Best picksGood Meat Thermometers for Every Kind of Cook
Best picksBest Dash Cams for Cars in 2026
Best picksBest WiFi Extenders: Which Range Extender Should You Buy?
Best picksBest Radar Detectors for Cars: Models Compared
Best picksGood Winter Gloves for Cold Weather: Five Useful Picks
Best picksBest Headlamps: Six Lights Compared for Different Uses
Best picksBest Portable Air Coolers for Patios, Workshops and Small Spaces (2026)
Best picksTop 10 Best Battery-Powered Weed Eaters for Different Yards
Best picksBest Air Purifier for Bedroom in the US: Quiet Models ComparedGearjury may earn a commission from qualifying retailer links, without changing our editorial conclusions.
Guide
Check accuracy before first use, at the frequency required by your food-safety plan, and whenever the thermometer is dropped, exposed to a temperature extreme or gives a doubtful reading. Adjust it only as its maker directs.
How often should a food thermometer be calibrated? There is no single interval for every device and workplace. Follow the manufacturer, your local code and the establishment's food-safety plan; verify before first use and repeat on the documented schedule.
A hard impact, an extreme temperature or a reading that conflicts with another trusted instrument is a reason to stop using the thermometer and check its accuracy immediately.
Use a properly prepared ice-point or boiling-point reference and keep the sensing area away from the container. The boiling point varies with elevation and atmospheric conditions, so ice water is often the simpler routine check.
Wait for a stable reference reading, compare it with the expected value and use the maker's adjustment procedure. A device without user calibration may need service, a documented correction or replacement.
Many bimetal dial thermometers have an adjustment nut and should be checked regularly. Their sensing zone extends along the stem, so immerse that entire zone during the accuracy check.
Wash and sanitize the food-contact stem as your procedure requires, then air-dry it or use an approved single-use towel. Protect the sensing tip before storage.
Common questions
Before initial use, on the schedule in your food-safety plan and after any event that could affect accuracy, such as a drop or extreme heat exposure.
The FDA Food Code sets accuracy requirements for food temperature devices; the applicable tolerance depends on the scale and use. Follow the current adopted code in your jurisdiction.
After cleaning and sanitizing, let the probe air-dry or use the drying method allowed by your sanitation procedure. Do not return a wet, contaminated stem to its case.
Place the sensor in the thickest part away from bone, fat and gristle. Check more than one location in large or irregular cuts.
Use a small-diameter, tip-sensitive probe that can reach the center from the side without averaging a long section of stem.
Keep exploring
A fast, thin probe works well for portions; a heat-safe leave-in probe makes a whole roast easier to monitor.
A fast instant-read probe is the most practical choice for steaks; insert it from the side into the center.
Start with a dependable instant-read thermometer; add a leave-in or wireless probe when you want continuous monitoring.
Use a leave-in probe to track the cook and an instant-read model to check more than one spot before serving.