Two thumbs up (more if I could) for Thermaworks!!

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TomRep

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I couldn't find any customer service issues/posts for Thermoworks, so I figured I'd post my experience. I ordered a splash proof Thermapen about a month ago. When I first got it, I checked the calibration in some ice water and was thoroughly impressed with the unit. Saturday I went to use it for the first time making a Nugget Nectar clone. It worked fine for about 3-4 dips in my strike water, then went crazy. If you turned it off then back on, it would go from 70ish and climb to 500+ before saying "Hi" followed by "Err". I was not happy to say the least, but glad I had some back up thermometers. I checked Thermoworks information and saw they weren't open weekends and figured I would e-mail them lastnight. I also left them my cell phone number with my signature on the email. This morning at 11:00est I received a call from Thermoworks. I can't recall his name (horrible with names) but he was extremely apologetic and said this is a very rare case. He shipped me out a brand new Thermapen with a return label enclosed to ship the old one back, no questions asked. I was learly about spending that kind of cash on a thermometer, but after seeing how it works when functioning correctly and getting that kind of customer service, I'm glad I did!
tom
 
Thats good to hear! I just bought one as well and have used it on one brew session, no problems so far! I don't think I have heard any other problems about these thermapens on the forum though, so you must've gotten a lemon - stinks that you couldn't use it for the Nugget Nectar Clone, but at least you are getting a new one free of charge.
 
Thermapen is to stainless conical as everything else is to plastic bucket. Some people get tired of buying the cheaper units over and over. With that said, I recently started selling the CDN proaccurate digital because it was the thermo that finally got me to stop hating the cheapos. Big numbers, hold feature, waterproof, recalibration button and reasonable enough price that I wouldn't mind buying a new one ever two years (not that I think I would need to).
 
Indyking said:
I don't understand why people get thermapens...

This thermo is as precise and fast and good quality as a thermapen but a fraction of its price:
Click to expand...


It's not as precise or fast. Your argument has no merit.


_
 
Indyking said:
I don't understand why people get thermapens...

This thermo is as precise and fast and good quality as a thermapen but a fraction of its price:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002GE2XF8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


Compared to...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002GE640S/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
Click to expand...


It clearly says 6 seconds in the former and 3 seconds in the latter. I have one of the cheaper models, too and I am not happy. In fact I was considering writing an email about it so thanks for reminding me.

I will be honest it's not as good and it is NOT as accurate in my experience. It was OK for the few batches I did last year, but a few weeks ago I tried using mine to check mash temps and it was reading all over the place. I was checking the temp in the same spot a few times and it would vary by +/- 10 degrees between readings. Thermapen was consistent and accurate.


So it may be as precise, but it is NOT as accurate. Which is more important to you? I would rather hit my mash temps than guess.
 
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some people just get off with having fast, accurate, reliable, certifiable equipment.

i am one of them.
 
motobrewer said:
some people just get off with having fast, accurate, reliable, certifiable equipment.

i am one of them.
Click to expand...

Yep, I also praise all of those attributes, but most important, I always look for a good value. It's paramount. The thermo I'm talking about (RT600C) is also a Thermoworks product, highly praised by 50 reviews and fast enough for me.

I just thought I was missing something extraordinary in the thermapen considering its very high cost, that's why I raised the question originally.
 
Indyking said:
I'm talking about this one...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002GE2XF8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


Read the reviews... a lot of people made specific comparisons against the thermapen...

The value of this one can't be beat IMHO.
Click to expand...

Yeah that's the same one that is reading off by as much as 10 degrees compared to my Thermapen. No thanks.

THAT is worth an extra $68.05 in my world.

But I see you ignored that part of my previous post so apparently you're just going to stick with your opinion that it's the same thermometer in a different package.
 
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weirdboy said:
Yeah that's the same one that is reading off by as much as 10 degrees compared to my Thermapen. No thanks.

THAT is worth an extra $68.05 in my world.

But I see you ignored that part of my previous post so apparently you're just going to stick with your opinion that it's the same thermometer in a different package.
Click to expand...

Quite honest I don't have any of them. I'm just looking for a backup in case I need another thermometer and the thermapen seems like a huge waste of money IMHO. But hey, nothing against those who see value on it. I'm just saying what I think about it and this is a forum.

I would say, considering they are both from thermoworks, the 10F difference is hardly believable, but if you say so, I'm not gonna question it. Certainly an exception.

I have only a CDN which costed me 10 times lower than the thermapen and it is great! It takes about 10 seconds to read, so what, who cares about 10 seconds in a process that lasts at least half a day, as it is the case of AG brewing. I have tested my cheap CDN in ice and boiling water and I guarantee you it is as precise as any of the expensive fancy ones!
 
Indyking said:
Q I have tested my cheap CDN in ice and boiling water and I guarantee you it is as precise as any of the expensive fancy ones!
Click to expand...

I used to use a CDN, I thought it was great until I got my thermapen. It was 3 degrees off in the mash range, freezing and boiling temps are worthless measurements to homebrewers.

I guess it's all about how serious you are about nailing your temps. And having a thermo you can always rely on.
 
wildwest450 said:
I used to use a CDN, I thought it was great until I got my thermapen. It was 3 degrees off in the mash range, freezing and boiling temps are worthless measurements to homebrewers.

I guess it's all about how serious you are about nailing your temps. And having a thermo you can always rely on.
Click to expand...

Hum, a 3F plus or minus will rarely, if ever, make any difference in your brewing! The great JP talks about a 5F tolerance in his book for AG brewing. I actually have a reasonable controlled brewing process now, hitting my efficiency almost always in the same level, but some things, like minimal differences in temperature is just overkill IMO.

Nevertheless, how do you know it was the CDN that was 3F off and not the other way around? Just curious!
 
Ok... Time out.

I have been ignoring this thread all day 'cause it has been nuthin but, "but its awesome!". "no, it sucks!". "screw you, its awesome!". "not-uh it sucks"

But not you're saying a 3 degree +\- on mash temp doesn't make a difference!?!?!

(TWEEEEET). Party foul!
 
FIVE degrees on a mash temp is no big deal according to Palmer?? 1) bull$&@/ 2) if he says that, he's wrong. Way wrong.

So 148 is the same as 153? Bull

158 is the same as 163 (where you're denaturing your enzymes at a pretty good clip??). Bull.
 
Indyking said:
I actually have a reasonable controlled brewing process now, hitting my efficiency almost always in the same level.
Click to expand...

Again... Bull$;@&/. As long as you keep a temp in between a wide range of about 143 and 159, your efficiency will hold about constant but temperature variations within a degree or so in the mash will have noticible effects on the profile of your beer. So "hitting my efficiency" means next to nothing. All that means is that you were able to hit a temp within about a 15 degree range with no attention at all as to how much that beer would dry out.
 
And to think I just started this thread to praise Thermoworks and their customer service since there was nothing when I searched for it. That'll learn me... :rolleyes:
 
TomRep said:
And to think I just started this thread to praise Thermoworks and their customer service since there was nothing when I searched for it. That'll learn me... :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Good job, ya bastid!!! Ya got everyone all fired up!! Mods!!! Ban him!!!

;)


(i dont think anyone was really debating your posts)
 
lol No I just think it's funny that you start a thread to support a business that is actually doing good to it's buyers (rare now a days) and someone comes in and says "why waste your money". The beginning of that first sentence is half the reason.
tom
 
I love my Thermapen, got it for the charcoal grill where a fast reading is a big deal as things flare up when the lid's open too long. I used to use a cheap dial thermo, had a bad one and burned up an expensive piece of meat. Pissed, I immediately sought out the best thermometer I could find and decided on a thermapen. I've been very happy with it when grillin' and it works for the mash and when chillin' you wert too.

They used to say it back in my MC days, 5 dolla head, 5 dollar helmet, kinda the same deal here, sure you can get it done with cheap equipment but you rarely regret springing for quality.
 
Cape Brewing said:
FIVE degrees on a mash temp is no big deal according to Palmer?? 1) bull$&@/ 2) if he says that, he's wrong. Way wrong.

So 148 is the same as 153? Bull

158 is the same as 163 (where you're denaturing your enzymes at a pretty good clip??). Bull.
Click to expand...

I originally thought enzymes don't denaturate at 163F, but you are right, some do.
 
Cape Brewing said:
temperature variations within a degree or so in the mash will have noticible effects on the profile of your beer.
Click to expand...

A temp change of 1F during mashing will make a difference? Hum...

John Palmer, how to brew:

Page136: steeping of grains: recommended temp: 160F plus or minus 10F, yeah 10F... But that is steeping....

How about mashing?

Page 202... Checking temp of mashing: recommended 150-155F, a 5F range, If it is too low 145F, add hot water, if it is too high, 160F, add cold water. So, the difference between 160 and 145 is a smoking 15F!!!! I'm pretty sure my 10 bucks CDN thermometer can handle that pretty well!

Take it easy. I'm sure a thermapen is an excellent thermo, no question, all I said is that I don't personally see added value on investing that much money in a thermometer in my brewing process. Some people think differently. Fine.
 
Indyking said:
A temp change of 1F during mashing will make a difference? Hum...

John Palmer, how to brew:

Page136: steeping of grains: recommended temp: 160F plus or minus 10F, yeah 10F... But that is steeping....

How about mashing?

Page 202... Checking temp of mashing: recommended 150-155F, a 5F range, If it is too low 145F, add hot water, if it is too high, 160F, add cold water. So, the difference between 160 and 145 is a smoking 15F!!!! I'm pretty sure my 10 bucks CDN thermometer can handle that pretty well!

Take it easy. I'm sure a thermapen is an excellent thermo, no question, all I said is that I don't personally see added value on investing that much money in a thermometer in my brewing process. Some people think differently. Fine.
Click to expand...

If I build a recipe that I want to mash at 158 and I end up mashing at 153; it's going to be a different beer than I wanted. Will it still be beer? Yes. Will it be the beer I wanted? No.
 
AZ_IPA said:
If I build a recipe that I want to mash at 158 and I end up mashing at 153; it's going to be a different beer than I wanted. Will it still be beer? Yes. Will it be the beer I wanted? No.
Click to expand...

Yes, I agree, most likely, but do I need an expensive thermapen to prevent that? I don't think so.

The OP was just giving credit to the nice customer service by thermoworks. Since I'm out in the market for a back up thermo for my cheap but great CDN, I thought it was valuable to share the fact that thermoworks sell a much cheaper thermo almost as fast and likely as precise as their thermapen.
 
weirdboy said:
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
Click to expand...

I think I know what it means...

pre·ci·sion
[pri-sizh-uhn]
- noun 1. state or quality of being exact 2. accuracy; exactness 3. punctiliousness; strictness 4. exactness or correctness, as of a quantity or measurement - adjective 5. of, pertaining to, or characterized by precision
- Related Form pre·ci·sion·al- adjective
Source:
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2011.
 
"hummm".... Why dont you post the ACTUAL paragraph you're supposedly quoting from page 202?

LOL!!!!

Dont worry if you cant suddenly find it.

I'll.... Hum.... Post it for you shortly.
 
Cape Brewing said:
Post it for you shortly.
Click to expand...

No need to do that, unless you want waste your time.

I'm done with this thread, period.

It all comes down to this:

We see different value in different things for our wonderful hobby. I personally find it disturbing to invest almost 100 bucks in a thermometer. I feel like my beer is already good enough to avoid such a waste. FWIW, I built my kegerator for a cost similar to what is charged for a thermapen, granted I had the freezer already. Some people would rather invest that much cash in a thermometer than something else. Nothing wrong with that.
 

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