We Tested a Popular Wireless Smart Meat Thermometer: Does it Live Up to Its Hype?

My family calls me a hoarder. They’re not wrong, especially when it comes to kitchen stuff. Every new recipe project spurs my need to style and take photos of the creation, so I can always find a use for all those kitchen gadgets, dishware, and more. From a single vintage martini glass to a pair of kitschy placemats, I never know when something will come in handy.

However, my kitchen drawers and cabinets are overflowing, and it’s usually the most useful items that become the hardest to find among the stuff. Meat and grill thermometers in particular tend to be buy-them-and-never-see-them-again tools that disappear into the wilderness of tea strainers, vegetable peelers, and garlic presses.

Its inability to become hard to find is one of the factors that attracted me to the MEATER Plus, which is available at many retailers and online shops from Amazon to Bloomingdale’s to the brand’s own store. Regularly $109.95, it’s available at Bloomingdale’s for $99 and $99.95 on Amazon.

Unlike most probes or digital thermometers, the MEATER Plus is housed in a bamboo box that doubles as its charger. With two magnets on the back, the box can attach to a stove hood or a refrigerator for storage and quick access. It’s easy to grab it along with meal ingredients, and it’s just as easy to replace it in its storage location after a quick hand-wash with soap at the sink.

MEATER Plus Wireless Meat Thermometer: At a Glance

Rating: 9.5/10

PROS

• Dual sensors for internal meat and ambient temperatures
• No wires
• 165-foot wireless connectivity range

CONS

• Pricey compared to other meat thermometers
• A single probe allows monitoring of only one protein
• Not great for small bone-in cuts like wings and ground meat patties

Get the MEATER Plus at:

• Bloomingdale’s for $99
• BBQGuys for $99
• Huckberry for $99.95
• Amazon for $99.95
• MEATER.com for $109.95
• Walmart for $99.99

What Is the MEATER Plus?

The MEATER Plus is a smart wireless thermometer with dual sensors in its slim pen-like probe that assesses both internal cooking temperature up to 212 degrees Fahrenheit and ambient heat temperature up to 527 degrees simultaneously. There is a Bluetooth repeater in the bamboo charger, which operates on one AAA battery. The magnetic charger also serves as a case that can be stored standing up or stuck to a metal grill, a stove hood, or a refrigerator.

The repeater in the charger sends information to its connecting app over a distance of up to 165 feet and can be connected via phone, tablet, computer, and even Alexa. Unlike some of the apps that connect to probe thermometers, the MEATER Plus app is easy to download, set up, and use. Using the “Guided Cook System,” choose from a preset temperature or decide on a custom temperature.

No matter the cooking settings chosen, the system’s “Advanced Estimator Algorithm” predicts how long food will take to cook and how long it needs to rest afterward. While it’s in progress, it will display both current internal temperature and ambient temperature along with a target temperature goal. It also shows how much time is left. Some custom alarms or alerts can be created if there is a need to reduce or increase temperature while cooking or to set an alarm when it’s time to baste or apply marinade.

With its short length, I found the MEATER Plus to be just as workable in the smoker for boneless cuts like a pork loin as it is on the grill for bone-in steaks. It inserts easily into sausages and whole fish without tearing them apart. The only real trouble I had was using it with smaller bone-in items like wings and ground meat patties. A digital instant-read thermometer is better suited for those.

Is It Easy to Set Up the MEATER Plus Thermometer?

Unlike other probe thermometers, the MEATER Plus has no physical setup. It arrives in the box with the battery already inserted. All I had to do was download the app, which may be a bit of a problem for some. While the app is free, it doesn’t load onto older phones or tablets. It will only work with smartphones and tablets that are either iOS 10.3 and later or Android 5.0 and later.

In my case, I also have a malfunctioning password, so I couldn’t download the app on my device, so instead, I used my husband’s phone. Another way to skirt this tech setup issue is by programming it through Alexa. If tech issues make it impossible to download the app, it puts the user at a big disadvantage and will prevent using all the thermometer’s features.

The maker of the thermometer, MEATER, has a new iteration called MEATER Block that doesn’t have this possible problem. The new version has a set of four wireless probes, and it comes with a “stand-alone mode,” so the thermometers can be used with the cloud or without. That solution, however, comes with a nearly $200 jump in price.

Is the MEATER Plus a Good-Quality Product?

The MEATER Plus is a well-made, balanced probe with a sharp end that easily drives into protein, and its ceramic end stays exposed to measure ambient heat. Being exposed, the ceramic end can become very hot, so use a glove when handling it. Efficient and accurate, it relays the temperatures to the app, which is easy to understand and isn’t unnecessarily complicated.

Although the description on Amazon states that the probe is dishwasher safe and the quality seems extremely durable—I used it to test at least five different proteins on both the grill and in the smoker—I would hand-wash it. Like with good chef knives, my view is that probes with sensors should probably not be immersed in hot water for long periods and still be expected to last a long time.

Is the MEATER Plus Worth the Money?

The MEATER Plus is an expensive thermometer, but it can be worth the investment. You could buy a cheaper four-probe system that has wires, but storing those wires, which may eventually kink and/or uncoil themselves all over a drawer, makes them annoying. Plus the connections to the receiver sometimes stop working.

The MEATER Plus is easy to store and a snap to find. Plus, it has performed exceptionally well except on the smallest pieces of meat, such as chicken wings or ground meat patties, including very thin burgers.

Should You Buy the MEATER Plus Thermometer ?

For avid grillers, smokers, roasters, air fryers, and even sous viders, the MEATER Plus can be a wise choice. With no physical setup and no wires to tangle up, the probe is simple to insert and works in any sort of grill or oven, from rotisserie to kamado ceramic egg. As long as it’s not submerged in oil or water (so no deep-fried turkey or poached salmon for the MEATER Plus), this probe can last for a long time. However, it is water resistant, so while you can’t put it in the dishwasher, you can give it a soapy bath.

Another single probe thermometer, the Yummly Smart Meat Thermometer, is priced at $89 (on sale from $129.99) and has less of a range at 150 feet. The Yummly top, or “extractor,” is wrapped for more heat-proof removal, while the top of the MEATER Plus is ceramic. Regardless, I wouldn’t remove either of these probes from meat that’s cooking without protection. It’s too easy to accidentally touch a rack, a burning-hot protein, or another source of heat when removing it.

At the same retail price as the MEATER Plus, the MeatStick X Set is supposed to allow for 260 feet of connectivity. Users routinely criticize problems with setup, connectivity drops, and app-stalling issues as well as a lack of a response from the manufacturer. Those who smoke or grill more than one protein at a time may enjoy the newer version of the MEATER Plus, the MEATER Block, which includes a set of four probes and the ability to use it without Bluetooth.

While it may seem there isn’t much of a difference among 150, 165, and 260 feet, it can be a big difference, especially if you’re fond of smoking briskets overnight. The average height of a modern one-story house is 9 to 10 feet. So the MEATER Plus could allow you to go to an upstairs bedroom or bathroom, while the Yummly thermometer might force you to stay closer to the cooking appliance. And while the MeatStick X sounds like it could be the best option for distance, it doesn’t matter how far the maker says it can work if the app doesn’t always work on your phone.

Where to Buy the MEATER Plus

• Bloomingdale’s for $99
• BBQGuys for $99
• Huckberry for $99.95
• Amazon for $99.95
• MEATER.com for $109.95
• Walmart for $99.99