Thermometer

Does anyone know where I can find a good thermometer without paying an arm and a leg for it? I have one of the basic dial thermometers right now, but it takes forever to take a reading in my mash tun with that thing, and since my mash tun is a cooler, that means I'm letting all the heat escape while I'm waiting for my reading.

I use one of the little digital ones from Wally World. It reads pretty quickly.

Haven't really gotten started brewing just yet, but as far as a good thermometer for use around the kitchen, a Thermapen is impossible to beat. The are around 100 bucks, but there isn't another thermometer on the market that will read as fast, plus you can use it for other tasks.

I've used my multimeter for a couple of beers now, if you have that option. You can improvise a thermowell pretty easily.

I have also used a dollar store meat thermometer and had beers turnout just fine, though it a better thermometer always helps in consistency and such.

Digital, inexpensive, acurate, and you are able to calibrate it. It reads fast.

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/SELF-CALIBRATING_DIGITAL_P1434C102.cfm

You can also go with a thermapen but they are like $100

I get the analog quick reads from a supply shop. They're about $15.00 a pop and can be drowned in liquid. I've tried digitals but I always lose them in the boil or mash and they never come out working.

Look for a digital thermometer with a remote sensor with the temperature range you need. There are lots available on Ebay for less than $20 with accuracy in the range of 1% plus or minus one digit. I have one that reads in degrees and tenth of a degree with a 50 foot wire so I could have a mash tun outside and be sitting at my computer reading the temperature.

kegtoe said:

Digital, inexpensive, acurate, and you are able to calibrate it. It reads fast.

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/SELF-CALIBRATING_DIGITAL_P1434C102.cfm

You can also go with a thermapen but they are like $100

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Good choice. Amazon has them with free shipping.

CDN Thermometer

This couldn't have come at a better time, just ordered one!

I use a digital probe thermometer from Target around $16. Works well. The probe is on a 3 foot cord. Has a timer and a temperature alarm function. Only gripe is that the alarm sounds only when it gets above your set temp. There's no way to bracket a temp range so it would sound above temp x and below temp y. That'd be nice for mashing.

you have to be careful with those digital thermomters wiht the cord and base. i find they are often inacurate. With the CDN you can calibrate it. The corded ones also often have a problem with the sensor and hte cord, it sint water tight. I use silicon on a coupel to try and help this but the CDN is just a better option for me.

I got a digital one from Publix, it works great, but when it gets too hot it wants to freak out and read all 8's....not very helpful when trying to get the temp just right! So be sure to get a quality one

actually, i would recommend going to an auto parts store - where you can pick up a very inexpensive infrared digital thermometer. they usually have a laser on them to pinspot where you are taking the reading. i got mine for under twenty bucks.

Everyone raves about that cdn one on amazon. I recently picked up one from target for cooking and found it to be just as accurate as the cdn one. Plus it has the long cord so you can leave it in your pot.

jjward101 said:

actually, i would recommend going to an auto parts store - where you can pick up a very inexpensive infrared digital thermometer. they usually have a laser on them to pinspot where you are taking the reading. i got mine for under twenty bucks.

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This sounds like a great idea. I'll have to check it out. How deep do they measure tho, just the surface temp?

chapa said:

This sounds like a great idea. I'll have to check it out. How deep do they measure tho, just the surface temp?

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You can literally take a temp reading with the infrared anywhere you want, side, top, bottom, etc... and take an average. I do hvac for a living, and can attest to the accuracy of these things too by the way.

here is a good source with a few listed on the page: http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?category=&q=thermometer

jjward101 said:

actually, i would recommend going to an auto parts store - where you can pick up a very inexpensive infrared digital thermometer.

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I don't have an infrared, but the research I've done tells me these are not good for mash temperatures. YMMV

Saccharomyces said:

I love mine for monitoring ferm temps and measuring wort temp during chilling.

For the mash, put it away and use a probe thermometer, preferably a good quality one which has been calibrated properly. The other guys hit it on the head.. it measures the vapor temp, rather than water surface temp, making it useless for measuring hot liquid temps.

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chapa said:

This sounds like a great idea. I'll have to check it out. How deep do they measure tho, just the surface temp?

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Yea, research them... They are good for only a few things and can really hurt you if it ends up reading vapor or surface temperature.

corwin6654 said:

Does anyone know where I can find a good thermometer without paying an arm and a leg for it? I have one of the basic dial thermometers right now, but it takes forever to take a reading in my mash tun with that thing, and since my mash tun is a cooler, that means I'm letting all the heat escape while I'm waiting for my reading.

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What is your definition of "an arm and a leg"? $50? $100? I have bought several thermometers over the years and after all the money I spent, I could have just bought a Thermapen. It is the best thermometer I have ever used. It's accurate and super fast.