A meat thermometer transformed my cooking – here are nine of the best for roasts and barbecues

5 hours ago 5

While fewer of us are eating meat regularly – I refer you to the rise of “beef days” – if you’re going to cook it, it needs to be done properly. Overcooked beef with the texture of shoe leather, or undercooked poultry with a side of food poisoning, will put off even the most devoted carnivore.

A reliable meat thermometer solves both problems. It takes the guesswork out of cooking, helping you achieve melt-in-the-mouth steak and the best of any cut, with no special skills required.

As a bonus, it can even help you make modest energy-use savings by preventing overcooking. Buying one of the best meat thermometers isn’t about adding to a pile of gadgets – it’s about making the most of the meat you choose to eat. Personally, I’d choose a cheaper piece of meat cooked perfectly over a pricey one that’s dry and chewy.

At a glance

Best meat thermometer overall
Ninja ProChef wireless thermometer WP100EU
£89.99 at SharkNinja
Best budget meat thermometer
Salter Heston Blumenthal Precision indoor/outdoor meat thermometer
£17.99 at Amazon
Best wireless smart meat thermometer
Typhur Sync Gold dual two-probe wireless meat thermometer
£199.99 at Amazon
Best wireless Bluetooth meat thermometer
Meater Pro
£129 at John Lewis
Best leave-in meat thermometer
ETI Dot digital oven thermometer
£32.50 at ETI

Why you should trust me

I grew up believing that I didn’t like meat – I was vegetarian through my teens. Turns out, I just didn’t like how it was cooked. As an adult, I’ve always kept a meat thermometer at hand and have been testing them since I bought my first Meater wireless probe nine years ago. Since then, I’ve upgraded as the tech has improved. I test a lot of air fryers, multicookers and ovens, so for me a meat thermometer isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s an essential tool for assessing how well an appliance cooks.

How I tested

Lakeland Digital In-Oven Kitchen thermometer is tested in a pan of boiling water.

There are unexpected side effects to testing meat thermometers. One is cooking so much meat that a slightly greasy fug lingers in the house for days. Another is temporarily altering my App Store algorithm, after downloading five meat thermometer apps in succession. That’s a lot of cooking, says the store. Would I enjoy these 10 grocery shopping apps? Or how about some hiking and cycling apps to balance out your burger binge?

I tested 12 thermometers, but only nine made the cut. The first two tests used hot and cold calibration methods. I took the temperature of boiling water in a pan and ice water in a glass, alongside a thermocouple thermometer, and compared the readings. This was repeated three times for each. Since meat thermometers are designed for solids, liquid readings may not be degree-perfect, but they provided a guide to accuracy at the upper and lower limits of the scale.

I started the cooking part of the tests by pan-frying thick beef burgers on a medium-to-high heat, noting when each thermometer said they were done, when I was advised to flip (if applicable), and if the burgers were still pink in the middle. Burgers were placed in a preheated pan straight out of the fridge, with just a small amount of oil. They were then fried for about six to seven minutes on each side with a three-minute rest, until cooked through and measuring a peak of 70-72C in the centre.

This was followed by roasting chicken legs in a preheated air fryer at 190C. It normally takes about 25-28 minutes for the chicken to reach an internal temperature of 75-78C, with a three-minute rest. For each thermometer, I noted when it read that the chicken was done, then checked it by slicing open the leg to see if there was any pink remaining. I also noted whether the juices were running clear and whether the meat remained moist.

Finally, I evaluated how easy each thermometer was to set up, use and maintain, and its battery life. All samples have been returned to their supplier or donated to charity.

The best meat thermometers, tested

Ninja ProChef Wireless Thermometer WP100EU

Heston Blumenthal Precision Indoor/Outdoor meat thermometer

Typhur Sync Gold Dual 2-Probe wireless meat thermometer.

The best of the rest

Weber Connect smart probe and grate sensor

For more, read our guide to the best BBQs

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Oxo Chef’s Precision digital instant read thermometer.

Lakeland digital in-oven kitchen thermometer.

The rest of the test

Those that didn’t make the cut in my testing include the Salter analogue meat thermometer (doesn’t require batteries or charging, but its dial didn’t offer as much information as others here, and it briefly malfunctioned in my test); plus Salter’s Precision meat thermometer, which performed brilliantly, but is identical in price and similar in spec to the Heston Blumenthal Precision meat thermometer above. The Heston put in a similar performance but came with more guidance.

Also missing is the ETI RFX wireless. On a positive note, it uses radio frequency rather than wifi for a more stable connection, but it’s lacking in features compared with other wireless meat thermometers. The app is basic – there are no guided cooks, for example – and I didn’t find it especially user-friendly. It also requires exact placement in small items, or else it can give misleading data – I had to reinsert it mid-cook. I have included ETI’s Dot digital oven thermometer, though, and would always recommend its Thermapen, which is the thermometer I use for general cooking at home.

What you need to know

What kind of meat thermometer do I need?

The type of meat thermometer you choose will depend on what you might cook with it and how.

Analogue or traditional meat thermometers will be fine for infrequent users, or those who mainly cook joints of meat in the oven or on the barbecue. They’re durable, affordable, and don’t need to be recharged or have their batteries replaced. That said, they’re less precise than others and can be slow to respond to changes, which can lead to overcooking, plus the dial can get in the way under a grill or in a pan. They’re better than no meat thermometer at all, but could prove frustrating for a keen cook.

Digital meat thermometers are more accurate than analogue, quick to respond to temperature changes, and may also come with extra features, such as a timer, alarm, or presets for different meats and levels of cooking. They’re available either as a stand-alone, instant-read probe or wired to a base, so that the probe can stay in an oven, pan, grill or barbecue – just always check the maximum temperature, particularly with wired models. Most cost less than £40 and are a good choice if you don’t need all the bells and whistles – and extra cost – of a smart wireless probe.

Smart, wireless meat probes are designed to be used with a companion app for checking the temperature remotely. There may also be a separate base for monitoring, so you don’t always need to have your device to hand. They’re often pricey, but if you cook meat frequently, you’ll love the convenience of not being confined to the kitchen or grill. They’re the most versatile of the lot: many fit in smaller food items more easily; they work well in pans, grills and ovens; and apps will usually offer guidance for achieving the best results. Great for beginners and more confident cooks aiming to up their game.

How to use a meat thermometer

Correct placement of a meat thermometer will return the most accurate reading, but this depends on what you’re cooking and the type of thermometer you’re using. Smart probes usually need to be inserted fully into the meat, up to a marked insertion line, while instant-read probes often only need the thin tip inserted so it reaches the centre of the food. Analogue meat thermometers typically need to be inserted deeper than instant-read models. Check the insertion guide for your particular model.

The aim with most meats is to insert the probe into the thickest part, avoiding bone or gristle. For example, for a whole chicken, this would be through the thigh into the centre of the breast. While multiple insertion holes allow juices to leak out, don’t be afraid to take the meat thermometer out mid-cook and reinsert if the temperature looks too high too soon.

How to clean a meat thermometer

It’s important to clean your meat thermometer when switching between pieces of meat to avoid cross-contamination. Wipe the probe with a hot, soapy cloth (don’t submerge), then rinse and dry with a kitchen towel to prevent bacteria growth. An alcohol wipe will do in a pinch.

For stuck-on mess, soak the probe tip in hot soapy water to soften the residue before cleaning. Resist the temptation to scrub with harsh cleaners or pads – scratches on a probe create more places for bacteria to grow and can affect sensory accuracy.

It’s advisable to clean a probe after every session: dip it in diluted bleach or distilled white vinegar (avoiding any electronic parts), then rinse under hot running water. Don’t forget to clean protective sheaths or covers since these can harbour bacteria, too.

Can you use a meat thermometer for other foods?

Yes, but not all foods. If you don’t have the budget for a cooking thermometer and a meat thermometer, the latter can be used for foods such as quiche, casseroles and desserts.

However, they’re not usually suitable for liquids. Meat thermometer probes tend to be thicker and slower to react, which can lead to imprecise readings in liquids. In addition, they may not cover the temperature range.

It’s also best to opt for a specialised thermometer for high-heat cooking, such as jam or caramel, or deep-frying. A meat thermometer may not have the upper range, plus high heat can damage sensors.

Rachel Ogden has worked as a consumer journalist for decades, becoming an expert unboxer before it was a thing, although she is less successful at repacking. Her home has hosted hundreds of small appliances, from air fryers and slow cookers to meat thermometers, while outside, you’ll find her messing about with barbecues and pizza ovens. It takes a lot to impress her – many appliances have tried and failed

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