Ninja is known for its high-quality kitchen appliances, but over the past few years, it has been focusing on the outdoor cooking space with the launch of grills like the Ninja Woodfire Grill and the Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Oven.

The latest product in their barbecue-friendly lineup is the new Ninja ProChef Wireless Thermometer. It utilizes the same Pro Connect technology found in the higher-end models of their Ninja Woodfire, so it makes sense that they decided to take that technology and let it loose on its own. 

Today, I will be breaking down the ins and outs of this new wireless probe and giving you the scoop on whether it’s worth buying.

Ninja sent me this product in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

First Impressions 

I’ve always been a big fan of Ninja products. They consistently produce high-quality items, and I can’t think of one bad experience I’ve had with anything Ninja-branded.

When they offered to send me their new wireless thermometer, I was excited to see how they executed the design and how it compared to other wireless probes I’ve tried like the MEATER and ThermoPro TempSpike. 

The box is similar to that of other Ninja products. There is an outer sleeve with the branding and specifications, then you will find a box that slides out inside. The box is perfect for storing your Ninja ProChef when its not in use. 

The design of the probe itself is pretty standard. It’s sleek, which we can expect from any Ninja product, but it’s essentially a no-frills wireless probe from an aesthetic standpoint.

First use

The Ninja ProChef takes 1 AAA battery to operate, but no worries if you don’t have any lying around. Ninja was kind enough to include a battery right inside the box.

To install the battery, you need to take a small coin, like a dime or a penny, and place it into the screw slot for the battery. A simple half-turn will release the lock on the battery door, and a spring will push the cover out of the way. Then, you slide the battery in, push the door down, and give it another turn to lock it. 

Ninja recommends that you let the probe charge in the dock for one hour before using it, so keep that in mind before you use it for the first time.

The battery powers the dock, but the probe itself needs time to charge. The dock acts as a charger for the probe when it is stored inside. This is an almost identical design to the MEATER probe. 

I personally love that Ninja opted for a AAA battery power source over offering a rechargeable integrated battery. Some other probes I’ve used, like the ThermoPro TempSpike, require you to charge the dock between uses with a USB cable. This isn’t a big deal as long as you remember to plug it in, but more often than not, I will put the probe away after cooking and then forget to charge it before I’m ready to use it again. 

Ninja states that the probe has a 30-hour battery life, so you should be able to use it for quite some time without having to swap out the battery. 

Functionality & Heat Resistance 

The probe functions just about the same as any other wireless probe on the market. Just insert it into your meat, open the app, set your desired final temperature, and start cooking. I like the overall design and functionality of the Ninja ProConnect app, but I will go into more detail about the app below. 

The Ninja ProChef thermometer offers a 165-foot range, the same as the MEATER Plus. It has a shorter range than some other options on the market, like the ThermoPro TempSpike, which offers a 500-foot range, but it’s right in line with most of the models available. 

The heat resistence is higher than many other wireless probes on the market at 700°F. For comparison, the ThermoPro TempSpike only allows for up to 500°F. The only probe that I’ve used with a higher rated heat resistance than the Ninja ProChef is the new ThermoWorks RFX which goes up to a crazy 1000°F

The Ninja ProConnect App 

One thing I love about this wireless thermometer is the ProConnect app. The app is available both on the App Store and Google Play. Of course, every wireless thermometer has an app, but some are easier to navigate than others. I found the Ninja ProConnect app extremely easy to use. 

All the key information is displayed on a single screen, so you don’t need to frantically switch back and forward like on some other apps I’ve used.

The Ninja ProConnect App has short videos integrated into it that make using the probe totally fool-proof. For every step of setting up the probe, there is a short video that plays, along with written instructions that guide you through the process. Even the simple process of installing the AAA battery has its own video for you to watch to ensure you’re doing it properly. I was very impressed with the videos and found them to be a nice touch. 

After you download the app, you will need to either log-in to your existing Ninja account or create a username and password. They will send you an email to verify that you are who you say you are, but once that is done you are ready to start connecting.

The app will guide you through the step-by-step connection process, but essentially you just remove the probe from the dock, give your phone a few seconds to locate the signal, and then it’s done. The whole process took less than a minute. 

As with most other wireless probes, the Ninja ProConnect app offers a variety of settings based on what you are cooking. You simply choose the type of protein you are cooking, then choose the cut of meat, and finally, choose the doneness level you prefer. 

If you prefer to choose the temperature settings yourself, you can also just set up a custom cook and set your own ambient and internal temperature parameters for the probe to watch.

Cooking with the Ninja ProChef 

Once you’ve chosen your protein and temperature settings, the app will switch to cooking mode. While your food is cooking, the ProChef will show you both the internal temperature reading and the ambient temperature reading for the duration of the cooking process. 

It will also show you the settings you’ve chosen and your target temperature below on the screen. 

It takes a minute to calculate, but the Ninja ProChef also gives you an estimated remaining cooking time for whatever you are cooking and keeps you updated during the cooking process. 

Like all probes, I found the time estimate a little off, but it gave a good ballpark estimate. The closer to the end of the cook it got, the more accurate the time estimate became.

Should you buy the Ninja ProChef Wireless Thermometer? 

Ninja did a fantastic job designing their new wireless thermometer. It has a sleek design, is easy to use, and has one of the best apps of the wireless probes I’ve tested.

If you’re in the market for a new wireless thermometer, I think that the Ninja ProChef is definitely up there with any of the other top probes on the market today. 

At the time of writing the ProChef is priced a little below the Meater Plus, making it great value.