Instant read thermometer recommendation

Chris and DianaB, so right about colors! Sales have limited colors but I got some in yellow post-holidays, which I thought was a great color - easy to find in the drawer or in the shrubbery near the grill.

Agreed on the Thermapen front. We've had ours for 3 years, and we use it all the time--on meat, when cheesemaking, making candy, bread baking, etc. Highly recommended.

Rats! I wish I'd known about Thermapen's open-box sales; on the other hand, I might not have been able to get the teal color I wanted... ;)

Thank you all for your responses. Thermapen it will be! Chris, I have red Le Creuset pots, red chandelier, red tea kettle and a red dress - the color is a total no-brainer :)

After you decide you'll pay for the Thermapen, you have an even harder task--picking the color!

Thermapen. But only if you cook various forms of "meat" a lot. Otherwise you might want to invest in cooking tools you'll use more often.

To soften the $ dent, Thermapen periodically has "open box" sales for 1/3 to 50% off. These are just pens someone didn't want and returned. They're factory re-calibrated, certificate still stands, and come in normal packaging with manuals, etc.

I have bought a lot of Thermapens as gifts so I'm on their mailing list. Otherwise, I'm not sure how you find out about the sales... probably just go to their web site and sign up for mailing lists, or just phone their Customer Service department and ask about their best deals.

I've got an OXO instant read meat thermometer http://amzn.com/B0000CCY1X
and also an AcuRite digital with the leave-in probe thingy http://amzn.com/B002GU61UA

I like and use them both, for cooking and roasting. Haven't used them for barbecuing, though.

That thermapen looks real nice, though. Can it do everything that traditional instant read thermometers do?

I'm seriously down in the Thermapen camp. Yeah, it will cost you around $90 but you get a true reading in about 3 seconds. It's worth it.

I wish I had a sister like Cynthia. If you can afford a Thermapen (or two because they can occasionally grow legs and walk off), that might be your answer. I carry a Taylor 9842. They're not as quick as a Thermapen (which can mean a lot sometimes) but less than $15 and fit in a sleeve pocket.

I gave my sister a Termapen for Christmas last year. I'm happy with a Taylor digital instant-read. +/- $25

Hey QueenSashy! You must splurge for the Thermapen. It is fabulous, accurate, quick and awesome. I use it all the time!!!!!