ThermoWorks’ New Wireless Thermometer Is Now My Go-To When Roasting and Smoking Meat
We tested this wireless probe thermometer by checking for accuracy and ease of use and using it to monitor temperatures. Its simple design and strong signal impressed us.
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When roasting meat, tracking the internal temperature is key to perfectly cooked results. And we’ve done entire reviews of meat thermometers, with excellent picks that’ll steer you true.
But I have a secret: I am the queen of tangled probes. No matter how hard I try to be neat and orderly, my probe thermometer’s line always ends up kinked or intertwined with other ones.
So when the chicken’s ready to roast and I have to spend 10 minutes detangling probes, well, let’s just say it ain’t a pretty picture. Enter the newest probe thermometer from ThermoWorks: The RFX Wireless Meat Probe Thermometer. Wireless, they say? Count me in. I tested the probe by using it to track the temperature of smoked pork shoulder and roast chicken, to see if it was fast, accurate, and, most importantly, didn’t drop a signal mid-cook.
The Tests
- Ice Bath Test: I used the RFX meat probe to take the temperature of an ice bath to examine its accuracy, cross-checking the water temperature with an instant-read thermometer. I also did this with the accompanying wired probe that came with the kit, too.
- Sous Vide Water Bath Test: To further investigate the accuracy and response time, I used the RFX meat probe to take the temperature of a sous vide water bath set to 135°F. I cross-checked the water temperature with the Thermapen ONE.
- Roast Chicken Test: To give the probe a real-world test, I used it to track the temperature of a butterflied roast chicken.
- Smoked Pork Shoulder Test: I wanted to see just how strong the probe’s signal was, so I used it to track the temperatures of a smoked pork shoulder. While I was smoking it, I frequently came inside and used the app to keep an eye on the pork’s status.
- Set Up and Use Tests: Throughout my tests, I examined how easy the meat probe was to set up, what the app was like, if the thermometer was easy to use, and whether it dropped a signal.
What We Learned
Setup Was Easy
Whenever I’ve hooked up a wireless thermometer to an app, I expect to troubleshoot. But setting up the RFX Gateway (which hooks up to your WiFi and ensures a stable connection with the probe) and probes couldn’t have been easier. I just connected the Gateway to my WiFi and simply tapped a probe against the side of the Gateway. It immediately popped up on the app, and I was ready to get cooking.
The Thermometer’s Range Was Impressive
I’ve used wireless/app-compatible thermometers before, namely, the one built into my Traeger smoker, and they nearly always drop the signal. Every. Single. Time. The same goes with the Ooni Koda 2 Max pizza oven I tested: I moved a few feet away and it disconnected. Not so with the RFX—it didn’t drop a signal, even when I went inside. I could still easily keep an eye on the temperature of my pork shoulder, watching as it slowly climbed up to 205°F. This worked as long as I kept the Gateway inside near my WiFi router. In short, the Gateway acts as, well, a gateway, amplifying the signal so it stays in touch with the probe.
The only time I lost the signal was when my husband kindly, but misguidedly, covered the probe with foil when he wrapped the pork shoulder in the smoker. The signal went kaput but was reinstated after I snuck out, unwrapped, rewrapped, and stuck the probe through the foil.
The Thermometer Was Accurate
To test the accuracy of the RFX probes, I used them to take the temperature of an ice water bath and sous vide bath at 135°F. I cross-checked this using a Thermapen ONE instant-read thermometer.
The temperatures were nearly identical, save for a few decimal points displayed on the RFX (which is basically a non-issue, since the Thermapen ONE doesn’t show decimals). The RFX probes were totally accurate.
The only downside to the RFX probe (if you can even call it that) is that it’s slower to register temperatures than the aptly named instant-read thermometer. It took about 22 seconds to climb to 135°F from room temperature when I stuck it in the sous vide bath. However, probe thermometers aren’t known for their lightning-fast speeds and are instead valued for their long-term temperature tracking and insights, so this was hardly a flaw.
The App Was Useful, If a Little Difficult to Navigate
Over the years I’ve spent testing kitchen gear, I’ve found many apps that claim to make interacting with devices better, frankly, stink. They’re often superfluous, prone to crashing, or so complex that I just ditch them entirely. So, I admit I was skeptical when it came to the ThermoWorks app, which is the only way to interface with the probe and Gateway to get temperature readings. (Putting all of one’s eggs in one basket and all that). But the app worked surprisingly well. Part of this was because the probe’s connectivity was solid, so I could open the app without fear that the signal dropped. I also liked that I could easily connect each probe to the app, label it with a different color (matching the corresponding colored bands I slipped onto the probes), and keep an eye on temperatures even when I wasn’t near whatever was cooking.
The only downside to the app was that there was a lot of information and features. Sometimes, I just wanted to press “end” and be done with it, rather than save the bajillion mishap sessions I made when I was still figuring out how the system worked. Remembering where to tap to change the names of the probes (e.g. “probe 1” and “probe 2”) was also an exercise in memory and took some navigation to find.
The Verdict
The ThermoWorks RFX meat probe system is a great option if you dislike detangling wires and like using apps. Just stick the probe into whatever you’re roasting/smoking/baking and you can see real-time temperature readings on the app. The RFX Gateway and probes have good battery life and the signal strength is better than other wireless thermometers I’ve used. If you want accuracy and control when cooking, this is a fantastic probe thermometer.
Pros
The RFX probe system was easy to set up and use, and let me keep an eye on my food by checking the app on my phone. As someone who has used multiple WiFi/Bluetooth thermometer devices, I can truly say that this is the only one I’ve tried that doesn’t cut out or disconnect when I move away from the probe. I liked that using it was as simple as turning the RFX Gateway on, connecting the probe, and sticking it into whatever I was cooking. I could then set a high and low temp, just like on the ThermoWorks ChefAlarm, our favorite wired probe thermometer, and easily monitor food temperatures from afar.
Cons
If you’re planning on using the probe system to smoke a piece of meat for hours on end, make sure the Gateway and probes are fully charged beforehand. It’s a bummer if one dies mid-cook, which happened to me a few times post-testing, even though I'd charged them overnight. I also lost the signal when my husband wrapped aluminum foil around the probe in the pork shoulder. However, this was remedied by removing the probe and sticking it through the foil’s exterior. Finally, it’s not as zippy fast as the Thermapen ONE, but since it’s a probe thermometer that tracks temperatures over time, this wasn’t a big deal. It’s also quite pricey.
Key Specs
- What's included: RFX Gateway (receiver), RFX meat probe (wireless probe), Pro-Series Air Probe (ambient temperature), grate clip, charging block, power adapter, USB cable, and probe rings
- Temperature measuring range: 14°F to 212°F
- Temperature operating range: 0°F to 1000°F
- Number of probes: 1 wireless probe and 1 wired ambient probe
- Stated probe battery life: Up to 52 hours with 10-minute charge (80%); 65+ hours with 20-minute charge
- Stated Gateway battery life: 24 hours
- Warranty: 2 years
FAQs
What is a probe thermometer good for?
Probe thermometers are great for tracking temperatures over time. Many allow you to set an alarm, so you’re alerted when you’ve hit your target temperature.
Why We’re the Experts
- Grace Kelly is an editor at Serious Eats, where she’s been reviewing gear for nearly three years.
- Prior to this, she reviewed cooking equipment at America’s Test Kitchen and she’s done stints as a bartender and prep cook, too.
- For this review, Grace checked the accuracy of the RFX Wireless ProbeThermometer by using it to take the temperature of an ice bath and sous vide bath, and also used it to monitor the temperatures of roast chicken and smoked pork shoulder. After testing, she used it to track temperatures when baking meatloaf and smoking a Thanksgiving turkey.
