Best Thermometer for Mashing temps

[weirdboy]

This is not actually a pic of mine, but one I found on the internet that looks like mine.

 

[kegtoe]

so you just stick that thing in your mash?

 

[weirdboy]

Well, yeah. The probe part. Not the meter.

 

[kegtoe]

lol, got it thanks. I just got burned by a $15 dollar digital. Said my mash was 149, dropped it in my HLT to check temp, then back to mash and it read 175 MF'er 50% efficiency due to stoping conversion early booooooo.

 

[redalert]

I use a Sears multimeter with a K-type thermocouple. If you already have a multimeter with temperature capability, you can buy the thermocouple for like $10 on Ebay.

 

[rico567]

I use a Thermapen.

To forestall the inevitable, yes, they're expensive.

And, IMHO, yes, they're worth it.

 

[Jethro]

I much prefer the Bremometer on my converted keg MLT. I had used digital thermometers with a cooler MLT and had issues with the probe getting wet and giving erroneous readings. I really like not having to open the lid and fuss with stuff.

 

[Randar]

I use a Thermapen.

To forestall the inevitable, yes, they're expensive.

And, IMHO, yes, they're worth it.

You can get a whole love controller and thermocouple for that price, though... not sure it is totally worth it.

 

[WC87]

I have a Type K mini-thermocouple I picked up off eBay and use the Fast Response probe 113-159 (same probe as Thermapen) from Thermoworks and also the waterproof probe item 113-372-T.

Wouldn't dream of using anything else.

 

[curlyfat]

I use a Sears multimeter with a K-type thermocouple. If you already have a multimeter with temperature capability, you can buy the thermocouple for like $10 on Ebay.

I just ran (ok, I'm fat, I waddled), and grabbed my multimeter (a professional "Fluke" brand)...no thermo capabilitie. So close....so close....

 

[vnakkar]

Found this thread and decided to get a Termapen. They're having a sale for the next two weeks.

http://www.thermoworks.com/products/thermapen/splashproof_thermapen.html

 

[ajwillys]

I use a Fluke 52 Series II. Yes its very expensive (more than thermapen) but the accuracy and speed are very good. Plus its bullet proof tough, can use any thermocouple, can read min/max/average of two probes simultaneously and is back lit. I use it for much more than just brewing.. pretty much every thermo activity. Even though I know its not for everyone, I've never regretted my purchase.

 

[passedpawn]

I use a Fluke 52 Series II. Yes its very expensive (more than thermapen) but the accuracy and speed are very good. Plus its bullet proof tough, can use any thermocouple, can read min/max/average of two probes simultaneously and is back lit. I use it for much more than just brewing.. pretty much every thermo activity. Even though I know its not for everyone, I've never regretted my purchase.

I have same. Don't drop into mash. Although it might look sealed, it will instantly take on wort and stop working.

After drying it out thoroughly, it still wouldn't turn on (I completely disassembled it). Then, just recently, it worked for 1 day. Now, it turns on but won't work... it shows a calibration error.

 

[BrewThruYou]

I have a dial thermometer: http://www.austinhomebrew.com/produ...d=996&osCsid=6474b4f543ac8bcb92c5744ca0d5f7a0

I have the 10gal Rubbermaid Home Depot MLT. I drilled a small hole into the lid and the thermometer is inserted down from the top. On very low gravity mashes, it won't work since there's no enough water/grain to hit the tip....but it works on most mashes.

 

[Beer:30]

I used the thermapen for the first time on Saturday; WOW. So convenient to take a temp reading in seconds. I highly recommend this upgrade!

 

[nbw]

I have this one, which works quite well for me. Not as fast as the Thermapen, but for a whole lot less money, I can wait a few more seconds:

http://www.thermoworks.com/products/low_cost/6032.html

 

[EarthBound]

Just wanted to let you guys know that it's this thread's fault that I bought the thermapen. Got it on sale. $80 isn't that much money when you consider how much money people waste on analog thermometers which can only be used to check wort temps; whereas, this can check temps of many other things than wort. Below is a pic of what the package looks like. It has a +/- 0.7 ºF accuracy. Let me know if you can find a better accuracy for the price.

 

[flabyboy]

I got the CDN proaccurate for $15 and it's just as accurate and almost as fast. And I can get a wort chiller with the money I saved

 

[jldc]

I got the CDN proaccurate for $15 and it's just as accurate and almost as fast. And I can get a wort chiller with the money I saved

I've never seen a $15 digital that was worth much. They either stop working or become inaccurate and you don't notice until too late. I am not familiar with this thermometer, so it may be better, but I would recommend that you be careful and calibrate pretty frequently. For that matter, frequent calibration is worthwhile on more expensive thermometers as well.

L

 

[SirSchmiggs]

Wireless is definitely a great cheap choice. I love it because you can keep the mash sealed up with the probe in there and still read your temp. Just opening to stir half way through the mash if you choose

 

[gkal1964]

I also use the CDN proaccurate thermometer. It's very accurate and reliable. This thermometer was rated very highly by Americas test kitchen. I bought one and have been using it for over 2 years. It's still accurate to this day. I use it for cooking and brewing so it gets a lot of use.

 

[New Brew]

Since I haven't heard anyone else mention them, is there any reason against using non-contact IR ("laser") thermometers in brewing/mashing?

I already have one I use in cooking and for other hobbies of mine, and just assumed I would keep doing so for brewing.

 

[EarthBound]

I got the CDN proaccurate for $15 and it's just as accurate and almost as fast. And I can get a wort chiller with the money I saved

I also use the CDN proaccurate thermometer. It's very accurate and reliable. This thermometer was rated very highly by Americas test kitchen. I bought one and have been using it for over 2 years. It's still accurate to this day. I use it for cooking and brewing so it gets a lot of use.

What model???

 

[morgantm]

Thermapen here as well, love it

 

[flabyboy]

I've never seen a $15 digital that was worth much. They either stop working or become inaccurate and you don't notice until too late. I am not familiar with this thermometer, so it may be better, but I would recommend that you be careful and calibrate pretty frequently. For that matter, frequent calibration is worthwhile on more expensive thermometers as well.

L

I don't buy anything without doing my research. It was featured in several cooking magazines as a best buy item. Saw a few youtube videos comparing the 2 directly. I agree the Thermapen is the best and if you have the $$$ by all means get the best. But I personally don't feel its worth $80 extra

Lets see if this link works

 

[flabyboy]

I also use the CDN proaccurate thermometer. It's very accurate and reliable. This thermometer was rated very highly by Americas test kitchen. I bought one and have been using it for over 2 years. It's still accurate to this day. I use it for cooking and brewing so it gets a lot of use.

good to hear

 

[GoNova]

For those that use the Thermapen, aren't you concerned that the temperature of the very top of your mash is different than the middle or bottom? I can always move my long-stem analog thermometer around my mash tun and get different readings. No matter how much I stir, there still seems to be some variations.

I really like the idea of being able to take the temperature without opening the lid. I'm always tentative to check the temperature because I know I'm risking losing temperature just by checking.

 

[flabyboy]

I just checked my temp after mashing and stirring and once 5 mins later. My temp was the same 60 mins later in my 5 gallon cooler mashtun

 

[winvarin]

+1 for the Thermapen. Got one for Christmas and christened it last weekend. Not sure how I ever brewed without it.

 

[PJM]

I used a CDN for about 3 batches before it broke. Admittedly it was probably my fault. I stuck the probe in the plastic sleeve just after checking the mash temp (without first wiping it off). When I went to pull it out of the sleeve it got stuck and the probe pulled apart from the housing. Bummer. My Thermapen is on order...