Unpopular opinion: those $100 wireless temp probes aren't worth the hype

I dropped $120 on one of those fancy wifi meat thermometers last summer thinking it would make my brisket game perfect. Big mistake honestly. The app kept disconnecting from my phone halfway through the cook and I'd have to run back inside to check the base station. One time the probe just straight up gave me a reading 40 degrees off and I almost pulled a brisket early. My old $20 instant read from the grocery store has never let me down. I mean maybe I just got a bad unit but has anyone else had luck with a specific brand that actually holds up in a hot smoker for 12 hours?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_sandra20h ago

Nah I gotta disagree with you on this one. I picked up a ThermoPro TW-2 last year and that thing has been a champ through like 20+ long smokes. The app stays connected even when I'm out running errands and the probe holds up fine at 275 for 12 hours. I think you might have just gotten a lemon or maybe the brand you tried is one of those knockoff ones. My buddy had the same problem with a random Amazon brand but swapped to the Fireboard and loves it. Not saying every expensive probe is perfect but my experience has been the exact opposite of yours.

the_hayden16h ago

Dude, the TW-2 is a beast. I've got about 30 cooks on mine and it's never dropped signal once, even when I'm inside my house on the other end. I ran a 15 hour brisket at 250 and the app was rock solid the whole time, no lag or disconnects. My buddy had the same issue with a cheap inkbird one, it would lose connection every time he walked into his kitchen. He switched to a ThermoPro too and hasn't complained since. People just need to realize you get what you pay for with these things, a lemon happens sometimes but the brand itself is legit.