I dropped $400 on a fancy digital probe thermometer and I kind of regret it

Everyone in my kitchen was pushing for it, saying it would change how we handle proteins. It connects to my phone and has all these graphs and alerts. But honestly, after six months, I've gone back to my old $20 analog one for most things. The digital one is just too slow to update when I'm checking a dozen steaks on the fly during a rush, and I'm always worried about the battery. Has anyone else found that simpler tools just work better on a busy line?

3 comments

3 Comments

thomas_miller2mo ago

Honestly, that's a super common trap in pro kitchens. Tbh, the fancy tech is cool for slow smokes or big roasts where you need that data, but on a busy line? Nothing beats the speed and feel of a simple, reliable tool. I keep my digital one for special projects but my go-to is always the cheap instant-read that just works every single time. Ngl, watching the battery die on a packed Saturday night will make you hate any gadget.

wadeyoung2mo ago

The best part about a simple tool is you can drop it, hose it off, and it's fine. Tech fails when it gets wet or greasy.

nathanh441mo ago

Some tech thermometers are waterproof now though.