We all know that we need an oven thermometer, especially when baking.

But did you know that not all oven thermometers are created equal? Neither did I until I roasted my grocery store one during a self cleaning cycle (yeah don’t do that… luckily the glass didn’t break).

Well even that I googled oven thermometers and learned that the one’s you find in the grocery store are just as off as your oven often times.

Cook’s Illustrated reviews oven thermometer’s each year and ranks them based on accuracy compared to their professional equipment. Also as a general rule it seems like all their top picks are normally NSF listed for commercial use.

These were two top picks, and the one’s I got via Amazon.

Cooper Instrument NSF Approved Oven Thermometer 200/600

CDN Metal ProAccurate Oven Thermometer 

(This one is mainly for needing an accurate read in a special situation like a toaster oven, like I use it, price fluctuates a lot I paid $14).

In use

The smaller one is for my big oven, and the oil filled one I use in my toaster oven, since opening the door on it makes such a drastic difference.  (I didn’t pay much attention to the Amazon reviews, I hold Cook’s Illustrated’s opinion more highly.

All the bakers in my life got the smaller one as part of the Christmas gift too.

So check on your oven thermometer, or if you don’t have one, get one of these that actually work =)

Happy Accurate Baking!