what is a good but cheap temp gun?

[BagnaraSnakes16]

im getting back into snakes real soon and doing everything right now that im not a little kid anymore. I was wondering what temp guns are out there that are reliable but low in cost? a link would be awesome if you could provide one.

[sweatshirt]

I've heard good reviews from Pro Exotics temp guns. I'm sure if you dig around you can score a good deal.

[Mikoh4792]

Zoo med temp gun

Hde temp gun

Pro exotic temp gun

tg1 temp gun.

They are all under 50 Bucks. What is your price range?

I've only tried zoo med and hde, they are both accurate temp guns. I have double checked readings with them and they fairly consistent with each other.

[MDT]

I've had my Pro Exotics temo gun for a loooong time. Very dependable and accurate. I would def recommend.

[smy_749]

I've had my Pro Exotics temo gun for a loooong time. Very dependable and accurate. I would def recommend.

I don't think any of these are cheap. Don't they all run you 25 + anyways? I wouldn't buy the zoomed or junk at the petstore, the max temps on them is very high. Go to a hardware store like lowes or homedepot and buy from a brand like dewalt or ryobi etc. etc. They stand by there product and you will most likely get atleast a 1 year warranty on it and they read temps up to like 800 degrees. My ryobi was 27 dollars

[Mikoh4792]

I don't think any of these are cheap. Don't they all run you 25 + anyways? I wouldn't buy the zoomed or junk at the petstore, the max temps on them is very high. Go to a hardware store like lowes or homedepot and buy from a brand like dewalt or ryobi etc. etc. They stand by there product and you will most likely get atleast a 1 year warranty on it and they read temps up to like 800 degrees. My ryobi was 27 dollars

I know most experienced reptile owners don't like buying things from commercial pet brands like zoo med but the zoo med heat gun isn't junk. It is accurate.

[StudentoReptile]

I also recommend the Pro Exotics II temp gun.

[infernalis]

TempGun | Precise temperature measurement (http://www.tempgun.com)

Contact Robyn right here....

sSNAKESs : Reptile Forum - View Profile: Robyn@SYR (http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/members/robyn-syr.html)

http://www.varanus.us/husbandry/tempgun.jpg

[Starbuck]

i got my temp gun at a hardware/mechanics shop. It can read temps over 1500 F, and was less than 27$.

[BagnaraSnakes16]

Thanks for the help everyone !

[formica]

Just wanted to add, that just because a brand name includes Pet or Herp or Reptile in the name, doesnt mean it isnt a cheap chinese machine. Also should point out that just because a temp gun is expensive, doesnt mean it isnt a cheap chinese machine.

The only real diffrence, is calibration (and warranty due to better quality parts, sumtimes. bet ya most high end guns are still made in china either way), which you can do yourself, if you have a decent Alcohol or Mercury thermometer, and a jug of water, you can test the temp gun at diffrent temps and see how well it reads compared to the mercury.

I have 2 temp guns, one cost me £11.99 (<$20), unbranded generic device on ebay, I also have a Black & Decker gun (UK industry standard tool company), which cost more than 3 times as much (£39); both give the same readings, and both are as accurate as mercury within 0.2-0.5C.

both also (claim to) read temps from -50C to 500C; however neither seemed very accurate below -10C in my deep freeze, compared to alcohol thermometer; neither of them had any problems measuring 102C boiling water, or 180C oven temps


So I guess the question really, is how much can you afford to spend? Whatever device you choose - first calibrate with mercury or alcohol thermometers to make sure it does what it claims, regardless of the make; errors can always occour in manufacture and problems can happen after calibration if it is a higher end device - but at the end of the day, a 2C calibration issue isnt gona hurt your reptile