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Getting the Best Signal: What Helps and What HurtsUpdated 2 days ago
Bluetooth range depends almost entirely on what sits between the two antennas. This page covers what blocks a signal and what you can do about it.
What blocks a signal
Metal | Metal enclosures block radio signals, and thicker metal is worse. On grills and smokers, the signal escapes through the vents. Close everything up tight, and it has nowhere to go. |
Foil | Wrapping the thermometer inside foil traps the signal. If you are wrapping a turkey or a brisket, keep the handle outside the foil. |
Water | Water absorbs radio energy. A submerged thermometer has much shorter range, especially in a metal pot. |
People | As one of our engineers puts it, humans are big bags of water. Standing directly between the thermometer and the Display can weaken the signal. |
Concrete, brick, and masonry | Radio waves get through some materials by jiggling them. Brick does not jiggle. Solid walls cut range substantially. |
Trivection oven glass | A trivection oven includes a microwave, so its door carries the same fine mesh screen. That mesh keeps microwaves in and Bluetooth out, because the two are at almost the same frequency. |
What helps
Line of sight | Fewer obstacles between the thermometer and whatever is receiving. This applies to the repeater too: give the Display a clear view of your phone as well. |
Stand the Display on its kickstand | Keeping it vertical makes the most of the internal antenna, which matters especially on a stainless steel counter, since the counter itself blocks the signal. |
Stand the Booster upright too | The same physics applies, and the Booster has no kickstand. The Fridge Magnet accessory holds it vertical on any steel surface, which improves antenna performance by up to 30%. If your Booster spends its life lying flat on a worktop, this is the cheapest range improvement available to you. |
Point the handle outward | Where practical, insert the thermometer so the handle is on the side of the food nearest the oven door. The signal then does not have to travel through the food, which is another bag of water. |
Use the escape hatch | In a sealed smoker, the signal gets out through vent openings. A good rule of thumb: if light can get out, the signal can too. The exception is microwave and trivection mesh, which nothing gets through. |
Keep the handle off metal | An inch or two of clearance between the handle and any metal surface makes a measurable difference. The same goes for foil. |
Move yourself | If your signal is already marginal, stepping out of the line between the two devices can be enough. |
Still not enough?
Add a repeater near the cook. A Booster, Display, or Giant Grill Gauge placed close to the grill but outside it will pick up the escaping signal and rebroadcast it at full strength. See Wireless Range: What to Expect and How to Extend It.
Never put the thermometer in a microwave
Metal and microwaves do not mix, and the thermometer's antenna is tuned to almost exactly the frequency a microwave uses. The results are genuinely pyrotechnic. Do not do it, even briefly.
Still have a question?
If your signal is poor even after working through this, email [email protected] and tell us what you are cooking in, where the thermometer and Display are placed, and how far apart they are.
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