I've never trusted the gauge in any range, or the settings on the knob, for that matter. I'd rather use a $20-ish oven thermometer than I can easily replace than the hidden cost of a flashy dial that is probably no more accurate than the knob.

I also know the calibration of my BlueStar oven dial, and can hear the gas valve click on and off as I twist it, if I have any question as to how close to the set point it has gotten from a cold start.

Thanks. Now that I think about it, its obvious. I guess in the 16 years I've used this oven (it was here when we moved in as renters, and we never changed it after we bought), other than the 2 or 3 times it just failed to warm-up and we knew it needed repair, we've been lucky with our results, or this one has been fairly accurate.

Cooking tools are fun - so now more to obsess over.

D

I've never used an oven thermometer - just relied on the oven thermostat to be fairly accurate and I've never had a problem.

A couple days ago I added a digital thermometer to my BlueStar 48 with griddle. The digital thermometer is made by CDN and also has a function to test oven with a high/low readout.

I "snaked" the metal probe with attached cord down the oven's upper vent opening and is attached to the oven's existing temp probe bracket.

I rely on the digital readout on my range, which has been accurate for 4 years. I know that because I check, as a backup, with the classic Taylor oven thermometer. The oven thermometer model that won a testing by Cook's Illustrated magazine is the Taylor Commercial Oven Thermometer, #5921N. Can be found readily at places like Ace Hardware, some supermarkets, and a bunch of places on line. It costs $16.49 at Ace Hardware. Works great; just don't try to clean it with anything abrasive or the numbers will rub off.

Here is a link that might be useful: Taylor Oven Thermometer #5921N

I have baked in 8 or 9 ovens and never had an oven thermometer because I never had any problems. I have one because my baked potatoes did not get done in the regular amount of time in my new oven. It was a revelation. I just like to have one now to make sure.

Yep, that Taylor is my standby. It may be harder than some to read, and get grimy enough to make it worse, but they tend to be accurate enough, robust, and not terribly expensive.