The latest Bluetooth cooking thermometer — yes, we’ve covered a handful already — is Oregon Scientific’s Grill-Right Bluetooth BBQ Thermometer ($60). Instead of relying on an iPad or iPhone as its sole display, Grill-Right can work as a standalone thermometer, or use Bluetooth for an iOS connection if you choose. Much like with iDevices’ iGrillmini and Super Mechanical’s Range, the app does more than just show the temperature. It’s designed to help with the cooking process, with cooking information programmed into it.
The 3.5”-square plastic box, the core of the system, is powered by two included AA batteries. It has an LCD display which measures 3.25” diagonally. Below that, there are four touch-sensitive buttons. Although it supports a pair of temperature probes which connect to ports on the right side, the system only includes one probe. The probe is about 6” long before it curves, and the cable is more than 44” long.
While everything can be controlled from the display — including monitoring the temperature and setting the presets — it’s far easier to use a paired iPhone to do so. Oregon Scientific’s free companion app allows you to choose the type of meat you’re cooking, and set the level of doneness you prefer. Temperature- and time-based alarms are included. Both channels can be monitored from the well-designed, iOS 7-style app. There are also options to view a history of what you’ve cooked, access recipes from Allrecipes.com, and even share pictures of your food.
We tested Grill-Right against iGrillmini, as well as a digital pen thermometer, to verify its accuracy. In a number of tests—room temperature, a cold, raw onion, and cooking chicken, it proved to be within a few degrees of both units. These results give us the confidence to say it’s accurate enough to be used to safely monitor food temperatures.
Although it costs $20 more than iGrillmini, there’s certainly at least that much value present in Grill-Right. It’s missing almost nothing in comparison to iDevices’ unit—a temperature graph is the only omission we could find—and it adds a standalone base station, plus support for a second probe. This makes it well worth our strong general recommendation. While Bluetooth support may not be necessary for everyone when it comes to grilling thermometers, this is the way to go for those who want the feature.
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Company and Price
Company: Oregon Scientific
Model: Grill-Right Bluetooth BBQ Thermometer
MSRP: $60
Compatibility: iPad (3rd/4th-Gen), iPad Air, iPad mini, iPhone 4S/5/5c/5s, iPod touch 5G