There are many thermometer options to choose from for commercial or residential kitchens. We have provided a breakdown of some of the most popular models to help you find the best thermometer for your application.

Cost-effective choice: Bimetal thermometer

Bimetal or bimetal thermometers are designed to take advantage of the fact that metal expands and contracts in response to ambient temperature.

To create this thermometer, two metals with different coefficients of expansion are usually connected in a spiral or coil. When you use this thermometer to measure temperature, the heat-sensitive metal expands and the other metal maintains its size. That is, the tip of the coil begins to move in a particular direction.

How does this help give you accurate temperature readings?

The end of this coil is connected to the gauge of the thermometer, so when the end of the coil expands and moves, the pointer is pressed to display the correct temperature. This reading will be displayed in 15-20 seconds as long as the thermometer is inserted correctly. Beyond the top of the bimetal coil. The stem of the CDN bimetal thermometer has an indicator trough that allows the tip to be fully pushed.

This type of thermometer needs to be recalibrated on a regular basis to accommodate the potential for slight changes in the bimetal coil due to frequent use. The CDN bimetal thermometer is equipped with an NSF certified nut that facilitates on-site recalibration. All you need is ice or boiling water.

Due to its relatively simple design (easy to use, field calibrated, and battery-free), bimetal thermometers are a cost-effective alternative to digital thermometers in many commercial kitchens.

Easy to use and understand: Glass liquid thermometer

Glass column thermometers are probably the most well-known style. The liquid in the glass tube reacts to temperature changes and moves up and down along the scale.

Mercury is preferred for sealed liquids, but CDN thermometers use red food safety oil instead. This reduces the potential risk to personnel in the event of a damaged thermometer. However, food grade oils are generally separated by a thermometer column. However, this can easily be fixed by using a cooling or heating method.

Depending on the type of liquid and the quality of the glass, these thermometers range from affordable to very expensive. The CDN glass column thermometer is an affordable and durable option, individually calibrated for accuracy.

This thermometer measures temperature using the concept of electrical resistance. In other words, it is easy for electric current to flow through an object.

Thermistors generally tend to start with a high resistance to current. As the temperature rises, this resistance decreases sharply. To convert this information into a temperature measurement, a small current is passed through the bimetal thermometer to measure the resistance. The resistor is then converted to a voltage from which the temperature can be calculated.

One of the main differences between this thermometer and the bimetal thermometer is that the thermistor is usually the size of a pin. Due to its small size and position (the tip of the thermometer), the thermometer does not need to be inserted too deeply for accurate reading. With the CDN ProAccurate Quick-Read Thermistor Thermometer, you only need to insert the thermometer within 1/4 inch to read a stable temperature in 6 seconds.

Thermocouples are similar to thermistors in that they also use voltage to calculate the final temperature. Two different metals are joined at the end of the thermometer and connected to the voltage measuring device at the other end. When the chip is exposed to high or low temperatures, the two metals generate a voltage from which the temperature is calculated.

This design is very efficient and can read the temperature in just 3 seconds. Also, because the probe is thin, you can control the temperature of fried foods, so you don’t have to worry about the meat drying out due to lack of water!

Another attractive feature of thermocouple thermometers is their high temperature range. The exact range depends on the metal combination / calibration (E, J, K, and T are the most common), but even the lowest range calibrations often can handle temperatures close to 600 degrees Fahrenheit.