Our Favorite Meat Thermometers Take the Guesswork Out of Cooking

One of the most important tools in the kitchen is often overlooked: the meat thermometer. While some may feel they "know" when everything is finished by feel or color, a meat thermometer provides a foolproof way of checking that your meat is properly cooked and not overdone or raw. Whether you're cooking a massive holiday roast or grilling a simple batch of burgers, using a meat thermometer will make all the difference.

With plenty of options out there, it may feel overwhelming to decide on just one. To help you find the best meat thermometers for your kitchen, we tested the top options on the market, considering their probe length, features, ease of use, accuracy, and battery life.

Our Top Picks

• Our Top Pick: Oxo Good Grips Chef's Precision Digital Thermometer
• Best Budget: Rubbermaid Commercial Pocket Thermometer
• Best Leave-In: ThermoPro TempSpike Plus
• Best Instant-Read: ChefsTemp Finaltouch X10 Digital Meat Thermometer
• Best Smart: Meater Plus
• Best Analog: Oxo Good Grips Chef's Precision Analog Meat Thermometer
• Best Splurge: Meater Pro XL

Our Top Pick

OXO Good Grips Chef's Precision Digital Instant Read Thermometer

$28 at Amazon $23 at Wayfair $23 at Macys

If you only grill seasonally and mostly cook meat on the stovetop, this is the best universal meat thermometer to have on hand. It's got a little bit of everything, from a slightly longer probe to instant-read functionality to a very large digital display that's handy if you don't want to get your face too close to the hot oven or grill. It's battery-operated, but Oxo does provide a battery along with the thermometer. You get all that for just over $20, so it's budget-conscious, too.

We love that the case for this thermometer comes with a handy cheat sheet on correct temperatures for different kinds of meat, from ground beef to ham. It even breaks down the temperature difference between chicken thighs and breasts. The case alone would make a great gift for a college kid, post-grad, or newlywed moving into their first apartment.

This thermometer can display temperatures in both Fahrenheit and Celsius, and it's designed for precision and accuracy. The head also pivots around so you can read the temperature from any angle, adding to its overall functionality. The only downside to this thermometer is that it's not a leave-in model, so you can't keep it in the oven. But if you're not roasting big, whole birds on a regular basis, you probably won't miss this feature.

In tests, we appreciated the straightforward operation and the pivoting head for bulkier foods like whole roasted chicken. Thanks to the lightweight design and slim profile, it was also easy to store. Just be careful when washing it since water can easily trap behind the display screen. Really, the only thing we would change is the location of the on/off button at the top of the thermometer, which caused us to accidentally turn it off while trying to insert it into the food.

The Details: 2.4 ounces; registers temperatures between -40°F and 302°F

Best Budget

Rubbermaid Commercial Pocket Thermometer

$9 $6 at Amazon

If you're short of drawer space, check out this teeny, tiny thermometer from Rubbermaid, which can easily be stored in your silverware drawer.

The pen-sized analog model clips onto a kitchen apron or shirt pocket and comes with some surprisingly modern features, such as a stainless steel stem, a shatter-proof lens, and a flat edge that will prevent the thermometer from rolling around on the counter. It's the perfect stocking stuffer for a foodie, and it's also great for campers and RV trippers who love to cook small meals over portable stoves or fire pits.

Considering the small stature and low price, we were pleasantly surprised with this thermometer's accuracy during tests. Although the analog design worked a bit slower than our instant-read models, it did so with just as much precision as the pricier options. The flat edge came in handy during and after prep (unlike other round models that refused to stay put on the cutting board), and the thick glass display cased in stainless steel felt sturdy. It's even safe to put in the dishwasher!

The Details: ‎0.96 ounces; registers temperatures from 0°F to 220°F

Best Leave-In

ThermoPro TP972 Twin TempSpike Plus

$180 $110 at Amazon View on Buythermopro.com

With a 600-foot wireless range and a thoughtfully designed, compact construction, this ThermoPro Twin TempSpike Plus was the best leave-in meat thermometer we tested for the price. We love that it has a magnetic back that sticks to the refrigerator or the outside of the grill so that you can monitor the temperature hands-free. The backlight button helps the process even more—plus, it has an auto-shutoff feature to prevent the battery from draining (though it is rechargeable). The wireless capabilities were super convenient because they allowed us to walk away from the grill for some more prep in the kitchen.

There are two thin probes—one white and one black—to keep effortless tabs on your meat and make it easy to cook different temperatures at once. Some of the other meat thermometers we tested were clunky, took up way too much room on the counter or grill shelves, and were difficult to store while not in use, but the ThermoPro will fit easily in the palm of your hand. Use the thermometer in standby mode or with the app, which provides customizable, temperature-triggered alerts and USDA-recommended temperature guidelines for different types of proteins.

The Details: 10.55 ounces; withstands ambient temperatures up to 1050°F

Best Instant-Read

ChefsTemp Finaltouch X10 Instant Read Digital Meat Thermometer

$70 $53 at Amazon View on Chefstemp.com

ChefsTemps's Finaltouch X10 delivers temperature results in under a second with a precision of 0.5°F, one of the fastest readings you'll find in a meat thermometer. The handle has a built-in backlit digital display with a loop at the end for hanging off the side of your grill or stove. The whole device is completely waterproof for cleaning and even features a magnet to stick it on the fridge door. Even better? They thought about lefties. Too many kitchen tools and gadgets are designed with only right-handed users in mind, but this handle is actually ambidextrous. It features a 270-degree rotating probe that adjusts for different cooking situations to read from any angle.

Full disclosure: This was a close contender for the top spot but was knocked out because it was slightly more expensive and larger than our overall pick. So, if you have a little more money to spend and storage space to allot, we'd recommend grabbing this one.

In tests, we found ourselves reaching for the ChefsTemp Finaltouch again and again. It's incredibly fast and convenient to use, and the sharp display is large enough to read even from a distance. It's ergonomically designed to fit easily in hand, and the "hold" button comes in handy when measuring larger cuts of meat and whole chickens.

The Details: 4.32 ounces; registers temperatures between -22 to 572°F

Best Smart

Meater Plus Bluetooth Meat Thermometer

$100 $80 at Amazon $14 at Walmart View on Meater.com

The MEATER Plus is packed with some impressive new tech. Most noticeably, it's wireless. The leave-in probe features two sensors to monitor both the internal food temp and the overall environment temperature at the same time. This is especially handy for cooks who grill or smoke meat a great deal.

But even if you don't spend a lot of time at a smoker or grill, you might want to invest the $99 for the sheer fact that this wireless probe is dishwasher safe. Yes, really. You can toss it in the wash, and you don't have to worry about any recalibration.

This is one of the best meat thermometers we've tested and even one of our favorite grilling tools overall. We love the interactive setup process and the detailed manual, as well as the accompanying app that sends notifications on time and temperature directly to your smartphone. When it came down to testing, the temperatures were incredibly accurate, and it still worked great after using it regularly for six months. What's more, it makes a great gift for the grill master in your life—or really any cook who appreciates advanced technology and digitized gadgets.

The Details: 7.4 ounces; registers temperatures up to 527°F

Best Analog

Oxo Good Grips Chef's Precision

$17 at Amazon $17 at Oxo

Chicken is one of the most important meats to get the temperature right. Unlike beef, there is no medium-rare option. That's just called salmonella roulette. But if you love to roast whole chicken or bake chicken breasts, that often means opening and closing the oven door several times, which can cause the oven to drop temperature and not cook as efficiently. Keep it classic and leave new tech at the kitchen door with this analog meat thermometer. It will stay put in your protein throughout the cooking process and is big enough to see through your oven door.

Chef's Precision Leave-In edged ahead of others and ranked best for its large, easy-to-read numbers, stainless steel material, slightly longer probe, and a conical face that's still readable at an angle. Like the Oxo Precision Digital Instant Read Thermometer that also made our list, this model also comes with a handy temperature guide and even features a Celsius conversion. In tests, we appreciated that the other end of the needle points out when your meat has reached the proper temperature for specific proteins. At under $20, it's the perfect investment to make if you only use a meat thermometer once a year for your Thanksgiving turkey or holiday roast.

The Details: 3.2 ounces; registers temperatures up to up to 200°F

Best Splurge

Meater Pro XL

$350 at Amazon View on Meater.com

For the true meat lover and grilling (or smoking) aficionado, it doesn't get any better than the Meater Pro XL. It's expensive, to be sure, but that high price tag comes with a whole host of extra features, intuitive functions, and thoughtful details that will take your cooking to the next level.

This model includes four probes to monitor four pieces of meat at once, which comes in handy when you like your steak medium rare but someone else wants theirs medium well. The probes are hefty without being too thick or heavy, and they're made of durable stainless steel with a zirconia ceramic band.

In tests, both the wifi and standalone modes worked perfectly, but what really sets this model apart is the high-tech, interactive app. We especially loved the live activities feature that allows you to see the temperatures and cook time on your phone's lock screen. Meater goes a step further with temperature ratings for specific cuts of meat so that you can set targets for "ribeye" rather than simply "beef." It also walks you through every step of the cooking process with separate alerts for when it's time to remove the meat from the heat and resting times.

The Details: 2.43 pounds; registers internal temperatures up to 220°F, ambient temperatures up to 1000°F

Our Takeaway

We love the Oxo Good Grips Chef's Precision Digital Thermometer for its excellent value, slightly longer probe, instant-read functionality, and extra-large digital display. For the true meat-lover who wants to splurge on a Bluetooth-enabled smart device, the MEATER Plus Long Range Wireless Smart Meat Thermometer is a fantastic investment (and it makes a great gift).

How To Pick the Right Meat Thermometer

Probe Length

"Probe" is an important term to know and a feature to consider when buying a meat thermometer. The probe is the part of the thermometer that is inserted into the meat. When placing the probe, you want to make sure you don't hit bone, as this won't give you an accurate reading on the meat temperature. Longer probes are handy for cooking larger pieces of meat, such as a pork loin or prime rib.

Style

Another important term that goes hand-in-hand with the probe is "leave-in thermometers." These models are oven-safe and stay in the meat the entire time it cooks. Leave-in meat thermometers are handy for cooking whole birds, such as a Thanksgiving turkey, when you don't want to keep opening the oven door to check it.

You'll see the phrase "instant read" on most digital and smart thermometers that can read a temperature instantly and don't require the waiting that happens with analog dials. Instant-read thermometers are especially handy when cooking smaller pieces of meat, such as breasts or filets, on the stovetop, where cooking is faster and just a couple of seconds difference means a perfectly seared piece becomes overdone.

Accuracy

Whether you choose a simple probe thermometer or an ungraded smart thermometer that connects to wifi, it needs to read the internal temperature of your meat with accuracy and speed. Cooking your foods to a safe minimal temperature ensures that you've destroyed any harmful microorganisms, so it's important that your thermometer gives you a correct reading.

About Our Tests

We tested meat thermometers in our own kitchens to get a better feel for their size, shape, performance, and accuracy—along with any accompanying apps or accessories. Each thermometer was used to measure the temperature of roasted chicken (both chicken breast and our favorite Juicy Roasted Chicken recipe) and grilled steak (specifically, ribeye and flat-iron) on several occasions. During testing, we paid special attention to the following attributes:

• Performance: How accurate are the thermometer's readings? Does it take extra effort to insert the probe into the meat? Is the probe sharp? Does it insert and remove cleanly? If it includes Bluetooth capabilities, do those features work properly?
• Size: Is the probe long enough to reach the thickest part of the meat? Is the thermometer easy to store while not in use, or is it overly bulky? Does it include more than one probe?
• Ease of Use: Is the thermometer easy to read? Are the temperature readings and display large enough to see from a reasonable distance? If it includes wifi and/or an app, are they easy to connect and intuitive to use?
• Ease of Cleaning: Is the thermometer easy to clean by hand? Are there any spots where food can get stuck? Are any components safe to put in the dishwasher?

Common Questions

How do you use a meat thermometer?

To get a proper reading on your meat thermometer, insert the probe through the center of the largest muscle or thickest part of the meat—being sure to avoid any bones or substantial portions of fat. A good meat thermometer will take less than 10 seconds to register the temperature, and some "leave-in" models are durable enough to leave inside the oven or smoker for extended periods of time.

Where is the best place to insert a meat thermometer in a turkey?

Insert your instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey thigh, near the bone (but not touching). Your turkey should be done once it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

What's the difference between a candy thermometer and a meat thermometer?

When shopping for a good meat thermometer, make sure you're not looking at a candy thermometer. The design and packaging are often similar—and many top kitchen brands do make both—but these thermometers are not interchangeable. A candy thermometer and a meat thermometer do not have the same temperature range, and they don't have the same shape. A candy thermometer also doesn't have the pointed end necessary for probing meat.

Why Take Our Word for It? 

Deanne Revel is an award-winning travel journalist and host who focuses on family travel and themed entertainment. She's also a frequent contributor to publications, including Conde Nast Traveler, Fodor's Travel, Travel Channel, HGTV, and more.

Katherine Gallagher, a commerce editor for Allrecipes, tested most of the meat thermometers on this list in her own kitchen and updated the article with insights.