There are many different meat thermometers that are on the market today. Some are digital, some are Bluetooth enabled, and others have fancy features like LED backlights, and cloud based temperature logging. When it comes to cooking and grilling, the biggest upgrade you can make is to any digital meat thermometer. The speed, accuracy and precision will ensure you cook your food to temperature – without having to worry about over or under cooking your food again. Most instant read thermometers are very fast, giving you accurate temperature readouts without having to waste your precious time. In this post we’ll take a look at the average meat thermometer speed and accuracy giving you confidence during your next cookout.
Instant Read Thermometer Speed
An instant read meat thermometer typically gives an accurate temperature reading in 3-4 seconds. However, some higher-end models can provide a reading in under a second. The speed of an instant-read meat thermometer is much faster compared to traditional meat thermometers, which can take almost a minute to give you an accurate readout.
How accurate are instant read thermometers?
A digital thermometer typically has an accuracy of +/-.9 degrees Fahrenheit. If your curious to see how accurate your thermometer is, there’s actually a simple test. The trick involves bringing a pot of water to a boil.
At sea level, water will boil at a temperature of 212 degrees Fahrenheit. How can we use this knowledge when calibrating our thermometer? Once you bring water to a boil, you can dip you thermometer into the water to get a reading. If it read 212°F, you are in business! You can be assured that you have an accurate thermometer.
Instant Read Thermometer Temperature Range
The temperature range for an instant read thermometer is between: -60 °F – 575°F (-51 °C ~ 302 °C). Whether you’re looking to quickly check your steak temperature, or ice cream temperatures, an instant-read thermometer has a wide range for a variety of different applications.
The wide temperature range of an instant-read thermometer is necessary because it allows the device to be used for a variety of cooking and food preparation purposes. The low end of the range (-60°F) enables the thermometer to measure the temperature of frozen foods, while the high end (575°F) accommodates the temperature range of grilling and high-heat cooking methods such as broiling and baking. Having a wide temperature range provides versatility and allows the thermometer to be used in many different cooking scenarios.
Key Thermometer Features
When purchasing a thermometer you can spend $10 into the $100s depending on the functionality that you need. For the purposes of this post we’ll take a look at affordable thermometers that get the job done reliably.
Here are the key features to look for:
- Waterproof & easy to wash: look for a thermometer that’s rated IP65 to easily wash the thermometer in your sink after cooking
- Long battery life: make sure that batteries are included. Most thermometers will give you an idea of how long the batter will last. We typically see around 3000 hours of usage quoted.
- Fast & Accurate Response times: a good thermometer will instantly read the temperature in about 3-4 seconds
- Backlight LED: this is convenient for when cooking at night – a backlight will help you read your meat temperature no matter what time of the day it is
Bottom Line
Instant-read meat thermometers are the fastest way to measure the temperature of your food. Gone are the days of waiting for minutes on end for your thermometer to give you an accurate reading. With an instant-read thermometer, you can have an accurate temperature in just 3-4 seconds, which is a game-changer for any home cook or barbecue enthusiast. Some premium models even offer a readout in under a minute! This is a major improvement over traditional meat thermometers, which can take a lot longer to give a reading, often requiring you to wait for the gauge to settle before you can know the temperature. With an instant-read thermometer, you can have confidence in the temperature of your food without sacrificing time or patience. Whether you’re cooking a delicate salmon fillet or a juicy rib-eye steak, an instant-read thermometer is a must-have tool in your kitchen.