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7 smart home gadgets for the BBQ

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Barbecue season is here! As we’re shaking off our BBQ covers, cleaning the grill grates to get them in tip-top shape, and looking to add to our grill kits, it’s a great time to consider some new technology for your cook. While cooking over fire is one of our most basic and primal tasks, you might not realize just how much technology there is to ensure you can serve up perfectly cooked meat, veggies, and even pizzas and cakes!

Smart BBQ Thermometer

One of the first things to consider is a smart thermometer. When it comes to cooking meat, it’s not just a matter of tenderness to cook to an appropriate temperate — it’s about food safety and keeping you and your guests from potential food-borne illnesses.

There are myriad smart thermometers out there, ranging from low-tech to fully connected and app-enabled. You can check out our full list of smart thermometers here. Meantime we’ve narrowed the picks down to two smart options that we think will serve you best. That doesn't mean a smart thermometer is going to be the end be all your barbecue woes. While these devices can give you an idea of what’s going on under the lid, you still need to be keeping tabs on the cook, too, as in many cases, the alerts you get may not be audible or instant.

MEATER Wireless Smart Meat Thermometer
Meater Plus
Easy wireless temperature sensing
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Weber iGrill3
Weber iGrill 3
Keep tabs on multiple meats at once
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Weber Genesis II 3-Burner Gas Grill
Weber Genesis Smart Grill
This whole BBQ is smart
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BioLite AlpenGlow
BioLite AlpenGlow light
Great for task light and ambient glow
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BioLite FirePit+
BioLite Fire Pit
Cook, get warm, or power up with this multi-purpose device
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GrillBot
Grillbot automatic grill cleaner
Like a Roomba for your BBQ
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Meater smart thermometer connects to an app.
Meater

Meater Plus

Easy wireless temperature sensing

Pros
  • Fully wireless
  • Nice storage/charging case
  • Includes Bluetooth repeater to extend range
Cons
  • Alerts may vary depending on your device

Meater makes a few different smart thermometer models. Their versions are fully cordless and connect to a companion app, so there’s no fussing with wires strung up to other equipment. The Meater Plus contains the stainless steel temperature probe and comes in a handy charging and storage case that’s magnetic. The Plus package also adds a Bluetooth repeater so you can beat Meater’s somewhat-limited Bluetooth range and ensure you see cooking alerts on your smartphone at all times.

MEATER Wireless Smart Meat Thermometer
Meater Plus
Easy wireless temperature sensing
The Weber iGrill 3 plugged into a grill.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Weber iGrill 3

Keep tabs on multiple meats at once

Pros
  • Can check temp on two meals at the same time
  • You can use the probes on the new Weber Genesis grills
Cons
  • Doesn't work as easy as an instant-read thermometer

Another connected option is the Weber iGrill 3. This corded probe plugs into a base station that will stay near your BBQ, transmitting a signal to the Weber Connect app on your phone. Use the app to keep an eye on what you're cooking from elsewhere in the house. With two temperature probes and support for dual temperatures, you can cook burgers on one side of the grill and steaks on the other, all while ensuring both get finished to the correct temperature.

Weber iGrill3
Weber iGrill 3
Keep tabs on multiple meats at once
weber genesis smart grill review
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Weber Genesis Smart Grill

This whole BBQ is smart

Pros
  • Impressive grill with built-in smart tech
  • Gas or propane
  • Sports and iGrill Module with room for two temp probes
Cons
  • Pricey
  • Requires assembly
  • Bit of a learning curve

Speaking of Weber, the company has adapted smart technology into some of its new barbecues. The Weber Genesis 335 has both an ambient temperature sensor and a built-in, connected iGrill Module with room for two temperature probes. This means you don't need a third-party thermometer. (But if you have that Weber iGrill 3, those probes will work with the company's new BBQs!)

The whole BBQ connects to the Weber Connect app so you can monitor multiple temperatures, keep tabs on preheating, cooking, and more. We did a full review of this Weber BBQ, so see what we thought here. Weber has also engineered a replaceable grill grate that holds a special line of Weber Crafted cookware designed for making pancakes, cooking pizza, and roasting veggies, too.

Weber Genesis II 3-Burner Gas Grill
Weber Genesis Smart Grill
This whole BBQ is smart
BioLite Alpen Glow light in the wilderness.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

BioLite AlpenGlow light

Great for task light and ambient glow

Pros
  • Multiple lighting options
  • Hanging hook
  • Rechargeable
Cons
  • Plastic, so keep from heat

Depending on the season, grilling in the dark is a real thing, and while some of Weber’s newest grills actually come with built-in LED lighting, there are ways you can get a bit more light on your cook if needed. Weber makes a special handle light for its grills (Weber Handle Grill 'N Go Light), but using something like the BioLite AlpenGlow, it doesn't matter what kind of grill you own.

BioLite AlpenGlow gives you so many cool lighting options, from an aurora borealis-style color cycle and an anti-bug red light to a full bright white light. Use the integrated hanging hook to suspend the rechargeable light above your BBQ area for a wider glow.

BioLite AlpenGlow
BioLite AlpenGlow light
Great for task light and ambient glow
BioLite FirePit
Image used with permission by copyright holder

BioLite Fire Pit

Cook, get warm, or power up with this multi-purpose device

Pros
  • Portable
  • Good for cooking or heat
Cons
  • Big & bulky

Speaking of BioLite, we're a fan of the company’s camping and outdoor gear, mainly because it’s well made, durable, smart, and multi-purpose. If you’re looking for something that can provide cooking power and a heat source for those camping outings, consider the BioLite FirePit.

This portable metal box has folding legs so you can pack it on a cookout. Weighing about 20 pounds, you wouldn’t want to bring it on a hike, but it’s perfect for your trunk or a day at the beach, campsite, or picnic area. The BioLite FirePit has a sliding grill top, so you can cook on it or just use it to have a small but roaring fire. You can burn either wood or charcoal — depending on your needs and what’s available — in the BioLite FirePit.

Not surprisingly, BioLite FirePit has built-in technology. The side is home to a large 10,400mAh PowerPack that also houses a fan. This fan can stoke your flames, which are adjustable. Use the buttons on the module or connect your phone to the power pack using Bluetooth, so you can make small incremental adjustments to the fire from your smartphone. When your phone battery starts to wane, you can connect it to that power pack on the FirePit and recharge it sitting by the fire — yes, you can actually recharge your phone sitting next to the flames; the power pack is heat-rated!

BioLite FirePit+
BioLite Fire Pit
Cook, get warm, or power up with this multi-purpose device
Grillbot automatic grill cleaner in red on a grill
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Grillbot automatic grill cleaner

Like a Roomba for your BBQ

Pros
  • Automated
  • Comes with storage case
  • Makes dirty jobs easier
  • Gets between grates well
Cons
  • Can't be used on hot grill
  • May take time to be effective

Lastly, no one likes to do the cleanup, but it has to get done. So what about a device that's like a Roomba for your grill? The Grillbot automatic grill cleaning robot promises clean grates with zero effort on your part. This little bot has twisty brushes on its underside that scrub cooked food and grime off the grill grates and gets between them, too. If your grill is really dirty, you can set the bot to do a more intense clean; just close the lid and let it roam around for longer to remove melted cheese and grilled fruit bits.

While we haven’t tested this to verify how well it actually works, it’s got a bunch of great reviews, and we’re game to try anything that promises easy cleanup thanks to automation.

GrillBot
Grillbot automatic grill cleaner
Like a Roomba for your BBQ
Erin Lawrence

Erin has over 20 years of experience as a journalist in the media and news industries, with time both on camera and behind the scenes in network TV production, plus years of writing for blogs,websites, magazines and newspapers.

A renowned storyteller (winner of two Edward R Murrow Awards for Journalism) Erin has covered everything from daily news, to technology, food, travel and architecture and loves to share what she's working on through her blog, TechGadgetsCanada.com, YouTube Channel, Erin Lawrence TV and across social media.

Erin has a Master's Degree in Journalism from Western University in London, and has been named to a Top 40 Under 40 by Avenue Magazine. She has minor obsessions with smart lighting, Palm Springs, gemology, and geology.

Chamberlain’s MyQ smart garage video keypad is only $70 at Best Buy
Chamberlain MyQ smart garage video keypad deal at Best Buy featured image

When it comes to outfitting your home with smart devices, to truly make it a smart home, the three best things to buy are smart lights, a smart lock, and a smart garage door opener. The smart garage door opener, specifically, will allow you to open and close your garage in various ways. You can use the traditional proprietary remotes, your phone via an app, or a code -- usually achieved by installing a remote keypad nearby. If you're going with a Chamberlain MyQ smart garage door opener, which you should, we have a line on an excellent deal for a unique keypad to pair with it.

The Chamberlain MyQ smart garage video keypad is a numerical access keypad, first and foremost, to open your garage door, but it also has an integrated 1080P HD camera with a 160-degree wide-angle view. With the smart app, you can keep track of when the door is being opened, but you can also use that camera to see who is entering, or exiting your home. Normally $100, it's on sale for $70 today at Best Buy, saving you $30.

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Therabody Smart Goggles are on sale — what are they?
A man using the Therabody Smart Goggles while lying on a bed.

If you struggle to sleep or rest, Best Buy has one of the better smart home deals for your situation. They are called the Therabody Smart Goggles and they're designed to relieve stress, eye strain, and headaches throughout the day. Normally priced at $199, the goggles are currently down to $169 at Best Buy so now is the perfect time to try this tech. Here’s what you need to know about them.

Why you should buy the Therabody Smart Goggles
If you’ve tried all the best sleep gadgets with no success, now is the time to give the Therabody Smart Goggles a try. They use a combination of eye and temple massage with heat and vibration to relieve stress and strain throughout the day. Even better, you can wear them at night to relax and prepare yourself for a good night’s sleep.

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The best pool robot vacuums
The Dolphin Premier on top of pool water.

Tired of the constant upkeep required to keep your pool in good condition? While there are some aspects that are hard to automate (such as chemical treatments or maintaining pumps and skimmers), you can delegate vacuuming to a reliable robot assistant. Pool robot vacuums have seen big improvements over the past few years, and they make it easier than ever to keep your pool looking brand new.

Built to run autonomously after a brief setup, pool robot vacuums will suck up all the dirt and debris lingering in the water. Most can run for over an hour before needing to be recharged or come with a wired connection for constant use. All of them are equipped with a variety of filters and scrubbers, ensuring your pool looks pristine the next time you go for a swim.

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