Infrared non contact thermometers

B

bigjim

Mess Cook
I am interested in purchasing one of these thermometers. Prices seem to vary from $50 to way over $300. Some come with a probe for internal temps, others without. Upper range appears to be from 250 to over 700 degrees. My main use would be monitoring the temperature of a cooking surface, and would need an upper range to 450 degrees. or more.

In short, lots of confusion and variations.

Has anybody had any experience with these thermometers? Any advice?












4300
 
Hey BigJim,
You post made me curious so I did a little digging via the internet. I see what you mean about price variation. Many I found go all the way to 1400 degrees F. and they are hand held. :eek:
I found this link with lots of different ones but sorry to say I've never used one. So no endorsements from me. Fluke has always made very high quality equiptment (votage meters etc ...) and they have some listed in the link.
http://www.instrumart.com/ProductLi...10&Landing=1&gclid=CNTqp4flzp0CFUdM5Qoduy1qrQ
 
I had one when I was a diesel mechanic. They work at pretty long distances so you won't burn your hand off Doc. lol We used to play with it on the radiant heaters mounted on the ceiling....was about 14' high. Any brand name unit should work fine. There are also surface thermocouples you can use with a digital thermometer. The infared is easy point & shoot though.
 
I've used one, too. I checked my walls in my house looking for spots the insulator may have missed, plus a building I remodeled to see the temp difference before and after. I borrowed it though and have no idea on the cost or range, just that it was pretty cool. Point, pull the trigger, instant reading.
 
My wife bought me one. Haven't found a use for it in the kitchen yet. I'm kind of curious why you would need to know the temp of a cooking surface?
 
phreak said:
My wife bought me one. Haven't found a use for it in the kitchen yet. I'm kind of curious why you would need to know the temp of a cooking surface?
Click to expand...
Knowing the temp of cooking surface will let me know when a CI skillet is ready for searing without my usual method of waiting till the house smokes up. It should also let you know when a grill or oven is ready at grate level. Grill and oven thermometers are notoriously inaccurate.

I started thinking about these on returning from Panama, from were I shipped several pounds of green coffee and decided to try home roasting. Roasting in a cast iron dutch oven at around 400 degrees is recommended. Problem is I have no idea when a dutch oven is at 400 degrees. I saw Alton Brown using one of these, and to me it made sense. I'm sure that I would find other uses, particularly with one with the probe.
 
I go by Raichlen's method of determining temps "one missippi, two missippi, ouch" lol But you have a point, one of those thermometers coupled with a very fine probe would be a nice tool.

(you could point it at the Old Lady's forehead and determine just how pissed she is, lol)
 
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