When it comes to thermometers, ThermoPro is generally a go-to brand for many. Well, the iconic brand is expanding its offers with a new entry into its TempSpike lineup with the Twin TempSpike. Offering much of the same as the original TempSpike, there are a few notable improvements here over the previous generation and offering. We’ve spent the past bit with the new release from ThermoPro, and found that it’s a solid contender in the wireless meat/smoking space… but with one major drawback. Head below the fold to find out all our thoughts in this ThermoPro Twin TempSpike review.
ThermoPro Twin TempSpike Review
We’ll start by just getting the specs and features out of the way here. For starters, you’re going to get two dual temperature probes here, very similar to MEATER if you’ve ever heard of/seen that before. Each is independently programmed from the other and measures both internal and ambient temperatures. This is a crucial feature for smokers specifically, as you’ll want to know what the temperature inside of the smoker is to know whether your meal is cooking like it should.
The ThermoPro Twin TempSpike also comes in a handy rechargeable case with a battery built in, something that the MEATER Block doesn’t have, even at a higher price point. The case will then recharge the thermometers when inserted, so they’re always ready to go. Unlike the original TempSpike, this case has a digital display, which shows pairing information and the internal or ambient temperature of each probe, though that’s all you’ll get out of the dock. Each probe can go for around 36 hours on a full charge too.
With all that out of the way, let’s dive into what it’s actually like to use this grilling/smoking thermometer. Initial setup is actually quite straightforward and much easier than the competition that we’ve used in the past. With only Bluetooth connectivity here, you won’t have to worry about pairing with a wireless network or anything. Simply install the TempSpike app, ensure your system is fully charged, and click the pair button. You might have to pull a probe out to turn it on, but that’s all I had to do, and a few seconds later, I was ready to program it.
Speaking of programming, it’s all done in the app. The probes themselves will function completely without the app, giving you temperature readings for both internal and ambient through the case, but you won’t be able to program any alarms or notifications. However, the app is fairly straightforward to use and, actually, just like the pairing, simpler than the competition we’ve used with MEATER. In just a few clicks, I had the black TempSpike programmed for turkey, and it was ready to get inserted into the turkey leg that we were going to smoke for this review (which, by the way, turned out amazing, in case anyone was wondering).
Once programmed in the app and inserted into the meat, it was time to smoke. I set the temperature on the smoker, put the turkey leg on the grates, and just walked away. The case was left within a foot or so of the probe, per the instructions, and it was paired to my phone over Bluetooth. This is where the drawback comes in. ThermoPro claims Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity, which is great if you have a latest-generation smartphone. However, as someone with an iPhone 13 Pro that still uses Bluetooth 5.0, I wasn’t able to benefit from the increased range. Whenever I use my MEATER, that’s not a problem, as the MEATER Block pairs to Wi-Fi, and I can monitor the cook that way. However, just 50-75 feet away from the ThermoPro Twin TempSpike, and I had no more connection to it. Sure, there were a few walls in-between me and the case, but I was able to hold a connection to my Weber SmokeFire grill just fine in the same location in my office. And with a MEATER probe, I would have no problem at all, thanks to built-in Wi-Fi.
So, in order to check the progress of the cook, I’d have to come out of my office, wait for the case and phone to pair back up, and then I could check. This meant I couldn’t keep a live eye on temperatures or cook progress and would have to frequently walk into the other room in order to see how much longer we had before the turkey legs would be done. Now, this could entirely be because I don’t have Bluetooth 5.2 (or 5.3, like the iPhone 14 Pro has). But, at the same time, not everyone will have the latest and greatest smartphone, so this drawback is absolutely something to be aware of. I would have loved to see ThermoPro put Wi-Fi into the Twin TempSpike, even if it drove the cost up a little more or brought the battery life down a bit.
Now, so long as your phone stays paired to the TempSpike case (be that you’re closer than 50 or so feet with some walls or just have a phone with the newer Bluetooth standard), then the app works fantastically. It shows both the internal and ambient temperature on the same screen and gives you an ETA of when the cook will be done. It was pretty accurate, too, even though I typically let my poultry cook a little longer than recommended. For me, it comes out juicier, and my wife and I like it that way. But all I had to do was look at the app, and I could see that there was 30 minutes left, 15 minutes left, and then almost time to pull it off. This was actually great to have, as the turkey legs finished about an hour before we expected them to be done, as they had cooked much faster than we anticipated. So the ThermoPro Twin TempSpike saved the day there – had we left them on there as long as we originally expected to, they would have been way overcooked.
Launching today for $149.99, the ThermoPro Twin TempSpike is poised to be a solid smoking and BBQ accessory, though the drawback of no Wi-Fi is pretty stout, in my opinion. I would have much rather seen an additional $10-$15 added to the price for the inclusion of Wi-Fi, as that would have made remote monitoring for anyone with a smartphone older than 2022 much easier overall.
9to5Toys’ Take
When it comes to leave-in thermometers that have two temperature probes, options are few and far between. MEATER has been my go-to for years for this task, and now that ThermoPro has a dual option available, that does make things a bit harder when it comes time to pick. Personally, just because I own both, I still think I might reach for MEATER a little more frequently, if only due to the range problems I experienced with the TempSpike. Once I have a newer phone, I have a feeling those issues could go away, and then I would reach for the TempSpike every time. The pairing is simpler, the app is nicer, and the overall experience is just a breeze. If it had built-in Wi-Fi, then this would be my #1 pick for sure.
When it comes down to it, though, the TempSpike blows away MEATER for the price. A single MEATER Plus runs $80 right now, and the MEATER Block will cost $240, though you do get four probes. A single TempSpike, on the other hand, costs $80, and the Twin TempSpike runs $150. So for less than double the cost, you can get two thermometers. And, if you can live with the potential range issue, then I think the TempSpike is the winner vs. MEATER, hands down.
Buy the ThermoPro Twin TempSpike
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