Considering a Meater Block

[reallyalexsc]

My experience with them is quite mixed.

I've got a Meater Block with 4 probes. When it works, it's excellent - but it is nowhere near as good or useful as I had hoped it would be.

When using them in a Weber Mastertouch or PBC I find I need to have the block within 3-4 feet of the cookers to get a connection that will reliably re-establish itself after dropping out (which it does, especially for the probes in the kettle) every few minutes.

This is OK for monitoring, but the constant 'Meater Probe #2 has disconnected' notifications are really very annoying.

For cooks in the oven (I used it for prime rib at Christmastime, for instance), it's great.

It's a decent product that I will continue to use - but I think that for long smokes I'll be switching back to wired probes in the relatively near future.

[Texas Larry]

🤣🤣

[smokenoob]

I thought a meater block was when dear wife only cooks veggies.....

[BBQPhil]

I was initially skeptical with some connect confusion, but I've been using the Meater+ perhaps 20 times now when doing a steak or piece of fish It's so much quicker to use than my FireBoard. Take it out its box and stick into the item. Open the app and it just works. You see 2 temps (environment and the steak/fish. Takes 5x as long to unwind the probes and set up the FireBoard. I still use the FB for longer term cooking and smoking. Nothing comes close to that, but for a near instant solution recommend the Meater.

[shush]

I have the original Meater x4 with the block,etc. I opened the package, took out the probes and block, charged them, synced with my phone, and then put them back in the box. That was over a year and a half ago. The probe, for me, was quite thick. I purchased a fireboard while waiting for the meater to be delivered and have never looked back.
I am thinking about gifting the meater to a buddy.

[tstalafuse]

Texas Larry typically a claim of low and slow, but who knows. When I cook a rotisserie chicken it is over direct heat with an ambient temp probe dandling above them in an effort to keep the cook temp around 300 degrees. The chicken acts as a heat shield to the probe, so I don't really know the temp on the exposed underside while rotating. I guess I could put the ceramic heat deflector in, but that might defeat the purpose of the rotisserie? Again, just passing on what I read.

[Texas Larry]

Not sure I would do high heat on a rotisserie cook, but guess school is still out on this.

[tstalafuse]

I don't have one, so I can't give first hand experience. However, on other sites I still see a lot of complaints about reliability and customer service. Specifically, Meater blames any failure on high heat that voids the warranty, which I guess could be an issue for a rotisserie setup?

[Spinaker]

I have not had any experience with these but I can't wait until it becomes mainstream. I HATE dealing with all the wires with my thermometers. It is often the reason I don't really use them much any more unless I am doing an over night cook.

[Richs050]

I have the Meater + mainly for the rotisserie cooks so far. I worked well on a Tri-Tip last week as well. It had good range and the App is Great. Just make sure you take it out of the meat if Reverse Searing as there is a Max Ambient temp of 525. I liked it so much I ordered 2 more +'s , the Meater Block was sold out!

[Huskee]

Troutman. Not right now anyway . I wanted to be the voice of optimism way back when they had production and delivery delays. I wanted to get mine and love it. I believe in the tech. I was just disappointed in mine. I hope the tech improves, with them or someone else, and they make thin, reliable wireless probes one day. I'm all over it if someone can.

[Troutman]

Soooo...what you're saying is you're NOT the post child for the Meater.....

[Huskee]

I bought one way back when they were on Kickstarter. When it finally came the "ambient" and "meat" temps (the rear of the probe and the tip the probe, repsectively) were 5-7 degrees off from each other, on both probes, sitting there on my counter. I used them a couple times and I wasn't impressed. I personally felt at the time it was a great idea but the probes were wayyyy too thick for anything other than a pork butt or brisket, and the all-over-the-board temp readings were disappointing. To me. YMMV.

[Jfrosty27]

No. It’s the basic entry level unit.

[glitchy]

If you do not need right away, I'd probably wait to see how this one pans out:
https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...om-chris-young. (I was nice and shared mgaretz original post even though I have a link too. His post is where I first heard about it).

That being said, I have a Meater+ which has not given me any issues. With the '+' model's extender base, I get better than the few feet Jfrosty27 describes. Mine will send data to my phone if I'm in the kitchen. The Combustion Inc. offering looks like it will have a base station you leave by grill and that should connect to WiFi, similar to the Block. The Meater probe is about like jamming a pencil into your food though, so will be interesting to see how much smaller the Combustion probe ends up being.