Digital Thermometer

I apologize if this has been answered previously... I'm new here and could not find this.

I'm on my 4th homebrew batch, and I have killed 2 digital thermometers thus far. Not sure why... these things are designed to hang out in hot turkeys for hours... I can't figure out why they keep breaking on me.

Last one I had me crapping myself b/c I thought I could not get my wort down below 120F... and it turns out I had it down to 70! The thermometer was just broken!

WHERE can I get a decent thermometer that is accurate and DURABLE?

Thanks!

I have this one:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/km14-high-temp-pocket-digital-thermometer.html

It's accurate and has not failed me yet (been using it for a year). I still check it from time to time to ensure it's still calibrated. So far so good.

Get one that is listed as waterproof. Took me a couple to figure thatnout. Most of them it does not take a lot of moisture to kill them.

Sounds like you are using one with a long probe. Those are not waterproof and they will fail.

In my opinion...

1. Thermoworks makes excellent thermometers and pH meters. Call them for openbox discounts etc. Pricy, but you can use for brewing, BBQ, and numerous other temp related projects.

2. Turkey frying thermometer (Walmart, etc). Cheap and adjustable.. long stemmed and have a clip to hang on pots, etc. Love them. May not be accurate enough for mashing tho.

3. Digital thermometers that have a cable probe are definitely subject to problems if the probe gets below water and liquid invades the probe area where the cable meets the curved SS probe. I've had good experience by submerging the unit beyond the probe in very hot cooking oil and letting it bake in a hot oven so the cooking oil gels. Then to be safer (?), I add a long piece of shrink tubing. Not sure how effective that is as the hot wort could loosen it. However, with these.. just don't let water/wort get into the probe.

I've had a couple of TAYLOR probe thermometers for years and never had one die. One for BBQ and one for brewing. I get mine at Target.

That's my arsenal and love them all