The New ThermoPro TempSpike: Tested and Approved

The TempSpike’s streamlined design is similar to other wireless thermometers, with a stubby stainless steel probe and a short handle. Besides offering a place to grip the thermometer, the handle serves as a second thermometer for measuring the ambient temperature inside the grill or oven.

The probe comes with a storage case that functions as a charger via a handy USB cable. That’s not the end of the case’s function, though. It also acts as a repeater, grabbing the signal from the probe and sending it to the phone app. While it’s best to keep the case close to the thermometer (but away from excess heat), it can also be moved a bit further for better performance, perhaps placing it to avoid walls or other obstructions that might block the signal.

Oh, but there’s more. The case also has a speaker, so if you’ve left the phone indoors and the case is near the grill, the case will beep insistently to make sure the food won’t overcook.

 

After several different cooks in both the oven and grill, the TempSpike performed well, reading accurate temperatures for both internal and ambient temperatures.

The Bluetooth had a decent range in testing—about 240 feet from the base, depending on the obstructions along the way. While this was less than the optimum distance the manufacturer claimed, it was more than sufficient for working around my house, yard, and even a short stroll down the block. A longer range should be possible if there are no obstructions and no electronic interference, but it may be hard to find those conditions in a normal environment.

When it comes to maximum Bluetooth range, one of the best features is that the app alerts when the phone loses the connection. No more wondering why the alarm hasn’t sounded when the problem is the connection. Unfortunately, the app didn’t reconnect until I got back to about 100 feet from the probe, so it’s not just a matter of moving a few steps into range once you step out of range.

 

The probe can read internal temperatures from 14 to 212 degrees, and ambient temperatures up to 527 degrees. That’s more than enough for oven use, but care should be taken in a very hot grill.

A QR code in the manual was supposed to link to the downloadable app, but it didn’t work for our Android device but it was simple enough to search for TempSpike (must be one word).

Once connected, the app has a list of common foods as well as a range of temperatures for many of them. If your idea of medium rare differs from the app, it’s simple to adjust the temperatures to your liking, and the information is saved for the next time. It’s also possible to create new categories, and those are also saved, so if you have a preferred temperature for steak, you can save it for easy access every time you grill.

 

The app can also turn features on and off, and customize the alarm sounds. Setting the disconnect sound to “creepy laugh” and the probe temperature to “howl” made them easy to distinguish from all the common beeps and boops in the kitchen. There are also a wide range of other sounds to choose from, or the alarm can be set to vibrate instead.

Another handy setting is the “Temp Pre-Alarm” which alerts 5, 10, or 15 minutes before the final temperature is reached. This allows for the time it might take to get to the grill to retrieve the food, and for resting time while meat temperature rises. The app also estimates the time remaining before the cook is complete, based on how fast the temperature is rising.

Besides setting a target temperature for the food, the ambient temperature can be set to alert for a high or low temperature. This is particularly handy for grilling, since temperatures can vary during cooking, or fuel can run out before cooking is complete.

If that’s not enough, a timer can also be set. A comment can be set for the timer, so you’ll know if it’s beeping because it’s time to add the barbecue sauce or whether it’s time to toss the salad.