Equipment

I was going to buy a refractometer and a inferred thermometer for testing my beer. What are your guys thoughts on it?

Refractometer is certainly nice to have. Although I prefer a long and well calibrated dial thermometer for temps.

I have the long stem dial thermometer for putting in the mash or monitoring temperature as I bring the wort to a boil so I know when to slow down the heat to avoid boil-over. I also have an infrared thermometer that I use to monitor the fermenter temperature. I tried the stick on ones but I couldn't read them in the darker room where I was fermenting. With the infrared, I just point and shoot.

While I love my infrared for what I use it I wouldn't use it for mashing because it might be reading the temperature of the steam instead of the mash and the surface of the mash won't be the same as the middle anyway.

So I guess there is a upside and down side to inferred and the "old school" way. Maybe I'll just buy both types and use them both and see what works for me.

I think my infrared cost me a whole $13 delivered to my door and it has so many other uses it was worth way more than that. The dial thermometer I use only for brewing but it works so well for the way I use it that I'd be lost without it.