Meater wireless meat thermometer can take the guesswork out of cooking and grilling. Does it work? I tested it thoroughly.
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So-called ‘smart’ meat thermometers are nothing new. We’ve had rudimentary versions of them for years now and while they’ve generally done an alright job, their wired connections have been tedious and the small handheld receiver units are pretty basic. So when I heard about a new meat thermometer that was fully wireless and had a companion app that allows it to optimize the cooking of a whole host of different meats easily, I was happy to bring it into the test kitchen.
is a small wireless, rechargeable Bluetooth meat thermometer. It connects to a free companion app and allows you to monitor cooking, check temperature and optimize your grilling or oven roasting.
Setting up the device was quite easy. First you’ll need to pair it to your smartphone or device (make sure it’s charged up). To turn the device on, just pull it from the charging box/wooden case. You’ll instruct the app to search for your Meater probe and once it shows up in your app, tap to select it, then hit ‘Next’. That’s it.
You can change the default temperature from Celsius to Fahrenheit if you like, then you’ll tap Finish. The app will take you to a main screen that displays current temperature and cooking info about the probe.
The nice wooden box Meater comes in doubles as a charging station. With just one AAA battery you should get 100 charges, each lasting 48 hours. (I’m still working my way to 100 to prove it) and the back of the case is magnetic, letting you stick it to the fridge for easy and convenient storage.
Removing Meater from its case turns it on, so once it’s out, just push it into your meat.
There’s a very small narrow groove near the top of the thermometer, and you need to make sure that is all the way inside the meat or you risk damaging the thermometer.
To initiate a cook, go to the app and select the type of meat you’re cooking and let the probe pick the right temperature, or you can set the target temperature yourself.
The app is very easy to use. You just touch a button in the app that allows you to select your meat, type of cut, and the level of doneness you want. It will also give you at-a-glance info like the target temperature, current internal temperature and the oven or grill’s ambient temperature.
You can use Meater to double check cooked meat’s temperature easily. Just slide it into your meat, load the app, and wait for a reading. You do need the app to read this, which seems a little more involved than an old fashioned thermometer, but you can still get a reading.
Meater is designed to send you notifications when your cook is done. The company’s website says you can opt for audible and visual notifications when your food is ready, and can “vibrate, sound an alarm, and even send a notification to your friend to make sure your food is taken care of”.
The first two cooks I tried, I didn’t seem to get proper alerts. I got push notifications that went away immediately, and as a result had near-overcooks.
I checked my iPhone settings, and while Notifications were on, as were Sounds, the banner notifications were set to temporary. While that may resolve the disappearing notification issue, it still doesn’t explain why the phone wasn’t supplying audible alerts from Meater.
One other issue I had with Meater is that the device disconnects if the phone moves too far from the probe. And by “too far” I mean that when I moved from our kitchen to the living room, less than 20 feet from the oven, the probe would become disconnected. But unless I was actively looking at the app, there’s no audible warning that I’ve lost a connection. That too may have been contributing to my troubles.
There’s a lot to love about Meater. The compact size is perfect, and the chic wooden charging case is a nice touch. I also like the fact you can stick it to the fridge or oven using the magnets; very convenient.
Meater is simple to use and the app is really easy to figure out. I enjoyed being able to dial up the precise cook for any number of different meats just by pressing buttons in the app. The battery life is great so far too.
If I had a complaint, it’s that the audible alerts didn't work for me.
So you’re really at constant risk of overcooking unless you monitor your food. Kinda like real life.
Overall, I really liked my Meater experience, but I needed to keep one eye on the app. The probe is small and unfussy, and having used a wired digital meat thermometer previously, I can say having an untethered version is far superior.
If you’re a serious home cook, I think you’ll really like Meater. Just don't set it and forget it...
16 сен 2024
