Just in time for summer grilling season, Apption Labs, the company behind the connected MEATER thermometer, announced the launch of the new MEATER Block today. The new Block of thermometers allows users to monitor the cooking of multiple pieces of meat at once and extends the wireless range of the device.
The new MEATER system still acts much the same way as the single probe. It’s a connected thermometer roughly the size of a heavy-duty nail that you slide into your meat (beef, chicken, fish, pork, etc.). It wirelessly talks with the accompanying mobile app to let you know how the meat is doing, and even gives you tips on when to pull it out and how long to rest it.
While MEATER had sold multiple thermometers bundled together before, the new MEATER Block set of probes is different in that they work together so you can monitor different meats simultaneously. So you can be grilling different pieces of beef to different doneness at the same time, or even monitor simultaneous cooking of different types of meat.
Additonally, the new MEATER Block acts as a WiFi bridge, boosting the wireless communication range of the device so you can presumably be anywhere in your house and still check in on those chops. Other versions of the MEATER only go 33 ft. or 165 ft., depending on the model. The MEATER Block also sports a touchscreen and has a standalone mode so you don’t even need to use a phone.
I tested the single MEATER last year and thought it worked well. I’m pretty nervous when it comes to cooking proteins thoroughly, so monitoring my meat without needing to open up a hot oven (and let all the heat out) to insert a thermometer is a nice touch. The company has sent me the new block to test out, but it hasn’t arrived yet. If it works as advertised, it will be a great tool for summer cook-outs, especially with its new ability to continuously cook and keep track of different foods on the same grill.
Despite these advancements, MEATER seems to still have the same issue I had with the previous generation: its size. The MEATER itself is big, and because you keep it in the meat throughout the cooking process, a sizeable hole forms. The other thing we’ll lament here at The Spoon is that the MEATER doesn’t have a plant-based meat option for, say, grilling Beyond Burgers.
But if those aren’t dealbreakers, you may want to check out the new MEATER Block, which is available now for $269.