ThermoWorks BlueDOT™ Bluetooth Alarm Thermometer Review And Rating – Another Win For ThermoWorks?

The pros, the cons, and the facts about the BlueDOT, ThermoWorks latest advancement in grilling technology.

The ThermoWorks BlueDOT™ Alarm Thermometer is the latest advance in grilling technology.  It gives your existing BBQ the ability to connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth, at a fraction of the cost of a WIFI enabled grill.  Flexibility, portability, and durability are the defining characteristics of this little device.

Product Quick Facts

Product Name: The ThermoWorks BlueDOT™ Alarm Thermometer

Made By: ThermoWorks

Top 3 Features:

• Bluetooth Alarm Thermometer
• Large Easy to Read Numbers
• Splash-Proof Commercial Durability

Benefits Of The ThermoWorks BlueDot Wireless Thermometer

You probably already have a grill you love.  It might smoke a juicy brisket, cook dozens of burgers at a time and leave the perfect sear marks on your rib-eye.  Let’s face it, we love our BBQs.  They provide limitless hours of outdoor culinary delight.  You can spend countless days searching for a machine that cooks just the way you want.

You finally settle on a new unit.  It has the best features and a nice warranty.  It probably set you back a pretty penny as well, but these units are a lifestyle investment.  You get it home, and it’s working great.  Then the new generation of wireless grills arrives, and you find yourself longing for the convenience of a Bluetooth enabled device.

Imagine; kicking back in your lawn chair waiting for the temperature alarm to go off.  No more guessing with timers or constant probing and re-probing of the meat.  Simply insert the probe, set the desired temperature, connect with your smartphone, and wait for the alarm.

Using The ThermoWorks BlueDOT Wireless Thermometer

The first thing you will want to do before using the ThermoWorks DOT Bluetooth Probe Thermometer is download the free ThermoWorks BBQ App.  You do not have to be a computer programmer to use this software.  It is really easy.  You just set the temperature and you can even adjust it mid cook or after the alarm goes off with a simple tap of the screen.  If you really crave added functionality, you can change from Fahrenheit to Celsius, use the optional graphs and utilize Max/Min tracking from the App.

This is not a complicated device.  The unit itself consists of a heavy duty plastic disk with digital display and a few simple buttons.  A 47-inch cable connects this palm sized unit to the included 4.5-inch Pro-Series High Temp Straight Penetration Probe.  You insert the probe into the meat and run the cable along to the desired location for the alarm unit.

The BlueDOT has only two control buttons and one depressed, easy to access button on the underside for turning it off and on and engaging the back-light feature.  It is very easy to operate.   Simply set your desired temperature with the up or down buttons on the DOT, or from your smartphone.  Both the BlueDOT and the mobile app will beep when it the internal temperature is correct.

ThermoWorks BlueDOT Description And Features

The ThermoWorks BlueDot Wireless Thermometer is well made with heavy duty plastic.  You can see the quality commercial grade construction, and it feels solid and durable.  The size is convenient; not too small and not too big.  The unit fills the palm of one hand.

A Large Easy To Read Backlit LCD Display

The water resistant screen fills out ¾ of the face.  There is a clear, high visibility digital display that does not wash out in the sunlight.  Large font, easy to read numbers on the display, and nice back-light feature make it easy to read in low light conditions.

A Fold-Out Stand, And A Magnetic Back For Easy Surface Mounting

The ThermoWorks BlueDot Wireless Thermometer has two super strong magnets on the underside that attach firmly.  You can be sure it will stay where you put it.  For nonmagnetic surfaces, the built-in pull out stand on the underside works well and is convenient.

Pro-Series High Temp Cooking Probe That Is Built To Last

The 47-inch cable gives you plenty of length to reach a mounting area.  The cable is flexible and durable.  You can easily thread it through the vents to the rack area you want without damage to the wire.  The cable is more rugged than most.

There is a spring strain-relief on both ends of the cable where the probe and port are attached that is very unique and innovative.  We have not seen this in any other brands thermometer designs.  It greatly reduces the chance of damage.  The probe wires are nicely secured with stainless steel wrapping and a fairly robust connection to the wire.

ThermoWorks Pro-Series temperature probes are some of the best in the business.  They offer commercial durability for general purpose.  They are heavy duty and built to last.  The BlueDOT Wireless Thermometer includes a 4.5-inch Pro-Series High Temp Straight Penetration Probe, but the unit works with all Pro-Series Probes.  The probe tip tapers down to a very nice small size that is great for leaving the smallest hole possible when inserting into the meat.

Pro-Series temperature probes are exclusive to ThermoWorks®.  They are built to withstand heavy use in commercial kitchens.  The Pro-Series High Temp Cooking Probe that comes in the package with the BlueDOT Wireless thermometer measures up to 572°F with a cable max temp to 700°F for short term exposure.  That makes it the highest rated probe of its class.  Pro-Series probes do not operate with other products, however.  They are only compatible with Smoke, ChefAlarm, DOT, and BlueDOT.

Extreme Accuracy And A Wide Temperature Range

The ThermoWorks BlueDot Wireless Thermometer is extremely accurate.  We confirmed the accuracy against the ThermoWorks MK4 Thermapen several times and it matched up exactly every time.  It measures quite a temperature range accurately, going from -58 to 572°F (-50 to 300°C).

Audible And Visual Temperature Target Alerts

The temperature alarm is both audible and visual.  It is easy to see and hear, with a max volume on the BlueDOT unit of 70 decibels.  Of course, the alarm sounds on your smartphone as well, at whatever volume level your device is capable of.

The Bluetooth Connection And APP

The ThermoWorks BBQ App is free to download and is easy to use and intuitive.  This is not complicated software, it is very basic and perfect for tech nerds and technophobes alike.  You can adjust the alarm temperature either up or down at any time during the cook.  Even if the alarm has already gone off, you can just tap the up button and it immediately sets to the new alarm temp.

The graph feature is simple and does not give a lot of unneeded information.  However, it might be just a little too simple for more advanced users.  It is still nice to be able to track the cook during the process and to save the graph for future reference.

The Bluetooth connection is super easy to connect once you downloaded the APP.  Our test phone found the device right away and connected with the push of a button.  The ThermoWorks BlueDot Wireless Thermometer has a Bluetooth range of 95 feet.

The connection is solid and did not drop while in direct line of sight while in range.  The downfall, just like all Bluetooth devices is “line of sight” connection.  If you are not in direct line of sight, the connection is hit or miss while within range.  This makes the Bluetooth connection a nice feature but at only 95 feet, shorter than many other devices on the market that can reach up to 150 feet.

Who Was The ThermoWorks BlueDOT Made For?

The ThermoWorks BlueDot Wireless Thermometer is made for people who already know their way around a grill or kitchen.  It is designed for those less techy individuals who don’t need a lot of extra gadgetry in their cooking space.  This unit allows you to set your own custom temperatures, faster than similar devices, without being limited to an applications pre-programmed doneness level.

Despite its simplicity, this is a very versatile outdoor grilling and indoor kitchen tool.  You can use the BlueDOT Wireless Thermometer for roasting, grilling, smoking, home brewing, breads, pastries, candy making, and much more.  The Pro-Series High Temp Cooking Probe that is included can be used for almost any culinary purpose, and the BlueDOT’s versatility is expanded by six optional Pro-Series probes.

ThermoWorks designed the BlueDOT as a professional tool for commercial use.  The water resistant splash-proof seals were made to survive daily use.  International cooks and others who operate in Celsius will appreciate how easy it is to switch from Fahrenheit using the On/Off button on the rear or in the app.

Reasons To Think Twice

It would be nice if the Bluetooth range was a little bit longer.  When exceeding the 95-foot distance, or when losing line of sight, the disconnect notices become a nuisance.  When the device is blocked by walls while working in the kitchen or out of range while cooking outside, the App will make sure you know the connection has been lost.

As with all cable probes for remote thermometer devices, wrapping and storing the cable can be a pain.  47 inches is a lot of cable.  Thermoworks might want to include a simple cable wrap system for easy storage and to help preserve the cable.  The built-in pull out stand on the underside is a little flimsy but works well and is convenient.

Pros And Cons

Things I Really Liked:

1. Pro-Series High Temp Straight Penetration Probe – The most accurate and durable probes in the business in my opinion. Nuff said!

2. Large LCD Display – The LCD display was clear and bright and did not wash out in the sunlight. It performed great in both low light and bright light conditions.

3. No Confusing Buttons – The BlueDOT was simple to set up and use. It is extremely intuitive with no confusing multi-purpose buttons to figure out. Just take it out of the box, download the app and you can figure it out in minutes.  In fact, you don’t even need to use the app if you plan on being close by to the grill.  It works just as well as a standalone probe thermometer.

In this reviewer’s humble opinion, the pros far outweighed the cons of this device.  While the cons are all minor and do not affect the overall performance in the slightest, the pros make the BlueDOT a go-to temperature probe that anyone can appreciate.

Price And Warranties

The BlueDot Wireless Thermometer is currently priced at $69.  That might seem a bit steep for a thermometer, but not when you consider the Bluetooth capability and commercial quality manufacturing.  The 6-month warranty is huge for a temperature probe of this kind and shows the confidence that ThermoWorks has in its product.

The Bottom Line

The ThermoWorks BlueDot Wireless Thermometer gives you the ability to monitor your cooking temperature from a smartphone, without having to invest a huge chunk of change in a fancy new grill.  You can use it in any kitchen application, which makes it not just a handy outdoor grill tool, but a versatile indoor necessity as well.

If you are looking for an easy to use, durable and super accurate wireless probe thermometer, then I couldn’t recommend the ThermoWorks BlueDOT Bluetooth Wireless Thermometer more.

Overall, this is another very solid product from ThermoWorks.

Have you used this wireless probe thermometer?  Do you have something to add?  Leave your review in the comments!  We always welcome your input and I would love to hear about your experiences with it.

Cheers,

Patrick

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