Don't waste your time — or money — on the ThermoPro TP19 Instant Read Thermometer
Save yourself the peace of mind and buy a better quality thermometer.
Editor’s Note: This review, like all reviews on Texas BBQ, is based on my personal experience with the product and is in no way influenced by the company. I personally purchase each product I review, unless otherwise noted, and provide my honest opinion on topics such as usage, functionality, and overall quality.
The product: ThermoPro TP19 Ultra-fast Thermocouple Instant Read Thermometer
Overall rating: 3.0/10
Simply put: This is the worst instant-read thermometer I’ve owned.
Usage: Not much. I got three good cooks — hence the 3/10 review — out of this thermometer before it went on the fritz and ruined a brisket. I admit, when it worked, it worked well.
But let’s talk about that brisket.
I vacuum sealed a brisket for my best friend’s baby shower and planned to sous vide it before the party. I don’t own an actual sous vide machine, so I typically take an aluminum pan, place the sealed brisket inside, fill it with water till it’s covered, and reheat it slowly at 225°F until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°.
Typically this process takes no more than two hours.
By hour three, the ThermoPro was still reading an internal temp of 90°. [I had recalibrated it numerous times that day, per ThermoPro’s instructions.] There is no way that was right, but the ThermoPro was the only instant-read thermometer I had around.
Experience told me I should pull the brisket — really that I should have pulled it an hour ago — but I was in an unfamiliar kitchen with an unfamiliar oven, so I second-guessed myself.
When I did pull the brisket it was, of course, dry. Very dry. Like it was in an oven bath an hour too long dry. I was frustrated as hell, certain the guests would curse the brisket and never have me cook for them again.
Luckily, they all said it tasted great.
Liars, but whatever.
I recalibrated the ThermoPro two more times when I got home.
This time, in the icy cold water, it kept climbing well over 300° until it eventually hit HHH — a reading that, according to ThermoPro, means the probe is damaged, likely by moisture or excessive heat.
ThermoPro claims the thermometer is waterproof — more on that below — and I only ever probed it in meat that was no hotter than 205°.
Functionality: It has a built-in magnet! It has a hole to hang it! Like other instant reads, the ThermoPro T19 activates when you pull out the probe. It has bright red display numbers that are easy to read both in daylight and at night. ThermoPro claims it makes a read within 2-3 seconds with an accuracy that is ±0.9℉. I found that to be true.
Additional features: ThermoPro claims the thermometer can be rinsed under running water, but I have my doubts. Serious doubts. I cleaned it a couple of times and, well, it went wild and stopped reading accurately, soooo….
[Admittedly, I can’t say for certain that is the cause, but it seems highly suspect.]
What’s not to like: The malfunctioning probe caused the temp to constantly climb when activated until it reached HHH. I calibrated it dozens of times based on ThermoPro’s instructions and it didn’t matter. I bought this instant-read thermometer off the recommendation of a friend and based on the reviews on Amazon [4.7 of 5 stars]. What a terrible mistake. I finally moved on and I bought a ThermaPpen ONE like I should have to begin with. The Thermapen is admittedly more expensive, but definitely worth the additional cost.
Final thoughts: I understand the price for the ThermoPro is appealing [$30 on the ThermoPro website, Amazon, etc.], but don’t waste your money. It’s worth the peace of mind to pay the extra dollars for a better quality thermometer. Try the Thermapen ONE, which we use at Bourbon Brothers BBQ, or the Chefstemp Finaltouch X10.