You'll Never Undercook or Overcook Meat Again with These Meat Thermometers

My fear of undercooked meat started young, when my dad served raw chicken at not one but two summer barbecues. (To be clear, I also dislike overcooked meat, but not because of foodborne illness.) 

A good meat thermometer is a reliable way to avoid under- or overcooking meat. Of course, it can be helpful for other things, like deep-frying and candy-making. Below, you'll find our guide to the best meat thermometers. We included top picks from various reviews, including instant-read, grilling, and probe thermometers. That said, you won't find any analog picks—the ones with dial faces—as they’re slower and harder to read.

Things to Consider

Should You Buy an Instant-Read or a Leave-In Probe Thermometer? 

If you don’t own a thermometer or are looking to upgrade an existing one, go with an instant-read thermometer. These thermometers have long probes that you use to get temperature readings as needed. Our top pick, the Thermapen ONE, delivers readings in a couple of seconds. You’ll be able to use it for roasting meats, taking the temperature of fry oil, and making sure grilled chicken is, indeed, cooked. An instant-read thermometer's slim profile easily fits in an apron’s pocket or drawer for storage.

A leave-in probe thermometer has a long probe that’s connected to a heat-resistant cable, which is attached to a unit that displays the temperature and time. You can stick the probe into, say, a roast chicken and know what temperature the chicken is at any given moment. You can set alarms, too, to let you know when something’s hit temperature or if the temperature dropped too low or high (such as when deep-frying). It’s an extremely helpful tool we think most cooks would also be glad to have. It's worth noting that grilling thermometers are leave-in probe thermometers, though these often are cableless and have the added benefit of apps or receivers that relay the temperature remotely.

The Best Meat Thermometers Are Accurate and Fast

No matter the meat thermometer you buy, it should be accurate and fast. When we tested instant-read thermometers, we evaluated this by setting a water bath to 134°F using a sous vide machine. That way, the bath was the same temperature, no matter where we stuck the thermometer. We also did tests with boiling and ice water. Our favorite thermometers had response times of two to four seconds and were supremely dead accurate. Other thermometers were off by two to three degrees and took up to 20 seconds to deliver readings. Who wants to hold their hand in a hot oven or over a blazing grill for that long?

When we evaluated leave-in probe thermometers, our favorites were all accurate, but slower than the best instant-read options. The fastest, the ChefAlarm, took about five seconds compared to a Thermapen’s two seconds. That said, we think this is fine for roasting, barbecuing, or grilling, where you're monitoring meat temperatures over a longer period of time.

What Meat Thermometers Are the Easiest to Use?

For meat thermometers, we looked for features like a large screen with clear numbers, an auto-rotating screen so you can read it at any orientation, and an auto-backlight for easy reading in dark spaces, like cavernous ovens and grills. We also looked for probes that were at least five inches long, which made it easier to take the temperature of roasts. Alarms that could be silenced with the press of a button—no smashing things in while something beeps—and intuitive receivers or apps that connected seamlessly were also helpful.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Meat Thermometer

A good meat thermometer should be fast and accurate. It should also have a range of useful features, like an easily readable screen and a backlight. If a leave-in probe thermometer is what you’re after, the probe should be long, the alarm should be able to be silenced with one button, and the whole thing should be, ideally, magnetic. For remote-capable probe thermometers—for low-and-slow barbecuing, for example—the remote receiver/app should be reliable and capable of delivering readings through walls, across a yard, etc. It shouldn't drop the signal either.

Our Favorite Meat Thermometers

What we liked: With blisteringly fast response times and incredibly accurate readings, the Thermapen ONE was our top instant-read thermometer, besting 23 other models. It’s named the ONE after its reported one-second response time (and in our testing, it was nearly as fast as its namesake). The pull-out probe, large, 360-degree auto-rotating screen, and auto-backlight make it a standout. It also automatically turns on and off when you pull out/push back in the probe and when you pick it up after the thermometer’s been left idle.

What we didn’t like: The numbers on the screen could use a little more contrast, which would make them more visible.

Key Specs

• Temperature range: -58.0 to 572.0°F 
• Warranty: 5 years
• Features: Auto-rotating screen; auto-backlight; auto-on/off; adjustable sleep mode
• Good to know: Available in numerous colors
• Type of thermometer: Instant-read
  

What we liked: The ThermoPop 2 has an auto-rotating screen that’s much bigger and brighter than the original. Its slim profile, cap that hooks onto an apron or chef’s coat, and affordable price point make it a no-brainer recommendation. It’s nearly as fast and accurate as the Thermapen ONE, too.

What we didn’t like: A very small thing is that the power button is now located at the back of the thermometer, whereas the original ThermoPop had it at the front. We like this streamlined look, but it might take a small adjustment for those upgrading from the ThermoPop. An additional quibble is that it takes a few seconds of holding the power button for the thermometer to power off, though it’ll shut off by itself after 10 minutes.

Key Specs

• Temperature range: -58.0 to 572.0°F 
• Warranty: 2 years
• Features: Auto-rotating screen; auto-backlight; sleep mode after 10 minutes
• Good to know: Available in nine colors; you can choose between a 4.5- and 8-inch probe (we recommend the 4.5-inch for most home cooks)
• Type of thermometer: Instant-read
  

What we liked: Its accuracy, responsiveness, large, well-organized screen, and clearly labeled buttons made the ChefAlarm our top leave-in probe thermometer. It has a magnetic base that allows it to rest flat or stick on an oven or fridge and a screen that tilts up at a 45-degree angle for easy viewing. The ChefAlarm allows you to set high- and low-temperature alarms and includes a timer function. It also has a large temperature probe and comes with a pot clip and storage case. 

What we didn’t like: In my experience, the probe’s wire can kink and be a little hard to wrap up and stuff into its storage case.

Key Specs

• Temperature range: -58.0 to 572.0°F 
• Warranty: 2 years
• Features: Countdown/up timer
• Good to know: Available in nine colors
• Type of thermometer: Leave-in probe

What we liked: Small and light, and accurate and precise enough for most home cooks, the Polder is our budget-friendly leave-in probe thermometer recommendation. It has a few buttons, but its interface is well-organized and the screen is adjustable. It comes with a pot clip and its cord is silicone-coated, which makes it easy to wrap up and prevents kinking. 

What we didn’t like: The power button is on the underside of the base, and the cord has a heat-safe temperature of 450°F, which means it’d still be fine for a roast chicken, but not high-temperature grilling.

Key Specs

• Temperature range: 32 to 392°F
• Warranty: One-year limited warranty
• Features: It has a 24-hour countdown timer
• Good to know: Extra temperature probes can be purchased here
• Type of thermometer: Leave-in probe

What we liked: This wireless grill thermometer is intuitive to use and compatible with an app that can provide users with oodles of data (should they wish). It allows you to set high- and low-temperature alarms and is reasonably priced. It has a magnetic backing, so you can easily place it on a grill's lid or side table.

What we didn't like: You can only use one temperature probe with this thermometer, so serious grillers (or smoking aficionados) might prefer the Smoke below.

Key Specs

• Temperature range: -58 to 572°F
• Warranty: 2 years
• Features: It has a 24-hour countdown timer
• Good to know: Only available in one color; backlight
• Type of thermometer: Wireless

What we liked: Like other ThermoWorks thermometers, the Smoke is accurate, reliable, and fast. It has a clear interface and a cooking probe in “the same style and quality as the one used in the ChefAlarm, and it comes with an ambient probe and clip (the clip works well on grill and smoker grates, and can be modified to work in an oven),” as we said in our original review. The Smoke comes with a wireless receiver that allows you to monitor the temperature remotely. You can purchase additional probes for just $19 a pop, which is nice if you’re barbecuing two pork butts at once.

What we didn’t like: The power button has a less intuitive placement at the back of the thermometer. Strong magnets give the thermometer base a good hold, but the Smoke’s are bordering on overkill (it got a superglue-like hold).

Key Specs

• Temperature range: -58.0 to 572.0°F 
• Warranty: 2 years
• Features: 300-feet line of sight wireless transmission range
• Good to know: Available in nine colors; additional probes can be purchased here
• Type of thermometer: Wireless

What we liked: This set couldn't be easier to use: Just connect the RFX Gateway to your WiFi, add the probes on the app, and get cooking. The Gateway ensured the signal stayed strong, even when we smoked a pork shoulder outside and went inside and monitored the temperatures on the app. We could easily set a high and low alarm on the app and even track temperatures over time, making it a versatile thermometer that's great for grilling and smoking.

What we didn't like: The app contains loads of information, which made navigating around dizzying at times. While the Gateway and probe boast long battery lives, we found them slightly shorter than advertised. If you don't insert the probe to the minimum line, you risk damaging the temperature sensors.

Key Specs

• Temperature range: 14°F to 212°F
• Warranty: 2 years
• Features: Wireless monitoring up to 1,500 square feet
• Good to know: The Gateway has a 24-hour stated battery life
• Type of thermometer: Wireless

What we liked: If you like technology, then you'll probably like the Meater. The metal probe is housed in a sleek wooden rectangle, and the thermometer is app-compatible. The app itself is video game-esque, and you can set notifications for specific temperatures. Meater makes real-time cooking adjustments, too, as it gauges the progress of the meat for you.

What we didn't like: The thermometer itself lacks any display (it's literally just a probe), which may be unappealing for some.

Key Specs

• Temperature range: Up to 527°F
• Warranty: 1 year
• Features: App compatible; range of 165 feet
• Good to know: The thermometer's wooden housing/charging base requires batteries
• Type of thermometer: Wireless

FAQs

How do you use a meat thermometer?

To use a meat thermometer, you turn the thermometer on (if it doesn’t automatically do so), stick the probe in the meat, and give it a few seconds (or less) to read. That’s it!

Can you use a meat thermometer for candy? 

You absolutely can! Leave-in probe thermometers are particularly nice for candy, as they have a pot clip and can monitor the temperature throughout the whole process. You can even set temperature alerts. 

Can you leave a meat thermometer in the oven? 

Leave-in probe thermometers can be left in the oven to monitor the temperature of roasts (the device should, of course, be stationed outside of the oven). Instant-read thermometers, on the other hand, should not be left in the oven.

What other cooking tasks can a meat thermometer be used for?

A meat thermometer can be used to take the temperature of baked goods (bread is common), deep-frying oil (too low of oil temp = soggy fried foods), candy and caramels (notoriously temperature-sensitive), and poaching liquid (a gentle method of cooking that requires specificity).

Why We're the Experts

• Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm is the associate editorial director at Serious Eats. She has worked for the site since 2021.
• Riddley's tested gear professionally for more than six years, having previously worked for America's Test Kitchen, Food52, and EatingWell.
• Riddley also helped to test instant-read thermometers.