Get an Oven Thermometer

I discovered this gem after baking at a few different friends’ homes. Since my mom is into baking, I grew up in a home that had a thermometer in the oven. So I assumed all ovens came with them. I’m not talking about the temperature dial on the outside, either. I’m talking about a round thermometer that hangs from the rack inside the oven.

You might tell your oven to go to 350 degrees. But you know what? Your oven’s a liar and so is mine. An internal oven thermometer allows you to gauge how much your oven lies so you can adjust the temperature dial accordingly and ensure your baked goods are being baked at the proper temperature. It will also allow you to know when the oven’s finished pre-heating and will save you the grief of burned cookies or soupy cakes. And they only cost a few bucks.

I would love to know, how much does your oven lie? Mine lies up to 50 degrees, so when pre-heating to 350, I set the dial to 400. Once you get a grasp on how inaccurate the dial is, you can yank it off, depending on your oven model, and readjust it accordingly. Those with digital oven dials (like me!) are out of luck on this step, which is why oven thermometers are crucial when baking.