Any higher quality hydrometers?

I guess I don't know my own strength, because I just broke my second hydrometer by simply holding it while I rinse it off. I bought my latest hydrometer a couple weeks ago, so it's not like it was old. This is getting annoying.

Are there any hydrometers out there that don't have paper thin glass that a newborn could crush?

There's always the refractometer option.

I have a refractometer which I use pre-fermentation. But I don't want to bother with the calculations required for post fermentation readings. A hydrometer is just easier (if it doesn't break every time I touch it).

http://www.gilai.com/product_506/Co...r-With-Original-Weights-and-Ivory-Thermometer.

There's spreadsheets and sites to do the math for you as far as refractometers go... I actually got mine on Thursday (so I could use it that/last evening for a brew day)... Only negative thing I can see is that the sites assume your refractometer is Brix only... Mine (thanks to Bobby_M) has both scales. So, I didn't even bother to read the Brix side, just the SG side... I now know better, for the next time I use it...

I do plan on using the refractometer as much as possible... I might compare to hydrometer readings, from time to time, but I don't really know if my hydrometer is all that accurate. It is one of those that comes in your first kit, so it wasn't an expensive/super accurate one. I have yet to break my hydrometer, and hope to keep my lucky streak going. I think the refractometer will go a long way in making that happen.

+1000 refractometer

Why don't there exist plastic hydrometers?


I used these all the time when I kept a saltwater aquarium and they were great. Cheap, and I threw them around like crazy. All it is is a weighted piece of plastic that is lighter than water. Change the weight of the little plug and you can get the higher readings needed. Maybe I should invent this...

Hey tim. I'd buy one. Seems like it would work, probably as accurate as a triplescale.

Broke my hydrometer tonight right before taking OG. Would have enjoyed a backup.

I want a refractometer, bad though. Beeralchemy has a decent calculator for post-ferment readings.

I got my refracto on Ebay for about $25. Two or three hydrometers broken and you've spent just as much.

I find doing the calculations for FG much faster than waiting for a sample to get to the correct temp.

B