There are a lot of things that we need to make sure that we cook perfectly using our ovens, out of which one of the most important characteristics is the understanding of the inside temperature of your oven. In almost all the ovens there is only a simple set up of adjusting the temperature, but there is no instrument or way by which you would be able to determine the changes in temperature inside the oven. Well this may not be the case with some recipes that needs the perfect temperature to cook properly or they might end up getting burnt.
To make sure that you don’t end up with burnt up recipes inside your oven, it is very important to have an abstract calculation of the temperature that is inside the oven and for that you will have to depend on one of the most basic instrument, the thermometer. Not just any thermometer, an oven thermometer. A word of caution before you proceed reading, do not use normal thermometers inside the oven. This might lead to the thermometer coating to melt under the immense temperatures inside the oven. Oven thermometers are built with thermal resistant type materials that will help you in reading the temperatures inside the oven while you are cooking.
There are many types of thermometers that are available for ovens. They are known as the basic Oven based thermometers which is and pretty much looks like a normal thermometer setup but the only thing it is totally different in shape and build, Infrared oven thermometers that depends on infrared radiation to get the readings inside the oven and the most recent and modern one the Bluetooth oven thermometer that has a lot of technological involvement into its build. You can view the live temperatures inside the oven transmitted to an outer device like your smart phone.
All these thermometers have one thing in common and that is they can be used inside a high temperature oven. But all these types of thermometers have different ways and means of calculating and displaying the temperature to the user.
The Best Oven Thermometers
When you are looking forward to getting an oven thermometer, we would recommend you to decide on the kind of usage that you are looking forward to and the budget that you have for these instruments to make cooking simple and better.
We have made a detailed review of all the best oven thermometers that are available in the American market and with this article; you will definitely be able to buy that perfect oven thermometer.
1. Rubbermaid Oven Thermometer
The Rubbermaid oven thermometer is the first one we would like to introduce to you. This very oven thermometer is a classy one made of durable stainless steel making it the perfect instrument to be used in an oven that can used for high temperatures. The instrument is also compact and sturdy making it the perfect instrument to be used inside ovens without occupying much of your space inside. They are also a battery-free design, that will help you to get a long-term life with this thermometer. This is also the best oven thermometer that you can get with regard to the lens construction that will stay sturdy without shattering.
The temperature range that this particular oven thermometer can take is somewhere between 60° and 580° F Which is pretty much a decent range of temperature that makes your oven cooked food safer.
The oven thermometer is also pretty compact with dimensions of 3.75 x 2.5 x 1.5 inches Which is quite a snug fit into your ovens. Overall, the build quality and the usability of this thermometer from Rubbermaid have all the qualities of the best oven thermometer.
PROS —
- Small and compact
- Stainless steel build
- Approved and certified
- Lens is shatter-proo
CONS —
- Spring-type construction leading to accuracy issues
2. Taylor Oven Thermometer
The Taylor oven thermometer is probably one of the user-friendly oven thermometers that you can get your hands on. This oven has a very good sense in terms of build quality. It is made of the basic common stainless-steel outer part and the lens that is used is made of glass which means that you do not have to fear that the glass would shatter under high temperatures. The temperature gauge also varies from 100°F– 600°F which is larger when compared to the other oven thermometers that are available in the market. You can use this oven thermometer for your Propane Gas oven.
Other major aspect that you can consider with the Taylor oven thermometer is that it is made of a large dial that is around 3 inches which will help you in determining the temperature much more effectively and faster. The temperature oven also is certified by National Sanitation foundation making it safe for cooking.
The oven thermometer however can be washed with your hands and should not be tossed into the dish washer as it may break the lens. The oven thermometer also comes along with a one-year warranty which will help you make an investment that will definitely last a year.
PROS —
- Large dial
- Compact design and style
- One-year warranty
- Certified for safe cooking
CONS —
- Cannot be used in the dishwasher
3. Etekcity Lasergrip 1080
The Etekcity Lasergrip 1080 is one of the modern oven thermometers that you can use, as there is one thing that makes it different. You do not have to put the thermometer into the oven. All you have to do is point the laser tag into the temperature and within a few seconds, you will get the temperature that is inside the oven. This is by far the best oven thermometer with a lot of technological advancements like the infrared technology built-in.
The price is a bit higher compared to the other similar products owing to the involvement of the technology in this laser-based thermometer. The thermometer also comes with a secure grip function which will help you to hold the thermometer in place.
Other than that, with a distance to spot ratio of 12:1, it leads the market as the best infrared oven thermometers.
They have a temperature range from 60°F to 1220°F making it extremely suitable for all kinds of ovens and cooking grills. The best part is that it comes with a back-lit display that will help you with reading the temperatures in dull atmospheres and also comes with an indicator to help you be aware of the battery levels of the device.
PROS —
- Accurate readings
- Technologically advanced
- Backlight display
- High temperature range
CONS —
- Runs on battery
4. Helect (NOT for Human) Infrared Thermometer
The Helect (NOT for Human) Infrared Thermometer is probably one of the most innovative thermometers that is prevalent in the American market. The overall design and build of the Helect non-contact Infrared thermometer are rigid and has a very good grip. The thermometer is made up of a very compact size to help you take it with you when you are travelling. The thermometer also has a laser technology that has a very good accuracy and measurement range is -50°C to 550°C/ -58°F to 1022°F.
The Helect non-contact infrared thermometer also has a battery indicator that will alert you if you are running low on battery. It also comes with an automatic data hold feature which will hold the data for you inside the device unless you make another reading.
The structure of the device is basically designed like a gun so that you can use it with utmost precision and aim it at the target more accurately.
The Helect (NOT for Human) infrared oven thermometer is also applicable for other applications like determining temperatures of food in other type of cooking appliances like grills and barbeque as well, can be used for both daily and industrial temperature measurement, such as refrigeration, glass, steel, plastics, and so on.
The Helect non-contact infrared thermometer also comes with a basic distance to spot ratio of 12:1 which is common in all kinds of infrared thermometers. This very thermometer has got all the requirements to make sure, you can monitor the temperature inside the oven without any issues. The measurement range.
PROS —
- Laser technology
- Solid design
- Backlit screen
- Battery indicator
- Small and compact
CONS —
- Runs on battery and needs replacement
5. Taylor Infrared Thermometer
This is probably one of the other products of Taylor that has an overall good design when compared to the simple oven thermometer that the company also makes. The Taylor infrared thermometer is a five-inch-long probe that will help you in calculating the surface temperatures of the hot oven and also gives the reading almost instantly. This is mainly due to the inbuilt infrared technological design that helps you in getting the results almost instantly. There is also other similar aspect that goes into this like; the machine is splash proof which means you don’t have to worry about water spilling over the device.
The overall build quality is fairly impressive and this is the number one reason as to why most of the professional restaurants prefer this. It’s a long-term product. The prices with which the product comes along is also justifiable with the instant results and the features that the product comes with. The design is such that the screen with the reading is upside down, so you will have to tilt the thermometer every single time after you take a reading.
PROS —
- Simple and rigid design
- Instant results
- Splash proof
- Easy to clean and use
- Very accurate
CONS —
- Fairly expensive buy
- Does not come with back-lit display
Things to Consider When Buying A Thermometer for Pizza Oven
1. Material
The material with which these oven thermometers are manufactured is a very important factor to consider. The usual materials that are found in most of the oven thermometers is stainless steel. It is always important to have high-grade stainless steel in your thermometers to make sure that they do not show signs of rust after a few days of usage.
2. Temperature Units
We all know that the unit of temperature is either °C or °F which is probably a very confusing standpoint to look at. Because the units are entirely different from one region to another and most of the cook books and recipes do not come with the temperatures in both the units. So, if you are looking forward to buying a thermometer, it is better that you go for a one that displays both °C and °F.
3. Performance
When you are talking about the performance of an oven thermometer, the first thing to cross the list is the speed with which you get the temperature. Because some of the recipes that you are trying out need to be handled in the perfect temperature to make sure that they come out well and that is the number one reason as to why you need to have a thermometer that can give you instant results in a short span of time. This will determine the performance of the thermometer that you have.
4. Temperature Limits
The usual temperature limits that oven thermometers operate in are usually around 60°F and 1200°F. If you have a wood-fired oven or an outdoor fireplace oven, then the temperature reaches more 900 Degrees Fahrenheit. So, when you are buying a thermometer for your oven, make sure that the device can handle such high temperatures. Most of the ovens that you can find in the market come well within the range mentioned but always make sure to double-check the temperature limits it can withstand before you buy the oven thermometer.
5. Ease of Use
To make sure that the oven thermometers that you buy are easy to use, there are some factors that you need to consider. When you consider the stainless-steel ones, make sure that they have got a small metal ring on the top or a feature with which you can hang the thermometer inside the oven. In the infrared types, make sure that they come with a rubber grip to hold the thermometer in place. These features in your oven thermometer will help you use them much more effectively and will definitely improve the ease of use factor.
6. Maintenance
When it comes to thermometers, it is very definite that you will have to depend on a lot of factors to select one and the maintenance part is definitely one of them. Most of the thermometers mentioned here in this article that can sustain well and do not require regular maintenance. So, it is always wise to go with a thermometer that is easy to use and that does not require regular monitoring to make sure it works properly.
Conclusion
There are many oven thermometers that are available in the market and there are a lot of different ways in which you can decide the perfect one for you. It is important that you consider all the above-mentioned factors before you buy an oven thermometer. Also make sure that you do not buy a oven thermometer that is not suited for your use. Because most of the best oven thermometers are used for professional cooking and if you are just looking for something very basic, go for the manual stainless-steel variants of the oven thermometers.