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An oven thermometer is the only reliable way to know what’s happening inside your oven—unless you have a model that’s inaccurate, hard to read, or falls off the racks.
By Kate Shannon and Miye Bromberg ・ Last Updated Mar. 14, 2024. Appears in America's Test Kitchen TV Season 21: Schnitzel and Roesti
Editor&aposs Note:Update, March 2024
We've incorporated digital oven thermometers into our rankings. Our favorite analog oven thermometer remains the CDN DOT2 - Oven Thermometer. Our favorite digital versions are the ThermoWorks Square DOT and the ThermoPro TP16.
Top Picks
Best Digital Oven ThermometerThermoWorks Square DOT
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
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What You Need to Know
FAQs
Many cooks let their analog oven thermometers live in the oven in an out-of-the-way place where they can check it every time they cook. Not only is that unnecessary (with typical home use, an oven’s accuracy should remain relatively consistent over time), it’s also not that helpful. A better approach: for testing, position your thermometer or temperature probe so that it’s taking readings from the center of your oven, where food usually cooks—in the middle of the middle rack, for example.
You don’t need to keep a thermometer inside your oven all the time. Although this method can provide you with more precise data on how your oven is performing right before you cook a specific food, we find that the thermometer inevitably gets in the way, proving more trouble than it’s worth. Instead, we recommend that you periodically test your oven’s temperature with the oven empty. If you’re using an analog thermometer, set it in the middle of your oven’s center rack, or hang it from a rack positioned slightly above the center of the oven. If you’re using a digital thermometer, insert the temperature probe into the rack clip and position the clip in the middle of the center rack. Set the oven to 350 degrees or the temperature at which you’ve experienced problems in the past. If you’re using a digital thermometer, you can take a reading after 30 minutes, as the oven has fully preheated. If you’re using an analog thermometer, wait at least 40 minutes before taking a reading—it can take up to 30 minutes for the oven to preheat completely, but the thermometer itself may take a bit longer to adjust to the changing temperatures. Check the temperature. On most digital thermometers, if the temperature is within 25 degrees of your target, no changes need to be made. On an analog thermometer or digital thermometer that supplies average temperatures, such as our top pick, the temperature readout should be much closer—within 10 degrees of your target temperature. If it’s running much hotter or cooler, however, you may want to decrease or increase the temperature accordingly when you next cook for better results. With digital thermometers that only supply current temperatures, you can also track the temperature for about 10 to 15 minutes to get a better sense of your oven’s temperature range over the course of the cycle. Averaging the highest and lowest temperatures will give you a good sense of how accurate your oven is at a given setting.
If you've had accuracy issues with your oven, we recommend retesting your oven temperature every 3 to 6 months. If you've never had any issues with foods you've roasted or baked, however, you probably don't need to check your oven's accuracy at all.
Technically speaking, you don’t need anything to take oven temperatures using a digital leave-in thermometer; you can simply drape the probe over the center oven rack and carefully close the oven door, making sure the probe doesn’t move as you do. But if you want extra security and ultra-stable positioning, it’s a good idea to use a dedicated grate clip. Our top model comes with one, but many other models don’t; you’ll need to buy one separately. Metal clips are the standard—we recommend this model by ThermoWorks or this more generic universal model, available on Amazon. Metal clips can be used at any temperature and fit between most oven rack slats. If the space between your oven rack slats is wider than 1.5 inches, however, we’ve found that the best option is a silicone grate and pot clip. It holds any probe securely and can be used not only on grates, but also on pots, making them handy for checking air temperatures and monitoring fry oil or candy temperatures. The one thing to keep in mind is that they can only be used in temperatures up to 485°F, so they’re not ideal if you want to check your oven’s temperature at 500°F.
It’s not practical to use an analog oven thermometer for grilling or barbecue, but digital (leave-in) thermometers can be great for both! These thermometers can measure either ambient or food temperatures, so they can track your grill or smoker temperature and the temperature of the pork butt or salmon or brisket you’re cooking.
One common problem is that you might not be preheating your oven long enough. While your oven doesn’t always have to be at the exact recommended temperature when you’re roasting and baking most foods, there’s a much smaller margin of error when making popovers, Dutch babies, and soufflés—they require very specific temperatures in order to puff up properly. You can’t always trust your oven’s alert to tell you when it’s reached those specific temperatures, either. An oven’s internal thermometer only gauges the temperature of the location where it’s installed, usually in the back, front, or side of the oven box—not the temperature at the center of the oven, where food cooks. As a result, many ovens alert you far before the oven is fully heated. To ensure that your oven is at the right temperature, we recommend preheating your oven for at least 20 minutes for recipes that call for temperatures at or below 350 degrees. Plan on preheating for at least 30 minutes if you’re baking or roasting above 350 degrees—it takes more time for your oven to reach those higher temperatures. And note that if you have to preheat a cast-iron skillet or other heavy, thick cookware, as you might when making a Dutch baby, it will take even longer for the oven and cookware to come fully up to temperature, so plan accordingly.
Some digital thermometers come with ambient temperature probes, which are specifically designed for registering air temperatures. But you don't actually need one to check your oven's accuracy--a standard food probe will work just as well. Both ambient and food probes use similar, if not identical, temperature sensors. Ambient temperature are shorter and thicker than food temperature probes, and their tips are blunt. These characteristics make them harder to insert into food and a little slower to register temperatures but a bit safer and less cumbersome to use when checking your oven or grill temperatures. Food temperature probes, by contrast, can actually be used to take both food and air temperatures. They’re longer, thinner, and have pointy tips—all characteristics that make it easier to insert the probe into food without leaving big holes. Having an ambient temperature probe can make it a little easier to take oven or grill temperatures with your leave-in thermometer, but you don’t need one if you already have a food probe—it’ll work just fine.
Everything We Tested
Good 3 Stars out of 3.
Fair 2 Stars out of 3.
Poor 1 Star out of 3.
Highly Recommended
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
Best Digital Oven ThermometerThermoWorks Square DOT
While pricey, this leave-in thermometer is ideal for checking the temperature of your oven—and will let you do so much more besides. It comes with both a food probe and an ambient temperature probe, so you can actually monitor the temperature of both your food and your grill/oven/smoker simultaneously if you like. For testing oven temperatures, you can use either probe, though a grate clip is provided expressly to secure the ambient temperature probe to an oven rack or grill grate. Better still, you can set the console to read out a rolling average of the temperatures it takes instead of just reading temperatures on a moment-to-moment basis. This makes it easier to see how closely your oven hews to the temperature you set; other leave-in thermometers simply read out temperatures that rise and fall throughout your oven’s heating cycle. This simple thermometer is accurate and a cinch to use, and its large display clearly reads out the current temperatures. As with other leave-in thermometers, it can also be used to track oil temperatures while deep-frying or sugar temperatures while making candy.
Model Number: Square DOTTemperature Range: -58°F to 572°FPrice at Time of Testing: $69
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
While pricey, this leave-in thermometer is ideal for checking the temperature of your oven—and will let you do so much more besides. It comes with both a food probe and an ambient temperature probe, so you can actually monitor the temperature of both your food and your grill/oven/smoker simultaneously if you like. For testing oven temperatures, you can use either probe, though a grate clip is provided expressly to secure the ambient temperature probe to an oven rack or grill grate. Better still, you can set the console to read out a rolling average of the temperatures it takes instead of just reading temperatures on a moment-to-moment basis. This makes it easier to see how closely your oven hews to the temperature you set; other leave-in thermometers simply read out temperatures that rise and fall throughout your oven’s heating cycle. This simple thermometer is accurate and a cinch to use, and its large display clearly reads out the current temperatures. As with other leave-in thermometers, it can also be used to track oil temperatures while deep-frying or sugar temperatures while making candy.
Model Number: Square DOTTemperature Range: -58°F to 572°FPrice at Time of Testing: $69
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
ThermoWorks ChefAlarm
Small but mighty, our longterm favorite leave-in thermometer is still one of the most accurate we tested. It’s got a large, easy-to-read display and is rich in smart, helpful features, including both high and low alarms and maximum and minimum temperatures. While it’s primarily intended for tracking the temperatures of meat, cooking oil, or candy, it works equally well for checking oven or enclosed grill temperatures. You can simply drape the probe from an oven rack, or secure the probe to your oven rack or grill grate with a grate clip, available for separate purchase. (An ambient temperature probe is available for separate purchase as well, but it offers no significant advantage in data transmission; it’s just shorter, thicker, and less sharp for safer use inside the oven or grill.) An added bonus: it comes with a case for storage.
Model Number: TX-1100Temperature Range: -58°F to 572°FPrice at Time of Testing: TX-1100
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
Small but mighty, our longterm favorite leave-in thermometer is still one of the most accurate we tested. It’s got a large, easy-to-read display and is rich in smart, helpful features, including both high and low alarms and maximum and minimum temperatures. While it’s primarily intended for tracking the temperatures of meat, cooking oil, or candy, it works equally well for checking oven or enclosed grill temperatures. You can simply drape the probe from an oven rack, or secure the probe to your oven rack or grill grate with a grate clip, available for separate purchase. (An ambient temperature probe is available for separate purchase as well, but it offers no significant advantage in data transmission; it’s just shorter, thicker, and less sharp for safer use inside the oven or grill.) An added bonus: it comes with a case for storage.
Model Number: TX-1100Temperature Range: -58°F to 572°FPrice at Time of Testing: TX-1100
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
OXO Good Grips Leave-in Probe Thermometer
Like the other leave-in thermometers, this model is primarily intended for tracking the temperature of food, oil, and candy, but it can also be used to check your oven temperature settings. It’s very accurate, easy to read, and clips securely to an oven rack using a generic grate clip. It has a few well-chosen extra features, including a timer and preset alarms for the doneness of different proteins. It’s a little bulkier than higher-ranked picks but is versatile and well-made, especially for its more moderate price.
Model Number: 11231300Temperature Range: -32°F to 482°FPrice at Time of Testing: $43
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
Like the other leave-in thermometers, this model is primarily intended for tracking the temperature of food, oil, and candy, but it can also be used to check your oven temperature settings. It’s very accurate, easy to read, and clips securely to an oven rack using a generic grate clip. It has a few well-chosen extra features, including a timer and preset alarms for the doneness of different proteins. It’s a little bulkier than higher-ranked picks but is versatile and well-made, especially for its more moderate price.
Model Number: 11231300Temperature Range: -32°F to 482°FPrice at Time of Testing: $43
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
Best BuyThermoPro TP16
One of the most accurate models we tested, this inexpensive leave-in thermometer did a great job of reporting oven temperatures and was easy to secure to oven racks using a separately purchased generic grate clip. Like the other digital leave-in thermometers, it can also be used to track food, oil, and even candy temperatures. Used for these applications, we found it a cinch to set an alarm or the timer, and we liked that it had a few preset alarms for different types of protein. It’s got fewer features than higher-ranked digital choices, and using it can be a little less intuitive at times, but it’s otherwise a great no-frills option.
Model Number: TP-16Temperature Range: 32˚F to 572˚F Price at Time of Testing: $21.99
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
One of the most accurate models we tested, this inexpensive leave-in thermometer did a great job of reporting oven temperatures and was easy to secure to oven racks using a separately purchased generic grate clip. Like the other digital leave-in thermometers, it can also be used to track food, oil, and even candy temperatures. Used for these applications, we found it a cinch to set an alarm or the timer, and we liked that it had a few preset alarms for different types of protein. It’s got fewer features than higher-ranked digital choices, and using it can be a little less intuitive at times, but it’s otherwise a great no-frills option.
Model Number: TP-16Temperature Range: 32˚F to 572˚F Price at Time of Testing: $21.99
Recommended
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
Best Analog Oven ThermometerCDN Pro Accurate Oven Thermometer
All copies of this model aced our accuracy tests. It sports a wide, sturdy base and clear temperature markings with large numbers and boldly visible dashes at 50- and 25-degree increments. Its silver face is more prone to glare and light reflection than models with white backgrounds, but it’s still fairly easy to read. A wide base and a big, squared-off hook allowed it to both sit and hang securely.
Model Number: DOT2Temperature Range: 150°F to 550°FPrice at Time of Testing: $8.70
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
All copies of this model aced our accuracy tests. It sports a wide, sturdy base and clear temperature markings with large numbers and boldly visible dashes at 50- and 25-degree increments. Its silver face is more prone to glare and light reflection than models with white backgrounds, but it’s still fairly easy to read. A wide base and a big, squared-off hook allowed it to both sit and hang securely.
Model Number: DOT2Temperature Range: 150°F to 550°FPrice at Time of Testing: $8.70
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
Taylor Oven Thermometer
All the copies of this dial-face oven thermometer relayed accurate average temperatures when properly preheated. We found it easiest to use when it was sitting flat on the oven rack, as its wide base gave it plenty of stability; its hook didn’t curl around quite as much, making for less secure hanging. Oddly, its face discolored after extended use, turning beige. While this change didn’t augur well for its longevity, it seemed to be cosmetic only; its accuracy was not affected.
Model Number: 3506Temperature Range: 100°F to 600°FPrice at Time of Testing: $9.63
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
All the copies of this dial-face oven thermometer relayed accurate average temperatures when properly preheated. We found it easiest to use when it was sitting flat on the oven rack, as its wide base gave it plenty of stability; its hook didn’t curl around quite as much, making for less secure hanging. Oddly, its face discolored after extended use, turning beige. While this change didn’t augur well for its longevity, it seemed to be cosmetic only; its accuracy was not affected.
Model Number: 3506Temperature Range: 100°F to 600°FPrice at Time of Testing: $9.63
Recommended with reservations
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
Rubbermaid Commercial Products Oven Thermometer
This analog thermometer faithfully reported accurate average oven temperatures. But its dial face was busy with tick marks and numbers, making it a bit harder to read. It also had a relatively small base, so it often fell through the slats of the oven racks we used; its large hook meant we had better luck hanging it from the rack slats instead.
Model Number: FGTHO550Temperature Range: 100°F to 500°FPrice at Time of Testing: $8.85
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
This analog thermometer faithfully reported accurate average oven temperatures. But its dial face was busy with tick marks and numbers, making it a bit harder to read. It also had a relatively small base, so it often fell through the slats of the oven racks we used; its large hook meant we had better luck hanging it from the rack slats instead.
Model Number: FGTHO550Temperature Range: 100°F to 500°FPrice at Time of Testing: $8.85
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
Polder Commercial Oven Thermometer
This thermometer was small but mighty, providing readings that matched the oven’s ambient temperature in test after test. When we looked at it straight on, the numbered markings were clear as day. But its metal casing obscured some numbers entirely and cast shadows on others, posing serious problems for tall cooks and frustrating even our more petite testers.
Model Number: THM-550NTemperature Range: 50°F to 500°FPrice at Time of Testing: $7.19
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
This thermometer was small but mighty, providing readings that matched the oven’s ambient temperature in test after test. When we looked at it straight on, the numbered markings were clear as day. But its metal casing obscured some numbers entirely and cast shadows on others, posing serious problems for tall cooks and frustrating even our more petite testers.
Model Number: THM-550NTemperature Range: 50°F to 500°FPrice at Time of Testing: $7.19
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
Cooper-Atkins Dial Oven Thermometer
Our old winner continued to impress us with consistently accurate temperature readings and a wide, sturdy base. But the metal casing hid some numbers from view, drawing criticism especially from taller testers. The food safety instructions printed on the bottom of the face were distracting.
Model Number: 24HP-01-1Temperature Range: 100°F to 600°FPrice at Time of Testing: $4.63
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
Our old winner continued to impress us with consistently accurate temperature readings and a wide, sturdy base. But the metal casing hid some numbers from view, drawing criticism especially from taller testers. The food safety instructions printed on the bottom of the face were distracting.
Model Number: 24HP-01-1Temperature Range: 100°F to 600°FPrice at Time of Testing: $4.63
Not Recommended
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
Norpro Oven Thermometer
The accuracy of this model wasn’t enough to offset its flaws: Its slim base, just 1¾ inches across, is just barely bigger than the gaps between most oven grates and required painstaking placement so it didn’t tip into the grates. The positioning of numbers between temperature increments (instead of directly over them) made it impossible to read at a glance.
Model Number: 5973Temperature Range: 150°F to 600°FPrice at Time of Testing: $7.97
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
The accuracy of this model wasn’t enough to offset its flaws: Its slim base, just 1¾ inches across, is just barely bigger than the gaps between most oven grates and required painstaking placement so it didn’t tip into the grates. The positioning of numbers between temperature increments (instead of directly over them) made it impossible to read at a glance.
Model Number: 5973Temperature Range: 150°F to 600°FPrice at Time of Testing: $7.97
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
Taylor Connoisseur Oven Thermometer
Though this thermometer gave consistently accurate readings, it had a clamp-like clip (in place of a traditional flat base) that was difficult to slide onto the grates in all five different styles of oven we tested it in. It routinely clipped on crooked or fell over, making its otherwise bright, easy-to-read face illegible. The silicone backing on one unit melted and warped when it fell onto the oven floor
Model Number: 503Temperature Range: 150°F to 600°FPrice at Time of Testing: $13.22
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
Though this thermometer gave consistently accurate readings, it had a clamp-like clip (in place of a traditional flat base) that was difficult to slide onto the grates in all five different styles of oven we tested it in. It routinely clipped on crooked or fell over, making its otherwise bright, easy-to-read face illegible. The silicone backing on one unit melted and warped when it fell onto the oven floor
Model Number: 503Temperature Range: 150°F to 600°FPrice at Time of Testing: $13.22
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
Maverick Oven Thermometer
One copy of this thermometer gave readings 10 to 25 degrees below the actual oven temperature in all three temperature tests. The model is also quite small, with tiny numbers that are often obscured by its metal casing or hidden in shadows, but it did sit securely on the oven rack.
Model Number: OT-01Temperature Range: 100°F to 600°FPrice at Time of Testing: $12.00
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
One copy of this thermometer gave readings 10 to 25 degrees below the actual oven temperature in all three temperature tests. The model is also quite small, with tiny numbers that are often obscured by its metal casing or hidden in shadows, but it did sit securely on the oven rack.
Model Number: OT-01Temperature Range: 100°F to 600°FPrice at Time of Testing: $12.00
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
Maverick Large Dial Oven Thermometer
Like its sibling, this thermometer faltered in accuracy. One unit was off by 25 degrees in two temperature tests. The base also couldn’t support the weight of its oversized face, and it toppled over enough times to crack one unit’s glass front. With these flaws, we didn’t care that it was easy to read.
Model Number: OT-02Temperature Range: 100°F to 600°FPrice at Time of Testing: $20.94
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
Like its sibling, this thermometer faltered in accuracy. One unit was off by 25 degrees in two temperature tests. The base also couldn’t support the weight of its oversized face, and it toppled over enough times to crack one unit’s glass front. With these flaws, we didn’t care that it was easy to read.
Model Number: OT-02Temperature Range: 100°F to 600°FPrice at Time of Testing: $20.94
Discontinued
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
Williams-Sonoma Oven Thermometer
We found no faults with the accuracy of this thermometer, and we liked how its numbers are located close to the center of the face, where they never became obscured by shadows. But its clamp-like clip was incompatible with every oven grate we tried. Frustrated testers struggled to clip it on facing forward and often watched with dismay as it fell forward or swiveled sideways.
Model Number: 21-4024691Temperature Range: 150–600 FPrice at Time of Testing: $19.95
- Accuracy
- Legibility
- Ease of Use
We found no faults with the accuracy of this thermometer, and we liked how its numbers are located close to the center of the face, where they never became obscured by shadows. But its clamp-like clip was incompatible with every oven grate we tried. Frustrated testers struggled to clip it on facing forward and often watched with dismay as it fell forward or swiveled sideways.
Model Number: 21-4024691Temperature Range: 150–600 FPrice at Time of Testing: $19.95
*All products reviewed by America’s Test Kitchen are independently chosen, researched, and reviewed by our editors. We buy products for testing at retail locations and do not accept unsolicited samples for testing. We list suggested sources for recommended products as a convenience to our readers but do not endorse specific retailers. When you choose to purchase our editorial recommendations from the links we provide, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices are subject to change.
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The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing. We stand behind our winners so much that we even put our seal of approval on them. Have a question or suggestion? Send us an email at atkreviews@americastestkitchen.com. We appreciate your feedback!
The Experts
byKate Shannon
Deputy Editor, ATK Reviews
Kate is a deputy editor for ATK Reviews. She's a culinary school graduate and former line cook and cheesemonger.
byMiye Bromberg
Senior Editor, ATK Reviews
Miye is a senior editor for ATK Reviews. She covers bread, booze, and blades.
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