Meat thermometer - do you have one? Advise me please, do I need one, or not?

Particularly useful for barbecues which are notorious for undercooked meat.

I have one and find it invaluable. Takes all the guess work out. Reassuring too. X

I do not like large lumps of meat, so rarely cook large joints, never eat steaks and rarely eat burgers and the like, so have very little need for a meat thermometer. When I do cook meat, I like it very well cooked, no pink meat for me. The Christmas turkey is cooked until it is difficult to put on the carving dish because it is falling apart, and I have no problem with the flesh being dry.

For food in the microwave I use the testing whether a cake is cooked method. Stick a small sharp knife in and feel it when it comes out. If the temperature isn't even the length of the knife, it needs more cooking. Again I rarely put large lumps of food in the microwave. I will be putting a large plastic box of partially thawed stewed apple in the micro wave today, but that doesn't need a thermometer.

I can see that such thermometers may be very useful for those who regularly cook joints or other large lumps of meat.

I have one bought from Liddl ages ago. you stick probe in middle and a wired comes out the oven to a digi thermometer.

You can set it to allsorts medium, medium rare, well done etc etc does, lamb, beef, veal, burgers, chicken, fish. But I only use it for beef.

Try Lakeland grannyactivist, that’s where I got mine (not expensive) from.

Thank you all - on balance it seems that they are more useful than perhaps I’d realised so I’ll give it a go and add one to my list. The ‘top of the range’ prices are eye watering though, so I’ll be buying something in the lower price bracket. ?‍?

Doodle that's the one I've got!
I agree it's very easy to read.
I tried to share the link earlier but it wouldn't work for some reason.

This is mine and I absolutely love it. Not being a very good cook I rely on it totally. Burgers, joints, re heating food. It’s brilliant so easy and quick to use, clear LED screen. I wouldn’t be without mine. I did have one previously that you left in the joint but I had trouble reading and couldn’t get on with it. I prefer this one with its instant reading.

We only got one recently and I wouldn’t be without one now. DH was hospitalised with food poisoning from a cooked chicken we bought from a famous store and since then used to insist all food was cooked until dry! Now with the thermometer it gives him the assurance that meat is safe to eat whilst still moist. Came in useful on Christmas Day...no dry turkey for us!

I was given one a couple of years ago. I was shown to have been over-doing chicken all my life, but now it is perfectly cooked and never dry. The thermometer was so useful that for that Christmas I bought one each of the same model (a Thermapen) for each for three relatives Two of them now use it regularly, after (they confessed) thinking at first that it was a trendy gadget that would get used once then put away for ever. One uses it to judge the temperature of rising bread dough - I would never have thought of that. I haven't yet asked the third person how they got on with it.

It wasn't the cheapest on the market by a long way, but it is very quick to give a read-out, and has a large screen.

DH has a 'Meater' which he uses for the bbq. I trued it but it seemed to be at temperature really quickly. I have used a digital fork (called the pokey thing) for years which I find good.

I have a digital probe one. Didn't used to use it but it has come in handy since getting a Ninja as things cook so much faster in the Ninja. I use it for air frying chicken and ham joints to get them nice and crispy. I seem to remember using it once or twice for the slow cooker too when I first got it.

I’ve never had one and no ones had food poisoning in 50+ yrs I’ve been cooking.

I have two…..both still in the packaging.

OH bought one a few years ago, I wasn't bothered but since we've had a new fan oven I'm glad we have one.

The new oven cooks quicker than the old one and we can check everything from meat, lasagne, burgers, fish pie, bread putting.

I'm a convert, we did get a new one with a larger digital read out so I can read it :-)

Oh wow CanadianGran, now I have food thermometer envy ?
The only household gadget I have that sends an alert to my phone is my washing machine. It's more useful than I expected haha!

Yes, I have a few. One is a long skewer with a digital head, you can choose your meat, how you like it done, and it is very fast reading the temp. but you can't keep that one in the meat or oven.

We bought another one on recommendation. It's expensive, but wonderful! It's called the Meater (haha), it's a small spike that you put in the meat while it cooks, and you get a digital read out on your phone. You can set up the warning for 30 minutes away from finished, in time to put on veg to boil, etc.

I don't usually have an issue with poultry, but have issues getting beef just right. This really helps.

I have a probe thermometer, which I mainly use to check the temperature of microwave food, especially for the minded children. It's something I'm required by the council environmental health inspector to have (and use).
Basically if food is 75c or higher at its thickest part it's safe to eat.
We actually prefer our meats to be cooked for longer but that's a matter of choice.

I need an oven thermometer but I like our new fridge/freezer thermometers ?

I've got one - and I'm vegan. It's very handy and it's been in regular use, for about a decade, as I do cook meat for the carnivores. I have oven and fridge thermometers, too, just love gadgets!

Yes, I have one and it's nothing fancy.
It's just a spike with a dial showing medium, perfect turkey, well-done etc.

I bought it from the butcher at the local farm shop years ago, it's similar to this one.
Other retailers available eg my local farm shop ?

www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-partners-stainless-steel-kitchen-meat-thermometer/p3459335?sku=237058719&s_ppc=2dx92700055674825610&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlpaP28eE9QIVDdPtCh0hmgBSEAQYBCABEgLK1vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I've had several over the years, and wouldn't be without one now. I think the biggest advantage is not over cooking meat. As I used to cook for someone with a very compromised immune system I was a bit too cautious about serving poultry or pork that was under cooked, consequently it was sometimes on the dry side from too much cooking Copious amounts of gravy would be used to rectify the situation!

We have one. Takes the worry out of meat being cooked or not. It is one piece of equipment which is in use regularly.

Not got one. Poke a knife into the meat & watch the juices as they run out. I’ve been cooking for 50y and never needed a gadget. Mind you we did get food poisoning one time ...

JOKE‼️

I recently bought a quick read meat thermometer. I didn't think I needed one either, but now I use it regularly. It has a probe with a lead that you can insert into your meat while it's in the oven. You can then see how it's doing without opening the door.