Can't Find a Medical Thermometer? Use a Digital Meat Thermometer to Take Your Temperature (2024)

Toilet paper and masks aren't the only items disappearing from stores during the novel coronavirus crisis. A fever is one of the most common symptoms of COVID-19, and people have been stocking up on thermometers as a precaution. If you find yourself feeling sick and can't find a medical thermometer to take your temperature, using a meat thermometer works in a pinch, according to Lifehacker.

Like oral thermometers, instant-read digital meat thermometers use sensors and a bit of computing power to calculate the temperature of whatever you stick them into. That means they work just as well for detecting fevers as they do for telling you when your steak is overcooked.

When using a kitchen tool for medical purposes, the most important thing to remember is sanitation. Disinfect your meat thermometer by swabbing the probe with rubbing alcohol. Once it's clean, you can hold it under your tongue like you would a regular thermometer. The major differences are that a food thermometer won't beep when it's done calculating, and the sharp tip is meant for penetrating meat, so you have to be careful when sticking it into your mouth. After your temperature has been measured, don't forget to sanitize the device again with alcohol before putting it away.

If you suspect you may have a fever, educate yourself on the number to look for on the thermometer. Standard human body temperature is commonly described as 98.6°F, but recent research has shown that the average may be slightly lower today.

[h/t Lifehacker]

Can't Find a Medical Thermometer? Use a Digital Meat Thermometer to Take Your Temperature (2024)

FAQs

Can't Find a Medical Thermometer? Use a Digital Meat Thermometer to Take Your Temperature? ›

A medical thermometer reads temperature up to about 110 degrees Fahrenheit. A cooking thermometer has to read at a much higher temperature. So it would be useless.

Can you take your temperature with a digital meat thermometer? ›

Why Meat Thermometer is not the Most Accurate Method for Fever? The digital meat thermometer can help you get a reading on your temperature, but it is not the best method for checking for fever. For example, it will be hard for the thermometer to read your temp if it wasn't calibrated properly.

What problems will you face if you use a clinical thermometer in the laboratory thermometer to measure the temperature of boiling water? ›

The temperature of boiling water cannot be measured by a clinical thermometer. The clinical thermometer is designed to measure the temperature of the human body. That is why this thermometer has the range from 35∘C to 42∘C. If the temperature is beyond the specified range, the thermometer may explode.

What do I do if I don't have a meat thermometer? ›

If you don't have a meat thermometer, there are three visual checks that must be done. Pierce the thickest part of the meat with a fork or skewer and check that: The juices run clear. It is piping hot all the way through (it should be steaming)

Can you use a regular thermometer as a meat thermometer? ›

Thermometers used to measure human body temperature do not read high enough temperatures for cooking. They are not manufactured to withstand temperatures above 106 °F (41.1 °C). Therefore, never use a medical thermometer for cooking.

Is a digital meat thermometer better than a regular thermometer? ›

The first is obviously the accuracy of the read: Without a digital display, you're less likely to know the temperature of your meat within a single degree. Also, because they can take up to a minute to come to full temp, you run the risk of overcooking your meat while you wait.

Can you use a meat probe as a thermometer? ›

If you want to check the temperature of a food, use a clean probe. Insert the probe so that the tip is in the centre of the food (or the thickest part). legal requirement that hot food must be kept above 63°C.

How do you use a meat thermometer that is not digital? ›

Analog instant-read thermometer: The stem of an analog instant-read thermometer needs to be inserted at least two inches into the food. For thinner foods, such as burgers and pork chops, insert the stem through the side of the meat cut to get an accurate reading.

What can you do if you don't have a thermometer? ›

Checking for a fever without a thermometer
  1. Touching the forehead. Touching a person's forehead with the back of the hand is a common method of telling whether or not they have a fever. ...
  2. Looking for flushing in the cheeks. ...
  3. Pinching the hand. ...
  4. Checking urine color. ...
  5. Looking for other symptoms.

Is there a way to take your temperature without a thermometer? ›

If you do not have a thermometer

Touch your chest and back. If they feel hotter than usual, you may have a high temperature. You may also have other symptoms such as feeling shivery (chills). Touching your forehead is not a very accurate way of checking your temperature.

Can I take my temperature with my phone? ›

Open the Thermometer app on your phone and tap Body temperature. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up the correct permissions (sensor and camera) and settings to take body temperature measurements. The temperature sensor needs access to bare skin. Remove any accessories that cover your forehead or temple.

What is the difference between a meat thermometer and a food thermometer? ›

The main difference is that unlike an instant-read thermometer, a meat thermometer is inserted into a joint of meat or a whole chicken (or turkey), where it remains throughout the roasting process. To monitor the temperature, you simply peek at the dial. Digital versions are more sophisticated.

What can I use instead of a meat thermometer? ›

If you don't have one, however, or if it's not within reach when you need it, the touch test also works: Touch the cut of meat with your finger and then feel the fleshy part of your hand underneath your thumb. The meat is raw if it feels like the fleshy part.

Can meat thermometer be used for room temperature? ›

Can I use a food thermometer to check room temperature? Yes they work fine for air temp but they're not made for that so they won't give you an instant air temp. If they're in the space of the room for a long while they'll give an accurate temp.

How do you take your temperature with a digital thermometer? ›

Turn on the digital thermometer. Place the thermometer under your armpit, making sure it touches skin, not clothing. Hold the thermometer tightly in place until you hear the thermometer beep indicating it's done. Remove the thermometer and read the number.

How accurate is meat thermometer for fever? ›

They're just not calibrated for accurate readings at the lower end, in the range of a human body temperature. So if the reading is off just 1-2 degrees, that's kind of a big deal when you're talking about a human versus a hamburger.

How do you tell if you have a fever with a meat thermometer? ›

Normally the rage of temperature goes from about `120 degrees F to 175 degrees F. If your human has been cooked, it will work to judge the degree of doneness. But if you are interested in determining if a live human has a fever, the useful range is too high.

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