Inkbird IBBQ-4T WiFi Grill Thermometer Review

The Inkbird IBBQ-4T WiFi Grill Thermometer is one of the least expensive WiFi meat thermometers you can buy.

The lower price could be attributed to this being a WiFi-only meat thermometer with no Bluetooth connectivity.

This could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your personal home setup and cooking needs.

If you are unfamiliar with the Inkbird brand, they produce many temperature measuring instruments including a full lineup of Instant-Read, Bluetooth, and WiFi meat thermometers.

I’ve previously reviewed the Inkbird IBBQ-4BW WiFi Meat Thermometer, the Inkbird IHT-1S Instant-Read Meat Thermometer, the Inkbird IBT-4XS Bluetooth Meat Thermometer, and the Inkbird IRF-4s Remote Meat Thermometer.

I give all of those models high marks for accuracy and I like that they’re all USB-chargeable.

The Inkbird IBBQ 4T is also highly accurate, USB-chargeable, and features a nice mobile app with graphing capabilities for all four probes.

A WiFi-only model, the IBBQ-4T has a lot of competition to deal with in the WiFi meat thermometer space.

Govee WiFi Meat Thermometer Review

However, the IBBQ-4T’s inability to connect to WiFi via certain smartphones remains a concern.

I believe this connectivity issue lies within the mobile app and hopefully will be addressed by the company.

I’ve outlined a few connection tips in the “What to Do if the Inkbird Ibbq-4t Won’t Connect to WiFi” section below.

Setting aside the WiFi connectivity, for now, let’s look at the features, usability, accuracy, durability, and price of the Inkbird IBBQ 4T to see how it stacks up against the other WiFi meat thermometers on the market.

Inkbird IBBQ-4T WiFi Grill Thermometer

This Inkbird WiFi grill thermometer is just one of the many models that the Inkbird company produces that have received very favorable ratings from thousands of customer reviews.

Inkbird meat thermometers are very accurate in terms of temperature monitoring.

Another hallmark of Inkbird thermometers is that they are USB chargeable. This capability allows their backlight to stay on longer than other similar meat thermometers.

In the Inkbird Pro app, you can adjust the backlight on IBBQ-4T to stay on for up to 30 minutes. This is a great feature if you are grilling outside during the evening.

The one area that Inkbird could improve on is connecting to the mobile app.

The connection process for the IBBQ-4T is similar to the IBBQ-4BW and I’m still not quite sure why some smartphones and tablets can connect while others can’t. (Follow my IBBQ-4BW link above to see the app problems I’ve encountered with that model)

However, once you overcome the initial WiFi setup hassle, the IBBQ 4T barbecue thermometer is a pretty decent thermometer with a good WiFi connection range.

I’ve connected to my WiFi router up to 50 feet away through multiple walls, which puts it in the upper echelon of thermometers in terms of connectivity.

There are other WiFi models that have trouble staying connected even 20 feet from a WiFi router or extender.

And just to be clear, this is a WiFi-only thermometer, with no Bluetooth capabilities whatsoever.

Your phone needs to connect to the nearest WiFi router which then will connect the IBBQ-4T.

Without WiFi, the IBBQ-4T becomes an expensive oven thermometer. This could become an issue for you if your WiFi is unreliable.

Let’s take a look at what comes in the box.

Features and Specifications of the IBBQ-4T

Here are the components that come with the Inkbird IBBQ-4T and its specifications.

This is what is in the box:

• 1 WiFi Thermometer
• 4- 8″ Temperature Probes (4-inch silicone handles with 4-inch probes and 47-inch cables)
• 2-Grate Clips
• 1 USB Cable 
• 1 Instruction Manual

Here are the specifications:

• 2000mAh built-in lithium battery
• 53mm x 35mm LCD display
• Short Term Temperature Measuring Range of 32°F~572°F (0°C~300°C). Continuous monitoring range between 32°F and 482°F.

The probes have silicone handles that will start to melt above 482°F, hence the discrepancy.

• Accuracy +- 1.8°F
• 2.4 GHz WiFi connection 
• Compatibility: iOS 13 or above, Android 4.4 or above. (not technically true, once it’s connected to WiFi with a newer system version, I’m able to use a 4th Generation Ipad (2012) running on iOS 10.3.3 using the Inkbird Pro app.
• Waterproof rating of IPx3
• Magnetic Design that attaches to metal surfaces.

Using the Inkbird IBBQ-4T Barbecue Thermometer

This thermometer is relatively easy to use, once you get past the hurdle of connecting the device to WiFi for the first time. (see the section below this one for WiFi tips)

This leaves me with the dilemma of determining the overall usability of this thermometer.

To make it easy, I will split my usability grade into two parts, connecting to WiFi initially and then using the IBBQ-4T with the Inkbird Pro App once connected.

Here are my grades:

• Initial Connection to WiFi ease-of-use- F
• Using the IBBQ-4T with the Inkbird Pro App- B

Since the initial WiFi connection is clearly the Achilles heel I’ve dedicated the section below this one to help.

For now, I want to focus on the Inkbird Pro App and how it works in conjunction with the IBBQ-4T.

Once you’re connected to the Inkbird Pro app, the main screen will pop up showing sections for all four probes labeled 1 through 4.

One of the nice features is that you can adjust the color in each probe section to correspond with the colored temperature probes in each port.

Each dedicated probe section in the app gives you the ability to view a graph for the probe, set a timer for that probe, or adjust the temperature alert setting.

You can use any of the preset temperatures and taste settings or set your own manually. There are also multiple preset options for setting your pit temp including bbq smoke, hot smoke, and cold smoke.

 

The settings tab in the app will take you to a section where you can adjust the backlight to stay on for up to 30 minutes or turn it off.

You can also mute the alarms as well as calibrate the individual probes if you’re getting inaccurate measurements.

The temperature graph is interactive in that you can scroll along with the graph and get your time and temperature for each specific point on the graph.

The main drawback of the app is that you can only export a spreadsheet file to keep track of your cook history.

Most of the other WiFi thermometers will have a dedicated website where you view your cook history with corresponding interactive graphs.

If you’re more of a weekend griller and smoker this app will more than suit your needs.

If you really want to track your cooks and view the cooking history you might check out some of the more expensive WiFi models such as the Fireboard 2 Drive, the Thermoworks Signals, the Tappecue Touch, SmokeBloq, or the BBQ Guru UltraQ.

What to Do if the Inkbird Ibbq-4t Won’t Connect to WiFi

Connecting your phone to the IBBQ-4T can be an exercise in frustration.

I attempted to connect the IBBQ-4T to my home’s WiFi router using two different iPhone 7 smartphones and four different iPad tablets of varying ages and models. (sorry, no Androids.)

I was able to make the initial connection with one of the iPhone 7 smartphones and a 6th generation iPad.

Frustratingly, the other iPhone 7 and a newer, 8th generation iPad wouldn’t connect whatsoever. The two other older iPads (4th and 5th gen) also wouldn’t initially connect.

If you’re having difficulty connecting the IBBQ-4T to WiFi, here are some of the basic things you can do that might help you.

Some of these might seem like really basic tips but it’s good to check off all the boxes.

• Turn your phone and your WiFi router off and restart them. Doing this will sometimes force the router to search for new devices.
• Picking the right app in the app store. There are multiple Inkbird apps in the app store, even one labeled BBQ-4T, download the Inkbird Pro app.
• Make sure the WiFi version you’re connecting to is 2.4 GHz, it will not connect to a 5 GHz network.
• Login to your WiFi router and make sure it’s not forcing new devices to connect to 5 GHz networks.
• Allow location services in your phone settings (in iOs it’s in Settings: Privacy: Location Services)

Even after going through all the steps above I still couldn’t connect my iPhone 7 to the Inkbird yet the other iPhone 7 connected seamlessly.

After troubleshooting and forensically detailing the differences between each iPhone 7 I am still at a loss as to why one connected and the other didn’t.

But don’t despair. All it takes is just one device to connect the Inkbird to WiFi and then you can invite all the other devices that were previously unable to pair to join via the “Shared Devices” in the Inkbird Pro app.

I know, not ideal, but it does work.

Connecting Devices to the IBBQ-4T Using the InkBird Pro’s Home Management Setting

The Inkbird Pro app is a portal for you to connect many different Inkbird smart devices.

Once you’re able to connect a device to the Inkbird you will see a section that will let you set a system administrator. Set yourself up as the administrator.

Once this is set, you can then invite other devices to join your network or “family”.

To do this go to the “Me” section at the bottom of the screen and click it.

This will bring up a new screen with the “Home Management” section near the top. Click on that and then add a family.

This new “family” will be the other devices you’re trying to connect to the Inkbird.

To add any of the devices that couldn’t connect to the Inkbird you will need to set up Inkbird Pro accounts for them with a different email address from the system administrator.

Once they are set up with these different email accounts and verified through the app as a trusted family member you can then begin using the app on those devices.

This is incredibly convoluted and I believe this permission-based feature is what is at the heart of the WiFi connectivity problems with this app.

Once that incredibly difficult, initial connection to WiFi is made you can use the Inkbird with pretty much any newer Apple or Google device. I am able to run the app with a ten-year-old iPad running on iOS 10.3.3.

Hopefully, Inkbird fixes this problem in the near future.

Accuracy of the IBBQ-4T

To test the accuracy of this thermometer I prepared a sous vide water bath set at 135°F and inserted its probes as well as the probes of the Thermoworks Signals WiFi meat thermometer.

The IBBQ-4T’s temperature readings compared favorably with the Signals’ readings. I would consider this thermometer to be pretty accurate.

The Durability of the IBBQ-4T

The IBBQ-4T has a waterproof rating of IPx3. An IP rating of IPx3 means that this thermometer can withstand water sprayed at an angle of 60° on either vertical side with no harmful effects.

To test this I put the Inkbird outside on my back porch while it was raining for about an hour.

After bringing it inside and drying it off it continued to function with no problems with no condensation build-up inside the display screen.

Would I make this a regular occurrence with this thermometer? Probably not, but it’s good to know it can withstand some rain.

The unit itself is pretty sturdy with stainless steel probes that have silicone handles that can withstand temperatures up to 482°F.

I don’t see the need for the silicone handles as they still will be too hot to touch when you’re cooking something in the oven or grill.

All it does is make you worry about them melting when your grill or oven temperature is close to 500°F.

I give this thermometer a decent durability rating. If it had an IP66 rating with no silicone handles I would give it higher marks.

Inkbird IBBQ-4T vs Inkbird IBBQ-4BW

You’ve probably seen that Inkbird has another WiFi meat thermometer model, the IBBQ-4BW.

Here are the differences between the Inkbird IBBQ-4BW and the Inkbird IBBQ-4T:

• The IBBQ-4T is a WiFi-only thermometer, the IBBQ-4BW is both WiFi and Bluetooth compatible.
• The IBBQ-4BW has virtually the same mobile app, (the BBQgo Pro app) but it isn’t integrated into the Inkbird Pro Smart home mobile app like the IBBQ-4T.
• There is no IP waterproof rating for the IBBQ-4BW and an IP rating of IPx3 for IBBQ-4T.
• The IBBQ-4BW has an average retail price of around $20 more than the IBBQ-4T.
• The device body of the IBBQ-4BW can stand upright on its own with a sturdy base, the IBBQ-4T lies flat on surfaces but can attach to metallic surfaces due to its magnetic base.

Here are the similarities between the two thermometers:

• Same temperature probes (but not interchangeable due to different probe plugins)
• Same mobile app design and functionality.

Price

The price tag for the Inkbird IBBQ-4T is right around $100, which is a lot of money yet still low for a WiFi meat thermometer.

Most WiFi meat thermometers are priced anywhere from $150 to $300. However, these models generally have Bluetooth capabilities as well.

The IBBQ-4T is a WiFi-only meat thermometer, which is rare. Its sibling, the IBBQ-4BW, is both Bluetooth and WiFi compatible at a price tag of $120.

Still, the IBBQ-4T isn’t cheap in comparison to the other wireless thermometer options on the market such as Bluetooth and remote meat thermometers.

The IBBQ-4T does occasionally go on sale, which changes the value-for-price dynamic.

I was able to purchase it with a 40% off coupon, making it around $60. For this price, I’m able to overlook some of the issues connecting to the WiFi.

This leads me to my verdict on the Inkbird IBBQ-4T.

Final Verdict

Unfortunately, until the initial setup connection to WiFi issues are worked out with the IBBQ-4T I am hesitant to recommend a purchase.

The IBBQ-4T has a lot of nice features with a decent mobile app. Unfortunately, connecting it to WiFi is hit or miss during the initial setup.

Once you’re connected, the Inkbird functions great and has a nice range on the WiFi signal. The accuracy of this thermometer is very good like all of the other Inkbird models I’ve reviewed.

The mobile app is straightforward and easy to use but probably won’t satisfy those grillers that want to track and save their cooks.

At a regular retail price of $100, the IBBQ-4T represents the entry-level into the WiFi meat thermometer market.

It doesn’t have Bluetooth connectivity, which amplifies its WiFi connection issues.

Would I recommend its sibling thermometer, the Inkbird IBBQ-4BW? I would recommend it over this model only due to its ability to connect to Bluetooth as well as WiFi.

If Inkbird is able to fix its WiFi issues within its mobile apps then I would give these two thermometers an approval rating.

Until then, I would recommend you look at the other WiFi thermometer models I’ve mentioned in this article if you’re interested in going the WiFi route.