Selecting an instrument is easy if you know what you need to measure. When it comes to temperature, you have to decide what temperature accuracy you intend to measure and the method you prefer based on your requirements.

One means is the use of a basic thermometer, a device that measures temperature or temperature gradient using a variety of different principles. A thermometer has two important elements: the temperature sensor in which some physical change occurs with temperature, plus some means of converting this physical change into a numerical value.

A more useful measurement is the thermocouple, a type of metal thermometer that can measure a tremendously wide range of different temperatures. While thermocouples are often not extremely precise, they can work in environments other thermometers can’t. There are specially designed thermocouples that can measure temperatures to nearly absolute zero and others that can work in the hottest ovens.

If you want more accuracy, then you can use a resistance temperature detector, or commonly abbreviated RTD which is more accurate over the thermocouple. However, the RTD has its own limitations when it comes to the kitchen.

Don’t forget, know what you cook, means knowing what temperature, and the key is to measure the temperature accurately throughout the entire process.