Best Oven Thermometer – Ultimate Buyer’s Guide

Let’s talk about oven thermometers.

Why do you need one? How do I know which one is best for you and your needs? Which brands are best? These questions and more are going to be what we’ll discuss and find the answers to.

It’s important to know what we are considering when choosing our top products, so let’s take a look at the factors and qualities we consider when rating any items.

How We Choose Our Ratings

We value honesty and accuracy above all else in our reviews, so there are a few different steps we take to ensure that they are trustworthy and completely correct.

First of all, we read and research customer reviews and testimonials thoroughly to make sure that we have a complete, unbiased view of what the general public thought of each product.

Secondly, we make sure to carefully review all the different aspects and qualities of each item, to make sure that you know exactly what you are purchasing. It is also a great way to bring light to any shortcomings that the product may have.

We also take a deep look at the companies who manufacture each product, and ensure that we know about the reputation that they have. This is a very important topic for many customers, as they don’t want to buy from a company they can’t approve of or trust.

Why do You Need an Oven Thermometer?

Now, you may also be wondering why you need a thermometer for your oven. This is actually a fantastic tool that every cook could use in their kitchen.

Your oven’s internal thermometer (if your oven does have one since not all do), will only show you the temperature of the small area of the oven that it is located in. This is problematic because the oven’s temperature is not the same in all the different parts of it, and so, the internal thermometer is not as accurate. A moveable oven thermometer is really the only tool that can accurately measure the whole of your oven’s temperature.

Another scenario to keep in mind is the possibility that your oven may not be calibrated properly. If your oven is off, even by 60-70 degrees, it can really alter how your food cooks. Accuracy is vital, especially with certain dishes. Using an oven thermometer gives you far more control over your cooking process.

You are also able to put the thermometer in the oven as soon as the cooking process begins. It will be able to withstand incredibly high temperatures throughout the whole process, and that way you can stay up to date with how your oven is doing the entire time it is on. This also stops you from needing to open the oven door and cool it off consistently.

Our 5 Best Oven Thermometers

Now that you have seen the benefits and decided you want your own, let’s take a look at our best oven thermometer selections.

Our first choice is an excellent, affordable choice for an oven thermometer. The Rubbermaid Commercial FGTHO550 is a stainless steel tool that displays both Fahrenheit and Celsius temperatures. It is also sealed and completely mechanical. You can hang it up or put it on a flat surface to monitor your oven, and its range goes from 60 to 590 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you do need to clean any stains off of the item, this is easily done with fine steel wool or scouring pads.

The only downside we really noticed based on this oven thermometer’s reviews was the fact that its base was a little small, so it isn’t as stable as it could be. It also is not waterproof, which can be inconvenient, and the reading accuracy goes down considerably if the temperature goes below 200 degrees.

Next up we have the large dial thermometer from Taylor Precision Products.

This product has a unique design with very large numbers and a colorful red pointer to show the temperature, making it incredibly easy to read from far away. The screen is about 3 ¼ inches across.

It is very durable, fast, and reliable when it comes to temperature. The thermometer can handle between 100 and 600 degrees Fahrenheit.

The only complaints we really saw about this thermometer was the fact that it isn’t waterproof, and the pointer does have a tendency to get stuck every once in a while.

Need something you can consistently rely on when cooking? The Cooper-Atkins 24HP-0102 Stainless Steel Bi-Metal oven thermometer is the choice for you.

The temperature varies very little when your oven is on, so your meals will always turn out perfectly with this product. It can handle anything between 10 and 600 degrees Fahrenheit as well.

It is a stainless steel tool, with black numbers and lettering, and a black pointer. It can be a little bit difficult to read from far away because the display is rather small.

Customers really liked that it was NSF-approved, it has a HACCP reference dial, it is able to easily stand or hang freely, and it is incredibly durable and accurate. They also really loved the one-year warranty that the thermometer comes with.

The only big shortcoming that was mentioned in this oven thermometer’s reviews was that users had difficulty reading it from more than a foot or so away because its display is rather small. On top of that, while it is incredibly reliable, it is a little slower to read temperatures compared to other products on the market.

Next up we have the wonderful CDN DOT2 ProACCURATE large dial stainless steel oven thermometer.

This is an incredibly durable and accurate tool that is built from heavy-duty stainless steel and built to last you a long, long time. One unique feature that we love about this product is that it displays temperatures in different groups: low, warm moderate, very hot, and boil. This is a helpful and convenient bonus that we really appreciated.

As far as how easy it is to set down or hang up when taking your oven’s temperature, this is definitely not a product you have to worry about being unstable. It has an incredibly wide base and a two-way hook that allows you to place it wherever you want in the oven. The temperature ranges from 150 to 550 degrees Fahrenheit.

Customers loved how large this product was, as this made it very easy for them to see the numbers from far away. The two-way pointer was also a big hit as well. This product also has a five-year limited warranty, which is great for giving you peace of mind if anything happens to it in that time frame.

On top of that, users loved that this product was NSF-approved, resistant to cracking and breaking, and measures both Fahrenheit and Celsius.

The only negatives that we saw mentioned in the reviews were that the thermometer is not 100 percent sealed, and that it is not waterproof. Other than that, users did say that sometimes the tool displays a slightly lower temperature than what it actually is.

Last but certainly not least, we have the wonderful Etekcity Lasergrip 774 Non-contact Digital Laser Infrared Thermometer.

We saved this one for last because it is truly a unique twist on your traditional best oven thermometer. This design is actually a high-tech digital laser thermometer that actually allows you to measure your cooking temperatures inside the oven without it even being inside of it.

How is this possible? The tool has a laser inside of it that you easily point at the object you want to measure the temperature of, and it also has an excellent LCD display that will inform you of the item’s temperature.

This thermometer is incredibly handy and convenient because it does not have to be placed inside or hung up in the oven, and the temperature reading is incredibly accurate and easy to obtain.

The only real downside mentioned by buyers was simply that the product does require batteries, which are not included with the purchase of the thermometer. So there is a small additional cost to buying this tool. This is definitely a small hiccup to endure for such a fantastic, easy-to-use thermometer, but it still is important to consider if you do not want something battery-powered.

Another downside to consider is the price. Compared to the other options on the list, this is the most expensive choice – it costs twice as much as any other thermometer we looked at. However, it is battery-powered instead of being completely mechanical, and has a lot more technology involved in its design. You are also getting a much, much more accurate read with its higher price tag as well.

Buyer’s Guide

Now that we have taken a look at our absolute favorite and best oven thermometer choices for this year, there are a few factors you should consider before purchasing one for yourself or even as a gift.

Firstly, make sure you are picking a product that is as durable as you need it to be. Some people are harder on the tools that they use in the kitchen and may need something that can withstand a little more tough love. Make sure your oven thermometer can handle anything you throw at it.

Another aspect to consider is the feature that is the most important to you. Do you need complete, 100 percent accuracy down to the degree for the meal you are making? You may want to consider the Etekcity Lasergrip 774 Non-contact Digital Laser Infrared Thermometer to ensure that you have the completely correct temperature. Have a difficult time reading from far away? The Taylor Precision Products Classic Series Large Dial Thermometer (Oven) may be the best choice due to its large display. It all depends on what you are looking for.

Also, make sure you have your budget in mind while shopping for your best oven thermometer. Most of the products listed here are between six to seven dollars, but the Lasergrip thermometer costs about twice that not including the batteries it uses. It is good to know what you can afford before actually making the purchase.

We hope that no matter what choice you go with, you are happy with our recommendations.

If you have one of these thermometers, would you recommend it to others? Why or why not?