ThermoPro TempSpike Wireless Thermometer Review And Rating

The ThermoPro TempSpike is the company’s entry into the completely wireless cooking thermometer market. It consists of two parts: the probe and a signal booster/charger. The probe connects via Bluetooth to the booster, and the booster in turn connects with your Android or Apple smart device.

The probe is charged by placing it into the pocket of the booster. The booster’s battery recharges the probe for a claimed 48 hours of use. The booster is charged via a supplied USB cable that plugs into either a computer or a wall wart. The manufacturer claims that the booster will operate for three months on a single charge. There are LEDs in the booster that indicate charge status and connectivity status. The booster also has a button that is used to silence alarms and pair probes.

The probe is easy to use. It requires placement deep enough into the food so that the probe temp doesn’t rise above 212°F (100°C). The food temp is measured at the tip of the probe, and the other end measures the ambient temperature. I tested the accuracy of the two probes in heated water, using a Reference Thermapen to determine the water temp. Both the probe’s sensors accurately read out the hot water temp (the first number is the tip; the second is the ambient temp):

132°F: 132/132
179°F: 180/182
200°: 199/198

In order to measure the accuracy of the ambient sensor, which can go as high as 527°F (275°C), I soaked a heavy cotton sock with water and wrapped it around the probe tip, being careful to insert it far enough to reach the safety mark. I placed the sock “steak” into a Breville oven along side a temp probe of known accuracy. At 250°F, the ambient probe read 245°; at 350°F, the ambient probe read 350°, and at 425°F the ambient probe read 430°. These results pass our accuracy standards.

The app is straightforward. After pairing the booster with your phone, the app displays both the food and ambient temps. You can set doneness thresholds using USDA values or your own preferences. The app collects food temp data that can be viewed as a graph of temperature vs. time. The app gives an approximate time for completion of the cook. The ambient probe can be set with a lower and an upper bound that will trigger alarms if exceeded. There is no graph available for the ambient probe. There is also a 24-hour count down timer that can be labeled for memory aid. You can program alarms using sound and/or vibration for each probe independently. If you have multiple probes, they can each be paired in the app and used simultaneously.

ThermoPro advised placing the booster near the cooker, especially if the cooker closes. The booster amplifies the signal and relays the data to a smartphone. ThermoPro claims a range of 500′ (150m) between the booster and your phone. These sorts of claims assume ideal conditions. I had no problem communicating with the booster inside the house with an outdoor cooker, so the range was adequate for my purposes.

I have tested a number of these wireless probes, and the ThermoPro TempSpike is only the second product that produced accurate results. They advertise that the probe can be used as a sous vide tool as well since the probe is completely waterproof.

The booster/charger comes with a clear plastic cover that protects the probe while not in use. The app is straightforward and easy to use. I’d like to see an ambient temperature graph in future releases of the app. Otherwise, there isn’t much to complain about. The ThermoPro product is also attractively priced relative to its competitors.

As for its construction, the build quality is good. The instructions are also clearly written and easy to use. The product comes with a one-year limited warranty. Contact info for the company is provided in the documentation should you have questions or need technical support.

So, what’s the bottom line? Good performance, easy to use, clear instructions, attractive price. Yup on all counts. I’m giving the TempSpike a Gold Medal.