A good meat thermometer is essential to precise, safe cooking, especially during grilling season. It’s nearly impossible to cook meat to perfection without one, as only a few degrees can turn well done into overdone in minutes. Thermometers are designed for different purposes, so it’s crucial to nail down which kind will suit you—and what you’re cooking—best. Here are our top picks, plus things to look for as you shop.
Cook outdoors during the warm months ahead. Check our tested picks for the best portable grills, outdoor gas grills, and pellet grills.
How We Selected
We consulted prior testing from Popular Mechanics test editor Bradley Ford to find the best meat thermometers. We also scoured the internet to see what popular products were frequently recommended by publications like Wirecutter, Serious Eats, and Tom’s Guide, and called in samples of the most popular ones to see how they performed in the kitchen.
Our selection includes the most common types of thermometers—leave-in, instant-read digital, wireless, and others—across multiple price points, ranging from $10 or less to just under $100. We also considered features such as easy-read backlit displays, auto-shutoff, and a range for wireless thermometers.
The Lavatools Pro Duo gets rave reviews from publications and user reviews across the board. The display is designed to show readings from any angle for tight squeezes or awkward positions in a cramped oven. This meat thermometer also has a bright motion sensor backlight that doesn’t fog up, an auto-sleep mode to protect the battery, and a magnetic back to store it nearby. The only drawback is that it’s water-resistant rather than waterproof, meaning it cannot be submerged underwater without damaging the unit.
Oxo is one of our favorite brands for kitchen tools and utensils, and its stainless steel digital thermometer is excellent. It’s a good value for its build and quality. The display isn’t backlit but it is large, plus the head adjusts for easy reading at multiple angles. It also comes with a storage sleeve with USDA-recommended meat temperatures for quick reference when cooking.
Customers say it’s easy to read and works instantly and accurately. However, a drawback is that it’s not waterproof and several users have reported accidentally damaging their probes by washing them.
With a 500-foot screen range, this smart thermometer will save you from schlepping to the grill every 10 minutes to ensure your steak isn’t overcooked. It has two probes for cooking two pieces of meat simultaneously, checking the inside and outside of a large cut, or reading the oven air temperature.
There are preset USDA-recommended temperature settings for nine different kinds of meat which can be changed and saved to suit individual tastes, plus an alert tells users when each meat is ready.
There are also count-up and countdown timers for timing how long meat is cooking or setting a timer to ensure it’s done. The receiver flashes and beeps when meat is finished cooking, and it has a pull-out countertop stand for placing the screen upright, or a belt clip for on-the-go readings. Although it’s splashproof, this won’t hold up against a constant stream of water, so don’t let it soak in the sink.
With a lineup of features that rivals meat thermometers twice its price, this compact probe is a steal at under $20. It has a bright blue backlight and reads temperatures in seconds, plus the probe folds down and auto-powers off for storage. There’s also a magnet in the back for attaching it to the fridge or barbecue and a lifetime warranty that covers defects.
Some customers say its build feels slightly cheap and flimsy as it’s made of plastic. While it’s advertised as waterproof, some have experienced foggy screens from water damage. Still, its performance is excellent for the price, with accurate and quick readings.
This easy-to-use, classic leave-in meat thermometer has a matte section on the probe so you can tell how far to insert it into your ham or turkey, plus it comes with a cover printed with chef- and USDA-recommended temperatures for an assortment of meat. There are also notches on the display that indicates when cooking is done. Customers say it works well, but be warned: This product is way larger than it seems in photos with a 3.5-inch temperature meter.