Had my polder thermometer lasted longer than 6 months, I would have given it a 4 or 5 star rating.Having a probe with a cord is a great idea. It is very convenient for monitoring temperatures in ovens or smokers if you don't want to raise the lid. Combined with the temperature alert feature (you can set a temperature to set of the alarm), the polder is very handy. Unfortunately, having gone through two probes, it appears that they are too delicate for this kind of use. It is very easy to damage the cord and then you will get wildly off readings.My other criticism of the polder is the time that it takes to react to temperature changes and the length of time it takes to get an accurate reading. My Taylor instant read obtains a reading in a few seconds. The polder often takes much longer (15-20 seconds), which can be an issue when checking steaks on a very hot grill.In summary, don't buy this device unless you want to buying replacement probes frequently.