If you believe having a built-in thermometer of your smoker meet the needs, mastering temperature control in the BBQ pit, then you are a far cry from what you pictured in your head.

Bbq smoking is a real work of art. Like any other skill, bbq mastery requires consistent practice and proper equipment. It is comforting, however, that many factors are well under your control. But, all things can go wrong in the smoking process without a functional and accurate smoker thermometer.

Here, I attempt to solve this significant problem of bbq thermometers by introducing the 9 best smoker thermometers reviews in the market.

Best BBQ Thermometers
ThermoPro TP20		Preset USDA-approved temperatures and doneness levels. Remote range of up to 300ft. Step-down probe design.	View Latest Price

Why do you need a smoker thermometer?

You must have gotten the hang of why smoker thermometers are necessary for the course of the review. Regardless, let’s examine defined reasons you should always use a smoker thermometer.

Your health is at risk if you don’t: The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the use of thermometers to ensure that foods attain the required temperature. Beyond this value, harmful microorganisms cannot survive. About 48 million people get foodborne diseases every year.

Protect your health with the best smoker thermometers which is why The CDC recommends thermometers to ensure that foods reach the required temperature.

Your senses will fail you: Any other way to determine the doneness level of meat save using thermometers is wrong.

Avoid overcooking: Many times, we focus on the dangers of under-cooked food. Overcooked food is also a problem, though not with serious health hazards. There are only a handful of things that frustrate you like burnt grilled food. The smoker thermometers today have alarm functions. They alert you when food reaches the required temperature. Buy a thermometer, and avoid the embarrassment and the frustration. 

Features to look for when getting a smoker meat thermometers

Clear Readout:

At a glance, you should know your thermometer’s reading. It’s sad if you have to shove your thermometer up your nose before you can get a visual on the displayed reading. Of what use is a reading that you cannot timely see? Thermometer readings demand rapid response. Either that or you have soot for dinner. To this end, thermometers with large LCDs and backlights are a true treasure.

Analog thermometers fail in this regard. The best you can get at a glance is a vague idea of what the temperature is. It’s the same reason many choose digital wristwatches over the analog kind.

Timer & Alarms:

It is important to keep a clear head while in the kitchen. If you’re to focus on anything, it should be on the actual cooking alone. One of the many things that get in the way is the distraction of monitoring the timing yourself. This is why you should get a thermometer with a timer function. Some thermometers don’t the only countdown; they count up too!

Alarm features notify you when the food/grill reaches a preset temperature. The best thermometer for smokers have alarm functions. When the alarm goes off, you know to act accordingly. Alarms also work in unison with the timers.

Remote Range:

If you like to multitask, you probably wouldn’t want a thermometer without a remote. Well, the good news is that a majority of the smoker thermometer reviews I have given possess this function. How far can you leave your point of duty without leaving your point of duty? This hinges on your remote range.

Many thermometers with this function have the 300ft range. This is fair enough freedom for most. Few in the market have a greater range. Others may be as short as 150ft.

Temperature Range:

The standard thermometer temperature range spans from 32°F to 572°F (0°C to 300°C). I’m yet to see food that cooks at temperatures higher or lower than these boundaries. This is the standard. Anything less is a red flag for me. It should, for you too.

Temperature Accuracy:

Of what use is a compass when all it does is point you in the wrong direction? Similarly, a thermometer is as good as useless if it falsifies temperature measurements. It is USDA-approved, for instance, that you grill chicken at 165°F. Except you have some sort of superpowers, the only way to determine this temperature is with a thermometer. Imagine owning an inaccurate thermometer that reads 165°F at truly lesser or greater temperatures. It’s a disaster waiting to happen.

Buy truly accurate thermometers. Over time, however, it is normal for a thermometer to lose its accuracy. This is known as drift. It is caused by exposure of the thermometer to different temperatures. To this end, it is advised that you reset your thermometer at least annually.

Probes & Cable Length:

If you are big on productivity and efficiency (as we should all be), thermometers with only one probe could do a number on you. What happens when you’re hosting a party in your backyard for family and friends? Monitoring the temperatures of foods for about 15 people with a 1-probe thermometer is like eating noodles with a spoon. Absolutely frustrating!

Cable length is rather very important too. You’d want fairly long cable lengths if you’d hope to conveniently monitor your food as it cooks in an oven or some otherwise inaccessible place. The cables reach where the thermometers can’t. Most also have high heat resistance, maxing at a whopping 716°F.

Versatility:

Everyone likes versatility. Nobody likes to spend too much money. The idea that one thing can work for, and under various conditions is indeed comforting. To this end, ensure that your intended purchase can work with the major cooking devices. These include grills, ovens, and smokers, to name a few. Thermistor thermometers, for instance, cannot conveniently monitor foods in the oven. This is because they have no cables attached to the probes. To nearly achieve this, you’ll need to keep opening the oven at various intervals. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that this would affect the overall outcome.

Rugged construction:

Of what use is a versatile thermometer with poor durability? Thermometers are indeed delicate and sensitive devices. They should be handled with care. As true as this is, however, you deserve to be confident of its durability. What happens if you mistakenly drop it? Is that sadly game over?

To this end, give special preference to devices with acclaimed break-resistant and waterproof properties. This is very important, especially if you have kids running around your house.

You should know that some thermometers will have some unusual features. Properties like this will be peculiar to them. And like they say, one man’s food is another’s poison. In essence, an alien feature to you might be of lesser value than it is to someone else. Ultimately, go for what makes you tick.

The 9 Best Smoker Thermometers Reviewed in 2023

Without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, these are our bbq thermometer reviews you’ll find around.

The TP20 is one of ThermoPro’s finest yet. You’ve probably found yourself taking excuses from the midst of your visitors to check your meat on the grill. It is not the best host behavior in books. For convenience and flexibility, you should consider the ThermoPro TP20 as best bbq thermometer for smoker.

Clear Readout: ✅ YES | Timer & Alarms: ✅ YES

With a remote range of 500ft, the ENZOO thermometer has brought a rocket launcher to a knife fight! Cooking flexibility never got this good. Possessing up to 4 probes, you can monitor up to 4 foods at once. ENZOO is flexible and efficient all in one device. It is probably one of the best wireless meat thermometer for smoker & grill.

Clear Readout: ✅ 178 degree wide LCD display | Timer & Alarms: ✅ YES

The TP-16S is a very affordable, yet efficient device. Unlike most, it has a wider temperature range, spanning 14-572°F. For such a small device, it offers an impressive arsenal of functions. You’re about to find out.

Clear Readout: ✅ Yes with touch backlight button | Timer & Alarms: ✅ YES

Inkbird’s IB-4XP is in every sense of the word, a computer age thermometer. It thrives on amazing Bluetooth technology. It is thus compatible with most Android and iOS devices around. Its four probes should increase your productivity level by more than 50%.

• Clear Readout: 2.2” x 1” LED screen
• Timer & Alarms: Yes
• Probes Included: 3meat probes + 1 ambient probe
• Probe Cable Length: 59 feet / 150 cm
• Remote range: 150 feet / 50M
• Temperature Range: 32°F to 572°F (0°C to 300°C)
• Temperature Accuracy: ±2°F (±1°C)

Bye to pesky buttons! With a large touch screen LCD, the Smartro ST54 is one of the easiest thermometers to operate. It should feel like some primitive smartphone in your hands. Its temperature range is one of the widest you’ll ever see, measuring 58-572°F. Who doesn’t like an IPX7 waterproof probe? There’s much more to know. Keep reading!

• Clear Readout: Yes
• Timer & Alarms: Yes
• Probes Included: 2
• Probe Cable Length: 6.2″
• Remote Range: N/A
• Temperature Range: 32°F to 572°F (0°C to 300°C)
• Temperature Accuracy: ±1.8°F /±1°C
• Warranty: N/A

The ThermoPro TP-17 has a step-down probe design. This means that you can expect an incredible level of temperature sensitivity. With two probes, you can monitor the temperatures of two foods at the same time. When grilling one food, the other serves well as an oven probe.

• Clear Readout: Yes
• Timer & Alarms: Yes
• Probes Included: 2
• Probe Cable Length: 8.5″
• Remote Range: N/A
• Temperature Range: 32°F to 572°F (0°C to 300°C)
• Temperature Accuracy: ± 1.8°F (±1°C)

Do you remember the TP20 that’s our top pick? The TP22S is almost similar too. Chief among the exciting features the TP22S offers is the lost link feature. In addition to the 300ft range, the lost link feature alerts you whenever you’ve exceeded this boundary. This is invaluable for people that quickly get carried away by other things while cooking. Without saying, it is one of the best wireless bbq thermometers.

• Clear Readout: Yes
• Timer & Alarms: Yes
• Probes Included: 2
• Probe Cable Length: N/A
• Remote range: 300ft
• Temperature Range: 32°F to 572°F (0°C to 300°C)
• Temperature Accuracy: ± 1.8°F (±1°C)

Waterproof devices win hearts every time. The Kizen Instant Read Meat Thermometer is not any different. Worthy of special note is its screen easy visibility from multiple perspectives. It works with thermistor principles and is hence best for measuring the temperature of thin foods.

• Clear Readout: Yes
• Timer & Alarms: Yes
• Probes Included: 1
• Probe Cable Length: N/A
• Remote Range: N/A
• Temperature-Range: -58 °F to 572 °F (0 °C to 300 °C)
• Temperature-Accuracy: ±1.8°F / ±1°C

These types of thermometers are not as popular as their digital counterparts. Nonetheless, they are still one of the best grill surface thermometers. If your smoker has a 3/8 hole, this would fit in perfectly. Contrary to popular opinion, it is straightforward to install. And hey, it’s waterproof!

• Clear Readout: No
• Timer & Alarms: No
• Probes Included: N/A
• Probe Cable Length: N/A
• Remote Range: N/A
• Temperature Range: 100°F to 500°F (0°C to 300°C)
• Accuracy: ±1.8°F

Dome Temperature vs. Grill Temperature

Many make these terms more complicated than they actually are. They are straightforward! Now, the dome is that enclosed space above your smoker. The temperature in this region is known as the dome temperature. The grill is the grill! And the grill temperature is the temperature right above the grill.

When grilling meat, note that the dome temperature can be significantly different from the grill temperature. It is just intuitive to pay more attention to the grill temperature since it is what directly affects the food. Besides, in many recipes, the temperature you see is the temperature the food should be cooked (the grill temperature). Give more preference to the grill temperature than the dome temperature. Hence, your thermometer should be in closer contact with the grill than its body.

How to set up your BBQ thermometer for measuring temperatures

No, nobody’s calibrating anything. Gone are the days when only science-inclined people could handle bbq thermometers. Once you plug your battery, new digital thermometers are ready to use right out of the box. How exactly do you set it up, though? What arrangement gets you the most accurate results?

You magnify the dilemma about proper probe placement on events of multiple probes. This is especially true when you want to set up an oven probe alongside to monitor the temperature of the grill.

Correct thermometer readings hinge majorly on one thing – proper probe placement. With the probe placed in the right locations, you’d be confident about the thermometer display readings. 

• Different meat types have different recommended positions for probe insertion. More generally, however, insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat, and look for the thermal place. This is defined as the coldest location within your food. This temperature has to be the minimally required temperature for that meat type.

• We’ve already spoken about dome and grill temperatures. With a spare probe to serve as a smoker probe, ensure you place it near the surface, and not light-years away. Attach the probe to your grill or smoker using a smoker clip or foil paper. If all you have is a single probe, you can determine the temperature of the food’s location. Place the probe about 2″ to the food’s side and 1″ above the grate.

• Take caution when using probes on grills. Flare-ups from grills could be as high as 1000°F. This is higher than the general 700°F that marks the maximum for the cables. It could, therefore, damage them. Probes are best left in food when using a smoker or an oven. Insulate when using a grill.

How to avoid destroying your new thermometers

One too many times, I’ve heard folks complain about the same thermometers that are my favorite. In those moments, I’m awestruck. How can a product work so correctly in one person’s hands, and appear to grow seven heads in another’s?

Upon further conversation with such people, I realize the problem lies with them. It has little or nothing to do with the thermometers they’re so bitter about. The best meat thermometer for smoker turns pretty bad out when subjected to improper care. And that right there is the problem.

Like every other device, proper maintenance is expedient for prolonged efficiency. Learn some ways to properly care for your smoker thermometer below: 

Always keep the probes dry:

Water is often trapped at the junction of the probe and the attached cable. Once this happens, the thermometer’s function starts to decline. Hence, you should avoid submerging the probes in the water when washing them. The best way to wash your probe is with hot water and soap.

Always keep the probes clean:

From constant exposure to heat on the grill, there’s a high tendency for carbon to build up at the tip of the probes. This, over time, dampens the probe’s sensitivity. It might also record false readings because of insulated sensors.

Don’t be clumsy:

As much as you can, try not to drop the thermometer. This is self-explanatory. 

Cable care 1:

You should pay special attention to the temperature limits in the user guide. This is especially important for the probe cables. It is what people seem to have the most problem with. Most cables have a top heat resistance of 716°F. 

Cable care 2:

Do not manhandle the cable, or let the grill’s lid to fall on it. The internal wires could break inside, and cause loss of function.

Wrapping it up

In every way conceivable, you lose if you cook without a smoker thermometer. Your grilled food is not nearly as tasty, and you endanger your health in the process.

Even the worst smoker thermometer in the history of smoker thermometers is better than no smoker thermometer at all.

The above-reviewed are the best smoker thermometers. Peruse through and select the one that suits you best. Anyways, ensure you make a choice and don’t put all grilling plans on hold until you purchase one.

FAQs Related to Smoker Thermometer

Will a thermometer make my meat dry?

Does opening your pot when cooking evaporate all the water? Absolutely not! When you stick in the probe, some juice may escape, but I assure you, it’s not nearly significant enough.

Where do I stick the probe?

Wherever you do stick the probe, do it in more than one location. Majorly, however, you should stick the probe into the thickest part of the meat. Record the coldest temperature as you slowly draw it out.

I found something like a clip in my package. What is it used for?

You’re very right. You sure know a clip when you see one. You use these clips to position the oven probes close to the food. This is usually about 2″ near the food. Where they are absent, use foils instead. It is essential to know the temperature of your food is inWhat can substitute a thermometer in checking the doneness level of meat?

The answer is nothing. Only thermometers give an accurate representation of the doneness level of your meat. No, you cannot tell whether meat is done or not by poking your hand in different styles. No, not by holding your hand over the grill, either. You can’t even tell by the color of the meat juice. Never mind that it seems to be the most practical of the three popular false beliefs. 

My thermometer keeps displaying HHH or LLL. Why?

These are all cryptic messages that your thermometer displays. You see them when the temperature is either too high or too low. You see messages like this when you exceed the stipulated temperature range. To clear this error, gradually lift the tip of the probe to room temperature. On occasions that the error persists, remove the battery and insert it again. 

“But hey, my grill has an inbuilt thermometer. Can’t I just use it instead?”

No, you can’t. The thermometers that come with grills and smokers are bimetallic. They are of the least quality and are inaccurate. Purchase a digital one instead.

Johnny TriggView all Posts

He’s the founder of BBQchickenUSA.com and also the owner of two barbecue restaurants. He’s passionate about reviewing, providing useful tips about BBQ Smokers, and known as BBQ Pitmaster.