# Best way to measure kettle water temp?



## kikapu (Nov 18, 2012)

Currently have a standard elec kettle just wondering what the best way is to check the water temperate so I can try and get required temperatures? For different brew methods and different teas etc

I saw a thread where Glenn recommended a sticky thing for the outside of the kettle but the link didn't work.

I don't mind if its a temp probe that I can use every so often to gauge temp at given time after boiling as I have started to use same amount of water in the kettle each time so cooling time would be very similar each time!!?

At the moment I am doing nothing more than leaving the water for a minute, or 2 or 3 but would be interested to know what temp this equates to.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Something with low latency:

http://www.creamsupplies.co.uk/cotronic-pen-style-digital-probe-thermometer/prod_2764.html?category=

Ive got one of these and use it for everything


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Leaving the kettle for a minute or so is fine. Temp range for pour over is 90-94c so you've got quite a range. But if you really want to check, have a look at Thermapen on Ebay. They're £55 retail but £28 delivered from manufacturer via Ebay refurbished with 12 months warranty. They are certified accurate and fast reading. Also, what is not often mentioned in pour over method is not just the temp of kettle water but temp of the slurry. Heat dissipates very quickly and it's a good idea to keep the kettle water at boiling point as, when added to a cooling slurry, it brings the temp back into the above temp range.


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## kikapu (Nov 18, 2012)

The Systemic Kid said:


> Leaving the kettle for a minute or so is fine. Temp range for pour over is 90-94c so you've got quite a range. But if you really want to check, have a look at Thermapen on Ebay. They're £55 retail but £28 delivered from manufacturer via Ebay refurbished with 12 months warranty. They are certified accurate and fast reading. Also, what is not often mentioned in pour over method is not just the temp of kettle water but temp of the slurry. Heat dissipates very quickly and it's a good idea to keep the kettle water at boiling point as, when added to a cooling slurry, it brings the temp back into the above temp range.


Keep at boiling point I guess but not re-boil?? as thought there was an issue with re-boiling water?


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Not as much as slurry temp being too low. With Chemex, it's really difficult to keep the temp above the high 80's even with heating the kettle during brewing.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

garydyke1 said:


> Something with low latency:
> 
> http://www.creamsupplies.co.uk/cotronic-pen-style-digital-probe-thermometer/prod_2764.html?category=
> 
> Ive got one of these and use it for everything


Are they pretty quick? Any probes I've had in the past have been really slow in the last few degrees.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Fast enough for all my beer and coffee exploits . Mine are 2 years old and on the same battery . Can't say if cream supplies carry exactly the same model as mine, it switches between Celsius and Fahrenheit too


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Tempted by one of those thermapens, up to temp in 4 secs is pretty impressive. Roasting meat a couple of degrees either way is pretty vital (and i roast a lot of meat)


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## Dr Steve (Nov 25, 2013)

I have a bosch kettle that by default goes to 100 degrees, but you can also tell it to stop at 90 or 80. I've never measured the actual temperature of the finished water to see if the programming is accurate though. Setting 90 does reduce the time taken considerably though and the sound of the water never quite gets to the frantic noise that boiling makes


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

jeebsy said:


> Tempted by one of those thermapens, up to temp in 4 secs is pretty impressive. Roasting meat a couple of degrees either way is pretty vital (and i roast a lot of meat)


Doesn't take four secs to read - it's very sensitive and quick to respond to change in temp which makes it ideal for fine water temp control.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Its on my list of things to buy - already sold on it. My current one takes bloody ages - will get to within a few degrees quite quickly but then creep up for ages. Hard to judge where it'll finish.


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## kikapu (Nov 18, 2012)

jeebsy said:


> Its on my list of things to buy - already sold on it. My current one takes bloody ages - will get to within a few degrees quite quickly but then creep up for ages. Hard to judge where it'll finish.


Yeah might have to add to my list too!! I hope your list isn't as big as mine!!









The more stuff I buy the more my list of things I want to buy grows!


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Timer

White motta jug

Scales

Thermapen

Flat


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## kikapu (Nov 18, 2012)

jeebsy said:


> Timer
> 
> White motta jug
> 
> ...


ooooh that's a small list!!


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

The flat is a bit of a Trojan horse tbh


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## Dr Steve (Nov 25, 2013)

So you plan to hide in the flat, creep out at night under cover of darkness and take over the city?


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Haha, in terms of the list. Flat means curtains etc. Pandora's box may have been more apt.


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

jeebsy said:


> Timer
> 
> White motta jug
> 
> ...


Don't forget Cream Supplies is way cheaper than BB on the Motta jugs. I have most of the espresso related gadgets I want but a Torr Goldfinger in Titanium and a Titanium trap/convex base as well. Then there is the wormhole of a journey into brewed coffee I'm thinking about, highly tempted by one of those syphons from Amazon as it's my birthday soon , may have to send my brother the link for one.

Martin how well does the meths burner work instead of the gas one and what gas one did you get?


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

The best way is with a Fluke and probe. But for something a lot less try the Temperature Sensitive Sticker from Espresso Products


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Charliej said:


> how well does the meths burner work instead of the gas one and what gas one did you get?


Not recommended. Cream Supplies sell the Hotery butane burner that fits perfectly under the Hario siphon stand. Costs £18.00 plus postage. The pan ring in the picture on the Hotery can be removed. Gives perfect temp control.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Here's a clip of my Thermapen in action during this morning's Chemex brew which shows how quick and stable it is at taking a measurement. Bear in mind I am adding extra hot water every few steps so the temp will vary from the top to the bottom of the slurry.


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## c_squared (Jun 26, 2013)

Can definitely vouch for the already suggested thermapen. I picked one up on eBay for about £18 but as very lucky in the auction. I use it for baking, cooking and brewing coffee and have always been impressed with its quick performance. Nice tip on measuring the temp of the 'slurry' Patrick. I'll have to give that a go and try and keep the temperature up when I brew with my chemex. Just out of interest, what coffee is it you are brewing in the video?


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

c_squared said:


> Just out of interest, what coffee is it you are brewing in the video?


Nicaraguan Finca Limoncillo Washed Red Pacamara. Wonderful clean lemon pith taste on the tongue but not acidic. Playing around with sieving out the fines from the dose to ramp up the brew's flavour clarity. Works really well with beans that have fruit notes such as this Nicaraguan.


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## c_squared (Jun 26, 2013)

Mmm, sounds lovely!


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

The cream supplies one is as quick to respond.


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