_edited.jpg)
MEATER Plus, A Game Changer?
Updated: Mar 25, 2021
When it came to measuring internal temp during my cooks, I relied on a $20 instant-read thermometer that I picked up on Amazon for years. It worked fine, and after some experience, I knew when to take a temperature reading, but I also knew there had to be a better option. I was browsing Amazon one day, as I often do, and came across the Meater Plus; it's a wireless Meat thermometer that gives you an instant internal temp as well an ambient temp reading. Let me just say it's upped my BBQ game significantly.
The Meater Plus probe is stainless steel and measures 5.1 inches long and .2 inches in diameter; it has a ceramic handle that measures the ambient temperature while the stainless pointed end measures internal temperature. It comes with a charging block that the probe sits in when not in use. The block is a magnetic wooden charging dock that is 6.1 inches high by 1.4 inches wide by 1.1 inches in diameter. The charging block also acts as a wireless repeater giving the meater an additional 30 feet of wireless capability for 165 feet total wireless connectivity. I did an all-night brisket last summer and took advantage of the entire 165 feet range monitoring the temp from my upstairs bedroom and utilizing alarms in the Meater app. The Meater app allows you to set alarms for specific conditions such as ambient heat below 150 degrees or above 375 degrees or even 10 minutes before the internal target temperature, just to name a few. The charging block takes AAA batteries, and I've found it has no problems staying charged for long cooks.
The app, which is available for IOS and Android, is intuitive, and I appreciate the features that the people at Meater have included. You can choose the type of meat that you plan on cooking, and it gives you suggested targeted internal temperatures, although you also have the ability to adjust the temp based on your preference. The main screen during your cook gives you the ambient temp, internal temp as well as your target. There are also numerous custom alarms that you can set up during your cook, the one I use most often is the 10 minutes before target internal temp alarm. I'm usually guilty of being easily distracted, resulting in the occasional overcooked, ruined steak (or the perfect steak according to some family members who will remain anonymous); the Meater Plus's alarm functionality has really helped with that.
However, while the device works great in my Pit Boss Vertical smoker and my oven, there are a few drawbacks. It has connectivity issues at times in my Weber Kettle charcoal and my Weber Spirit II propane grills. It must have something to do with steel and how those grills are constructed; the issues only occur intermittently. The other problem is the thermometer's initial pairing; it was finicky, to say the least, but with a little patience, it got connected and hasn't been an ongoing problem.
I'd highly recommend the Meater Plus for smoking, a rotisserie set up, oven use and most grills. I’d probably be hesitant recommending it for someone that has a thick gauge grill such as a Weber based on my experience, but overall I think it’s a great product.
*Note: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links, and if you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality, not because of the commission I receive. The decision whether or not to buy something is entirely up to you