Insertion thermometers

The stick thermometer is the most popular and most useful thermometer in the kitchen. A narrow probe with a sharp tip is inserted into the thing you want to measure and voila, you have the answer. Invaluable for so many applications in the kitchen. The temperature of your dough determines how quickly or slowly it will rise, the temperature of your crust determines how hard or soft it will be, and the internal temperature of your piece of meat is what makes it rare, medium or well-done. With a good thermometer, you have the means to raise the bar in several areas of your cooking.