Digital meat thermometers have come a long way through technology and connectivity, making it easier to be a better pitmaster. These special meat thermometers give you a multitude of capabilities that will keep you on top of your grilling game. Let's take a closer look at some of the useful functions you can expect these days.

Why You Need a Smart Thermometer 

· Instant real-time thermometer display

One of the best features that you can expect from a meat thermometer is getting an accurate reading of the internal temperature of cooking meat. This is the most important part about grilling at home is because you'll know your meat is fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches its core temperature of 145F degrees. But that's only part of what you can monitor in your barbecue grill.

· Monitor grill and meat temperature

Many of these smart devices will allow you to connect several probes that can be used to monitor the internal temperature. Certain cuts of meat and poultry will all have thicker sections that need deeper probes. More importantly, you need to monitor the temperature within your grill so you can make adjustments as you go through a cooking cycle. For various reasons, you might want to control this temperature to maintain a slow cooking schedule.

The same can also apply for smoking meat, despite the lower temperatures. Luckily, meat probes inside and outside your meat will allow you to raise or lower temperatures manually or through remote-activated commands.

· Bluetooth connectivity

Many of the new meat thermometers have special smartphone apps that allow you to see the cooking temperatures on your phone. These apps are connected by using Bluetooth and work on both iPhone and Android models. Because so many of these programs are so new, they allow for touch screen access and interactive programs. You can now control cooking times and adjust temperatures if your grill is set up to do this.

You can even see different graphs that track a cooking time from start and finish. You'll even have useful programs that are completely customized to your cooking style depending on select meats. The best part is that many of these newer apps continually have updates that help customize your grilling style. These apps are better suited to monitor your cooking even if you have to go to the store, so the monitoring range is far from your home.

· Review cook time

Cooking on your grill is considered a fine art for many modern Pitmasters who are beginning to understand cooking science. Getting your meats to do something specific is now becoming commonplace, so grilling control now includes all the latest gadgets. Adding a good meat thermometer that can monitor the internal temperature of your grill will also have extra options if they offer them.

· Set alerts

Meat thermometers will offer alerts or set alerts for cooking times. These alerts will further allow you to get updates that will be delivered to your smartphone of sound off on your meat thermometer. Either way, these alerts are telling you the temperature is getting hotter or cooler. You might need to have scheduled basting times that you can set to remind you. The most important part is getting an alert that you can quickly correct right away.

· Control pit fans

Internal temperature is critical if you need to keep your grill at a select temperature. Now you might know that airflow is important to having standard grills that are using charcoal for cooking. These vents are located on the top and bottom of your grill and allow the air to be limited and adjusted to raise the temperature. Adding remote control blower fans that are hooked up to your thermometer can further control your heat.

You can even get instant alerts that tell you your temperature is dropping which can instantly control these fans to bring up the heat again. Further programs will allow you to do this at the touch of a button. You can then gauge the time these fans are used to limit temperature likewise.

· Multi-channel

It's nice that many of the quality meat thermometers will have multiple plugins jacks for adding thermo probes. These can all be labeled on your main controller and assigned names in some cases. Most of the more advanced controllers will have connection plugs for internal and external thermometers and additional jacks for controlling blower fans. Some of the newest controllers can now control electric gas grills too.

· All-weather design

Because most backyard grilling happens outdoors, there is always the chance of rain. This is why many of the latest meat thermometers are built to withstand bad weather. While you can't really expect these controllers to be used underwater, you aren't going to be grilling while it's pouring rain outside. Unless you have a covered home patio or terrace, these controllers will resist water if they happen to get splash from time to time.