If you're worried about accidentally serving undercooked meat to friends and family, eliminate that worry by investing in a good digital meat thermometer. It's one of the few tools that will instantly boost your confidence in the kitchen. After testing 37 digital instant-read and probe thermometers, we found that ThermoWorks ThermoPop 2 is the best instant-read thermometer and ThermoWorks Dot is the best probe thermometer for the home kitchen. Both thermometers are fast, accurate, and affordable with clear, easy-to-read displays.
Our Recommendations
No other thermometer under $50 can match the ThermoPop 2's combination of speed, range, reliability, and easy-to-read display.
Not only is the ThermoWorks ThermoPop 2 fast and accurate, it's also waterproof and designed for right- or left-handed use. It can read temperatures from -58°F to 572°F and easily switches between Celsius and Fahrenheit. ThermoPop's backlit display has large numbers and automatically rotates in four directions, allowing for quick readings from any angle. While it's not the fastest thermometer we tested, it will easily meet most home kitchen needs, and it's much better than most digital thermometers selling for under $30. We recommend the version with the 4.5-inch probe, but you can also get one with an 8-inch probe, which will give you a reading a second or two slower.
Our Recommendations
The Dot Probe Thermometer can be left inside the meat while it's cooking so you can easily monitor doneness, and it also has a strong magnet so it can be attached securely to your oven door.
If you want a thermometer that you can leave inside the roast while it cooks or attach to your grill or smoker, we recommend the ThermoWorks Dot. The Dot is accurate, affordable, and easy to use. It has the same wide temperature range as the ThermoPop and has one of the longest probe cables of any thermometer we reviewed. The ThermoWorks Dot's digital display is easy to read, and it's easy to set an alarm to sound when your meat reaches a certain temperature. We also like the backlit screen, which is convenient for outdoor grilling at night.
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This thermometer also offers faster readings, temperature alerts, temperature hold functionality, and a foldable probe that's handy for taking measurements at odd angles.
The Lavatools Javelin Pro Duo instant-read thermometer is a middle-ground option between the ThermoPop and the best-in-class $100 ThermoWorks Thermapen One. In testing, the Javelin Pro Duo was nearly a second faster to reach the actual temperature than the ThermoPop, and its foldable probe lets you measure the temperature from a variety of angles. It has a few features the ThermoPop doesn't, like a beep when the temperature stabilizes, a button to hold the reading, and the ability to track minimum and maximum temperatures. It also displays the temperature to the nearest tenth of a degree. And unlike the ThermoPop and Thermapen, the Javelin Pro Duo has a magnet so you can stick it to your fridge or stove instead of tossing it in a drawer.
Choose your upgrade
It's the fastest, most accurate instant-read thermometer we tested, and it also features a bright, backlit, rotating screen, a wide temperature range, and full-fledged waterproofing.
Most people don't need to spend more than $100 on a thermometer. But if speed is a premium, or you have a cooking project that requires 100-degree accuracy, the ThermoWorks Thermapen One is an easy choice. This button-less thermometer is fully automatic; it powers up when you pull out the probe, and the bright backlight and rotating screen are motion-activated. It was an average of 2 to 3 seconds faster than the Javelin Pro Duo when measuring temperatures in the mid-100s Fahrenheit, where most cooking happens. The thermometer's long probe means you can be confident that you're measuring deep into your food.
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This single probe thermometer comes with many features including a timer and volume control.
If you're looking for a little more convenience in your probe thermometer, the ThermoWorks ChefAlarm is a good choice, with a timer and volume control. In testing, the ChefAlarm was a few seconds slower to read the temperature than the Dot, but was just as accurate. We especially liked the convenience of this model's timer. The digital unit is also hinged, so it can be placed flat or adjusted to a specific angle. Unlike other products, the ChefAlarm thermometer comes with a case to store the probe and digital unit.
