Affordable Probe Thermometer?

Anyone have an affordable probe thermometer? Something I can toss in my kettle during BIAB, wrap up with reflectix, and not have to remove lid to measure mash temp?

Thinking something along this:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004XSC5/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Unsure if I can complete submerge though (the probe that is).

 

I use an old Pyrex one (they stopped making them) like that and it works fine, although you cannot submerge past the crimp in the top of the probe/start of the wire, so there is some limitation in the placement within your mash.

 

Thank you for the tip! I'll be sure to be weary of that. Nothing a clip on the outside holding it in place can't fix though.

 

Use this one - it is waterproof and a great little thermometer - Taylor 9940

10ft cable, big numbers, no buttons or tricks, just temperature. About $22.00


http://www.wholesalepoint.com/product/Taylor-9940.aspx

 

I saw one at Big Lots the other day for about $15 in the cooking section...

 

I tried one very similar to what you're looking at:
http://www.amazon.com/Polder-Digital--Oven-Thermometer-Graphite/dp/B000P6FLOY/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1449768267&sr=8-4&keywords=probe+thermometer
It worked GREAT.....for about 7 brew sessions. Now it reads between 125-145°F no matter what it's touching. So now I am also in the market for a new thermometer.

This time I'll be spending some $$.

 

A lot of these probes are not waterproof. Good idea to look online at the owners manual. They will warn against submerging them. Read that before ordering any of them

 

Any thermometer used for mashing needs to have a calibration feature. If not, you need to keep a notecard of the adjustment from displayed to actual. Most of those probe thermometers in the low range will be off as much as 5 degrees at boiling.

No matter what, with an old school lab thermometer to calibration checks at you mash temp range. Otherwise you have to test at boiling and in melted ice and take an average...more time consuming and less accurate for what we need.

 

This is where a thermowell comes in... Spend $30 and not have to worry about being water proof.

 

Get one of these. You may find a better deal elsewhere if you search-

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002F8PWLC/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20