I love to cook. One of the reasons I take my hunting seriously is to put high-quality, natural meat on the plate. And my love of cooking puts me in the garden, lakes, streams, and fields looking for game and forage all year around. So when a brand approaches with a tool it claims will improve my cooking, I take note and jump on the chance to try it.
So is the case with the MEATER Pro. Dubbed a “smart thermometer” by the brand, this tool gives you excellent, real-time data to support your cooking efforts. And you don’t need to open your oven, grill, or smoker for it to do its job.
In short: The MEATER Pro ($130) is a super intuitive, accurate meat thermometer that connects with your smartphone through an easy-to-use app. The thermometer helps you plan your cooks and get perfectly cooked dishes every time.
- Material: Stainless steel
- Sensors: 5 internal sensors and 1 ambient sensor
- Max internal temp limit: 221°F
- Max ambient temp limit: 932°F
- Accuracy: ±0.5°F
- Connection: Bluetooth 5.2 with long range
- Diameter: 5 mm
Pros
- Free app is easy to use
- Simple setup
- Dishwasher safe
- App is robust and instructional
Cons
- Cannot use without a smartphone
MEATER Pro Review
The MEATER Pro comes in a nice wooden storage container that also serves as a charging station. To get started, remove the protective plastic from the battery compartment, and the thermometer will begin charging immediately. From now on, the battery will automatically charge until the included AA battery in the compartment is depleted. MEATER says that’s about a year with regular use.
Download the app. Once charged, the MEATER is discoverable on your app. It took me about a minute to get this all set up. Next, follow the instructions on the app and load your first “cook.”
It’s worth noting that the app is necessary — there’s no way to read the temperature directly on the MEATER Pro.
This is where the MEATER really shines. It’s incredibly easy to set up cooks. Just select the type and cut of meat that you’re cooking, set the target temperature, and insert the meat thermometer into your meal.
Once inside the oven, the thermometer will tell you the ambient temperature inside the oven, as well as the temp inside the meat and an estimated cook time.
I used a rack of lamb for my experiment. What I learned in the process was revealing.
Cooking With the MEATER Pro Thermometer
What I learned is that the MEATER Pro is a lot more than a meat thermometer. It’s a window into the world of what’s happening inside your oven — and inside your cooking.
I was surprised to learn that my oven really didn’t reach the temperature it claimed, at least near the top. With my temp set to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, the oven never got above 415.
And while I did know that opening the oven while cooking changes the internal temperature, I was shocked to see by how much! Opening the 400-degree F oven for 10 seconds resulted in a drop of more than 70 degrees F of the ambient temperature. Keep that door shut!
Of course, that’s precisely one of the great benefits of the MEATER system. You don’t have to open the door to check your cooking. Just look at the phone and you get an exact, real-time temperature reading of both the meal being cooked and the oven around it.
Couple that with MEATER’s ability to continue monitoring your cook during the resting phase, and of estimating the resting time, and, well, this is a heck of a powerful tool.
MEATER Pro: Conclusions
Sure, it’s a more expensive tool than a simple meat thermometer. But at $130, those who spend much time running grills or ovens will find the utility is worth every penny.
And while the MEATER system is really good, it’s worth noting there are other, cheaper options available that can accomplish a lot of the same things. The MEATER Pro has the advantage of tolerating ambient temps up to 932 degrees F — which makes it safe for cooking over fire.
But if you don’t need the top-tier performance, MEATER’s original model retails for $80. Several other brands make Bluetooth meat thermometers in the $80 price range as well. There are also cheaper ones, although I’d be leery of their performance.
With Thanksgiving just a week away, I know I’ll be plugging this into my turkey. And I know that I’ll get the temperature perfect, no guessing involved.
