We present precise effective temperatures (Teff) of 215 FGK giants determined using the method of line-depth ratios. For each star, we have measured the line depths and equivalent widths of a large number of spectral lines of low and high excitation potentials and established ~100 relations between Teff and their ratios. Starting with an initial value Teff, the relations are then self-calibrated by an iterative process. Our final estimates have been compared with very accurate (1 per cent) published temperatures and show a good agreement. Using our calibrations, we derive precise temperatures for 215 giants with near-solar metallicity, from high-resolution (R=42000) and high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N=100250) echelle spectra, obtained with the ELODIE spectrometer at the Observatoire de Haute Provence (OHP).