Best Candy Thermometers

The side clip featured in this model can be used to hang the thermometer right on the cooking pan or a fry basket. And, as the name suggests, it provides a good grip with virtually any pan.

Sometimes the grip may be a bit too tight, so it is important to remove the clip carefully once you’re done preparing ingredients. This is crucial for almost any type of candy, especially when dealing with boiling sugar and chocolate.

Fortunately, this model features a rounded foot in the lower part of the housing that prevents any possible splashing. On top of that, the foot makes it easier to adjust the thermometer once you put it in the saucepan.

As for the temperature range of this unit, it goes from 100° F to 400° F, which covers a broad range of ingredient melting points. What's more, the thermometer also has melting point markings for different confectionery types, making it easy to see when it is time to turn off the heat.

Although the markings are generally useful for preparing all kinds of candy, it may be hard to see the chocolate melting point in particular since that single mark is located a bit too low.

Suitable for both deep frying and candy making, the OXO Good Grips is an essential thermometer model that every candy maker should have in their arsenal.

This thermometer from Taylor is one of the most accurate thermometers available on the market in the medium price range and not solely because of the precise temperature markings on the housing.

Although the thermometer is made of stainless steel, it is required to be hand washed due to the risk of glass breaking inside the washing machine. Some edges may be a bit sharp, so we recommend washing the housing with care using soft cleaning liquids.

The overall length of the thermometer is 12 inches, which should fit the majority of standard cooking pots, fry baskets, and saucepans. As an additional safety measure, the device is equipped with a metal clip on the back of the housing to prevent it from slipping down the side of the pan.

The temperature range of this model is 100° F - 400° F, making it ideal for candy making, chocolate melting, and deep frying. As for the melting of confectionery ingredients, this thermometer makes it easier since it features high-contrast markings that are easy to read even without additional lights.

All in all, the 8-inch thermometer from Taylor will be a good pick for you, provided you are looking for a device that is precise and durable enough to withstand high temperatures.

The housing of this candy thermometer is made of highly polished stainless steel which is fairly stain-resistant, a crucial aspect when dealing with confectionary ingredients. On top of that, this model can be easily washed with soft cleaning liquids but not inside dishwashers. The reasons for that is the glass that can break when too much pressure is applied and possible wear damage that the machine can cause to the markings.

Perfect for medium and big candy batches, this model is hard to use on smaller scale cooking recipes. The reason for that is that the size of the tool almost exceeds 12 inches in length, so it may not fit all cooking pots and saucepans.

Just like any standard cooking thermometer, this model has a temperature range of 100° F and 400° F, with additional markings in Celsius. The latter will be useful when you work on recipes that don’t include cooking temperatures in Fahrenheit.

Moreover, the markings include special indications for the boiling point of various ingredients and cooking method temperatures, both of which will come in handy for candy making.

Wrapping things up, the Winco TMT-CDF4 is one of the best thermometer models, thanks to its durability and accuracy of measurements that will prove really useful for confectionery recipes.

The Polder THM-515 is definitely one of the most versatile candy and jelly making accessories available on the market today. Despite its modest price, the thermometer is equipped with everything you'll need during the confectionary making process.

First of all, the temperature measurements of the thermometer range from 90° F to 400° F (30° C and 200° C respectively), which allows working with various confectionery ingredients such as maple syrup, caramel, and even for peanut roasting.

As for the convenience features, the Polder THM-515 features a clip-on hanger that will be useful for attaching the thermometer to bigger saucepans and cooking pots. Additionally, the tool is equipped with an insulated grip that will protect you from getting burned, thanks to its cool-to-the-touch design. That said, we still recommend using cooking gloves since boiling ingredients are likely to create splashes as temperature changes.

The low-temperature markings of this thermometer make it great for yogurt making. To be more specific, since it requires a continuously warm temperature, it can be hard to check it without such a tool, especially when digital cooking thermometer models are not suitable for this role.

Safe for cleaning on the top rack of any dishwasher, the THM-515 from Polder is easily one of the most convenient candy thermometers out there.

Unlike other similar products in our reviews, this model from Polder is completely made of glass. This design decision allows reducing the weight of the thermometer quite a bit compared to metal counterparts, leaving more room for the ingredients inside the cooking pot.

That said, contrary to metal models, this tool is less rigid and sometimes even fragile, so it is recommended to utilize the thermometer with caution, especially when dealing with high temperatures. Even though the glass is thermo-resistant, it can still break if you drop it on the metal surface of the saucepan or frying pan. To avoid that, we recommend using a metal clip that comes together with the thermometer as you slide it inside the cookware of your choice.

On the bright side, however, this model is excellent for yogurt making and melting of ingredients that have a low melting point. The temperature measurement range goes up from 75° F to 400° F, which is good both for slow melting and deep frying. What is more, the high-contrast mercury is colored in blue paint, which makes the temperature scale easy to read.

In the end, the Polder 510 is great both for professional and entry-level cooks that want to try out some specialty recipes.