ThermoWorks make the best meat thermometers for barbecue and cooking enthusiasts, so it’s been baffling to watch them sit by as brands like MEATER and ThermoPro dominate the market.

Well, the wait is finally over. After years of anticipation, ThermoWorks has released the RFX Wireless Probe, and we couldn’t wait to put it through its paces.

Here’s everything you need to know about this innovative wireless thermometer and how it performed during our initial hands-on testing.

ThermoWorks sent me the RFX for free in return for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What’s in the box?

We tested the RFX Starter Kit, and as always with ThermoWorks, the packaging was top-notch. Here’s what you get:

• RFX Probe: For measuring the internal meat temperature.
• RFX Gateway: Can connect up to 50 probes (perfect for competition barbecue teams or data enthusiasts).
• Charging Block: Compact and magnetic, making it easy to store and recharge.
• Ambient Temperature Probe: Plugs into the gateway to monitor your ambient/grill temmperature

When you order the Starter Kit you can get either one, two or four probes included. You can also purchase individual probes.

Straight away you can see a big difference compared to something like a MEATER which measures your meat and ambient temperature from a single probe. I’ll get more into that comparison in a little bit.

The first impression? Everything feels solid and well-made—exactly what you’d expect from ThermoWorks.

Quick Specs

Setting up the RFX

ThermoWorks made the setup process incredibly simple:

1. Plug in the gateway and connect it to your home Wi-Fi via the app.
2. Charge the probe (just 10 minutes for a full charge).
3. Pair the probe with the gateway.

Even if you’re not tech-savvy, the setup is intuitive. Whether you’re a millennial, boomer, or Gen X barbecue enthusiast, you’ll be up and running in no time.

One small gripe: The app separates the probe and ambient readings on different screens, which can be inconvenient during a cook. We hope future app updates streamline this.

Key Features

It’s great to see all the R&D that ThermoWorks put into this product. The RFX probe is packed with features and specs that are designed to make your cooking easier and more precise:

• Wireless Range: Up to 1,500 feet in open areas or 560 feet in obstructed spaces.
• Temperature Range: Handles up to 1,000°F—ideal for high-heat grilling and searing.
• NSF-Certified: Safe for professional use, whether you’re smoking, deep-frying, or even sous vide cooking.
• Dishwasher-Safe: No scrubbing required. Lazy pitmasters, rejoice!
• Data Logging: Saves cooking data to the cloud for post-cook analysis.

That epic 1,500 ft range is made possible by patent-pending radio frequency tech. ThermoWorks claim that this signal can easily get through the wall of your smoker. I’ve used Bluetooth probes in the past where the signal dropped right next to my smoker, so I was very keen to test this out.

First test cook cowboy ribeye

To properly test out the RFX, I cooked a thick cowboy ribeye. The probe inserted smoothly, and the darker line on the shaft ensured it was positioned at the optimal depth.

I used the ambient probe to monitor grill temps and set alarms in the app to alert me when the steak hit key temperatures.

The app’s live temperature tracking worked flawlessly.

The probe held up during an intense sear, staying accurate and intact even near flames—a major upgrade over earlier wireless probes I’ve tested from other brands.

One learning curve: High-heat grilling can cause rapid temperature jumps. Even if the probe is 100% accurate you still need to be diligent and take the steak off before you hit your desired internal temperature, to avoid overshooting.

For my second I went with a Ribeye from Snake River Farms

For the second test, I used a set of GrillGrates to ensure more even heat distribution. I also adjusted the probe settings beforehand, and the reading seemed snappier with internal temps matching closely with my Thermapen.

Flipping steaks and moving them around the grill felt seamless with no wires to manage and the final steak was cooked to a perfect medium-rare, with no overdone edges.

App experience

The ThermoWorks app feels like it was designed by a team of engineeers. It’s got lots of functionality and options to graph and store your data are interswting, but the visual presentation and some functionality was lacking.

I found myself having to switch back and forward between two different screens to see the ambient and probe temps. I also wish it had some more programed cooks like you find on the MEATER.

ThermoWorks RFX VS MEATER

The most obvious competitor of the RFX would be the MEATER Pro. ThermoWorks are basically calling them out on their website where they claim:

“Competitors’ built-in ambient sensors give inaccurate readings as cold meat acts as a heat sink, pulling heat from the metal probe and skewing the measurement of the ambient sensor by 75°F”

This is the most notable design difference between the RFX and competitors like MEATER who measure the ambient temperature with a sensor at the end of the single probe.

I did some quick tests using my IR Gun and it certainly seems like the ambient temp recorded on the MEATER was far less accurate than the RFX.

I tested this again doing a rotisserie turkey and the MEATER underestimated the ambient temperature by 100°F while the RFX was much closer.

I need to do some more thorough testing to validate ThermoWorks claims here, but it does seem logical that a built-in ambient sensor will not have the same accuracy.

I’m happy with Thermoworks approach with the wired ambient probe that connects to the gateway, and that does explain the higher price than the MEATER.

The MEATER Pro is Bluetooth only with an advertised typical home range of 250 ft. If you go for the MEATER Pro Duo or XL then you do get WiFi.

The heat rating on both probes is 1000°F, and both can be used for deep frying.

So far I’ve found the MEATER app to be more user friendly, with all the information you need displayed clearly on a single scree. I also like the programed cooks.

The RFX has the edge in accuracy though, which is more important in my book. I’m going to do more test and update this review over time though.

Final Thoughts

The ThermoWorks RFX is a game-changer for barbecue enthusiasts looking to simplify their cooking process without sacrificing accuracy. Whether you’re a backyard pitmaster or a competition pro, this probe offers durability, precision, and the convenience of wireless monitoring.

While the app has room for improvement, the RFX’s solid performance and innovative features make it one of the best wireless thermometers on the market today.

If you’re tired of tangled wires and want a reliable probe that can handle everything from briskets to deep-fried turkeys, the RFX is worth considering.