Although lots of cooks go without them, once you begin using a thermometer in the kitchen, it’s almost impossible to go back. Helping you to tell when your meat is cooked to perfection, your jam has reached setting point and your cheesecake is ready for the fridge, thermometers help professional chefs and keen cooks alike to get their dishes just right.

If you’ve decided you want to increase the accuracy of your cooking with the help of a thermometer, the next challenge you’ll face is choosing between digital and analogue models. Offering you a range of different benefits, these essential accessories will help to make your culinary creations even better.

REMINDERS

One of the main benefits of digital thermometers is that they can tell you when your food is done. Some models will beep when the required temperature is achieved. This means that you don’t have to stand staring at your food all afternoon and can get on with other tasks while your dishes sizzle away.

VISIBILITY

Some types of digital thermometer have LEDs installed to allow them to be read in low light. This can be very useful if you’re testing temperatures in a dark oven or if your kitchen has dim lighting. It can also be a real bonus for cooks who are visually impaired.

Although analogue thermometers don’t generally have built in lights, you can get models with easy to read faces. Look out for these thermometers if you want to be able to see your temperatures quickly and easily.

ACCURACY

As long as you buy good quality thermometers from recognised brands, you should find accuracy is very good whether you choose digital or analogue. Although some users may find analogue thermometers easier to calibrate, both types of measuring device should do the job. In some cases, digital thermometers may be able to give you slightly more precise readings, so if you want to know how hot your food is down to a fraction of a degree, digital could well be the way to go.

LONGEVITY

Although you may well need to replace the batteries in your digital thermometer after a while, both analogue and digital models should last you for years. All of the thermometers on our site are made using high quality materials and are built to last, so as long as they’re not dropped from a height, stood on or left in the oven to roast, your thermometer should help you to whip up culinary delights for years to come.