Burned $35 on a cheap air fryer thermometer and got rubber chicken

I bought a no-name instant read thermometer online last month for $35 because the reviews looked fine. First time using it on chicken thighs in my air fryer at 400F, it read 180F after 12 minutes so I pulled them. Cut into one and the center was still pink and cold. Threw them back in for another 8 minutes and they came out like rubber. Tossed the thermometer, got a ThermoPop for twice the price. Has anyone else had a cheap probe fail on them mid-cook, or is it just me?

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morgan.logan19d ago

Did you ever check the calibration on that thing before you used it? I read a test once where they found a lot of those cheap probes can be off by 10 to 20 degrees, and sometimes they just stop reading correctly after a few uses. The frustrating part is the reviews are usually fine because people only use them once or twice, not enough to notice a pattern. I had a similar thing happen with a $20 meat probe from a big box store, it read 160 on a roast that was still cold in the middle. Now I just stick to the name brands and test mine in ice water every few months, it saves a lot of ruined dinners.