Review - The Weber iGrill2 Bluetooth Connected Thermometer

I am a “gadget guy”, so it is no surprise why I got so excited when my son handed me the Weber iGrill2 Bluetooth Connected Thermometer. One gift to cover two passions -gadgets and BBQ – the kid has been paying attention!

Lots of seasoned BBQers have honed their skills to the point where they can test done-ness by touch and appearance. I have not attained that level of BBQ skill yet, so I rely on thermometers and temperature probes.

Now, on their packaging Weber tells me that with the iGrill2 I’ll be able “grill and smoke at an award-winning level”. I can tell you with complete confidence, if your BBQ game isn’t already pretty strong, a thermometer is not going to take it to an award winning level. However, for most people, an accurate and reliable thermometer is very helpful in produce quality BBQ. Especially one that is not tied to the Grill/Smoker. The iGrill2 fits the bill.

                                                                  Here's what you get

        

The iGrill2 comes with a base station capable of handling 4 temperature probes simultaneously. With the click of the right or left arrow on the base station you can switch between all four probes, allowing you to cook four different products that the same time. Since I’m not BBQ’ing enough to feed an army in most cases, I just use two probes for my cooks. One for the meat and one for the ambient temperature of the smoker/grill. Each probe is color coded to coincide with the probe channels on the Weber iGrill app. The app allows you to choose the probe for ambient temperature.

                                                            The Android App-Home screen

The iGrill2 comes with 2 probes included, but if you need more, they’re fairly inexpensive (i’ve seen them for about $15-$20 for 2) Each probe is high heat resistant and Weber claims they’re good up to 620F. I have not tested that claim, but I have maintained temps of 450F and had no problems. The base station is powered by 2 AA batteries (included). It’s also magnetized so it can be attached directly to your smoker/grill. I believe the rubber base is heat resistant. I haven’t read that or been told it, but I’ve attached mine to the side of my Ugly Drum Smoker (which probably gets up to 250F or more.) and I’ve experienced no melting rubber or deformities. I can say, with confidence, that up to about 250F, you’re safe. Over that and you may have melted pile of plastic – I don’t know and I’m not willing to test it. When in doubt, just set the base on a shelf. The probe leads are four feet long and come with nifty little plastic doohickeys that make it easy to wrap and store the probes neatly when you’re done

                                        iGrill probe and nifty plastic doohickey to wrap the probe lead

The Weber iGrill app that connects to your iGrill2 is very simple to use. It connects easily, much like any other Bluetooth connected device. I’ll provide a list of connectable devices below. Once it’s connected and paired, the app allows a variety of ways to monitor your cook. Across the bottom of the app, you’ll find “Temperature” and “Timers”. The iGrill2 allows you to set reminders at their own “standard” temperatures. For example, a whole Chicken is well done at 165F, so choosing “Chicken, Whole” will automatically set the alarm for 165F. Alternatively, if you’d rather have your chicken at 160F, you can set the temperature alarm to your own custom temps.

                          

 All four probes in one place! 

Set up your own timer            View your cook in a graph                                                    

Under the Temperature tab, the app will display all four temperature probes simultaneously for a quick look. Tapping on the active probe gives you access to that specific probe. If you’re a color coordinated kinda guy or gal, the probes include colored probe indicators to allow you to easily differentiate your probes It also allows the option to select the probe as a “done-ness” probe or as an ambient temperature probe to monitor and maintain the temperature of your grill/smoker. The app also allows you to view your temperatures in a graph, showing the rise and fall of your temperatures over time. This gives you a very good idea of how to gauge things like the dreaded “stall”. It also allows you to upload or share screenshots of your temps to social media or just to save for your own analysis later on. The app also alerts you when the base units batteries are getting low. 

I’ve been using the Weber iGrill2 for a while now and I love it. I’ve tested the probes repeatedly and they continue to maintain accurate readings  over time (I test with both boiling water and ice water, because I’m just that obsessive.). Since my Smartphone is basically attached to the palm of my hand, it is super convenient to be able to whip it out while I’m doing other tasks and check on the progress of my prized BBQ.

The description states that the Bluetooth connectivity can reach up to 150 feet. I’ve not tested this with a measuring tape, but I wouldn’t argue with a that statement. I’d have to say my only real complaint about the Igrill2 is, although it’s far less than 150 feet between my recliner and smoker (maybe about 50 feet), the Bluetooth does not connect very well through walls & windows. I am sure that is not the fault of Weber, but rather just the nature of Bluetooth connectivity – it needs a direct line and doesn’t play well with obstructions. 

All in all, the Weber iGrill2 has definitely been one of the better gadgets I’ve gotten over the last few years. It’s used almost every weekend and has preformed admirably throughout. I use mine regularly in the smoker, grill and the conventional oven in my kitchen. I have had to replace one probe, but I’m pretty sure that was my fault for not being more gentle.

The iGrill2 comes with the following:

1 Base station

2 Probes

2 Probe wraps (doohickeys!)

2 Colored probe indicators

2 AA batteries

1 extra magnet

It’s compatible with the following devices:

iPhone 4S and later

iPad 3^rd Generation and later

iPad mini and later

iPod Touch 5^th generation and later

(requires iOS 7+)

Android 4.3+ (w/ Bluetooth technology)

The Weber iGrill app is available for free in both the Apple App Store or Google Play store.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any experience with comparable devices so I can’t tell you if it’s better than this unit or that unit, but I can tell you the device performs as described and has been a dependable addition to my BBQ Toolkit!