Tea Thermometer Recommendations

Do you have one? Do you use it? Do you like it? Would you recommend it?

63 Replies

I have tried using a standard meat thermometer and an instant read meat thermometer. Neither of them register much above the 180s, even when the water is boiling, which makes me doubt their accuracy. This might be because I am using them in water and they are not meant for water. I haven’t thought that would make a difference.

So I am planning to buy a tea thermometer but don’t know much about them or which to choose.

Login or sign up to post a message.

Cofftea said

I have this one: http://www.amazon.com/Component-Design-TT1-Digital-Thermometer/dp/B0021AEA8U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1267155593&sr=1-1 from CDN and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE it! It gives you both the time and temperature you need for 13 different teas w/ 8 different strength options depending on your steeping method (loose, bagged, ball)- that’s 432 different combos! I recently purchased this tea kettle http://www.amazon.com/PINO-OT-8704-Digital-Express-Kettle/dp/B001L1GRFO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1267124823&sr=8-2 , so while I won’t use it to measure the temp while it’s heating anymore, I will use it so I know what to set my kettle at as well as the timer. LOVE it.

~lauren. said

Hey, Cofftea, I would also be interested in your thermometer. Could you please check your first link?

Cofftea said

Thanks laurenpressley- I corrected the link (yours was right). I have no clue what happened, I checked it earlier… weird.

Good to know that’s the right one… I’ve added it to my Amazon wishlist for now. :)

~lauren. said

Thanks, Cofftea & laurenpressley!!

Shanti said

Cofftea, how are you liking the digital express kettle? I’m thinking of getting that one, or the Pro…

Cofftea said

I do not like it at all. DEFINITELY get the Pro, or the chef choice version.

Shanti said

Oh no Cofftea!! What happened/what’s wrong with it?

Cofftea said

For one, it reads in 1 degree C instead of F. I was not aware of this when I bought it. And it takes forever for it to come to temp.

Login or sign up to post a message.

Meghann M said

Cofftea, which tea kettle did you purchase? The link for the thermometer shows up as both links…just curious. I am trying to find a way to control my temperature now that I am trying teas other than herbal and black.

Cofftea said

Meghann M, thanks for catching that- the correct link is now posted. P.S. Don’t get that one. Get the Pro model if you go w/ this company.

Meghann M said

Thanks for the heads up about the pro model. Definitely adding it to my amazon wishlist to take a further look at it.

Login or sign up to post a message.

AJ said

I purchased a ‘milk frothing thermometre’ (apparently milk needs to be at a specific temperature for optimum frothing) for three dollars at my local grocery store. It doesn’t register boiling very well, but anything below—well, it hasn’t given me a bad pot of tea yet, so I guess it works well enough.

AJ said

Hahah, I found this on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Teas-Etc-Instant-Thermometer-Color/dp/B002C4KMOG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1267153328&sr=1-1

My milk frothing thermometre is IDENTICAL to this (right down to the holder, complete with pen clip), except that instead of showing the temperatures to steep each tea at, it shows the optimum temperature for milk frothing. And for half the price!

I was thinking of getting a milk frothing thermometer myself, since they register temperatures quickly and are reasonably priced. :) However, milk is generally only steamed up to 140F, so some milk frothing thermometers may not register high temperatures very well (as yours doesn’t). But they should work fine for the lower temps!

AJ said

Well, mine goes UP to boiling (there’s just a little red bar marking where the milk frothing temperature is but otherwise the temperatures are marked up to 220), and since the one pictured is done in the same style, I assume they BOTH should work up to boiling. Mine just doesn’t seem to want to (granted, I haven’t stuck it in there while it was in the ACT of boiling, but I didn’t really want to see how the steam would effect the display; the needle doesn’t seem to want to stray too far past 195 though).

Login or sign up to post a message.

Miss Sweet said

I have one of those fancy electric kettles that you can set to boil to a certain temperature, but I picked up a Bodum dial milk thermometer (has a mark every 5 degrees) for my sister which does the job, bout $5 too :).

Cofftea said

I suffer from crosseyedness so that one wouldn’t work for me. It’s gotta be digital or I get a headache trying to read it lol. I like mine cuz it tells you what temp you need and measures it to .01 degree F.

Miss Sweet said

LOL it measures to .01 degree?? Dang.

Cofftea said

Yep. So worth its price.

Login or sign up to post a message.

wambli said

I have the Taylor Thermometer/Timer. It has 7 presets for White, green, oolong, black, puerh, Deelaring and herb. These are set up for you as starting points. You can adjust each one for your needs. You put in pot when it reaches your temp setting it beeps and lights up, than you press steep button the it begins to count down whatever you programmed it to. Great product. I don’t have to carry around two devices, it does both temp and timer for me. Kind of expensive but you get a perfect cup each time.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=taylor+tea+timer&x=0&y=0

Login or sign up to post a message.

i use this one; http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/8024/ it lets me get the pot temperate and cup temperature and water too

spohkh said

Oh, I wish I had known about this a few months ago! I’ve been using a Food Network meat thermometer (which works very well). Yours would satisfy my inner chemistry nerd.

Janefan said

Thanks for the tip AmazonV! I just broke down and ordered this one because of you. I love thinkgeek, and I found a $10 off coupon! (code: GEEKPUZZLER)

Tried a meat thermometer today and it seemed ok but then it wouldn’t go above 195 for water that was definitely full boiling :( Tried candy thermometer but it fogged up too much to read, and the increments are not precise enough b/c it goes so much higher than boiling temp. This one costs a bit but it will do what I want so much more easily and accurately (I hope!). And saving myself a steam burn or 3 will be worth the xtra $$!

~lauren. said

An infrared thermometer? That is just way too cool.

woot! i love think geek, and i love this thermometer – a few notes – it can read 1 inch squared of surface from 1 inch away, so i usually hold it above my breville electric kettle like 4-6 inches, if i hold it too close it fogs up and says “error!” i have compared it against various other thermometers for testing and it reads right, just need to keep in mind you don’t need to be on top of what your trying to read, i also tend to measure my teapot itself too to make sure i’ve warmed it up and won’t drop the water too fast for the tea :) oh yea and the window, and my fiance, and anything else that will stay still long enough to get pointed at ;)

Janefan said

awesome, thanks for the tips. Can’t wait for mine to arrive so I can start thermometering (LOL, is that a word?) everything!

Login or sign up to post a message.

Ricky said

Haha, I just purchased a thermometer for a frothing pitcher. Well, I kind of wanted to pitcher as well =]

Login or sign up to post a message.

Jason select said

We may be featuring a tea thermometer in Select pretty soon. Maybe people can grab one then…

Login or sign up to post a message.

Great. I read this thread title and the mental picture I have stuck in my head is a sad-faced mug of tea in bed with a thermomenter in his mouth and a doctor taking his pulse.

Login or sign up to post a message.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.