Inkbird ITH20-R + 1 monitor review, with pics

[GerritT]

The weather is been going from 0ºC to 40ºC and back again over the course of a few weeks and it annoyed me that I had no further details than "it's so hot" or "it's so cold". Yes we do have a thermometer in the house but no more accurate than "hot" or "cold". And since I homebrew I thought it about time to get a proper thermometer. Now, Inkbird being a name in brewing circles, had a thermometer in their assortment and as a belated Fathers Day gift I decided I'd get one.
Within a week I held a package in my hand. It looked simple enough: home station, a satellite, and a probe. And a screw driver. And a small manual. I already bought some proper batteries (AAA) because included batteries most of the time are quite bad, and I wanted the device to be reliable, so no free wonky batteries.
Open home station (no screws), insert 2 batteries, close again: it worked. Then the satellite: 4 screws. Open, insert batteries, close. I already had the probe inserted and it worked right out of the box. I did read the manual and I must say, one really has to put an effort in to get it wrong. It's quite foolproof (and I've known some fools!).
I tested it in the shed for a few days and nights: the satellite at eye height, the hanging probe close to the floor (temperature differences are quite high for just that small distance by the way!), and the home station refreshed every few seconds with the latest readings. May I say that the display is easily readable from 5 meters distance? Under normal lighting circumstances of course. Hydrometer reading is a bit smaller in size, so I'd say 4 meters for humidity.
Second test: see the second photo. Just brewed a bitter, and instead of waiting/guessing when the temperature would be low enough to pitch (around 17 or 18º), the (sanitised) probe hangs in the centre of the wort, telling me that it might take another few hours (perhaps a night) to get the temperature (now 32ºC) to drop. I'm pretty chuffed!
In conclusion:
the device just WORKS!
feels reliable (no seems, or flimsy buttons)
splashproof, not that brewers are known for splashing...
no annoying beeps or buzzers, no "app" to check readings, just a bloody good display

10 out of 10: would buy again!

It just crossed my mind: if I buy 2 more satellites and probes, I could check on 3 brews at the same time! What a time to be alive!

 

[Drunkula]

Wow. I didn't think I needed one of these but I think I might. I've dropped every damned thermometer I've had in the wort and killed outright 3 of them**. Even ones with a metre long wire have accidentally fallen in.

How long would you say it takes between readings? My current two are 7.5 seconds and that doesn't sound like much but it's an eternity when you're trying to stabilise a pot of wort.

Nice review.


** Yes, I did clean up the LCDs and zebra strips and get them working again but after a while the LCDs don't fall for it anymore.

 

[GerritT]

Wow. I didn't think I needed one of these but I think I might. I've dropped every damned thermometer I've had in the wort and killed outright 3 of them**. Even ones with a metre long wire have accidentally fallen in.

How long would you say it takes between readings? My current two are 7.5 seconds and that doesn't sound like much but it's an eternity when you're trying to stabilise a pot of wort.

Nice review.


** Yes, I did clean up the LCDs and zebra strips and get them working again but after a while the LCDs don't fall for it anymore.

Every 5 seconds. The lower half of the display manages the readings (temp and hydro) of the home station itself, the upper half switches between satellite readings (temp and hydro) and the probe, every 2.5 seconds.
They advise to wrap a small silicon tube around the connection between wire and metal probe, but it should not be necessary. But I must say, for this price it's difficult to find something faster. Even their ITC308 isn't much faster. I guess a bigger problem is the temperature difference between parts in the wort, the hotspots for instance.
For 25 bob it's a bargain.I wish I knew this beforehand, now I realise I might have pitched at even higher temperatures than I thought.

 

[GerritT]

Addendum: the ITC308 might be something for you, it's built STURDY. And quite difficult to drop into the wort.

 

[terrym]

Every 5 seconds. The lower half of the display manages the readings (temp and hydro) of the home station itself, the upper half switches between satellite readings (temp and hydro) and the probe, every 2.5 seconds.

The refresh is fast no question. But it only refreshes to what it 'sees'. I found the two units were quite laggy for both humidity and temperature changes although to be fair I didn't measure how quick the temperature probe responded. Perhaps I ought to do that.

 

[Inkbird]

Thanks for you review

 

[terrym]

The refresh is fast no question. But it only refreshes to what it 'sees'. I found the two units were quite laggy for both humidity and temperature changes although to be fair I didn't measure how quick the temperature probe responded. Perhaps I ought to do that.

OK.
Did two temperature tests:- 1) Sensor/transmitter placed in fridge with probe fitted and 2) probe immersed in hot water
Test 1
1. Start conditions. Monitor/Receiver and Sensor/Transmitter all in the same place and given time to stabilise. Probe/External 22.1*C ; Sensor 21.4*C (and Monitor 22.4*C). Sensor with probe then moved to fridge in same place and timing started.
2. Probe took about 20/25 minutes to cool down to fridge temperature of about 5*C at which time sensor was still about 10*C
3. Sensor more or less bottomed out after 50 minutes.
4. At 60 minutes probe 5.9*C sensor 7.3*C at which point test stopped. Cheapo liquid in glass type greenhouse themometer reading about 6.5*C
Test 2
Probe dunked in a bowl of hot water.
Took about 1 minute to reach 70.9*C from 23*C. My cheapo digital thermometer read 71.3*C.
Aside I did notice that when removed from the fridge the two OUT readings rose much quicker than when they were on the cooling run with the probe leading the increase.
Draw your own conclusions.