My Rant on Thermometers!

I made the jump to all grain earlier this year, did about 8 batches using the BIAB technique. The one area I'm trying to improve is hitting my numbers, specifically mash temp.

I have three thermometers. One is a digital thermometer w/probe that I bought at Walmart (AcuRite 00994W), another is a dial type thermometer that I got from the LHBS, and the third is a "Pampered Chef" digital thermometer.

I tested all in an ice bath last night, the digital w/probe one from Walmart was off by a few degrees, but has no way to calibrate. Realized the LHBS one needed calibration...no problem, adjusted the nut to 32 degrees. The pampered chef one was spot on at 32 degrees.

So, thinking I'm ready to brew, I start heating up my strike water today. Now when I test all three in hot strike water they are all way different! Now the dial thermometer from my LHBS is 10 degrees too low! It's very frustrating. I also bought a floating thermometer that's so far off it's worthless.

Can anyone recommend a good thermometer, preferably w/probe? I found this to be the best for my setup.

You should calibrate I'm the range of operation. Since the 150's are closer to boiling, I calibrate there for my MLT. For a thermometer used in chilling i'll calibrate at 32.

The other thing to do is get a lab certified thermo and calibrate it against that.

I also hear that Termopens are very accurate.

The DTTC model I sell is pretty impressive. Take a look at these test results as compared to the $90 Thermapen:

Therma pen, buy it

I love my thermapen. Has reduced frustration on brew day considerably.

I like the thermapen just fine but my tests absolutely show that you can get comparable performance for a lot less money. I bought the TP specifically to test the cheaper thermometers against and based on the data I've collected, I wouldn't drop $90 vs. $20. Let's face it, we're brewing not splitting atoms.

I really like the fast read of the thermapen and I also use it a ton in the kitchen, so it was worth the $90 for me.

Bobby_M said:

I like the thermapen just fine but my tests absolutely show that you can get comparable performance for a lot less money. I bought the TP specifically to test the cheaper thermometers against and based on the data I've collected, I wouldn't drop $90 vs. $20. Let's face it, we're brewing not splitting atoms.

Click to expand...

I've gone through several thermometers. I've had some just crap out, other times have 3 thermometers not agree with each other, other times take a reading and get one number then double check and get another number, then triple check and get another number. There may be a digital thermometer out there just as good as a thermapen. The one you sell might even be it. But I don't have to worry about discovering the illusive working thermometer because I have a thermapen, which is 100% guaranteed to work as well as a thermapen. If my thermapen broke tomorrow I'd go buy another one. I can remember what brew days were like before I had it.

$8.00 for a lab grade glass thermometer at the LHBS.

Thermapen. Check for sales, they run them every few months. I bought mine for $70, it's worth every penny. I know $70 is hard to swallow for a thermometer, but ya.... I find it worth it.

How about an item, similar to this?

kgalle said:

How about an item, similar to this?

Click to expand...

A few people have tried them. They don't work well for measuring liquids. Something about how it reflects, and the steam also gets in the way.