We’ve all been at a barbeque with friends and family.
The host is normally the person who brings everyone together, and yet they are never seen more than five feet from the smoker or grill. Even with careful tending from the host, meat often comes out charred, burnt and dry. Just as bad as meat that is overdone is meat that isn’t finished. A cook who serves pink chicken is a cook who won’t have many friends attending his parties.
Luckily, technology has come to the rescue. First, we saw digital thermometers that could give us an exact temperature and now, Bluetooth functionality has been introduced to the world of grilling.
So what is the mark of a good Bluetooth grill or smoker thermometer? Below is a great summary of smoker thermometers:
A good digital thermometer should be accurate within two degrees of the actual temperature. We saw a significant price drop after two degrees, but don’t be tempted by these lower price points.
What is the point of a thermometer if it’s not accurate?
When shopping around make sure the smoker thermometers you’re looking at have at least two probes, four is preferable. Place one thermometer in each piece of meat (or one in each different area of the unit) and one monitoring the temperature inside the smoker itself.
This is more a consideration if you’ll be smoking meat overnight at lower temperatures. Thermostat Controllers use a fan to add oxygen to the fire so that your smoker will maintain the correct temperature for hours at a time.
Water and Splash Resistant
Smoking and grilling are fairly messy processes. As meat gets cooked it can “pop”, sending juice, meat, and sauces/seasoning flying. The last thing you need is for your thermometer stop working due to exposure to moisture, leaving you guessing at the doneness of your meat.
Most of the best Bluetooth smoker thermometers on the market have a signal between 150 and 300 feet. Think about where you’ll be spending your time while your smoker is running so you can check and see what kind of range will be necessary.
There are plenty of other options you can look for while choosing the right model for you. These include the length of probe and cord, automatic shut-off, Android or iOS compatibility, presets, and alerts or alarms.
By spending money on a quality thermometer is possibly the best investment you can make after purchasing your grill or smoker itself. A good thermometer will help you cook perfectly done meat and remove worries about meat that is either cooked too long or not long enough!