Aldi digital thermometer.

The forum for discussing all kinds of brewing paraphernalia.
Post Reply
smeghead

Aldi digital thermometer.

Post by smeghead » Tue Sep 01, 2015 8:03 am

Hi Chaps, does anyone have an opinion on digital thermometers, the one you just point at the surface and they instantly give a read out? Aldi have on this week at a silly price and I wondered if it would suit my home brewing? https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuys/t ... ermometer/

User avatar
vacant
Even further under the Table
Posts: 2186
Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2007 5:39 pm

Re: Aldi digital thermometer.

Post by vacant » Tue Sep 01, 2015 8:24 am

smeghead wrote:Hi Chaps, does anyone have an opinion on digital thermometers, the one you just point at the surface and they instantly give a read out? Aldi have on this week at a silly price and I wondered if it would suit my home brewing? https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuys/t ... ermometer/
Same one on eBay is £5 cheaper delivered to your door.
I brew therefore I ... I .... forget

Wezzel

Re: Aldi digital thermometer.

Post by Wezzel » Tue Sep 01, 2015 8:33 am

It says accuracy is plus or minus 1.5 deg C. Probably not ideal for mash temps.

DarrenSL

Re: Aldi digital thermometer.

Post by DarrenSL » Wed Sep 02, 2015 8:47 pm

Not only that , this will only measure the surface temp of the mash which will probably be a bit cooler than deep in the grains. You cant go wrong with a simple analogue glass thermometer (unless you drop it!!). I've found with some of the digital ones that if you get any humidity inside the probe it throws the reading out so I don't trust them.

Stanna
Steady Drinker
Posts: 91
Joined: Thu May 28, 2015 7:55 am

Re: Aldi digital thermometer.

Post by Stanna » Fri Sep 04, 2015 8:31 pm

I bought one, for gods sake don't bother for some reason when I pointed it at my boiler today it said 23 degree c when it was a rolling boil, but the freezer said it was at -18 c so opened the door and it read -18 c, doesn't seem to like shiny surfaces #-o

tourer
Hollow Legs
Posts: 479
Joined: Sun Oct 11, 2009 9:09 pm
Location: spitting distance of the Beacon hotel, home of Ruby red

Re: Aldi digital thermometer.

Post by tourer » Fri Sep 04, 2015 9:09 pm

Stanna wrote:I bought one, for gods sake don't bother for some reason when I pointed it at my boiler today it said 23 degree c when it was a rolling boil, but the freezer said it was at -18 c so opened the door and it read -18 c, doesn't seem to like shiny surfaces #-o
Ohhh great, just bought one those #-o

rpt
Hollow Legs
Posts: 480
Joined: Thu May 01, 2014 4:35 pm
Location: Ilkley, West Yorkshire

Re: Aldi digital thermometer.

Post by rpt » Tue Sep 08, 2015 11:46 am

These IR thermometers need calibrating for the emissivity of the surface. Cheap ones can't be adjusted. Reflective surfaces have low emissivity so I'm not sure how useful they are in brewing with shiny pots.

chris2012
Under the Table
Posts: 1193
Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2012 10:13 pm

Re: Aldi digital thermometer.

Post by chris2012 » Tue Sep 08, 2015 12:56 pm

Couldn't you point it at the wort instead of the shiny metal

Stanna
Steady Drinker
Posts: 91
Joined: Thu May 28, 2015 7:55 am

Re: Aldi digital thermometer.

Post by Stanna » Tue Sep 08, 2015 7:52 pm

I did another mash today and it was useful and accurate when pointed inside the boiler at the dark coloured wort whilst chilling with the wort chiller, apart from that I cannot find much use for it.

User avatar
orlando
So far gone I'm on the way back again!
Posts: 7201
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 3:22 pm
Location: North Norfolk: Nearest breweries All Day Brewery, Salle. Panther, Reepham. Yetman's, Holt

Re: Aldi digital thermometer.

Post by orlando » Wed Sep 09, 2015 7:50 am

Stanna wrote:I did another mash today and it was useful and accurate when pointed inside the boiler at the dark coloured wort whilst chilling with the wort chiller, apart from that I cannot find much use for it.
Useful to those of us that are interested in "yeast ranching". To be able to check yeast temp without "touching" it is very useful. Whether reconstituting dry yeast, pitching into a starter or into a full batch, knowing it is within a couple of degrees of what it is going into assures a good start for it and no contamination risk.
I am "The Little Red Brooster"

Fermenting:
Conditioning:
Drinking: Southwold Again,

Up Next: John Barleycorn (Barley Wine)
Planning: Winter drinking Beer

Post Reply