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The temperature is . Whether you’re searing steaks and burgers or slow-smoking brisket, you need an accurate reading of your grill’s heat level and the internal temperature of your food. There are many options, from instant-read thermometers to probe-based devices that monitor your cooking around the clock. Of the latter, some are wired and some are wireless, and the lack of cords criss-crossing your grates can be a real upgrade.
Wireless grilling probes aren’t new, but they are for a big name in grill thermometers . ThermoWorks, the company behind the popular Thermapen, has finally debuted its take on wireless temperature tracking . For maximum precision, the company takes a different approach than most of its competitors, giving backyard and commercial grill masters a reliable and versatile sous chef.
ThermoWorks/Engadget
ThermoWorks’ long-awaited wireless grill probe doesn’t pack all the sensors inside one device, which means its readings are more accurate than the competition.
- Accurate and reliable
- The starter kit is all-inclusive
- The food probe is sleek and sturdy
- Bluetooth connectivity is not ready yet
- Lots of pieces to keep up with
- The starter kit does not come with a carrying case
RFX technology
ThermoWorks’ RFX series relies on sub-GHz radio frequency (RF) wireless tech instead of just using Bluetooth. This enables 1,500 feet of line-of-sight range between the probe and the receiver, although you’ll want to place the latter near your grill to be safe. As with the previous ThermoWorks There are magnets on the back of the charging cradle and receiver of the probe, so that it attaches to a cold side of your grill easily. The RF signal is strong enough to constantly light up even the thick walls of an offset smoker or the insides of a Dutch oven even if it’s inside the grill.
Beyond the wireless tech, ThermoWorks offers several key features that stack up well against the wireless probe competition. For example, by charging the RFX Meat probe in its skinny charging block in just 10 minutes, you can get 52 hours of cooking time. The Gateway receiver provides the necessary Wi-Fi connection that allows you to monitor the grill remotely from anywhere. It can also connect up to 70 wireless probes at once, making it suitable for commercial environments.
RFX Meat is IP69K rated, so it’s dishwasher safe and made for deep frying and sous vide cooking. The probe can also withstand temperatures up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which means you can use it to accurately monitor steaks during a high-heat sear.
Finally, RFX Gateway supports . This device turns smokers – offset, ceramic, barrel or drum – into smart grills by maintaining the desired temperature. Billows gets temperature updates from the Pro-Series Air Probe via an RFX receiver. This is great if you want to use wood or charcoal for low-and-slow cooking instead of a pellet grill and still want a slightly hands-off workflow.
The RFX starter kit and standalone options
Since you need RFX Meat and the RFX Gateway to get started, the best initial option is to get one of the ThermoWorks bundles. Called the RFX Starter Kit, this package includes the Gateway receiver and the wireless probe. It also includes a Pro-Series Air Probe for ambient grill temperature, a grate clip, charger (for Gateway) and colored probe rings.
The company gives you the choice of one, two or four bundled reviews, all of which save you money over buying each item separately. They currently cost $159, $239 and $349 respectively, but ThermoWorks says this is the “lowest price ever,” so I expect everything to get more expensive soon. If you Granted must purchase the RFX Meat or RFX Gateway separately – in case you lose one or encounter some other cooking tragedy – the wireless probe is $89 while the receiver is $79. Also, those are the initial prices I expect to go up.
Using RFX Meat on the grill
RFX Meat is the fourth ThermoWorks product I’ve tried. I use two models of Thermapen instant-read thermometers as well . the remains a kitchen and patio staple in my house, especially for checking the internal temperature of meat and fish. I am always amazed at how the company makes devices that are reliable, easy to use and very accurate. All three of those characteristics also apply to the RFX duo.
Like some of the competition, ThermoWorks has mounted multiple sensors on the probe shaft. Those four components give you a more accurate reading for the internal temperature of your food within 0.9 degrees. The company opted for a separate, wired Pro-Series ambient temperature probe that plugs into the RFX Gateway receiver for storing grill tabs. There are a couple of benefits to this.
First, the separate probe moves the sensor away from your meat, so that the initial cool zone or steaming around large cuts of meat doesn’t interfere with your readings. Second, you have the freedom to move the probe around because it is not attached to the main wireless device. Even if your grill has a built-in sensor inside the cooking chamber, ThermoWorks’ Pro-Series option is a good secondary sanity check because most grill companies don’t place their level probes on cooking grates where the food sits.
The RFX system provided a consistent connection during my test sessions, which included an all-day, low-slow smoke for a pig’s butt and a faster, three-hour cooking for my Thanksgiving turkey. I didn’t experience any drop-outs, and in the case of that bird, I was able to continue checking RFX Meat in place during the resting phase. This is important because I pull the turkey off the grill at 160 degrees Fahrenheit in the breast, so I need to make sure it hits 165 with carryover cooking before I carve it.
ThermoWorks’ app won’t win any design awards, but it gets the job done. Frankly, I’ll take the reliability and ease of use of aesthetic polish any day. There are tons of grilling apps that look better but don’t work as well, and when you’re trying to cook a $100 brisket, any source of uncertainty can be intimidating. Like the competition, ThermoWorks’ app lets you set high and low alarms for any probes, and you can also choose how often the app updates its readings. This means that if you are searing a steak, you can track each degree, but for longer cooks you can opt for three degree intervals. RFX sends updates based on temperature changes, not time, so you’ll want to pay attention to this.
True grilling nerds will also appreciate the temperature graphs and the ability to add notes if needed. The company recently added an Advanced Mode that plots temperature data for all four internal RFX Meat sensors on a single graph. Each line is a different color, giving you an in-depth look at changes over time throughout the session.
One of the first things I noticed about the app’s main screen (Devices) was that a carousel of the company’s products and cooking tips appeared by default. This is off-putting to me, taking up space in a place where I just want my valuable cooking data. Fortunately, you can hide that box, and I’m sure I’m not alone in wanting to do so.
The competition
There are a few companies that make wireless grilling probes, but the brand I spend the most time with is Meater. The company owned by Traeger has many different options in HISTORY which is the best Bluetooth device for most backyard cooks. It has multiple sensors for the internal temperature of the meat as well as an embedded ambient sensor on the opposite end. The Meater Pro is extremely durable and can withstand high-heat searing and deep frying. It’s also dishwasher safe like RFX Meat, which is a huge plus. If you want built-in Wi-Fi, you’ll need to splurge for both probes which is $100 more. Meater’s app also provides estimated completion times, which is nice to have, but the predictions aren’t always accurate.
packing
ThermoWorks’ initial RFX bundle is a reliable and simple way to keep tabs on your grill without standing in front of it. The devices ensure that you cook at the right temperature and you achieve the exact doneness you want. I like the separate wired ambient probe for the RFX gateway for its added accuracy, and it’s easy enough to route the cable out of the way.
Sure, the RFX starter kit is more expensive than the likes of the Meater Pro, but ThermoWorks has already confirmed that more products that work with the Gateway are coming soon. The company should deliver on its promise to offer an offline mode via Bluetooth easily though, so grillers who are not in range of a Wi-Fi network can still use the RFX to cook. But having both is a significant advantage over some of the company’s rivals. And no matter how you connect it, the RFX starter kit is further proof of why chefs and pitmasters rely on ThermoWorks precision for their cooking needs. The company never fails.
