Best Smoker Thermometer – Our Top Choices and Buyer’s Guide

When I first started my journey into grilling and smoking, I had the misconception that master grillers didn’t use or didn’t need meat thermometers.  The truth is, that master chefs and experienced pit masters regularly rely on internal thermometers during their cooks. This is because the best smoker thermometer will eliminate all of the guesswork that comes with trying to cook food perfectly and evenly. It’s crucial to know the internal temperature of your food to know when it’s done – especially for BBQ.

Since the electronics that go into a thermometer are relatively basic, there’s a flood of products on the market that frankly aren’t worth a dime and won’t give accurate temperature readings.

In this post, our goal is to highlight some of the best smoker thermometers and explain why they are one of our favorite grilling accessories. 

 

A Quick Look At Our Top Picks:

1. Meater Plus – Best Overall
2. ThermoPro TP20 Wireless Meat Thermometer
3. CHUGOD Bluetooth Meat Thermometer
4. ThermoPro TP17 Dual Probe Thermometer
5. Hauea Bluetooth Meat Thermometer
6. ThermoPro TP16 Single Probe Thermometer

Best Smoker Thermometer Reviews

Meater Plus

When it comes to all around performance, Meater products sit at the top of the meat thermometer industry.  Every aspect of the BBQ smoking experience was kept in mind when designing the Meater Plus.

For starters, the probe has two sensors on it, one at the tip and one near the base.  Practically this means that you can monitor the internal temperature of your food while it cooks and the ambient temperature of your smoker simultaneously.

This feature is especially helpful for traditional offset smokers or kamado grills where your smoker’s temperature level isn’t monitored by electronics.

The Meater also has a super long Bluetooth connectivity range – making it a wireless meat thermometer.  Your phone should be able to pick up the probe’s signal from up to 165 feet away – so you can easily step away from your cook and keep tabs on everything.

Plus, it’s got an excellent temperature range. There isn’t anything you can cook that can’t be measured by the Meater.

Last but not least, the Meater Plus is backed by a 1 year warranty.

ThermoPro TP20

The ThermoPro TP20 Wireless Remote Digital Cooking Thermometer makes our list of best smoker thermometers for a few reasons.  It’s a well rounded, quality piece of equipment that’s flat out loaded with features.

For starters, the unit comes with a dual probe technology design, which allows you to simultaneously measure the temperature of two separate meats or one meat along with your grill/smoker/oven’s internal temp.  That’s a great feature to have even if you have a temperature gauge on your grill because oftentimes they are not 100% accurate.

It also comes with a remote receiver with a range of up to 300 feet, which allows you to monitor your grill from a distance.  It’s a great way to have peace of mind to do other chores or watch the game while long cooking is going on.  You can monitor temperature and set timers from the wireless receiver.

Another really nice feature is that USDA-approved temperatures and doneness levels are programmed in as a quick reference guide to the thermometer for about a dozen different types of meat.

So no matter what you are cooking, you can easily check to make sure you’re getting your cut of meat to a safe temperature or your preferred doneness.

Probably our favorite thing about the ThermoPro TP20 is that it comes with a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty.  The manufacturer puts their money where their mouth is, and buying this product is an investment in the best smoker thermometer that will last you for years.

Pros:

• 3-year manufacturer’s warranty
• Dual probe technology
• USDA approved temperatures and doneness levels pre-programmed
• Wireless transmitter/receiver lets you monitor your cook from a distance
• Accurate to +/- 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit

Cons:

• A little bit on the pricey end of the spectrum

CHUGOD BBQ Bluetooth Meat Thermometer

If you want the best smoker thermometer with a little bit of tech, the CHUGOD BBQ Cooking Thermometer is a fantastic option at a pretty good price.  Most notably, it has an app you can download and use to monitor your cook remotely from an iPhone or iPad.

The unit is also pre programmed with USDA doneness temperatures for quick reference, and you can set a timer to notify you when your meat has reached the desired temperature you want it to be cooked to.

Another nice feature is that the CHUGOD Thermometer comes with three probes, meaning you can monitor three separate pieces of meat and/or your grill temperature.  That’s a really nice feature to have for when you have a large gathering and are trying to cook multiple things at once.

Also included is a storage case and clips that make things easy when you aren’t using the thermometer or if you need to take it with you tailgating or camping.

Pros:

• Bluetooth thermometer syncs up with an app to manage your cook on your phone or tablet
• Pre-programmed with meat doneness temperatures for a dozen different meats
• Three probes allow for easy multitasking
• 90-day money-back guarantee and 2-year warranty

Cons:

• The temperature range is narrower than its peers

ThermoPro TP-17 Dual Probe Digital Cooking Meat Thermometer

The ThermoPro TP-17 Digital Meat Thermometer gets our vote for the best smoker thermometer for the money.  It’s packed with all of the basic features you’d expect from the best smoker thermometer at a very budget friendly price.

The display screen is a pretty basic LED display that shows all of the essential information you’ll need to grill.  It’s actually a really nice display for grilling outdoors at night, which I find myself doing all the time!

This is a dual probe unit, and similar to the other ThermoPro thermometer on this list, USDA doneness and minimum temperatures are pre programmed for 12 different meats.  You can set an alarm to let you know whenever your meat reaches your desired doneness.

It also has a three year manufacturer’s warranty, so on the off chance that a probe is faulty or something goes wrong with the temperature gauge, you can easily get a replacement free of charge to take care of the issue.

Pros:

• Great price point
• Dual probe
• Pre programmed with USDA-approved temperatures
• A slim profile is easy to store and use

Cons:

• No wireless receiver, so you can’t access temperatures remotely

Hauea Bluetooth Meat Thermometer with 6 Probes

If you’re the ultimate multitasker on the grill or smoker, the Hauea Bluetooth Meat Thermometer might be the best smoker thermometer for you.  As the title suggests, the unit comes with a whopping 6 probes that can be used simultaneously to manage multiple grilled meats during a cookout or Thanksgiving.

2 of the probes are stainless steel and 4 are silicone for maximum versatility – the stainless steel is generally better for meat whereas the silicone can be a great option for candies or chocolates.

The Hauea also connects to a mobile app that lets you monitor and control your timer, which is a great feature to have if you smoke or BBQ for long periods of time.  When your cook is done, you can easily get notified right on your phone.  The app has a connectivity range of 196 feet from the probe.

Hauea gives you a very high quality carrying bag for easy transportation and storage while the unit isn’t in use.  Compared to the competition, it’s the highest quality case and perfect to take camping or tailgating.

Pros:

• 6 probes can be used simultaneously
• You can manage timers and monitor temperatures through a phone app
• High quality storage case is great for portable use
• Reasonable price point

Cons:

• No warranty – so if any probes are faulty you have to replace them at your own cost

ThermoPro TP-16 Digital Meat Thermometer

If all you need is a single probe, the ThermoPro TP-16 Digital Meat Thermometer is the best smoker thermometer on a budget.  It works great for smoking, grilling, and cooking in the oven.  The probe can withstand temperatures up to 716 degrees Fahrenheit and has all of the features you need to get the job done.

Design-wise, the profile is slim and doesn’t take up a bunch of space in your drawers.  The timer and interface are simple and intuitive, and USDA preset meat temperatures are programmed in so you can easily reference temperatures for your desired doneness.

As with every ThermoPro digital meat thermometer, it comes with a 3 year warranty so you can buy with the security of knowing that any faulty parts will be replaced by the manufacturer.

Pros:

• Simple, intuitive interface
• The probe is accurate and withstands high temperatures
• Great price point

Cons:

• Only one probe

Best Smoker Thermometer – Buying Tips

If this is your first time buying a meat thermometer, there are a few things to keep in mind when you’re shopping around.  Here are a few of our tips!

Temperature Accuracy

Quality meat thermometers should have at most a range of +/- 2 degrees Fahrenheit.  Anything more than that could be enough to cause you to under or over-cook your meat enough that it isn’t to your liking.

Wireless Capability

Everybody’s grill setup is different.  Think about what your cooking space looks like and how frequently you need to check the temperature of your smoker or meat.

For example, brisket typically smokes for 12 or more hours.  That’s a really long time to pay attention to a fire, and I may be watching sports or doing other chores to pass the time.

When that’s the case, it’s really nice to have a wireless smoker thermometer to gauge temperature and keep an eye on things from my phone.

Otherwise, I’d have to go out to my smoker frequently to make sure everything is going as planned.  There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just personal preference!

Manufacturer’s Warranty

As a general rule of thumb, a manufacturer’s warranty is an indication that a product is made with care.  If a manufacturer is willing to put their money where their mouth is, that’s a good sign in my book that the underlying product is quality.

Even though most meat thermometers are fairly inexpensive, I don’t want to spend 50 bucks on something that is going to break.  A warranty can protect you in the event that you receive a unit with faulty parts.

Probe Quantity and Material

I almost always recommend that people who use a smoker get a thermometer with two or more probes.  This way, one probe can be used for your meat and the other can be used to measure the temperature of your fire.

If you consistently cook for large gatherings of family or friends, consider a unit with even more probes.  It really does make your cook a lot easier to have temperature measures all in one place.

As far as material goes, you should always use stainless steel probes for your grill.  Silicone probes are used for other applications like candy and chocolate making.

Grill, Smoker, or Both?

What is your setup like?  Do you primarily use a grill, a smoker, or maybe a smoker-grill combo?

If grilling is mainly your thing, then I’d consider a wireless probe – that way you don’t have to mess around with cables when you’re cooking on high heat.

If you’re looking for a bona fide smoker thermometer, then a good old-fashioned battery-powered and corded probe might be the way to go.  The wired units typically go through less battery power and the lower smoker temperatures make the cords much more manageable.

Final Thoughts

Feel like we left a choice for the best smoker thermometer out?  Let us know in the comments section below!

If you bought your thermometer and don’t know what to cook first, check out our list of the best types of meat to smoke next!