The 10 Best Dial Thermometers
Special Honors
Williams Sonoma Dial Display Instant-Read Williams Sonoma's exclusive instant-read model has a distinctive white-on-black display set in a square frame of brushed stainless steel, and it's sold with a recalibration wrench to allow for easy adjustments for accuracy. williams-sonoma.com
Editor's Notes
October 06, 2020:
Dial thermometers come in a wide variety of styles, so you'll want to make sure the one you choose is suited for the task at hand. We've included a few selections built for specialized uses, like the Jansamn 1/2 NPT Thread, which is designed to be fitted on the port of a kettle for brewing beer or wine. The Taylor 5924 Classic Series works great in freezers or refrigerators, since it has a low temperature floor and a display indicating safe ranges for perishables, while the Escali AHB1 is ideal for foaming fancy drinks.
A key consideration for cooking thermometers is whether they can be left in the oven or on the grill throughout the process. Options like the Rubbermaid FGTHP220DS Instant Read and the KT Thermo B-221 are used for quickly checking whether a dish is done before putting it back on the heat, while tougher models like the CDN POT750X ProcAccurate or the CDN GTS800X allow for continuous monitoring. Another important factor is size - the long stem of the Cooper-Atkins 3270-05-5 makes it great for use with deep stockpots or fryers.
With such a broad range of applications, it can be tough to truly quantify the best option, so for the top of our list we went with a dependable all-around pick: the Taylor 8215N Bi-Therm Pocket Probe. The Taylor brand has a reputation for reliability, and this model can be fine-tuned for accurate readings of temperatures from boiling to well below freezing.
If you're in the market for more high-tech equipment, check out our review of the best wireless grill thermometers. We've looked at several types of specialty cookware with built-in temperature controls, such as crockpots and electric roaster ovens.