Let's face it, it's hard to know exactly when meat is ready, and getting everyone's 'medium-rare' requests just right is never easy, so we can often do with a helping hand: cue the smart meat thermometer.
Rather than simply sticking a traditional thermometer into your meat, or sweet treats such as jam or melted chocolate, and waiting for the result (in the hope you're not too late), a smart cooking thermometer lets you monitor your food's progress from your phone or tablet.Mingle with your guests, and check whether your meat is ready for resting from the table, easy.
Whether you're already thinking about BBQ season, or want to up your hosting game, our round-up of the best smart meat thermometers is here to help.
For more cooking tech, take a look at the best kitchen gadgets and the best BBQ gadgets.
The best smart thermometers for cooking
Traeger MeaterPlus wireless smart meat thermometer
Possibly the biggest name in the world of smart meat thermometers, Meater is the go-to for many enthusiastic cooks. Just insert the probe into your meat before it goes into the oven, and set up your personalised cook on the app by selecting the cut of meat (sirloin, rib-eye, T-bone), oven temperature and cooking preference (rare, or well-done perhaps).
Once your food is in the oven, the app guides you through the cooking process with handy timers, alerts and resting times so it's like having a tiny chef in your pocket, telling you what to do. The probe features two sensors that work simultaneously: one for measuring the internal temperature of the meat, and a second for the external temperature. The probe is also dishwasher safe, and we like the sleek, understated design. You can also enjoy an impressive range of 50m, ideal if you're busy at home, dotting from room to room.
A great gift for steak lovers, and a particularly handy tool for those tackling their first turkey this festive season. For a larger feast, and further precision, check out the Meater Block - a jazzy set that comes with four probes.
ThermoPro wireless remote digital meat thermometer
Rather than working with an app, this cooking thermometer lets you read temperatures and select your choice of meat on a monitor. A nice alternative if you'd rather save your phone from greasy fingertips. You can check on progress 150m away, and the monitor works as an alarm so you'll know when to head back to the kitchen.
In terms of design and appearance, it's not as shiny and contemporary as some of the more sleek meat thermometers currently on the market, but the large LCD display is easy to read, and it measures the temperature of both the food and oven, so it gets the job done. It's also roughly half the price, and there are thousands of five star reviews on Amazon.
The chunkier, hardier design makes it a fitting choice for outdoor use, so it's a top BBQ, or smoker gadget.
For more smart gadgets for your home:
- The best smart wallets to buy in 2022
- Best cheap smart TVs to save money in 2022
- Best smart speakers to buy in 2022
- Best smart coffee makers: Your new favourite kitchen gadget
Paonies smart wireless meat thermometer
Much more closer in design to the popular Meatermodel, this Bluetooth thermometer is free of wires, meaning you can effortlessly pop the probe into your food, and into the oven. You'll need to be within 15m to use the app and check on progress, and you can set alerts on the app which remind you to flip your steak; find out when a desired temperature has been reached as well as set the preferred rare, medium-rare and well-done cooking options.
The probe's base and charging dock can attach to your fridge, or any magnetic surface, for easy storage and it's another wireless device (AAA batteries required) so you can maintain a tidy, fuss-free kitchen.
Inkbird IBBQ-4T wireless meat thermometer
This wireless meat thermometer has the benefit of featuring four, very colourful, probes, so you can monitor more than one piece of meat at a time on the BBQ (a perk if you've got fussy guests). While the thermometer is wireless, the probes have wires so it's more suited to open cooking and therefore a more appropriate choice for the warmer summer months.
The thermometer is magnetic which makes for convenient storage, and there's an app for your timings, meat joints and temperatures. Assign your guests a probe colour, and let them know when their burger is ready to go without having to hover over the BBQ all night.
Inkbird IBT-6XS wireless meat thermometer
One for a busy BBQ host. This is another Inkbird design, but with six sensors, you can monitor even more burgers at the same time. The app lets you choose from an array of meats including fish, hamburgers, lamb and turkey, and you can view temperature graphs and keep a close eye on all of your dishes on the app.
This smart meat thermometer has a battery life of 40 to 60 hours which is sure to see you through plenty of gatherings before having to recharge.
In need of some Christmas shopping ideas? Browse our gift lists: