The display doesn’t rotate or light up, two features that are much missed, but is to be expected at this budget price point. The thermometer is also powered by a 3-volt CR2032 battery, rather than one or two ultracommon AAA batteries, like every other model we looked at. But that’s all Gaviscon under the bridge since I tested the best meat thermometers, which tell me exactly when any joint of meat or fish dish is perfect. We prefer external probe-style leave-in thermometers to their in-oven (and in-meat) cousins because they’re safer and significantly easier to read and program. This style of thermometer doesn’t get much easier than the Polder Classic Digital In-Oven Thermometer and Timer, a budget-friendly option that does all the basic stuff you need. The UK Food Standards Agency says: 'Cooking causes the proteins in bacteria to break up so they no longer function and the bacteria die. This is why cooking removes the risk from harmful bacteria that are in some food.

Instant read thermometers Require you to take the meat out of the oven to do the reading. Some simply tell the temperature but others show the current and required temperatures for the meat and how you want to cook it. It’s a good idea to sanitize the probe on your thermometer with a little rubbing alcohol and a paper towel. Basic probe thermometers with a single probe that stays in food as it cooks while displaying readings on a digital unit Temperature accuracy and range:Look for thermometers that are advertised with accuracy within ±2˚F, which is a range of accuracy most good thermometers can promise. This will help you ensure food safety as well as preferred doneness.

Think of yourself as a mad gastronomic genius a la Heston? You’ll need this precision thermometer to make sure your imaginative dishes are cooked to perfection. Once we were finished cooking, we also went through the process of cleaning and storing them, to see how well they could withstand those everyday maintenance. Is a meat thermometer worth it?

Pre-set with safe temperatures for food set by the US Department of Agriculture, you can choose between one setting for both beef and veal, then lamb, pork and poultry. The open setting means you can also store your own setting for use with a favourite recipe – for me, I tried 145 degrees for salmon steaks which came out just as the family like them. Temperature range: Factor in what you cook most often and then find the range of temperatures the thermometer can report — and withstand — that works best for you. Thermometers with a wide temperature range are useful for larger foods with longer cook times. But a narrower range might deliver better accuracy or a faster response time. Read the use and care instructions to determine the uppermost temps the thermometer can withstand to ensure the device can handle direct cooking as well as flare-ups. The best meat thermometers help you to avoid plating up undercooked meat that could be unsafe to eat.The best meat thermometers had easy to press buttons, clearly labelled or identifiable parts and no sharp edges or gaps.