ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE vs Meater Plus: Which One Should You Buy?

The ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE and the Meater Plus are both thermometers, but they solve completely different problems. The Thermapen ONE is an instant-read probe — open, insert, read in one second, done. The Meater Plus is a wireless leave-in probe — insert, close the lid, monitor from your phone. Comparing them is like comparing a chef's knife to a slow cooker. Both belong in your kitchen. But if you can only buy one... ## Quick Comparison | Feature | ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE | Meater Plus | |---------|--------------------------|------------| | **Price** | ~$105 | ~$100 | | **Type** | Instant-read | Wireless leave-in | | **Speed** | 1 second | 10+ seconds | | **Accuracy** | +/- 0.5F | +/- 1.8F | | **Wireless** | No | Yes (Bluetooth) | | **Battery** | 2,000+ hours | Rechargeable | | **BBQ Experience Score** | 8.8/10 | 7.2/10 | ## Build Quality The Thermapen ONE is professional-grade. IP67 waterproof. Auto-rotating display. Auto-on when you open the probe. The build quality justifies the price completely — this is what thermometers feel like when engineers obsess over every detail. The Meater Plus is clever but fragile. The ceramic probe is innovative. The Bluetooth connection works... sometimes. Range is limited despite the "Plus" repeater. The charging block is elegant. But the overall reliability doesn't match the Thermapen's industrial-grade dependability. ## Performance The Thermapen ONE reads in one second with 0.5F accuracy. One. Second. No other consumer thermometer comes close. You open it, insert it into meat, and the temperature is already on the display. For checking doneness, this speed is transformative. You lose less heat from an open grill. The Meater Plus takes 10+ seconds to stabilize and is accurate to 1.8F — nearly 4x less precise. The wireless monitoring is genuinely useful for long smokes, but Bluetooth range drops through metal (like smoker walls), and connection drops are frustratingly common. The ambient temperature sensor in the handle is clever but inconsistent. The 8.8 vs 7.2 score gap is massive — 1.6 points. The Thermapen ONE is simply a better-engineered tool. ## Value for Money Similar price, wildly different scores. The Thermapen ONE at $105 with an 8.8 score is one of the best values in our entire database. The Meater Plus at $100 with a 7.2 score is adequate but unremarkable. ## Verdict **The ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE wins decisively.** If you buy one thermometer, this is it. The speed, accuracy, and reliability are unmatched. It makes you a better cook because you check temperatures more often when checking takes one second. **Buy the Meater Plus if:** you specifically need wireless leave-in monitoring for long smokes AND you already own a good instant-read thermometer. The Meater Plus is a useful second thermometer. It's a poor first thermometer. [Full ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE Review](/en/reviews/thermoworks-thermapen-one-review/) | [Full Meater Plus Review](/en/reviews/meater-plus-wireless-thermometer-review/)