If you’re in a hurry and just want to find out what the best meat thermometer is, then we recommend the Smak Digital Instant Read Thermometer.
However, if you’d like to learn more about why choosing the right meat thermometer is important, we’ve got you covered there as well.
Every home cook should own a good meat thermometer. With so many different products crowding the market, though, it can be difficult to discern which one is best. That’s where we come in.
In this article, we’re going to review the following food dehydrator products that are great for beef jerky:
- Smak Digital Instant Read Meat Thermometer
- ThermoPro TP-08S Wireless Remote Digital Cooking Meat Thermometer
- Uvistare BBQ Meat Thermometer
- Chugod Bluetooth Meat Thermometer
- GDEALER DT11 Meat Thermometer
- ThermoPro TP-16 LCD Digital Cooking Meat Thermometer
Benefits of Using a Meat Thermometer
All meat products should be cooked to a certain temperature in order to be safe to consume. While the temperatures vary depending on which meat you’re cooking, food safety regulations state that beef should be cooked to at least 145 degrees to eliminate harmful bacteria. A high-quality meat thermometer can help you yield the best results every time.
There’s no reason not to invest in one of these products. They’re reasonably priced, compact enough to fit easily into a drawer when not in use and provide the peace of mind that comes from knowing your meat will be cooked to the desired temperature when you take your first bite. But which one is best?
Meat Thermometer Review Guide
This section is geared to help you select the product that suits your individual needs without breaking the bank. To make your decision easier, we’ve included a handy list of pros and cons for each model.
- ✅ULTRA FAST READING. Instant Read Thermometer needs just 2-3 seconds to measure accurate temperature and has a wide range of -58℉-572℉ (-50°C- 300°C)
- ✅ WATERPROOF MEAT THERMOMETER IS EASY TO CLEAN. Our cooking Thermometer Probe is made from food grade stainless steel. Read exact temperature to make perfectly cooked beef, turkey, fish, lamb, pork or chicken every time. Kitchen Thermometer is perfect for baking, frying
- ✅BIG 1.75” BRIGHT LCD, CONVENIENT & EASE TO USE. Meat Thermometer for grilling has an internal magnet makes it convenient for storage. Ultra-safe folding design & auto shut off after 10 min. Smak Instant Thermometer case is made of strong ABS plastic
- ✅ BEST VALUE DIGITAL MEAT THERMOMETER. Cooking Thermometer comes packaged in a premium, foam lined box. Makes a great a gift idea for any cooking or barbecue enthusiast
- ✅ 100% SATISFACTION WARRANTY. Buy SMAK kitchen food thermometer with a 1 year warranty and a 3 year free replacement after warranty registration in 30 days period, unlike other brands: Themoworks Thermapen, Weber, Maverick, Taylor, CDN, Polder. CE, RoHS certificated.
This handy gadget is a carnivore’s dream. The bright LCD screen measures 1.75 inches, making it easy to read even in the dark. With a temperature range of 58 to 572 degrees Fahrenheit, it displays the results in as little as 2 seconds—and in increments of 1/10 of a degree, so you can be sure you’re getting the most accurate temperature reading possible. It’s also waterproof, a claim that many thermometers are unable to make—typically, the units become damaged when exposed to water.
The Smak thermometer has a convenient folding design with a built-in magnet, so you can pop it onto the fridge in between batches. It’s designed to turn off automatically after 10 minutes of inactivity, which helps preserve the battery’s life.
Smak offers consumers a 30-day warranty, as well as free replacements for up to 3 years. Note that while the unit is advertised as waterproof, it’s still not a good idea to submerge it in liquid during washing—take care to only clean the parts that came in contact with food.
Pros:
- Reasonable price point
- Convenient design
- Waterproof
- Easy to read LCD screen
- Automatic shutoff function
- 30 day warranty and three-year replacement guarantee
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Cons:
- Not as technologically advanced as some of the others listed
- Enhanced 500ft remote range: Thermopro wireless meat thermometer adopts the most advanced wireless technology to provide the strongest, and most reliable connection with an out of range alert, allowing you to monitor the progress of your cook up to 500ft away without worries
- Dual probe for food and BBQ: Meat thermometer oven safe with highly accurate stainless steel meat probe and oven/ grill/ smoker temperature probe, to allow you to monitor both food and ambient temperature simultaneously, making the smoker thermometer especially suitable for long smokes or grilling sessions
- Food temp & HI/LOW ambient temp alarm: Digital grill thermometer allows you to quickly and easily set your own cooking temperatures for both probes; Set probe 2 as HI/LOW temp range alarm for your grill or smoker to know when to add more fuel or if your bbq temperature gets too high; BBQ thermometer will flash and beep to remind you if the temperature ever goes out your set range
- Convenient kitchen timer: Smoking thermometer features countdown & count up timer which can be used simultaneously with the temperature monitoring functions, helps you keep track of your entire meal from meat to vegetable side dishes
- High accuracy and wide temperature range: Cook anything perfectly and with ease due to the wide and highly accurate temp range 14˚f to 572˚f; Displays both fahrenheit and celsius readings; Probe thermometer features a backlight screen for both the receiver & transmitter, ideal for any light condition
The TP-08S is a great option if you’re looking to use the thermometer primarily for smoked meat products. There’s a preprogrammed temperature range to take the guesswork out of the process, and an alarm will alert you if your oven temps become too hot or too cold. The carefree nature of this wireless system is a tantalizing hook for the busy home chef.
This unit features dual probes and a large digital readout, which is especially convenient as you probably won’t be spending all your time standing next to the smoker, waiting for the meat to be ready. It should be noted that the probes can sometimes be faulty, but fortunately, the company is always willing to replace them. While this can still be a hassle if your meat gets ruined, this is less of a concern when making jerky, as the internal temperature should be on the higher side anyway.
ThermoPro offers a one-year warranty, and their customer service department is excellent. This model doesn’t come cheaply, but it offers enough extra features to justify the higher cost.
Pros:
- Preprogrammed temperature range
- Alert will sound if the temperature rises or falls too much
- One-year warranty
- Standout customer service
Cons:
- Probes can be finicky, requiring replacement
- High price point
- ❤WIRELESS REMOTE MONITOR: Bluetooth thermometer with advanced technology provides a powerful and reliable connection up to 164 feet. You can read the real time status of your food or meat and get an overheating alert on your phone even if you are away from the wireless digital thermometer. Cooking sites are no longer limited to physically being right next to them!
- ❤IMPROVED STAINLESS STEEL PROBES: Two high heat resistance flame-proof grip thermometer probes for grilling and smoking which allows the temperature to be read faster and more accurately than silicone handle probes (temperature resistance up to 716℉). 1 clip as bonus for ambient temperature reading.
- ❤EMAIL US IF ANY PROBLEMS: The probes are manufactured to rigid standards and should function accurately indefinitely if used as directed. However, we understand that accidents happen so if there is any problems with the device or probes, please contact us right away.(How to contact: chugod Pro APP--More--Feedback&support)
- ❤6 CHANNEL TECHNOLOGY: Support up to 6 probes (NOTE: 2 bbq thermometer probes in standard package), you can monitor 6 different foods cooking simultaneously and quickly monitor your exact temperature when grilling. Makes an amazing partner for any BBQ party.
- ❤SMART APP CONTROL: The digital cooking thermometer features preset temperatures for 11 types of meat and their various doneness levels recommended by USDA. All of the preset temps can be customized to your desired tastes. When time or temps is up, it will beep and flash with back light. Never worry about overcooking or under-cooking.
The dual stainless steel flame-resistant probes on the Uvistare come equipped with a wireless remote system with a range of up to 164 feet. While only two probes are included in the purchase, the unit can handle up to six of them, all with their own individual temperature readouts. The device is equipped with customizable pre-set temperatures and an alarm that will sound when the temperatures stray outside of range.
This is a higher-end model, but unlike the ThermoPro, it isn’t worth the extra cost. While Uvistare offers a 2-year replacement guarantee on probes, it’s often all too necessary to take advantage of it. The probes can be erratic to the point of distraction, and they can’t be submerged in water for even the brief time it takes to get them clean. If this is your only option, you may be able to make it work to your advantage; other buyers would be better off taking a look at a different model.
Pros:
- Can handle up to 6 probes
- 2-year replacement guarantee on probe attachments
- Customizable temperatures
- Alarm will sound when the temperature rises or falls out of range
Cons:
- High price point
- Probes are often inaccurate
While many of the other selections here have wireless capability, the Chugod will notify you when your food is ready via a Bluetooth connection. The range for the connection is impressive—196 feet outdoors and 100 feet when inside. The same goes for the temperature range, with readout capabilities anywhere from 33 to 572 degrees Fahrenheit.
The six included probes are color-coded, so you can keep easy track of whose steak is whose when cooking for a crowd. There are even preset temperatures for beef, chicken, veal, lamb, and more. The screen is bright and easy to read, but as a bonus, it connects to an easy-to-use app so that you can read the temperature on your smartphone if needed.
Pros:
- Technologically advanced model
- Color-coded probes
- Impressive temperature range
- Preset temperatures for different meats
Cons:
- Poor customer service (in a case, if you need it)
- 【INSTANT READ & ACCURATE】This kitchen thermometer reads out within 3-5 seconds. It is accurate to ±1°C (±2°F) between -50~200°C(-58°F~392°F). Never worry about ruining a steak by over or under cooking. Your great choice for cooking!
- 【SUPER LONG PROBE】No more worrying about hands' burning. The probe tip is much thinner and longer than other brand’s, which is more convenient to insert into food. This 4.45’’(probe) instant read thermometer can detect the core temp of meat. Perfect for huge turkey, chicken, candy making, chocolate making, barbecue and hot water.
- 【EASY TO USE】Simply insert the probe into your food or liquid and get the temp. The reading won't change after pulling the probe thermometer out of food. This digital thermometer with protective sheath is very easy to carry and store. 10 minutes auto shut off function will prolong the battery life.
- 【BACKLIT LCD DISPLAY】The meat thermometer for grilling shows the temperature clearly in the evening. Press the button, and the screen will light for 5 seconds. It makes barbecue and picnic easier and more convenient at night.
- 【ONE YEAR WARRANTY】We are always here to assist you. Contact us via Amazon message box if you meet some issues or have some advice. We value every single customer.
You’ll find no bells and whistles with Gdealer, just a simple and straightforward meat thermometer with an easy-to-read display and a 4.5-inch probe, complete with a protective sheath to guard the probe when not in use. The unit performs impressively well, taking only four to six seconds to gain an accurate reading. It can display temperatures ranging from 58 to 392 degrees Fahrenheit, which is fairly standard for this type of product.
Like the Smak model, this one has an automatic shutoff feature that kicks in after 10 minutes of inactivity. It’s also very easy to use and store, with none of the requisite hassles that come with the more technologically advanced units.
Habor doesn’t offer customers any warranty, but it is not expensive. It is a solid option if you just want a basic meat thermometer at a fraction of what you’d pay for a fancier model.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Convenient design
- Protective sheath for probe
- Automatic shutoff feature
- Bargain value
- It is not expensive
Cons:
- Lacks the convenience of more advanced models
- Cook mode with USDA preset temperature settings: ThermoPro cooking thermometer ideal for meat, oven, smoker or stove top; Programmable alert with preset temperatures for specific foods recommended by USDA; All of the preset temps can be reset to your desired tastes
- Timer mode: Digital kitchen timer features countdown and countup ability, up to 99 hours, 59 minutes
- High accuracy and heat resistance: Meat probe and wire can withstand up to 716 degrees Fahrenheit, you can cook with wide temperature range from 32 to 572 degrees Fahrenheit (0 to 300 degrees Celsius) with high accuracy: 1 degree resolution, 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit/1 degrees Celsius
- Easy operation: Accurate grill meat thermometer with 6.5 inches food grade stepdown tip design stainless steel probe to get temperature precisely and quickly; 40 inches stainless steel mesh cable connects thermometer to base, outside of oven
- Convenient storage: Digital food thermometer, features a magnetic back to allow you to easily attach to refrigerator or any metal surface; a hanging hole for your kitchen hooks or a lanyard；tabletop for any layout situation
The detailed graphics are what set the TP-16 apart, even from other thermometers in the ThermoPro arsenal. If you prefer your beef rare, for example, the screen will display the outline of a cow with the word “RARE” stamped within; for well done, the same outline is filled in so that the cow becomes opaque. Other options—for ham, fish, pork, and poultry—are available as well, all with their own preprogrammed temperatures.
With a range of 32 to 572 degrees Fahrenheit, this model is certainly equipped to handle any and all of the meat products listed above. Though the temperatures are preset, you can override this function to set the temps manually if you prefer. There’s also a timer that can be set for up to 99 hours and 59 minutes, which makes the unit ideal if you’ll be using it primarily for long operations, such as smoking and barbecuing meat.
ThermoPro offers consumers a 1-year warranty on this model, but the guarantee extends to 3 years if you register the TP-16 after purchase. Even the price is reasonable when you consider everything that’s included.
Pros:
- Low price point
- Long probe ideal for smoking meats (can also be kept in food during use, even in oven)
- One- to three-year warranty
- Accurate temperature readouts
- Good customer service
Cons:
Built-in magnet is low quality- Cord attached to probe tends to kink up with repeated use
Conclusion
If you plan to spend a lot of time smoking and drying meats, an accurate meat thermometer will become one of your most trusted companions. The Smak Digital Instant Read Meat Thermometer is the winner of our roundup, offering a myriad of benefits at an affordable price. Best of luck!
"You might be a redneck if you think that beef jerky and moon pies are two of the major food groups."
-- Jeff Foxworthy
