I make a lot of candy and needed an accurate themometer. Caramels are especially sensitive to temperature changes. I regret buying this thermometer for two reasons: 1) The base/bulb of the thermometer is at a height that it often isn't fully submerged in the pot.
2) Even worse, after my last batch of caramels and the hard candy lollipops were overcooked, I realized that the thermometer is not fixed securely against the number scales, It slides up and down, thereby rendering it quite inaccurate. That was what had happened and what I thought were "perfect" temperatures, were actually about 5-10 degrees higher than they should have been. Very frustrating when you are doing something time consuming (with costly ingredients).
Unless someone can recommend a better candy thermometer, I guess I'll stick with using two (at the same time) of the store brand themometers. I DO NOT recommend this themometer. High price and seemingly sleek design do not equal quality.