Back in the day, my hands-on time with the MEATER 2 Plus left me impressed by the build quality and the sensors. My one real complaint was the required phone or smart device to use it. Every cook ran through the app, and when your fingers are covered in grease and rub, unlocking a phone to check a temperature is the last thing you want to do.
The MEATER Block and MEATER Pro XL fix that, and both are now discounted for the holidays. Each comes with 4 probes and a charging dock with a built-in OLED display and touch controls. Both support Standalone Mode out of the box, which MEATER says “allows you to cook without needing a phone or tablet.” You set up the cook and watch it on the dock itself.
On MEATER’s holiday sale page, the Block is $159.99, down from $239.99 (33% off). The Pro XL is $269.99, down from $349.99 (23% off). That’s $80 off either one.
Both are also sold on Amazon (Block, Pro XL), where prices can differ slightly from MEATER’s own store.
Pick based on how you cook. The Block’s probes are rated for 527°F ambient, and MEATER doesn’t recommend them over an open flame. The Pro XL’s probes handle 1000°F ambient, so that’s the one to use over an open flame. The Block dock runs on 4 AA batteries (included), while the Pro XL dock has a rechargeable battery and ships with a USB-C cable. Keep either dock off the grill itself, since MEATER says it can be damaged above 140°F.
Standalone Mode has limits. In that mode the probes talk to the dock over Bluetooth only, so the built-in WiFi repeater can’t extend the range. MEATER lists up to 33 ft in open air, and the range can drop sharply inside smokers and kettle grills. Cook details, graphs, and temperature tracking also won’t be available in the MEATER app while you’re in Standalone Mode. I expect most backyard cooks, with the dock sitting next to the grill, won’t miss either.
It looks like the Block deal runs through Dec 24 and the Pro XL deal through Dec 2. MEATER’s sale page doesn’t list an end date, though, and prices and deal windows can change at any time, so check the listing before you buy. The phone was my only real friction point with MEATER, and these two remove it.
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