Review: Keep an eye on your cookout with the iGrill Mini smart thermometer
Company: iDevices Product: iGrill Mini Price: $39.99 Compatibility: All iOS devices with Bluetooth 4.0, Apple Watch Website: http://idevicesinc.com Date: June 1, 2015
The ProductOne thing we definitely like to do here in Texas is grill. Even though the month of May brought some record-shattering rains to my hometown, I was able to still cook out thanks to my covered patio and well-made kamado grill.
I use my grill for pretty much everything, especially in the summer season – anything from quickly cooking hamburgers and hot dogs all the way to low-and-slow cooking of briskets and pork. But while grilling, there’s pretty much one way to end up with meat that is less than ideal. And that’s opening the lid too much to check on the meat’s temperature.
There are a number of meat thermometers available with probes that can be placed in the meat and then attached to a unit outside the grill. But since this is AppAdvice, I thought I’d take a look at an app-enabled version from iDevices.
The iGrill mini is a pocket-sized thermometer that helps you keep track of your cookout on an iPhone, or even the Apple Watch.
Weighing in at a little less than 3 ounces, even with the probe, getting started is easy. After pairing it with an iPhone, simply stick the probe into whatever meat you’re cooking and you’re off. And with the magnetic mounting capability, it’s easy to stick the monitor directly on your grill or other metal surface.
Using the companion iDevices Connected app, you can select exactly what you’re cooking and the temperature it needs to cook to.
The companion app is well-designed and easy to navigate.
After that, you can head inside and let the iGrill mini do its work. If you’re curious about the meat’s temperature, use an iPhone or Apple Watch to see how things are progressing.
The new Apple Watch app is especially convenient when you need to go inside and do other things to prepare for the meal. As long as my iPhone was close, the app started quickly and told me exactly what I needed to know. Here’s an interactive preview courtesy of our sister site WatchAware.
The thermometer is also very accurate. I did two separate cookouts of chicken and pork loin and compared the iGrill mini reading with another accurate thermometer I own. In both instances, the iGrill mini’s results were spot-on.I really only have a pair of complaints about the iGrill mini. While iDevices advertises a range of 150 feet, I was unable to connect to the thermometer when I moved more than 50 feet away. That’s a little disappointing, especially if your grill is in a big backyard.
Also, it would be much more useful with support for two probes instead of just one. Cooks could keep track of two different meats or the temperature of the grill itself. The more advanced iGrill 2 from the company offers support for four probes, but it’s $60 more.
But overall, I’ve really enjoyed using the iGrill mini and am glad to add it into my barbecue arsenal. If you’re looking for an accurate thermometer with some extra-added connectivity, it’s highly recommended.
What’s Hot- Small and compact.
- Accurately records meat temperature.
- Magnetic mount allows the thermometer to be placed pretty much anywhere.
- Extra-long probe cord.
- Companion app is well-designed and easy to navigate.
- Can even be used to monitor indoor cooking.
- Apple Watch support.
- Would be more helpful with support for two probes.
- Advertised 150-foot range is more like 50 feet under real-world conditions.
Aesthetic Appeal: ★★★★☆ Wow Factor: ★★★★☆ Build Quality: ★★★★★ Value: ★★★★☆
Buy Now: $39.99 iDevices or $34.24 from Amazon.com