Customer Reviews

Polder 307 Preset Thermometer, White

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(24)

 

 

When the first Polder digital probe thermometers came on the market, I bought one to try it out. I have always used a Taylor meat thermometer for roasted meats, poultry, and game. Before I bought the Polder digital probe thermometer, I had been using my Taylor instant read thermometer. With the Polder thermometer, you insert the long metal probe into the meat, poultry or game so that it does not touch a bone. The probe is attached to a heavy wire which then plugs into the temperature unit. The oven door closes tightly over the wire. Then, with my version, you can set an amount of time you want (like a regular timer), and/or you can program in the internal temperature which is appropriate for what you are roasting and how you like it to be cooked. You can then walk away and come back to check the progress of your roast, and you don't have to open the oven door. (This model seems to have eliminated the regular timer feature, which I did not find to be necessary anyway.) I have had excellent results using my Polder Preprogrammed Cooking Thermometer, except I find it does not work for roasting chickens (they seem to be too small for the large probe to get accurate readings). I keep a small chart handy which gives the recommended final internal temperatures for meat, poultry, and game (and for "rare, medium-rare, medium, medium-well, and well-done" preferences). Most times I set the Polder for 5 degrees less than the desired internal temperature because all roasts need to "stand" on the cutting board or platter for at least 15 minutes before carving. (The "standing" ensures that the juices stay in the meat.) I wash the probe by hand and dry it very carefully.

The Polder Preprogrammed Thermometer is great to have, even if you only use it a few times a year. Highly recommended!

Maybe when Mom cooked for a big family every day, she knew by heart just how long it takes to roast a chicken, a large turkey or a beef roast to perfection. If she knows, she never told me... and my results were predictably random. This little wonder changed all that for me. Especially when we roast something that we don't cook very often (like a duck breast or special cut of meat) this almost guarantees perfection.

If you can't see clearly in the picture, the digital readout has a magnet and attaches to the front of your oven. The flexible steel cable goes right through the door (it doesn't break the oven seal enough to notice) and connects to the probe you've insterted in your roast. Without opening the oven, you always know just how far the roast has come. If you want, it sounds an alarm as soon as the middle of the meat hits the perfect temperature and voila! Peace of mind and perfect results every single time.

NOTE: We find that it's really helpful to check the "Joy of Cooking", where you can find the temperature you must reach for a certain level of done-ness for each kind and cut of meat. Set the alarm to go off at the right temperature and forget about it.

It's the best $ I ever spent on a kitchen tool.

The Polder thermometer works as advertised and I would not live without one BUT..... The temperature probe is fragile! It CANNOT be washed or it will get water inside and fail. The probe is NOT dishwasher safe. The wire CANNOT be kinked or it will fail. To make matters worse, the probes are hard to get! Polder does not warrentee them and although they are available, there are few places that carry them.(this site is a good example) They also cost ($) plus shipping and handleing

Had my polder thermometer lasted longer than 6 months, I would have given it a 4 or 5 star rating.

Having a probe with a cord is a great idea. It is very convenient for monitoring temperatures in ovens or smokers if you don't want to raise the lid. Combined with the temperature alert feature (you can set a temperature to set of the alarm), the polder is very handy. Unfortunately, having gone through two probes, it appears that they are too delicate for this kind of use. It is very easy to damage the cord and then you will get wildly off readings.

My other criticism of the polder is the time that it takes to react to temperature changes and the length of time it takes to get an accurate reading. My Taylor instant read obtains a reading in a few seconds. The polder often takes much longer (15-20 seconds), which can be an issue when checking steaks on a very hot grill.

In summary, don't buy this device unless you want to buying replacement probes frequently.

I bought this product around christmas last year. I am a professional chef. This product worked perfectly up until today. It has stopped reading temp. and just displays the words high temp.. I am trying to find out wear the company is but am having no luck. If it were still working I would rate this 5 stars. But what should I expect for 30 bucks, a lifetime? Thanks for listening, David McCreavy

A great idea -- a thermometer that stays in the meat while the oven door is closed! The main unit stays on the outside, with a magnet to keep it in place on the top of the stove. I absolutely loved this thing -- perfectly cooked meat every time. And then, one day, it just stopped working! How frustrating! And at it's price, it's just not worth buying a fragile thermometer to me. Oh, well. Give this a shot, or give it as a neat gift. Just don't be surprised when it breaks!

I've owned 3 of these and they are wonderful when they work. However, they don't work for long, averaging about 6 months for me which gets kind of expensive.

I'm currently looking for a more reliable version of the same thing, these are just too disappointing.

This thermometer worked very well, but suddenly started registering a minimum of 117 degrees at all times and could not be fixed. Considering that it was safely stored in its place when it happened is disturbing.

I used this thermometer only about 10 times. For the price, I would have expected it to last longer.

The idea is sound, it was extremely useful, but, not worth it for such a short life span. I never even used up the first battery.

Back to Taylor thermometers for me.

I am a cooking teacher and cookbook author and use a probe thermometer often. It is a great tool, BUT the most important piece of information is hidden in tiny letters on the box. Do not expose the probe cord to temperatures above 392F, a figure that is very easy to reach in a hot grill or with a roast recipe that calls for a high browning period. I blame Polder, because with all of the obvious problems, they should have changed the packaging to alert the consumer by now. I also blame Weber, if, in fact, they have recommended it as a grill accessory because my experience has shown that the thermometer will surely malfunction in a grill. PS: Don't attach the magnet to the hot grill cover, or your thermometer will melt. Boy, was I stupid to do that! But, then again, there was a metal surface and a magnet, and I didn't think.

If you handle it carefully, it will last, but I admit that I have reverted to my old instant-read many times because of a blown probe or battery. So if you get one, don't throw out your old thermometer and keep it as a back up. When this baby works, it is a wonder.

I bought this to use with my grill. After using it 5 or 6 times it stopped working.