Don't buy the crappy TruTemp digital thermometer

Agreed. I look at the high cost of the thermopen, and then think about all the pos $15 thermometers I have laying in my local land fill. Buy durable, less waste.

3 Likes

Yes there is a word for this! meter PORN ! Get any two technical people together and sooner than later they will break out their meters. Newest things are wireless displays and USB conductivity for trending, but I recently bought a grey market Chinese Fluke meter (17B+) because the display was huge. I don’t get the warranty, but I can read it without my glasses. Don’t get me started on back lite colors.

4 Likes

I use the taylor commercial version of this…It’s a bit better. I’m on #2 over the past seven years, and that one just died. The first one worked for about a year after I had dropped it in a 350 degree fryer for about four minutes. It was deformed, but still operated like a champ. I’m looking into new thermometers now…sensing the right temperature for what I need.

1 Like

I have several of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0198473E4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Super inexpensive, well made, and with a wide temperature range.

so there are people that don’t use a thermapen ?

1 Like

How long have you had the Chinese one? And would you recommend it?

…as always!

:slight_smile:

2 Likes

I have had it for a little less than a year. All the rear stampings are in Chinese. I think I paid about $150 US. So far it is wonderful as a tool bag meter, BUT it has some major limitations.First and foremost it is NOT true RMS which is weird at this price point. It does not have a analog scale/bar graph, but that increases the display size, and it is rather slow refreshing but OK.

On the plus side it is a Fluke and the build quality is as you would expect. The back light is a pleasing white. Besides for the display size I bought it because it has a dedicated ma and mv scale. Fluke and other manufactures have a bad habit of not putting all the most logical scales on every meter. This is to get you to buy more than one meter. As a control Tech I need mv and ma most every day, and having them on one small meter is nice.

So I do recommend it, but it probably can not be your only meter. The non true RMS is a glaring issue. A fluke 117 or 116 would probably be better. I am just a meter guy and my company indulges me, as my time is their money. You got to admit it looks nice and the Chinesse stampings are a conversation starter. I believe Fluke is now making a US version, with the warrenty.

1 Like

Thanks for the review. I have several shops, and a lot of toolbags in different places. I have some really great meters at my electronic shop, and a Fluke 87 that is always in my primary tool bag.But the other bags have meters that are pretty inadequate. The kind of you get a harbor freight. It would be nice to replace them with meters that are tools.

Well worth the cost. It is so sensitive it will even an accurate reading of the ambient temperature if you simply open it up and hold it up to the air.

1 Like

I have one of these, they work great.
Though honestly, I most often use my old analog insta-read. Unless it’s time to make brittle.

Or buy around 35 of these and toss after use. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-Meat-Thermometer-for-Oven-Kitchen-Digital-Cooking-Food-Probe-Electronic-BBQ-Cooking-Tools-Gas-Oven/32673309141.html

If it fell apart on first use why didn’t you return it?

1 Like

The only difference between an oral and rectal thermometer is the taste.

7 Likes

5 Likes

This topic was automatically closed after 5 days. New replies are no longer allowed.