For those of you who haven't heard of INKBIRD, they are a global manufacturer of smart home devices that have been around since 2010. They make a variety of meat thermometers that can be used for BBQ, grilling, baking, homebrewing, and other cooking, and have been widely popular among chefs, cooks, and experts. We got their latest smart meat thermometer, the IBT-26S Smart BBQ Thermometer, which works on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections to test, and here is what we found.
What is INKBIRD Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Smart BBQ Thermometer?
INKBIRD's newest smart meat thermometer is the IBT-26S Bluetooth & Wi-Fi Smart BBQ Thermometer. This new smart cooking device has many features to help even the novice chef cook the perfect meat on the grill or in the oven. It is also the first food thermometer with 5G. INKBIRD's built-in 5G chip provides faster speeds and lower latency when connected to a Bluetooth 5.1 and 2.4GHz or 5GHz Wi-Fi connection. Therefore when using the smart meat thermometer, users will get more efficient and stable connections for remotely monitoring the cooking process from a smartphone anytime, anywhere.
And speaking of control, IBT-26S comes with smart app control via the INKBIRD mobile app (iOS and Android). The app not only helps you with cooking but provides recipes. Users can choose up to 23 USDA preset meat settings, which is handy for cooking novices and makes cooking easier. The app will also allow you to set high/low-temperature alarms to avoid cooking failures and customize countdown timers to ensure perfect results.
Another nice feature of INKBIRD's new smart BBQ meat thermometer is the real-time monitoring capabilities which can be seen on the app or via the BBQ Thermometer. This little device is where you plug in the meat probes, which then get inserted into your meat. It has a magnetic back lets you stick on the BBQ or oven firmly. You can also use a foldable stand if placing the BBQ thermometer on a flat surface. The BBQ comes with a backlight and will display all the data from the probes, such as temperature changes (Celsius and Fahrenheit ), temperature charts, and other cook settings. You can adjust the brightness via the app to suit any lighting situation. And all data is stored for up to 1 month in the INKBIRD cloud server. Users can export the history via email for further needs.
The INKBIRD BBQ Thermometer is battery-powered. It has a built-in lithium battery with 2500mAh that can continuously work for up to 32 hours after a full charge. To charge the thermometer, you can use the USB Type-C cable that comes with the thermometer, and it will take about 3.5 hours to charge.
The INKBIRD IBT-26S smart BBQ thermometer is designed to use up to five meat probes and one ambient probe. However, the current version has only four Meat Probes. (Note: the company told us the six-probe version would be on the market in the future,) The four food-grade stainless steel probes won't affect the original taste of the food during detection. And they are easy to clean after cooking. And they are easy to clean after cooking. And they are easy to clean after cooking. Each probe has a high measurement accuracy of 0.5℃/0.9℉ and supports short-time measurement of up to 250℃/482℉ and continuous monitoring of up to 300℃/572℉ via the BBQ Thermometer and INKBIRD app.
How to set up the INKBIRD Smart BBQ Thermometer Work?
Setting up your INKBIRD IBT-26S Smart BBQ Thermometer is easy. First, unbox the meat thermometer and charge it. Download the INKBIRD app as it charges from the App Store or Google Play. You can also get the instructions by scanning the QR Code in the instructions or on the side of the box to get the INKBIRD app. Register an account and pair your smartphone with the INKBIRD BBQ thermometer. Once connected, you must connect the thermometer to your home Wi-Fi network. Make sure you have your Wi-Fi password ready. When this connection is made, you can start using the BBQ thermometer. Note: the supplied user manual has all the setup instructions that are easy to follow and diagrams for each step of the setup process.
Performance
GearBrain has tested many smart meat thermometers, but INKBIRD is the first smart BBQ thermometer we have tested with four probes that can connect up to six probes. It was also the first smart meat thermometer connected to a smart BBQ Thermometer with a Backlit LCD screen. We liked the look of the thermometer, and the display was easy to read. Also, the BBQ thermometer's magnetic back made it easy to place it on the BBQ to monitor the temperature while cooking.
A feature we liked on the INKBIRD IBT-26S was the alarms you could set in the app. You can choose the alarm to go off at any 5-minute interval starting with 5 minutes and set a notification ringtone. This was handy when cooking meat that required us to turn over a few times.
Another nice feature of the INKBIRD Smart BBQ Thermometer was the ease of use when setting up your BBQ. The app makes it easy to select the type of meat and temperature or taste (i.e., rare, medium rare, etc.) The meat selection has an extensive range and includes everything you could want to BBQ, like beef, fish, pork, lamb, and others. And you can customize and monitor each probe in the app or on the BBQ Thermometer.
For our test, we cooked flank steak on a grill and used an Apple iPhone 14 Pro smartphone with 5G to monitor the cooking in the INKBIRD app. We plugged in one of the probes and attached the BBQ thermometer to our gas grill. We set the setting to medium rare and reached our desired cooking temperature within a short period. The outcome was a success.
There was one issue we were surprised not to see in the INKBIRD app, recipe ideas. Many of the other smart meat thermometers have sections in their app that include recipes for users. INKBIRD offers recipe ideas on their site, which you must access separately from the app. They are located in the Community section of the site. It would be nice to have a link from the app for users, especially the adventurous chefs.
Summary
What are the benefits of using a smart meat thermometer? There are many benefits to using these new smart cooking devices. They are convenient. Users can monitor the temperature of their meat from anywhere in their homes without having to constantly check on it in the oven or on the grill. These devices are accurate, ensuring your meat is cooked to the perfect temperature. Many smart meat thermometers are affordable, making them a more accessible option for people of all ages. Smart meat or food thermometers are also easy to use, even for beginners. They are more hygienic than traditional ones, as they do not require touching the meat with your bare hands. And they can track the temperature of your meat over time, which can help you identify patterns and trends in your cooking.
A smart meat thermometer may be a good option if you want a convenient, accurate, and affordable way to cook meat. They are simple to use and will help you cook any type of meat, fish, pork, ribs, or poultry on your grill or in the oven to your desire. But you have to decide do you want a wired or wireless smart meat thermometer. Wireless will cost you more and limit the number of probes you can use while cooking. A wired smart meat thermometer will offer more probes, but some have limited features.
After testing INKBIRD IBT-26S, we recommend this smart BBQ thermometer for cooks of any level to improve their cooking skills. Though some users might not want wired probes, we have to say for only $90 (and some exclusive coupons for deeper discounts), it can outweigh the wireless options for some chefs. Remember, you will get four wired probes (with the option to expand to six, which will be on sale very soon), an LCD Backlit BBQ Thermometer with a long-lasting battery, and excellent connectivity to help you cook the perfect steak, fish, chicken, or whatever food on your grill or in the oven every time.
