Temperature . Whether you're searing steaks and burgers or slow smoking brisket, you need to accurately measure both the grill's heat level and the internal temperature of your food. There are many options, from instant-read thermometers to sensor-based devices that constantly monitor your cook. Of the latter, some are wired and some are wireless, and having no wires running through your grilles can be a real improvement.
Wireless grill sensors are not new, but they are a common name among grill thermometers. . ThermoWorks, the company behind the popular Thermapen, has finally unveiled its approach to wireless temperature tracking using . For maximum precision, the company takes a different approach than many of its competitors, providing both home and commercial grillers with a reliable and versatile sous chef.
ThermoWorks/Ingadget
ThermoWorks' long-awaited wireless grill sensor doesn't combine all the sensors into one unit, meaning its readings are more accurate than the competition.
- Accurate and reliable
- All-inclusive starter kit
- The food probe is smooth and durable.
- Bluetooth connection not ready
- Multiple parts to keep up
- The starter kit does not include a case.
RFX technology
The RFX Series from ThermoWorks is based on sub-GHz radio frequency (RF) wireless technology rather than just Bluetooth. This provides a line-of-sight range of 1,500 feet between the probe and receiver, although you'll probably want to keep the latter near the grill just in case. Like previous ThermoWorks The back of the charging cradle and probe receiver have magnets so they will easily attach to the cool side of the grill. The RF signal is strong enough to continually pass through the thick walls of an offset smoker or broiler, even when it is inside the grill.
Beyond wireless technology, ThermoWorks offers some key features that stack up well against its wireless sensor competitors. For example, charging the RFX Meat Probe in the Slim Charging Box in just 10 minutes will give you up to 52 hours of cooking time. The Gateway receiver provides the necessary Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing you to remotely control your grill from anywhere. It can also connect to 70 wireless sensors simultaneously, making it suitable for commercial environments.
RFX Meat is IP69K rated, making it dishwasher safe, and is designed for deep frying and sous vide cooking. The probe can also withstand temperatures up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which means you can use it to accurately monitor steaks while searing at high temperatures.
Finally, RFX Gateway supports . This device turns smokers – offset, ceramic, barrel or drum – into smart grills, maintaining the desired temperature. Billows receives updated temperature information from the Pro-Series air probe via the RFX receiver. This is great when you prefer to use wood or charcoal for slow cooking instead of pellet grilling and still want the workflow to be a little automated.
RFX Starter Kit and Standalone Options
Since you need both RFX Meat and RFX Gateway to get started, your best initial option is to purchase one of the ThermoWorks packages. Called the RFX Starter Kit, this package includes a gateway receiver and a wireless sensor. The kit also includes a Pro Series Air Sensor for measuring the grill's ambient temperature, a grate clamp, a charger (for the airlock), and color-coded sensor rings.
The company offers you a choice of sets of one, two, or four sensors, each of which will save you money compared to purchasing each element individually. They're currently priced at $159, $239, and $349, respectively, but ThermoWorks notes that this is the “initial lowest price,” so I expect things to get a little more expensive soon. If you Really you'll need to purchase the RFX Meat or RFX Gateway separately—if you lose it or suffer some other culinary tragedy—the wireless probe costs $89 and the receiver costs $79. Again, these are initial prices that I expect to increase.
Using RFX Meat on the Grill
RFX Meat is the fourth ThermoWorks product I've tested. I have used two models of Thermapen instant read thermometers, as well as . remains a kitchen and patio staple in my home, especially for checking the internal temperature of meat and fish. I am continually amazed by how the company creates devices that are reliable, easy to use, and highly accurate. All three traits also apply to the RFX duo.
Like some competitors, ThermoWorks has installed multiple sensors in the probe body. These four components provide a more accurate reading of the internal temperature of your food, accurate to within 0.9 degrees. The company chose a separate wired Pro Series ambient temperature sensor that connects to the RFX Gateway receiver to monitor the grill. There are several advantages to this.
First, a separate probe moves the sensor away from the meat so that the initial cool zone or evaporation around large pieces of meat doesn't skew your readings. Secondly, you have the ability to move the sensor freely since it is not connected to the main wireless device. Even if your grill has a built-in sensor inside the cooking chamber, ThermoWorks' Pro-Series option is a good secondary test of functionality since most grill companies don't place their sensors flush with the cooking grates that hold the food.
The RFX system provided a stable connection during my test sessions, which included smoking a pork butt low and low all day and a faster three-hour cook of my Thanksgiving turkey. I have not had any blackouts and in the case of this bird I was able to keep the RFX Meat probe in place during the resting phase. This was very important because I took the turkey off the grill at 160 degrees Fahrenheit in the breast, so I needed to make sure it reached 165 degrees with the remaining cooking before carving it.
The ThermoWorks app won't win any design awards, but it gets the job done. Honestly, I'll take durability and ease of use over aesthetic polish any day. There are plenty of grilling apps that look better but don't work as well, and when you're trying to cook a $100 brisket, any source of uncertainty can be stressful. Like its competitors, the ThermoWorks app allows you to set high and low alarms for any of the sensors, and you can choose how often the app updates its readings. This means that when you sear a steak, you can track every degree, but for longer cooking times you can choose three-degree intervals. RFX sends updates based on changes in temperature rather than time, so you should pay some attention to this.
True grill enthusiasts will also appreciate the temperature graphs and the ability to add notes as needed. The company recently added an advanced mode that displays temperature data for all four of the RFX's internal meat sensors on a graph. Each line has a different color, giving you a closer look at the changes that occur over time throughout the session.
One of the first things I noticed on the app's home screen (Devices) is that by default it displays a carousel of company products and cooking tips. This was a turn off for me because it took up space where I simply needed valuable cooking data. Luckily, you can hide this box, and I'm sure I'm not alone in this desire.
Contest
There are several companies that make cordless grill probes, but the brand I've spent the most time with is Meater. The Traeger-owned company offers several different options previously being the best Bluetooth tool for most backyard cooks. It has multiple internal meat temperature sensors, as well as a built-in environmental sensor at the opposite end. Meater Pro is extremely durable and can withstand both high temperature searing and deep frying. It's also dishwasher safe, just like RFX Meat, which is a big plus. If you want built-in Wi-Fi, you'll have to invest in a dual-probe adapter. which is 100 dollars more. The Meater app also provides estimated completion times, which is nice, but the guesses aren't always accurate.
Wrap
ThermoWorks' original RFX package is a reliable and easy way to keep an eye on your grill without standing directly in front of it. The devices ensure that you cook at the right temperature and achieve your desired doneness. I like the separate wired environmental sensor for the RFX Gateway because of its increased accuracy and is fairly easy to set aside.
Of course, the RFX starter kit is more expensive than the similar Meater Pro, but ThermoWorks has already confirmed that new products that work with Gateway will be available soon. However, the company needs to quickly deliver on its promise to offer an offline mode via Bluetooth so that grills that aren't within Wi-Fi range can still use the RFX to cook. But having both is a key advantage the company has over some competitors. And no matter how you connect to it, the RFX Starter Kit is further proof of why chefs and pitmasters rely on ThermoWorks precision to prepare their food. The company simply doesn't miss a beat.