When I ventured into the world of BBQ, I was using a basic “analog” meat thermometer to gauge temps. I was content with this and there’s still no shame in doing that. As I researched BBQ methods, a lot of people, novices and experts alike, seemed to speak highly of the Thermapen Mk 4 (now the Thermapen ONE) from Thermoworks. This is a digital thermometer that gives accurate reading in 2-3 seconds and is used by America’s Test Kitchen. The price tag on this was a bit steep compared to my old meat thermometer ($5 compared to $99), so I looked into a more cost effective model made by Thermoworks called the Thermopop.
The Thermopop has some similar features to the Thermapen ONE (which is awesome, by the way) and costs only $29. I’ve spent a few months using this for a more extensive review and I must say I’m quite impressed! You get quick, accurate readings within 5-6 seconds, which is much quicker than other thermometers on the market. This comes in helpful if you are either a BBQ enthusiast like me and don’t want to keep the lid open for too long or a grilling fiend (also like me) who doesn’t want to spend too much time hovering over a hot flame.
Thermopop Features
One of my favorite things about this is the rotating display. It rotates four ways: up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, Start. Sorry, the old Contra code for 30 guys popped in my mind so I went with it. The directions of the display go up, down, left, and right in 90-degree intervals. It comes in helpful for the different angles I check meat temps.
The button to rotate the display is conveniently located on the top back side, near where your index finger goes. Right next to that is the Fahrenheit/Celcius button to switch between the two (if you’re into that sorta thing).
Another convenient thing about this battery-powered device is that it automatically turns off after five minutes of inactivity. I love that because I tend to forget to turn it off and the battery would likely have died a few times on me by now.
The Thermopop can measure extreme cooking temps from -58°F up to 572°F! When measuring food temps, I sure hope your BBQ foods never get up to an internal temp of anywhere near 572°F. With that said, I have noticed this thing is good at measuring ambient heat. Granted, this isn’t what it is meant to do and I wouldn’t take it for precise measurements, but it is good for a general gauge for that sorta thing.
Having a back-lit display sure is nice, especially when BBQ’ing in the dark and/or measuring the food temps in a low light setting, such as the inside of your smoker.
The only thing I don’t like about this is the fact that it isn’t waterproof. I’m being picky here because your non-electronic meat thermometer you buy for less will be just fine if dropped in a puddle or in your favorite beverage. With that said, it is splash proof so using it in the rain will be just fine. And I’m speaking for the top part of the Thermopop, the electronic portion. You can stick the needle in water to measure liquid temps with no problems.
And in case you were wondering…
The Pros
-accurate readings in only 5-6 seconds
-rotating display to best read in the direction which you insert
-displays both Fahrenheit and Celcius degrees
-back light for easy reading in low-light settings (especially when meat is still in the dark smoker)
-automatically turns off after minutes of inactivity
The Cons
-digital portion not waterproof (the needle portion is)
Thermopop Review
Having used this consistently for months, the Thermopop is simple to use, holds up quite well, and gives consistent, accurate readings. I trust this device and recommend you buy one!
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