Daiso Food Thermometers: What to Check Before You Buy

It can be if the packaging identifies it as food-safe and its probe, temperature range and stated accuracy suit the task. Insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat and keep it away from bone, fat and gristle.

Follow the instructions supplied with the exact item. For a probe model, clean and sanitise the probe, place it in the thickest part of the food, wait for the reading to stabilise, then clean it again after use.

Only if the packaging or instructions explicitly say the model is oven-safe. An instant-read probe should normally be used for a quick check and removed rather than left in the oven.

A probe thermometer is the better tool for checking the internal temperature of meat. Infrared thermometers measure the surface, which may be at a different temperature from the centre.

Use the calibration method in the product instructions. Food Standards Australia New Zealand also describes an ice-slurry check and advises maintaining and calibrating thermometers regularly.