The Thermapen is an instant read thermometer that will make sure you never under or overcook your food. It takes readings in less than three seconds, is accurate to less than a degree, and is designed to last for ages. It really is the best cooking thermometer we’ve ever used, and it deserves a place in your kitchen.


There are a few reasons the Thermapen stands above most average cooking thermometers. First, it’s speed is almost unbelievable—regardless of where you sink it into your meat, liquid, veggies, or whatever, it’ll display its temperature almost immediately. Also, it doesn’t “hold” a reading and display a single number—it changes as the food heats or cools, and as you move it around inside of a dish, cut, or container. That means that the deeper you push the thermometer into a cooking roast, the lower the reading will go, as you move it.

Second, the Thermapen is accurate to within less than a degree (±0.7°F , or ±0.4°C) and comes with a certificate that it’s been tested and verified accurate before it was shipped to you. To boot, the thermocouple at the tip of of the Thermapen is a mere 1/8" long; meaning accurate readings without pushing the probe so deep you risk an inaccurate reading. It’s designed to be used in any cooking environment, and can be used for meat, fish, casseroles or pots of soup or stew, even deep frying and candy-making, which is a feat, since most cooking thermometers aren’t made to withstand those temperatures. The battery is replaceable, and rated for over 1500 hours of use (I know people who have had theirs for years and are still on their first battery), and it can be toggled between Fahrenheit and Celsius easily.


Most people know the Thermapen as Alton Brown’s favorite cooking thermometer (he recommends it in his first volume of Gear for Your Kitchen), but it’s also earned high praise from The Sweethome, who noted it was the best, but also noted that not everyone may want to drop $100 on a cooking thermometer (so they gave the nod to a cheaper model). As someone who happily owns a Thermapen he bought himself, I’ll note that if you love to cook and want one tool that can make sure the turkey is never overdone and the roast is never dry, this is it, and it’s worth the money.

They’re only available from Thermoworks directly, so while they’re listed at Amazon, your selection really takes you over to ThermoWorks. Hit the link below to go right to the source, and read more about it.

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Splash Proof Thermapen Thermometer ($96) | ThermoWorks