Review on 🍴 Barb-B-Fork Grilling Fork with Maverick Stainless Steel Digital Thermometer by Megan Washington

Before purchasing this product I was looking for a thermometer that could easily and quickly measure the inside of meat without shredding it. As a student, I (again) went for cheaper products that I felt were just as good, if not better, than the more expensive ones. Once again, the Revain salespeople are proving me wrong. Purchase price: $12.90. Not only is the thermometer a bit large for its intended purpose (it's about 13 inches long), it also measures the temperature of the meat *efficiently* very poorly. Of course, it measures temperatures over a wide range (it even showed my room temperature as 24°C), but it takes a while for it to "warm up" so to speak. When I cook chicken in a pan, the thermometer took between 15 and 25 seconds to get an accurate reading, which I think is definitely too long for any serious cook, especially when your favorite bird is on fire on the stovetop or grill. The digital display is a very nice feature at such a low price, but if it reads slower than an analog thermometer I would prefer analog speed over digital accuracy. In addition, the slow reading time is negatively influenced by the fact that the thermometer tips are slightly larger for smaller pieces of meat. Although they appear small in the picture, the tips are actually much larger than I was hoping for and resemble the shape of a pencil. The points are quite sharp (and the manufacturer has cleverly built in hard plastic guards to keep you from impaling yourself), but they can leave quite large, unsightly holes in the meat you're trying to cook, frustrating all your attempts to do so, frustrated. it looks as normal as can be. The thermometer has several preset temperatures (good, medium, done and very done) that are the same for different cuts of meat, but these temperatures can be entered just below the thermometer. Average temp for comparison, which is extremely helpful for meat newbies like me who don't know there isn't a "rare" option for chicken (oops, time to break that bad habit). However, this benefit is downplayed by the fact that, again, it takes quite a while for the temperature to get an accurate reading. I can't say for sure how accurate the reference temperatures are, but I'm pretty sure they meet or exceed the FDA's recommendations for temperatures for cooking meat, which ensures you don't have those nasty bacteria that can infect your food and contaminate the stomach you serve, you cook. Every time this thermometer shows the potential of a good feature, it is downplayed by the problematic nature of other features. This digital thermometer has a blue LED backlit screen in case you live in a dark cave while cooking meat and accidentally stumble upon this technique. The feature is well thought out, but poorly implemented due to the missing power button. The LED will turn off after about half a minute (and turn on again when the button is pressed), but the digital display will continue to operate for a few more minutes before the entire thermometer turns off. It would have been nice to have a power switch to save on batteries as it uses a couple of AAA batteries. This thermometer is very light and due to its thick metal tips it can act as a spatula or as a fork in a pinch. to push the food onto your plate (if you don't mind little holes in the meat) that's how I mostly use it now. Conclusion: A well thought-out product, but poorly implemented and designed. Consider purchasing a more expensive thermometer that will provide faster readings for hardcore grillers or meat lovers. It does the job, but if you're a little impatient and a perfectionist with your food, opt for smaller, faster thermometers.