Is Thermoworks Feeling the Heat?


 
FWIW my Tpro has been left out in a downpour, and dropped in a sink full of water on multiple occasions and it's just fine. Again, I spend my $$$$ where I feel I get the best "bang" for them. Not because I can't afford XYZ tool over another but because I look for personal value. My opinion of value may be different than another person's. Don't make either one wrong just different. My original TPro broke after just shy of 3 years. I called the company and got an actual American, speaking actual English and within one day had a brand spanking new one on my front door. Sorry I have nothing to complain about. And actually my original may not have broken had I cleaned the BBQ sauce outta the hinge LOL. So technically the issue was my fault. They did not ask me that though. Of course I guess I could make the argument had I bought the TWorks the BBQ sauce may not have gummed it up that badly but we'll never know LOL
I honestly like my "tools" that's why I bought 2 more! We all make choices with our $$$. Mine happens to be to buy what does the best overall job at the lowest cost. It carries over to other aspects as well. I don't use a SIG I use a Taurus. Not because I cannot afford the SIG. But because I could have 2 Taurus' for the cost of one SIG (and I do).
Recently I bought a new front door for my home. Yeah I coulda spent $3500 on the ThermaTru but I bought a Feather River for 1/10th that price on the advice of more than one contractor who installs them. Yeah the ThermaTru is a "better" door but the Feather River is 95% as good for 10% the price.
Honestly I don't understand all the "issues" some here have with that choice. I have not seen anyone say the other choice is "bad" or they're junk. On the contrary they have been complimented as excellent products. It's a CHOICE.
 
LMichaels said:
FWIW my Tpro has been left out in a downpour, and dropped in a sink full of water on multiple occasions and it's just fine. Again, I spend my $$$$ where I feel I get the best "bang" for them. Not because I can't afford XYZ tool over another but because I look for personal value. My opinion of value may be different than another person's. Don't make either one wrong just different. My original TPro broke after just shy of 3 years. I called the company and got an actual American, speaking actual English and within one day had a brand spanking new one on my front door. Sorry I have nothing to complain about. And actually my original may not have broken had I cleaned the BBQ sauce outta the hinge LOL. So technically the issue was my fault. They did not ask me that though. Of course I guess I could make the argument had I bought the TWorks the BBQ sauce may not have gummed it up that badly but we'll never know LOL
I honestly like my "tools" that's why I bought 2 more! We all make choices with our $$$. Mine happens to be to buy what does the best overall job at the lowest cost. It carries over to other aspects as well. I don't use a SIG I use a Taurus. Not because I cannot afford the SIG. But because I could have 2 Taurus' for the cost of one SIG (and I do).
Recently I bought a new front door for my home. Yeah I coulda spent $3500 on the ThermaTru but I bought a Feather River for 1/10th that price on the advice of more than one contractor who installs them. Yeah the ThermaTru is a "better" door but the Feather River is 95% as good for 10% the price.
Honestly I don't understand all the "issues" some here have with that choice. I have not seen anyone say the other choice is "bad" or they're junk. On the contrary they have been complimented as excellent products. It's a CHOICE.
Click to expand...
I have 4 Taurus revolvers and 1 Rossi(Taurus owned) and 2 Taurus pistols...among other perhaps more notable brands including S&W, Ruger and Colt. I'm a retired NJ state cop and I'd stake my life on any one of the Taurus products.
Your assessment of perceived value is spot on.
I have had a Thermapen for six years and it's faltering. $70 with a one year warranty. Sorry, not again for me. I have one Thermopro that works fine but is stuck in the open position. I just bought two of these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S93EQUK/?tag=tvwb-20

....one for both homes. $14 each delivered. They work great and I've used them to grill fish...especially swordfish, steaks, chicken on my Webers and also for slower cooks on my Kamado. My only requirement is accuracy....and accuracy in 3-5 seconds is just fine.
 
Last edited:
Value can be argued according to your tastes and your pocketbook that is different for everyone. I don't think anyone said for example that the Thermopro is junk and I totally get for the price you would be totally happy with it. I don't think anyone cares if someone does not want to spend the money for the Thermoworks that is a personal decision which many of us have made I certainly would do it again if you don't see the value for the difference in money I totally get it.

You could make the same argument when it comes to grates, I see no value for the money in buying RC grates for $140 or $150 bucks compared to what I have the Quilimetal grates for $60 and change which I paid much less. My steak won't taste any better as I would rather spend the difference on better steak. They are both 304 stainless and I could care less about the thicker rods or slightly tighter spacing as I don't cook anything that would ever fall thru the the Q grates. Heck I cook on a performer never had anything fall thru those thin grates either. So there are people who see the value of RC's grates and willing to pay for the best nothing wrong with that. Again its your money.
 
All good not sure anyone of us are going to toss our Mk4 I certainly won't. The new one is 6 bucks more list do I bet they put it on sale from time to time IMO you can bet on that.
 
It's all I was getting at. Hell how many of use the $9.95 HF angle grinder? Would I like a Makita or a Bosch? Sure. BUT, for the VERY few times I ever need one the $10 one suits me fine. Same with grates as well. I spend on things that make my cooking experience more enjoyable. High quality grates do that for me. And if I can throw business to someone TRULY making something in the USA than I will do that and Dave Santana surely does that. In exemplary fashion. As a matter of fact he's gonna get an email from me to make me some custom heat tents (flavorizer bars) for my Wolf. After all the $$$$ I have been spending on the house is done for a bit and we can catch up.
 
LMichaels said:
It's all I was getting at. Hell how many of use the $9.95 HF angle grinder? Would I like a Makita or a Bosch? Sure. BUT, for the VERY few times I ever need one the $10 one suits me fine. Same with grates as well. I spend on things that make my cooking experience more enjoyable. High quality grates do that for me. And if I can throw business to someone TRULY making something in the USA than I will do that and Dave Santana surely does that. In exemplary fashion. As a matter of fact he's gonna get an email from me to make me some custom heat tents (flavorizer bars) for my Wolf. After all the $$$$ I have been spending on the house is done for a bit and we can catch up.
Click to expand...
Larry, I understood what you were getting at Thermapen to me makes my cooking experience more enjoyable and I use it frequently along with my wife so its not like we pull it out once a month. I get the HF grinder have a few of their tools which I also do not use that much including their oscilator which actually using now had some brick mold rot got to get the old stuff off replace with PVC. Had that tool for 3 years used it maybe 4 times so I am a Dewalt guy but I am not paying up for those seldom used tools either.

Larry all good really.
 
Good job Chris seems you came to similar conclusions that Justin came to no need to throw your Mk4 in the trash. But if the day comes I would buy the one also hopefully that day does not come around for another 5 years. :)
 
Bob Bass said:
Out of curiosity, how many of those knockoffs have their calibrations NIST traceable ?
Click to expand...

All the better thermopro thermometers are capable of being calibrated. I agree with Larry I'm not sure what NIST traceable matters?

After a month now of using a thermapen alongside a thermopro i still can't ascertain any real difference in performance. I give the thermapen a slight edge in speed. It does settle on a temp a second or so faster. Both give the same temp readout within .5 degrees of each other every time do I'm assuming accuracy is a wash. But I give the edge to the thermopro on convenience features.

Durability is the big question. I would imagine the thermapen should be better in that regard. But I don't think that's a certainty given a couple of members of this forum have experienced failures.
 
Greg M said:
Durability is the big question. I would imagine the thermapen should be better in that regard. But I don't think that's a certainty given a couple of members of this forum have experienced failures.
Click to expand...
It's hard to judge something like this. A few people saying, "Mine died after five years" is not necessarily representative. Some people are easy on products, other people ride them hard and put them away wet. A few people get bad units, some people never have a problem. It's impossible to generalize.

Greg M said:
I agree with Larry I'm not sure what NIST traceable matters?
Click to expand...
It doesn't matter in the backyard, but it matters in industry, food service, etc. in terms of guaranteeing accurate measurements.

The calibration services of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are designed to help the makers and users of precision instruments achieve the highest possible levels of measurement quality and productivity.
Click to expand...

NIST traceable calibration certifies that the lab or manufacturer in question is equipped and able to calibrate equipment to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards and that products by that manufacturer match NIST-maintained measurement standards.
Click to expand...

To achieve traceability of measurement results to standards maintained by NIST, you need to reference your measurement results through an unbroken chain of calibrations, including determining the uncertainties at each step, to NIST standards as the specified references.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Brian B Atlanta said:
You spend your money on tools they way you want to and I consider this a tool... I would not hesitate to lay out the cash for the new model and my wife who uses it as much as I do would have no qualms about me spending the money. Thermoworks is not targeting the Thermopro buyer that is obvious I think about them like I do Weber who is not trying to compete against the cheapo gas grills.
Click to expand...
Brian,

I get what you are saying in that clearly Thermoworks is a highly professional company that makes top drawer products, a good bit of which is aimed at a higher threshold market than us backyard grillers. They have to charge more for that level of quality, which only makes sense. While some may argue that this is no longer true, historically Weber didn't try to compete on price, either, but rather offered a high quality product far superior to their competition.

I would just take issue that I am not sure it is fair to lump ThermoPro in with the slew of no-name, here today, gone tomorrow sellers that happen to also be on Amazon. ThermoPro does support their products, offers a full line of thermometers and timers, and has a pretty generous warranty if you register with them. I guess I am saying if you compare a Weber to some off-brand tin grill in front of your big box store, there is no comparison. But if you up the comparison list to, say, Broil King, the differences are now a good bit less. Throw Napoleon in and it is debatable which is better. So, if a person is looking at buying a grill and goes with a $199 Nexttofail grill, then they have made a choice that, in my opinion, will make them pay later. But if a person found a feature comparable Broil King - or certainly a Napoleon - for hundreds less than what the Weber cost (you can't, but just say) then I would have to agree that it would be a compelling choice for them to make.

I think buying a ThermoPro is more along the latter scenario than the $199 junker. I also happen to honestly like how it looks better than Thermoworks, but as we have agreed already, that is just personal taste.

And, to say it one more time, I have several Thermoworks products, like them all very much, and have the highest respect for their company and products.
 
Yeah I fully get the documentable calibration because if the health dept shows up they wanna know especially if a customer shows up sick at an E Room
 
Chris Allingham said:
Hey! Don't forget me!

Click to expand...
Chris,

Thanks for a balanced and on target review - great job! I think this is an extremely sold entry just not the flashy, all new thermometer that Thermoworks pre-release advertising may have lead us to believe. Instead, they went the tried and true route and made sure their loyal fan base is not turned off while delivering an even better instrument than the number 1 rated one they already sold.

It has to be said that you could fill a small box with very capable ThermoPro thermometers that for most of us backyard users would be all that is ever needed. Plunk one in a bucket of water? Just pull a new one out of the box :coolkettle: .

Still, this is THE choice if only the best will do, and certainly should last a person beyond even the 5-year warranty period.
 
Chris Allingham said:
Hey! Don't forget me!

Click to expand...
A testament to the accuracy. Chris sets the thermostat in his house at 78° 😜😜😜.

All kidding aside, I believe we all came to the same conclusion. If you have the MK4 there really is no need to upgrade. Like I said before, that's also why I believe they are discontinuing the MK4. There's not a big enough gap in the product to keep them both in production IMO.

As for the $20 thermometers versus the thermoworks stuff. I've used the cheaper thermometers for a long time and still do. For my needs the MK4 was an indulgence that I wanted. Also I believe that's the same conclusion we all came to. You don't need it, but can justify spending for it then,,,,, well for us backyard grillers you still don't need it but it's nice to have.
 
Last edited:
Bob Correll said:
Replacing good, but inferior, grills every few years is what brought me to Weber.
The more usage I get out of an item the more I think I made the right decision.
Thermapen is one of those items.
Click to expand...
Buy once cry once vs buy and toss. I'm trying to think back but I think I have purchased 8 MK4s 6 of those as gifts. Not one has had an issue and everyone loves them. I'm not one that goes out just to buy the most expensive and say it's the best. Hunsaker 304 ss grill grates are a perfect example. They can't be beat IMO. Made in the USA reasonable price vs others and thick yet thin to get full exposure to heat and the easy cleaning and durability of true 304 ss. Half the price of Killa Grilla and sns China made takes them out of the running. Most Amazon ss grates are China made or not 304 ss. Why not buy American or other than China if there's an option? Especially when price isn't an issue.

This is the rabbit hole weber is going down now. I'd much rather pay a few more dollars for them to keep the quality and made in the USA. Sadly that's leaving the brand. IMO they have the market to be profitable without cheapened products or moving to China.

To me and this is how I feel but grilling is a American tradition so I try to keep it as American as I can.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top