HomeHousewareTaylor Digital Instant-Read Pocket Thermometer |
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| Customer Reviews: | | Average Customer Review: ( 126 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
150 of 153 found the following review helpful:
 IMPORTANT STEP Sep 08, 2005
By B. Hinton
Just a quick note, this is an almost instant read thermometer. On average, it takes between 2-4 seconds for a final accurate reading. However, DO NOT TURN IT ON UNTIL YOU HAVE IT INSERTED. I read plenty of reviews stating it takes 30 seconds to record. If you turn it on, it will start at the temperature of the room and crawl up slowly (usually only a few degrees at time). This will be quite frustrating and useless.
Remember, insert it, then turn it on...and BINGO, you are in business.
107 of 111 found the following review helpful:
 Double check occasionally May 30, 2006
By amazon3131
"amazon3131"
One of the ongoing questions about these thermometers seems to be just how "instant" an instant-read thermometer is. The metal bit (actually, the bit inside the metal tube) has to physically warm up to the same temperature as whatever you're reading before it can send the signal to the display. It's going to take at least a few seconds. You'll never be able to jab it in the steak, glance at the number, and yank it back out a second later; you have to wait for it to warm up.
It appears that different reviewers have wildly different experiences in how long this takes, so you should be able to get an idea of how many seconds "instant" is for YOUR thermometer, and how well it's working in general, by running a quick calibration test:
Get a big cup of ice and add enough water that the ice starts to float. (You want as much ice as possible, but not packed solid.)
Find a clock with a second hand, and check the temperature on the thermometer (so you know what "room temperature" is). Stick the thermometer in the ice water. Watch the time until it hits 32 F (freezing temperature for pure water: salt water can hit 0 F). That should give you a good idea how long it takes to adjust down about 40 degrees in temperature.
It should stop pretty close to 32 F, but you may want to leave it in the ice water for another minute, to make sure that it doesn't keep on going -- that will let you know how accurate it is. Once it's stablized, you can take it out and let it warm up to room temperature again.
Put a pan of water on the stove to boil (a couple of inches of water is fine). When the water boils, grab your clock and turn on the thermometer to get an idea of what temperature it is now (this is to make sure that it's not still cold from the ice water).
Stick the thermometer in the boiling water. At sea level, pure water boils at 212 F, but as you get higher than sea level, the boiling temperature drops. The quick rule of thumb is two degrees for every 1,000 feet elevation, so if you're at 1,000 feet elevation, then you should expect to see water boil at 210 F, and at 6,000 feet, you might see water boil at 200 F. (There are other factors, like how pure your water is, so don't worry too much about a couple of degrees one way or the other.)
Watch the display and the clock to see how long it takes the thermometer to hit the number you expect for your area. That will tell you how quickly it adjusts and how accurate it is. If it takes 15 or 20 seconds to get from room temperature to boiling, then getting up to roast temperature (which is lower than boiling temperature) will probably take 10 or 15 seconds. Therefore, every time you check that roast, or turkey, or whatever, you'll need to allot 10 or 15 seconds to get an accurate temperature.
If you need something faster than this, then you'll have to pay for it. Laser systems (which read only the surface, not the internal temperature) and thermocouple systems (which work like this one, but are much faster: see the red or gray 'Thermapens' offered on Amazon.com by Baker's Catalogue) can easily start at five (or more) times the price of these inexpensive Taylor models.
Given the failure rate that other reviewers have noticed, I'd suggest you also double-check how well yours functions every now and again -- particularly before holiday dinners!
121 of 128 found the following review helpful:
My Favorite Kitchen Gadget Jul 20, 2001
By Barbara
After reading customer reviews on other digital thermometers and realizing that ALL thermometers are not created equally, I ordered this Taylor digital. It more than met my needs and overcame the drawbacks of others: It is small enough to fit easily into a drawer and can be carried in a shirt pocket; it is extremely easy to clean; since the digital readout is on the flat "head", the temperature is VERY easy to read without having to bend over or read it upside down; it has an ON/OFF button to save the battery and it comes with an extra battery included. Although the description says "instant-read", you do have to watch the read-out climb (quickly) to the current temperature. I'll never have tough, over-cooked meat again.
48 of 51 found the following review helpful:
 Too delicate for any kitchen Dec 26, 2002
By Omari Norman
I do not recommend this thermometer, as it is too delicate for any kitchen. First of all, the on-off switch is much too small and finicky; it is easily broken. Second, the entire assembly is not liquid-proof or even liquid-resistant, so watch out if you drop this thermometer into a liquid! Perhaps water isn't fatal to it, as you can open the case and dry it out. But forget about the thermometer if you get any kind of oil into it. The oil will seep into the display, rendering it unreadable or, worse, simply non-functional.I have already been through two of these thermometers. Now I'm buying the old-fashioned kind with the analog dial.
42 of 45 found the following review helpful:
 Pretty good overall. Nov 14, 2002
By Erin K. Darling
"naive cynic"
This isn't a thermometer to write home about - it's adequate, and that's that. Its small size is convenient, yet the display is large enough to read easily. "Instant" is a little optimistic, though; it takes a few moments to register the correct temperature. The on/off switch is tiny, lacks any ergonomics at all, and is quite stiff, which makes it a small irritant, and occasional nail-destroyer. Still, it's better than the analog thermometers I've used, and much faster. Don't get this sucker wet, though - it'll temporarily screw up the LCD. Further, if you drop it into, say, a pot of boiling water, the plastic LCD overlay will warp, and the glue will mostly unstick, and it's generally unhappy. However, it's not a bad product, overall.
See all 126 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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The
Importance Of Lighting In Interior Design
by Jessica Ackerman
Everyone knows how important
paint color, furniture choices and artwork are to
interior design. One aspect of design that is often
overlooked, however, is lighting. Lighting not only
affects the brightness of the room, but it can also
change the way a paint color looks, cast shadows in ways
that make the room seem smaller and have an impact on
the presentation of art work.
There is no light like
natural light. If you are buying, building or
remodeling, opt for as much natural light as possible.
Oversized windows and skylights are two ways to get the
most natural light. Of course, not everyone is in the
position to be able to do that, so you'll have to work
with what you have.
How much natural light do
you get in your room? If the room in question faces
north, you won't get as much natural sunlight as you
would in a southern facing room. Rooms that face south
get bright, natural light throughout the day. Rooms that
face east will only have good natural light in the
morning hours and western facing rooms will have the
most light during the afternoon.
Once you are familiar
with how much natural light is in each room, you'll be
able to make informed choices about what additional
lighting may be necessary. Keep in mind that rooms with
little or no natural light will need artificial lighting
- even during the day - in order to look their best.
Here are some types of lighting to consider.
1. Accent Lighting
Accent lighting is
perfect when you want to showcase a piece of art or a
special piece of furniture or other item. Since light
draws the eye, it will bring attention to the features
in your room that you wish to highlight.
2. Hanging Light Features
Chandeliers and smaller
hanging lamps can be beautiful as well as functional. A
trip to the local home improvement store will quickly
show you how overwhelming the choices can be. You'll
want to select lighting that blends in with your
existing dÃÂécor. For example, a crystal chandelier in a
country themed dining room probably isn't the best
option. If you don't choose carefully, your lighting may
stick out like a sore thumb and become more of an
eyesore than a lovely accent.
3. Recessed Lighting
Recessed lighting is a
good choice for a room that needs extra light throughout
the day. Because the lighting won't interfere with the
existing decor, it can work in almost any room. It
provides abundant light without taking up a lot of space
or interfering with other aspects of the room.
4. Lamps
Using lamps are a way to
add not only additional lighting, but also punches of
color. If possible, see how much light the lamp gives
off before leaving the store. Many lamps serve as
decoration more than as a light source and give off very
little light. If you love the lamp, but it doesn't give
off quite enough light, consider changing the shade
which will usually solve the problem.
When decorating your
home, remember how important lighting is, and give it
the same thought and attention you give to the other
details of decorating your home.
About the Author
Jessica Ackerman is the
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