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

[TomRep]

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

 

[brettwasbtd]

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.

 

[mpruett]

I use one of these for general stuff:

http://www.thermoworks.com/products/low_cost/rt600c.html

and one of these (the 12" version) for the mash:

http://www.thermoworks.com/products/low_cost/rt610b_12+24.html

It's really interesting how your mash temp may vary from top to bottom. I never had anything that was both long enough and fast enough to show me the difference during temp checks before.

 

[Indyking]

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

 

[Bobby_M]

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).

 

[wildwest450]

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:

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


_

 

[weirdboy]

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

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.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

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

Because god forbid we don't hit our mash temps to within 1/100th of a degree our prize IPA's will only become pale, & bitter.

 

[wildwest450]

Because god forbid we don't hit our mash temps to within 1/100th of a degree our prize IPA's will only become pale, & bitter.

Say's the tool with a sabco brewing system.


_

 

[Indyking]

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


_

It is actually pretty close... at least, that's what the 5-star reviews at Amazon suggest...

 

[Indyking]

It clearly says 6 seconds in the former and 3 seconds in the latter.QUOTE]

So, a difference of 3 seconds justify an extra cost of 68.05 bucks?!!!?

Not in my world...

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

It actually is... at least, that's what the 5-star revies suggest...

The Revvy's we have here are worth 2 stars at best.

 

[Indyking]

The Revvy's we have here are worth 2 stars at best.

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.

 

[motobrewer]

some people just get off with having fast, accurate, reliable, certifiable equipment.

i am one of them.

 

[Cape Brewing]

pfft

 

[Indyking]

some people just get off with having fast, accurate, reliable, certifiable equipment.

i am one of them.

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.

 

[weirdboy]

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.

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.

 

[motobrewer]

pfft

fast but powerful, baby!

pill? can't stop me!

 

[Indyking]

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.

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!

 

[wildwest450]

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!

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.

 

[Indyking]

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.

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!

 

[Cape Brewing]

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!

 

[Cape Brewing]

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.

 

[Cape Brewing]

I actually have a reasonable controlled brewing process now, hitting my efficiency almost always in the same level.

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.

 

[TomRep]

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...

 

[Cape Brewing]

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...

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




(i dont think anyone was really debating your posts)

 

[TomRep]

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

 

[motobrewer]

oh man, cape watched someone brew this weekend and now he thinks he's an expert

 

[Cape Brewing]

... and Moto watched someone brew this weekend is still doesnt know what he's talkin about.

 

[NebraskaBrewer]

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.