In September 2015 the grill thermometer Meater was successfully financed by Kickstarter and now we had the opportunity to test the small grill gadget. A somewhat unusual test if you look around us like this. Nevertheless, we were interested in what the wireless thermometer could do.
In our test, we used a 4 cm thick rump steak as “test persons”, the possibility of preparing a brisket or pulled pork and then trying out a “long job” did not arise so far. If that happens, we’ll supplement the test.
Equipment and Functions
The Bluetooth connection makes setup very easy. Download the app from the Google or Apple App Store and simply follow the on-screen instructions. A short tour through the functions and the range of Meater and the other products follows. At the time of the test (18.07.) the app was still completely in English, meanwhile the app has also been localized to German.
The grill is preheated and our piece of meat is ready to go on the grill. First we choose which meat we have in front of us: Beef, pork, poultry, lamb or fish. With the different species we can also choose which part we have exactly in front of us. For example with cattle there is a lot of choice. If the desired food is not available, the settings can also be made yourself.
Of course, we would like to get our steak sharply grooved first. We ask ourselves the question: Can the meater withstand the heat directly over the coals? Yes, he is. Temperatures of up to 300 degrees Celsius are certainly not uncommon when the grill is closed directly above the coals. According to the manufacturer, the gadget can withstand up to 275 degrees Celsius without any problems. Exceeding it is not a problem, because the app issues a warning. We made the first angrill without the meater and only afterwards put the meater into the meat and let it cook.
Let’s Barbecue!
Of course, the advantages of a wireless grill thermometer are obvious. Turning the barbecue is easier without the need for cables. Particularly with a spit the Meater gets further plus points. The manufacturer specifies a distance of up to ten metres as the range for the Bluetooth connection. If the grill lid is closed and solid, it cannot be ruled out that the range will stagnate somewhat. At around eight meters, the connection is still constant in our test, and the connection occasionally broke off. To increase the range even further, it is possible to connect another smartphone via WiFi. As an alternative there is the Meater Block or Link, which offer exactly the same function to extend the range.
The Meater is now in our Rump-Steak and we put our piece of meat again directly over the coal. Via the app we can see the room temperature and the meat temperature. On the basis of these two values, the app determines an approximate time, how long the food has to cook to become “medium well”. Five minutes before we get a notification from the app, we should slowly get ready to take our piece of meat from the grill.
As you can see from the pictures, we are satisfied with the result – although we chose roast beef instead of rump steak. Basically, it’s the same meat anyway. You should not pull the meater out of the meat with your hand, it comes directly from the grill and is accordingly hot. A small hole remains in the meat, because the meater is relatively thick, meat juice fortunately does not escape.
Result of the Barbecue Thermometer Meater Review
The biggest point of criticism has already been fixed at the time of this article, because the app is now available in German. The Meater doesn’t take long to charge and the wooden charging station even looks good. The interior of the app is self-explanatory and beautifully illustrated. Own settings can be saved and later selected again and again. The indicated time until the meat is grilled as desired was correct in our test, so that our Rump steak was really “Medium Well”.
A little thorn in the side is the price. With € 14.24 * you already put one or the other thaler on the table. If you want a good wireless barbecue thermometer with a good range of functions, you can buy the Meater with a clear conscience. For everyone else a wired one might be worthwhile.
Meater
Setup
Features
Workmanship
Value for Money
Easy to use
The Meater's light furnishings make it a lot to look at. Beautifully illustrated and good functionality.
