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While cooking any type of raw meat, there are a few important things you need to do in order to ensure the best flavor. Using marinade and spices, picking the perfect side items, and of course, cooking the meat to perfection ensures your family, friends, or party guests feel sated and satisfied after eating.
Making sure your meat is properly cooked is especially important because not only does it ensure the best flavor, but it also prevents you from serving food that is overdone or dangerously undercooked. This is why every kitchen should have a meat thermometer.
Top 10 Best Meat Thermometers from 2017
Picture | Name | Brand | Price | Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|
Maverick ET-733 Dual Probe Long Range Wireless Digital Thermometer Set | Maverick | $$$ | 4.9 | |
Weber 6492 Original Instant-Read Thermometer | Weber | $ | 4.7 | |
Supreme Home Cook Oven & BBQ Touchscreen Digital Meat Cooking Thermometer | Supreme Home Cook | $$ | 4.7 | |
MeasuPro Digital Instant Read | MeasuPro | $ | 4.6 | |
On'h Instant Read Thermometer | On'h | $ | 4.6 | |
ThermoWorks DOT Professional Probe Style Alarm Thermometer | ThermoWorks | $$ | 4.6 | |
Luxe Grill Digital Meat Thermometer | Luxe Grill | $ | 4.6 | |
Ultra Fast & Accurate Thermometer | Lavatools | $ | 4.5 | |
KitchenDroid Digital Meat Thermometer | KitchenDroid | $$ | 4.5 | |
CDN ProAccurate Quick-Read Thermometer | CDN | $ | 4.5 | |
Picture | Name | Brand | Price | Rating |
What is a Meat Thermometer?
Contents
A meat thermometer works just like any other thermometer in determining temperature. It is inserted into a cut of meat to determine the internal temperature. Meat may look done on the outside, but on the inside, it may not be properly cooked.
You don’t want to slice into the meat to check the doneness because this releases the juices. A meat thermometer easily allows you to check the internal temperature of the meat without cutting into it, so it tastes great and looks presentable for your next meal.
What are the different types of Meat Thermometers?
If you want to ensure that your food is flavorful and safe for consumption, you just can’t do it properly without a quality thermometer. Before you make a purchase, determine which thermometer will be best for your kitchen.
- Oven-safe thermometers – These are the most common thermometers. They are safe to be left in food while cooking, although they can be used after the food has been removed from the oven as well, although it may take a few minutes to get a reading. These are easy to read and provide accurate temperature readings.
- Digital probes – These have a metal probe that is inserted into the food, and a base unit that is put on the stovetop or countertop. You can view the digital reading any time during the cooking process, or you can set a temperature and receive an audible alert when the meat has reached that temperature. Some modern ranges even come equipped with this built-in feature.
- Pop-up thermometers – These are very easy to use when placed correctly. Once the food has reached an internal temp of 180 degrees, this unit will pop up. Always know when your food is ready.
What are the Advantages of Owning a Meat Thermometer?
Owning one of these thermometers is important for a variety of reasons. Overcooked meat becomes tough, dry, and loses all of the juices that gives it great flavor. A thermometer allows you to make sure that your meat is at the perfect temperature.
On the flip side, food that has not been cooked long enough can result in illnesses (frequently referred to as “food poisoning”) that can really make you sick and can even be very dangerous. With one of these thermometers, you never have to worry about eating or serving food that is not at the proper internal temperature.
Who are the contenders for Best Food Thermometer?
Weber 6492 Original Instant-Read Thermometer
If you want a basic thermometer that’s easy to read and very affordable, this model is just right. The Weber costs very little but doesn’t fall short on performance, providing you with accurate readings in no time. It is great for using on the grill, and it’s very small and portable, so you can bring it along with you on your camping trips. It can be inserted into any food no matter how it’s been cooked, and it’s great for taking accurate temps when you remove your meal from the oven. The large digital screen is easy to read, and it can even be used for candy making.
Supreme Home Cook Oven & BBQ Touchscreen Digital Meat Cooking Thermometer
If you want a probe with a modern and easy-to-use interface, you’ll love what this unit has to offer. The touchscreen design makes it easy to set the proper temperature for your meat. Instead of running to your cookbook or computer to look up the proper internal temperatures for meat, you can find them in no time, as this has a variety of meat temperatures pre-programmed. Set the timer and go about your day knowing that you’ll receive an alert once your food is cooked perfectly.
Maverick ET-733 Dual Probe Long Range Wireless Digital Thermometer Set
If you don’t want to hang around the grill or in your kitchen all day waiting for your meal, you don’t have to. This wireless probe has a unit that can be taken up to 300 feet away, allowing you to go inside away from the heat while grilling out or move to other parts of your home while you’re cooking. Just set the desired temperature manually or by choosing one of the 15 preset temps, grab the unit, and go. You’ll receive an alert once your food is ready for consumption.
Considerations for Choosing the Best Meat Thermometer
If you love to cook for your family, guests, or even just for yourself, a meat thermometer is a kitchen must-have. Whether you’re replacing a thermometer that you’ve had for years that has finally given up or you’re buying one for the first time, you need to keep an eye out for these four features in every thermometer you consider buying.
Price
You can purchase thermometers from less than $10 for a basic product to over $100 for a top-of-the-line digital unit that utilizes the latest technology so it’s easy to use.
Type
What type of thermometer do you prefer? It’s easy to come to the answer once you determine how you will use it. For use on your charcoal or propane grill, a unit with a probe will work best. If you want to keep tracking the temps consistently, an over-safe model is the way to go. For large roasts, turkeys, or whole chickens, a pop up thermometer may be best.
Warranty
If you buy a product, especially one that costs a good amount of money, you want to make sure it lasts. Over time and with regular use, it’s normal for a product to require maintenance or repairs, and eventually, it will need to be replaced. However, a product shouldn’t fail after just a few light uses, and if it does, it’s because of a defect that occurred while it was being made. A warranty protects against these defects, ensuring you that your product is high-quality and built to last.
Temperature range
Depending upon what you want to cook, you’ll need a wide range of temperature readings on your thermometer. If you plan to cook rare or medium rare steaks and prime rib, you’ll need to make sure it registers lower temperatures, while meats that require higher internal temperatures need a thermometer that will accurately record these higher temps.
Price
Weber 6492
At such a low price, this digital top-selling thermometer is a steal.
Supreme Home Cook Oven & BBQ Thermometer
This mid-priced model costs more than the Weber thermometer.
Maverick ET-733
With the highest retail price in the group, this is one of the more expensive thermometers you’ll find.
Type
Weber 6492
This is a probe thermometer that has the digital display attached instead of on a separate unit.
Supreme Home Cook Oven & BBQ Thermometer
This is a probe thermometer that has a probe and a separate touchscreen unit that views and sets temperatures.
Maverick ET-733
This is a dual probe thermometer that is wireless.
Warranty
Weber 6492
This model does not come with a warranty.
Supreme Home Cook Oven & BBQ Thermometer
This thermometer comes with a 100 percent money-back guarantee.
Maverick ET-733
It comes backed with a 90-day warranty against defects.
Temperature range
Weber 6492
This unit accurately measures temperatures from 32 to 446 Fahrenheit.
Supreme Home Cook Oven & BBQ Thermometer
This thermometer measures temps from 0 to 392 degrees.
Maverick ET-733
This model reads temperatures between 32 and 570 degrees.
Conclusion: Our Meat Thermometer Reviews Are In
Weber 6492 – Best Cheap Meat Thermometer
If you don’t want to pay a lot for a meat thermometer but you still want to get a quality product that displays accurate temperatures, this model from Weber is a great choice. You can use it to test temperatures of food you’ve prepared in the oven, on the stove, or on your grill. All you have to do is stick the probe inside of the meat, and you quickly get a reading on the attached digital display.
This probe registers temperatures up to 446 degrees, so it can be used for all of your high-temp cooking and baking, including making candy.
The head rotates so you don’t have to adjust the probe to view the display, it has a protective sleeve for the probe when not in use, and it shuts off automatically after 15 minutes to save battery power.
Supreme Home Cook Oven & BBQ Thermometer – Best Meat Thermometer for the Money
Are you tired of guessing about what the internal temperature of your meal should be? Instead of guessing or having to log onto the Internet to look up these numbers, you’ll find them programmed in this thermometer from Supreme Home Cook. It has a variety of preset temperatures that you can activate through the easy-to-use touchscreen design. Settings include Chicken, Turkey, Ham, Pork, Fish, and Rare, Medium Rare, Medium Well, and Well for Beef, Lamb, and Veal.
Can’t find what you’re cooking? You can set your own temperature very easily.
You’ll get an audible notification when your temperature has been reached, or you can change it to Timer mode to activate a countdown timer. You can use it on your grill, in the oven, on your stovetop, or while making candy. It runs on 2 AA batteries. It has a stand that folds, and has magnets attached so you can stick it right to your range. This model is easy to use and comes with a satisfaction guarantee.
Maverick ET-733 – Best Meat Thermometer Overall
Don’t feel bound to your grill or oven when you cook with this great thermometer, which has a wireless receiver that always displays an accurate temperature. Instead of having to strain to hear an alarm or hover over your appliance, you can go about your business while knowing that your dinner will be perfect.
This model comes with every feature you could ever want, including 15 programmed settings, an option to input your own temperature setting, a wireless receiver that receives a signal from up to 300 feet away, and a large backlit display. The LCD beeps and flashes when the desired temperature has been reached, so you’ll know right away when your meal is done. With its wide range of temperature readings, it is perfect for use in your oven, on the stove, or at your grill. The dual probes allow you to monitor two things at once, great if you’re cooking different meats at your barbecue.
Closing Thoughts
Take the guesswork out of cooking and baking, and make sure you create the perfect meal every time. Instead of using an old-fashioned hard to read monitor, try the modern Maverick ET-733. This model not only accurately registers the temperature of any type of hot food, but it also comes loaded with 15 settings, and the wireless receiver lets you enjoy time with your friends and family before settling in for your delicious meal.