Infrared thermometers measure the surface temperature of an object. The hotter an object is, the more infrared energy it emits. The thermometers measure this radiation and convert it to a reading.

I checked out the Avanti infrared cooking thermometer ($70), which is simple to use: just point its red laser beam at your target, and pull the trigger for a read-out.

But remember that infrared thermometers only measure surface temperature. Don't expect them to tell you how hot it is inside the chook you're roasting – which is the key information you need.

However, they are useful for measuring the surface of a pizza cooking stone, the temperature of oil when shallow frying, or even soup if you pull up a ladle from the middle of the pot.

Measuring the surface of a pan before cooking is helpful, but tricky with the Avanti, as the documentation says shiny or polished surfaces will produce inaccurate readings. But cast-iron pots and pans should be OK.

When I measured the temperature of a few liquids, including a cup of hot water and a saucepan of milky chai, there was a discrepancy of plus or minus 1 degree Celsius with my traditional thermometer.

The best thing about an infrared thermometer is that the read-out is instant; there's no waiting around for mercury to climb to its destination.

The Avanti also has a handy button for switching from Celsius to Fahrenheit.

Safety is an issue. I almost did a Get Smart and started to turn the laser towards my eyes to check if it was working. Keep it away from children who could be attracted to its gun-like shape, complete with trigger handle.