Originally published at: http://boingboing.net/2017/07/07/dont-buy-the-crappy-trutemp.html
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Don’t buy the crappy TruTemp digital thermometer
I’ve always relied on my “finger & taste” test, found to be flawless over the years.
don’t do this at home kids…
It looks quite painful too.
Exact same experience here. Broke in my hand before I could use it. Right into the trash.
Save up your ducats and get a Thermapen.
“Don’t buy the crappy TruTemp digital thermometer”
Never to be outdone by the “Don’t buy the exploding rectal thermometer” warning.
Ok, you win the internets today, but I’ll be back tomorrow in full form.
Whenever we pass the “World’s Largest Thermometer” in Baker, CA, I always point it out as the “Wold’s Largest Rectal Thermometer.” That never gets old.
Except maybe to the other people in the car.
And made in the UK. Fast, and accurate, but won’t survive a fall, even with the silicone boot.
Thermoworks makes a “thermopop” as well that is 1/3 the price. It is not as fast as the thermapen but is still a high quality thermometer, and considerably faster than most cheap “instant read” thermometers. ThermoPop® 2 - ThermoWorks
wrecked 'em, he damn near made 'em get off the internet for a whole day!
That really is one of the best thermometers you can buy.
Thermopen is the best, but $100. Thermopop is great for the price. I have the Lavatools Javlin, which at $28 is absolutely fantastic - it has a retractable probe and magnet in the body. Don’t buy the Javlin Pro, though, because it’s too big.
Don’t buy that $4 one at Amazon either - every other cooking therm besides these three is going to either a) break or b) not register temp fast enough.
That product needs to be repaired with tape rather than glue.
Ten years ago I bought a certified food temperature probe from an actual lab supplier. It wasn’t very expensive and it still works perfectly, on its third or fourth battery. The one in the article looks like a cheap knock-off of it.
Works quite well for a variety of needs!
All the other suburban dads are jealous when I break this bad boy out at a barbecue.
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You never had a steak till you had one done to 335 degrees Kelvin.
What meter you use is always dependent on the application you use it in, and not the price. A candy maker will tell you a meter off by 2 degrees C, or one that is not consistent, is worthless at any price but that same meter will suffice for proofing bread.
I have a $500 dollar Fluke 83V electrical meter that is unbelievably accurate, and when you need that it is nice to have. 99 percent of the time I will use my $150 Fluke 116, since most readings never need that level of accuracy. The 116 is a one handed meter, and the 83 is literately a brick in size and weight. Right tool for the right job.
It is always worth paying for ruggedness and longevity though,
The ones that they were selling c. 2005 turned out to be insufficiently water resistant as well, though it looks like they have improved that in the current offerings. I need to get a new one.
What we use at work, for our cryogenic radio telescope receivers that are cooled to 4 Kelvin…