Pyrex Digital Probe Thermometer and Timer Review It wasn’t so long ago that I refused to use a thermometer, thinking it was merely for sissies that didn’t know how to cook. Well, I use one almost every time I cook now and my food tastes much better because of it. There is no need to guess if my chicken is done or if the roast is medium rare, I just have to look at my thermometer. I bought the probe style thermometer originally because I was going to use it for meat inside my smoker, but I now use it all the time in the oven. I’ll be honest with you, I bought the Pyrex Digital Probe Thermometer for one reason, it was cheap. I think it was only like $20 and the temperature reading is always right on the money. I first started using this thermometer inside large pieces of beef and pork that were inside my charcoal smoker. I eventually realized that the temperature inside the smoker was more important than the temperature of the meat. Although it is not supposed to work I rigged up the thermometer so it would hang inside the smoker and give me a good indication of the internal temperature. It works perfect. I can maintain a constant temperature and be notified if my termperature rises above any temperature I choose. The thermometer has a buzzer that will alert you if the thermometer’s reading rises above a preset temperature. This is also useful when you are cooking in an oven because you can stick it inside whatever you are cooking and set the temperature to your required doneness level. No worrying about burning the roast, just set the temp and come back when the thermometer starts to beep. This Pyrex Thermometer is also a digital time which comes in real handy for me since I do not have a timer on my oven. On the back of the unit are two very strong magnets which allow you to stick it on your oven door while it is in use or and your refrigerator door when it is not. The wire that connects the probe to the unit is made of a flexible metal and covered with a flexible metal coating. While the wire can get very hot, it will not melt or burn. The entire unit is also very easy to clean. I usually wipe the base down with a wet paper towel and scrub the probe under some hot water with soap. I have had the probe hanging in a smoker for 15 hours and when it came out I thought it would never clean up, but with a little bit of soap and elbow grease it did. Another plus for this thermometer is that it is very durable. I have really given this unit a good beating and it still works perfectly. From dropping it on the ground to leaving it in the sun all day, I have not had any lasting problems. The one time I did leave it in the sun all day the screen turned all black, but quickly went back to normal after brining it inside for a few minutes. This is a very useful tool that will make you a better cook, well, at least your food will taste better. With the low price tag, the Pyrex Digital Probe Thermometer is hard to beat.

• 2006 Eatingcleveland.com Holiday Gift Guide for Cooks
• 43 Pounds of Pork
• Chicken Stuffed with Prosciutto and Cheese
• OnCor Sliced Turkey and Gravy
• Oven Dried Tomatoes