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What is a Remote Cooking Thermometer?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Cooking thermometers can be an excellent means of making sure your meats are cooked but not overcooked. Most people are familiar with those you insert into meat for a few minutes when you think it’s done. But you may have to repeat this process a number of times before you are certain that something has reached the appropriate temperature, which can leave you slaving over a hot stove or grill for a long time.

Enter the remote cooking thermometer. The first of these were connected together by a heat safe wire. If you were cooking meat in the oven, you’d place the “temperature taker” apparatus in the cooking meat as directed, and leave the “reading” apparatus on your stove. Some could be set to beep or alarm when they reached a certain temperature, and most were heat safe in even very hot ovens or on a broiler setting. This type of remote cooking thermometer meant you didn’t have to remove meat from the oven every few minutes to check its temperature, but it still meant you had to stay near the oven to check the reading on the exterior reader.

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It wasn’t long before the wireless remote cooking thermometer was introduced. Instead of connecting the devices together by wire, the wireless remote cooking thermometer allowed you to travel around with the reading device in your pocket. Some even allow you to adjust reading times for cooking different types of meats to different degrees of doneness. For instance you can program a remote cooking thermometer to cook steak to medium or well done.

Many types of the wireless remote cooking thermometer have a significant range, allowing you to go anywhere in your home without losing the signal between the two devices. People are also fond of wireless types that are adapted for use on gas and charcoal grills, and enjoy not having to constantly stand over a grill wondering if food will get property cooked. Customer reviews on these products, which range in price from about $30-$60 US Dollars (USD) are very favorable, though many people admit to there being an adjustment period, and a few customers recount some accidents that destroyed their new thermometers.

Due to the potential to damage these thermometers if used inappropriately, it’s important to read all instructions carefully. If you’re unclear, some of the companies that manufacture remote cooking thermometers offer replacement guarantees, and may have websites to help you get started. It’s also a good idea to keep in mind that temperature readings can be inaccurate or batteries can die on the devices. If your temperature reading on a chicken breast is suggesting the breast is fully cooked, and you notice the chicken is still very pink inside, your cooking thermometer may be malfunctioning.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

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Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

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Discussion Comments

Lostnfound

I have the wireless kind and I really like it. I can watch TV or work on the computer, and carry the remote unit and keep an eye on what's going on inside the oven. Very, very handy.

I've had mine for a couple of years and haven't had to change the batteries, but my unit does have an indicator on it that lets me know when the batteries are low so I can get fresh ones in a timely manner. These things take the guesswork out of getting something to the proper temperature, and they're worth the money, in my opinion.

Grivusangel

I saw the kind with the cable on a cooking show several years ago, and decided I *really* needed one of those!

I waited until the tax refund money arrived, and then I went to a kitchen supply store and got one. I think they are wonderful. They're accurate and I especially like the alarm feature that beeps when I get to the desired temperature. Beats squinting over a regular thermometer, or waiting on a digital one to register. I think I paid about $30 for it, but it was well worth it. If it gets to where it isn't accurate anymore, I'll probably go wireless.

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