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My family enjoys good steaks, chicken, pork loin and other meats cooked on the barbecue grill, so the pressure is always on when I wear an apron. After discovering the meter thermometer in 2018, I never cooked meat without it.
That’s because while steak is easy enough to grill properly with timing and visual cues, chicken is the bane of my culinary existence. Thankfully, having an accurate thermometer on hand makes all the difference between a raw or tough piece of meat and a tender and juicy one.
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For the last few years, I have been using meter pro (formerly Meter 2 Plus) to evaluate my cooking. At this point, I rely on it consistently for cooking chicken, steak, pork, and other meats. And every time, they are grilled to perfection. Here’s everything you need to know before buying a smart thermometer.
One of my favorite features of the Meter Pro is the additional sensors along its length. Five internal sensors measure different areas of your meat, with one ambient sensor measuring the temperature in the grill or oven around your meat.
This measurement gives you the most accurate picture of your cooking, with each sensor’s readings available to you through the company’s companion app (available on Android and iOS).
The Meter Pro is made of stainless steel and waterproof, so I’ve been using it to deep-fry foods like Thanksgiving turkey. To dial in its measurements, you’ll need to connect the device to your phone via Bluetooth 5.2, and set it on the included bamboo case to keep it charged.
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But even if the battery in your case runs out, the thermometer supports a standard AAA battery, so you can easily replace it with a new one. Based on my testing, five minutes of charging should be enough to get you through a two-hour cooking session.
There are magnets attached to the back of the bamboo case. When my family moved into our house, I installed a metal panel on some of our cabinets to attach kitchen appliances with magnets. The Meter Pro attaches securely to this panel, remains accessible, and is always ready to go when meat is on the menu.
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The thermometer is laboratory tested and accurate to within half a degree Fahrenheit, so you can rely on it to ensure properly cooked food. The device is designed to maintain a maximum internal temperature of 221 degrees and a maximum ambient temperature of 1,000 degrees. However, if you are cooking meat to an internal temperature of 221°F, you are basically overcooking your meat and you should start over at that point.
While the Meter Pro has proven to be a must-have accessory for my kitchen, the Meter smartphone app offers even more utility. The updated app now includes a Master Class page that includes a variety of recipes, videos, pictures, ingredients, additional kitchen tools, and step-by-step instructions to help you get creative in the kitchen.
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I love grilling and baking meat, but I really appreciate having something like the Master Class Utility on hand, especially because my family loves trying new recipes and methods for success in the kitchen. I have followed many of the recipes and instructions in the Traeger app in the past when using my smoker. Now, I look forward to thrilling my family with the meter app’s suggestions.
The app lets you customize your notifications, sounds, and more. There’s also an Apple Watch companion app that lets you monitor the internal temperature of your meat straight from your wrist.
ZDNET’s shopping advice
After discovering the original Meter Plus Thermometer, I no longer cook any meat without it, as it helps me manage cooking time. meter pro Enhances the cooking experience with more sensors, advanced design and a reliable thermometer that provides precise, timely temperature control.
The big question mark for many users will be the price of the meter. It’s not cheap at $129. But if you’re looking for reliable, safe cooking and you don’t rely on prying eyes or timing, this smart thermometer is worth the investment.
