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Which one should you buy?

If you cook meat, fish or bread with any regularity, buy a fast, accurate instant-read thermometer before you buy another pan. Here's where I'd look:

If I could give a beginner one gadget, this would be it. Recipes give you a time, but every oven, pan and piece of meat is different. A thermometer tells you the truth. Your chicken is juicy instead of dry, your pork is safe, and your steak is exactly how you like it.

It also takes the nerves out of cooking for other people. No more cutting into the chicken to have a peek and letting all the juices run out. Two seconds, a number, and you know.

What the number is really telling you

An instant-read thermometer measures the temperature at the very tip of the probe. That's why where you put it matters so much. The thickest part of a piece of meat is the last bit to cook, so that's the spot you want. Bone conducts heat and fat behaves differently, so keep the tip away from both.

Speed matters more than it sounds. A slow thermometer means your hand hovers over a hot pan, or the oven door stays open while the heat pours out. A fast one lets you check, move the probe a little, check again, and be done.

And remember that meat keeps cooking after it comes off the heat. A big roast can climb several degrees while it rests. That's why recipes often tell you to take it out a little before your target.

Safe temperatures worth knowing

These are the official safe minimum temperatures, measured in the thickest part:

A word about medium-rare steak

Lots of cooks take a steak off the heat at about 130°F for medium-rare. That's a doneness preference, not the safe minimum. The safe minimum for a whole steak is 145°F with a 3-minute rest. If you're cooking for someone who is pregnant, elderly, very young or unwell, cook it to 145°F. And never apply the medium-rare rule to burgers: minced meat must reach 160°F all the way through.

Thermapen ONE at a glance

The display turns itself the right way up whichever hand you hold it in, which is handier than it sounds when you're reaching into an oven.

What to look for in an instant-read thermometer

• Speed. A reading in a few seconds, so your hand isn't hanging over a hot pan.

• Accuracy you can check. It should read 32°F in a proper ice bath. More on that below.

• A thin, long probe. Thin leaves a smaller hole for juices to escape. Long reaches the middle of a big roast.

• A clear display. Big numbers, ideally a backlight, and one that rotates is a bonus.

• Water resistance. You'll be rinsing it often. Waterproof is better than splash-proof.

The Thermapen ONE ticks every box. Its only real drawback is the price, and Amazon has sometimes charged more than the maker's own list price, so it's worth comparing before you buy.

Who it suits, and who should skip it

Good for you if

• You roast, grill or bake bread often

• You want the fastest, most accurate reading you can get

• You like a long warranty on something you'll use every week

Skip it if

• You cook meat now and then: the ThermoPop 2 does the job for a fraction of the price

• You want to leave a probe in a roast with an alarm: that's a different tool, a leave-in probe thermometer

How to get the best from it

Thick cuts and roasts

Push the probe into the thickest part, away from bone, then pull it back slowly and watch the numbers. The lowest reading is the true centre.

Thin cuts

For chicken breasts, chops and burgers, go in from the side so the tip sits right in the middle rather than poking out the bottom.

Plan for the rest

Take a large roast out a few degrees before your target and let it rest. It will carry on cooking. For poultry and anything minced, make sure the safe temperature is reached, not just hoped for.

Not just for meat

It's brilliant for bread, custards, caramel and checking that your deep-frying oil is where it should be.

Looking after it

• Clean it between jobs. Wipe the probe and sanitise it after raw meat before it goes near anything that's ready to eat.

• A rinse is fine. The Thermapen is waterproof, so it can go under the tap. I'd still keep any electronic thermometer out of the dishwasher.

• Don't leave it in the oven. Instant-read means spot checks only. The body isn't made to sit in a hot oven.

• Fold it away. Close the probe after use to protect the tip and save the battery.

The one rule

Check it in a proper ice bath now and then. Pack a glass right to the top with crushed ice, then add cold water to just below the ice. Stir, and hold the tip in the middle, away from the sides and bottom. It should read 32°F. A loose cup of water with a few cubes floating in it will read high, so pack that ice in.

Questions people ask

Is a Thermapen worth the money over a cheaper thermometer?

If you cook meat several times a week, yes. You get a faster reading, full waterproofing and a five-year warranty. If you cook it now and then, the ThermoPop 2 is accurate enough for home cooking and costs far less.

What temperature is chicken done?

165°F in the thickest part, for whole birds, pieces and ground chicken alike.

Is 130°F safe for steak?

130°F is medium-rare, a matter of taste. The safe minimum for a whole steak is 145°F followed by a 3-minute rest. Cook to 145°F for anyone vulnerable, and always cook burgers to 160°F.

Where do I put the thermometer in a chicken?

In the thickest part of the thigh and the breast, without touching bone. Check both: they don't always finish at the same time.

Can I leave an instant-read thermometer in the oven?

No. It's for quick checks. For a long roast, use a leave-in probe thermometer with a cable and an alarm.

Cook with it

Practise with my How to Sear Meat lesson, then use it on the big day with my Roasting Pan picks.

Updated October 2026. Prices change often, so check before you buy.