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Thermapen Complaints

Greenhorn Green Egger
edited May 2013 in EggHead Forum

I've had my Thermapen for a couple of weeks now. After using it to check the temp of hamburgers (a couple of times), steaks, pork chops, hot tap water, ice bath, ambient air, and between my thumb and fore finger, I have two complaints. 1) It's made for right handers....you fellow lefties know what I mean. I'll adapt but my left hand is my go to hand. I'm a little slow. 2) I've found that I prefer my meat cooked to a temperature below what is considered safe. I've always said "Hmmm...good enough for me." Now I have to cook to the proper temp. 

 

Other than that...awesome tool! Money well spent. 

Comments

  • Austin  Egghead
    Austin Egghead Posts: 3,966
    Color me stupid but "made for right handers"? i have no problem using it with either hand.
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
  • yzzi
    yzzi Posts: 1,843

    Color me stupid but "made for right handers"? i have no problem using it with either hand.

    Just gotta read the temp upside down.
    Dunedin, FL
  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    His wife prefers to keep the meat in her dominant hand.

    From site:


    Interesting question. My wife Suzette is left-handed and she's always thought the opposite. She prefers to use her dominant hand to wield the roasting pan, grasp the food with tongs, stir, or whatever else she's doing in combination with the one-handed temperature measurement. Thus, in her opinion, it's best to hold the Thermapen in her right hand while she uses her dominant hand for the other tasks.
    Don't buy that? While the Thermapen isn't quite as ambidextrously switchable as a screwdriver or a hammer, it's pretty close. It can easily be gripped in a number of ways. I hold my Thermapen in both my left hand and right hand depending on what I'm doing. Still I empathize with anybody who's left-handed and wishes the Thermapen were reversed. So, if our engineers can ever figure out a no-cost way to do that in the next Thermapen, we'll consider doing it. Meanwhile, switch-hit.
    –Randy


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    edited May 2013
    Neither of your problems actually have reflections on this amazing product. You must not own a chainsaw, weed eater, or car.

    89% of the world is made for right handed people, for that, I am sorry.

    If you want your chicken cooked to 140 instead of 160, then the thermopen will be your best friend. Just let us know to put lefty on your chart when you come I'm with salmonella.

    If its too awkward to do, you can get your wife to stick it in while you hold the meat. Or vise versa, teamwork baby!


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • travisstrick
    travisstrick Posts: 5,002
    edited May 2013
    I'm a lefty too.

    Just grip the thermapen in a reverse ice pick grip. image
    Be careful, man! I've got a beverage here.
  • travisstrick
    travisstrick Posts: 5,002
    Here is a better example in the left hand.

    image
    Be careful, man! I've got a beverage here.
  • I'm a lefty too.  I use it as an excuse for excess drinking.  It's my way to cope being left handed in a right hand oriented society.

    Damascus, VA.  Friendliest town on the Appalachian Trail.

    LBGE Aug 2012, SBGE Feb 2014

  • JeffM
    JeffM Posts: 103
    I noted this same lefty flaw in a post months ago so I am right  there with you.  Another possible improvement would be to add a timer to the thermopen.  How nice would that be?
  • Greenhorn Green Egger
    edited May 2013

    OK....the Thermapen is awesome. I love it. Don't care if it's made TO BE MORE EASILY READ for right handers. Yes I can hold it in reverse and read it upside down, yes I can just as easily use it with my right hand (I said my left hand is my go to hand meaning I first pick it up and try to use it with that hand before I switch to my right hand. But that will change as I adapt). Yes I realize that 89%...though I think it is actually much higher..of things are designed for right handers as I have been left handed for the last 45 years.

    I was trying to use humor to point out that, yes, the Thermapen is worth the money.

    Oh, and yes I will now cook to the proper temperature every time regardless of my taste.

    Jeesh!!

     

  • sticks88
    sticks88 Posts: 94
    edited May 2013
    I have a weber insta-read (well sort of). First off apologies for not being a Thermapen ,but the point being it appears to be a left hand item .Awkward.Guess I'll need a Thermapen for Father's Day.

    XL BGE and Pellet smoker

  • JWBurns
    JWBurns Posts: 344
    I too share your lefty concerns.

    A timer and backlight display would be awesome!
  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665

    OK....the Thermapen is awesome. I love it. Don't care if it's made TO BE MORE EASILY READ for right handers. Yes I can hold it in reverse and read it upside down, yes I can just as easily use it with my right hand (I said my left hand is my go to hand meaning I first pick it up and try to use it with that hand before I switch to my right hand. But that will change as I adapt). Yes I realize that 89%...though I think it is actually much higher..of things are designed for right handers as I have been left handed for the last 45 years.

    I was trying to use humor to point out that, yes, the Thermapen is worth the money.

    Oh, and yes I will now cook to the proper temperature every time regardless of my taste.

    Jeesh!!

     


    I did not see the humor in your initial post, still don't.. oh well, peace out


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    I may be imagining this but I thought I saw that they came out with a southpaw option a few years back.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  •  

     


    I did not see the humor in your initial post, still don't.. oh well, peace out
    The complaints were pretty ridiculous. That was the point. It's a great thermometer.
  • Charlie tuna
    Charlie tuna Posts: 2,191

    The self appointed forum policeman has arrived.

    Greenhorn Green Egger said:

    "I was trying to use humor to point out that, yes, the Thermapen is worth the money."

    I kind of thought your first post was in humor, and even when you explain it boldly, you get ticketed!  Have a good day Greenhorn!!

     

  • bbqlearner
    bbqlearner Posts: 760
    Just say "I apologize" like I do. Sorry for the post.

    Houston, TX - Buddy LBGE, Don SBGE, Tiny Mini & Shiny Momma Pitts n Spitts

  • brownbw
    brownbw Posts: 154
    I'm right there with you too. It's just awkward, but I love my thermapen. Food has been perfectly cooked since I got it. Not that it wasn't before ;)
    Opelika, AL
  • grEGGorys
    grEGGorys Posts: 168
    Being left handed is always challenging. We definitely live in a right handed world. That is one reason left handed people have a shorter life expectancy. We use right handed equipment and have accidents. I think we are safe with the Thermopen though.
    Gulf Coast FL
  • JeffM
    JeffM Posts: 103
    I don't know.  That point on the thermopen is pretty sharp.
  • td66snrf
    td66snrf Posts: 1,821

    Thermapen complaints??  Isn't that an oxymoron?

    XLBGE, LBGE, MBGE, SMALL, MINI, 2 Kubs, Fire Magic Gasser
  • cookinfun
    cookinfun Posts: 129
    Maybe they'll develop a left handed thermopen...but until then Iam quite satisfied with its accuracy and response time.....just sayin
    (2) LBGEs,  WSM, Vidalia Grill (gasser), Tailgater Grill (gasser)