Is Thermoworks Feeling the Heat?


 
Yah, Chris, I think that unless the lightning proves to be a bit of an upgrade to the Thermapen One, they will have to not only run discounts but drop the regular price a bit to keep it selling. My guess is that, even with the features and upgrades over the lower end instant reads, they still have some profit margin to work with if they find they need to come down a bit.
 
Chris Allingham said:
And my guess is that with a starting price of $99, there will be steep discounting on the ThermoPro Lightning in the not too distant future, giving it a price advantage over Thermapen ONE with home consumers, but ThermoWorks maintaining their advantage with commercial users.
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I think your last observation is rather important. Thermoworks' is concentrating on commercial and industrial markets, where accuracy, reliability and repeatability are important. The fact that some retail customers are buying their products is gravy.
 
Yes, that does look like a better ball park price for them to compete sales wise with Thermoworks. I hope to see a side by side comparison of the two top end instant reads.
 
I wasn't sure that a regular Amazon link would give you the "extra" amount off. I did a screen print to show the price that was on my email.

This price is way more competitive. Just like Thermoworks has a lot of sales on the Thermapen One, I think this one will frequently be on sale. This "introduction" price seems like a really good deal - about the same as what you would pay for their former “flagship” TP-620 thermometer.
 
I can't vouch for this on the Lightning, but on the TPro I have (IIRC TP19) it does fully turn off after 90sec. In fact many times I simply leave it for days opened (mostly because I forget and it's outside on the grill), and I can go out there, pick it up and it springs right to life with it's big LED. I have yet to need a battery so I have to assume it really does turn off. Important? IDK. Maybe if you're lazy and forgetful as I am :D I do enjoy the lock feature BTW. As if I have to bend my big fine body over to look in the oven it's a bit of a strain being over 6' tall and well....................."husky" :D So I use the lock feature a lot when I am cooking inside. I think the Thermapen perhaps is geared to a professional kitchen where the ovens are typically at eye level and perhaps a lock feature would be over kill.
 
Chris: That was a great unbiased review of both units. I learned a lot from the video. After watching it, I would say they are both fine units and I think either would be more than enough for the average user. I think they are both priced well for competing against each other. Products aside, reputation, warranty and place of manufacture are working in the favor of Themoworks in general. I think quality wise, the products are very close overall. Some users may prefer and require the 360 display over the 180 for Thermapro. Some may prefer the LED vs LCD display. But in the end, I think in order to compete with Thermoworks on reputation, warranty and place of manufacture, ThermaPro will need to price their unit a bit lower in order to compete head to head.
I have a ThermaPro TP19-H and love it. I am sure I would love either the ThermaPro Lighning or ThermoWorks One even more. But, for my personal needs, the lower level offerings with lower prices are a better fit.
Personally, if someone gave me $100 to buy one or the other, I would grab a promotional deal on the ThermaPro Lightning and pocket the savings over the ThermoWorks One. But, that is just me and my miserly personality.

Thanks again for the professional, extensive and unbiased review Chris. I know creating, editing, and publishing those are a PIA and time consuming.
Have a Merry Christmas everyone.
 
I don't see the value in the lightning even at 49 bucks and certainly not at 99. You don't need to ever pay 100 bucks for a One just wait they go on sale multiple times during the year as like right now which Chris pointed out in the video what that price was. https://www.thermoworks.com/thermapen-one/?tw=VWB&chan=TVWBB

I get the TP-19 if that is all you need and want to spend. But if you want to move up and I have a Mk4 which by the way over 4 years ago got that for $69 no way I am not going to spend $20 more for the One if I was in the market again. 2 more years of warranty, NSF certified, you could drop it in the sink with water in and by the way almost did that a few years ago no problems because of the rating that would not be true of the lightning. The lightning is a new product are there going to be issues who knows. The One has been out for awhile and before that it was a Mk4 so I assume it was an improved design over the Mk4 but the underlying tech was already there.

Chris posts these sales all the time and again I want to thank him bought a Smoke for $59 last week good for my son-in-law he gets the TP829 for Christmas brand new never used.

Chris great job on the video.
 
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Chris, Great job on that review. (y) You beat me to it! Glad for your early release, thorough look at these two prime contenders.

One thing I like about the new ThermoPro Lightning is the way the probe is more protected when the probe is closed. I don’t know how much difference this will make, but it does show some new and creative thinking.

My main comment would be that Thermoworks is clearly the consistent provider of high end, temperature products at premium - but well deserved - prices. A great company with a great reputation.

ThermoPro, on the other hand has had to get a foothold by offering decent products at amazing prices by combining Chinese manufacturing and the Amazon shipping and marketing juggernaut. Since then, however, they have been working hard to be taken seriously as a legitimate company selling good products - not just more of the many badge-engineered dubious thermometers offered on Amazon by companies with sketchy names and no customer support. This shows most clearly by the warranty they offer and the mostly positive accounts we have seen by members here who have had a customer service need.

In a way, I think that ThermoPro has taken a page from Harbor Freight. They, too, started out competing almost entirely on price. But now HF offers some substantially improved product lines that are knocking at the door of the major quality brands from big box stores. ThermoPro’s products have gotten better and better, narrowing the quality gap for these instant read thermometers. The TP-19H is still the best overall value out there in my opinion. A decent, pretty solid device that is more than adequate for most needs. My wife has practically appropriated mine for her kitchen use.

ThermoPro TP19H Digital Meat Thermometer for Cooking with Ambidextrous Backlit and Motion Sensing Kitchen Cooking Food Thermometer for BBQ Grill Smoker Oil Fry Candy Instant Read Thermometer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XXSYLL8/?tag=tvwb-20

Since then, they tried to raise the bar with the TP-620 with a bright LED display and anti-slip sides. A very nice thermometer, but I use both and when compared directly to a Thermapen One, it comes up short.

ThermoPro TP620 Professional Thermocouple Instant Read Meat Thermometer, Ambidextrous Backlight LCD Kitchen Thermometer with Motion-Sensing, Digital Food Thermometer for Cooking Smoker BBQ Grill https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BC9KF45/?tag=tvwb-20

So now comes this Lightning. It seems from your review (and Tom Horsman’s less thorough look) that the differences have narrowed considerably. I think it’s coming down more to what a person happens to like. Both the Lightning and the One would make great choices. The relatively small differences in features might spell out which one someone chooses. Would you rather have a bright red readout or a backlit one that can rotate 360 degrees? Both are valid choices in my book.

Going back to the companies themselves, I do respect Thermoworks for using European manufacturing, and their overall reputation is practically impeccable. But, again, ThermoPro deserves to be taken seriously as a competitor and not dismissed as another cheap knockoff rebadger.

p.s. Chris, I do agree that ThermoPro went too far in the “comparison” advertising. The specs they aim at read like products from one of those bogus “companies” on Amazon while the pictures they use are clearly intended to evoke a Thermapen. On the other hand, I have seen a Thermoworks ad putting down competitor products as cheap but not distinguishing a credible alternative like the Thermoworks TP-19H from junky no name products proliferating Amazon.
 
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Jon Tofte said:
p.s. Chris, I do agree that ThermoPro went too far in the “comparison” advertising. The specs they aim at read like products from one of those bogus “companies” on Amazon while the pictures they use are clearly intended to evoke a Thermapen. On the other hand, I have seen a Thermoworks ad putting down competitor products as cheap but not distinguishing a credible alternative like the Thermoworks TP-19H from junky no name products proliferating Amazon.
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I get your point. I think the difference is that ThermoPro shows a red Thermapen and makes specific functional claims that are inaccurate. Even if we feel that ThermoWorks' comment unfairly paints everyone with the same brush, at least it doesn't mislead on actual product specifications while showing an specific product photo.
 
Yah, kinda cheesy to show the "obviously" Thermapen in the comparison to represent all the low quality options out there when it is clearly way above that class that Thermopro is comparing it to.
 
I agree with both of you. There was no need for ThermoPro to do that since it appears they have a very decent product that could stand on its own. Definitely cheesy advertising from the marketing department but looks like hopefully good engineering from the designers.
 
Here is my take. When I bought my TP19H it was $19 and amazed me then and now for how well it works. Also for how nicely they took care of it when it broke on me. One phone call, give them my Amazon order # and tada. 2 days later a new one is at my front door. I can't imagine support could be any better. And faced with the choice of the quality of the TP19H at $19 or even $25 I'll make that choice all day long. But, if I am looking at a $49? Lightning or a $69 Thermapen One. I'm grabbing the TP One all day. It shows far more actual value. Though I gotta say I REALLY dislike backlit LCD displays. But, for the higher quality device I would likely put up with it. But an LED at $69 I'm all over it like white on rice. Mean time any time I can buy a piece as good as the TP19H for $19 I'm on it
 
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