CHEF iQ Sense Smart Wireless Meat Thermometer with 2 Ultra-Thin Probes, Unlimited Range Bluetooth Meat Thermometer, Digital Food Thermometer for Remote Monitoring of BBQ Grill, Oven

OK, my opinion, this is a great device. Let me start with the capability of connecting by either blue tooth, OR the internet. Yep, that's right, in case you missed it, this device connects via the internet, which can give you much more roaming freedom in your home. The pairing and net connection set-up was quick and painless. Item comes in a nice solid, good looking case. I checked temperature variation immediately, by placing this item and two different portable units into a glass of water. All were with 1-2 degrees of each other, with this unit being in the middle, one degree different from the other two. I can live with that!! One thing they do get cheap on, helping you charge the unit. This item takes a type 'C' USB cable, to plug into a USB socket. They give you no wall device, OR a charging cable. From headphones to cellphones, I have plenty of type 'C' cables, so it was no big deal. On charging, another item, the blitzy item description states up to 40 hrs. of usage possible. When you look at the manual, it states that fully charged, it may get up to 15 hr.'s of cooking time. That is a BIG drop down from 40 hr.'s, but is still plenty of cooking time. BTW, when you plug it into charge, a green light will start blinking on the base. You need to charge the unit until the green light turns solid, keeping the tool installed in the base. The manual estimates full charge time at 3 hours. As like with a lot of stuff that has batteries, be aware that you most likely will need to charge the unit if their is a good while between usages, or even if you use it a lot. Batteries always run down, in everything. It is a normal happening. Overall, I am happy with the item, and yes, I would recommend it at this time, prior to actually cooking with it. If the story changes after my first cooking session, I will update this posting. UPDATE: Remembering that I had a 2nd oven, I ordered the three probe set also. Now I have a 1 probe set, and a 3 probe set, so that if I am cooking meat in both ovens, I have temperature control. First thing I did with the 3 probe set was to test their reading capability. As I did with the first probe set that I previously purchased, I put all three probes into a glass of water. Two probes had the same temperature, and 1 probe was a degree lower. That works! COMMENTARY: Noticed a few reviews where folks stated that they could not register the probes. As a 'just in case', thought I would mention something. When the unit first arrives, the probes are inside of the case, resting in plastic sheaths. These sheaths prevent the probes from making contact with the metal contact plates in the unit. No contact equals the probes do not charge, and neither can the main unit 'see' them. So when you are charging/registering, made sure you get rid of that plastic sheathing that the probes are resting in. Just pull probes out and remove the loose plastic sheathing. TESTING: If you are not going to use for a while, or if you are giving as a gift, later on, test, test, test. There is just one piece of tape that you have to cut to open the box do it. Save yourself some potential grief if you find out the unit is defective, after the return period has expired. Charge the unit fully. This will test if all items are recharging. Put probe(s) into glass of water and let sit for a good while (hours) measuring temperature. You want to see if the probe(s) are registering the temperature over time and that the temperature is being picked up by the app. You could also lay the probe(s) in a pan covered with parchment paper (to keep probe(s) from touching pan), in the oven for a while, to test heat readings. UPDATE: It is now April 20 and I have been using the probe since purchase in Jan. Have to tell ya, these probes are a life changer. They have worked flawlessly, allowing my meat to come out absolutely perfect! I can cook multiple type of meat at the same time, with one of my probes stuck into it. You select the type of meat you are cooking and the probe software automatically pulls up the right temperature for the meat to be ready at and alerts you as to when rotation is needed, or the meat is done. FANTASTIC!! One big thing to keep in mind, not all pieces of meat cook the same way. The size matters, and with the probe, it concentrates on the piece of meat that it is stuck into. If you have a thermometer, have multiple pieces of meat, and just insert the thermometer into one piece, that is just judging that ONE PIECE for temperature. Smaller pieces will cook faster that large, and if you have a mixture of sizes, cooking times will vary, and you need to be on top of that. The probes will automatically do that for you. The fact that I do not have to deal with WIRES makes this sooo much fun! Any serious cook should have this probe set!! You can be guaranteed to have meat cooked to perfection, all the time!

I recently purchased the Chefman Electric Meat Thermometer from Amazon, and let me tell you, it has completely transformed my cooking experience! From perfectly juicy steaks to flawlessly roasted chickens, this little gadget has become my go-to kitchen companion. First off, the ease of use is unparalleled. Simply insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat, select your desired temperature, and let the thermometer work its magic. The clear and intuitive digital display makes it effortless to monitor the cooking progress, ensuring that I never overcook or undercook my meals again. But what truly sets the Chefman thermometer apart is its accuracy. I've tested it against other thermometers, and it consistently delivers precise readings every time. No more second-guessing whether my meat is cooked to perfection – with Chefman, I can trust that it's done just right. Another standout feature is the versatility of this thermometer. Whether I'm grilling, baking, or smoking meats, the Chefman thermometer rises to the occasion, providing accurate temperature readings across a variety of cooking methods. And let's not forget about the durability. Unlike flimsy thermometers that break after a few uses, the Chefman thermometer feels sturdy and well-made, ensuring that it will withstand the rigors of my kitchen for years to come. In conclusion, I can't recommend the Chefman Electric Meat Thermometer enough. It's reliable, easy to use, and delivers consistently perfect results every time. If you're serious about elevating your cooking game, do yourself a favor and invest in this game-changer of a thermometer. You won't be disappointed!

UPDATE: Below is my initial review. It was five stars. So what has happened in the past month? A total breakdown of their support model. After only using the thermometer for a couple weeks one probe failed to connect. Ok, no problem,mused probe #2. I figured a reboot would resolve the issue. I never got a chance. The next evening I went to use the Chef IQ again. Yes, I grill a lot! Picked up the hub and the battery appeared dead. Odd, I had full charged it before the previous night's cook. I had some time so I put it to charge. This is weird, I'm only getting a very dim red light around the switch. Did my charging cable go bad overnight? NP, plugged it into another USB charging station. Same result. Not to easily b e thwarted, I tried the charging brick for my laptop. Same issue. Even left it plugged in overnight. It was dead. Ok, stuff happens. Went to Amazon to initiate a replacement request. Amazon told me I had to go directly to the manufacturer. One strike for Amazon. The reason I make so many purchases through them is the ease of refunds/replacements when required. Not this time. But Chef IQ did email me with questions concerning my issue. That was nearly a MONTH AGO. But this is where it just gets stupid. Just so you know. I'm a twice retired Tech. 22 years maintaining and repairing electronic equipment in the US Navy, then another 20 years working in the technology space. I know how these things work, and how the RMA process SHOULD work. So I patiently went through the troubleshooting steps and even took a video of me using different chargers and the dim red light. And as expected, they agreed that the hub was bad and they created a return shipping label. THREE WEEKS AGO. As of today, they still haven't shipped a replacement. They tell me that they didn't receive the advanced shipping notice when UPS received it. That's their problem not mine. They also told me they do have my bad unit in hand but still can't tell me when I'll get the replacement. BUT when I do, we can start all over again to get the bad probe replaced. They won't send me a new one until I get the new hub, if I ever do, and we can start the process all over again. So I asked for a refund to buy a Meater. They ignored my request and apologized for the delay. If apologies were worth anything they'd have made me rich by now. So a good product is not worth a thing if there isn't a competent manufacturer to support it. As any serious grill master knows, cooking to temp is an absolute must. Having to open my smoker to do a temp check screws up the cook and delays the cook while waiting for the sm oker to come back up to temp. I CAN NOT recommend this product. This company fails the basics of customer support 101. I've used Thermpro and Tempspike but the Chef IQ is far better than either. Small and easy to insert. You don't need to find a huge chunk of meat to get a good reading. Three temp sensors ensures accurate temps. The application is easy and it does a fantastic job to computing when your food will be done. The Meater is all hype but this is a real griller/smoker's tool.

I bought the hub + 3 probes, for $159.99, right after Christmas 2023, and it arrived in 24 hours. =========== Setup: 8 I installed and launched the Chef IQ app, from the Google Play store on my phone (as instructed by the quick-start pamphlet). The app then guided me through the remaining steps. The first thing it instructed was to double-tap the hub's power button. But it didn't power on. I realized the hub's battery may need to be charged, but it doesn't come with a charger... only a USB-C to USB-A cable. (Most folks likely have spare USB-A wall chargers laying around, but it still would've been nice if it was included.) I found a spare charger, plugged it in, double-tapped the hub's power button, and it powered on. The app's instructions should be changed to include instructions to plug in the hub first, prior to tapping the power button. (Someone less savvy may assume it's defective and return it.) Next, the app asked to allow Bluetooth access, then choose my WiFi network and type my WiFi password. Then it asked me to update the hub's firmware. That took 5-10 minutes to complete. No issues. Now here's the kicker: it makes you create a Chef IQ account, and *verify* your email address, before proceeding. That should not be required, just for a meat thermometer! Annoyed, I provided a fake name, and used one of my throw-away emails (where I don't care if it receives spam). I received a verification email in my email inbox, clicked the link, and within seconds, the Chef IQ app automatically proceeded to the next step: registering the probes with the hub. I placed the probes in the hub's probe-charging slots, and it quickly recognized each one, and registered them in seconds. I left everything plugged in to fully charge. The probes finished in 15 minutes. The hub took 2 hours but communicated just fine with the probes during that time. =========== Accuracy: 7 To test the accuracy of the probes, I tested them in ice water as well as boiling water. I submerged the probes in a thermos filled with ice water, and swirled it for 2 minutes. I hoped they'd show 32 or 33 F, but they never went below 34 F. The ice was all the way to the button, and the probes were fully submerged in the water. They should've shown 32 not 34 F. Next, after acclimating the probes back to room temperature, I submerged them in boiling water. Within 15 seconds, they all showed 212-213 F. Excellent. Aside from my slight disappointment, it's of no real consequence to me, if they're 2 degrees off at near freezing temps. What's important is that they're accurate at higher temps. In that regard, they do operate within specs, at +- 1 degree F. Some probes on the market have a higher accuracy (0.5 F), but they also cost much more than these probes. Given their price, I'm happy with their accuracy. =========== Reliability: 9 I did a 4-hour test, where I moved the hub into another room, 40 feet away from the probes. All 3 probes remained connected to the hub the entire time. The only time one of the probes lost connection was when I sealed the probes in a metal thermos for 2 minutes (during the ice water test). Probe #1 lost connection, while probes #2 and #3 remained connected. When I removed the probes from the thermos, probe #1 automatically reconnected in seconds. =========== Features: 9 Chef IQ includes features that other companies either don't have, or charge extra for: 4 sensors per probe, Bluetooth, WiFi, and a built-in speaker. Currently, the only sensors on the market with more sensors is the Meater 2+ and the Combustion Inc. probe, but they are $120 and $150 respectively. At $50 each, you can't beat the price of the Chef IQ probes. The 5mm diameter of these probes is also thinner than many other probes on the market. A couple negatives: 1) The hub doesn't have a built-in screen, This prevents my spouse from using the probes, as they're paired exclusively to my phone. A workaround is pairing them to a dedicated device (like a tablet or old phone), but that's not an ideal solution, as it's one more device that you need to remember to charge. 2) The hub only supports 3 probes. I sometimes smoke 4 briskets, and wish I could add a 4th probe. =========== App: 9 The app is pretty intuitive, with several tabs, at the bottom of the screen, for "Home", "Cook control", "Recipes" and "More" features. Both the "Home" and "Recipes" tabs include step-by-step guided recipes, with videos. Unfortunately, "Home" prominently features a "Just For You" section, with the first recipe being Chicken Francese, which requires the purchase and pairing of the Chef IQ Smart Cooker appliance with the app. Huh? How is that "just for me"? Why show me recipes it knows I can't actually make? Fortunately, the "Recipes" tab doesn't have that annoyance, and only shows recipes I can prepare with the probes, with "Oven", "Stovetop", "Grill", "Smoker" all clearly indicated in each recipe's tile. The Chef IQ team has clearly invested a lot of effort in creating these interactive recipes. Kudos for a job well done; it adds a lot to the experience. In the "More" tab, there's a cooking history (where I can view all my past cooks), change the hub speaker volume, custom name the probes, and other app tweaks. The app isn't overly-complicated which I like. But, one feature I hope they add is a way to export the cooking history (e.g., into CSV, XML, JSON, or similar format). For advanced users like me, providing a public API would be a neat feature, and I hope they consider adding it. The app and hub don't require WiFi (beyond the initial registration and firmware updates). This is important to me, because if the Chef IQ cloud site goes offline (or my WiFi or internet goes down), I can still set up and monitor my cooks via Bluetooth. =========== Ease of Use: 8 I think the hub's built-in speaker is a great feature, as it calls out what to do next. E.g., when it's time to flip the steaks, or when it's time to take them off the heat, it gives me a verbal message. That's really neat, as there's been times I've missed the notifications on my phone, in other companies' apps. But, as mentioned earlier: my spouse can't use the probes, since they're paired only to my phone. I really wish the hub had a basic digital display that showed all the probe temps. =========== Web site: 3 Their web site is mostly useless. You can't use it to view your cook history, or even to see your probes. At the time of this review, the web site doesn't even recognize your app's login credentials. I.e., if you register your email/password in the app, then try to log in to the web site, it won't recognize your email and you'll need to register again. Why does Chef IQ maintain separate login databases, between their web site and their app? Makes no sense. =========== Final score: 9 The probes are reasonably accurate, reliable, with decent battery life. If I run into any issues, I'll update this review. The hub includes great features, like Bluetooth and WiFi, and dunks on its competitors with a surprisingly helpful built-in speaker. But I do hope they consider adding a screen to monitor cooks without relying solely on the app. The app is intuitive, with a nice balance of usability vs configurability that should appeal to many people. I appreciate the app's guided recipes, and hope they start allowing the community to contribute their own guided recipes. I also like its seamless integration with the hub's speaker. I hope the Chef IQ team takes a page from Combustion Inc. and removes the annoying login/email requirements. Email verification is pointless! It's not like it's even linked to the (also pointless) web site anyway. Get rid of the needless login/email verification, or at least make it optional. Despite some annoyances, given the specs and features included at this price, it's the best value on the wireless probe market, and an easy recommendation. =========== ***6-MONTH UPDATE*** POSITIVES: I smoked two 15-lb briskets, in my Weber Smokey Mountain, and the probes' batteries lasted the entire 11-hour cook. Very pleased. NEUTRAL: In the aforementioned 11-hour brisket cook, the hub had to be plugged in, after a few hours. That's understandable, as it consumes more power, since it has to remain connected to the probes, and broadcast their data to the cloud. NEGATIVES: The app automatically purges your cooking history after 6 months, with no way to export that data. This is a very bad decision by Chef IQ and an unforced error. Why must these logs be purged? They're just tiny files that hardly take up any space; why not allow them to live on my device in perpetuity? Extremely annoying. If maintaining historical cook data is critical for you, you should buy a different brand. The ambient temperature sensor is often not accurate. As a result, the algorithm that estimates cooking times is often wrong and can't be trusted to plan meal times. Instead, I've been eyeballing the graphs and making common-sense guesstimates. CONCLUSION: Overall, I'm still pleased with these probes, and recommend them. But, the cook time calculations simply can't be trusted. And, the auto-purging of cook history is annoying. Let's see if Chef IQ fixes these 2 issues in future software updates; I'll update this review, if they do. Final score (updated): 8.5 =========== ***12-MONTH UPDATE*** NEGATIVES: Probe #1 broke on Dec 25, 2024, during Xmas dinner (within the 1-year warranty). After a half dozen emails, a phone call, and one month later, Chef IQ shipped out a replacement probe. Probe #1 was back-ordered, so I agreed instead to have them ship me a Probe #3 instead. They assured me that having two No. 3 probes will work fine, and that I can just rename one of them in the app. I'll just have to keep a mental note of which physical #3 probe is which when in the oven. Final score (updated again): 7.5

I've used this wireless thermometer for a multitude of cooking items from rotisserie chicken, to steaks to fish and more. There is a lot to like about these thermometers. The wireless feature is great when the chicken is outside on the rotisserie and we are in the house doing other food prep. The temperature readings are very accurate when compared to the readings on my instant digital thermometer. It also gives the ambient temperature of the grill which seems pretty accurate and helps with properly adjusting the heat during cooking. The app for the iPhone is easy to program for various cuts of meat and cooking styles, with the proper temperature setting for doneness. It is especially helpful to receive notices over the hub, phone app and Apple Watch. The readout display is well designed to show the cooking time, temperature, and estimated ending times. The hub needs to be charged often before using it, especially if it has been sitting for periods of time between uses. It seems to discharge quickly even when not being used. While it has not dropped a connection when charged, the probe has occasionally not connected initially, requiring it to be reinserted back into the charging hub to reestablish the pairing. In general, it has the potential to aid in cooking, but tries to do too much and give too much information.

I use this primarily with a small Traeger smoker and have cooked turkey, tri-tip, brisket, pulled pork, and ribs using this device. Each time the device was accurate and produced delicious results. My only complaint about this product is the multiple notifications to my phone and via the speaker on the case about it losing connection. The smoker is about 5 feet beyond my glass doors to the back yard, the speaker case is sitting on a table a few inches from those glass doors, the ISP gateway is 3 feet from that, and my phone is on a counter in the kitchen within a few feet of that. Every time I use the device I receive roughly 2-6 notifications about disconnections and then within a few seconds to a minute it is reconnected again, so distance as interference shouldn't be a factor. I did notice that if the probe is wrapped in foil with the meat then I lose connection all together, so I have to tear a small hole in the foil so the probe sticks out. It would be nice if the app had an option to increase the time-out threshold from the probe (to say 1 minute), so that the frequent disconnect messages would stop since they generally resolve themselves in a few seconds. Other than that, the phone app is easy to use based on if you're making a recipe or going by the cut of the meat, and also accounts for meat resting time during the cooking process. The estimates of time left can vary in accuracy when I use it on the smoker, but the temperatures appear to be spot on and alerts appropriately when the required temperature is reached.

Overview: I recently purchased a set of three wireless temperature probes for my pellet grill, and I must say, they've exceeded my expectations. Here's my detailed review: 1. Accuracy: The temperature readings from these probes met my expectations perfectly. I compared them to other methods of measurement and found them to be consistently accurate throughout the cooking process. 2. Wireless Connection: One of the standout features of these probes is their stable wireless connection. The hub connected seamlessly via Bluetooth to my phone and also to my Wi-Fi network. I never experienced any interruptions or disconnections between the probes and the hub, providing peace of mind during long cooking sessions. 3. Durability: Durability is crucial, especially for tools used in high-temperature environments. These probes impress with their sturdy construction, and my favorite feature is their dishwasher-safe design. Being able to toss them in the dishwasher for cleaning saves both time and effort, ensuring they're ready for the next cooking adventure. 4. User-Friendly App: While setting up the app initially required a couple of extra steps, once I got the hang of it, everything worked smoothly. The interface is intuitive, and the app offers a range of useful features for monitoring and controlling the cooking process. Once the cook was started, I had no issues with the app's performance. Final Thoughts: Overall, these wireless temperature probes have become an indispensable tool in my grilling arsenal. With their accuracy, reliability, durability, and user-friendly app, they've enhanced my cooking experience and helped me achieve perfect results every time. I highly recommend them to any grilling enthusiast looking to take their culinary skills to the next level.

I’m really torn about this review. The Chef iQ has, by far, the best features of any thermometer I’ve tried. Compared to brands like M***** and T*****, the difference is huge those other ones just beep when they’re done, and that’s it. For the price, I expect more. I don’t want to constantly check my phone to know when to flip something on the grill; I want an actual alert. None of the other brands tell you when to flip, even with all their annoying beeps. What I love about the Chef iQ is the human-style voice alerts instead of a series of beeps. How hard is it for other brands to use an audio file for alerts? Come on step up the software. Chef iQ tells you when to flip, when the meat is almost ready to come off, when rest time starts, and when it’s finished. It’s incredibly helpful. But here’s the problem: after about a year, the Chef iQ becomes almost unusable because of constant disconnects even when I’m standing right next to the oven or grill with my phone literally on top of the unit. I’ve tried multiple other brands, but Chef iQ spoiled me with its features, so I keep coming back. I’ve submitted a support ticket but haven’t heard back yet.