Yes and also no. It will depend on what you’re cooking and whether or not the meat thermometer is oven proof if you’re cooking something in the oven. When frying chicken breasts and steaks, then it might get in the way of your cooking, and could even scratch the pan if you’re not careful. We suggest not leaving the thermometer in the meat, and just periodically checking to make sure it doesn’t burn. Although, the smoke above you could be an indication of that.\r