When I cook meat, especially a turkey, I use a thermometer to check the internal temperature.  This review is for the Bayou brand thermometer.  It was the first one I owned and now it sits in my kitchen drawer, unused.  I'm not even sure why I kept it, having long ago bought a new one.  But let me tell you about it, so you'll understand why I consider it a fairly useless product.

To be honest, I'm not sure where I got it from.  Someone must have given it to me, or perhaps I "inherited" it.  Because I know I didn't buy it myself.  One look at it, and I would have known it wasn't going to meet my needs.

Sure, it has a nice, 5" stem with a pointy end that's easy to insert.  And, yes, it's stainless steel (although I have to confess mine has gotten some stains over the years).  And, there's a convenient, red pre-set marker (set it to your desired temperature then just wait until the indicator lines up with the marker).  But take a good look at the face of the thermometer.

You'll notice that the scale runs from 50 degrees to 550.  There are number markers every 50 degrees.  This may be fine for some applications.  But in my oven, I really only care about the numbers from about 140 to 190.  I don't need anything below or above that range.  So I prefer a thermometer that limits itself to that range, and spreads those few numbers out over the same size dial.  I want to see a number marking every 10 degrees, as well as line marking every 5 degrees.  Sure, the Bayou face is easy to read when you're holding it in your hand, 6 inches from your face.  But remember that when I really have to read it, it's sticking into a turkey, at some weird angle, in an oven that's been set to 400 degrees for the past several hours. 

In other words, in the real-world usage of this product, there's no way I can discern if my meat is 160 degrees or 165.  Other than by using the pre-set marker and seeing if the indicator "lines up", or is at least "getting close", the numbers might as well be invisible for all the good they do.

Unless you're using this product for some application other than cooking meat and poultry, I'm not sure how useful it can be.  As for mine, it sits in the drawer.  Why I haven't thrown it out is one of life's little mysteries.

Recommended: No

Amount Paid (US$): 10