A reliable and accurate thermometer is a MUST-HAVE for grilling and barbecue. Professional chefs and pitmasters rely on two different types of thermometers. The instant-read thermometers and wireless bbq thermometers on this page have been tested and approved by myself and the Weber Kettle Club community.
Looking for a Wireless BBQ Pit probe or wifi thermometer? Just scroll down. We’ve separated the list of best grilling thermometers into instant read and Wireless Pit Probes
Instant-Read Thermometers
Instant thermometers are used to test the internal temps of your food. Essential for grilling the perfect medium-rare steak and preventing over or under-cooked foods. Speed and accuracy are important here.
Thermapen vs Javelin
Is the Thermapen worth it?
YES!
Thermapens use a thermocouple sensor while the Javelin and ALL of the cheaper thermometers use a thermistor.
Thermocouples are drastically faster and more accurate than thermistors, but also more expensive and larger due to the additional circuit board needs.
No one has ever regretted the Thermapen upgrade.
ThermoPop – $29
The Thermopop is a simple probe thermometer from the respected folks at Thermoworks – the same company that brings us the legendary Thermapen.
The Thermopop features a backlit, auto-rotating display that accurately reads internal temperatures in 3-4 seconds.
It’s available in 9 colors and is the highest quality cheap thermometer available.
Classic Thermapen – $79
The Thermapen Classic is every bit as fast and accurate as the Thermapen MK4, but it’s $20 cheaper and missing a few luxury features.
The original Thermapen gives you an ultra-fast accurate reading without the backlight and auto-rotating display.
Javelin PRO Duo – $49
The Javelin PRO isn’t really faster than the regular Javelin, but it’s nicer and features the auto-rotating display.
The Javelin PRO comes within 5 degrees in about 4 seconds, which is very fast for a thermistor style thermometer.
Javelin PRO is available for less than $50 on Amazon.
Lavatools Javelin – $25-34
The Lavatools Javelin is the fastest cheap thermometer available on Amazon. It’s not as fast as the Thermapen and it’s not as nice or accurate either – but you can buy 4 of these for the price of the MK4 Thermapen.
The Javelin instant-read thermometer is a great value and perfect for probing backyard burgers and steaks. I’ve been using mine without issue for 16 months.
Currently $24 on Amazon Prime
Thermapen MK4 – $99
The Thermapen MK4 is the best of the best – the gold standard for instant-read thermometers. The Thermapen is the fastest and most accurate you can get. The MK4 model features a backlit display that automatically rotates to keep the reading upright.
The MK4 will give you an accurate reading within 2 seconds. This is the thermometer of choice for most professional chefs and grillmasters.
Available at Thermoworks and it rarely goes on sale.
Wireless BBQ Thermometers
Wireless BBQ pit probes and wireless thermometers have changed the way we barbecue. Gone are the sleepless nights of checking pit temps every 45 minutes. These wireless thermometers are great for long cooks like turkey, pork butt, brisket, and ribs. These thermometers are left in the grill or smoker and will wirelessly report your temps and even alert you if temps are too high or low!
ThermPRO TP20 – $50
This is a relatively new brand in recent years. It started as a cheap alternative on Amazon and it’s earned 3,326 5-star reviews.
The transmitter and receiver of the TP20 bbq thermometer is rugged and ‘splashproof’ enough to handle a bit of rain.
The TP20 has a 1-year warranty.
$50 on Amazon Prime
Thermoworks SMOKE – $99
The SMOKE is a 2-probe wireless thermometer with a 300ft range.
Its probes are more rugged and durable than most, featuring spring-wound cable protectors at the plug end. The transmitter and receiver units are also durable and weather resistant.
The Smoke can also be upgraded to WIFI using the Thermoworks Bridge.
I’ve been using my Smoke for more than 2 years and it’s my favorite wireless thermometer.
Available directly from Thermoworks in a variety of colors.
Maverick XR-50 – $79
Maverick earned the BBQ communities trust with the ET-732 and ET-733 wireless pit probes, but flushed it all away with their Bluetooth 735.
This time they’ve teamed up with Adrenaline Barbecue to launch a new FOUR-PROBE wireless thermometer. The XR-50 comes with 4 universal probes that can be used to monitor pit temps or food temps.
This wireless thermometer has the best range and reliability without crossing into the WiFi territory.
Available on Amazon and ABC Barbecue.
what about tappecue?
new tappacue touch just launched. i did a presale of it . its awsome! wifi compatibale. add friends to see your cooks anywhere.
i open the app and see temps from anywhere.
Thanks for the heads up! I’ll have to check it out. I have their original Tappacue and it was just not user-friendly enough to be on a recommendation list. Maybe their new unit is better!
Has the Weber igrill2 been reviewed and is it better or worse than the above?
I don’t recommend the igrill or any other bluetooth options. Bluetooth isn’t designed for long-range communication and phones aren’t at all convenient.
Folks, you gotta try the Fireboard. Spendy, yes. Reliable, feature filled, and way, way cool. I own one (no other interest) and I ‘ve owned the thermpro and the maverick: there is no comparison. The Fireboard is spendy, but wow, what a great piece of equipment.
Cheers.
Thanks Guy
I left the Fireboard off of the list because both of mine died after less than 15 months of use 🙁
I enjoyed them while they worked though.