection for over 30 yards, but it dropped off when faced with interior walls as one would encounter going inside their house. The app, however, gives a warning when the connection is lost. The alarm is loud at 90 decibels, enough to hear in a crowded room, should that need arise.

During long-term testing, the TP25 continued to exceed our expectations, performing just as well at the end of the six months as it had on day one. We loved the hands-off approach that Bluetooth connectivity gave to even the most complex cooks. And because we could trust the probe to keep an accurate temperature, we could simply set it and monitor our meat's progress from the app without having to get up and check the base unit constantly or keep opening the oven or grill, causing it to lose temp.

Probe Length: 8 inches | Temperature Range: 14 to 572°F | Bluetooth/Wi-Fi: Yes | Warranty: 1-3 years

Best Meat Thermometer for Smoking

ThermoWorks Smoke Thermometer

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The Smoke is a two-piece unit consisting of the base, which houses the controls and the two probes it connects to, and a receiver for monitoring. The setup was easy and intuitive, taking about 25 seconds to link the base and the receiver. The display is quite prominent, yielding acreage for the controls to provide a more robust view of the probes, including high/low-temperature alarms and min/max temperatures experienced during the cook. With the dual probe arrangement, one can monitor the pit while the other monitors the food, or you can track two pieces of food, like a pork butt and a chicken, which require different temperatures.

Judging performance, there was a slight variation in our static tests, but in fractions of degrees between each probe and the control temperature. The base unit has individual alarms for each probe, so the user can differentiate between them. The base unit alarms have four volume settings, ranging from 80 to 90 decibels, while the remote has one set at 70 decibels, all loud enough to hear at a distance of 50 feet.

Long-term testing shed light on a few kinks that we didn't encounter during our lab testing. While the probes and main display continued to work well with minimal signs of wear or tear over the six-month period, we did encounter a few connectivity issues with the remote display. We noticed that it lagged behind in a few of the temperature readings, not always in sync with the readings on the main display. There were also a few times when the receiver struggled to connect to the main unit, despite being within the correct range. However, despite those issues, we still found the Smoke incredibly useful for when you're smoking or grilling and need to step away for a moment or two.

Probe Length: 6 inches | Temperature Range: -58 to 572°F | Bluetooth/Wi-Fi: Yes | Warranty: 2 years