Depending on the type of thermocouple you use, you CAN read temperatures up to around 2912 deg. F with type R thermocouples. Thermocouple - Wikipedia You can use a Maxim MAX6675 Mixed-signal and digital signal processing ICs | Analog Devices chip to interface with a type K thermocouple that will give you 2012 deg. F. it has built in cold junction compensation also. As far as the 1000 readings a second, i don't know if it can measure and send data that fast, but i do know that it works great for interfacing thermocouples.