Digital Instant-Read Thermometer: for instantaneous internal food temperatures

This is our go-to thermometer—the one we use most often in the kitchen. It takes internal temperatures within seconds, so we use it to check the doneness of meat, poultry, fish, sauces, custards, and even bread and vegetables such as potatoes. In a pinch, you can also use it to see if your frying oil is at the right temperature.

Clip-On Probe Thermometer: leave-in thermometer for internal food and ambient temperatures

This is best for tracking the internal temperature of food or oil over longer periods of time. We use it when roasting or smoking meat and to monitor oil temperatures when deep-frying. Our favorite, the ThermoWorks ChefAlarm, can also be used as an oven thermometer if you buy a separate air probe!

Remote-Probe Thermometer: leave-in thermometer for internal food and ambient temperatures

This is essentially the same as a clip-on probe thermometer, but it allows you to walk away from the food, either giving you a portable alert system or pushing alerts to your phone when your food has reached your target temperature. This means it’s useful for long, slow cooks where you can’t (or don’t want to) be close to the food the whole time—for example, when you’re roasting a pork shoulder or smoking a brisket outside.

Infrared Thermometer: for instantaneous cookware/bakeware temperatures

This tells you how hot your cookware or bakeware is, letting you know when it’s ready to sear/brown/bake. It’s also useful for scanning large surfaces quickly to find hot or cold spots in your fridge or freezer or on griddles, skillets, and other cookware.

Refrigerator/Freezer Thermometer: This lets you keep an eye on your fridge and freezer temperatures so that you can find out whether they’re running cold or warm.

Oven Thermometer: This tells you whether your oven runs hot or cool so that you can either recalibrate the oven or adjust your baking times.

Reviews you can trust.

Infrared Thermometers