My stove says the best operating range is between 400°F and 700°F, therefore leading me to believe that operating my stove @ up 700°F is safe. Now given that, thermometers vary from indicating an overfire starting anywhere between 450°F and 600°F and the "safe operating range" is even more whack! Are there stove-specific thermometers out there or do I have to just put up with a generic thermometer telling me I'm running efficiently or too hot when I'm not? I apologize if I'm sounding anal...but I am. I want to be able to look at my thermometer without having to do any guesswork. I want to know exactly where I stand so I can get my stove running as efficiently as possible. The thermometer is supposed to be a tool to help you. If the rest of my tools were this vague and useless I wouldn't get a darn thing done! It stops being a tool, rather a paperweight. In this case, a frisbee for a guinea pig! I don't understand why there is such a huge difference in temperatures. Is there an industry standard or does it vary by what material your stove is made of? Thanks so much for helping me see clearly.