The Best Bluetooth BBQ Thermometers for 2024

If you’re a total gadget guy like me, then everything needs to connect to your smartphone.

It just feels wrong to buy a new piece of technology and have it NOT connect to your phone.

We’ve compiled a list of the best Bluetooth thermometers we’ve tested and all the pros and cons.

For most people, the Weber iGrill 2 offers the best Bluetooth experience with a great app, easy pairing, and decent range.

If your budget allows then I would highly recommend going for a device that has Bluetooth and WiFi like the ThermoWorks Signals as this fixes all potential issues with limited range and dropping connection you can experience with the Bluetooth-only options.

Our Top 5 Choices For The Best Bluetooth Thermometer in 2022

We’ve selected five of the best Bluetooth BBQ thermometers on the market today. These are our favorite thermometers for keeping track of your grill or smoker on your smartphone or tablet.

1. The Best Bluetooth BBQ Thermometer – Weber iGrill 2 Bluetooth Thermometer

The iGrill 2 from Weber is one of the most popular Bluetooth thermometers for viewing your grill and meat temperature on your smartphone or tablet.

Weber has continued to refine the App and add new features over the years, which is reflected with the 4.4 and 4.7/5 ratings on the Google Play and Apple App Stores.

The standard unit ships with two pro meat probes and it has the capacity to add up to four at once. You can buy additional probes off Amaozn.

Weber sells three versions of the iGrill. The Mini, the iGrill 2 and the iGrill 3.

Logically you would think the iGrill 3 was a newer version, but this isn’t the case.

This is how Weber explains the difference:

The iGrill 2 and iGrill 3 are virtually the same unit with the exception that the iGrill 2 can act as a standalone accessory whereas the iGrill 3 is only compatible with the Weber Genesis II, Genesis II LX, and Spirit II. If you do not own a Genesis II/LX/Spirit II grill, we recommend checking out the iGrill 2

While the Weber brand is almost untouchable in barbecue circles, they still need to prove themselves in their foray into tech.

While they stumbled out of the gate (the initial launch of the app had loads of problems), they’ve been continuing to add new features and improve the user experience.

What we like:

• Bluetooth range & pairing – Improved range and pairing (should connect to your device in under 2 seconds) remove a lot of the frustration you experience with other Bluetooth thermometers. While the 150 ft advertised range is still much less than the 300 ft range you get with the Maverick ET-733, it’s now enough that you can actually go about your business without worrying about losing connection.
• Capacity for 4 probes – Having the ability to use 4 probes with a single unit is great. Easily monitor multiple smokers and/or multiple pieces of meat. It gives you a lot of flexibility for one thermometer. You only get 2 probes, but can easily order more off Amazon.
• Best in class phone app – While there were lots of complaints on release the app keeps getting better. The current rating on the Google Play store is a testament to Weber for continuously addressing issues.

What we don’t like:

• App can drain your device battery – To keep the iGrill 2 paired with your phone, you’ll need to leave your phone running.
• Range can be problematic – The problem with saying this thermometer has 150ft range is that it totally depends on your house setup and building material. For some people the range is much less than advertised.

One of the coolest features in the app, is the ability to name the different probes. So instead of trying to remember which probe is in the meat and which is in the grill, you can give each a custom name so that when you glance at your tablet or phone you can instantly see the temperature.

The iGrill 2 has a proximity sensor, so when you walk away with your device, it automatically shuts off the display on the base unit.

This helps save battery life when you are using your own device. When you walk back it turns back on.

If you put your phone or tablet to sleep, then the Bluetooth connection drops, so you can’t monitor the temperature anymore. Not ideal if you’re smoking overnight.

While the range seems to be much better for most people, we’ve still heard of people having issues. Our advice would be to not expect great results if you plan on spending time down in the man cave.

If there’s going to be a lot of walls / certain types of material between your phone and the unit, you are going to have issues.

So far we’ve focused on the Bluetooth and app, but how does the iGrill 2 perform? It’s capable of measuring between -22°F to 572°F. When tested in boiling water the probes are within 1 degree so it gets the tick for accuracy.

The 48″ probes are a nice feature compared to most other thermometers 36″ probes. The extra length gives you a bit more flexibility for how you setup your pit.

The iGrill 2 gets the nod for best bluetooth thermometer.

If you think you will get a kick out of seeing temperature graphs on your phone, and want the convenience of monitoring your cook from a single device then the iGrill 2 is the best option on the market today.

2. Best Highend Option – ThermoWorks Signals BBQ Thermometer with WiFi and Bluetooth

Read the reviews of any Bluetooth-only thermometer and you’ll come across numerous angry customers who experience poor range and connection failures.

The problem is Bluetooth simply isn’t a great technology for moving around a large areas and between different building materials. It’s hard to know if you will experience this, because every setup and material is different.

This is why we always recommend investing a little extra and getting a device that includes WiFI as well as Bluetooth like the Signals from ThermoWorks.

This smart thermometer uses Bluetooth to pair, and then uses your home WiFi network for a much smoother experience. It does fall back on Bluetooth if you lose WiFi so you won’t experience any interruptions.

Like the iGrill 2, the Signals can measure up to four probes at once, and ThermoWorks includes four probes while Weber only include two.

The main unit of the Signals is much more impressive than the iGrill 2. The large backlit LCD screen displays all your temperatures at once. The construction is also much more rugged feeling, and with IP66 Splash-Proof water resistance should withstand most weather conditions.

I run through my experience using the Signals in the video below.https://youtube.com/embed/V2CNaXL5ScQ?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://www.smokedbbqsource.com

What we like:

• WiFi/Bluetooth Combo –I know it’s a lot more to spend but the addition of WiFi gives you more practical range and makes the thermometer so much more reliable than the competition
• Fantastic app and cloud experience – The ThermoWorks app is easily as good as the one from Weber and has some more advanced features like the ability to save cooks and access them later.
• Add on Billows for automatic temp control – If you use a charcoal smoker you can add the billows fan and use the Signals to control the temperature of your smoker.

What we don’t like:

• More expensive – You are going to have to pay for the improved build quality and WiFi/Bluetooth combo.
• Battery life – At 16 hours you’ll need to regularly recharge your device using the USB charger, or keep the device plugged in during use.

3. Best Budget – InkBird IBT-4XS Bluetooth Wireless Grill BBQ Thermometer

The other thermometers that made our list are all from established, well-known brands. InkBird is new to the scene, but with the release of the IBT-4XS they created the best value-for-money Bluetooth thermometer on the market.

While we have given this our top budget pick, the IBT-4XS performs very closely with the more expensive iGrill 2. Both thermometers share similar specs, with 150 ft range and capacity for up to 4 probes.

The setup and product design is similar. You have a small transmitter that sits next to your smoker, and connects to your phone via Bluetooth. Virtually all controls are then accessed via the companion app.

The unit comes with a magnetic base so you can easily connect it to a magnetic surface. The 59″ probes also make it easy to place the unit in a variety of positions around your smoker.

What we liked:

• Value for money – For quite a bit less than the 2 probes iGrill package, you can pick up the 4 probes InkBird. While you do get one less year of warranty, the rest of the specs, probe, and build quality and all quite comparable.
• Using the app is easy – Both Weber and Maverick have struggled with their companion apps. Since 90% of your time using this thermometer is spent in the app, the design and ease of use are crucial. From pairing to set custom alarms and monitoring temps, the IBT-4XS performed fantastically.
• Accuracy and range – We used the super-accurate Thermapen to compare, and the temperature was already within 1 or 2 degrees of what the InkBird was reading.

What we don’t like:

• Weak App – Compared to the iGrill or Signals, the InkBird has a pretty limited app with a lot of average reviews.
• Lack of waterproofing – The only complaints we had with this thermometer was the lack of waterproofing,
• Single probe design -All probes are designed for meat. While it’s a small issue, the curve in the probe does use up a bit more space than you would like when using it to measure your pit temperature.

Other than those little gripes, the IBT-4XS represents outstanding value. It’s definitely worth giving the new brand a try.

4. The best WiFi/Bluetooth – FireBoard 2 Drive

The FireBoard 2 Drive comes competes neck and neck with the ThermoWorks Signals when it comes to feature-packed smart thermometers that use a combination of WiFi and Bluetooth together.

Where the Drive really excels is when you pair it with a blower fan to control the temperature of your charcoal grill. You can learn more about how that works in our guide to the best automatic temperature controllers.

What we like:

• Well designed app experience – I really like the clean, user-friendly design. All the information you need is at your fingertips. The temperature graphs work well and you can save them as “sessions” to refer back to.
• Reliable, accurate thermometer with support for up to 6 probes – You only get one ambient and two food probes included by default, you can purchase additional ones and connect up to 6 at once
• Check temps from anywhere in the world – Because this thermometer is cloud-connected you can access your temp data through any browser. Great for keeping the smoker running while you’re at work…
• Add temperature control – You can connect a fan to the FireBoard to give your charcoal or wood smoker automatic temperature control.

What we don’t like:

• No cooking presets – Unlike the iGrill, you’ll have to set your own temperature alarms rather than choose from presets. I actually like this as I find the presets aren’t always the best settings but I could see it being annoying to some.

We haven’t tested this feature yet ourselves, but the FireBoard also supports Alexa and Google Home, as well as the Apple Watch so you can use your home assistant to check the temperature on your smoker.

Isn’t the future great.

The FireBoard has quite a lot in common with the ThermoWorks Signals we covered above so definitely check that out too

5. Best single probe Bluetooth thermometer – Thermoworks BlueDOT Alarm Thermometer with Bluetooth® Wireless

The BlueDOT is a newly released single probe thermometer from ThermoWorks that adds Bluetooth capability to their incredibly successful DOT thermometer.

The original DOTs success lies in its simplicity. It was designed to do one thing and do it incredibly well.

So how did adding Bluetooth capability effect this thermometer?

There are really no draw backs. You still get all the same features you would expect.

The DOT has a nice big screen considering it’s small size, which lets you easily read the current and alarm temperatures.

It comes with IP65 splash protection which means you it should be safe from a few rain drops, or splashed water but you shouldn’t go washing it under running water.

The advantage over the standard DOT is that you can now connect to the ThermoWorks app on IOS and Android to track your temperature.

The app also graphs your cook, and records the highest and lowest temperatures throughout so you can see if there were any temp spikes while you were cooking.

What we like:

• Same simple design – If you just need to monitor one temperature, the BlueDOT does an excellent job, with a few added nice features.
• Water resistant design – No other manufacturer competes with Thermoworks when it comes to build quality. Even the inexpensive BlueDOT feels solid, and the IP65 is reassuring.

What we don’t like:

• ThermoWorks App – Lots of people have reported problems with the app crashing and losing connection. It did work for us, but the app is fairly basic compared to some of the competition.

You could also have problems with the limited range (95 feet line of sight), but unfortunately, this is the case with most Bluetooth thermometers out there.

6. The best truly wireless thermometer – MEATER+ Bluetooth Thermometer

The MEATER+ is the only truly wireless Bluetooth meat thermometer we have tested.

Instead of relying on wired temperature probes that plug into a transmitter that’s stuck next to your grill, the MEATER+ packs all the Bluetooth technology into a single probe.

While this makes for a very slick product, the reality of putting all the tech inside the grill does make the Bluetooth range limited.

The range problem made the original Meater virtually useless if you were cooking with the grill lid on.

The official manufacturer specs with the lid on was only 10 feet.

The Meater+ blows that out of the water, with a promised 165ft range inside a smoker.

They managed to achieve the extra range by turning the wood charger into a Bluetooth signal extender. This is much better than the original version which required you to leave your phone next to the your smoker

What we liked:

• Totally wireless design – This makes the Meater+ perfect choice if you ever cook using a rotisserie.
• Excellent app design – The Meater app is right up there with the iGrill 2 in terms of design and functionality. The cooking time estimate is a really great feature that makes it easy to plan exactly when your meat will be done.
• Charging case and range extender – Turning the charging case into a range extender was a genius move and makes this a much more useful product.

What we don’t like:

Bluetooth connection can be spotty – This is standard for all Bluetooth thermometers, unfortunately. It’s just not a great technology when you combine heat radiation and distance. The range is fine for some people, while others will have issues depending on your individual house layout.

You may also want to consider the MEATER Block, which is essentially four Meater+ probes packaged together with a larger charging base that has some nice additional features.

Other Bluetooth meat thermometers worth considering

An older alternative to the iGrill 2 – Maverick ET-735 Bluetooth Digital Thermometer

There’s no doubt that Maverick knows how to make digital thermometers. The ET-733 and before that the ET-732 are the most popular mid-priced digital thermometer on the market.

But how well has Maverick done at creating their Bluetooth thermometer and app? Unfortunately their foray into the world of tech gadgets has been a mixed result. So far.

As a thermometer the ET-735 ticks all the boxes. Like the iGrill 2 you have the ability to connect up to 4 probes (the unit comes with 2). Each probe is 36 inches long which is enough to give you plenty of flexibility when it comes to setting up your smoking area.

The specs claim 160 feet of wireless range which is 10 more than the iGrill 2, but like that thermometer the actual range you’ll get varies a lot depending on factors like what type of material is between the thermometer unit and your device.

It’s a shame manufacturers feel the need to display the range in terms of open air, direct line of sight. The whole point of buying a bluetooth thermometer is so you can wander around the house (or take a nap), and easily check the temperature by reaching into your pocket.Speaking of reaching into your pocket, how well does the app perform?In terms of functionality, the ET-735 app offers similar features to the iGrill.

• You can choose from default temperatures or customise them to your liking.
• The app provides notification when target temperature is reached.
• There’s a handy feature that lets you check the battery level in the transmitter

You’re experience with the BBQ Redi-Chek app is what makes or breaks this thermometer

When you talk to owners of the ET-735 they either love it or hate it. Initially the app was pretty poorly received with lots of issues with connectivity and very low range.

But like most tech products you get the advantage of regular updates and upgrades from the manufacturer. There was a new version released in October 2016 that seems to have fixed a lot of the issues with the app.

A good single probe option – Weber iGrill Mini

The iGrill mini is a great option if you love the idea of checking your smoker temperature from your phone, but don’t want to splash out for an expensive piece of tech that might not work in your house due to building material.

While it looks similar to the iGrill 2 reviewed above, it’s really more of a little sibling. Some of the key differences are:

• Only comes with 1 meat probe, and you can only connect 1 probe at a time so forget about monitoring your ambient and meat temperature at the same time unless you purchase two of these.
• Gets about 150 hours of continuous power vs 200 hours on the iGrill2

Otherwise the range and the app are the same. Since it’s a fraction of the cost the iGrill mini is a solid option if you already have other temperature probes you can use to monitor the Ambient temperature.

You can always start with one to measure either your pit temp or your food, and then buy another later. But you would probably be better off saving up for the iGrill 2.

If you want to start geeking out and graphing your temperature on your phone then god speed, just don’t expect it to impress those old school pit masters.

Wifi vs bluetooth bbq thermometers explained

Wifi thermometers have been around for ever, and while units keep getting better the technology isn’t very exciting. In the last couple of years we’ve seen an explosion in bluetooth enabled thermometers.

Still offering wireless connectivity, with bluetooth thermometers you can pair them with your smartphone or tablet.

So instead of carrying around a bulky receiver, you can check your pit or meat temperature on your phone. These apps also come with some other cool features like temperature graphs, probe naming, and custom temperature alerts.

Advantages of using a bluetooth thermometer

• Obviously having the app installed on your phone is the main advantage.
• The phone app that you install gets better with every new release from the company. While the original iGrill app had issues, they rebuilt it for the iGrill 2 and made it much better. Now with each new release issues are ironed out, where as with and old thermometer if you don’t like how something works it’s impossible to change.

Sounds awesome doesn’t it?

In theory connecting your grill thermometer to your smartphone would be a huge upgrade. But before throw your old WiFi thermometer in the dump, it’s worth looking at how well Bluetooth compares.

Bluetooth was intended to be low power so the signal doesn’t propagate nearly as well as WiFi

The number one issue we have with Bluetooth connected thermometers is that what you gain in new features and ease of use, you give up in range.

Common issues with Bluetooth thermometers

Compared to Bluetooth, WiFi thermometers are pretty easy to review. While range varies a little depending on the building materials of individuals homes, everything is generally similar.

With Bluetooth on the other hand, the device someone is using (e.g. Android or iPhone), the version they are running, the location they are in, the version of the app they are running all influence the quality of the experience.

This explains why you see so many mixed reviews for devices like the iGrill 2. Someone using it on their iPhone 7 might experience flawless connectivity, while those running an older Samsung Galaxy struggle.

If you do decide to go with a bluetooth thermometer, here are some of the common issues you may 

• Bluetooth antennas are notoriously lousy in certain types of phones. We've heard of people get a much worse range with the Samsung Galaxy compared to similar phones from HTC, LG and iPhones
• Once you’ve paired your device, the app has to be running for it to stay connected. This can be annoying if you do long cooks and it will likely drain the battery life
• It’s hard to know exactly what range you will get. While the iGrill 2 claims up to 150 feet of range, this can drop way down to 10 feet depending on a range of factors.
• You can lose connection to your phone through the walls of the house.

Deciding to go with bluetooth is all about tradeoffs. Having the temperature of your meat or pit on your phone is great, but it will drain the phone battery quickly.

If you do long cooks and like to take naps, you probably rely on the alarm on the thermometer to wake you up. With Bluetooth, you’ll need to make sure your phone is running constantly, and it’s plugged in otherwise your screen will shut off and you won’t get any notifications.

With an old reliable Maverick ET-733 you don’t have to worry about it turning off, or the walls of your house cutting off your temperature readings.

How to fix connection issues with your Bluetooth thermometer

Bluetooth is still a relatively unreliable technology. When it works it’s fantastic, but we sometimes devices don’t like to play nice.

Since bluetooth is on the same frequency as 2.4 WIFI,  having too many devices can cause issues. Fix this problem by making your kids turn their phones onto airport mode…

OK when that doesn’t work you can try following these tips from the experts.

Wrapping it up

At the end of the day deciding to go for a Bluetooth thermometer is all about what you need.

If you’re primary goal is accuracy and range, then for now we have to recommend sticking with a reliable WIFI thermometer like the Thermoworks Smoke.

If you need get reliable range passed around 50 feet then proceed with extreme caution.

On the other hand, if you are prepared to risk having a few issues with Bluetooth, but like the idea of having your temperatures on your phone, the iGrill 2 from Weber is an excellent choice.