This Is the One Tool Our Editor in Chief Can’t Do Without — and It’s 20% Off for Kitchn Readers

Ever since our Editor in Chief, Faith, penned a love letter to the Thermapen from ThermoWorks, all of us at Kitchn have become a little bit obsessed with this unassuming yet immensely crucial kitchen tool. Sure, it looks like a simple enough thermometer, but trust us when we say it’s truly a game-changer. Faith has had hers for years and, besides the fact that it’s lasted longer than any other food thermometer she’s ever owned, she still says it’s the one tool in the kitchen she “simply can’t do without.” Yes, Thermapens are a little pricey at $99, but from now until Sept. 20, Kitchn readers can score one for 20 percent off with the exclusive code KITCHN20. And with the holidays around the corner, you’ll be thankful you snagged one to check up on your turkey and roasts. Of course, the Thermapen is so versatile that it’s a kitchen essential all year round — here’s why:

The biggest joy of the Thermapen is that it’s an instant-read thermometer. And when we say “instant,” we mean it. Unlike cheaper thermometers, the Thermapen is made with a thermocouple sensor, which is the same tech found in professional-grade kitchen thermometers used by pro chefs. While a typical instant-read thermometer can take up to 30 seconds to get an accurate temperature on your steak, which, according to Faith, “is eons, in cooking time, when the oven or grill is open, and heat is escaping,” the Thermapen gets the job done in three seconds. And that’s the main difference between a perfectly cooked salmon filet and one that’s way overdone.

Besides using it for meats and seafood, Faith uses her Thermapen for everything from baking bread to double-checking her oven temperature. And while most thermometers don’t stand a chance against tough candy, Faith frequently uses her sturdy Thermapen for boiling sugar and has had no issues so far. The probe is tinier and thinner than most, which means you won’t have to maul your Thanksgiving turkey when checking for doneness. The sleek and slim design also helps you get a quick and accurate read in multiple spots without wasting valuable cooking time while the oven door is open.

We also love the Thermapen because it’s so convenient to store in even the smallest kitchens, and there’s practically no learning curve when using it. Simply open it to turn it on and it’s ready to read. Close it, and it turns itself off. It even has an intelligent backlight that automatically illuminates the display if it’s dark out, which definitely could come in handy if you’re grilling at night. The display also rotates to be right-side-up no matter what position you’re holding it in, so there’s no awkward head-turning as you’re checking whether your sugar syrup is at the soft-crack or hard-crack stage.

Whether you’re a baker, grill master, pastry pro, or an enthusiastic home chef, this is your chance to score a deal on a trusty new kitchen sidekick to help you make sure everything turns out just right.

Buy: Thermapen, $79.20 (normally $99) with code KITCHN20