Clip-On Dial Thermometer

Description

A mechanical dial thermometer with a 100 mm stainless stem and a black-rimmed 30 mm face marked from 0 to 120 °C. A sprung clip holds it against the wall of a milk jug or a cafetiere at whatever depth you set.

There is no battery and nothing to switch on, and it survives being dropped in a way a digital probe does not. The trade-off is speed: it takes eight to ten seconds to settle, which suits steaming milk more than checking a pour.

For milk, clip it so the tip sits just below the surface and stop steaming between 60 and 65 °C. Past 70 the lactose stops tasting sweet and starts tasting cooked, and the face has that band marked in grey.

Recalibrate it in ice water using the nut behind the dial if it ever drifts. Hand wash the stem and keep the dial head out of the dishwasher.