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What are some good wireless thermometer options?
I’ve been using this Inkbird WiFi thermometer for a while now, and I need something better.
I really like the functionality, the app (especially since I use other Inkbird products), battery life, and the fact that it’s WiFi instead of Bluetooth. However, none of that matters if it’s not giving me accurate data. I’ve had to resort to busing at least two probes and taking either the average (if they’re close) or the more sensible number (if they’re not). I’ve been through two packs of probes, which are not cheap and are not compatible with virtually every other thermometer probe out there, and all of them have given me issues. I’ve even seen the temperature randomly climb, and two probes which start out agreeing can differ wildly over the 12-24 hours it takes to mash a batch of grain.I should add that I’m using this primarily for mashing, where the ability to check on it remotely and without opening the cooler is handy. I don’t use it for cooking any more, because I just don’t trust it well enough to differentiate between medium and well done. So I’m looking for a replacement. Does anyone have a recommendation on a reliable wireless probe thermometer, preferably WiFi, that I can actually trust the data on?Learn from the past, live in the present, change the future.
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27 Replies
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I’ve heard good reviews on the MEATER, but have not pulled the trigger. A 4 probe set is $300 on Amazon.I
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I’m enough of a geek that I’d consider building my own. But failing that have you considered a cheaper digital probe and a webcam? You lose the alarms but for simple remote checking it should be fairly reliable. I think wireless webcams are not too pricey these days.”I have a potstill that smears like a fresh plowed coon on the highway” – JimboA little spoon feeding *For New & Novice Distillers
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Steve Broady are you submerging the probe along with some of the cable? I’ve found that doing that can quickly destroys temp probes. I don’t believe most are 100% waterproof where the cable meets the stainless probe. I recently destroyed one probe that I’ve been using for years because it was left submerged for a relatively short time (with some of the cable submerged). This is the one I’ve been using for years and it’s never failed me except for that probe issue. It was cheap enough to buy a 2nd one just to replace the broken probe. I recently purchased this thermometer, but the backlight didn’t work so I returned it.I’ve had my eye on this Inkbird thermometer for a while, but I just don’t like the thought of a rechargeable device that has internal batteries that cannot be replaced.4″ VM Build
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I’m watching this thread because I’ve never found a really good solution.I’ve been using USB thermometers to watch ferments for years, but it means having to leave a computer running 24/7. The temperature graphs they produce are great for showing when a ferment finishes without you having to take the lid off to take samples.I’ve tried web cams and have recently bought a new one that lets me watch whatever it’s pointed at from my phone.
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I don’t have anything to add to the thread regarding temp probes, but Chris regarding your comment about having to leave a PC running all the time, have you considered RaspberryPi?They take extremely small amounts of power to run in comparison to a full PC, they are tiny, are very reliable and have a huge following with thousands of projects so there will likely be dozens to choose from for temp monitoring.Make Booze, not War!
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Yes, I have, but I usually want to monitor, not control. Plotting graphs of ferment temperatures is interesting, but that is all it is for me. Daily checks on temperatures, pH, SG etc. are often not done unless I’m in a hurry, which is pretty rare.
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If all you need is to monitor, a Pi zero and a little screen is all you’ll need other than your probes, pennies to run.Second result on Google:-https://community.element14.com/learn/l … thingspeakMake Booze, not War!
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Yes, I have been submerging them. Never even considered that they might not be waterproof! That would certainly explain some of the erratic behavior I’ve seen. I may try making some kind of float, but even that might have issues with condensation since it would be subject to a hot, humid environment.I’m using an Inkbird now. Not the same model you linked to, but similar. The battery life has been pretty good for me. I pulled it out of the drawer the other day, and it was reporting 30% charge. It got down to the teens around 12 hours later, but was still working fine. I added my malts, charged the unit for a few hours, and it was still at something like 90% when I put it away. From a full charge, I’d have no problem letting it run for a couple days. I’m not worried about replacing the battery, because I’ve resigned myself to the reality that consumer electronics are disposable these days.Learn from the past, live in the present, change the future.
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I’ve been think about trying a TILT for awhile now: https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Wireles … 3XBS3&th=1Pricey at $135 ($250 for the pro model) but designed for fermenting plus tracks SG along with the temp.I just read an article about the dangers of drinking that scared the crap out of me. That’s it. No more reading!
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I was going to suggest the tilt pro as wellThere are two types of people in this world.1. Those that can extrapolate from incomplete information.
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I’ve thought about the TILT as well. I have a couple questions about it, first, what wireless protocol does it use? I much prefer WiFi to Bluetooth, as I find it far more reliable and easier on my phone’s battery. Second, what is the difference between the TILT and TILT Pro, aside from price and size? They seem to have comparable specs.Learn from the past, live in the present, change the future.
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Steve Broady, if you think your thermometer is useless then disregard this post, but if you suspect that the probes have been damaged due to submerging them, check out this alternative.This replacement probe claims to be compatible with your IBBQ-4T thermometer. With this style of probe, you should be able to make your own long copper sleeves to protect the probe, similar to a DIY Thermowell. It would allow you to submerge the copper tube as deep as you want, slide the temp probe into it and leave it submerged long term. The copper sleeve might affect the actual temp by a few 1/10th degrees, but close enough for mashing or monitoring fermentation temps. You would have to confirm the OD of the probe and match it to the ID of the copper pipe to be sure it’s a perfect fit. I have had one rare instance where an RTD sensor was not manufactured perfectly (was warped) and it couldn’t slide into the copper pipe. After reporting this, the manufacturer replaced it for free and didn’t want the warped one returned. I have used both brass tubes, copper tubes and they both work fine because it’s very simple to solder the end closed. I imagine you could do the exact same thing with stainless tube as long as the ID is correct and you can manage to solder the end closed.4″ VM Build
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I LOVE that idea, SMF! Thank you. I’ll definitely give that a shot. I like that a copper tube ought to protect the probe from getting snagged while stirring as well.Learn from the past, live in the present, change the future.
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I’ve accidentally nicked a similar thermowell with my drill & mixing paddle. It bent it slightly which rendered it useless and needed replaced. They have their pros & cons. Most commercial thermowells are made of thick stainless steel. The could take an enormous beating without bending, but I imagine they would have a greater affect on the temperature reading.That replacement probe has ‘free returns’ so if they crimped it crooked and won’t slide into the tube, at least you won’t be out anything other than perhaps some tax.4″ VM Build
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I’m thinking that 1/4” copper tubing is pretty cheap and available in as long a piece as I could need. I should have a roll of it already, so no cost to give it a try. Maybe even make a few different ones, for different size containers.Learn from the past, live in the present, change the future.
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You might have difficulty with using rolled copper tubing. Any slight bend will make the temp probe jam and not slide through. That’s why I bought that straight copper pipe with the ID that matches the OD of the probe. I haven’t shopped around for stainless tubing with the proper ID. Maybe it would be cheaper than copper. It would be tougher, but I take care of my thermowells and try not to knock them around.4″ VM Build
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You might be right. But I figure it’s at least worth a try. I might also try using a slightly larger diameter for the bulk of the length, then soldering on a small section at the end that’s a tighter fit for the probe. Or finding a wooden or plastic rod that fits inside the tube to help encourage the probe to slide through to the end. You’ve definitely inspired me to think along a few different lines about how to solve the problem.Learn from the past, live in the present, change the future.
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Awesome! Whatever you choose to do, keep this thread updated.4″ VM Build
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Seems like you have a good solution but if you fancy the functionality of the Tilt there’s also the iSpindel which is basically an open source version of the same. If you feel handy you can buy the boards and solder it up yourself. Or for around 30€ you can buy a built and calibrated one.Just be aware that the gravity reading will be useless in an on-grain fermentation.”I have a potstill that smears like a fresh plowed coon on the highway” – JimboA little spoon feeding *For New & Novice Distillers
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I had no idea that existed, but it looks ideal. I’ve ordered a built one (in case anyone is curious, I found it on Etsy and spent about $65 USD including shipping) so I can play with it. It’s nice to have multiple solutions, both in case I need to monitor more than one thing and so I can compare them.I’ve also got two of the temperature probes coming, so that I can experiment with a homemade thermowell and see if that solves my problem.I suspect that both solutions will have their place in the hobby.Learn from the past, live in the present, change the future.
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I imagine you already know this, but a lot of the newer digital thermometers with probes use an app on your phone that plots a temp graph/chart. The Inkbird and the ThermPro thermometers I listed previously both do that. If the rechargeable battery doesn’t last an entire week 24/7, it’s my understanding you can keep them plugged in so they will maintain a charge. I’m really leaning toward the Inkbird thermometer because it uses WiFi (and Bluetooth). The ThermPro is Bluetooth only. It also looks like the Inkbird app is better than the ThermPro app from what I recall seeing. The Inkbird also reads in 1/10th degree resolution where the ThermPro doesn’t. For monitoring fermentation, that probably doesn’t matter though.I smoke meat outdoors and it sure would be nice to monitor the temps without having to walk outside all the time. I recall the Inkbird also has a feature where you set the ‘done temp’ and based on the past rise in temp, it will list a predicted time when it’s done. That’s a pretty cool feature I think.4″ VM Build
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SMF, you’re absolutely right on all points about the Inkbird. The app is simple and reliable, and each of the three devices I have connected to it have their own bespoke configuration and data displays. The data log is also quite nice. I can vouch for it working while plugged in, especially since mine usually lives in a drawer and I rarely remember to charge it before I need it. Like you, I wanted it for smoking and grilling as well as for mashing, and it works quite well for that purpose.The only feature I wish it had was a low temperature alarm. That way, I could have it send me a notification when the mash temp gets down to the next step.My only other complaint is that beach model seems to use bespoke probes which are significantly more expensive than the standard ones. But, if you don’t boil them like I did, I’m guessing they ought to lay quite a while.Learn from the past, live in the present, change the future.
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Based on the advice here, I bought myself an iSpindel, but it does not seem that it will work for mashing which is where I most need accurate temperature data. So I decided to make myself a cheap, stupid simple thermowell of sorts.
It’s simply a length of tubing that I had on hand which fits through a hole in the lid and which contains a straight temperature probe. The end is plugged with a generous glob of hot melt glue, because that’s what I had handy and I wanted it right away.
A quick google search suggested that the lowest melting point for low temp hot melt glue is 250F, or well above boiling. Here it is after sitting in water straight off the boil. Still opaque, so I’m not too worried about the glue melting.
In case anyone wants to try this themselves, I found a neat trick to get the probe through the length of tubing. First I pushed it as far as it would go, and then I just grabbed the end of the tube and swung it around in a circle, using centrifugal force to move the probe the rest of the way. It worked even better than I expected.As a side benefit, the tubing lets me easily locate and move the probe out of the way while I stir, and it’s a lot less likely to get snagged by the paint stirrer I use to break up dough balls.Learn from the past, live in the present, change the future.
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Have been looking at this for cooking. h**ps://combustion.inc/Replace ** with tt to get the link”What harms us is to persist in self deceit and ignorance”Marcus AureliusI’m not an alcoholic! I’m a drunk. Alcoholics go to meetings!
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Great idea with the hose Steve .But I was thinking maybe better to leave the metal probe sticking out an inch maybe and glue seal the tubing back from there . Just figuring that if the metal probe is encapsulated inside the plastic tube there will be a significant lag and difference between what the mash temp is and what the probe senses .My recommended goto .wiki/index.ph … ion_Theory
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There will be a lag, but it’s not as long as you think, and realistically I’m monitoring a slow change over the course of hours anyway. Plus, if/when I need to replace the probe for any reason, this way it’s not glued in.Learn from the past, live in the present, change the future.
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Hey Steve and everyone,I’ve been following this thread and wanted to jump in with an idea I’m considering for monitoring fermentation temps: pairing the WN34S Temperature Sensor with the GW1100Here’s the basic idea:
- WN34S Temperature Sensor: Wireless, stainless steel probe, priced around $20. Designed for real-time temperature data transmission every 77 second. Plus it has an LCD screen so you could read the temperature in situ, neat!
- GW1100 Gateway: These gateways (priced at $30) connect the sensor to your Wi-Fi and can integrate directly with Home Assistant via a local API—no cloud, no extra firmware needed.
I haven’t set this up or tried anything similar, but it looks promising for direct Home Assistant integration. Seems like a decent, low-cost approach for anyone wanting remote monitoring without the usual cloud dependencies. It is a weather station system but it would be a total of $50 and compared to others that’s not so bad.Curious if anyone’s tried something similar or has thoughts on potential pitfalls or tweaks that might make this work even better. Looking forward to any insights!skål/skoːl/
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