Anybody have experience with these thermometers?


 
LOL, yah I hear you there. It is hot enough to do the job, but I have some grill work to do now.

It reminds me of the auto mechanic that can't believe his car is running rough.
 
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Bruce said:
LOL, yah I hear you there. It is hot enough to do the job, but I have some grill work to do now.

It reminds me of the auto mechanic that can't believe his car is running rough.
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“The cobblers children have no shoes.”

I’m really looking forward to another visit to Milwaukee to visit Jim Lampe and a side trip to meet you too Bruce! Maybe a stop on the return trip to me Larry, drop off my mixer for a “tune up” this place is too much fun!
 
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Bruce don't be such a cheapskate. Go to the store and buy a replacement. Let about $10 worth of moths out of that wallet :D
 
I have a couple out in the shed, but everything is stacked so tight, it would be a nightmare to find them unless they happen to be on top. I probably will just order a new hose off amazon. I am going to give one more shot at changing the tank though.
 
ThermoPro TP19H

My new ThermoPro TP-19H arrived thanks to the Amazon Prime vans that now regularly patrol our little community.

I haven't cooked with it yet, but here are a bunch of pictures and first impressions:

Comes in a very nice box. The instructions are actually readable and they even give you a 10% off for a subsequent ThermoPro purchase. I have their simple one probe, non-WiFi thermometer which is pretty decent and works well

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Picking it up and handling it I was actually pretty impressed with how solid it feels. The texture of the plastic reminds me of what Thermoworks uses on my ThermoPop.

Probably the thing that most people seem to complain about on these lesser cost thermometers is that the the swing out needle feels flimsy and some report early breakage. I don't have anything to compare to, but my initial impression is that this needle is pretty stout and the round hinge is strong and thick. It swings out smoothly but with a little effort rather than feeling ready to fall off or not stay in place.

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Another complaint some have is that the battery compartment on some low cost units is poorly sealed. I saw one reference to the fact that the screw just goes into plastic whereas on a high end ThermaPen there is a brass fitting. I opened up the battery compartment and was surprised to find that this unit has a nice seal and a brass fitting.

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It came with an alkaline battery, but I opted to use a lithium one to try and ward off any potential for leakage

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TO BE CONTINUED
 
PART TWO

I fired it up and it measured my room temperature at what seemed very accurately. This is with the backlight off.

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In good light, this is what the backlight looks like when on:

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I guess it remains to be seen how it does in bright sunlight. In darkness it looks great. I do like the red LED style, but this one seems readable as well.

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To put some perspective, here are some comparison pictures of this unit with my Thermoworks ThermoPop. I have found the ThermoPop to be a very solid and nice unit. It does lack the reach of a Thermapen or this new TP-19H.

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My initial impression is that the Thermoworks TP-19H is a GREAT DEAL for just $19.99 Amazon Prime:cool:!
 
Can't find anything bad to say for that Thermapro. If I was in the market for a Thermometer, I don't know that I would spend too much time comparing any other options in that price range.
 
For whatever it's worth, my wife got me a Thermapen for Christmas 4 or 5 years ago and it's easily my most favorite kitchen/grill gadget. I wholeheartedly agree that $100 is really steep (I think she got mine on sale for $80, but still)... but honestly every time I use it I still think it's worth it. It's been one of the key things that has allowed me to up my grilling game significantly I think. In fact, for Christmas Eve dinner, a last minute health situation meant we had to host, and my mother in law wanted us to use a beef tenderloin she had. I cut them into 1 3/4" thick filets and reverse seared them on the Genesis and they came out absolutely perfect (slowly brought them to around 115 then cranked the heat and did a quick sear to about 125-130). I think they were the best thing I've ever cooked, and there were lots of compliments. I don't think there's any chance those could have been cooked so perfectly without a good instant-read thermometer.

At the time I don't think any of these clones being discussed here were available or I'm sure we would have tried one. We had tried quite a few other digital cooking thermometers, but those took seemingly FOREVER to settle in on a reading (not a good thing when working on a hot grill). After seeing endless endorsements from Alton Brown and America's Test Kitchen and such and watching them use them on the show (and seeing how fast they work) we finally broke down and got one. I think those endorsements are why they keep their high price. I'm sure the lower-cost models being discussed here would be sufficient for the home cook these days though.

FYI, the big difference with the Thermapen compared to the cheapies that came before it is the Thermapen uses a thermocouple for measuring temperature versus a thermistor which is used in lower-cost models. Thermocouples are much faster (apparently). The Thermopros also seem to use a thermocouple as well. (Incidentally, the ThermoPop from Thermoworks, which we've gifted a few times, is a thermistor design hence why it is a little slower - though Thermoworks has done some sort of magic to those as well as they're still much faster than the cheap models you'll find in your grocery store).
 
It's pretty interesting that ThermoWorks took products that were once just the domain of professional chefs, cooks, and kitchens and have been able to successfully sell them to the home cook. Probably partly due to reviews by Cook's Illustrated and America's Test Kitchen, I think. Probably partly due to the trend of home cooks wanting professional-grade ranges, cookware, and ingredients. I'm sure these less expensive units are on their radar, will be interesting to see how/if they respond.
 
I would rather see them stay in the "elite" market rather than dipping down into the Charbroil/Nexgrill/Chinagrill market. Unless they plan to keep the quality up to par with the Thermapen, then all they would do by putting out an "economy" product would be to stain their reputation. They have the Thermopop to compete in this area. It still has the quality but not quite the features or performance of the Thermapen but comes with a competitve price. I equate this to the Themapen (Genesis) and Thermopop (Spirit). Going any lower would not be in holding with their tradition IMO. If they did come up with a quality and feature comparable instant read thermometer for $25, it would undercut their bread and butter products.
 
DaveF in IL said:
For whatever it's worth, my wife got me a Thermapen for Christmas 4 or 5 years ago and it's easily my most favorite kitchen/grill gadget. I wholeheartedly agree that $100 is really steep (I think she got mine on sale for $80, but still)... but honestly every time I use it I still think it's worth it. It's been one of the key things that has allowed me to up my grilling game significantly I think. In fact, for Christmas Eve dinner, a last minute health situation meant we had to host, and my mother in law wanted us to use a beef tenderloin she had. I cut them into 1 3/4" thick filets and reverse seared them on the Genesis and they came out absolutely perfect (slowly brought them to around 115 then cranked the heat and did a quick sear to about 125-130). I think they were the best thing I've ever cooked, and there were lots of compliments. I don't think there's any chance those could have been cooked so perfectly without a good instant-read thermometer.

At the time I don't think any of these clones being discussed here were available or I'm sure we would have tried one. We had tried quite a few other digital cooking thermometers, but those took seemingly FOREVER to settle in on a reading (not a good thing when working on a hot grill). After seeing endless endorsements from Alton Brown and America's Test Kitchen and such and watching them use them on the show (and seeing how fast they work) we finally broke down and got one. I think those endorsements are why they keep their high price. I'm sure the lower-cost models being discussed here would be sufficient for the home cook these days though.

FYI, the big difference with the Thermapen compared to the cheapies that came before it is the Thermapen uses a thermocouple for measuring temperature versus a thermistor which is used in lower-cost models. Thermocouples are much faster (apparently). The Thermopros also seem to use a thermocouple as well. (Incidentally, the ThermoPop from Thermoworks, which we've gifted a few times, is a thermistor design hence why it is a little slower - though Thermoworks has done some sort of magic to those as well as they're still much faster than the cheap models you'll find in your grocery store).
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Although I am (so far) a happy purchaser of the ThermoPro product, I am still very respectful of Thermoworks. A great company with a well-deserved reputation for sterling quality. I even posted a sort of rebuttal on Amazon where someone was praising a lower priced thermometer and acccused Thermoworks of having "crazy" pricing and being essentially a rip-off. Not true at all. A premium product and a premium price, but NOT a ripoff.

I have been very happy with even their "lesser" ThermoPop but wanted something with a longer reach and, I guess, just something new. If I were better off (or didn't already have so much tied up in unfinished grills and parts:eek:) I would go for an MK4. But since I am not, this TP-19H seems like a pretty compelling alternative for a fraction of the price. No, it is not the same quality, but the gap is really narrowing as I think you can see above. I would love to but can't have a Lexus or Audi; I don't want to drive a refurbished Yugo. I am quite OK, though, with a Honda or one of the better new Chevrolets. I think this thermometer makes sense for someone in my position but completely see why someone in a different one would go for a Thermapen.
 
Bruce said:
That sentence pretty much sums up the discussion.
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If the Thermopro had been available when I got mine, I'm pretty certain I would have gotten that instead. Alas, I don't think there was anything comparable at the time.

I do think my Thermapen will probably be working still 20 years from now, but then again the Thermopro probably will as well.

I just got a kettle myself (wanting to try my hand some BBQ type things) so I'll likely be picking up the wireless Thermopro for monitoring. The Smoke and Signals products are interesting but the Thermopros seem to get good reviews so it seems like it's worth saving some money and trying one out.
 
ThermoWorks also has the overhead of an affiliate program that helps promote product sales but at the cost of paying affiliate fees. That's a cost baked into ThermoWorks products that ThermoPro doesn't have.
 
I would imagine there is very little difference performance wise in the thermoworks and thermopro. They both use the faster thermocouple mechanism. Reviews for both are great in regards to accuracy.

The big question is durability. And while I'm pretty pleased with the build quality of my thermopro I doubt it will last 20 years of regular use. Maybe 5 to 10? No way to know for sure at this point.

You can make a good argument for either of those 2 thermometers.
 
While this thread has drifted slightly off track, I will vouch for Thermoworks. I bought an MK4 and Smoke about 18 months ago and they have saved some learning cooks from disasters into mediocre meals. Those cooks were my inexperience with trying ribs low and slow. Since then the Smoke has saved my butt a couple of times. First when our upright freezer door popped open a little last summer in the garage. I used the Smoke to see if it was just an error or our freezer was dying. Fortunately, that time it was pilot error. We also used the Smoke with our gas stove this Thanksgiving and again at Christmas as the 11 year old thermostat was going bad. Kept the temps withing range for baking and for four turkeys. We had ordered a new thermostat from the manufacturer, but I had not had the opportunity to install it once it arrived about 3 days before Christmas. Wife is eyeing the MK4 for her candymaking too. Thermoworks may be a little more expensive, but I'd spend the extra for reliability and a company that stands behind their product.
 
One update:
I wondered why what seems to be a newer model TP-19H vs. TP-19 was priced lower. It appears that the one I bought has the lesser electronics vs. the TP-19 having the same as the Thermapen. So, the TP-19 is actually faster.

I guess the TP-19H was their attempt to update some of the other issues while keeping the price low.

Dan,
I would again chime my support for Thermoworks. I forgot to mention that I also own a Thermoworks Smoke which I can say is ruggedly built compared to the cheap one I bought on Amazon. It works like a charm, even well out in my yard and away from my kitchen.

At the same time, ThermoPro does give you a THREE year warranty if you will register your unit. (I already have.) I think that and the fact that they have a support number shows an attention to customer service you don’t find in a lot of other overseas stuff being sold on Amazon.
 
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