Everything you need to know about best meat thermometers of 2026.
[ad_1]The most important part of any thermometer testing is accuracy. We use a medical-grade thermometer as our baseline for accuracy and test the meat probe variance to that temperature.
Ice water testing
Testing the accuracy of a thermometer usually involves a cup, some ice cubes and water. Due to the nature of water it can be a liquid and a solid at 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0C) so we can reliably get it to be that temperature. By filling a tall glass with ice cubes and adding water — chilled water so the ice doesn’t melt — you can bring that water down to 32 degrees F.
We then insert both the medical-grade probe and the meat probe we are testing and stir it until the medical grade thermometer reads 32 degrees F. When that happens we record the temperature reading of the meat probe we are testing to see what, if any, variance there is.
Why don’t we use heat?
You would think that using heat would make more sense. After all, these are probes for grilling meat, so high heat is more important, right? Unfortunately, heat is dependent on many factors, such as altitude and pressure, that we can’t always control. The freezing point of water is always the same, though, wherever you are, so we can ensure accuracy independent of location.
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More on best meat thermometers of 2026
Stay tuned for updates on best meat thermometers of 2026 as the story develops. Related: The Must-Have Tools to Get Started With Meal Kits.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most important part of thermometer testing is accuracy. CNET uses a medical-grade thermometer as the baseline and measures the meat probe's temperature variance against it.
The ice water test uses a tall glass filled with ice cubes and chilled water, which reliably reaches 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0C) because water's freezing point is constant. Both the medical-grade probe and the meat probe are inserted, and the meat probe's reading is compared once the medical thermometer reads 32 degrees.
Heat depends on many factors such as altitude and pressure that cannot always be controlled. The freezing point of water is always the same wherever you are, so accuracy can be ensured independent of location.
Chilled water is used so the ice does not melt, keeping the water reliably at 32 degrees Fahrenheit during the test.
