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Thermapen... justify the cost.

24

Comments

  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    The RT600c is good to 300º, for food that is OK as noted by the "where have you been" CT, the Thermapen will also tell you how hot your frying oil is. 

    Speed is the most important issue for me with a Thermapen. The egg is open, temp checked and closed in seconds. 
    Like others, I've discovered a whole new way to get the optimum temp for teas and French press. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 11,505
    The Cen-Tex Smoker said:
    there is no reason to measure food past maybe 212 or so. 302 is actually 100 degrees of overkill for measuring food temps
    I was thinking the same but it can't be used as a dome therm in a pinch 
    :)
    canuckland
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  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
    edited October 2013
    Canugghead said:

    The Cen-Tex Smoker said:


    there is no reason to measure food past maybe 212 or so. 302 is actually 100 degrees of overkill for measuring food temps

    I was thinking the same but it can't be used as a dome therm in a pinch 
    :)

    Haha I have done that a time or two! When my dome thermo died on my large, I had let time get away from me working in the yard and just keep eyeing the thermo from a far and it never got over 250. After a good 20-30 min I walked up tapped the thermo 250 and went "hmm guess Ill just fling the lid open and see why my fire isn't getting hot"

    I was greeted with an atomic flashback and lost all my arm hair on my right arm. Obviously it was well over 250, stuck the thermopen in the dome and it went, 400, 500, 600 ERROR!!!

    Swapped to my thermo off my small and the large was well over 800


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
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  • txav8r
    txav8r Posts: 153
    SmokeyPitt said:

    MrCookingNurse said:
    And btw this model is on sale for $19 right now.  http://www.thermoworks.com/products/low_cost/rt600c.html#ProductDescription


    this looks pretty straight as well
    I agree that looks like a nice option.  It is not as fast as a themapen, but I'm sure it will be much faster than any cr@p you buy at wally world or target.  
    THe thermopen, not the $19 themometer, has a much higher range, just has different tolerances outside normal internal cooking temps.  Here is the thermapen...

    ±0.7°F (±0.4°C) from -58 to 392°F (-49.9 to 199.9°C), ±1.8°F (±1.0°C) from 392 to 572°F (200 to 299.9°C)

    If you wait, Thermoworks has sales on the pen with a brown case for $85, free shipping!  Just got one!

    Just far enough north of DFW to be "rural"...and close enough to be urban, depending on my mood.
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,958
    Canugghead said:
    The Cen-Tex Smoker said:
    there is no reason to measure food past maybe 212 or so. 302 is actually 100 degrees of overkill for measuring food temps
    I was thinking the same but it can't be used as a dome therm in a pinch 
    :)
    It's not accurate as a dome thermo anyway. I've done it. It fluctuates all over the place for air temps.

    It's OK for liquids but really made for solids. Great for breads etc so the higher temps are handy if you are really into those lids of things (we are). But for just cooking/grilling, 302 is more than you will ever need




    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • jeroldharter
    jeroldharter Posts: 556
    If I cook $50-100 of meat I want it to be right on, not a little off. Thermapen works and works quickly. So far, mine has been reliable. Other thermometers sometimes drift rather than malfunction so it can take awhile to figure out that the thermometer is off or needs recalibrated.

    An Egg costs less than half its accessories: platesetter, adjustable rig, DigiQ, Looftlighter, Thermapen, are my most used.
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
    MrCookingNurse said:
    And btw this model is on sale for $19 right now.  http://www.thermoworks.com/products/low_cost/rt600c.html#ProductDescription


    That's the one I mentioned earlier. There isn't that much difference between using the two, except that my thermapen is backlit, so it has a slight advantage. I cooked just fine with the rt600c for a couple of years. Big improvement in my cooks when I started using the rt600c. Barely any difference (if any) since using the Thermapen.
    this looks pretty straight as well


    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • td66snrf
    td66snrf Posts: 1,822
    SMITTYtheSMOKER said:
    It's simple, you will keep buying cheaper versions of the Thermapen until you actually buy a Thermapen.   Take the short-cut and buy it now.
    That's exactly what I did. I thought thermoworks $25 model would be just as good. Wrong. I should have saved the $25 bucks and stepped up to the thermapen to begin with. I belive the motto for Browning guns is" A poor man can only afford to buy the best."
    XLBGE, LBGE, MBGE, SMALL, MINI, 2 Kubs, Fire Magic Gasser
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  • Davekatz
    Davekatz Posts: 763
    I have 2 - one inside and one outside and love them both. It mostly comes down the speed and accuracy. In 3 seconds (which is forever if you are grilling steaks hot and fast) I now exactly what the temp is. Even if I have to take and average - 3 readings = 9 seconds.

    I got the 6 second, $25 one for my folks for cooking in the oven and it's fine for them, but I really like the speed of the thermapen.
    Food & Fire - The carnivorous ramblings of a gluten-free grill geek.
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  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,674
    edited October 2013

    I use it at 375/400 to fry with (test oil)............ Fry in the Egg or stove

    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

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  • SmokinTiger81
    SmokinTiger81 Posts: 746

    Obviously a very popular device here, and I love mine.  In addition to all the Egg uses, I note:

    1:  Top rated thermometer by Cooks Illustrated

    2.  Lots of inside uses too.  I use for measuring water temp for mixing warm water and yeast, for checking creme brulee temp (very critical to pull at correct temp), candy recipes, and also safety wise--grease temp for frying something--onion rings, etc.  Too high grease temp you risk flash fire and burning/smoking the grease, too low frying temp and food absorbs too much grease.

    Just one of those devices that once you have one, you will always have one and recommend them to others.

     

     

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  • SmokinTiger81
    SmokinTiger81 Posts: 746
    PS:  Should have mentioned, cheaper than a Johnny Manziel autograph too
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  • Hokie_Smoker
    Hokie_Smoker Posts: 662
    SmokinTiger81 said:
    PS:  Should have mentioned, cheaper than a Johnny Manziel autograph too

    I was just about to say that they offer a Johnny Manziel autographed version. :))

    _________________________________________________________________________________________

    Johnson, Navin R... Sounds like a typical bastard.

     

    Belmont, NC

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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    edited October 2013
    wmcguire93 said:
    I have read several post about how wonderful the Thermapen is.  Some posts went so far as to say that the Thermapen made them a better cook. In all sincerity I have a hard time with justifying $100 for a thermometer.

    So how exactly does this thermometer work so much better?  Anyone have some specific examples of how having a Thermapen made the purchase worth it?

    Can you justify the cost of an egg over a Weber? They both smoke and grill.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • bicktrav
    bicktrav Posts: 640
    I don't own a themapen, but I am very much interested in buying one.  Nonetheless, I do understand the reluctance.  I've felt it myself--it's the reason I don't own one yet.  I get my reads from a thermoworks thermometer that gives me the temp in 6 seconds.  That's pretty darn close to the thermapen's 3 seconds, and it only cost me $19.95.  Still, the outrageous praise the thermapen gets here has me wondering whether that extra 3 seconds amounts to a disproportionate increase in food quality.  I'll probably end up buying one and finding out soon enough.
    Southern California
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  • SmokinTiger81
    SmokinTiger81 Posts: 746

    @hokie--like your Manziel comment.

    Also, maybe instead of asking folks to justify the cost, just ask-_Anyone out there who bought a thermpen and feels it was not worth the cost after using it?  Doubt anyone would respond negatively.  Sort of like--anyone regret paying up for the egg after buying one? 

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  • SmokinOutBack
    SmokinOutBack Posts: 311
    And one more thing, get the orange one, it's faster. :-h
    Cherry Hill, NJ
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  • finster
    finster Posts: 136
    I got a 600.  Works like a champ.

    MBGE in Charleston

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  • pab
    pab Posts: 273
    I bought my thermopen about 18 months ago when someone posted info on an open box sale here on the forum. At ＄70 I felt a little better about the cost, but as smoken tiger just stated in another way, I wouldn't hesitate to pay full price for another one if something were to damage the one I have now.
    Nerk Ahia LBGE
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  • Serial Griller
    Serial Griller Posts: 1,186

    Thermopens are used in the commercial food industries and also by food inspectors.

    The most important thing is to make sure you get the fastest one..and that would be the yellow one!

    :))
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  • Hungry Joe
    Hungry Joe Posts: 1,567
    I recently bought my second themopen because a while back I left mine in the rain and it has been a little flaky at times, been like that for a couple of years but I wanted a back lit one so I ordered one in red with the boot to help protect it from me.

    For those interested the red one is slightly faster then the 7 year old blue one but they both still read the same temperature which says something about the life span and accuracy.

    Worth every penny.
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  • Federalist226
    Federalist226 Posts: 82
    I ordered one the day after I turned $100 of prime NY strips into well-done boot leather. Since then all food off the egg is spot on. Maybe the best money I've ever spent on a cooking tool.
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  • Hungry Joe
    Hungry Joe Posts: 1,567
    hapster said:
    The cost of your egg was the cheapest part of the whole thing. Consider it the entrance fee... Just get it, you won't be sorry.
    So true!
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  • Holepuncher
    Holepuncher Posts: 388
    Why would anyone balk at buying a switchblade thermometer? Well sorta ,kinda a switchblade, well not really.Can't believe I have spent the last 5 minutes reading about a thermometer. But, it has been worth the money to me. 
    Hendersonville, TN.
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  • bicktrav
    bicktrav Posts: 640
    Holepuncher said:
    Why would anyone balk at buying a switchblade thermometer? Well sorta ,kinda a switchblade, well not really.Can't believe I have spent the last 5 minutes reading about a thermometer. But, it has been worth the money to me. 
    This is hilarious.
    Southern California
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  • freddyj
    freddyj Posts: 129
    i had a drawer full of $15 to $20 "instant read" thermometers that went into the barrel when i bought the thermapen.

    i cook with confidence!  no longer to i "cook the chicken or burgers a little longer" just "to be sure."

    i dont eat steak all that often, but the "pen" has made me a master at grilling a rib eye medium rare.
    Kamado Joe Big Joe, Classic & Junior
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  • Don_Piero
    Don_Piero Posts: 97
    It also measures room temperature, beer temperature and outside temperature:D
    Piero from South Etobicoke in Toronto and sometimes Pinellas Park, St.Petersburg, XL-BGE
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  • Loosemoose
    Loosemoose Posts: 295
    Do they run specials or sales on the thermapen or should I just bite the bullett and get one now?
    Nowhere Indiana
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