Dcarch, I've been considering ordering an infrared thermometer for a long time, thanks for providing a few uses for it that I hadn't thought of! (a little extra justification never hurts!) Jadeite, thanks for pushing me over the edge by providing the link to the sale at Thermoworks. I've purchased a few items from them, and I'm on their mailing list. I don't know why I didn't get that email! DebraK, I had and threw out a number of digital thermometers because I couldn't trust them to be accurate. I asked for, and received, my Thermapen for Christmas a year ago and I use it all the time. It's accurate and reliable, and best of all it has a very slim, very sharp probe that can be used on thin things, like a steak, thin pork chop, or pounded chicken breast or even fish (though it's easy to tell when fish is done). I have also used it to find out how hot foods are in a warming tray on my Thanksgiving buffet--and also how cold a salad is, so I know when to put it back in the fridge. I've also used it to measure the temp of hot water for brewing green tea or coffee, and the temperature of the water going into the fish tank, and various other things. It's one of the most used things in my kitchen, and I count it very much worth the money spent. Cj

Well, these are hard to find, but I just ordered this one: ChefAlarm by ThermoWorks - (Black) Sold by ThermoWorks If you have experience with it, please let me know. The reviews were all good on Amazon. It's not cheap, but if I can set my own times instead of preset ones, I'm happy, and this doesn't have all those taste settings.

I have never owned any ovens with digital controls (though I will, when our kitchen remodel completes and I'll have a Miele CSO). I don't really miss digital read outs. There is so much variation in how ovens heat, that a single number doesn't really help much. Some ovens are really uniform, whereas others not so much. Most ovens cycle on and off and there can be significant temperature swings, especially when the oven isn't fully pre-heated. Temperature sensors are sometimes placed in locations that aren't fully representative of the temperature that the dish is experiencing. Etc., etc. ... The upshot is that no matter what, you'll have to learn how your oven works and how you need to tweak recipes. I have a cheap sub-$10 thermometer in my ovens. It helps when you first learn how to use the oven. These days, I need to rely on it less frequently. And yes, I am very happy with my Bluestar oven. But I am also looking forward to getting a CSO, as the moisture control will help for some dishes, and as the faster pre-heat times will be really nice. Different tools for different jobs.

I bought the Thermapen when I realized all the thermometers I had while the boys were growing up were lost or no longer working. I found one old mercury type that didn't work -- a little scary. I did later find one that I was able to get a new battery for, but had already bought a Thermapen Wand for each of our sons and one for us. I have since bought one for my son to have at school. I would have loved to have these when the boys were growing up -- they may become a new baby gift. Bbstx -- go for it! Especially on sale. The leather pouch is nice too.