Our test covers digital, analogue and digital smart thermometers, including some which are oven safe. Our expert testers give every meat thermometer a thorough workout to help you decide:

• what style is best for you
• which are the most accurate
• which are the easiest to use and clean
• which have additional features

Our interactive comparison tool helps you find out which brands have features like timers and alarms, and which ones are easiest to read. Our Recommended list will help you see quickly which models come out on top.

How we test meat thermometers 

Accuracy

We measure each thermometer’s accuracy against our calibrated thermometer in a water bath and (for oven-proof models) a roast beef fillet. Since not all models are oven proof, we don’t use the roast beef results as part of the overall score.

Ease of use

We assess how easy it is to read the controls, insert the probe into meat, and clean the device after use.

Safety

For models that contain button batteries, we assess how easy it is to access the battery. Some thermometers – particularly stainless steel oven-safe models – also have the potential to burn the user, so we take that into account in the ease of use scoring. 

Scoring

The overall score is composed of accuracy score (60%) and ease of use score (40%).

By Rachel Clemons