Best infrared gun / multitasker

[Yoda]

OK folks the engineer and cook in me is looking for the best (good) Infrared gun. Yes that is a very dangerous situation - an engineer cooking

Many of you mention checking tires and bearings with one, and too many shows of Alton Brown, makes me think I need one for the various critical tire checks, etc. I have tried searching and everyone makes the best unit per the reviews, but I want the truth. What are folks using?

Would be nice to use it in the house for cooking too - who knows, it might come out edible Might making getting one past the CFO a bit easier too.

Thanks for any help/links
Keith

[Country Campers]

Keith

They start cheap and go way past my budget. I use a $25 dollar one I got at Lowes a few years back. I am not sure how accurate it is but seems pretty close. Never used it for food though , I cook by feel.
Enjoy the search , I think any will do the job.

Brian

[Yoda]

I wouldn't think an Infrared would work for cooking anything, since they measure surface temperature, not the internal temperature. Same way on the tires and hub and such. With Infrared, you aren't seeing internal temps when you're measuring tire/hub temperatures, but as long as they are all fairly close, temperature wise, you're probably OK

In cooking it would be for oil temp for deep frying and grill surface temp for good searing.

[Cate&Rob]

Hi Keith,

I have three of these infrared temperature measuring devices. The first one (from many years ago) cost me something like $200 (yikes!). The next one (about 5 years ago) was a "great deal" at about $50. The last one (a deal I couldn't turn down) was about $20. I have tried them side by side by side on the same hot metal surface and there is no significant difference in reading. (Go with the Harbour Freight $20 one . . . the CFO will like this plan).

I use these gauges for tires, hubs, grill and oven temps. They obviously measure surface temps, not internal temps, but they are accurate at measuring the temperature of what they can "see".

Agreed that an "engineer cooking" is not the best plan. I just confirm the grill/oven temp and turn the skilled work over to Cate .

Rob

[fraserfamily]

Mine is a Etekcity Lasergrip 774, $16 at Amazon.com. Works quite well for a variety of applications, like calibrating my immersion cooker. I also use it when I'm smoking meats because I can measure the surface of the cooker without opening up to know that I am at the right temp.

[Running from Gnats]

I have two of them. The most expensive is a 7 year old Craftsman which ran about $40, if I remember correctly. The other is from Harbor Freight. The Craftsman sits in the storage bin between the truck seats, the HF is in my toolbox. Both seem to be accurate (checked against a $200 unit).