Looking for good/cheap Refractometer... any suggestions?

So, I recently broke my hydrometer and would like to replace it with a refractometer.... Been looking around but lots of choices.
Overall, any good suggestions for good products at a cheap rate?
Looking at this one and looks decent, but don't know because I've never owned one.
Amazon.com: Sainstore Refractometer for Measuring Sugar Content for Beer or Wine: Industrial & Scientific

Go to ebay and find the guy in torrance. I think it's a few dollars less than this one. I got it in 2 days. The rest of the ebay ones were from Hong Kong.

what about how they differ or if there are ones better than others?

badbrew said:

go to ebay and find the guy in torrance. I think it's a few dollars less than this one. I got it in 2 days. The rest of the ebay ones were from hong kong.

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+1

I would recommend having both. The refractometer is great and simple to use but its also handy to have a hydrometer for post fermentation checks and as a backup.

oregonparamedic said:

I would recommend having both. The refractometer is great and simple to use but its also handy to have a hydrometer for post fermentation checks and as a backup.

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SWMBO accidentally broke my hydrometer yesterday. God love her, she was so upset. I'm like it's no big deal. I can order another....and a refractometer too . LOL. Oh well I'm outta commission until payday.

oregonparamedic said:

I would recommend having both. The refractometer is great and simple to use but its also handy to have a hydrometer for post fermentation checks and as a backup.

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+1 to this! I use both on every brew. The refractometer gets used to check pre-boil efficiency, because it's fast and I only need to cool a very small amount of wort.

The hydrometer gets used to check OG, because it's more accurate than the refractometer.

Get the one Bobby_M sells on his site. I would also get a new hydrometer since those are easier to use once fermentation has started. You can use a refractometer, but you need to run the readings through software in order to adjust them to where they're accurate.

I use a refractometer right up until I pitch the yeast. Once that happens, I use a hydrometer to get readings (typically at the very end, before kegging to get the FG).

Golddiggie said:

Get the one Bobby_M sells on his site. I would also get a new hydrometer since those are easier to use once fermentation has started. You can use a refractometer, but you need to run the readings through software in order to adjust them to where they're accurate.

I use a refractometer right up until I pitch the yeast. Once that happens, I use a hydrometer to get readings (typically at the very end, before kegging to get the FG).

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+1 for Bobby_M. I just ordered one along with a scale. It should be delivered any day now. I have heard nothing but good things about his refractometer. It's cheap and it also helps out a fellow HBTer and homebrewer.

Here's a neat trick:

I broke my hydro on my first brew day this century (last week). Ordered the ebay refracto and adjusted with distilled water, and used it on my 2nd batch. Got 1.052. Pretty close. Then I measured my 1st batch and got 1.023 as it seems to be finishing up fermentation. I know 1.023 is wrong because there's alcohol in there. So I need to find the correct reading for OG and FG late in the game. I then got a replacement hydro and now plan to figure out the OG of my 1st batch by comparing both the actual FG with the hydro with the FG reading on the refracto and calculating OG.

Brewheads.com - Find Original Gravity with Refractometer and Hydrometer

BTW, there is a definite difference when calibrating with tap water vs. distilled water. I got around 0.003 difference.