This is a bigger-budget gadget that foodies froth over, making it a cool gift for the carnivore chef in your life. Home thermometers measure in either whole degrees or tenths of a degree; make sure you know how much detail you want, as not every thermometer does both — and those that do should make it easy to switch between the resolutions. Similarly, the thermometer should display the temperature in both degrees Fahrenheit or degrees Celsius, so you can use it no matter where you live, and allow you to easily flip between the two. Though it’s not a necessity, calibration is an excellent additional feature; by measuring a known temperature (such as ice water) and adjusting the readout accordingly, you can continue using your thermometer even if its initial accuracy diminishes over time. We tested 22 meat thermometers in our Birmingham, Alabama, testing lab to find out which were easiest to use and produced accurate readings. Additionally, our expert testers use certain models in their home kitchens, who regularly supply us with home-cooking insights and updates on long-term wear and tear.

Choose from a range of great colours. I tested a Midnight Blue ONE which was stylish and looked great in my navy kitchen. It’s a good idea to sanitize the probe on your thermometer with a little rubbing alcohol and a paper towel. With a pre-alert beep to warn you it’s almost time to remove your dish, this gadget then gives a ‘ready’ alert, times a three-minute resting period for the meat and also sounds an alarm if you’ve left The thermometer itself is simple to use, with buttons for scrolling through the type of food you’re cooking, an OK button to select and, if you’re cooking lamb or beef, the option to choose a level of doneness. A large display makes it easy to see the temperature climbing at a glance. One feature we might change is the alarm for when it reaches the pre-selected temperature as, while it’s guaranteed to get your attention, it’s loud and shrill.

FoodSafety.gov has a Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures Chart that you can reference at any time. Generally, at approximately 145 degrees Fahrenheit, seafood, fresh beef and lamb, fresh pork and fresh ham are deemed safe to eat. Cook ground meats and egg dishes to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Ground poultry, fresh poultry, pre-cooked ham and leftover casseroles should be cooked until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

For tech-lovers who are into grilling, this sleek thermometer gives you plenty of control through an app on your smartphone. It is equipped with four probes that can be individually monitored through your phone, making it easy to cook multiple cuts of meats at once. It has an array of presets that you can use depending on what type of meat you're cooking, as well as the ability to customize settings as you wish. We all know that timing is everything in the kitchen, and getting everything ready to go all at once can get any chef in a flap. Since I’ve used these gadgets and learned to rest meat properly when it A clear display that’s easily read so you don’t have to move the thermometer or open the oven to see it is key. You may also appreciate the ability to switch between celsius and fahrenheit for different recipes. Other functions, such as the temperature of the oven or a countdown to the moment your food is cooked, are nice to have, but may not be necessary day-to-day. Accuracy: Above all, a thermometer should deliver an accurate temperature reading. We tested these thermometers in several applications, from an ice bath, to monitoring an immersion circulator bath, boiling water, and grilling pork to 135 degrees Fahrenheit. The more precise the reading, the higher the rating.To test the durability of each thermometer they were each dropped five times from a kitchen counter (about 90cm off the ground) to a linoleum floor. Keep the transmitter away from any heat sources. Only the thermometer’s probe and attached wire should be near the meat in your oven or grill. If one meat thermometer isn't enough, this two-probe version by ThermoPro may just be what you're looking for. Equipped with a handy remote receiver, you can monitor your grill, sous-vide, beer-brewing project, and more from up to 500 feet away. The newest model, the Thermapen One, is the best yet. All the classic, top-notch features are here: a display that automatically rotates in four directions so the temperature is always face-up, a perfect size and ergonomic shape for large or small hands, a rubberized ring to aid in gripping, easy access to changing settings (whether you want Fahrenheit or Celsius, whether it should measure whole degrees or tenths) and the calibration tool. But now it’s even faster, giving you a solid reading in just over 1 second (upwards of three times faster than the previous, lightning-fast MK4). It also has a much brighter auto-on light and it’s been redesigned to work better with induction cooktops.

Decibel rating of the alarm: When applicable, we considered how audible the alarms were. This is key for knowing when your meats have reached the desired temperature or when it's time to adjust your fire. Cuisinart CBT-100 Bluetooth Easy Connect Meat Thermometer: We liked this sleek, 2-probe thermometer because it has a lot of functionality in its app. It also delivered wonderfully accurate readings and sounded its alarm through our smartphone. Where it faltered was in its range—we lost connectivity while only about 20 yards away. If you're planning on using this indoors and staying fairly close to the unit, that likely won't be a dealbreaker for you. Setting your desired cooking time and temperature, or configuring the alarm to sound once your target temperature is reached, could not be easier. The alarm is piercing but clear and not unpleasant. And we noticed no problems with accuracy during our testing (though the thermometer measures only whole degrees, not tenths, so minute fluctuations were harder to detect).

Overall Take

The best meat thermometers you can buy in 2023 1. Oxo Chef’s Precision Leave-In Meat Thermometer: Best analogue meat thermometer By far the largest thermometer I tried, you’re certainly not going to lose this in a busy kitchen but wish I could say the same about the small protective coverings for the prongs which could be

To find out which meat thermometers in our selection were the best, we put our whole selection through the following tests. Accuracy Key specs – Size: 4 x 3 x 38cm (WDH); Leave in oven: No; Features: AAA batteries included; Weight: 120g Pre-set with safe temperatures for food set by the US Department of Agriculture, you can choose between one setting for both beef and veal, then lamb, pork and poultry. The open setting means you can also store your own setting for use with a favourite recipe – for me, I tried 145 degrees for salmon steaks which came out just as the family like them. Donna Currie, a seasoned food writer, cookbook author, and recipe developer, has tested hundreds of products for us over the past seven years. She's home-tested multiple wireless thermometers over the years, and did a side-by-side test in 2021. Of those, she continues to frequently use the same MEATER Plus at the grill and in the oven, a testament to its long-term durability.The sturdy cover on this model had incredibly useful temperature reminders for beef, lamb, pork – medium rare to well done and readings for fresh or pre-cooked, ham, and both poultry thigh and Temperature range: Factor in what you cook most often and then find the range of temperatures the thermometer can report — and withstand — that works best for you. Thermometers with a wide temperature range are useful for larger foods with longer cook times. But a narrower range might deliver better accuracy or a faster response time. Read the use and care instructions to determine the uppermost temps the thermometer can withstand to ensure the device can handle direct cooking as well as flare-ups. Because you're often using a meat thermometer on raw meat, keeping it clean will help prevent cross-contamination. In most cases, you can wipe the probe down with a soapy, damp cloth and dry it thoroughly before using it again. Always consult your user's manual to see if there are any additional, device-specific instructions for cleaning.