Instructions

1. Plan to buy an oven thermometer that doesn't use mercury as its heat recording source. Manufacturers of oven thermometers are eliminating mercury from their products because it's a suspected toxin.

2. Look for an oven thermometer that contains a dual metal coil to indicate oven heat. This means the thermometer doesn't contain mercury.

3. Expect to buy a few different brands in order to compare them. Preheat a properly calibrated oven to 350 degrees. Place the different oven thermometers inside and check their readings after about 10 minutes. Keep the one whose reading is closest to 350 degrees.

4. Notice the surface dial on the available brands of oven thermometers. Surface dials should be about 2 inches in diameter with bold numbers. They should not have fancy graphics which hinder reading.

5. Get an oven thermometer with a magnetic back. This attaches to the oven's inside walls. Magnetic thermometers don't need to rest on the oven's rack or hang from it which makes it easier to insert and remove food.

6. Search for optimum dimensions. The best oven thermometers measure about 4 inches in length and about 2 inches in height.