Attention foodies!

Are you looking to up your cooking game? Want to grill the perfect steak or bake the perfect bread? Then find out how infrared thermometers can help.

This article shares what makes infrared thermometers such a valuable kitchen item, outlines key considerations for selecting a thermometer, and lists the best thermometers for home kitchen use.

What Can Infrared Therometers Measure in the Kitchen?

Infrared thermometers measure surface temperatures only - they don’t measure internal temperatures. To measure surface and external temperatures – keep an eye out for dual probe and IR thermometers (psst… we have included some examples below!)

To provide some guidance and inspiration, our scientists have listed the best uses for digital infrared thermometers in the kitchen.

1. Pans and Griddles: Most ovens let you know when they have reached the set temperature, but what about your pan or griddle – how can you tell whether food is cooking at the ideal temperature? One click of an infrared temperature trigger will tell you, helping you achieve the perfect sear on steaks or chops. (Don’t forget, Summer is coming – this tip extends to your BBQ!).

2. Ovens: Most ovens heat to a temperature close to their readout – but accuracy can diminish with time. Checking your oven temperature with an infrared thermometer is a surefire way to ensure it’s performing to specifications.

3. Cooking Oil: Infrared thermometers are great for measuring cooking oil temperatures when frying or sauteing. Overly hot oil will burn your food on the outside before cooking it on the inside. When oil is not hot enough, it will absorb into the food, making it extra greasy.

4. Quick Checks: Infrared thermometers are perfect for quickly reading the cooking temperature of simmering food like milk, soups or sauces. They are also perfect for ensuring your cold items like butter, milk are properly chilled.

5. Beer and Bread: If you developed a homebrewing or bread-making obsession during lockdown, you know you must maintain a specific temperature for your yeast to flourish. A digital infrared thermometer is perfect for pitching yeast for a homebrewing a beer or proofing yeast for bread.

6. Pizza Ovens: Cook the perfect pizza by controling your cooking heat and precisely managing cooking times with a pizza oven thermometer gun.

7. Yogurt: An infrared thermometer can check the temperature of cooled or boiling milk to ensure your culture is maintained at the correct temperature. 

Scientists’ Tips for Using an Infrared Thermometer at Home 1. When checking a pan's temperature, add oil to the surface and allow it to become hot before taking a temperature reading. 2. To avoid errors measuring liquid, soups or soft foods, first stir your ingredients to ensure an even temperature. 3 Take care when measuring boiling water. Infrared thermometers aren’t great for determining the temperature of boiling water as IR sensors will instead measure the heat of steam. 4. Infrared thermometers don’t perform well measuring temperatures on shiny steel pans (see emissivity below) but work fabulously on matte cast iron pans, skillets and regular baking pans.

Four Critical Considerations When Buying an Infrared Thermometer for Cooking

1. Measurement range: The temperature range of an IR thermometer specifies a device’s range within which you can be confident of accurate measurements. Specification sheets provide temperature range values (with minimum and maximum temperatures given).

2. Measurement accuracy: Accuracy is the closeness of a measurement to a specific value. Specifications will express the accuracy of a device as plus or minus a set amount.

3. Adjustable Emissivity: Emissivity measures how efficiently a surface emits energy as infrared radiation as measured on a scale of 0 to 1. The emissivity of many everyday objects falls within a range of 0.95, so you will often see this as the default setting for infrared thermometers. You will need an infrared thermometer with adjustable emissivity to measure low emissivity surfaces, such as shiny steel pots.

The Best Infrared Thermometers for the Kitchen!

Without further ado, here are some of the best-infrared thermometers for the kitchen. Remember, if you have any questions or need a hand finding the best for your needs and budget, contact us!

IR Thermometer, 1 point laser Product code: 0560-8311 The fast and kitchen friendly 0560-8311 infrared thermometer features user-adjustable audible and visual alarms, quick readings, an easy to read backlit display and single point laser sighting to indicate where you are measuring.   For a higher level of precision, check out the dual-laser Testo 830-T2 2 Laser Point IR Thermometer.  Specifications Measurement Range: -30 to +400 C Measurement Accuracy: ±1.5 C or 1.5 % of mv (+0.1 to +400 C) ±2 C or +-2 % of mv (-30 to 0 C) Emissivity: Adjustable from 0.2 to 1.0.  User-friendly, accurate and rapid, the 0560-8311 is the perfect surface temperature measuring tool for any keen home chef. View the product page here.

HACCP Food Infrared Thermometer Product code: TCT303F The TCT303F is a dual infrared and probe type thermometer suitable for measuring almost any food's surface and internal temperature in your kitchen. A unique feature of this thermometer is the “Go or No” lights that alert you if your food is above 4°C or less than 60°C, i.e. within the food safety danger zone. Specifications Measurement Range: Infrared: 55 to 250C Probe: -55 to 330C Measurement Accuracy: Infrared: -33 to 0: ± (1°C+0.1/degree), 0 to 65: ±1°C 65 to 250: ±1.5% of reading Probe: below -5 :±1°C -5- 65 : ±0.5°C, above 65 : ±1% of reading Emissivity: 0.95 default – adjustable 0.1 to 1 step .01  The TCT303F is our scientists choice for an entry-level dual probe and infrared thermometer. Get all the features and specifications here.

The Final Word

Whether you are just starting to get interested in cooking or a home-cook extraordinaire, an infrared thermometer is an excellent tool for measuring the surface temperatures of food and cooking equipment to help you ensure perfect results.

For more information or assistance finding the best for your needs, speak with an Instrument Choice Scientist: Call 1300 737 871 or email [email protected].