Best Digital Meat Thermometers 2024

When it comes to cooking meat, you can never be too careful, especially when it relates to the correct temperatures. Some types of meat hold potentially dangerous bacteria that get neutralized during the cooking process. With white meat, like chicken and pork, you have to be particularly attentive.

How can you tell when the right temperature has been reached to call your protein perfectly safe? How do you know when the chicken is ready on the BBQ? You should invest in an accurate digital meat thermometer to give you almost instant readouts to take away the guesswork. In this article, we look at 5 of the best digital meat thermometers to help you decide which is the best.

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1ThermoPlus TPO3A

4 – 7-second readout
Temperature range of 58 to 572 degrees Fahrenheit
Accuracy of + or – 0.9 degrees Fahrenheit
1-year + additional 3 years if the warranty is registered

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2Bluetooth BBQ Meat Thermometer

164 ft. outdoor range
Supports up to 6 probes
Smartphone app control
Timer and preset temperature control
2-year replacement guarantee

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3Kizen Meat Thermometer

2 – 3-second readout
IP67 rated for waterproofing
Accurate to + or – 1 degree Fahrenheit
180-degree rotating probe
Lifetime warranty

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4Harbor Thermometer

5.8-inch probe
Auto shut-off
8 – 10-second results
Comes with a temperature guide
3-year warranty

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5Soraken Wireless Meat Thermometer

Comes with 4 probes for multiple cooking
Connects to smart devices
100 ft. indoor range
Preset temperature and timer function
1-year warranty

ThermoPlus TPO3A

This ThermoPlus model is one of the most popular meat thermometers available. It has a classic 3.9” folding probe that is constructed of food-grade stainless steel and is accurate to within plus or minus 0.9 degrees Fahrenheit. It also allows you to switch between Fahrenheit and Celsius, depending on your preference.
The digital display is clear and easy to read, with the results being delivered within 4 – 7 seconds, and it even shuts itself off after 10 minutes. This unit is compact and easy to store, with a magnetic back that means you will always have it on hand. There is also a hook on the base, should you wish to hang it up. The power comes from an AAA battery that is included with your purchase.
On the downside, it feels flimsy and cheaply made, and waiting up to 7 seconds for an accurate readout is longer than similar thermometers in its class.

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Pros

Folding probe
Food -grade stainless steel
Choose between Celsius and Fahrenheit
Accurate within 0.9 degrees

Cons

Feels cheaply made
Takes too long to give you a readout

Bluetooth BBQ Meat Thermometer

This Uvistare Bluetooth thermometer is one of a new breed of digital monitors that connects wirelessly to your smart device and is controlled via an app to take reading the temperature to a whole new level. This unit has a temperature tolerance of 716 degrees Fahrenheit, so unless you want your food hotter than the sun, there shouldn’t be anything that this thermometer can’t handle.
This thermometer has a wireless connectivity range of 164 feet, so it will work in the garden on the BBQ or indoors when you are cooking a family roast. The neat thing about this monitor is that it will send you an alert when it reaches desired temperature so that you can control and personalize how your meat is done. This frees you to do other things, making it an ideal thermometer for garden parties and BBQs.
If you are in the kitchen and need to know if your slow cooked roast is ready, this thing will work equally as well. It even comes with 11 meat preset temperatures, as approved by the United States Department of Agriculture, to make it easy to get started. On the downside, for the less technologically advanced among us, this may look a bit “techy” and over-complicated, and there is always that question of a reliable connection. In addition, it can only be controlled via your smart device and has no manual override, so if you don’t have your smartphone to hand then you are going to struggle.

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Pros

11 preset temperatures
Sends an alarm when the meat is done
Enables you to set and forget
Extremely high heat tolerance
Controlled via an app

Cons

It may be a bit too clever
Possible internet connection problems
App control only

Kizen Meat Thermometer

This Kizen model is more akin to the ThermoPlus TPO3A in design and concept. It has a folding stainless steel probe that extends to 180 degrees, and a backlit, easy-to-read screen. It also has a magnetic back for secure storage, a large hang-hole if you want to hang it on a hook, and all the meat temperature ranges written on the face of the monitor to make it easy to follow.
Unlike the ThermoPlus, this version gives you a readout accuracy of 1-degree and delivers the results in less than 3 seconds, so there is no need to wait as your food starts to cool. It also has an auto-off function which kicks in after 10 minutes if the unit is left on. On the downside, it feels cheaply made, and some have reported a 5 or even 7-second delay in getting an accurate reading as opposed to the advertised 3 seconds.

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Pros

Switch between Celsius and Fahrenheit
Meat temperature guides on the face of the thermometer
Magnetic back for better storage options
Accurate to 1-degree
Auto-off function

Cons

Feels cheaply made
Longer than advertised readout times

Harbor Thermometer

This Harbor model is a real back-to-basics set up, which is why it is the cheapest on the list and finds itself crowned as the HowToHome budget pick. It features an on/off button, interchangeable temperature settings, a temperature range of 58 degrees to 572 degrees Fahrenheit, and a 5.8” long probe to reach deep into the center of the meat.
It doesn’t have a foldable probe, so storage is a bit more challenging, and the temperature levels are delivered in roughly 10 seconds so it may affect the cooking times every time you pull out your beef roast to check. It also comes with a 3-year warranty, and a 45-day money back guarantee.
On the downside, some have reported that the digital display isn’t backlit, so seeing the readout can be a challenge, and the build quality is what you’d expect for an item that costs so little.

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Pros

Great price
5.8” probe
3-year warranty
Comes with a meat guide

Cons

Build quality issues
No backlit display
No foldable probe
Delayed readout times

Soraken Wireless Meat Thermometer

This Soraken model is the second wireless monitor on our list and comes with 4 probes with the possibility to extend to 6 for multiple meat dishes. The thermometer is controlled via an app on your smart device in the same way as the Bluetooth BBQ Meat Thermometer, and it also allows you set a preferred temperature and timer so that when the meat is cooked exactly how you want it, it sends you an alert via your device.
It is great for meat lovers who like rare or medium rare steaks or want greater flexibility and control over the food they cook. It also means that you can set it and get on with other things while your meat cooks thanks to the 100-foot range outdoors and the 170-foot reach inside. When the cooking is done, the monitor tells you. Like the other wireless thermometer featured, this too has 11 preset temperatures as recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture, and it also has a magnetic back so that you can attach it to the side or front of the stove during monitoring.
On the downside, like the Bluetooth BBQ Meat Thermometer, this monitor will suffer from connectivity problems, and some have questioned the accuracy of the probes as they showed spikes of up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit during the cooking process.

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Pros

Bluetooth connectivity
Controlled via an app
Greater flexibility and control
Maximum 170 feet range
Support a maximum of 6 probes

Cons

Bluetooth connectivity fails
Inaccurate readings

Comparison Chart

	ThermoPlus TPO3A	Bluetooth BBQ Meat Thermometer	Kizen Meat Thermometer	Harbor Thermometer	Soraken Wireless Meat Thermometer
Accuracy	+/- 0.9 F	+/- 1 F	+/- 1 F	–	–
Temp Range	58 F – 572 F	32 F – 572 F	58 F – 572 F	58 F – 572 F	32 F – 572 F
Bluetooth	X	✓	X	X	✓
No of Probes	1	2	1	1	4
Readout Time	4 – 7 seconds	Instant	2 – 3 seconds	8 – 10 seconds	Instant
Price	$	$$	$	$	$$
Weight (oz)	2.4	10.72	3.2	0.8	12
Dimensions	6.1 x 1.3 x 1.6	7.87 x 2.17 x 5.51	6.7 x 1.1 x 2.2	0.6 x 0.7 x 9.5	3.5 x 3.1 x 1.4
Warranty	1-year + 3 additional years	2-year	Lifetime	3-year	1-year

Buyer’s Guide:

Digital Meat Thermometer

Basics

Bosses of the BBQ and masters of the microwave are sure to reap the benefits of a digital meat thermometer, especially if they care about the quality of the meat they serve on the plate. Even if they are serving steaks medium rare, the correct temperature must still be reached to kill any unwanted bacteria that may lurk inside, so getting an accurate reading is crucial.

Given the many different ways we prepare and cook meat, from microwave to convection oven, each has their own way of achieving the best results, which is why it is crucial to know that the food we serve is properly cooked. Budding chefs would find a digital thermometer particularly useful as it takes the guesswork out of cooking times and ensures that the end product is tender and juicy rather than overcooked.

Features

When selecting a digital meat thermometer, look for one with a long probe because checking the temperature in the center of the meat is crucial to an accurate reading. In addition, food-grade stainless steel is a must. You should try and buy a thermometer that has a backlit display as sometimes the numbers can be tricky to read, especially if the light is not so good or you have failing eyesight.

Look for readout timescales (the quicker the better), because they can range from 3 seconds up to 10 seconds, and you wouldn’t want your meat cooling down during the cooking process as this will extend the cooking time and skew the temperature readings.

Digital Meat Thermometer Pros and Cons

PROS:

Accurate – When you are dealing in a tolerances level of just 1-degree Fahrenheit, you can be sure that the digital thermometer is accurate.
Easy to read – Compared to a manual thermometer, a backlit digital display is both easy to read and to understand.
Delivers perfect results – We all know that meat is the star of a good BBQ, so you will want excellent results every time.

CONS:

The cost – Some of the Bluetooth varieties are going to dent your bank balance.
Interrupts the cooking process – Every time you pull that tray of meat from the oven, it causes a delay in the timings and disrupts the efficiency of the stove.
The cost of batteries – Digital thermometers need power whereas a manual version doesn’t.

Digital Meat Thermometers

Pros

Accurate
Easy to read and understand
Makes cooking the perfect meat easier

Cons

These thermometers can be expensive
Interrupts the cooking process
Replacement batteries cost money

FAQ

Can you use the thermometer in the oven while cooking?
You should never use a thermometer in the oven while cooking as elements of the construction are plastic and will melt. If you have a Bluetooth wireless variety, then the probes can be inserted into the meat, as they have Teflon coated wires that then attach to the monitor on the outside of the oven.
Are there alternative uses for a digital meat thermometer?
A digital thermometer is suitable for many uses, as long as you don’t submerge the entire unit in water. Besides meat, they are useful for checking the temperature of hot oil, baby milk, yogurt, boiling water, and even beer. You could also use it to check the temperature of soups and sauces.
Are digital thermometers dishwasher safe?
These thermometers are not suitable for the dishwasher. When you need to clean the probe, you should wipe it clean with a soapy cloth, making sure that the electronic element doesn’t get wet.