Hi,

I'm finally breaking down and buying a thermometer - any recomendations
for an good (that is, accurate) one and where to buy it?

Thanks!

Sally

I'm also looking for this... I bought a Cuisipro some weeks ago. It's
not accurate at all... According to what I read on some espresso group,
the dial (see
http://www.tabletools.com/tabletools...ermometer.html)
thermometers are never accurate, and the Taylor digital thermometers
(http://www.wholelattelove.com/itemIm...1019XLarge.gif) are
better.

I have also read that (from
http://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/espresso/general/53870) :
==============
A couple of general comments on thermometers IIM--

Most manufacturers have more than one product line. Taylor is a well
respected product but has
an economy line which you're likely to find at a housewares store.

Calibration is a good feature if you have a good standard to calibrate
with. Ice water and boiling water are handy but not always accurate.
One good standard is a lab grade mercury filled thermometer with 0.1
degree C accuracy. These are hard to come by (even before 9/11). Lab
supply companies are reluctant to sell to individuals for obvious
reasons.

Another is to buy your thermometer from a vendor who can supply a NIST
certificate (extra cost). This certificate ensures that a qualified
metrologist has calibrated your thermometer and it should be good for a
year.

There's no inherent difference in accuracy between a digital and analog
thermometer. Fast response time is a function of construction and CAN
be achieved with either.

A supplier of good dial thermometers for milk frothing and other
coffeegeek applications is Mannix
(http://www.mannix-inst.com/index.php)
==============

I'm also looking for this... I bought a Cuisipro some weeks ago. It's
not accurate at all... According to what I read on some espresso group,
the dial (see
http://www.tabletools.com/tabletools...ermometer.html)
thermometers are never accurate, and the Taylor digital thermometers
(http://www.wholelattelove.com/itemIm...1019XLarge.gif) are
better.

I have also read that (from
http://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/espresso/general/53870) :
==============
A couple of general comments on thermometers IIM--

Most manufacturers have more than one product line. Taylor is a well
respected product but has
an economy line which you're likely to find at a housewares store.

Calibration is a good feature if you have a good standard to calibrate
with. Ice water and boiling water are handy but not always accurate.
One good standard is a lab grade mercury filled thermometer with 0.1
degree C accuracy. These are hard to come by (even before 9/11). Lab
supply companies are reluctant to sell to individuals for obvious
reasons.

Another is to buy your thermometer from a vendor who can supply a NIST
certificate (extra cost). This certificate ensures that a qualified
metrologist has calibrated your thermometer and it should be good for a
year.

There's no inherent difference in accuracy between a digital and analog
thermometer. Fast response time is a function of construction and CAN
be achieved with either.

A supplier of good dial thermometers for milk frothing and other
coffeegeek applications is Mannix
(http://www.mannix-inst.com/index.php)
==============

Ummm...OK. call me ignorant, but why should that matter that it's within a
tenth of a degree for national security purposes? Wouldn't a thermometer
like that be useful for candymaking too or somethng? Sorry if I'm dense but
I don't get it, seems a bit silly to me. Or do you mean the "lab grade"
part?

Melinda


"BenoitF" > wrote in message
ups.com..

snip

\
> Calibration is a good feature if you have a good standard to calibrate
> with. Ice water and boiling water are handy but not always accurate.
> One good standard is a lab grade mercury filled thermometer with 0.1
> degree C accuracy. These are hard to come by (even before 9/11). Lab
> supply companies are reluctant to sell to individuals for obvious
> reasons.


snip


>
> A supplier of good dial thermometers for milk frothing and other
> coffeegeek applications is Mannix
> (http://www.mannix-inst.com/index.php)
> ==============
>

Actually, the 0.1 degree accuracy is not important at all... The point
of the one who wrote this on coffeegeek.com is that those thermometers
are accurate (they will not indicate 80 degrees if the water is at 95
degree, which is, believe me, quite common with a lot of those dial
thermometers, even the one that aren't cheap). And as you know, the
difference in brewing tea at 80 degrees vs. at 95 degrees is quite
important...

> Ummm...OK. call me ignorant, but why should that matter that it's within a
> tenth of a degree for national security purposes? Wouldn't a thermometer
> like that be useful for candymaking too or somethng? Sorry if I'm dense
> but I don't get it, seems a bit silly to me. Or do you mean the "lab
> grade" part?
>
> Melinda
>
I think the national security issue is the "lab grade" mercury.

different teas call for different temps; especially some of your
greens. depending on how tender the leaves are, it could ruin the
batch entirely if the temp is too hot.


Mydnight

--------------------
thus then i turn me from my countries light, to dwell in the solemn shades of an endless night.

BenoitF wrote:

> Calibration is a good feature if you have a good standard to
calibrate
> with. Ice water and boiling water are handy but not always accurate.
> One good standard is a lab grade mercury filled thermometer with 0.1
> degree C accuracy. These are hard to come by (even before 9/11). Lab
> supply companies are reluctant to sell to individuals for obvious
> reasons.

i don't see any reason to be concerned with calibration. you'll have to
play around with your teas' steeping temps regardless. you'll have to
figure out that you like a particular tea steeped at temperature x and
this other tea at temperature x+20; it doesn't really matter then if
x=140. the thermometer needs to be accurate, but it doesn't seem to
matter much if it's calibrated.

cheers!
chuck

BenoitF wrote:

> Calibration is a good feature if you have a good standard to
calibrate
> with. Ice water and boiling water are handy but not always accurate.
> One good standard is a lab grade mercury filled thermometer with 0.1
> degree C accuracy. These are hard to come by (even before 9/11). Lab
> supply companies are reluctant to sell to individuals for obvious
> reasons.

i don't see any reason to be concerned with calibration. you'll have to
play around with your teas' steeping temps regardless. you'll have to
figure out that you like a particular tea steeped at temperature x and
this other tea at temperature x+20; it doesn't really matter then if
x=140. the thermometer needs to be accurate, but it doesn't seem to
matter much if it's calibrated.

cheers!
chuck

Very simple to check these things -
two tests:
1. Put ice approx 50/50 in water and let it stabilize for several minutes
measute the WATER (not ice) temperature. It must be exactly 0 C (32 F)
2. Measure the temperatiure of boiling water. It mut be exactly 100C (212
F). That is if you live approx at sea level. If not - its should be less 2
deg F or every 1000 feet of elevation.

If your thermometer passes, most porobably its -OK one.
But there may be another test you want to go throu. Take as much water that
would take approx 2-3 min to get boiled on your stove. Put a thermometer in
it (not touching the vessel) and tart heating. Watch the thermometer and
throw it away if it moves even with a single jerky movement or acceleration.
It must be very smooth.

I use a computer digital thermometer (two for $25 at CompUSA). they have
almost zero mass sensor with a long wire. Zero mass makes it very fast and
sensitive and long wire allow me to sticj the thermometer above my stove and
just put the sensor inside a hole in the teapot lid (or under it).

Sasha.

"chuck marx" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> BenoitF wrote:
>
>> Calibration is a good feature if you have a good standard to
> calibrate
>> with. Ice water and boiling water are handy but not always accurate.
>> One good standard is a lab grade mercury filled thermometer with 0.1
>> degree C accuracy. These are hard to come by (even before 9/11). Lab
>> supply companies are reluctant to sell to individuals for obvious
>> reasons.
>
> i don't see any reason to be concerned with calibration. you'll have to
> play around with your teas' steeping temps regardless. you'll have to
> figure out that you like a particular tea steeped at temperature x and
> this other tea at temperature x+20; it doesn't really matter then if
> x=140. the thermometer needs to be accurate, but it doesn't seem to
> matter much if it's calibrated.
>
> cheers!
> chuck
>

Very simple to check these things -
two tests:
1. Put ice approx 50/50 in water and let it stabilize for several minutes
measute the WATER (not ice) temperature. It must be exactly 0 C (32 F)
2. Measure the temperatiure of boiling water. It mut be exactly 100C (212
F). That is if you live approx at sea level. If not - its should be less 2
deg F or every 1000 feet of elevation.

If your thermometer passes, most porobably its -OK one.
But there may be another test you want to go throu. Take as much water that
would take approx 2-3 min to get boiled on your stove. Put a thermometer in
it (not touching the vessel) and tart heating. Watch the thermometer and
throw it away if it moves even with a single jerky movement or acceleration.
It must be very smooth.

I use a computer digital thermometer (two for $25 at CompUSA). they have
almost zero mass sensor with a long wire. Zero mass makes it very fast and
sensitive and long wire allow me to sticj the thermometer above my stove and
just put the sensor inside a hole in the teapot lid (or under it).

Sasha.

"chuck marx" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> BenoitF wrote:
>
>> Calibration is a good feature if you have a good standard to
> calibrate
>> with. Ice water and boiling water are handy but not always accurate.
>> One good standard is a lab grade mercury filled thermometer with 0.1
>> degree C accuracy. These are hard to come by (even before 9/11). Lab
>> supply companies are reluctant to sell to individuals for obvious
>> reasons.
>
> i don't see any reason to be concerned with calibration. you'll have to
> play around with your teas' steeping temps regardless. you'll have to
> figure out that you like a particular tea steeped at temperature x and
> this other tea at temperature x+20; it doesn't really matter then if
> x=140. the thermometer needs to be accurate, but it doesn't seem to
> matter much if it's calibrated.
>
> cheers!
> chuck
>

chuck marx wrote:
> BenoitF wrote:
>
>
>>Calibration is a good feature if you have a good standard to
>
> calibrate
>
>>with. Ice water and boiling water are handy but not always accurate.
>>One good standard is a lab grade mercury filled thermometer with 0.1
>>degree C accuracy. These are hard to come by (even before 9/11). Lab
>>supply companies are reluctant to sell to individuals for obvious
>>reasons.
>
>
> i don't see any reason to be concerned with calibration. you'll have to
> play around with your teas' steeping temps regardless. you'll have to
> figure out that you like a particular tea steeped at temperature x and
> this other tea at temperature x+20; it doesn't really matter then if
> x=140. the thermometer needs to be accurate, but it doesn't seem to
> matter much if it's calibrated.
>
> cheers!
> chuck
>

Sure it does, if you want your tea knowledge to be connected to a
standard independent of a thermometer that may break tomorrow.

chuck marx wrote:
> BenoitF wrote:
>
>
>>Calibration is a good feature if you have a good standard to
>
> calibrate
>
>>with. Ice water and boiling water are handy but not always accurate.
>>One good standard is a lab grade mercury filled thermometer with 0.1
>>degree C accuracy. These are hard to come by (even before 9/11). Lab
>>supply companies are reluctant to sell to individuals for obvious
>>reasons.
>
>
> i don't see any reason to be concerned with calibration. you'll have to
> play around with your teas' steeping temps regardless. you'll have to
> figure out that you like a particular tea steeped at temperature x and
> this other tea at temperature x+20; it doesn't really matter then if
> x=140. the thermometer needs to be accurate, but it doesn't seem to
> matter much if it's calibrated.
>
> cheers!
> chuck
>

Sure it does, if you want your tea knowledge to be connected to a
standard independent of a thermometer that may break tomorrow.

You can see two pocket digital thermometers at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...8563 206&rd=1
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...038049 7&rd=1

hth

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi,
>
> I'm finally breaking down and buying a thermometer - any recomendations
> for an good (that is, accurate) one and where to buy it?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Sally
>

You can see two pocket digital thermometers at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...8563 206&rd=1
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...038049 7&rd=1

hth

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi,
>
> I'm finally breaking down and buying a thermometer - any recomendations
> for an good (that is, accurate) one and where to buy it?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Sally
>

Is this the thermometer that you have?
http://www.compusa.com/products/prod...975&pfp=BROWSE

"Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
. com...
....
> I use a computer digital thermometer (two for $25 at CompUSA). they have
> almost zero mass sensor with a long wire. Zero mass makes it very fast and
> sensitive and long wire allow me to sticj the thermometer above my stove
and
> just put the sensor inside a hole in the teapot lid (or under it).
>
> Sasha.

Is this the thermometer that you have?
http://www.compusa.com/products/prod...975&pfp=BROWSE

"Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
. com...
....
> I use a computer digital thermometer (two for $25 at CompUSA). they have
> almost zero mass sensor with a long wire. Zero mass makes it very fast and
> sensitive and long wire allow me to sticj the thermometer above my stove
and
> just put the sensor inside a hole in the teapot lid (or under it).
>
> Sasha.

"Apprentice" > wrote in message
news:0a8ud.37$zj4.32@lakeread08...
> Is this the thermometer that you have?
> http://www.compusa.com/products/prod...975&pfp=BROWSE
>

Yep. there are two of them there as you can see. You can easily take them
separately out of the metal frame (they just snap in) nd use to your heart
desire.The price was $25 when I bought it.

Sasha.

"Apprentice" > wrote in message
news:0a8ud.37$zj4.32@lakeread08...
> Is this the thermometer that you have?
> http://www.compusa.com/products/prod...975&pfp=BROWSE
>

Yep. there are two of them there as you can see. You can easily take them
separately out of the metal frame (they just snap in) nd use to your heart
desire.The price was $25 when I bought it.

Sasha.

Mydnight wrote:
> different teas call for different temps; especially some of your
> greens. depending on how tender the leaves are, it could ruin the
> batch entirely if the temp is too hot.

But she's right - 0.1 Degrees - Who can taste that? Even +/-1 Degree
should be well enough for brewing tea. The temperature of the water that
hits your tea is so much dependent on other factors. Temperature of air,
temperature of the pot, from which height you pour the water, and maybe
a lot more dependencies. What good is it to know then that the
temperature in the kettle was exactly 81.231 Centigrade?

I agree with you that +/- 5 Centigrade will make a difference in taste,
maybe even +/-3 or 2 (depending on how sensitive you are). But Melinda
asked

>> Ummm...OK. call me ignorant, but why should that matter that it's within a
>> tenth of a degree for national security purposes?

And I think she's right there. Buying one that is good for +/-1
Centigrade is well enough - I use one of the 'old style' non-digital
alcohol based thermometers (mercury would be more cool, though - also
more exact ^-^) and I never had problems. Save the money and buy some
good tea instead.

ciao
Patrick

--
"But please remember: this is only a work of Fiction.
The truth, as always, will be far stranger"

Arthur C. Clarke, 2001 - A Space Odyssey

"BenoitF" > wrote in message

> Actually, the 0.1 degree accuracy is not important at all... The point
> of the one who wrote this on coffeegeek.com is that those thermometers
> are accurate (they will not indicate 80 degrees if the water is at 95
> degree, which is, believe me, quite common with a lot of those dial
> thermometers,

No it is not, even with cheap ones.

>even the one that aren't cheap). And as you know, the
> difference in brewing tea at 80 degrees vs. at 95 degrees is quite
> important...

The coffeegeeks need special thermometers because they need an immediate
measurement while they froth the milk. For your tea water, you can wait 15
seconds to read the temp before pouring (with milk it's enough time to miss
the frothing).

Kuri

"kuri" > writes:

> "BenoitF" > wrote in message
>
> > Actually, the 0.1 degree accuracy is not important at all... The
> > point of the one who wrote this on coffeegeek.com is that those
> > thermometers are accurate (they will not indicate 80 degrees if
> > the water is at 95 degree, which is, believe me, quite common with
> > a lot of those dial thermometers,
>
> No it is not, even with cheap ones.
>
> > even the one that aren't cheap). And as you know, the difference
> > in brewing tea at 80 degrees vs. at 95 degrees is quite
> > important...
>
> The coffeegeeks need special thermometers because they need an
> immediate measurement while they froth the milk. For your tea water,
> you can wait 15 seconds to read the temp before pouring (with milk
> it's enough time to miss the frothing).

If they use milk in their coffee, wouldn't they be newbies rather than
geeks?

But seriously, I'm relieved to hear that accuracy good enough for the
beverage I favor can be had without a battery.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html

"Lewis Perin" > wrote in message

> If they use milk in their coffee, wouldn't they be newbies rather than
> geeks?

*Geek* doesn't mean you have good taste or anything like that. You just need
to spend hours with a big machine and
a thermometer to be one. Also, a number of those guys need to sell coffee to
make a living. Do you believe they'd make a living on coffee without milk in
the US ?

Well, I'm badmouthing about coffee and milk, because I cannot drink that
(unable to digest it). In fact, I must confess I've spent the afternoon
making macha ice-cream with an ice-cream yoyo. And that was delicious and
terribly fun. Ah, that's good to be 6 yr old again ! You don't need a
thermometer for the ice, you hear it when it's done, it no longer make the
liquid noise in the yoyo. I'll bring tons of macha at my parents' next week.
They don't drink any tea in my family (except my aunt), but surprisingly
they are all crazy about macha ice-cream.

Kuri (that buys the Xmas toys in double, one for the kid, one for her)

On Thu, 09 Dec 2004 06:35:56 -0800, ro222000 wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I'm finally breaking down and buying a thermometer - any recomendations
> for an good (that is, accurate) one and where to buy it?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Sally

I think that thermometers are nice but only necessary for green teas.
Black teas I control by time: let the kettle boil, switch off and wait -
every minute is about 1 centigrade (I assume a simple kettle, thin walled
plastic or stainless, not a thick-walled iron thingy). Pouring the water
into a cup can take up to 10 centigrade off the temperature.
For most blacks I just use boiling water, for Oolongs I wait a bit,
depending on brand.
For greens it is another matter, there I have an alcohol-filled
thermometer.
JB

I must be an idiot. I seem to be able to make various types of tea without
using a thermometer at all. Sometimes I stick my finger in the water, but
that's about it.


"Apprentice" > wrote in message
news:0a8ud.37$zj4.32@lakeread08...
> Is this the thermometer that you have?
>
http://www.compusa.com/products/prod...975&pfp=BROWSE
>
> "Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
> . com...
> ...
> > I use a computer digital thermometer (two for $25 at CompUSA). they have
> > almost zero mass sensor with a long wire. Zero mass makes it very fast
and
> > sensitive and long wire allow me to sticj the thermometer above my stove
> and
> > just put the sensor inside a hole in the teapot lid (or under it).
> >
> > Sasha.
>
>

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi,
>
> I'm finally breaking down and buying a thermometer - any recomendations
> for an good (that is, accurate) one and where to buy it?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Sally

I use a $5.xx instant-read thermometer from the kitchen gadgets section of
Wal-Mart. It's in 2-degree increments and is fine enough for me and my green
and white teas.

--
~~Bluesea~~
Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi,
>
> I'm finally breaking down and buying a thermometer - any recomendations
> for an good (that is, accurate) one and where to buy it?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Sally

I use a $5.xx instant-read thermometer from the kitchen gadgets section of
Wal-Mart. It's in 2-degree increments and is fine enough for me and my green
and white teas.

--
~~Bluesea~~
Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.