Tips for Meater +


 
JimK

JimK

TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Got a new toy yesterday, and some of the more recent reviews I'm reading are, well, mixed. Overall, it is highly rated on Amazon, so I suspect there may be some operator error at play in these reviews. It seems pretty straightforward. Any tips/tricks?
 
1. Don't rely on the ambient temperature reading. It can be off, depending on conditions. Some people may disagree, of course...suit yourself. YMMV
2. The block is the repeater and should be located somewhere near the probe during operation for best results. I was leaving mine in the kitchen and experiencing dropouts...now I keep it at the grill.
3. Check battery condition and probe status well before use to make sure the battery is still good and the probe is charged. Always check battery condition and that probe is charging after every use.
4. Use a instant-read thermometer to verify temps before pulling protein.
5. Don't put the probe into a raw potato and change your mind. It can be difficult to remove without pliers.
 
I assume
G Mouser said:
I take the battery out of the charger when not using it. I place the battery back in 24 hours before I use it.
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I assume you do that to guard against alkaline battery leakage. I'm not sure if the battery within the probe is Li-ion but if it is it can be damaged if discharged below a certain level. The probe is "ON" when it is removed from power...it has no off switch. It may have a safety circuit to prevent discharge that will cause damage. I have had excellent tech support from MEATER and I would certainly call them and ask them about that. You could also use a lithium battery in place of the alkaline. enjoy longer life and not be concerned about leakage.
 
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The ambient temperature depends on probe placement. If you place it straight up and down, perpendicular to the grate you'll get something closer to the dome temp. If you put it in parallel to the grate you'll get grate temp. If you put the probe in at a weird angle the ambient side can be closer to the meat and that will throw off the temp. I find that the ambient probe is close enough depending on how you place it. The air around the meat can be cooled down by the meat. This effect is reduced by higher convection.
 
Trust the app algorithm, it does a pretty good job figuring out when you should pull the meat, and how long to rest to hit the desired final temp.
 
I think the Meater averages temps and is slower to update when I compare to my TW Smoke and Smoke X4. Both ambient (pit) and meat temps lag and the ambient on the Meater+ is always lower.

Knowing this I can adjust.
 
Some great advice, thank you everyone. Sounds like most BBQ tools, I need to work with it and understand how it 'thinks'. And cross my fingers that mine doesn't end up like Duane's.
 
JimK said:
Some great advice, thank you everyone. Sounds like most BBQ tools, I need to work with it and understand how it 'thinks'. And cross my fingers that mine doesn't end up like Duane's.
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Do not hesitate to call Customer Service or Tech Support with any questions or problems. I wanted to know if I could add additional probes and have them show up on the same graph ala the 4-probe MEATER Block

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(answer: no, each MEATER+ probe has it's own graph, firmware is different in MEATER Block probes and base), and why I was experiencing dropouts with my MEATER+ even though I had my cell phone next to the MEATER+ probe (answer: the MEATER+ always goes to the block first, regardless of where it is, then out to the network. The original MEATER uses the cell for a repeater because the repeater is not in the block.) Very helpful and friendly. I have both MEATER and MEATER+ and have run them both simultaneously...the MEATER+ is by far the better option, indispensable for rotisserie.
 
Ed P said:
1. Don't rely on the ambient temperature reading. It can be off, depending on conditions. Some people may disagree, of course...suit yourself. YMMV
2. The block is the repeater and should be located somewhere near the probe during operation for best results. I was leaving mine in the kitchen and experiencing dropouts...now I keep it at the grill.
3. Check battery condition and probe status well before use to make sure the battery is still good and the probe is charged. Always check battery condition and that probe is charging after every use.
4. Use a instant-read thermometer to verify temps before pulling protein.
5. Don't put the probe into a raw potato and change your mind. It can be difficult to remove without pliers.
Click to expand...
Completely echo the info about the ambient temp. I cooked a 4lb sirloin with my new Meater+ on Christmas Day to medium repair and was delighted with the results.
 
Finished my first cook today and it went pretty well. Lost connection a few times, but it always reconnected, and didn't seem to lose any of the history. Probe has been cleaned and dried and placed back in the block to charge, but the green light is still blinking, despite me ending the cook in the app and closing the app on my phone. Is this normal behavior? To be safe, I also took the battery out for about 30 seconds and then replaced it.
 
JimK said:
Finished my first cook today and it went pretty well. Lost connection a few times, but it always reconnected, and didn't seem to lose any of the history. Probe has been cleaned and dried and placed back in the block to charge, but the green light is still blinking, despite me ending the cook in the app and closing the app on my phone. Is this normal behavior? To be safe, I also took the battery out for about 30 seconds and then replaced it.
Click to expand...
Inside the battery cover of the charging block, there are instructions that explain the various LED functions. The dropouts, in my case, were resolved by locating the block closer to the probe. If that doesn't help, don't hesitate to call tech support.
 
Ed P said:
Inside the battery cover of the charging block, there are instructions that explain the various LED functions. The dropouts, in my case, were resolved by locating the block closer to the probe. If that doesn't help, don't hesitate to call tech support.
Click to expand...

Thanks Ed. My issues were usually cured with movement. I'm now just struggling with the LED blinking after the cook is done, app closed, and the probe cleaned off.
 
JimK said:
Thanks Ed. My issues were usually cured with movement. I'm now just struggling with the LED blinking after the cook is done, app closed, and the probe cleaned off.
Click to expand...
I totally misunderstood the operation of the blinking green LED. I think you should call customer service if it's blinking when the probe is in the charger.

View attachment 64684
 
I have been using the Meater for a few years, mixed results. Most of my problems relate to connectivity, or lack of it. I recently got a new phone and the Meater performs much better with it, as do my other remote thermometers. So if you have a choice of phones in the house, i.e., if your wife or kid's phone is better than yours, you could try installing the app on the good phone, assuming they are willing to oblige you. The devices daisy chain the signal anyway, so having one strong phone in the chain helps a lot.
 
Hmm. Submitted an email on Tuesday morning inquiring about the blinking LED. Crickets...
 
I got a Meater + for Christmas and plan on doing a rotisserie chicken this weekend. I'll try and remember to post my results.
 
Whatever was causing my problem seems to have fixed itself. Light stays off, and if I check the battery by pushing the button on the front, I get the 'all good' green light.
 
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