# Remote thermometers: standalone device or phone app?



## Dm76 (Apr 9, 2020)

I know there are a few threads about thermometers here but would love your take on this.  I have an old remote thermometer and I have always had problems with it updating or getting out of range, even when I am only about 15-20 feet away right inside the house.  I am in the market for a new one with multiple probes (at least one for the meat and one for the ambient temp) but 4 would probably be better.  I don't have a smoker but just a gas grill for now but still like to monitor things, especially slow cooked meats.  I am just curious if you find it more convenient/simpler to have a standalone receiver or to use your phone.  I do have a Weber so the igrill3 is a possibility, but I have read where the range is not that good once you go inside the house.  Love to hear your thoughts and recommendations on this.


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## spdolan76 (Apr 9, 2020)

I love the igrill.  Range isn't amazing, but that doesn't bother me.


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## Dm76 (Apr 9, 2020)

spdolan76 said:


> I love the igrill.  Range isn't amazing, but that doesn't bother me.



What kind of range have you gotten?  How far inside the house have you gotten it to work?


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## Winterrider (Apr 9, 2020)

Wireless Thermometer IRF-4S | INKBIRD
					

Inkbird is a company which dedicates its passion in producing and marketing of intelligent home automation products.




					www.ink-bird.com
				




This unit is fantastic. Very easy to set.






						Bluetooth Thermometer IBT-4XS | INKBIRD
					

Inkbird is a company which dedicates its passion in producing and marketing of intelligent home automation products.




					www.ink-bird.com
				




Also a very good unit. It did loose connectivity once at about 90' but connected again instantly.


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## MJB05615 (Apr 9, 2020)

I have the IBT-4XS + the 6XS, both work perfectly.  I've lost connection maybe 2 times in 20 + cooks, and it reconnected immediately. Both are very accurate each time I test in boiling water, and when I compare to my tp-08 model.


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## sky monkey (Apr 9, 2020)

I have the Inkbird IBT-4XS as well and it works very well. Unless you drive to the store and take your phone, then it makes a helluva racket in your pocket, lol. I really recommend a 4 probe. I've discovered cold and hot spots in my cooking equipment with the multiple probes. You can learn a lot from moving the probes around the smoker, grill or oven.

The only drawback I've heard people talk about is the BBQGo app Inkbird uses, there is no way to look at history of the cook, like a graph of spikes and dips in the temp. I haven't needed that function but it could reveal data that could help in future cooks or you could tell how long meat was in the danger zone if you ran out of propane in the middle of the night or something.


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## MJB05615 (Apr 9, 2020)

That's true about the noise it makes once you drive away.  LOL.  But as soon as you return it reconnects immediately.  It's my first 4 probe and has made my life much easier.  I only used a 2 probe before.  Nor I can probe many different areas of the meats and cook much more evenly.  I'm mainly using the 6 probe whenever possible for more coverage, but could easily live with the 4.


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## Dm76 (Apr 9, 2020)

This is good info.  On one hand, I can see it being convenient to use a phone app since your phone is always on you and you wouldn't need to to worry about carrying something else around.  But on the other hand, it might be nice to have a dedicated device so you don't have to keep opening the phone up and worrying about it reconnecting.  But then again, it sounds like they don't do too bad staying connected.  I don't usually wander far anyways.  Do most get at least 50 feet or more if you are inside the house?


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## Winterrider (Apr 9, 2020)

Dm76 said:


> Do most get at least 50 feet or more if you are inside the house?



when I did lose my connection the one time, grill was in driveway and I was at other end of house. At very most 90' . Most times about 40' and zero issues. I can check thermometer and Rec Tec app and adjust temps as needed without getting out of recliner.


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## mike243 (Apr 9, 2020)

My 6x has alarms to set so if temps hit set point a loud alarm on the phone will wake even me up lol


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## MJB05615 (Apr 9, 2020)

I am usually able to go anywhere in my home, 2 story house, and on my property without losing the signal.  There's one spot in the front of my house if I step too far I lose the signal, and take 1 step back it reconnects.  Otherwise I can go anywhere around the property without losing connection.  And yes the alarm is very loud and repetitive.


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## JCAP (Apr 9, 2020)

Another vote for the Inkbird. I have the Inkbird-4xs too and it’s fantastic. Like sky monkey said above, you can’t get any history on it but that’s fine by me.


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## Dunstablegrizzly (Apr 9, 2020)

I also have inkbird products. Love them


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## cmayna (Apr 9, 2020)

I also have an Inkbird stand alone, but it is sitting collecting dust.  Love my Thermoworks "Smoke" stand alone.


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## radioguy (Apr 9, 2020)

I have a thermoworks  Smoke.  Works great, my barn is about 400 feet away  from the house, depending on the weather I sometimes smoke at the barn or at the house.  It works great at 400 feet, front half of my house.  Thermoworks just announced  a new one, longer distance.....not sure of the name. 
2 channels with alarms.  They do offer a wifi gizmo to get it on the internet.   Watch for sales 

RG


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## radioguy (Apr 9, 2020)

SmokeX  1 mile plus range









						Smoke X™ Long-Range Remote BBQ Alarm Thermometer
					

Specializing in cool, unique and professional temperature tools. Super-Fast thermocouples, thermistors, infrared thermometers, data logging and more.




					www.thermoworks.com


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## Inkbirdbbq (Apr 9, 2020)

There is the 15% CODE for Inkbird IBT-4XS：  77I5UPEY 
Features: 150 feet Bluetooth range with 4 probes. Magnetic Design and Large LED Screen 
Rechargeable battery,The Bluetooth meat thermometer battery can last for about 40 hours once fully recharged.


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## dr k (Apr 10, 2020)

The phone apps are identical and are simple to set a high limit or a hig/llow range and custom name and changing the parameters. I have the Soraken 6 probe therm and the app became weird and opening and closing after an update and is the EasyBBQ app. I tried the inkbird BBQ GO app and it has issues stopping. I tried the solis thermo app and the graph would stop periodically and then Chugod app has 5 different alarms to choose from and drops the graph and probably the timer if used but holds all your settings when it gliches. It's not an alarmed signal drop it's like the others an app issue. I have these last three apps downloaded to switch if necessary but the Chugod app with five alarms to choose from is my favorite.


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## spdolan76 (Apr 10, 2020)

Dm76 said:


> What kind of range have you gotten?  How far inside the house have you gotten it to work?


I can sit in my recliner 50-75 feet away watching a yankees game and monitoring the temp in the cooker.


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## Dm76 (Apr 13, 2020)

spdolan76 said:


> I can sit in my recliner 50-75 feet away watching a yankees game and monitoring the temp in the cooker.



That would be nice to be able to watch a baseball game right now


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## dacolson (Apr 14, 2020)

Look for an option that has a wifi connected base station. I use a flame boss 300 smoke controller - primarily for my BGE. 3 probes and a pit probe. It connects to wifi. I'm never out of range as long as I have internet. It can connect to a hotspot as well if you take it on the road. The primary use is to control airflow in the pit w/ temp activated fans so I wouldn't use it on a stick burner but the concept stays the same. Get a wifi remote temp probe setup if connectivity is an issue. Thermoworks makes one. Tappecue, maverick, thermopro, etc.


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## Dm76 (Apr 15, 2020)

Wifi does seem like a much better option but for the amount of times I would use it, those are way too pricey.  Around $50 or so is more in the range for me.


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## ls1310 (Apr 20, 2020)

I was looking for a thermometer as well and notice Inkbird has a WiFi model for $100.  Has anyone had any experience with this?  Do you like this better than the RF model?


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## rayrayn (Apr 20, 2020)

ls1310 said:


> I was looking for a thermometer as well and notice Inkbird has a WiFi model for $100.  Has anyone had any experience with this?  Do you like this better than the RF model?



This is exactly the question I have been researching!

WI-FI would give me the best range for sure, and bonus points for having it cloud enabled.  From what I've read it seems this also addresses the history issue people have with the bluetooth models.  The biggest drawback that I see for this model though is that I feel like i'd miss having a dedicated device for temp alarms.  Something about having to rely on the app and my phone makes me a bit nervous.

Are people happy with the RF model?  It looks excellent in terms of range and as long as I don't care about the graphs it might be a better choice.  Problem is I'm a geek and the graphs seem like they'd be fun - and maybe someday useful depending on how "all in" i go here.  My biggest worry about this unit is the actual range I'd see - especially indoors.  My house can have some pretty spotty wireless coverage... where my smoker sits outside the bluetooth range on my MES 40 is only about 25 ft if the door is closed!

Any thoughts appreciated here.  And, if the InkBird folks are listening - I'd be happy to review and report my findings with any or all of these models!


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## Blues1 (Apr 20, 2020)

spdolan76 said:


> I love the igrill.  Range isn't amazing, but that doesn't bother me.


Agreed. Have igrill 3 on my gasser. Since I already have the app, I just ordered igrill 2 for my smoker. Accurate. I haven't had any connect ability or range issues at all.


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## Dm76 (Apr 22, 2020)

I hear you.  Graphs and stuff on the phone seem cool and your phone is always with you, but I wonder if it will be easier to just have a separate device.  But then again, that is another device to carry around.  The igrill3 seems convenient in that it would just stay attached to the grill all the time, but for the price, other stuff seems a lot better.  Why is this such a touch decision?!?! LOL


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