Drawn to its outside size
Fast, simple and waterproof enough for a floury counter; checks water, dough and the finished loaf.
Best thermometer for bread baking
An instant-read thermometer is the one to buy: it checks the water before you mix, the dough during bulk fermentation, and the loaf's center when it comes out (about 205 to 210°F for a lean sourdough). A leave-in probe with an alarm is for bakers who want to keep the oven door shut.
Instant read for water, dough and the finished loaf. Leave-in probe with an alarm if you want to know the loaf is done without opening the oven.
Our picks
Drawn to its outside size
Leave-in probe with alarm
ThermoWorks DOT Simple Alarm Thermometer
Leave-in probe with alarm, ±1.8°F
Drawn to its outside size
The probe stays in the loaf, the meter stays outside the oven, and it beeps at the temperature you set.
How we know: weights and sizes are the makers' published figures, linked from each product page, and a dough range marked “our estimate” is our arithmetic on them. We do not perform hands-on testing. How we compare.
Instant read: water, dough, loaf
Most sourdough recipes want the dough at about 75 to 78°F (24 to 26°C) after mixing. The water temperature gets you there; the water temperature calculator tells you how warm. During bulk, a reading from the middle of the dough tells you which row of the bulk fermentation chart you are on.
| What | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Dough after mixing | 75 to 78°F (24 to 26°C) | Sets how long bulk takes |
| Lean sourdough loaf, center | 205 to 210°F (96 to 99°C) | Fully baked, not gummy |
| Enriched loaf (milk, butter, eggs), center | about 190°F (88°C) | Done without drying out |
| Fridge for a cold proof | 40°F (4°C) or below | Slow, controlled proof |
Leave-in probe: done without opening the door
Push the probe into the side of the loaf when you uncover it, run the cable out through the door seal, and set the alarm for 205°F. Keep the meter outside the oven: its body is not rated for oven heat even though the probe and cable are. Keep the cable away from the heating element.
Check and care
Check it in ice water: a well-stirred glass of crushed ice and water reads 32°F (0°C). Wipe the probe after each use and keep the tip covered. Do not leave an instant-read probe in a hot oven.
Room temperature matters too
A cheap room thermometer on the counter tells you why a bulk fermentation is running slow or fast. Below 70°F, expect the times in your recipe to stretch; above 80°F, watch the dough early.
Questions bakers ask
What temperature is sourdough bread done?
About 205 to 210°F (96 to 99°C) in the center for a lean sourdough, the range King Arthur's sourdough recipes bake to (about 204°F for its pan loaf, at least 210°F for its no-knead loaf). King Arthur calls 190°F a good benchmark for most other yeast loaves, and its enriched breads are done at about 190°F (88°C).
Do I need a thermometer for sourdough?
It is the second most useful tool after a scale: dough temperature decides how long fermentation takes.
Can I use a meat thermometer?
Yes. Any probe thermometer that reads quickly and accurately works for water, dough and bread.
More equipment for this job
Keep what you own when it does the job. These are the other exact models we profile.
Drawn to its outside size
For the fastest, most exact spot readings
ThermoWorks Thermapen NANOThermoWorks' successor to the Thermapen ONE: readings in 0.4 s, ±0.5°F from −4 to 248°F, magnets on the back.
Reads in 0.4 s, ±0.5°F6.16 × 1.89 in outside
Being discontinued
Drawn to its outside size
For a quick spot reading
ThermoWorks Thermapen ONEBeing discontinued
A handheld folding-probe thermometer for a measurement at a specific moment.
Reads in 1 s, ±0.5°F6.1 × 0.74 in outside