Best Value in a Refractometer?

I've decided to break down and buy one of these gadgets. Does money equate with quality here? I see that you can spend up to $300 or more - but I don't need the finest available. MoreBeer is running a sale with $15 off their $115 unit - but is it really good? I want ATC, but don't know what else to look for..................

 

Mine is from EBAY as are many mentioned on this forum. $30 or so seems to do the trick, save your extra cash for something else.

 

Yeah, Austin Homebrew had one in the $30 range. I got mine off ebay. Works like a champ.

 

Will 0-20 Brix be sufficient or should I go with 0-32 Brix?

 

Either will work, but the 0-20 will only take you to a gravity of about 1.080. The 0-32 would be a better pic IMO as it will get yo to a grovity of about 1.128 or so.

 

Thanks for your help. Bought the 0-32 Brix with ATC on ebay for a little under $30 including shipping. Figured that I could always buy a nicer one if I find that it really cuts down on using that miserable hydrometer.

 

That is what I payed for mine from e-bay. It is perfect. You will pretty much never have to upgrade as long as you take care of it. Unless you start brewing above 1.128. Remember to calibrate it with distilled water.

 

Most of the commonly available refractometers that home brewers use are the cheap Chinese made units and probably pretty much the same as the one you purchased. IMO, you shouldn't really need to upgrade later as the one you have will work just fine so long as you don't damage it somehow. Now then, IMO a refractometer does not eliminate the need for a hydrometer. A hydrometer is generally more precise and I still use one to find the OG and FG of the beer. I use the refractometer to get an approximate gravity reading pre-boil and also during the boil. This lets me get a handle on the gravity and I can take action if need be to get it where I want it. I also use it for quick checks of the runoff gravity when fly sparging. Post boil, I will use the hygrometer to determine the OG more precisely. IOW, it's good to have both tools in your arsenal.

 

I thought my hydrometer was more accurate as well, but after using both to check gravities on my last few beers, my refractometer is just as accurate. I have the economy $7 hydrometer, and the $30 ebay refractometer.

 

If I bought another one I would pay the extra and get this one off MoreBeer.com. I love that it reads in SG in addition to Brix.

Now before anyone says they wouldn't pay double for this small convenience, I sorta agree. But I get peeved every time I use that thing and have to run inside to my computer to do the conversion. I know, it is about 4x the Brix, but I can't live with "about".

 

I have been eying that same one from More Beer with the SG reading, of course I just checked the site and like everything I want on More Beer it is out of stock.

 

Just bought this one and "really" enjoy taking quick readings through out the brewing process.

 

Unless a significant number of your brews are > 1.080, I'd suggest picking up the 0-20 Brix. It's easier to get an quick accurate reading than squinting at the lines on a 0-32 until they blur into rorschach blots, and you still have a hydrometer for the occasional high-octane beer.

 

The one on ebay that also has the SG scale is 0-32, do you think that scale is going to be really hard to read MadDwarf?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ATC-0-32-Brix-W...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5638a54aca

 

1) Ebay refractometer works great
2) No you don't need one with SG scale and you don't need a computer - just print out a handy chart:
http://www.brsquared.org/wine/CalcInfo/HydSugAl.htm
3) I have found (comparing Refract with Hydrometer) that the accuracy is actually quite good)
4) read your sample off the glass right away - do not give it any time for the water to evaporate or your reading will be off
5) refractormeters are great to read off hot wort without having to cool it down to the set temp - since the volume of liquid is so small compared to the heat mass of the instrument.

 

Tempting. I used one of these throughout of my undergrad chemistry degree and I think it was very similar and I don't think it was that hard to read from what I can remember.

Having the SG there would be handy.