Posted by Daniel on 4/13/2010 to
Product Knowledge
As promised, in the 2nd installment of the digital revolution we will take a look at the types of digital thermometers available on the market today.
Basically there are 4 types that come to mind, they all do the same thing but they differ in design and "bells & whistles" so it will come down to user preference to determine which one to acquire. As mentioned in my bio, I am a self proclaimed gadget freak so it should come as no surprise that I have all 4 types and their use is determined by what and how the item is being cooked.
1. BUTTON HEAD PROBE: This one was the first developed and features the large digital display and is used in much the same manner as the analog version, insert the probe into the product, away from any bone, but unlike the analog unit where you had to wait for the dial hand to stop, the digital one gives you the reading in 30 seconds. This is a plus in that you do not lose heat from the oven wait for the analog type to register it's reading.
It should have a button to switch from Fahrenheit to Celsius (for those European recipes) and a "temp hold" button to lock the temperature reading so that you get an accurate read. Let's face it folks, they are called instant read for a reason and as soon as you remove it from the product it will start to lose it's reading. On and off switch is a given, but should include an automatic off after short amount of time to conserve battery life.
2. STICK PROBE: This one is much the same as the button head except that it is shaped much like a tongue depressor and is preferred by many chefs in that it is not as cumbersome as the button head, and fits better into the pocket so you don't look like you have a lolli-pop sticking out of your pocket.
3. WIRED PROBE: This one, much like the name implies, has a braided wire that connects the probe to the head unit that displays the readings. This is particularly helpful when you do not want to lose heat by opening the door to the oven or smoker. The wire is past through the doors edge and plugged into the head unit and gives the reading from inside the cooking chamber. A small "beep" will alert you when the selected temperature is reached.
4 WIRED PROBE w/ REMOTE:Ah yes, the ultimate digital thermometer, just like the previous model except it has the "bells & whistles". It will automatically set the temperature by pushing a button to select the product being cooked. It has the setting for beef, pork, lamb, and chicken but also has a setting in the beef category for rare, medium, and (God forgive) well done. All settings have a manual over-ride that will allow you to customize your cooking temps. Now, the best for last, the head unit that contains all the information is detachable from the base unit and can receive the info from the cooking source from a distance of 100 feet. This will allow you to mingle with guests, watch the race or ballgame in another room while the cooking is taking place. Again, an alert will sound, but this time when the selected temp is within 5 degrees in case you have to add a last minute ingredient, like cheese on the burgers.
That pretty much covers the digital thermometers on the market today, you will find them all available through the friendly staff at the J.E.S. Kitchen Emporium.
Next digital gadget we will discuss is the digital timer.
-Chef Phil
