Meater Pro XL Wireless Thermometer, Tested and Reviewed

Meater introduced one of the first wireless smart thermometers several years ago. While many meat thermometers are considered wireless because their bases connect to a remote unit or app via Bluetooth, WiFi, or RF signal, many models use wired connections between the temperature probe and the base unit. Meater was among the leaders in producing a Bluetooth-connected temperature sensor that operated without wires.

The idea behind the early Meater models was simple: The probe talks to the base, and the base talks to an app, which controls most, if not all, of the functionality. These models relied on Bluetooth for communication, which can be hit or miss, depending on the distance between the base and the phone. The new Meater Pro XL rolls out many features that improve on an already good model.

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The first thing to know about the Pro XL is that it comes with four temperature probes, each capable of reporting the current meat temperature and the ambient temperature. The new probe design has five temperature sensors for measuring food doneness. As food rarely has a uniform thickness and doesn’t cook evenly, the probe reports the coolest of the five temperatures to ensure you don’t undercook your food.

The probes have a slightly improved maximum internal temperature limit of 221°F, with accuracy within one-half degree. This makes it great for cooking sous vide or monitoring chicken in an air fryer. Another probe improvement is the maximum temperature threshold for the ambient sensor, which tops out at 1,000°F. This higher threshold allows you to use the probes for open-fire grilling, pizza ovens, and deep fryers.

I’ve tested Meater’s previous releases, and my main complaint about them was their app-dependency. Earlier models built all of the functionality into the app, and operating them without a phone was a no-go. The Pro XL has a small screen built into the bamboo base that allows you to program each probe, as well as perform basic system functions previously relegated to the app. The display is small, and you’ll see the temperature reported in a progress bar when working in stand-alone mode, but that’s an improvement over earlier models.

I recently tested the Meater Pro, which is a stripped-down, single-probe version of the Pro XL, that contains the improved probe features. While I really like the performance, I found the Bluetooth connectivity was touch and go when dealing with distance and obstructions like walls. The Pro XL features WiFi connectivity, which allows you to roam freely within your network and maintain connectivity. You can also sign up for a cloud account and monitor your cooking anywhere you have Internet access. The probes still connect via Bluetooth, so the distance between the probe and the base has to be short, but I found I could have a probe in three grills outside on my deck and another in my kitchen and they all stayed connected, provided the base was within 25 feet or so.

Another feature I liked was the fast-charging USB-C battery connection. The Pro XL has a considerable amount of features and a small display screen, so it would drain alkaline batteries quickly.

The improved sensors and WiFi connectivity impressed me enough, but the ability to operate in stand-alone mode sealed the deal. When I grill and need a thermometer, it’s rarely a small affair. I have multiple grills and smokers working at once, and usually something in the oven, too. That’s a lot of food to keep track of, and the Meater Pro XL makes that task easy.