Meat thermometers are important devices that ensure the internal temperature of your protein is sufficient to destroy harmful bacteria and prevent unpleasant illnesses. They can also help you judge whether your meat is rare, medium or well-done to suit your preferences or to ensure your steak doesn’t end up a charred mess on your grill.
But if you’re looking to buy one of the best meat thermometers, you may be overwhelmed by the choices available. While many require human intervention, such as the Thermapen One by ThermoWorks, others, like Meater’s devices, use smart wireless technology, meaning the thermometer does all the hard work for you, and you don’t need to keep checking the temperature during the cooking process.
Before its public release on September 12th, I was excited to test Meater’s newest addition to its range of smart wireless meat thermometers — the Meater Pro XL. Tom’s Guide has already reviewed some of its earlier products, including the Meater Plus and the Meater 2 Plus, but now it was my chance to discover what extra features and functions the Meater Pro XL offers and whether this latest release is worth all the hype.
Meater Pro XL: Specs
Meater Pro XL: Price and availability
The Meter Pro XL is available by pre-order from Meater’s website for $349. Its official launch takes place on September 12, 2024.
This latest model has a substantial price hike, but rather than the previous designs with one probe, it features four. As a guide, the original Meater retails at Amazon for $69, the Meater Plus for $99, and the Meater Pro/2 Plus for $129.
Meater Pro: Design & Setup
The Meater Pro XL arrives in a little box, along with the accompanying USB-C charging cable. Although you wouldn’t expect anything less for the price, it’s presented in a manner suitable for gifting. Overall the product is very neat and compact, without any unsightly wires or plastic parts. It looks high-end and impressive.
However, although it's a smart device, I was still surprised that it didn't come with any printed instructions, if only to get you up and running.
The new Meater Pro XL comes with four probes, which are stored in an attractive bamboo central charging hub, with the control panel sitting flush within the casing. Each probe is numbered between 1 and 4, which links accordingly to the device. It features built-in Wi-Fi with a high-performance antenna, fully compatible with Meater Link Wi-Fi and Cloud — ensuring your signal won’t drop out halfway through cooking.
By connecting to the Meater app, users can monitor cooks from anywhere with an internet connection. This feature allows you to check the status of your cookout, receive alerts, and adjust settings remotely, transforming the cooking experience to give you greater flexibility and control.
When in use, it has a metal stand that folds out and lets you position the device on your countertop or wherever you're cooking, making it easier to read when you’re busy preparing food. On the reverse, you’ll find a USB-C charging port.
The probes
The four ultra slim probes, are 0.2 inches thick, made of stainless steel and designed for ambient readings and exceptional durability. Being able to withstand up to 1000°F, you won’t need to worry when using an open flame grill or high-heat searing. They are also waterproof and suitable for deep frying and sous vide.
If precision cooking is your thing, you'll love the probe's exactness. It's hard to test this, but Meater claims the probes have a resolution of 0.1°F and offer an accuracy of +/-0.5°F, and I certainly felt they were very responsive during testing. Each probe also features five internal temperatures sensors and one ambient sensor to measure the core temperature of the protein. This is to minimize any errors when positioning the probes and to ensure accuracy.
Once charged, the probes will also last for 24 hours — a claim I found held true when I put them to the test. This will give you plenty of cooking time without the stress that the charge will run out.
Meater Pro XL: Getting started
Without printed instructions in the packaging, I was a bit perplexed about how to get started. Although I regularly use meat thermometers, this was my first time using a smart device. However, after a quick search online, I got going.
The Meater Pro XL gives you two options: you can either use the ‘standalone’ setting (without Wi-Fi) or the ‘Wi-Fi’ setting where you connect to the Meater app. To start, turn on the hub and select your mode of choice on the touchscreen.
How to use the Meater app
I opened the Meater app and removed the first probe from the docking station, before selecting the first ‘cook set up’ on my mobile. It takes you through some simple instructions to get everything set up, starting with the type of meat you want to cook, whether it’s beef, pork or even kangaroo! You then select the cut of meat and your cooking appliance; it then gives you the recommended temperatures for how you prefer your meat, for instance, whether you like it rare or well done.
To cook a whole chicken in an air fryer, which I'd previously coated in some oil and spices, I selected ‘poultry’, ‘chicken’, ‘whole’, ‘air fry’ and ‘medium’. I then followed the same process for some pork loin, which I was cooking in my electric range.
Inserting the probe
Next I inserted the probe into the thickest part of the meat, although if you are unsure of the best placement, the app gives further guidance. It’s also wise to keep your charger close to the cooker to stay connected to the probe and boost the signal.
I was quite taken aback by how easy the app was to use and how it takes you through setting up the cooking process. I was also impressed with the real-time details available once the cooking began, including the current temperatures, cook time remaining, and the 5-minute alert before the meat was removed from the heat to rest. To complete, it also provides an overall cooking summary.
The app also saves the details of your previous cooks and gives you an option to set up custom cooks and notes.
The benefit of four probes
What’s more, with four probes, if you love entertaining in the summer and using your grill, you can monitor all of the protein you’re cooking without constantly checking the temperature of multiple meats, then sterilise the temperature probe each time. The Meater probe does all the hard work for you and saves you chasing around.
How to use the standalone mode
Although I was impressed with the functionality of using the app, I also wanted to try out the Standalone mode, and if I’m honest, I thought this would be all that I’d need.
I selected the Standalone mode on the device, removed a probe and then began to set up the cooking process, going through the option for the type of meat, cut, and preference for finish, before inserting the probe into my beef. I then sat the hub close to my electric range and monitored the progress.
The screen displays a range guide, similar to how a battery charge is displayed, that shows the progression of the cooking, and once the meat has reached temperature, it will indicate that it's ready, before allowing time for the food to rest.
I thought I’d be perfectly happy using the standalone mode, and it still does a good job, but after using the Wi-Fi mode I could see it offers more options, and it’s incredibly user friendly. If I had the choice between the two, I'd definitely opt for the Wi-Fi option.
Meater Pro XL: Cleaning
There’s not a great deal to say about cleaning, as there’s not much to clean. The hub can be wiped over with a microfiber cloth, while the probes can be hand-washed or placed in the dishwasher. As mentioned above, the main advantage is that the probes stay in the protein throughout the cooking process, so there’s no need to wipe and sterlize them in between uses.
Meater Pro XL: Verdict
The Master Pro XL is a clever gadget, if I dare call it a gadget, because it is so much more. For everyday cooking, one meat thermometer probe will cover most needs. However, the Meater Pro XL is a welcome addition for those who love to cook multiple types of meat in multiple ways simultaneously. Plus, if you have a family who prefers their steaks cooked from rare to well-done and every which way in between, the Meater Pro XL gives you the option to cook four steaks perfectly to satisfy everyone’s preference.
The precision engineering within the probes also makes the temperature calculation incredibly accurate, ensuring beautifully cooked meat, exactly how you want it. And if you’ve recently invested in one of the best grills or best gas ranges, the Meater Pro XL could be all you need to up your chef potential.
The Meater Pro XL also makes life easier for the chef, so if you're cooking and entertaining at the same time, you may find a spare minute or two to relax, enjoy the company before enjoying the precision-cooked fare.
