Good quality IR thermometer for cooking? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 29, 2021, 05:11:17 am
content: I have never bought an IR thermometer before. I'd imagine quality (and accuracy varies) quite a bit? Does anyone have any recommendations? I'm just after a good handheld thermometer for accurate readings you typically encounter with food/cooking, say, in the range of 0 to 300°C.

author: gamalot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 29, 2021, 06:13:05 am
content: My wife has a Fluke FoodPro. They also have an advanced model FoodPro Plus.https://www.fluke.com/en-au/product/temperature-measurement/ir-thermometers/fluke-foodpro

author: DrG
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2021, 04:23:38 pm
content: But is surface temp what you want? I thought you typically want internal temperature (e.g., meat).

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 08, 2021, 10:03:52 am
content: Quote from: DrG on May 30, 2021, 04:23:38 pmFor meat, my oven has a probe. I'm more talking about surface temperature for things like sauces, sugar syrups, yeast mixtures... things like that.

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2021, 10:28:56 am
content: Quote from: Halcyon on June 08, 2021, 10:03:52 amI had a 'chat' to a Local Health Inspector about probe vs IR. This Muppet was trying to tell me not to use probes as IR was more Sanitary. While it is the emissivity of some items makes them a complete dud.Milk, Non Caramelized Sugar Syrups, Water (likely light coloured yeast/doughs will be an issue) and similar things for a start. This same dik tried to tell me to use one to test that the eggs I was frying on a hotplate were 'cooked through'As far as accuracy the $10-12 evilbay ones are actually really close providing you take the above into account.

author: DrG
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2021, 03:46:36 am
content: Quote from: beanflying on June 08, 2021, 10:28:56 amIt is a little off topic, but I have become extremely picky about my scrambled eggs. Scramble in a bowl. A few drops of oil in the pan. No additives. Wait until just the right temp - gas flame, visual calibration.I consider scorch marks a fail. I also no longer try to keep the mass all together - no folding or anything like the case with an omelet. I "dice" a bit with a spatula and they are nice and fluffy and not to soft and never hard.I am now (as local CoVid numbers finally dwindle locally) looking forward to, once again, meeting friends at the diner - scrambled eggs, home fries, bacon and wheat toast. A modern luxury, but hold the scorch marks and refill the coffee.Of course, variety is the spice of life, so on occasion, over easy because breaking the yokes with a bacon dip is also an outstanding achievement of modern living.

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2021, 04:01:03 am
content: The Scramble or Poach in particular of a good egg starts with a goodfresh egg at room temperaturebefore cooking. How we are forced to keep eggs chilled for commercial use is a pain but understandable but we always pull a tray prior to use and let them come up in temp (fried not really a concern).Worthy of a separate topic I reckon.

author: brucehoult
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2021, 04:10:50 am
content: They probably all use the same sensor.I see virtually everything available now looks like a gun. Seems big and clunky to me.I've had one that looks exactly like this for about ten years:https://www.cromwell.co.uk/shop/measuring-and-test-equipment/thermometers-infrared/mini-infrared-thermometer/p/EDI3123960KI've used it for everything from measuring the temperature of a frying pan to calibrate butter sizzle vs temperature to learn the right 190 C sizzle to put pancake mix in, to checking the -26 C temperature of things outside the window of my Moscow apartment (I don't know why that one is spec'd only to -20), or checking floor vs wall vs ceiling temperatures to see how evenly the heater is heating a room.

author: chickenHeadKnob
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2021, 05:39:20 am
content: Quote from: DrG on June 09, 2021, 03:46:36 amsame here. real pet-peeve of mine.Even the slightest browning changes the flavour profile for the worst. My method is to steam-fry. Get the pan to medium heat. Pour in eggs that have been frothed with electric wand. Immediately take off heat and set aside with glass lid on to steam up.

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2021, 05:53:38 am
content: Please for the love of Coffee don't do it but this is an oldy and think of where the residual egg goes to breed

author: AntiProtonBoy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 10, 2021, 02:21:53 am
content: Speaking of thermometers, i'm looking for metal probe ones, around 30 cm long and clip on to pots, etc. Anyone know a good one?

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 10, 2021, 02:26:06 am
content: Quote from: AntiProtonBoy on June 10, 2021, 02:21:53 amThese two are worth a look depending on where in Oz you are. Warning they are like crackhouses for Chefs and Cookshttps://www.chefshat.com.au/https://www.nisbets.com.au/

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 10, 2021, 03:54:12 am
content: Quote from: AntiProtonBoy on June 10, 2021, 02:21:53 amWhat are you cooking? And when can we come over? ;-)

author: HerbTarlek
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 17, 2021, 02:35:16 am
content: Quote from: AntiProtonBoy on June 10, 2021, 02:21:53 amI don't know where one would get them outside the U.S., but I useone of these Thermoworks probe thermometersfor homebrewing beer and I'm pretty happy with how it works.

author: Teledog
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 17, 2021, 08:59:12 pm
content: Have a few generic IR gun thermometers and a tiny "laser pointer style" unit for travel.They get trashed with boiling oil/dropping them, etc. .. would never spend more than $25 on one.I use them for "ballpark" temps + - 5 to 10 degrees.The emissivity DOES make a difference, with an opaque product or just plain boiling water.. and on an induction range, they sometimes go wonky.I like to use the IR units for the ballpark temp, then if need be, a probe thermometer (preferably NSF rated & easily calibrated)