I've had this Taylor thermometer for many years now, and it has served me very well. It's not a kitchen tool that I use every day, or even every week. But when cooking roasts or whole birds, I consider it absolutely invaluable. I wouldn't even try to cook a large piece of meat without a meat thermometer anymore.

There are any number of "guidelines" for cooking roasts, claiming that a given type of meat should be cooked at such-and-such a temperature, for so many minutes per pound to achieve a certain level of doneness. I'm of the opinion that these guidelines are worthless. Research has shown that there are too many variables at play to give any such recommendations. The amount and type of fat in a piece of meat, the presence or absence of a bone and the vagaries of the household oven all confound such simplistic guidelines, however well intentioned they may be. The only sure method of determining doneness in a roast is a meat thermometer.

Now that my public service announcement is over, let me tell you about the thermometer I use. The Taylor Instant Read Pocket Thermometer is a little bit of a misnomer. The thermometer has a 1" dial display with a moving needle. The needle does not instantly jump to the proper number to display the temperature, but rather glides there quickly or slowly depending on what material is being measured. With cuts of meat, the needle will slow down considerably before reaching its final reading. It works much faster with liquids. I'm not saying it's much of a wait. Usually I will see a final reading in a minute or less. I should point out that digital thermometers are no quicker at providing a final measurement.

The dial face is covered by a shatterproof plastic lens that slightly magnifies the display. This is helpful for those with bad or mediocre eyesight, like me. The temperature is given in Fahrenheit only, in units of single degrees, from zero to 220 degrees. I've never had any trouble reading the temperature exactly. Note that the range of temperature reading makes this thermometer unsuitable for most candy making uses. Since the lens is made of plastic, this is not a thermometer that can be placed in a roast and left in while the roast cooks in the oven.

This thermometer also comes with a sheath that performs several functions. Firstly, it grips the thermometer tightly, so that it won't slip out accidentally. It has a clip which can hold it to a breast pocket - a useful trick for professional chefs. By slipping the thermometer into a hole that runs laterally through the sheath, the sheath can also serve as a handle to hold the thermometer in hot liquids. Most importantly, the sheath includes a wrench fitting that can be used to recalibrate the thermometer if it strays. From a purely practical standpoint, the bright blue color of the sheath also helps me find the thermometer quickly in my huge drawer of kitchen implements.

I've had occasion to recalibrate my thermometer only once in more than 10 years of ownership. It was a little tricky to accomplish as I'd thrown away whatever documentation came with the tool and just had to wing it. By taking the temperature for a pot of boiling water, I was able to determine the reading was off by two degrees. The tricky part about recalibrating was that every time I took the thermometer out of the water to adjust it, the temperature reading would fall precipitously of course. But after a few minutes of experimentation I got it to read 212 degrees exactly.

I have a few tips about using this thermometer. Firstly, be careful always to hand wash this thermometer after use and especially before putting it back in the sheath. The sheath would be hard to clean if it got dirty inside, short of submerging it in bleach solution. Placing a dirty thermometer in the sheath would only create a perfect environment for bacterial growth - not something you want to do with a kitchen tool. Secondly, when using any thermometer to take a reading for a roast, make sure that you measure the thickest part of the meat and that the thermometer is not touching a bone. Bones conduct heat more readily than meat, and it's likely you will get an inaccurate reading if the thermometer is in contact with the bone. Thirdly, if you prefer rare or medium-rare meats, it's especially important that you check the accuracy of any thermometer regularly. Don't risk your health by eating meat that has not been cooked to a minimum safe temperature because of a faulty tool.

I would highly recommend this thermometer to any professional or home cook who prepares large cuts of meat on even an occasional basis. It's been a reliable part of my kitchen inventory for many years, and I expect it to continue so. I'm guessing I'll never need to buy another one.

Some of my other favorite kitchen tools:

• Swing Away Can Opener - the one I kept after trying all the others
• Endurance Precision Pierced Colander - drains like a dream, and made of stainless steel
• KitchenAid Professional Standing Mixer - a versatile, high-performing, and durable cornerstone of my kitchen
• KitchenAid Santoku knife - a nice intersection of a chef's knife and a utility knife
• Cuisinart Mini-Mate Food Processor - grind those spices or make pesto in a trice
• Oxo Good Grips Kitchen Tongs - sturdy and safe to use with non-stick pans
• Oxo Good Grips Offset Bread Knife - does its job well and safely
• Black & Decker Rice & Vegetable Steamer - takes a licking, keeps on ticking
• Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven - ideal for stews, and no knead bread
• Magnabar Knife Holder - extra storage space for my best kitchen tools


Recommended: Yes