When it comes to preparing food such as steak, it has to be done as per the consumer’s tastes.
When you’re at home cooking for yourself, you can get away with slicing the steak through the middle to see if it’s still pink in the middle. But if you’re cooking for anyone else, you don’t want to cut up their meat for them, and you want to present the meal as best you can. That is why you need the best meast thermometer for steak.
But the worst case scenario is not a chopped up steak. The worst case scenario is that you give your guest food poisoning. Sure some people like a steak that’s red in the middle, but not all of us have a digestive system to adequately handle it.
But there’s no need to worry – there’s an easy solution!
Yes, you’ve guessed it, the solution is to get yourself a suitable meat thermometer. That way you can take the steak off the heat once it has remained long enough at your desired temperature, and you can serve the perfect steak for your guest to enjoy.
We’ve been checking out some of the best meat thermometers on the market, and have hand-picked our top 5 favorite ones for use with steaks. We’re going to be showing you our reviews on those very shortly.
After that, we’ve also got a handy buying guide for you that will walk you through some key things to think about when you buy your meat thermometer.
Then we’re going to top that off with a section where we answer some of your most frequently asked questions on the subject. So be sure to stick around.
In the interest of brevity we’re going to concentrate on instant read meat thermometers.
The Best Meat Thermometer for Steak
Without further ado…
1. MEATER Plus Smart Wireless Meat Thermometer
Now, this is no ordinary meat thermometer!
This is a meat thermometer that you can hook up to your smartphone or other smart device via Bluetooth, so you can step away from the grill if you need to and still keep an eye on your steak’s temperature. You can even hook it up to your Alexa too!
The Meater+ companion app is available for both iOS and Android operating systems, so chances are it will work with your phone. The app is free to download and the Bluetooth works for up to 165 feet away, which is over a whopping 50 meters. You could even leave the kitchen altogether.
The app is super simple to set up and use. And not only will it give you the exact temperature of your steak, but it will even tell you how much time is remaining, and alert you when your steak is cooked to perfection.
The thermometer itself meanwhile is made of stainless steel, and is both water and dust resistant.
It comes with a sleek bamboo charging dock, and one AAA battery is all it needs to charge up your thermometer for up to 100 uses.
In addition to using it on the grill, it’s also perfectly safe to use in your oven or smoker or the like. Which is great news for Thanksgiving!
And believe it or not, it’s actually dishwasher safe to boot – how convenient is that! As excited as we are to see such a great use of modern technology, we have to admit it’s a shame that it’s so expensive.
It probably wouldn’t be worth the money if you were only going to use it for steaks, but if you wanted a meat thermometer that you could also use for roasting or rotisserie, then this is an excellent option.
Pros:
- Best that technology can offer
- Can also be used in the oven
- Can be used up to 165 feet away
- Recharges from just one AAA battery
- App is super convenient & informative
Cons:
- Premium product at a premium price
2. KIZEN Instant Read Meat Thermometer
What caught our attention with this particular meat thermometer is the phenomenal customer feedback – after well over 25,000 individual customer ratings on Amazon, the average customer rating still comes in at a mind blowing full 5 stars out of 5.
It’s ready to use as soon as the box arrives, thanks to the included battery and the pre-calibration.
The probe itself can unfold from the device up to 180 degrees, and the probe is ultra long, so you don’t risk burning your hand when you use it. Then when you flip the probe back it automatically switches off to preserve the battery.
The temperature is displayed on a very large backlit display, and better yet, you can choose between Celsius or Fahrenheit, whichever you find easiest to work with. And you’ll get your temperature displayed in as little as 3 seconds.
It has a very wide temperature range going from -58⁰F up to 572⁰F. Impressive hey? And it’s accurate to within +/- 1 degree. So it’s bpth ultra fast and super accurate.
It also has a water resistance rating of IP67 which means you can use it for wet foods such as stews, as well as for your steaks. We also love that it’s magnetic – you can just stick it on your fridge or smoker to have it right at hand when you need it. Or you can use the hole to hook it up somewhere.
Plus, it also comes with a very handy and comprehensive laminated meat temperature guide for easy reference. But better yet, there’s the lifetime tech support, so you know you’ll be in good hands.
It’s available in a wide range of colors too, just pick the one that best suits your kitchen.
Pros:
- Excellent ratings
- Very long probe
- Magnetic body
- Water resistant
- Ultra fast working
- Super accurate
Cons:
- The very few customers who have made complaints all seem to have been sent replacements
3. Habor 022 Instant Read Digital Meat Thermometer
Now this is a thermometer that has simply been flying off the shelves!
It has attracted well over 49,000 customer ratings on Amazon – and better yet it has still managed to achieve an average rating of an impressive 4 and a half stars out of 5.
And the price? What a bargain!
And it’s great for the style conscious. It’s a particularly slim device and is available in a range of different colors.
And it doesn’t matter if you prefer degrees Celsius or degrees Fahrenheit, because this little beauty does both, just press the button for the temperature scale you like to work with best.
It’s an instant read thermometer that will produce the temperature inside your steak within a maximum of just 6 seconds, with an impressive accuracy of +/- 1 degree Celsius.
And if you wanted to use it for something larger than steak, that’s no problem because it has a generous length of 4.7 inches. It comes with a protective sheath for when you want to return it to the drawer.
We also love the auto-shut off function, it means that the thermometer shuts off after 10 minutes to save battery life. And that’s not all, it’s also backed by a lifetime warranty, and you get access to a great after-sales service.
Pros:
- Bargain affordable price
- Looks very sleek & stylish
- Celsius and Fahrenheit
- Impressive accuracy
- Backed by lifetime warranty
Cons:
- Can’t be left in a closed oven
4. Alpha Grillers Instant Read Meat Thermometer
Now, this particular thermometer has won the Amazon Choice award for the category of “meat thermometer for steak”. Such awards are only given to products that are not only of excellent quality but also are available at a very good and reasonable price.
It’s ready to use as soon as the box arrives, thanks to the included battery and pre-calibration.
The probe itself can unfold from the device up to 180 degrees, and the temperature is displayed on a very large backlit display. And when you flip the probe back it automatically switches off to preserve the battery.
Moreover you can choose between Celsius or Fahrenheit, whichever you find easiest to work with. And you’ll get your temperature displayed in as little as 3 seconds.
It has a very wide temperature range going from -58⁰F up to 572⁰F. Impressive hey? And it’s accurate to within +/- 1 degree. It also has a water resistance rating of IP67 which means you can use it for wet foods such as stews, as well as for your steaks.
But what we really love about it is that it’s magnetic, so you can just stick it on your fridge or smoker to have it right at hand when you need it. Or you can use the hole to hook it up somewhere.
We also love the handy meat temperature chart that comes with it. Makes life really simple.
Pros:
- Won Amazon’s Choice
- It comes pre-calibrated
- 1 CR2 battery included
- Adjustable probe 180⁰
- Large backlit display
Cons:
- Some customers have appeared to receive defective models with fluctuating temperatures, but if you report it you will be sent a replacement
5. Escali AHS1-4 Easy Read Mini Steak Thermometer Set
If you don’t want to get too hung up on exact temperatures and you’re just looking for something simple to tell you whether your steak is rare, medium or well done, then you don’t need to look any further – this could be the one for you.
These mini thermometers are specifically designed for use with steaks. As such they are perfectly sized.
You simply stick the probe through to the thickest part of the steak, and the hand on the dial will move to either rare, medium or well done, and you don’t have to worry about precise measurements.
But I get what you’re thinking: if it’s so small, what if I lose it or can’t find it? Well, don’t worry. It actually comes as a pack of four. So you can either keep 3 of them as spares, or monitor the cooking of up to 4 steaks at the same time. And they’re all color coded. Perfect for family dining.
The dial itself is very easy to read at 2.25 inches and even glows in the dark. But that’s not all.
The probe meanwhile is made of durable stainless steel, and the whole thing is dishwasher safe, which is super convenient. It’s also oven safe too.
Pros:
- Incredibly easy to use
- Comes as a pack of 4
- Large glow-in-dark dial
- Entirely dishwasher safe
Cons:
- Lacks precision and does not provide the exact temperature
Buying Guide
As promised, here’s your buying guide. Here’s what to look for in a meat thermometer for steak.
Accuracy
The whole point of using a meat thermometer is to get the best possible accuracy for your cooking. So a meat thermometer that’s inaccurate is a piece of junk.
Luckily however all of the meat thermometers that made our shortlist of top 5 picks are very accurate, although some are more precise than others…
Our number 5 pick, the Escali AHS1-4 Easy Read Mini Steak Thermometers will just tell you whether your steak is raw, medium, or well done, whereas our top 4 meat thermometers will give you a temperature accuracy of +/- 1 degree.
Gives Fast Results
If you are cooking your steaks on a barbeque or over an open flame, you don’t want the danger of having to hold your meat thermometer over the food for any longer than you have to.
So to that end you should look for thermometers that give rapid results. Our number 1, 2, 3, and 4 picks all offer really fast temperature readings in mere seconds.
Easy to Use and Read
Even the most technologically advanced meat thermometers need to be easy to use. And you shouldn’t have to do much more than simply stick the probe of the thermometer in (to the thickest part of the steak) and simply read the result.
This is of course made easier if the temperature or doneness is on a large display that is clear and easy to read. And if the display is backlit for an even better clarity, that’s a plus.
Scale And Range Of Temperature
Some people prefer degrees Celsius and some prefer degrees Fahrenheit. Whichever you prefer is fine, but it seems that professional chefs generally prefer to use degrees Fahrenheit.
But it’s nice to have the option. And we’re pleased to report that our number 1, 2, 3, and 4 meat thermometers all allow you to switch between Celsius and Fahrenheit.
As for the temperature range of the thermometer, you will only need your thermometer to go up to about 145 degrees Fahrenheit for your steaks…
However, if you also want to use your steaks for other dishes, then this thermometer needs to be able to accommodate higher temperatures.
If this is of interest to you, then we can happily recommend our number pick, the KIZEN Instant Read Meat Thermometer, or our number 4, the Alpha Grillers Instant Read Meat Thermometer, which can reach temperatures between -58⁰F up to 572⁰F.
Reasonable & Affordable Cost
Meat thermometers can vary quite considerably in price. In our shortlist of just 5 such thermometers the price can range from about $100 for a smart one to less than $15 for a pack of 4.
So our advice to you is that when shopping for anything online, to check the prices as you go along, so you can see exactly what your money buys you and you can make a good, well informed decision about how much your budget should be.
Other Features
If you’ve been paying attention to our product reviews, you will have noticed that some of our shortlisted products have a few other handy features besides.
For example, the MEATER Plus Smart Wireless Meat Thermometer will even tell you how much time is remaining on your meats, and even give you a notification when your steak is ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what temperature is my steak safe to eat?
Your steak will be safe to eat as soon as it hits 145 degrees Fahrenheit. But then you must let it rest for 3 minutes. But when you’re testing the temperature you must ensure that the probe reaches the part of the steak that you expect to be the coldest, which should be the thickest part.
Can you leave a meat thermometer in the meat while it’s cooking?
As to whether you can leave a meat thermometer in the meat as it cooks depends on a couple of factors…
Only certain meat thermometers are designed for use on a closed oven for example, which are useful if you want to reverse sear wagyu steak for example. Unless the user manual of your meat thermometer states that it can be used in an oven, then you should assume that it can’t be left in a closed hot oven.
Besides, most meat thermometers these days are known as “instant read thermometers”.
And what this means is that they are designed to quickly probe your meat, and give you an almost immediate temperature reading, allowing you to set the thermometer aside afterwards until you decide to check the temperature again.
