When cooking meat, poultry, and seafood, it’s important to make sure that your food has reached a certain temperature to ensure that it’s fully cooked and safe to consume. You could eyeball it, but that involves cutting into your food before it’s ready and, even then, you can’t be sure. Instead, take out all of the guesswork with the help of a food thermometer. Some are simple and very straightforward, while fancier, digital models allow you to monitor your food from afar.
If you haven’t been using a food thermometer until now, just know that you’ve been doing it all wrong. Once you add a meat thermometer to your kitchen arsenal, you’ll never look back.
Looking for the best food thermometer to suit your kitchen needs and budget? We did the research, sifting through hundreds of reviews to pull together a list of some of the most top-rated and well-loved food thermometers that chefs and homecooks swear by.
How do I choose the best food thermometer?
Choosing a food thermometer is a pretty low stress decision — all you really need to do is ensure you’re selecting something that has a clear and easy to read display (whether digital or otherwise) and will provide accurate readings for the long term.
How much do food thermometers cost?
Food thermometers are a pretty budget-friendly addition to your kitchen toolkit. You can pick up a no-frills option, like the Rubbermaid Instant Read Thermometer for less than $10—but more tech-enabled options can run you up to $60+ depending on the number of bells and whistles.