Cooking For Engineers Forum Index Cooking For Engineers
Analytical cooking discussed.
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Equipment & Gear: Kitchen Thermometers
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Cooking For Engineers Forum Index -> Comments Forum
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
QUICKTIP
Guest





PostPosted: Sat Feb 10, 2007 4:33 pm    Post subject: A Question About Response Time Reply with quote

Could anyone explain why the response time of a thermistor thermometer is considerably slower when placed in hot oil than when placed in boiling water?
Back to top
David
Guest





PostPosted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 3:02 am    Post subject: Thermometers Reply with quote

I use several "instant read" thermometers, similar in size and shape to the cheaper thermapen. They will all read to 220 deg F or more (about 110 deg C). They go from Ambient to about 200 deg. in about 10 seconds. The stems are thin, and you can use a loop in the case to hold them over hot pots. Prices are from $4 to $10 US, so if I break them, no big deal.

The more expensive mechanical ones can be reset (re-zeroed), with a pot of boiling water (or ice water) and a pair of pliers.

One of mine has a long stem for use testing liquids. That one is usually about $30 at restaurant supply houses.

The only advantage I've seen to the small electronic ones is that some read to about 300 deg F, which makes them useful for candy making.

There is a type of infra-red thermometer coming on the market (sometimes called laser). You can use these to read hot surfaces, like a frying pan or grill. There are also mechanical grill thermometers that can be used on a frying pan or grill, but the infra red are nearly instantaneous, and easy to carry in a pocket (for my small one that reads to about 430 deg F)
Back to top
EngineeringProfessor



Joined: 07 Sep 2006
Posts: 77

PostPosted: Mon Feb 12, 2007 1:05 am    Post subject: Re: Equipment & Gear: Kitchen Thermometers Reply with quote

Cooking For Engineers wrote:


My device of choice is my Extech "Pocket IR" infrared thermometer with laser locator. It is very easy, non-contact and accurate. I use for the following tasks:

>>>> Oil temp when making falafels or beignets,

>>>> Water temp when making white tea,

>>>> Pizza stone temp when making nan or pitas.

Of course, it is not useful for measuring internal temps of roasts, etc., but a fast read insertion thermometer works fine there.

I have not made any candy with it, but it would be perfect for soft ball, hard ball, hard crack, etc.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
poppabear



Joined: 15 Aug 2007
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:22 pm    Post subject: IR + Probe Thermometer Sale + Low Cost Instant Thermometer Reply with quote

Thermoworks is having a special on their IR sensor with a free probe $99. I can't tell if it is their instant response probe. I don't know if I would use the IR sensor that much, but it looks like a larger display and it has a lot more bells and whistles than the Thermapen for only $15 more.

http://www.thermoworks.com/specials.html

Cooking Illustrated recommended the CDN ProAccurate Quick Tip Cooking Thermometer DTQ450 ($17.95) as an inexpensive substitute for the Thermapen. Measures in 9 seconds rather than the Thermapen 4 seconds.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
firezip99
Guest





PostPosted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 8:39 am    Post subject: I tried CDN and I have a thermapen Reply with quote

I've got a CDN and my neighbor has one too. We've compared them side by side in ice water and got different speeds. BUT, they ARE faster than other cheap thermometers! I just got a thermapen though and its much faster than the CDN. Well, maybe I'm measuring gnat wings but the Thermapen is 3 seconds and my CDN is 9 seconds. That matters to me though. Thats 3 times slower for the CDN. (My neighbors CDN was a little slower. We can't see why.) I read the earlier posts and my CDN quicktip is not chipping. The one next door has chipped a little though. By the way, I thought about getting the thermoworks IR and probe deal. Its supposed to be the same technology in the probe as the thermapen. But, i like the one-handed use of the thermapen. So I got the IRGUN instead for $69 to add to my thermometer kit. Bottom line for me: CDN is cheaper than Thermapen but I like the Thermapen way better. The numbers are easier to read too.
Back to top
GaryProtein



Joined: 26 Oct 2005
Posts: 535

PostPosted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 5:19 pm    Post subject: Re: IR + Probe Thermometer Sale + Low Cost Instant Thermomet Reply with quote

poppabear wrote:

http://www.thermoworks.com/specials.html


These look like great deals.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Jay in Denver
Guest





PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:48 am    Post subject: Kitchen Thermometers Reply with quote

My hobby is Competition BBQ: The Denver Cajun BBQ Krewe.
We use and are happy with our Thermapens.
Our team is not sponsored by Thermoworks and I be the other 1800 teams in the Nation are not either; but most of them have one!
Accuracy is important; especially with Chicken; 180 Thighs, 160 Breasts.
For larger cuts such as Briskets, Pork Butts, Rib Roasts a regular probe with an alarm works well and much cheaper.
Thermoworks has a different model where multiple probes can be employed into several cuts of meat within the same smoker using an external connector that a monitoring unit can check the internal temp individually of each cut WITHOUT opening the door and letting the heat and smoke out.
In cooking: Knowing the External temp of a piece of meat is without value.
Maybe you don't have a smoker but I bet you have a grill! Undercook your chicken and send your guests to the hospital. Overcook? Why would they return?
A Thermapen might not be right for YOU depending on what you're cooking. I hope my reply helps.
Back to top
LoraKay2
Guest





PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 11:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is the ThermoWorks RT-301 worth buying if I'm not ready to almost $100 in a cooking thermometer?
Back to top
Guest






PostPosted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 11:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've got a ThermoPen, a neat probe thermometer (also from Thermoworks), and an IR thermometer from MasterCool. The ThermoPen is the fastest of all of them, hands-down...but having to potentially come in contact with really hot stuff (if you're not careful) makes it rank second to the probe deal as far as usage. As an aside: not overcooked anything in the oven since I got the probe from Thermoworks, and that includes various steaks, lamb chops, standing rib roasts, stews, and others. It's God's gift to the kitchen-bound! I've not had any trouble at all with the leads sucking, even though I've been fairly rough with them on occasion as far as cleaning. Like the ThermoPen, it also came with calibration documents.

The IR thermometer is a neat gadget, too. It's great for determining the temperature of oil for frying or the temp of scalding milk after a good stir...and the laser pointer is great for entertaining the dog Wink
Back to top
Guest






PostPosted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 1:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

"The Taylor dial thermometer was so slow that I was afraid that my gloves would start getting too hot for me to hold the thermometer. Its thick probe also makes it useless except for large roasts, except you'll need to open the oven door for a full minute before you could guess if your roast was between medium-rare or medium."


I have to agree with the criticism of the above. Typical: An oven underneath a range, with light bulb inside and a glass door cooking say a turkey or a chicken. The rack will be low to fit the turkey inside making bending way over with a probe just enough of a nuisance to discourage regular monitoring. A simple Taylor dial will continuously display a rough estimate reading representing reality about 1 minute in the past, but is light years easier to read often. I would say start with the Taylor dial and use an upscale model if you have the time and need for more precision. I use the simple Taylor way more often than my other better one. For steaks its another matter of course.
Back to top
CALMOM
Guest





PostPosted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 5:27 am    Post subject: Projectile Thermometer Reply with quote

I was standing in front of my oven Thanksgiving day, while the turkey was in the oven roasting, complete with Good Cook thermometer inserted properly. I was stirring the gravy on the cooktop and all of a sudden a very loud noise emanated from my oven. I stepped back very qucikly, looked to see that the oven door hadn't blown open and that there weren't any flames shooting out from the oven.
I turned the oven off and opened the oven door. The meat thermometer had blown out of the turkey, had either hit the oven wall or ceiling and had landed upside down, intact, in the roasting pan.
Does anybody have a thought ot two as to what might have caused this? I have thought of several. Meat thermometers turning into projectiles are definitely not my specialty or my next favorite thing.
Your comments, input, would certainly be welcome. This is my first experience with flying thermometers and I have been cooking for 50 plus years.
Sincerely.
pprice@socal.rr.com
Back to top
Double M.Sc. Engineer
Guest





PostPosted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 2:08 am    Post subject: Digital dual meat probe AND oven thermometer! Reply with quote

No I don't work for these guys, but I have been looking for something like this for awhile; this looks much better than the analog Polder model that requires you to peer through your oven window to see the temperatures....

Maverick ET-85 Dual Sensor Digital Meat and Oven Thermometer

http://www.partshelf.com/maverick-et-85.html

This is reeking of awesomeness... have a measurement OUTSIDE your oven, of your meat (or bread or whatever) AND your oven temperature at the same time. The Maverick ET-85 will beep if the oven temperature exceeds your setting, when the meat has reached the desired temperature...

And it's cheap too...
Regular price: $39.95Sale price: $28.95

Let me know if anyone finds something better.
Back to top
kelly



Joined: 04 Jan 2009
Posts: 1

PostPosted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 5:43 pm    Post subject: Re: Digital dual meat probe AND oven thermometer! Reply with quote

Sur La Table carries these as well... i just ordered one as I was getting a new toaster oven and picked up a couple knickknacks. have a thermapen too but something you could just look at on the counter would be kind of nice. I'll post a little review once i use it.

Double M.Sc. Engineer wrote:
No I don't work for these guys, but I have been looking for something like this for awhile; this looks much better than the analog Polder model that requires you to peer through your oven window to see the temperatures....

Maverick ET-85 Dual Sensor Digital Meat and Oven Thermometer

http://www.partshelf.com/maverick-et-85.html

<snip>

Let me know if anyone finds something better.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
mick
Guest





PostPosted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 7:34 pm    Post subject: Comark Industrial Thermometers Reply with quote

Does anyone have an opinion about Comark (division of Fluke) digital thermometers?
See, for example, this:
http://www.etundra.com/T-Type_Waterproof_Digital_Thermocouple_w__Probe-P9575.html?token=162|2_63||0|10|2|0|0

They are not cheap, run between $100 and $200 at etundra.com.
Supposedly built for industrial abuse.

Are they worth extra money?
Back to top
Dilbert



Joined: 19 Oct 2007
Posts: 1304
Location: central PA

PostPosted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 8:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

in a worth, no.

you can get 4-6 probe digitals for that kind of money; and few home kitchens need to measure -200C to +400C.

you know, I'd take the Ferrari to the grocery store, but the trunk is too small....
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Cooking For Engineers Forum Index -> Comments Forum All times are GMT
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5  Next
Page 3 of 5

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You can reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You can delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group