If you’re serious about grilling, you know the benefits of having a quality wireless thermometer. We got our hands on the ThermPro TempSpike II wireless thermometer set to see what kind of results we would achieve.
I’m going to be straight with you—I’m a Meater guy, so I have high expectations. That said, I do have a couple of minor pain points, and some of the claims ThermPro makes might just ease them.
ThermPro TempSpike II Wireless Thermometer Basics
First of all, this is a two-thermometer set. The TempSpike also comes as a single if you only need one. I prefer having two probes at a minimum. Whether it’s separating the flat and point on a brisket, combining chicken and ribs, or I have a whole Traeger full of different meat for our annual Sun N Fun cookout, it’s no fun to be in and out all day with an instant-read.
Like a Meater, the thermometers recharge on a base. That’s pretty much where their paths diverge. The case itself is rechargeable, so there’s no need to make sure you have spare batteries in the cabinet. Just plug it in with the included USC-C cable and be on your way.
Ready to cook? Make sure the base and thermometers are fully charged, download the app onto your phone, and grab your favorite cut of meat.
Using The ThermPro TempSpike II Wireless Thermometer
There is a minimum distance you need to set the TempSpike and it’s clearly indicated as a black line. Once you insert it, there are a couple of ways to get the temperature data.
There’s a display right on the case, cycling between the internal and ambient temperatures while you’re cooking. When the probes are in the case, you can also see their respective charge statuses. No one really wants to keep walking back to the case, though, and the app is where you’ll spend most of your time.
There’s a TON of great stuff in the app. Here’s a breakdown of the most important features:
- Internal temperature
- Ambient temperature
- Temperature goal alert
- USDA-approved temperature goals (9 different types of meat)
- Saveable custom temperature goals (I almost always use this one instead of a preset)
- Estimated time remaining
- Low and high ambient temperature alerts
- Temperature graph with recording
There are some settings you can adjust as well:
- Celsius/Fahrenheit
- Light/Dark/Auto screen display
- Disconnection notification
- Booster alarms for internal and ambient temps
- Temp Pre-Alarm
- Attention notifications
- 355 (currently) alarm sound options
Long Range
The case is also your Bluetooth booster and thanks to BT 5.2, your total range from the oven or grill can be 500 feet! That’s with a direct line of sight of course, but it’s still impressive. One of my complaints about my Meater is that I lose connection when I go around the corner and ideally, I want to have a signal no matter where I cam in the house or yard.
We set up with the probe active and the base 25 feet away in the line of sight. From there, we went through a door that we closed, around hedges, and on the other side of a solid structure around the pool. When we lost the signal, we were 120 feet away from the base and 145 feet away from the probe. That’s a significant improvement over my Meater’s range, and enough to cover my entire house.
Temperature Accuracy
Wireless thermometers can be a little off compared to a wired probe or an instant-read thermometer. My Meater Plus is that way and ThermPro is no exception. As you’re cooking your favorite meats for the first time with the TempSpike, note what your normal thermometer is reading compared to it. If you’re like me, you have a notebook to keep your best recipes in along with cooking notes. Simply add a note so you know when to pull the meat and still get the results you’re looking for.
In my experience, the thermometers were reading low, so on something like a New York strip, I might need to pull it 5° earlier than normal, whereas a brisket might be 10°. My results were consistent, so it was just a matter of learning the tool’s characteristics.
When it comes to the ambient temperature, take that with a grain of salt on the thermometers. I have yet to find a wireless model that accurately reads it and I certainly wouldn’t make my smoker adjustments based on it. The best explanation I’ve come across so far is that the “micro-climate” temperature close to the meat is lower than the majority of the drum. Considering my wireless probes always read low, that’s the rationale I’m going with.
ThermPro TempSpike II Wireless Thermometer Price
Amazon is the best place we’ve found to get your hands on this set and it runs $189.99. That’s very similar to what you’ll pay for a couple of Meaters. Keep in mind that the base is rechargeable and you get a longer range from TempSpike which are upgrades compared to the Meater Plus.
The Bottom Line
The ThermPro TempSpike II Wireless Thermometer impressed us with its upgraded feature set and the convenience that comes along with it. The big thing to keep in mind is to do a little experimenting with an instant-read thermometer as you cook at different temps to help dial in your adjustments. Once you know those, kick back and enjoy wireless monitoring.
