We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Food and Recipes BBQ Our Favorite Meat Thermometers For Every Budget From smoking pork shoulder to roasting prime rib, these are the best meat thermometers to check internal temperatures. By Molly Allen Molly Allen Molly Allen is a previous bakery owner and freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience focused on food and beverage, lifestyle, travel and parties. Her work has been published in Taste of Home, HuffPost, and Brides, among others. When she’s not writing or baking, she can be found hiking or paddleboarding near Hood River, Oregon, where she calls home. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on August 3, 2024 Fact checked by Jessica Wrubel Fact checked by Jessica Wrubel Jessica Wrubel is an accomplished writer, copy editor, and fact checker, working for over 15 years for various publications owned by Tribune Publishing, The Arena Group, and Hearst Communications in the areas of Food, Health & Wellness, Travel, Lifestyle, Education, and Home Improvement. brand's fact checking process In This Article Expand Jump to a Section Our top picks Reviews The Bottom Line Tips for Choosing Questions and Answers Why Trust Southern Living Southern Living / Kevin Liang A meat thermometer is a crucial tool while preparing dinner, whether you’re making a pot roast or sheet pan chicken. It’s also helpful when smoking meats such as a pork shoulder for the juiciest pulled pork. To be sure that any meat including beef, chicken, and pork is fully cooked, inserting a thermometer will give you a readout so you can check the internal temperature. According to Danielle “Diva Q” Bennett, the best meat thermometer should be convenient, accurate, have a high temperature range, and be easy to use and clean. You also want a meat thermometer that’s durable with a battery that will last for many meals. Meet the Expert Danielle “Diva Q” Bennett is a world champion BBQ pitmaster. Below, find our top picks for the best meat thermometers, including wireless and multi-probe options. Our Top Picks Best Overall Meat Thermometer: Thermoworks ThermoPop 2 at Thermoworks.com (See Price) Jump to Review Best Budget Meat Thermometer: Lavatools Digital Read Thermometer at Amazon ($25) Jump to Review Best Splurge Meat Thermometer: ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE at Thermoworks.com (See Price) Jump to Review Best Wireless Meat Thermometer: Meater Plus with Bluetooth Repeater at Amazon ($100) Jump to Review Best Meat Thermometer for Roasts: ThermoWorks Chef Alarm Cooking Alarm Thermometer and Timer at Thermoworks.com (See Price) Jump to Review Best Multi-Probe Meat Thermometer: FireBoard 2 Wireless Thermometer at Fireboard.com (See Price) Jump to Review Best Overall Meat Thermometer Thermoworks ThermoPop 2 Thermoworks View On Thermoworks.com View On Outdoorhome.com What’s Great About It Light and easy to hold Instant read in under 3 seconds Waterproof design Built-in auto shutoff What Could Be Better Small power button This light, slim instant read thermometer will have your temperature readout to you in under three seconds. It has a large, backlit display and rotates automatically depending on where you’re holding the thermometer. While it comes standard with a 4.5-inch probe length, you can also choose an 8-inch probe length, along with choosing from nine different colors. The temperature range covers the bases, with a max of 572°F, making it ideal for a variety of applications. The molded design means that this meat thermometer is waterproof, so it can be washed easily after each use without any worry of moisture affecting performance. The meat thermometer comes with a sheath to protect the probe, a battery claimed to last for 4,000 hours of use, and is equipped with an auto shutoff feature after 10 minutes. Type: Instant read | Probe Length: 4.5-inch or 8-inch | Temperature Range: -58°F to 572°F | Features: Waterproof, backlit screen Best Budget Meat Thermometer Lavatools Digital Read Thermometer Walmart View On Amazon $25 View On Walmart $38 View On Lavatools.co What’s Great About It Easy-to-hold design Instant read in under 4 seconds Splash-proof What Could Be Better Short probe may not be suited for larger cuts of meat For a budget-friendly meat thermometer that will get the job done, this instant-read option is under $30. Its folding design offers a larger handle for easy holding, with a spot to fold and tuck in the probe to protect it when not in use. The thermometer has a shorter probe length at under 3 inches, so it may not be suitable for larger cuts of meat. However, that short probe length does allow for a quick readout on items such as grilled chicken in under four seconds. The design is splash-proof so it can be wiped down, with a large display for simple reading. It has a built-in magnet so it can be attached to a grill or smoker for convenience, along with an auto-sleep mode after 60 minutes. Type: Instant read | Probe Length: 2.75 inches | Temperature Range: -40°F to 482°F | Features: Internal magnet for storage Best Splurge Meat Thermometer ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE King Arthur Baking View On Thermoworks.com View On Kingarthurbaking.com What’s Great About It Instant read in under 1 second Waterproof for easy cleaning Motion sensing with auto-sleep mode What Could Be Better No magnet or loop for easy storage or hanging According to Bennett, this is the thermometer she sees professional chefs using, and for good reason. The benefits are all in the name—Thermapen One. The waterproof meat thermometer offers instant readouts in under one second, meaning you’ll know the accurate temperature that much faster for whatever you’re cooking, without losing heat from your oven, smoker, or grill. It has a folding design with a large handle and a 4.4-inch probe. The display has a large front and is backlit, making it easier to read. With motion-sensing capabilities, the display auto-rotates to wherever you insert it and need to read the temperature, along with a customizable sleep mode which can be set between 10 seconds and three minutes and auto wakes when you pick it up again. Type: Instant read | Probe Length: 4.4 inches | Temperature Range: -58°F to 572°F | Features: Customizable sleep and auto wake mode, waterproof Best Wireless Meat Thermometer Meater Plus with Bluetooth Repeater Amazon View On Amazon $100 View On Target $100 View On Bbqguys.com What’s Great About It Wireless, leave-in design App with cooking guide and notifications Two sensors for internal and ambient temperatures What Could Be Better Requires phone connectivity for instant read If you love smart devices that can be controlled from an app on your phone, this meat thermometer is the ideal fit. The wireless design allows it to be used both as an instant read or leave-in, depending on what you’re cooking. With its leave-in capabilities, it’s perfect for long smokes of brisket or pork, but can also be used for steaks, grilled chicken, and more. It has two temperature readouts, giving you both an internal meat temperature, along with ambient temperature so you know exactly what temp your smoker, grill, or oven is at. The app helps guide you through the cooking process, giving you details on how long it will take to achieve the target temperature. The Bluetooth connectivity has a range of 165 feet and the app will alert you when it’s just about reached the optimal temperature, along with another notification once the meat is fully cooked. The probe is made from stainless steel and can be stored in its battery-powered Bluetooth repeater when not in use. Type: Instant read or leave-in | Probe Length: 5 inches | Temperature Range: Up to 212°F internal and 527°F external | Features: Compatible app for phone readout Best Meat Thermometer for Roasts ThermoWorks Chef Alarm Cooking Alarm Thermometer and Timer ThermoWorks View On Thermoworks.com What’s Great About It Long cable for easy set-up Large, backlit display for readability Four alarm settings to signal when a temperature is reached What Could Be Better Splashproof, but not waterproof This thermometer is designed so you can leave it in a roast and not have to think about it too much. It has a 47-inch cable attached so the probe can be inserted into meat in the oven and the readout screen can sit on your countertop. The large backlit display will give you a read out on temperature, along with a timer. Set the temperature you’re hoping to achieve, such as 145°F for a medium beef roast, and simply wait until the thermometer lets you know it’s done. The alarm can be adjusted to four different volume settings so you’ll be sure you hear it. The probe can be left in cooking environments up to 700°F and the readout device is splashproof. Type: Leave-in | Probe Length: 6.5 inches | Temperature Range: Up to 572°F | Features: 47-inch cable Best Multi-Probe Meat Thermometer FireBoard 2 Wireless Thermometer FireBoard View On Fireboard.com View On Atbbq.com What’s Great About It Can monitor multiple proteins at once App will alert you once temperature is reached Large backlit display on main hub What Could Be Better Additional probes sold separately If you’re cooking for a crowd, a multi-probe meat thermometer system will come in handy. This leave-in meat thermometer will allow you to get readouts on multiple briskets all at once. It comes with two 5-inch food probes with 6-foot cables and one ambient temperature probe, but you can purchase additional probes separately to monitor up to six at a time. The main hub has a large backlit display for quick-glance readings. The wireless hub thermometer also connects to an app on your phone, allowing you to set and monitor cooking temperatures and be alerted when meat is done. You can choose to receive app notifications or text messages, depending on your preference. Data from your cooking sessions is stored so you can check just how you cooked a roast that everyone raved about and duplicate it again. Type: Leave-in | Probe Length: 5 inches | Temperature Range: -58°F to 716°F | Features: App for phone notifications The Bottom Line The best meat thermometers provide quick, accurate results, and our top pick, the ThermoWorks ThermoPop delivers on that promise with an easy-to-hold design, backlit display, and temperature readout under three seconds. For those looking for an even quicker readout with a folding design, the ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE delivers incredibly fast temperatures in under one second and is top-rated by professional chefs. For those looking for a smart meat thermometer with a “set and forget” option, the Meater Plus wireless thermometer takes the guesswork out of cooking meat to the optimal temperature by connecting to an app on your phone with a handy cooking guide and temperature notifications. Tips for Choosing the Right Meat Thermometer Thermometer Type To find the best type of meat thermometer, consider what you want to use it for most often. Are you often cooking roasts and would find it handy to leave the thermometer in the meat while cooking? A meat thermometer such as the ThermoWorks Chef Alarm can do that. Or are you often grilling and want to check the temperature of multiple things quickly with ease? Instant-read thermometers, like our best multiple-probe thermometer, the FireBoard 2 Wireless Thermometer can help you do that. Wired vs. Wireless Some meat thermometers are designed with a probe attached to a cable, which leads to the temperature read-out device. Others are wireless and built all-in-one, like our best wireless, the Meater Plus Smart Thermometer, so you can insert the probe and see the temperature right on the screen in front of you. “I think with most applications these days, the future is all about wireless for ease of use and avoiding the analog style of the older leave-in dial,” notes Bennett. Probe Length The probe length varies between different meat thermometers. You want to be sure you’re getting one long enough to provide accurate readouts on a variety of meats. Meat thermometers should be inserted into the middle of the meat for accuracy, so having a probe long enough (our best splurge, the ThermoWorks Thermapen One has a 4.4-inch probe) to make it to the middle of a thick cut of meat, like a pork shoulder, is crucial. Temperature Range Most meat thermometers have a wide range of temperature gauging from negative to positive degrees Fahrenheit (the FireBoard 2 Wireless Thermometer, our best multi-probe thermometer, can go up as high as 716°F). Be sure it has an appropriate range for the amount of doneness you’re seeking. It’s also important to check if leave-in thermometers can withstand high cooking heats. Speed Speed is important when it comes to checking the temperature of meats. A faster, instant-read thermometer (the ThermoWorks Thermapen One can provide readouts in under one second) will serve you well. “When you open the grill up, you are starting to lose internal temperature immediately, so the quicker that you can take all the temperatures necessary, the better,” says Bennett. “Ideally one to two seconds is the most I want to wait for a read on a temperature in a protein.” Special Features At the very minimum, a meat thermometer should read out accurate temperatures. However, there’s so much more that many of the options on the market can do. Some, like the Meater Plus Smart Thermometer, may have an app so the thermometer can be controlled with your phone, while others may be magnetic to easily attach and store on a grill or smoker. Some probes will also tell you how long it will take for meat to get to a certain temperature, as well as alarming you when it does. Questions and Answers How do you use a meat thermometer? The proper way to use a meat thermometer will depend on its design and features. “With all thermometers, one of the key components is making sure that you are in the middle of the meat protein, not touching the bone,” advises Bennett. “You want to go to the middle because you want the most accurate result, and of course, wherever possible avoiding pockets of fat because we want to measure the temperature of the protein, not the fat.” Bennett also notes how important it is to properly clean the meat probe after every insertion and removal. Use meat probe wipes or wash it properly after each use. How do you calibrate a meat thermometer? “One of the first things I do when I buy a new meat thermometer is boil water,” says Bennett. “I always test every probe to make sure that it’s accurate first.” The thermometer should read 212°F. The USDA also recommends the ice water method, which includes filling a glass with crushed ice, adding water, and stirring. With the probe immersed in the ice water, turn the head until the pointer has a readout of 32°F. What kind of meat thermometer is used by professional chefs? Bennett says that every chef she knows uses a Thermapen One for quick handheld results. “I use a Thermapen One almost daily. It’s a great instant-read thermometer, handheld for quick temperatures of a variety of things from BBQ to baked goods and everything in between,” she says. Bennett also notes she uses a wireless Meater 2 Plus often, especially for larger cuts of meat over 1.5 inches. “It is the most technologically advanced of all of the thermometers out there on the market. I really like this one because you can leave it inside the meat even if you’re searing off at ultra-high temperatures,” she says. “You can also customize your own personal alerts so you can have an estimation on when it will be done. It’s also waterproof so I can use it when I’m using my sous vide.” Why Trust Southern Living? This article was written by Molly Allen, a food, lifestyle, and commerce writer. A former bakery owner, Molly is now a recipe developer with a passion for cooking outdoors on the grill, smoker, or in a pizza oven. To find the best meat thermometers, Molly used her own knowledge from years spent testing products in commercial and home kitchens, along with research. For additional expert insight, she spoke to BBQ pitmaster and Traeger brand ambassador Danielle “Diva Q” Bennett. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit