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  • At 08:39 AM 9/10/2013, Charles S wrote:

    Norbert,
    I know in the dim past there have been suggestions regarding point and shoot thermometers.Please tell me the least expensive adequate one available.

    Thanks,
    Charles

     

    Date: Tue, 10 Sep 2013
    To: Charles S <pasovega(at)me.com>
    From: Norbert Senf <mheat(at)heatkit.com>
    Subject: Re: thermometer

    Hi Charles:

    Checking ebay, it looks like there is lots of choice these days, and you can get infrared thermometers with very good specs, much cheaper than a few years ago.

    I can’t vouch for any of these, since I haven’t tried them. However I have been buying lots of small electronic items lately on ebay from China, for incredibly low prices, and have not had any disappointments so far.

    Right now I am using a Fluke that I paid about $300.00 for 5 years ago, that goes to 1100 F. and has a distance to spot ratio of 50:1.

    “Distance to spot ratio”  means that it can resolve a 1″ circle from 50″ away, or a 1′ circle from 50′ away. The cheaper thermometers have an 8:1 spot ratio, which means that you have to hold it right up to what you are reading and can’t read stuff that is high up, for instance.

    Here is a random sample from low end to high end:

    http://www.ebay.ca/itm/HCJYET-Economic-Temperature-Compact-Gun-Laser-IR-Infrared-Thermometer-50-330-/181207184922?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a30ca361a

    $24.00, free shipping
    Reads to 626 F
    12:1 distance to spot ratio
    see listing for other specs

    http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Non-Contact-LCD-IR-Infrared-Digital-Temperature-Thermometer-C-F-with-Laser-Gun-/281152602742?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4176004276

    $59.99, free shipping
    Reads to 2102 F
    20:1 distance to spot ratio

    http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Digital-Non-contact-Infrared-IR-Thermometer-18-1150C-0-2102F-50-1-GM1150A-/281161299236?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item417684f524

    $108.00 plus 33.00 shipping
    Reads to 2102 F
    50:1 distance to spot ratio

    Best …….. Norbert