How to Choose the Right Alarm Thermometer: a Guide

Food alarms come in all shapes and sizes. It’s important to understand and review the finer points between each alarm thermometer to help you find the perfect product for each unique cooking need.

Let’s examine these alarms in more detail…

Alarm Categories

ThermoWorks alarms can be separated into two primary categories

One Channel Probe	Multi-Channel Probes
DOT	Square DOT
ChefAlarm	Smoke
BlueDOT	Smoke + Gateway
	Smoke X2
	Smoke X4
	Signals

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One-Channel Probe Alarms

When it comes to One-Channel probe alarms, they all have a few features in common. Check out the list of outlined below:

High Temperature Alarm	Accuracy ±1.8°F
Audible alarm	Temperature Range from –58 to 572°F
Visual alarm	Works with all Pro-Series® Probes
Switch Between °F and °C	2-year Warranty
Backlight	Takes 2 AAA batteries
Water Resistance Rating to IP65

Now, let’s examine each One-Channel Probe Alarm individually so you can see what makes each alarm unique…

DOT

DOT is engineered to do one thing really well. Set your target temperature with the up or down buttons, insert the probe in your food, and DOT beeps when it gets there.

ChefAlarm

Rated #1 by a leading Cook’s Magazine, ChefAlarm delivers features not found in “houseware” cooking alarms. 

Continuous Min/Max display tells you how hot (or cold) your food got when you weren’t looking. A “High Alarm” sounds when your food reaches your setting, and a first-of-its-kind “Low Alarm” is perfect for making yogurt and other cold dishes. 

Adjustable alarm volume can be heard in any noisy environment.

BlueDOT

BlueDOT combines the simplicity of DOT with the connectivity of Bluetooth wireless technology giving you one simple, connected, and powerful thermometer. 

Simply set your temperature target with the up or down buttons, or right from your smartphone, and BlueDOT will beep when it gets there. 

Hear your alarms on BlueDOT and your smart device with the free mobile app. The wireless connection also allows you to track max/min temperatures and graph your cook over time.

BlueDOT has a line-of-sight range of 95 ft. and a transmission rate from 2-60 sec.

One-Channel Probe Alarm Differences:

Below you can quickly spot the different features available on each of ThermoWorks One-Channel alarms. This chart is helpful as you determine what will best fit your cooking needs.

Alarm Feature	DOT	ChefAlarm	Blue DOT
Low Alarm		X	in app
Min/Max Temps Displayed		X	in app
Resolution	1°	0.1°	1°
Calibration Trim		X	X
Available in 9 Colors	X	X
Battery Life (+ Receiver Battery Life, If Included)	5,000 hr.	5,000 hr.	500 hr.
Transmission Technologies			Bluetooth®: Works with App, Log and Graph Cook Temps in-app, Line-of-Sight Range of 95 ft., Transmission Rate from 2-60 sec.

As you can see, ThermoWorks One-Channel alarms are built for the serious cook looking to track a single temperature. Any of the One-Channel alarms are a great choice to add to a person’s cooking drawer or BBQ kit.

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Multi-Channel Probe Alarms

Now that we’ve seen what the One-Channel alarms can do, let’s take a closer look at the Multi-Channel probe alarms that ThermoWorks offers. Just like the One-Channel, the Multi-Channel alarms come with a list of features common on all the Multi-Channel Probe Alarms:

High Temperature Alarm	Accuracy ±1.8°F
Audible alarm	Temperature Range from –58 to 572°F
Visual alarm	Works with all Pro-Series® Probes
Switch Between °F and °C	2-year Warranty
Backlight	Available in 9 colors

Let’s jump in and look at each individual Multi-Channel Probe Alarm and what makes each one special beyond the number of probe channels…

SquareDOT

A refreshing twist on a classic, SquareDOT is everything you love about DOT only now with 2 channels and an amazing new air temperature average function.

Channel 1 functions as a regular alarm thermometer.

Channel 2 can operate in two different modes. Average mode shows you a running average temperature calculation of the last 15 minutes, starting when the alarm is first reached. It’s perfect for determining your average oven temperature as you cook.

When average mode is disabled, Channel 2 will function as a bonus alarm channel so you can track two cooks at once.

SquareDOT also comes with a NIST-Traceable Calibration Certificate.

Take a look at the video showing SquareDot’s Average Mode to see this revolutionary feature in action.

Smoke

Designed for competition BBQ teams and professional chefs, Smoke has two probe channels—one for the meat and one for your pit temps—or add a second food probe to monitor multiple cooks at once.

With a dedicated receiver, you can track your temps remotely without dirtying your phone. Or pair multiple receivers so your whole team can monitor.

Smoke + Gateway

Add Internet connectivity through Wi-Fi to your Smoke alarm thermometer with Smoke Gateway. 

Intuitive in-app setup walks you through pairing Smoke Gateway to a Smoke base unit, and connecting Smoke Gateway to your Wi-Fi network, to track your cook directly on your smart device from anywhere in the world.

Smoke X2

For guaranteed remote temperature tracking from anywhere in your yard or house, look to Smoke X2 with its dedicated, backlit receiver. 

Smoke X2 features next generation RF technology and a line-of-sight signal range up to 6,562 feet away.

Featuring TWO channels – one for tracking food and one for tracking your pit temperatures.

Compatible with Billows BBQ Fan.

If you are wondering how Smoke X2 works, check out this helpful video that showcases both the Smoke X2 and X4:

Smoke X4

For guaranteed remote temperature tracking from anywhere in your yard or house, look to Smoke X4 with its dedicated, backlit receiver. 

Smoke X4 features next generation RF technology and a line-of-sight signal range up to 6,562 feet away.

Featuring FOUR channels – three for tracking food and one for tracking your pit temperatures.

Compatible with Billows BBQ Fan.

Signals

BBQ professionals look to Signals as the operational hub of their BBQ. 

With both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi built in, Signals broadcasts the details of your cook to whomever, wherever in the world. Signals wirelessly pushes critical temps and alarms to your smart device and web dashboard for tracking and analysis. 

Featuring FOUR channels—three for tracking food and one for tracking your pit temperatures—and a physical stand-alone unit to use without dirtying your smartphone.

Compatible with Billows BBQ Fan.

To see the Signals and Billows together in action, we’ve got a video showing exactly how to set this up:

Multi-Channel Probe Alarm Differences:

Use the chart below as a quick-reference guide to review the different features available on each ThermoWorks Multi-Channel alarm. With so many alarm choices, it’s good to have a way to compare features and benefits to determine the best product for your cook.

Alarm Feature	Square DOT	Smoke	Smoke + Gateway	Smoke X2	Smoke X4	Signals
# of Probe Channels	2	2	2	2	4	4
Water Resistance Rating	IP66	IP65	IP65	IP66	IP66	IP66
Low Temp Alarm		X	X	X	X	X
Min/Max Temps Displayed		X	X	X	X	X
Resolution	1°	0.1°	0.1°	0.1°	0.1°	0.1°
Built-in fan control circuitry (Billows)				X	X	X
Calibration Certificate included	X
Averaging Mode	X
Calibration Trim		X	X	X	X	in app
Battery Life (+ Receiver Battery Life, If Included)	5,000 hr	1,800 hr. + 1,800 hr.	100 hr.	330 hr. + 1,800 hr.	330 hr. + 1,800 hr.	16 hr.
Battery Type (+ Receiver Battery Type, If Included)	2 x AAA	2 x AA + 2 x AA	recharg. lithium	2 x AA + 2 x AA	2 x AA + 2 x AA	recharg. lithium
Optional AC Power			X	X	X	X

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Conclusion

With these different features and functions in mind, it is easy to find an alarm thermometer that fits your unique cooking needs.