START HERE: Setting Up Your Combustion ToolsUpdated 6 hours ago

Welcome! This page gets you from the box to your first cook. Setup takes about 5 minutes of work per tool, plus charging time.

Do the three steps everyone does first, then follow the section for each tool in your box. Each section links to that tool's full setup guide if you want every detail.

Step 1: Everyone does this first

Get the app. Download the free Combustion Inc. app for iOS or Android. Turn on Bluetooth before you open it, and allow the Bluetooth permission when the app asks. If the permission is refused, the app cannot find your tools. More in the Setup Guide: Combustion App.

Charge everything. Use any standard 5V USB port and your own USB-C cable. A phone charger is a safe bet. A USB cable and power adapter are not included with any Combustion product.

Tool	Full charge
Predictive Thermometer (in its charging case)	About 25 minutes
Booster or WiFi Booster	About 60 minutes
Display or WiFi Display	About 90 minutes
Combustion Engine	About 70 to 90 minutes on USB-C PD, about 4.5 hours on standard 5V
Giant Grill Gauge	No charging. It runs on two CR2450 coin cells

‼️ Avoid "quick charge" and other non-standard USB ports, and never use a 12V charger from another brand.

Update the firmware. In the app, go to Settings, then Update Devices, and tap Update. Update one tool at a time and leave the others off or in standby while each one updates. Updating uses a lot of battery, so recharge afterwards. If an update stalls, see Firmware Updates: Complete Guide.

Step 2: Set up what's in your box

Only follow the sections for the tools you have.

🔥 Predictive Thermometer

Take it out of its charging case. That is what turns it on.
It appears in the app within a few seconds and starts in instant read mode.
If it does not appear, see Brand-New Probe Won't Connect?

Full guide: Setup Guide: Predictive Thermometer

Prefer to watch? This 3-minute video walks through the basics. It shows a 1st-gen thermometer, but setup is the same.

🔥 Display or WiFi Display

Press start/stop to turn the Display on.
Take your thermometer out of its case and hold the two next to each other for a few seconds.
When a temperature appears on the screen, they are linked. Repeat for each thermometer, up to 4.
WiFi Display only: connect it to WiFi in the app (see Step 3).

Full guide: Setup Guide: Display

Prefer to watch? This video shows a 1st-gen Display, but linking a thermometer works the same way.
 

🔥 Booster or WiFi Booster

Do not put the thermometer in the Booster yet. A seated thermometer switches the Booster's radio off, which stops setup.
Unplug the Booster from USB. Three white flashes in a row, repeating, means it is searching.
Hold a charged thermometer near it. A single white blink every 5 seconds means they are linked.
WiFi Booster only: connect it to WiFi in the app (see Step 3).

Full guide: Setup Guide: Booster

Prefer to watch? This video shows a 1st-gen Booster, but charging and linking work the same way.
 

🔥 Giant Grill Gauge

Insert the two CR2450 batteries (plus side up) and press the yellow power button on the back.
Update its firmware with your phone held close to the Gauge.
Fit the sensor tube into the Heat Shield or Heat Deflector, mount it in your grill's existing thermometer hole, and attach the Gauge. Never drill a ceramic grill.
To link a thermometer, take it out of its case and hold it next to the Gauge. Small digits on the lower part of the screen mean they are linked.

Not sure it fits your grill? See Will It Fit? Fitment Guide for the Giant Grill Gauge.

Full guide: Setup Guide: Giant Grill Gauge (GGG)

Prefer to watch? This 3-minute video walks through the whole setup, including fitting the mount to your grill.

 

🔥 Combustion Engine

Charge the Engine fully.
Install the mount on your grill's lower air intake, then attach the Engine.
Set the Engine up in the app and choose what it reads from: a Giant Grill Gauge (preferred) or a Predictive Thermometer. Without one of those, it works only as a fan you set by hand.

Check which mount your grill needs in the Fitment Guide: Which Mount or Adapter Do I Need for My Combustion Engine?

Full guide: Getting started with your Combustion Engine

🔥 More than one tool?

If you have two or more of these, link them all in one go: Boosters, Displays, a Giant Grill Gauge. Put everything in a pile on the counter and let it sit for a minute or two. See How to Link All Tools (Multi-Node MeatNet™): The Cuddle Pile.

Step 3: Watch your cook from anywhere (optional)

You do not need an account or WiFi to cook. Bluetooth handles everything nearby. To watch a cook from outside Bluetooth range, you need:

A free Combustion account (in the app: Settings, then Combustion Account). This is separate from any account you used to shop on our website.
One WiFi tool on your home network: a WiFi Booster, WiFi Display, or Giant Grill Gauge. You only need one. A spare phone or tablet running the app can do the same job.

In the app, go to Settings, then WiFi Devices, select your tool, and choose Join Network. Use a 2.4 GHz network. Hotel, office, and guest networks with a sign-in page will not work.

Full guide: MeatNet™ Cloud: Setup and Remote Monitoring

Step 4: Your first cook

Insert the thermometer past the minimum line, about 2 inches (50 mm). The line must be inside the food, not visible. This matters more than anything else you do.
Set a target temperature in the app or on your Display. That switches the thermometer from instant read to predictive cooking.
Apply heat. A "ready in" countdown appears about a third of the way through the cook.
When the alarm sounds, take the food off the heat.

For more, see How It Works: Predictive Thermometer, SafeCook™: How It Works and How to Use It, and Chef-Recommended Temperatures.

Before you cook: three things that damage a thermometer

Never microwave it, not even for a second. This includes a trivection oven.
Never quench it. Let it cool before washing. Dropping a hot handle into cold water can crack it.
Keep the tip in the food. The tip is safe up to 220°F (105°C) because the food protects it. Insert it properly, and keep the handle out of direct flame.

The full list is in Warnings and Watchouts.

Still have a question?

If something is not working, these guides cover most first-day problems: Brand-New Probe Won't Connect? and WiFi Not Working? Troubleshooting Guide for Combustion WiFi Accessories. If you are still deciding which tools you need, see What Do I Need? Choosing Your Combustion Setup.

For anything else, email [email protected]. Tell us which tools you have and which step you got stuck on.

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