Review on 🥩 Accurate and Reliable CDN ProAccurate Extra Large Dial Meat & Poultry Thermometer - A must-have kitchen tool! by Stephanie Deatrioski

Bought this thermometer to cook on a gas grill. I've used it about 20 times so far. I stick the probe right into the meat and close the lid. I make sure the dial doesn't touch the cooking grate, as per the instructions. If the flesh is not dense enough, such as For example, a filet mignon may not support the weight of the thermometer, so I rest the thermometer's dial on a small rock that is placed on the grate to provide support when needed. I did it once with good results. This thermometer isn't perfect, but I would overcook a lot of dishes without it. My grill gets very hot, so the manufacturer's recommended cooking times do not match. In terms of accuracy, you *should* calibrate it. This is probably true of any thermometer. I bought this device because it is easy to calibrate. You do this by measuring the "known" temperature of the boiling water. The boiling point at sea level (212°F) is marked on the dial. Determine your own boiling point based on your altitude - the higher you are, the lower the boiling point (Google can help). For example, the water in Denver (the "mile high city") boils at 202°F. Here's how I calibrated it: • Set the moving pointer on the dial edge to the local boiling point. This makes it easy to see. • Boil water in a saucepan; I fill the pot 1 inch from the top. • Put on oven mitts, otherwise you'll burn yourself from the steam. This is not an "instant read" item. • Insert the thermometer probe, not the dial, into the pot so that it is submerged in water and not touching the sides or bottom. • Wait for the pointer to stop moving, maybe 20-30 seconds. • When the needle stops and is still in the pot, note how far it is from the marked boiling point. Because when you take it out of the water, the probe immediately cools down and the needle moves a little before you can adjust it. • Adjust the needle by turning the nut on the back of the thermometer with pliers. This nut is where the feeler gauge enters the dial. You must guess the degree of adjustment by remembering how far from boiling the needle was while still in the pot. • Now repeat these steps until you get accurate information. You'll be close the first time, but if you're off even 5 degrees, it can be the difference between Rare and Medium. When I first calibrated it after it arrived, it was about 25° off. I wish I could say it's forever, but I've had to recalibrate this thermometer three times already. I test its accuracy after a week of grilling. The first two times it was close, within a few degrees. But the last time today there was an excess of about 10°. Maybe I'll calibrate it more often. Just a moment. I already mentioned the moving hand on the edge of the dial. This is a very handy feature as reading the temperature scale on the dial is not so easy when the thermometer is stuck upside down in a piece of meat on a hot grill! However, this thing can come loose and then not stay in place. It has happened several times. Worse, once solved, it falls off easily and is difficult to find. After putting it back on the rim, I tightened it by pushing lightly with pliers. Now I check this dart every time I use or wash it and if it's loose I tighten it immediately before it falls off. Despite this, based on their reviews, this thermometer is probably still better than many others for sale. Maybe they are all made in the same factory in China, who knows! So far this one seems solid enough and useful if I'm careful with resizing and moving the pointer.