Anybody used one? Love it? Hate it?
I use the classic, and love it. At $20 more for the Mk4, I’m not sure the new features are worth it, but I’ve never used it.
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I have the Classic also. Works well. Wouldn’t be without it now. Can be calibrated if necessary. Mine hasn’t needed calibration in the four or five years I’ve had it. They are occasionally on sale. Got mine for$59.
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I also use the classic. No brew day would be the same without it. Keep thinking I better get a backup, but the original works great. Might buy another one just because, if I can catch it on sale.
Same here use the classic.
, char broil digital as the way to verify my old analog dial face thermometer……
Sneezles61
I use the Dot. Got it as a repackaged item. I also purchased the 12 inch probe for it. Besides brewing I use for cooking too and the 12 inch probe I at times will attach to the side of the carboy to an accurate read on fermentation temp. I found out doing this that the temp strips that I have attached to the carboys are actually quite accurate, if I use the Dot I can run the probe into the cooler I use for fermentation and then don’t have to open it to check temp.
I have two classics and love them. Since they are used for cooking and other things I have an additional unit in case one wonders off.
Edited to add: I do brew a lot in the early mornings so the backlit feature might be nice but I’ve seemed to survive all these years without it.
Bought this for grilling but it works for brewing https://www.amazon.com/Thermometer-Cooking-Temperature-Alpha-Grillers/dp/B00S93EQUK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1479772049&sr=8-2&keywords=alpha+grillers
I already have a traceable lollipop scientific therm, PID controller with a thermowell on the MT and dial gauge on the MT.
The $18 Alpha grillers therm is pretty accurate for that price and if you are within a degree or two in your mash you will never know the difference. I have also found that if you move the therm around to different spots in your mash, you might get three different readings. Even after stirring.
I have a classic thermapen. Brown on was on sale for like 49 bucks I think. It’s a very reliable piece of equipment. I’ve never had to calibrate or replace the battery.
Another classic thermapen owner here. It’s great, but the display is on the wrong side for lefties. I actually use it for cooking. And for checking the temp of my FG sample.
For my money though, if you’re looking for a brew-day thermometer, get their ChefAlarm. You can set alarms when the probe reads high and low temps. Say, 165, and 65.
I stick it in my strike water, and it beeps when it reaches the right temp to start mashing. After the boil, I sanitize the probe and stick it in the kettle with my immersion chiller. It beeps again when I get pitching temp.
Sorrry to sound like a commercial…
That sounds kind of amazing.
Maybe we should mention the Dot also. Have one of those too. Silicon cable for wet environments and extra long probe. Only has one set point for high temperature alarm though.
I was looking at them a few weeks ago. I have a decent digital one that’s accurate but response time isn’t what I’d like. I still us my big daddy dial thermometer for certain tasks like checking wort temp after transferring to a carboy and while steeping grains on the stove top. I use the npt thermometer on my kettle mostly during cooling so I don’t have to remove the lid and stick my arm into the kettle to take a reading.
Now that I see everyone else has one now I really want one haha. Please let me know if someone finds a great deal them.
I don’t remember seeing the Dot when I got my Chef Alarm. It’s definitely a contender. Dot looks a lot less pricey, $39 vs $59 off sale, but loses the low temp alarm, and timer. I use a different timer for boil time and hop additions. So $20 for the low temp alarm seems debatable. I’m glad I have it, but could live without it. I’m actually kinda glad I didn’t know about the Dot; my desire for toys, ahem, I mean ‘tools’, would probably still be warring with my inner cheapskate.
Both use the same probes, either way splurge for the extra long probe.
I also bought one of their ThermaQ for smoking. That thing is sweet,
Oh, yeah, to keep this on topic I drink when I’m smoking meat.
The DOT looks pretty sweet. With their current sale a DOT, long probe and pot probe clip all go for $54. Not bad.
20% off on the mk4…i was forced to pull the trigger.
Geez, lefties are in their right mind…. right? I hope, 
, I’m looking at RTD’s and some way to monitor, on the inexpensive side… Sneezles61
Just ordered the original thermal pen, 2 in fact. This will be an upgrade to what I’ve been using… Sneezles61
