Best Meat Thermometers of 2024
1. BEST OVERALL MEAT THERMOMETER
Thermoworks Thermapen One
PROS
- Water-resistant so you can wash it
- Accurate readings in one second
CONS
- No hanging loop or clip
The Thermoworks meat thermometer is our overall top performer and a past Kitchen Gear Award winner. It turns on the moment you unfold it, and the tapered probe easily pierces thin and thick meats to deliver accurate results in one second. The screen is very easy to read — including in low-light situations, thanks to its backlighting — and it offers readings to the tenth of a degree.
It has an auto-sleep mode that will help conserve the battery, or you can simply fold it back up to turn it off. We like that the large body offers a comfortable grip and provides enough length to protect your hands from heat.
The housing is also water-resistant, so you can wash it after use, and it comes in 10 fun colors that make it easy to find in your drawer. Take note that while it’s compact and easy to store, it does not have a hanging loop or clip.
2. BEST VALUE MEAT THERMOMETER
Char-Broil Instant-Read Digital Thermometer
PROS
- Auto shutoff
- Can choose from seven languages
CONS
- Temperature readings can take up to 10 seconds
This compact digital instant-read thermometer performed well in our tests, giving accurate temperature readings in less than 10 seconds,which is slower than our other picks but still gives you time to adjust your heat or remove the food at the desired doneness.
Even with its affordable price, it has a few high-end tricks up its sleeve, like auto-off and seven selectable meat types along with their suggested doneness levels — and it offers readouts in seven languages! It also features an alarm to let you know you’ve hit the desired temp; it can’t be left in the meat, but this is handy when checking during cooking or when resting the meat.
3. BEST MEAT THERMOMETER FOR OVEN
OXO Good Grips Chef’s Precision Digital Leave-In Thermometer
PROS
- Durable, extra-long stainless steel cord
- Large screen that is easy to read
CONS
- Doesn’t shut off automatically
While most digital thermometers aren’t safe to leave in the oven or smoker (typically the plastic housing can melt and its screen can deform), this digital pick has an extra-long cord so the probe can stay in your meat throughout the cooking process while the base rests on your counter. The probe stores safely and securely inside the thermometer’s housing, and there’s a built-in spot to snugly wrap up the long cord.
We like that the nearly full-width screen is easy to read and makes it simple to program our desired doneness temperatures. It also provides a timer, which makes keeping an eye on your meat even easier. Once you’re done, be sure to turn it off, because it does not shut off automatically. One caveat: It performed well, but was not the highest score in our accuracy tests.
4. BEST INSTANT-READ MEAT THERMOMETER
ThermoPro TP19H Digital Meat Thermometer
PROS
- Has backlight option for reading temps in low-light conditions
- Magnetic and hanging loop storage
CONS
- Not yet tested in the Lab
A top Amazon pick, it has more than 29,000 five-star reviews. The probe tapers to a fine point, which helps prevent damage to foods. It also rotates 180 degrees so you can access what you’re cooking, regardless of positioning, and the display itself autorotates (though you can choose to lock it) so it’s easy to read for right- and left-handed users. The thermometer also includes a button you can push to back-light the display so you can read it inside a grill or in low-light conditions.
We like that the comfortable handle is magnetic — great for storing on the fridge, oven or grill — and that it has a hanging loop. The manufacturer claims a response time of three to four seconds with an accuracy of ±0.9 degrees, though we haven’t tested those claims in the Lab.
5. BEST WIRELESS MEAT THERMOMETER
Meater Plus
PROS
- App guides you to the perfect doneness with estimated cooking time and indicators for removing and resting meat
- No cord and improved range for Bluetooth tracking
CONS
- Must insert to specific depth, so might be challenging for smaller foods
You can keep an eye on your steak’s temperature from your phone since this wireless thermometer pairs with an app via Bluetooth. The friendly interface lets you tell the app what type of protein you’re cooking and select your desired doneness; then Meater will calculate the estimated cooking time. It tells you when to remove the meat from the heat and how long to rest it. The probe comes with a storage case that doubles as its charging station, and it will alert you when it’s fully charged. It scored well in our accuracy tests, and our pros appreciated not having to work around any cords.
We were also impressed with the Meater Block, which earned a 2023 Kitchen Gear Award. It holds four probes and lets you monitor your food’s progress on the app or directly on the storage block — no phone needed. We were excited to test the new Meater 2, and it also performed well when tracking the temperature of a steak. It has all the same bells and whistles as well as a higher temperature range, so you can use the probe over an open flame on a grill. And it has a wider range so you can step away a bit more (up to 250 feet versus 33 feet for the first generation model and 165 feet for the Plus).
Our one note is that the probe diameter can be larger than some others (though the Meater 2 is thinner), so it might not be well suited for smaller foods, as you have to insert it to certain depth.
