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What instant-read thermometer do you use?

kitchendetective

18 years ago

What is your favorite brand/kind of instant read thermometer? I make roasts frequently and need a new one.

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Comments (6)

fairegold
18 years ago
I just bought a cheap one for $7.99 at Bed Bath and Beyond, and then I used a 20% off coupon. I looked at more expensive ones with digital readouts, etc, but they all required batteries. Sorry, I do not need anything else in my life that uses a battery!
BeverlyAL
18 years ago
I had bought several at TJ Maxx and none of them registered properly so I bit the bullet and bought this one. I really like it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Thermopen
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For years I used an 18" probe thermometer with a nice simple dial in degrees F and C, which cost $20. Then some fool (alright the same person), who knows not to run with scissors, ran with the thermometer and dropped it on a rock, breaking the face. I used it that way for a couple of years before looking around for another one. The same one was no longer available so I got the rather inferior Lee Valley one, which encourages very hot composting - which I'm against - by telling you which composting temp. range you're in. I usually do batch composting, and turn the pile only once, if that. I take the temp of the pile in the first couple of weeks to see how well I've built it. If it heats up into the 120-130F range I know I've done a good job of layering materials, and there's good moisture and aeration, so in a sense, the thermometer has trained me to be a better composter. IMO even $30 - the price of three movies - is cheap for something that lasts for years, and quickly gives you a glimpse into the inside workings of a pile - you can almost see what the bacteria are up to. Impress friends, amaze kids, maybe get a few of them hooked on composting. A two or three-foot length of reebar, left in the pile for an hour or so, will give you a good idea of the heat in there too.
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Ok, I found it. I did calibrate it but then it wasn't reading the temperature of the room correctly. I'm waiting for my steak to be done to see if it works. It took so long to read that I wasn't expecting it to get so hot that when I took it out of the steak, I got burnt... Anyways... My steak was rare but it read it at 152. The thing that came with it said that 145 is medium rare. It stuck at 120 for a while when it was reading. My conclusion is that I need to get yet another thermometer to try.
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Digital is usually more precise. You can spend close to $100 on a thermapen which gives a very quick read. If you are willing to wait 5 to 6 seconds, you can get a digital style for about $20 many places, including http://www.thermoworks.com/products/low_cost/rt301wa.html If you want a remote read out ( so you don't need to open the door, or need instant, I have the DOT from thermoworks http://www.thermoworks.com/products/alarm/dot.html it is about $35 to $40, and I like how easy it is to set. You can also find ones for barbeques that have a wireless remote, range can be a big issue for those, though Maverick makes a few nice models.
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I have both a thermapen and a thermopop (and the DOT which makes me a tremendous nerd). I love them both. That said, I'd say that the thermopop is the best value unless you're a super-nerd like myself. The main functional differences: The thermapen comes to temperature in 3 seconds and is then essentially continuous. The thermopop takes up to 5 seconds to and then is essentially continuous. I don't find the 2 second difference to be substantive and they are both basically continuous after those first seconds. Understand that once they reach temperature they are both essentially continuous. It's only the initial rise to temperature where one can see the 2 second difference. Once at temp they are equally fast. The second difference is that the thermapen is guaranteed to be accurate within 7/10 of a degree (if I remember correctly) while the thermopop is guaranteed to be accurate within 2 degrees (again in memory serves correctly). I find that 2 degrees of accuracy is more than enough for almost any home application. Plus, the thermapen reads more quickly when set to single degree accuracy instead of 1/10 and so most folks don't even use it in the 1/10 degree mode. More importantly, I find that the difference is only in the guarantee and not in actual performance. I have compared the two often and always found them to give identical readings. In fact, all three products have always given me identical readings. In other words, the company won't promise that the thermopop is as accurate at the thermapen but in reality it performs as accurately. Long way of saying that at $29 ( and occasionally $21) the thermopop is an amazing value. I started using it at work and no fewer than 10 of my fellow firefighters have been inspired to buy one (thermowords should be paying me a commission). Unless you're into molecular gastronomy and like to nerd out on stuff, go with the thermopop. BTW you're going to wonder why you wasted so much time on the old fashioned (non) instant reads. That said, if cost is no issue, then go with the thermapen. I love mine.
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jessyf
18 years ago
I do not need anything else in my life that uses a battery!

Thou art a stronger woman than me, Fairegold
fenworth
18 years ago
For instant-reads: After lousy experience with both Polder (only in that it wasn't waterproof as advertised) and Taylor (which takes forrrrevvverrrr to get a reading) I decided my cheapo Progressive dial type is just fine. I've been tempted by the Thermopen since Cook's Illustrated swears by one of the models, but I just can't find fault in my Progressive.

For roasts, however, I prefer a leave-in-the-oven thermometer, and I'm quite satisfied with my Williams Sonoma one (rebranded Maverick I believe) in that it tells temp well, but the extra bells and whistles are useless. For example the presets - 180 deg for poultry? In my neck of the woods chicken is done (and still moist) long before that. And to be told the roast will be done in 15 minutes - 45 minutes - 10 minutes - 25 minutes doesn't do me much good, either.
readinglady
18 years ago
I have a Thermopen also and love it, especially for breads and preserves. But for meats we use a probe from Oregon Scientific. (Sorry, it does require batteries, LOL.) We've also used Taylor remote thermometers with good results.

The only caveat with one of these probes is you'll destroy it if it's in the oven during high-heat roasting. You have to insert it after the temperature has been allowed to drop down. (I don't need to explain how we learned that lesson!)

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Oregon Scientific Wireless Oven & BBQ Thermometer
caflowerluver
18 years ago
I have a Acurite digital meat thermometer that I bought at Big Lots years ago. For a really cheap one, it works well. You can leave the metal probe in and set an alarm to let you know when the meat is done. It also has a meat menu for all the different meats and displays rare, medium, well done. Easy to use and seems to be accurate enough. I also use it on the grill. You can even custom program it for set times. It does run on batteries.
Clare

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