The Main Features of Digital Thermometers

Digital thermometers have been around for long enough now that we take them for granted. We are so used to being able to garner temperatures in a wide variety of situations and settings that we don’t realize just how great they are.

In order to garner a greater appreciation, it helps to know what the main features of digital thermometers are. Consider this a comprehensive guide to digital thermometers and you will feel more appreciative than ever.

Accuracy

When choosing a digital thermometer, the single most important feature is accuracy. Speed and range are also important (more on those below) but they won’t matter if you have a thermometer that isn’t reliably accurate. Things like vaccinations and medicines have to be stored at specific temperatures, so a high accuracy thermometer is an absolute must.

Accuracy is generally shown in a +/- 0.5 range. Accuracy may not necessarily be a priority but it is one of the top features to be aware of.  Certain types are more accurate than others, so be sure to do your homework to find out which digital thermometer is the most accurate, especially for your needs.

Range

When talking about range, digital thermometers are capable of hitting higher or lower temperatures. Depending on the setting, the range may not be the most important thing, making it possible to get away with a smaller range than other digital thermometers (home applications wouldn’t require a very large range).

There are some thermometers that have been specially designed to hit particularly high or low temperatures. Some have a wide range, providing better versatility in the process. Just keep in mind that accuracy can change in the middle ranges. Know what your temperature range will be and what kind of accuracy will be necessary. This is maybe the most versatile feature to look for but you are adhering to certain specifications depending on the digital thermometer.

Speed

As is the case with accuracy and range, there are settings where a quick reading is priority. Some of the best digital thermometers combine speed, accuracy, and range to create a comprehensive, reliable device. The kind of thermometer you choose will ultimately come down to how fast you require the thermometer to perform a reading.

Let’s say you’re cooking a dish that is very time-sensitive. Even a few seconds can lead to the dish being underdone or overdone. A fast thermometer can have an impact on time efficiency and quality in those settings. Generally speaking, a good speed is roughly three seconds or fewer. The best of the best can provide a reading in just one second.

Resolution

The final feature to look for in digital thermometers is known as resolution. Basically, the resolution is how detailed the reading is. Resolution is determined by the number of decimal places that you need to get out of a temperature reading. While the standard is one place, there are more detailed ones that have two decimal places. Where extreme precision and accuracy are required, that extra decimal place can wind up being a difference maker.

Resolution goes hand in hand with accuracy. More precise readings can get down to the decimal place, providing reassurance that the readings are as accurate as possible. The great thing about some modern digital thermometers is that some of them have a switchable resolution feature.

That makes it possible to use a single digital thermometer in a multitude of settings. They might cost a bit more but you won’t have to invest in different digital thermometers when one will more than do the job.