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Below information from from the Editors of
Cooks'
Illustrated Magazine.
Nine instant-read thermometers were tested and evaluated according to the
following criteria.
Readability: Thermometers were rated on how clearly we could see and read the
numbers.
Response Time: Simply put, the faster, the better. When tested in boiling water,
times of ten to twenty seconds to achieve a readout of 212 degrees were rated excellent,
twenty to thirty seconds were rated fair, and times above thirty seconds were rated poor.
Accuracy: Thermometers should register exactly 212 degrees in boiling water and
exactly 32 degrees in a slurry of crushed ice and water. If these readings were off, the
thermometer was downgraded.
Design/Features: This category encompasses disparate factors that can make the
thermometer a breeze or a real pain to use, such as the length of the stem; the ease of
cleaning of screens or dials; on/off switches or automatic shutoff to save batteries;
battery availability; and accurate readings in shallow liquids. See Testers’
Comments, page 28, for any particular notes on these issues.
Temperature Range: More often than not, instant-read thermometers are used within
the relatively narrow temperature range necessary to monitor the internal temperature of
meat, poultry, or bread. Occasionally, though, you may wish to know the temperature of a
freezing sorbet or ice cream, or double-check the temperature of hot oil prior to frying
in it.
Therefore, thermometers capable of taking very low (0 degrees and below) through very high
(375 degrees and above) were upgraded.
Rating Instant-Read Thermometers
BEST THERMOMETER
 BRAND
Super Fast Thermapen
PRICE $85.00
READABILITY 
RESPONSE TIME 5 seconds
ACCURACY
FEATURES 4 1/2-inch
stem
TEMPERATURE RANGE
-58°F to 572°F
BEST BUYS
BRAND
Taylor Digital Pocket Thermometer, Model 9840
PRICE $15.00
READABILITY
RESPONSE TIME 10 seconds
ACCURACY 2º high
FEATURES 4 3/4-inch
stem
TEMPERATURE RANGE -58º to
302º
BRAND Polder Cooking Thermometer/Timer (Digital)
PRICE $29.95
READABILITY
RESPONSE TIME 30 seconds
ACCURACY
FEATURES 5 3/4-inch
stem
TEMPERATURE RANGE 32º to
392º
BRAND Cooper Digital Test Thermometer, Model DFP450
PRICE $24.50
READABILITY
RESPONSE TIME 17 seconds
ACCURACY
FEATURES 4 5/8-inch
stem
TEMPERATURE RANGE -40º to
450º
BRAND Taylor Bi-Therm Dial Thermometer, Model 60848
PRICE $32.50
READABILITY 5º
increments
RESPONSE TIME 30 seconds
ACCURACY
FEATURES 8-inch
stem
TEMPERATURE RANGE 50 º to
550 º
BRAND Taylor Instant Read Meat
Thermometer, Model 5989 (Dial)
PRICE $14.95
READABILITY
2º increments
RESPONSE TIME 25 seconds
ACCURACY 2º high
FEATURES 5-inch
stem
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0º to 220º
BRAND Cooper Commercial Grade Test Thermometer, Model 1236-32 (Dial)
PRICE $8.50
READABILITY
2º increments
RESPONSE TIME
35 seconds
ACCURACY 2º high
FEATURES 4 3/4-inch
stem
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0º to 220º
BRAND Component Design Digital Pocket Thermometer, Model DT300
PRICE $32.50
READABILITY
RESPONSE TIME 30 seconds
ACCURACY 1º high
FEATURES
2 3/4-inch stem
TEMPERATURE RANGE -40º to
300º
BRAND Maverick Redi-Chek Electronic Food Probe Thermometer, Model
ET-3 (Digital)
PRICE $29.99
READABILITY
RESPONSE TIME 25 seconds
ACCURACY
FEATURES
1/8-inch tip with wide plastic 3 1/8-inch body
TEMPERATURE RANGE 32ºto 239º
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