INKBIRD INT-11P-B Review

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Let’s be real. Barbecue may be all about wood, fire, smoke, and meat at its core. It’s simple, but that doesn’t make it easy. Couple that with our love for the latest and greatest technology, and it’s no wonder that all of us whether we’re grilling, smoking, or cooking in general, want to have all of the cool gadgets.

That leads me to the new INKBIRD INT-11P-B Bluetooth wireless BBQ thermometer. I’ve gotten hands-on time with INKBIRD thermometers before, but this is the first truly wireless one from the company. So naturally, I was excited to check it out. After all, not having to worry about a mess of wires while still getting an accurate internal temperature is a great thing in my book.

I’ll be digging into the features of the INT-11P-B, its design, fit and finish, and the ownership experience before wrapping it up with my overall thoughts at the end.

Table of Contents

1. Overview Of INKBIRD
2. INKBIRD INT-11P-B Overview & Specs

Specifications Table

3. INKBIRD INT-11P-B BBQ Thermometer Features

The Probe

The Charging Case

4. INKBIRD INT-11P-B Review

Accuracy

Connectivity

App Functionality

Battery Life

5. Overall Fit And Finish
6. INKBIRD Customer Service And Support
7. INKBIRD INT-11P-B Warranty
8. Do We Recommend The INKBIRD INT-11P-B?

What I Like…

What Makes Me Angry…

9. Final Thoughts

Overview Of INKBIRD

We love the fit and finish of the INKBIRD devices lately. Packaging reminds us of Apple products.

INKBIRD got its start in 2010 and is devoted to developing great technology to improve the home both inside and out. Among its products are a host of instant-read thermometers, Wi-Fi-enabled meat thermometers, and Bluetooth meat thermometers. The INT-11P-B is the latest addition to the company’s lineup of products aimed to help backyard pitmasters, grillmasters, and home cooks deliver the best results.

INKBIRD INT-11P-B Overview & Specs

Whether you’re reverse-searing some cowboy steaks, smoking a brisket, or roasting a turkey, the INT-11P-B will help you monitor the internal temperature without fighting with a tangle of probe wires.

Specifications Table

INKBIRD INT-11P-B BBQ Thermometer Features

With that all in mind, let’s take a deep dive into the details of this thermometer.

The Probe

The probe for this BBQ thermometer is solid with the 6mm-diameter probe made from stainless steel. The end is made from zirconia ceramics to handle the temperature of your grill or smoker up to 572°F. The ceramic end also doubles as an ambient temperature sensor, so the extra durability means better protection. Plus, the probe is rated IP67 waterproof (protected against short periods of water immersion, between depths of 6″-39″) so you can wash it and wipe it dry without worrying about ruining the sensitive internal components by water.

That ambient temperature sensor can be handy if you’re smoking on an offset smoker or charcoal grill where your temperature can fluctuate based on the fire. If you’ve got a quality pellet grill or other type of grill that is able to regulate the internal temperature by itself (or other add-ons you have,) then the ambient temperature isn’t something you’ll likely be paying much attention to.

On the shaft of the probe, you’ll see a line etched into the steel to pinpoint (see below) how far the probe needs to be inserted into the meat. That helps protect the sensor and other components in the probe from too much heat. Those internal components are only rated to handle up to 212°F, so you need to make sure you insert the probe fully. One thing I did notice is that the safety line on the probe is quite close to the ceramic end, so you do need to be aware of that. I didn’t have any issues, but I could see a situation where that line might be uncovered due to the meat constricting throughout the cooking process.

INKBIRD does warn in the user manual to not use the probe in high-temperature environments exceeding 572°F or that would expose the end of the probe to a direct flame.

INKBIRD states that the INT-11P-B is accurate to within 1.8°F which is plenty accurate when you’re smoking large cuts of meat or reverse searing thick steaks. After all, we’re looking for a temperature range to test for tenderness on those big cuts of meat when smoking. As for reverse searing, we’re looking to be within five to 10 degrees of our target temperature before we finish searing, so you’re looking for a ballpark figure.

If you’re looking for precise temperature measurements, an instant-read thermometer will be your best friend once the INT-11P-B gets you close.

The Charging Case

The sleek slide-open case serves as both the charging case for the probe and the Bluetooth booster to ensure your phone is receiving data from the probe. While the case may not have a ton of buttons and displays, its simple design still gets the job done.

It has one button on the backside near the charging port that serves a number of functions. You can press it to view the approximate battery level. If the indicator light on the front of the case glows green, the case has a battery level between 35 and 100%.  If the light turns yellow, the battery is between 15 and 35%. If you get a red light, the battery is low and between 10 and 15%. Once the case drops below 10%, the light will glow red and stay on. Once the charge is essentially depleted, the light will flash red for five seconds and then shut off. INKBIRD says that it takes about three hours to fully charge.

The case does rapidly charge the probe which is quite nice. All you need to do is fully clip the probe in and within 25 minutes, you will have a full charge. When the probe drops below 10%, the indicator light on the case will start flashing red to let you know to charge the probe. With the probe charging, the indicator light will blink green during the process before shutting off when charging is complete.

The case has two magnets on the backside so you can store it easily without taking up valuable drawer space. It’s a small case that doesn’t take up a lot of room, but I’m all about multiple storage options! INKBIRD does state that you should not put the case on a hot surface, but you do want to keep it within five meters/16 feet of the probe to maintain a quality connection. INKBIRD says that the case has a range of 300ft/91m, but that’s the line of sight range. I personally had no issues with connectivity with my smoker on the back deck and me in my office separated by multiple walls.

INKBIRD App

  

 

I’ve had some previous experience with the INKBIRD app from when I reviewed the IBT-26S smart BBQ thermometer. It has plenty of features and connecting to the INT-11P-B is quite easy. Now, the INT-11P-B is Bluetooth-only, so you do have to be in fairly close proximity for the app to stay connected so you cannot go on a quick shopping trip and still monitor. The app can handle multiple INKBIRD Wi-Fi or Bluetooth devices which is also nice.

The app comes preloaded with a number of presets, including specific ones for brisket and pork ribs. You also can create custom cooking sessions as well. It’s easy, you simply click on the Target button, then select the Custom Cook button and drag the slider to whatever temperature you want. This was an upgrade over my experience when I first reviewed the IBT-26S thermometer. That used a dial that needed to be rotated which was a struggle to properly adjust. This is a much smoother process that I had no issues with whatsoever.

You can also monitor the probe’s battery life from the app which is quite convenient.

INKBIRD INT-11P-B Review

Sometimes you open a box and are blown away by what’s inside it. INKBIRD did that before I even opened the box. There is a partial outer shell that slides off, hinting at the charging case’s sliding design. Then once you open the box, the charging case sits in a nicely molded section that pulls out to reveal the manual and charging cable below. It’s a sleek case that fits nicely in a drawer while also being able to attach to your fridge or any other metal surface for storage.

It’s not all about beautiful looks, though. We need to know where the INT-11P-B stacks up where it counts. Let’s take a closer look at Accuracy, Connectivity, App Functionality, and Battery Life.

Accuracy

As noted above, when it comes to BBQ thermometers that we are leaving in the meat for hours, we aren’t as concerned with accuracy as we are with an instant-read thermometer. INKBIRD has the INT-11P-B calibrated to be within 1.8°F which is plenty accurate when we are smoking a brisket or a pork butt. There’s a reason we always provide a temperature range and a time range. Smoking barbecue is both a science and an art. We look at the temperature because we understand that connective tissue breaks down and renders after a certain temperature. However, we also understand that brisket and pork butt is done when it reaches a proper texture. So being within two degrees of the actual internal temperature is perfectly fine for smoking barbecue.

Connectivity

The Bluetooth connectivity between the charging case and my phone was great. As I said earlier, I had my smoker set up on the back deck and I was in my office with multiple walls in between. I even had the charging case inside rather than sitting out in the sun. INKBIRD says that you should keep the charging case within 20 feet (6m) of the probe at all times in order to keep the connection stable. The only time I had issues with connectivity was when I was outside blocked by multiple walls and a vehicle. Otherwise, I did not drop connectivity in the house at all.

If for some reason you did drop connectivity, the INT-11P-B can retain up to 30 minutes of data offline that you can recover once the connection is reestablished.

App Functionality

If you like making the process simple, the INKBIRD app has you covered. The sheer amount of presets available makes your life easy. Just click on Target and then scroll over and select Brisket. It’s set up to hit you with an alarm at 196°F which is perfect for checking tenderness.

The main screen of the probe has the current internal temperature, the current ambient temperature, and the target temperature right there. If you scroll down, you get to see the graph of your cooking session as well. That’s extremely helpful for observing if your internal temperature is stalling or keeping an eye on temperature fluctuations in the cooking chamber.

INKBIRD also made another upgrade to the app, at least with the INT-11P-B. When I tested the IBT-26S, if you wanted to review cooking history, you had to have the unit on and the proper probes plugged in. Now, I can access my cooking history even with the probe off. It shows me the name of the cook, the target, and a graph.

Battery Life

INKBIRD says that the probe can be used for 25 hours straight. Now I haven’t ever done a cook that long, but when I used it for seven-plus hours between smoking some chuck roasts and letting it rest, the battery level did not drop precipitously. There’s no question that this will hold up to an overnight brisket or pork butt smoking session.

If you do find your probe is running low on battery, pop it in the case and it will be fully charged in under half an hour. Also, you don’t have to worry about returning the probe immediately to the charging case as INKBIRD says it can be left out at room temperature for up to seven days. Overall, the battery life on this probe is pretty incredible.

Overall Fit And Finish

The charging case for the INKBIRD INT-11P-B is super clean and sharp. I like that the case slides open so I don’t have to worry about finding a spot to put the cover down and hope I don’t forget where it is. The probe fits nicely in the charging case, and the probe itself is exactly what you expect from a Bluetooth probe, a mixture of stainless steel and black ceramic.

I like that the charging case is sleek and minimal. It has one button, one charging port, and one light. That’s all it needs to convey the information you’re looking for. Everything else is viewed in the app quickly and easily.

INKBIRD Customer Service And Support

I haven’t had any reason to reach out to INKBIRD as my experience has been smooth. However, if you do encounter issues, you can contact INKBIRD via their customer service-specific email address support@inkbird.com.

INKBIRD INT-11P-B Warranty

The INT-11P-B is backed by a one-year warranty protecting against defects in workmanship and components.

Do We Recommend The INKBIRD INT-11P-B?

I’ve personally tested multiple Bluetooth BBQ thermometers and so has the rest of the Angry BBQ crew. Usually, these are expensive due to the amount of technology packed into both the probe and the case. The INKBIRD INT-11P-B does not sacrifice the quality of the product while also being more affordable than the vast majority of this type of probe. The connectivity is great, the app is easy to use, and the battery life is fantastic. I would recommend this if you’re looking to escape the tangle of wires and only need to monitor one temperature at a time. There are other competitors in the market that have been doing the same thing for a while, but INKBIRD has brought a little extra quality to the table with their fit and finish, easy app and connectivity setup and fast charging.

What I Like…

• The probe has an extremely long battery life
• The app interface is simple to read and use while still having plenty of features
• The charging case is small enough to tuck into a drawer for storage while also having magnets for sticking to the side of your fridge or other metal surface

What Makes Me Angry…

• I’m a bit concerned about how close the safety line is to the ceramic handle. It doesn’t give much leeway, but I haven’t actually encountered an issue in use. It’s primarily a theoretical concern.
• More of a suggestion, but the ability to connect to the charging case via Wi-Fi could be a game-changer for some people

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed using the INKBIRD INT-11P-B wireless BBQ thermometer. It was easy to connect to my phone, the app is great, and it also looks good. It’s an affordable truly wireless BBQ thermometer which is rare to find. I would recommend this to anyone who is stepping up their backyard BBQ game while operating on a budget. All you need is a place to charge it and an Android or Apple phone, and you’ll be keeping track of your temperatures in no time.

Souced from Angry BBQ