Ready? Here’s how to tell

IF you want to avoid the stringy, dry turkey so many of us remember from Thanksgivings past or, even worse, that awful bit of red peeking out from the joints, there’s only one thing to do, really -- don’t guess, use a thermometer.

Some thermometers are as basic as ever, others are technologically clever, but, in a general sense, there are just two kinds: An instant-read thermometer, which takes a turkey’s temperature as it’s pulled from the oven, and an oven-safe thermometer, which stays in the turkey and keeps running track of the temperature.

We tested two of each kind by roasting 3 1/2-pound whole chickens to 170 degrees. (While the Department of Agriculture recommends 180 degrees for whole chickens and turkeys, our Test Kitchen has found the meat becomes too dry at this temperature; we recommend 165 degrees for turkey, since there is usually a 10-degree rise as the bird stands once out of the oven.)

The most basic model was a 1-inch dial, the Taylor Classic Instant Read Thermometer. It worked well, though we had to squint to read the numbers and the needle was a little slow to register the temperature. The crucial instructions for its use -- where to insert the tip -- were a bit weak, just like all the others. (Answer: Insert the thermometer into the innermost part of the thigh, taking care not to touch the bone.)

The directions for the Polder Professional Digital Instant Read Thermometer, which looks like a top-heavy pen, said to press the “hold” button when the final temperature registers, to “freeze” the readout. But the temperature never seemed to stop rising in agonizingly slow 0.2-degree increments, so we weren’t sure when to press the button.

The oven-safe Pyrex Digital Thermometer and Timer turned out to be not all that oven-safe: its instructions warned against setting the oven any hotter than 392 degrees (392?), or the metal wire connecting the probe and the unit could be damaged. So we roasted that chicken at 375 degrees (the rest were at 400). Despite this, we liked watching the temperature rise on the digital display as the chicken cooked, and an alarm beeped when it reached 170 degrees.

Our final thermometer, at $75, was the most outlandish. The Grill Alert Talking Remote Thermometer from Brookstone connects a probe to a transmitter, which beams information to a hand-held receiver, the size of a large cell phone. You can be up to 300 feet away when a woman’s sensible voice will announce “your entree is almost ready.” Five degrees later, she’ll say “your entree is ready.”

She was right; the chicken was golden, its juices ran clear, and somehow her voice was strangely reassuring. Now, if she could just tell us how to carve the turkey, we’d be set.

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Nothing fancy here, just the good ol’ basics

What’s the difference: The Taylor Classic needs no batteries, dependable, though a little slow.

What we thought: You can’t miss with it; just give us the large-print version.

How much: $6-$10 at general merchandise and kitchen stores

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Promising, but don’t ask us

about the hold button

What’s the difference: The Polder digital thermometer is easy to hold. But the short probe makes removing it a bit of a struggle.

What we thought: Looked good, but a hold button made it harder to use than the old basic.

How much: $15-$17 at kitchenware stores and online

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Sound the alarm! This bird’s cooked

What’s the difference: The Pyrex digital thermometer requires instruction-reading and batteries. Alarm sounds when turkey is done.

What we thought: Felt some reassurance watching temperature slowly rise as chicken cooked. Had to balance the unit on the oven handle; it’s magnetic back did not stick to our brushed stainless oven door. But it won’t work at the higher temperatures we like for roasting.

How much: About $20 at kitchenware stores and online

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Don’t worry, she says when it’s done

What’s the difference: Technology, baby. The Grill Alert Talking Remote Thermometer allows you to keep an eye on the temperature from afar, then tells you when it’s done.

What we thought: At first, we laughed. Something for the serious gadget-head. But once we rigged it up, we felt like we had a new friend in the kitchen.

How much: $75 at Brook- stone stores and www.brookstone.com.