[lparsons]

I agree with Martin that the less expensive ThermoWorks units can be just as good as the Thermapen in practice. For me, build quality and waterproofing was a top priority. I've had other accurate thermometers die when the electronics got wet. Kitchens and breweries are wet places. I chose the 600D for it's accuracy and waterproofing: https://www.thermoworks.com/600D

To me, nearly the same as the Thermapen, but it doesn't fold, making it cheaper to manufacture and easier to waterproof.

Lance

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[KellerBrauer]

FWIW - I also use the Javlin in both my brewery and my kitchen.  It has a tapered tip for a very quick response and was no where near the cost of the ThermoPen.

[kramerog]

I have a Thermapen and a temp gauge that is similar to the https://www.thermoworks.com/MTC.  The temp gauge is probably more useful because it has an alarm and probe that I leave in the media I am measuring so I know that my strike water or meat has hit the desired temperature or that the wort is about to boil so I can turn down the heat to avoid a boilover.   I have both a water proof probe and a high temperature probe for use in the oven/bbq.  The temp gauge IME is as accurate as the Thermapen (although the Thermapen is my reference) but somewhat slower which isn't an issue because I leave the probe in the media.

[BrodyR]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwoyEZYDq58

Pretty solid overview

Whew! Glad to see my Javelin came in second only to the Thermapen at half the price.  I trust these guys, didn't think to check them while researching.  Thanks for posting this link.

EDIT BTW their only criticism of the Javelin seems to be that one button controls multiple functions.   This has never  bothered me because the only function I use is reading the temperature.   I'm not even sure what other functions there are. 

Yea that's what I thought. I pulled the trigger on it. It does seem universal that the Thermapen is the gold standard but if the Javelin is just as accurate I figured why not. Looking forward to leaving the dark ages of temperature measurement.

[ynotbrusum]

I use Thermoworks products in brewing and in cooking.  I have never had a problem in terms of calibration, but the Thermapen is the quickest, which means my hand is saved when inserting it into a hot grill with meat on it (I know - just use a glove...but I still like its speed and accuracy).  I only calibrate it when changing batteries, which is pretty rare.

YMMV, Cheers.

[Robert]

I use Thermoworks products in brewing and in cooking.  I have never had a problem in terms of calibration, but the Thermapen is the quickest, which means my hand is saved when inserting it into a hot grill with meat on it (I know - just use a glove...but I still like its speed and accuracy).  I only calibrate it when changing batteries, which is pretty rare.

YMMV, Cheers.

The Javelin responds in the same 2-3 seconds as the Thermapen,  with the same accuracy.  I'm glad I didn't spend more.  I also find the grip on the Javelin little more comfortable and secure,  nice over hot sugar syrup or wort,  but that's a matter of personal preference.  Your hand may vary, too.

[charlie]

If you have a thermister type thermometer then yes, they are inherently inaccurate. The thermisters themselves have to be programmed into the controller using a coefficient and slope unique to each thermister. And even when you do that you will find that they change over time.

I programmed my thermisters to give the correct reading at their target temp (165 for the HLT, 152 for the Herms, and 150 for the MT).

I have laboratory grade mercury thermometers, but I don't use them on brew day. They are accurate, but slow to respond. And if you drop one in the BK or MT you might as well call the haz-mat team to decontaminate your brew rig!

Charlie

[ynotbrusum]

I use Thermoworks products in brewing and in cooking.  I have never had a problem in terms of calibration, but the Thermapen is the quickest, which means my hand is saved when inserting it into a hot grill with meat on it (I know - just use a glove...but I still like its speed and accuracy).  I only calibrate it when changing batteries, which is pretty rare.

YMMV, Cheers.

The Javelin responds in the same 2-3 seconds as the Thermapen,  with the same accuracy.  I'm glad I didn't spend more.  I also find the grip on the Javelin little more comfortable and secure,  nice over hot sugar syrup or wort,  but that's a matter of personal preference.  Your hand may vary, too.

Yea, I meant to say that the Thermapen is the fastest of the Thermoworks products.  Sorry for the confusion in my comments.