The best meat thermometers in Australia
Cooking chicken, smoking a brisket, or getting a steak right? A probe takes out the guessing.
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Inkbird 2-in-1 wireless meat thermometer
Truly wireless probe, app alarms, the brand Australian smokers actually use.
$71.50 at Bunnings, checked 9 Nov 2026
Paid links: we may earn a commission. It doesn't change which product is here.
Our meat thermometer picks at a glance
| Product | Best overallInkbird 2-in-1 wireless meat thermometer $71.50 at Bunnings | Best value smartInkbird IBT-2X Bluetooth BBQ thermometer, 2 probes $29.59 at Inkbird | Best instant readLavatools Javelin PRO Duo instant-read thermometer (PX1D) Sold by Lavatools AU on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Probes | Wireless, in-meat | 2 wired probes on about 120 cm cables (Amazon listing) | 1 fold-out, instant read |
| Range | Bluetooth to phone | Bluetooth to phone, up to 150 ft (about 45 m), Inkbird's claim | Handheld, no app |
| Why it's here | Truly wireless probe, app alarms, the brand Australian smokers actually use. | Two wired probes with phone alarms and a timer over Bluetooth, sold by Inkbird's own Amazon store. | Reads in 2 to 3 seconds to within ±0.3°C by Lavatools' account, with a display that turns for either hand; for steaks, chicken pieces and a last check on a roast. |
| Watch out for | Needs charging | Probe cables run through the hood seal | Instant read only: no alarm, so it can't watch a long cook for you |
| Buy | $71.50 at Bunnings | Today's price on Amazon$29.59 at Inkbird | Today's price on Amazon |
Truly wireless probe, app alarms, the brand Australian smokers actually use.
Truly wireless probe, app alarms, the brand Australian smokers actually use.
Watch out: Needs charging
- Probes: Wireless, in-meat
- Range: Bluetooth to phone
$71.50 at Bunnings · checked 9 Nov 2026
Two wired probes with phone alarms and a timer over Bluetooth, sold by Inkbird's own Amazon store.
Two wired probes with phone alarms and a timer over Bluetooth…
Watch out: Probe cables run through the hood seal
- Probes: 2 wired probes on about 120 cm cables (Amazon listing)
- Range: Bluetooth to phone, up to 150 ft (about 45 m), Inkbird's claim
Sold by inkbirdau on Amazon, shipped by Amazon. The button shows today's price and stock.
Reads in 2 to 3 seconds to within ±0.3°C by Lavatools' account, with a display that turns for either hand; for steaks, chicken pieces and a last check on a roast.
Reads in 2 to 3 seconds to within ±0.3°C by Lavatools' account…
Watch out: Instant read only: no alarm, so it can't watch a long cook for you
- Probes: One 11.5 cm fold-out probe for instant reads; it isn't left in during the cook (Amazon listing)
- Range: Handheld, no Bluetooth or app; reads -40 to 250°C (Lavatools' claim)
Sold by Lavatools AU on Amazon, shipped by Amazon. The button shows today's price and stock.
Quick answer: Best for most: Inkbird wireless 2-in-1, $71.50 at Bunnings (checked 9 Nov 2026). The whole probe sits in the meat, so nothing crosses the hood seal. Best value smart: the Inkbird IBT-2X, a two-probe Bluetooth thermometer sold by Inkbird's own store on Amazon Australia (checked 13 Nov 2026). Best instant read: the Lavatools Javelin PRO Duo, sold by Lavatools' Australian seller account on Amazon Australia (checked 14 Nov 2026), for steaks and a last check on a roast.
How we picked: Out of 5 we looked at from Australian BBQ shops, these 3 came out ahead on probes, range and price, using each maker's Australian spec and warranty pages and, for anything that runs on gas, the regulators' certificate database. We haven't cooked on them yet, so heat and cooking claims are the makers' own. Not covered yet: oven and sous-vide thermometers, and thermometers built into smart BBQs. The Matador two-probe Bluetooth thermometer (sold only at Bunnings, which doesn't pay us) and Inkbird's IHT-1P instant-read pen (slower and less accurate than the Javelin by both makers' own figures) are compared below but not picked. Commission never puts a worse product ahead of a better one. A shop that pays us can go first even when another is cheaper (the cheapest price is always shown), and we may leave out a product sold only at a shop that doesn't pay us. Full method.
The cheapest way to cook better on any BBQ is to stop guessing. A twenty dollar probe fixes more meals than a thousand dollar BBQ does.
Questions to ask before buying a meat thermometer in Australia
- What temperature do you need to reach? Chicken, sausages and hamburgers need 75°C inside (Food Standards Australia New Zealand). The Food Safety Information Council says 75°C in the centre for poultry, mince and sausages too (Food Safety Information Council).
- What about steak? The Food Safety Information Council’s guide is 63°C medium rare, 71°C medium and 77°C well done, rested for 3 minutes (Food Safety Information Council).
- Where does the probe go? In the thickest part, such as the thigh on poultry, and not touching bone or gristle, which gives a false reading (Food Safety Information Council).
- Will you leave it in during the cook? Thermometers left in a hooded BBQ have to be heat resistant, and the Council’s list includes wired digital probes run out past the seal and app-linked models (Food Safety Information Council).
- What happens after the warranty ends? Consumer guarantees apply automatically and last a reasonable time for the product, on top of any maker’s warranty (ACCC). Keep the receipt.
Three kinds
Instant read pens go in, read in two or three seconds, and come out. Best for steak, chicken pieces and checking a roast near the end. A basic one costs around twenty dollars; the Lavatools Javelin PRO Duo is the one we’d pick for speed and accuracy.
Leave-in probes stay in the meat through the cook with a cable to a display, and alarm at a target. The Inkbird IBT-2X adds two probes and your phone.
Wireless probes have no cable at all: the whole probe sits in the meat and transmits. Nothing crosses the hood seal, which is why smokers prefer them. The Inkbird 2-in-1 is the one to buy in Australia.
Temperatures worth memorising
75°C centre for chicken, mince and sausages. 55°C for medium rare beef, 63°C for medium. 63°C for pork. 92 to 96°C for brisket and pork shoulder, and probe feel matters more than the number.
The picks
Buy the Inkbird wireless if you smoke or roast often. Buy the Inkbird IBT-2X if you want two probes, meat and cooker, for less money. Buy the Lavatools Javelin PRO Duo if you mostly grill steaks, chops and chicken pieces and want a reading in a couple of seconds: it has no alarm, so it won’t watch a long cook, but it is the quickest way to check doneness. All three beat the thermometer in your hood.
The competition
We compared five thermometers; these two aren’t picks:
- Matador Bluetooth smart thermometer, 2 probes ($53.98 at Bunnings, 9 Nov 2026, with a 2-pack of extra probes sold separately): a fair two-probe alternative to the IBT-2X, but sold only at Bunnings.
- Inkbird IHT-1P instant-read pen (sold by Inkbird’s own store on Amazon Australia, checked 14 Nov 2026): rechargeable and washable, but Inkbird quotes 3 to 5 seconds and ±1°C, against 2 to 3 seconds and ±0.3°C that Lavatools quotes for the Javelin PRO Duo.
Where to buy the meat thermometer picks
- Inkbird 2-in-1 wireless meat thermometer$71.50 at Bunnings
- Inkbird IBT-2X Bluetooth BBQ thermometer, 2 probesSee today's price on Amazon
- Lavatools Javelin PRO Duo instant-read thermometer (PX1D)See today's price on Amazon
Paid links: we may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Prices change; the shop's page is the final word.
The meat thermometer picks in detail
Tap a pick for its full specs, pros and cons and every shop.
Best overallInkbird 2-in-1 wireless meat thermometer
$71.50 at Bunnings · checked 9 Nov 2026Specs, pros and cons and where to buy
Truly wireless probe, app alarms, the brand Australian smokers actually use.
- Probes: Wireless, in-meat
- Range: Bluetooth to phone
- Use: Low-and-slow and roasting
- Standards: Probe rated IP67 waterproof and dishwasher safe (Bunnings listing, read 14 Nov 2026); as a Bluetooth device it should carry ACMA's RCM compliance mark, which ACMA says products it regulates generally need (acma.gov.au, read 14 Nov 2026)
- Running cost: About 1.7c an hour of use: the base runs on 2 AAA batteries for up to 120 hours and charges the probe, 30 minutes for 20 hours (Inkbird's INT-21-B page and Bunnings, read 13 Nov 2026), so A$2.08 a set at about A$1.04 a cell (Energizer Max AAA 24 pack, A$25 at Officeworks, 13 Nov 2026); about A$2.71 a year at 3 hours of cooking a week
Pros
- Truly wireless probe with no cable through the hood seal
- App alarms mean you can leave the BBQ
- The brand most Australian smokers use
Cons
- Needs charging
- Seventy dollars
Paid links: we may earn a commission. Price checked 9 Nov 2026.
Best value smartInkbird IBT-2X Bluetooth BBQ thermometer, 2 probes
$29.59 at Inkbird · checked 13 Nov 2026Specs, pros and cons, all 2 shops
Two wired probes with phone alarms and a timer over Bluetooth, sold by Inkbird's own Amazon store.
- Probes: 2 wired probes on about 120 cm cables (Amazon listing)
- Range: Bluetooth to phone, up to 150 ft (about 45 m), Inkbird's claim
- Temperature range: 0 to 300°C (32 to 572°F, Amazon listing)
- Alarms: Target temperature alarm, countdown timer and 8 food presets in the free app (Amazon listing)
- Power: 2 AAA batteries, not included (Inkbird's Australian store, read 14 Nov 2026)
- Standards: No IP rating: Inkbird says the probes are not waterproof (Inkbird's Australian store, read 14 Nov 2026); as a Bluetooth device it should carry ACMA's RCM compliance mark, which ACMA says products it regulates generally need (acma.gov.au, read 14 Nov 2026)
- Warranty: Not stated on the Amazon listing
- Running cost: About A$2.08 a set of batteries: 2 AAA cells at about A$1.04 each (Energizer Max AAA 24 pack, A$25 at Officeworks, 14 Nov 2026); Inkbird doesn't state battery life, so there's no yearly figure. The app has no subscription
Pros
- Two probes, so two pieces of meat, or meat and the cooker, at once
- Sold by Inkbird's own Amazon store and shipped by Amazon
- Alarms and a timer in a free app
Cons
- Probe cables run through the hood seal
- Bluetooth only, so it works within about 45 m of the BBQ
- No warranty stated on the Amazon listing
Sold by inkbirdau on Amazon, shipped by Amazon. The button shows today's price and stock.
Paid links: we may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Price checked 13 Nov 2026.
Best instant readLavatools Javelin PRO Duo instant-read thermometer (PX1D)
See retailer · checked 14 Nov 2026Specs, pros and cons and where to buy
Reads in 2 to 3 seconds to within ±0.3°C by Lavatools' account, with a display that turns for either hand; for steaks, chicken pieces and a last check on a roast.
- Probes: One 11.5 cm fold-out probe for instant reads; it isn't left in during the cook (Amazon listing)
- Range: Handheld, no Bluetooth or app; reads -40 to 250°C (Lavatools' claim)
- Speed and accuracy: 2 to 3 seconds, to within ±0.3°C (Lavatools' claims on the Amazon listing)
- Standards: IP65 splash resistant (Lavatools' claim), so rinse it, don't submerge it. It runs on a lithium coin cell, so Australia's mandatory safety standard for products containing button and coin batteries applies, which requires a secure battery compartment (Product Safety Australia, read 14 Nov 2026)
- Display: 5 cm backlit display that turns to suit either hand and wakes when moved; magnet on the back (Amazon listing)
- Power: One lithium coin cell, included; 4,000+ hours on a cell by Lavatools' claim
- Warranty: Not stated on the Amazon listing
- Running cost: Under A$1 a year: Lavatools claims 4,000+ hours on one coin cell, which is decades at an hour a week; a spare CR2032 coin cell is A$4 (Energizer 2-pack, A$8 at Officeworks, 14 Nov 2026)
Pros
- Reads in 2 to 3 seconds to within ±0.3°C, by Lavatools' account
- The display turns the right way up and lights when moved, handy with BBQ gloves on
- Sold by Lavatools' own Australian seller account and shipped by Amazon
Cons
- Instant read only: no alarm, so it can't watch a long cook for you
- Splash resistant (IP65), not waterproof: don't drop it in the sink
- Takes a coin cell, so keep spares away from children
- No warranty stated on the Amazon listing
Sold by Lavatools AU on Amazon, shipped by Amazon. The button shows today's price and stock.
Paid links: we may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Listing checked 14 Nov 2026.
Recent updates
- : Added a third pick, the Lavatools Javelin PRO Duo instant-read thermometer (sold by Lavatools AU, shipped by Amazon). Inkbird's IHT-1P instant-read pen replaced the generic pen line in The competition. Five thermometers compared, up from four. Both Inkbird picks gained a waterproofing and RCM line, and the IBT-2X a battery cost (2 AAA cells, per Inkbird's Australian store).
- : The Inkbird IBT-2X replaced the Bunnings-only Matador two-probe as a pick; it's also on Inkbird's own Australian store. Added The competition. Picks gained a water-resistance or standard line and a running cost where the maker states one.
Frequently asked questions
What temperature should meat be cooked to?
Food Standards Australia New Zealand recommends 75°C in the centre for poultry, mince and sausages. Whole cuts of beef and lamb are a preference: about 55°C for medium rare, 63°C for medium. Pork is safe at 63°C with a short rest. Brisket and pork shoulder are done by feel at 92 to 96°C, when the probe slides in without resistance.
Wireless or wired probe?
Wired probes are cheaper and accurate, but the cable runs through the hood seal and eventually fails. Truly wireless probes sit entirely in the meat and report to a base or phone. If you cook long, get wireless; for weeknight roasts, wired is fine.
Is the thermometer in my BBQ hood accurate?
Rarely. Hood thermometers read the air near the lid, often twenty to forty degrees away from grate temperature, and cheap ones drift. Use a probe at grate level if the cook depends on temperature.
Do I need an ambient probe as well?
For low-and-slow, yes. Knowing the meat is at 65°C is useless if you do not know the cooker is running at 150 instead of 110. A two-probe set such as the Inkbird IBT-2X covers both: one probe in the meat and the other at grate level.