Wireless Grilling Tool: Achieve Unmatched Cooking Precision

Understanding temperature control is essential for any grilling enthusiast. Whether you are searing steaks and burgers or slow smoking brisket, precise readings of your grill’s heat levels as well as the internal temperature of your food are crucial for achieving perfect results. A variety of tools are available, ranging from instant-read thermometers to probe-based devices that monitor your cook throughout the entire process. Among these, you’ll find options that are either wired or wireless, with the latter offering a significant upgrade by eliminating unsightly cords that can interfere with your grilling experience.

While wireless grilling probes have been around for some time, they are a new venture for the well-known brand in the grill thermometer market, ThermoWorks. The company, recognized for its popular Thermapen, has launched its own version of wireless temperature tracking with its latest offering. This innovative tool is designed with accuracy in mind, utilizing a unique approach that sets it apart from the competition, making it an invaluable assistant for both casual backyard grilling and professional culinary tasks.

Understanding the Advanced RFX Technology for Grill Mastery

ThermoWorks’ RFX series utilizes advanced sub-GHz radio frequency (RF) wireless technology, setting it apart from devices that rely solely on Bluetooth. This innovative approach offers an impressive 1,500 feet of line-of-sight range between the probe and the receiver, although it’s advisable to keep the receiver close to your grill for optimal performance. Similar to previous ThermoWorks models, the probe’s charging cradle and receiver come equipped with magnets, allowing them to easily attach to the cooler side of your grill. The RF signal is robust enough to penetrate the thick walls of an offset smoker or the tight confines of a Dutch oven, even while inside the grill, ensuring you maintain a consistent temperature reading.

In addition to its wireless technology, ThermoWorks has incorporated several key features that make this wireless probe competitive with others on the market. For instance, by charging the RFX Meat probe in its slim charging block for just 10 minutes, you can achieve up to 52 hours of cooking time. The Gateway receiver provides vital Wi-Fi connectivity, enabling you to monitor your grill remotely from virtually anywhere. Impressively, it can connect to up to 70 wireless probes simultaneously, making it an ideal choice for commercial kitchens or large-scale cooking events.

The RFX Meat probe boasts an IP69K rating, making it dishwasher safe and perfectly suited for deep frying and sous vide cooking. It can withstand temperatures up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing you to accurately monitor your steaks even during intense high-heat searing.

Furthermore, the RFX Gateway supports Billows, a smart device that transforms traditional smokers—whether offset, ceramic, barrel, or drum—into intelligent grilling machines by maintaining the desired temperature. Billows receives temperature updates from the Pro-Series Air Probe via the RFX receiver, making it an excellent choice for those who prefer using wood or charcoal for low-and-slow cooking while enjoying a more hands-off cooking experience.

Exploring the RFX Starter Kit and Standalone Purchase Options

To get started with the RFX technology, you will need both the RFX Meat probe and the RFX Gateway. The most economical choice is to opt for one of ThermoWorks’ bundled packages. Known as the RFX Starter Kit, this collection includes the Gateway receiver, the wireless probe, a Pro-Series Air Probe for monitoring ambient grill temperatures, a grate clip, a charging unit for the Gateway, and colored probe rings for easy identification.

ThermoWorks offers flexible options for bundles, allowing you to choose from one, two, or four-probe kits. Purchasing these bundles can save you money compared to buying each item individually. The current prices are $159, $239, and $349 respectively for the one, two, and four-probe kits. However, these are introductory prices, so it’s advisable to act quickly if you want to take advantage of these savings. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to purchase the RFX Meat or RFX Gateway separately, the wireless probe is available for $89, while the receiver is priced at $79. Again, these are initial prices and may increase in the near future.

Maximizing Your Grilling Experience with the RFX Meat Probe

The RFX Meat probe marks my fourth experience with a ThermoWorks product. Previously, I’ve utilized two variants of the Thermapen instant-read thermometers, which have become an essential tool in my kitchen and outdoor grilling setup. The reliability and accuracy of ThermoWorks devices have always impressed me, and this trend continues with the RFX series. Each product embodies the qualities of precision, user-friendliness, and dependability.

Similar to some competitors, ThermoWorks has incorporated multiple sensors within the probe shaft. These four sensors work in tandem to provide an accurate internal temperature reading of your food, with a precision margin of just 0.9 degrees. Instead of integrating a sensor into the meat probe, the company opted for a separate, wired Pro-Series ambient temperature probe that connects to the RFX Gateway receiver, allowing for continuous monitoring of grill temperatures. This design offers several benefits.

Firstly, the separate probe positions the sensor away from your meat, thereby preventing the initial cool zone or moisture evaporation around larger cuts of meat from affecting your readings. Secondly, the wired probe allows for greater flexibility in positioning, as it’s not tethered to the main wireless device. Even with a built-in sensor inside your grill, ThermoWorks’ Pro-Series ambient temperature probe serves as an excellent secondary reference, especially since most grill manufacturers do not place their probes at the same level as the cooking grates where food actually sits.

Throughout my testing sessions, the RFX system maintained a stable connection, whether I was conducting an all-day low-and-slow smoke for a pork butt or a quicker three-hour cook for my Thanksgiving turkey. I experienced no drop-outs, and during the turkey cooking process, I was able to keep the RFX Meat probe in place during the resting phase. This was particularly important as I pulled the turkey off the grill at 160 degrees Fahrenheit in the breast area, needing to ensure it reached 165 due to carryover cooking before serving.

While the ThermoWorks app may not win any design awards, it effectively fulfills its purpose. Personally, I prioritize functionality and reliability over aesthetics any day. Many grilling apps might be more visually appealing, but if they fail to perform when you’re cooking a valuable cut of meat, it can lead to unnecessary stress. Like many competitors, the ThermoWorks app allows you to set high and low alarms for each probe, and you can customize how often the app updates its readings. For instance, while searing a steak, you might want to track every degree, whereas for longer cooking sessions, you can opt for three-degree intervals. The RFX system sends updates based on temperature changes rather than time, which is crucial for precision cooking.

For those who are serious about grilling, the app also features temperature graphs and the ability to take notes as necessary. Recently, ThermoWorks introduced an Advanced Mode that allows users to plot temperature data for all four internal RFX Meat sensors on a single graph, with each sensor represented by a different color, providing an in-depth view of temperature changes throughout the cooking process.

Initially, I found the app’s main screen a bit cluttered due to the default carousel of the company’s products and cooking tips. This was somewhat distracting, especially when I was focused on monitoring cooking data. Fortunately, you can hide this feature, which I believe many users will appreciate.

Assessing Competitive Wireless Grilling Probes: A Comparison

Several brands offer wireless grilling probes, but the one I have experimented with the most is Meater. This brand, owned by Traeger, provides a variety of models with the Meater Plus being the top choice for many home cooks. It features multiple sensors for tracking internal meat temperatures and an embedded ambient sensor on the other end. The Meater Pro is designed to withstand both high-heat searing and deep frying, making it extremely durable. Additionally, like the RFX Meat, it is dishwasher safe, a significant advantage. However, if you desire a model with built-in Wi-Fi, you will need to invest in the two-probe version, which comes at an additional cost of $100. While the Meater app offers estimated cooking completion times, they are not always as accurate as one would hope.

Final Thoughts on the RFX System: A Grilling Game-Changer

The initial RFX bundle from ThermoWorks provides a straightforward and reliable solution for monitoring your grill without the need to remain in close proximity. These devices ensure that you maintain the correct cooking temperature while achieving the desired doneness for your meals. I particularly appreciate the separate wired ambient probe that pairs with the RFX Gateway, which enhances accuracy, and it’s simple enough to position the cable out of sight.

While the RFX starter kit carries a higher price tag compared to alternatives like the Meater Pro, ThermoWorks has confirmed that additional products compatible with the Gateway are on the way. However, the company must quickly deliver on its promise to offer an offline mode via Bluetooth, allowing grillers without a Wi-Fi network to still utilize the RFX for their cooking endeavors. Nevertheless, having both connectivity options is a significant advantage over many competitors. Regardless of how you connect, the RFX starter kit exemplifies why chefs and pitmasters trust ThermoWorks for precision and reliability in their cooking processes. The company consistently delivers exceptional products.