If you haven’t heard about ThermoWorks’ new wireless thermometer, the Smoke X, you will soon. Think of the original Smoke upgraded—it’s a powerful evolution and, frankly, impressive.
I received a pre-launch unit and from the moment I opened the box it was clear this product was built with attention to detail and practicality—qualities that matter in the barbecue world.
I’ve used the ThermoWorks Smoke for years and it became one of those essential smoking and grilling tools I don’t want to be without. It offered long range, a dedicated receiver (no phone or app required), rugged construction, large easy-to-read digits and straightforward operation. Those strengths kept me loyal even as ThermoWorks released newer models like the Signals.
With the Smoke X, ThermoWorks kept everything that made the original Smoke great and added meaningful upgrades. I may have found a new primary partner for smoking meat.
If you already know you want one, you can order it directly from ThermoWorks.
For everyone else, here’s a detailed look at the Smoke X and its features.
Good packaging matters. It shows the maker cared about getting the product to you intact and ready to use. The Smoke X arrives in a tray with cutouts for every component so nothing shifts during shipping, yet each piece is easy to lift out and put into service. Thoughtful packaging is a small detail that signals a quality product.
The main unit is the sender that stays by the smoker. It features six front buttons and four back buttons, a large high-contrast screen with big digits, a kickstand for angled display, inset magnets for metal mounting, multiple probe inputs, a USB-C port, an input for a fan controller and a battery compartment.
The X4 model has four probe inputs and ships with one ambient probe plus three meat probes; the X2 has two inputs and ships with one ambient and one meat probe. The housing is molded colored heavy-duty plastic with a textured finish—durable, tactile and visually pleasing.
- Ch (Channel) – Select a channel to adjust settings or silence that channel’s alarm.
- Set – Cycle between low alarm, high alarm and alarm off for the selected channel.
- Up – Increase the selected value.
- Down – Decrease the selected value.
- Light – Activate the backlight for 20 seconds.
- Vol (Volume) – Cycle through four alarm volume levels from loud to soft, then off.
- On/Off
- °C/°F – Toggle temperature units between Celsius and Fahrenheit.
- Cal – Calibrate the thermometer if necessary.
- Sync – Pair additional receivers to the main unit.
The display is divided into sections—one for each channel or probe. Each section shows the current temperature in very large digits, the channel’s high and low alarm settings, and recorded maximum and minimum temperatures for that cook. The max/min readouts are useful to see the highest and lowest temperatures reached during a session; they reset when the unit is powered off and on. The screen backlight is available via the Light button.
A built-in kickstand pulls out from the back to hold the main unit at roughly a 30° angle for easy viewing.
Two inset magnets on the back let you mount the unit to a smoker or any metal surface for convenient placement.
The Smoke X4 I tested is a four-channel thermometer. It arrives with one ambient probe and three meat probes. I typically use channel 1 for ambient temperature and the remaining channels for meat, but you can assign probes however you prefer.
A USB-C port beneath the probe inputs allows the main unit to be powered from an external adapter. This port also connects to the Billows fan controller if you want the Smoke X to actively manage a charcoal smoker’s airflow in addition to monitoring temperature.
Included probes are ThermoWorks Pro Series with 47-inch cables. Their temperature range covers -58 to 572°F (-50 to 300°C), and the cable insulation withstands exposure up to 700°F (370°C).
The ambient probe fits through the holes in the included grate clip, which attaches to a smoker or grill grate. You may need to flex the clip slightly to match your grate’s shape for a secure fit.
The kit includes eight silicone rings—two each of four colors. Place a ring on the probe tip and the plug end to color-code probes, which simplifies tracking multiple probes during a busy cook.
The receiver is portable so you can carry it while you relax in a chair, lounge by the pool, keep it by the bedside or wear it around your neck using the included lanyard. Its display mirrors the main unit, showing temperatures, alarm status and high/low settings. The receiver features two front buttons, two inset magnets on the back and a battery compartment.
A welcome improvement over the original Smoke receiver: the Smoke X receiver has a flat bottom that lets it sit upright on a table without a special stand.
- Light/Power – Turn on the backlight for 20 seconds. Press briefly to power on; hold for three seconds to power off.
- Vol (Volume) – Cycle through four alarm volumes from loud to soft, then off.
The included lanyard attaches to the receiver so you can hang it around your neck for easy access while working on other tasks.
Both the main unit and the receiver use two AA batteries each, accessed with a single Phillips-head screw. ThermoWorks estimates about 330 hours of battery life under typical use.
A standout upgrade is the extended transmission range. The original Smoke offered around 300 feet; the Smoke X boasts a line-of-sight range of approximately 1.24 miles. While obstacles reduce that distance, it comfortably covers a typical house and yard. In my neighborhood test I reached roughly two blocks away with several houses in between before the signal dropped.
You can sync multiple receivers to a single main unit, which is useful for competition teams or anyone who wants several people to monitor the cook at once.
There are many thermometers that are competent but unremarkable. The Smoke X stands out. It retains everything that made the original Smoke a favorite—dedicated receiver, intuitive controls and reliability—while adding thoughtful upgrades like increased range, a flat-bottom receiver, USB-C power and expanded channel options. For cooks who prefer a dedicated receiver over phone apps, the Smoke X delivers a straightforward, dependable experience.
So far, I haven’t found meaningful drawbacks. The product feels well designed and informed by user feedback on multi-channel thermometers.
Visit ThermoWorks to purchase the Smoke X or to add accessories such as an extra receiver or the Billows fan controller for active temperature control in charcoal smokers.