Here are the infrared thermometers that I tested. More details in the video description. I always look forward to reading comments and video ideas! Best regards, Todd Fluke: amzn.to/4f2OvBL VEVOR: amzn.to/4f1QRkn NJTY T600: amzn.to/3Y7C5l8 SOVARCATE: amzn.to/4029K2g AOPUTTRIVER: amzn.to/402DlJ3 Milwaukee: amzn.to/4h5uYCM Klein tools IR10: amzn.to/3U9O14N Mestek: amzn.to/48adq47 KIZEN: amzn.to/3NmDWOn FKM: amzn.to/3Y5O3M9 Klein Tools IR5: amzn.to/3NnCHOM Surpeer: amzn.to/3zMj3sN ThermoPro: amzn.to/403TvBZ Soonkoda: amzn.to/3Y3kVW2 Videography Equipment: Canon EOS R6 Mark II: amzn.to/4aErF18 Canon 70D Camera: amzn.to/31b5Gy0 Azden Microphone: amzn.to/34d3DLE Go Pro Bundle: amzn.to/3Ca0ZVN
I forget the brand I have. A small red one I've had for almost 13 years. Very VERY handy when working in a foundry and you need to know if something is dangerous to touch or kneel on 🤣
Interesting. I never knew about emissivity. My cheap one doesn't have such settings. It's just point and shoot. Still watching but something that would be interesting is battery life. I use mine daily on steam systems and the single 9v battery lasts years. Some of the fancier Flukes we have at work seem to kill batteries pretty quick.
Thank you for your great tests. When I was working almost half of the time I used these scanning for hot spots and thermal leaks looking on MAX and MIN temps. I think it is also an important property to have been made in a way that also older people can see also those numbers.
I don’t need an infrared thermometer and i don’t think i ever will, but i still watched the whole video and gave it a thumbs up. That’s how good this channel is.
You would be surprised just how useful an infrared thermometer can be. Mine is even great forr entertaining the dog, because she loves chasing the red dot.
This has got to be one of the most valuable youtube channels for men. No marketing spiel, no superfluous subjectivity, just some quick and real info that is actually useful and beneficial. THANK-YOU for the time and effort you've put in and for your common sense no-nonsense methodology. I hope you're around for a long, long time.
That's amazing, wish more of our subscribers are as generous as you. I've also been doing monthly donation for almost a year now. Super useful channel, thanks Todd.
@@hhemi0 Appreciated. I can't go doing that for every channel I watch, or even very often. But when I see actual, concrete and consistent effort put into offering value to the viewer, it most definitely deserves something.
I literally watch this channel even though I don't need most of these categories of items and might not ever, but I love the information and always learn something new about manufaturers or brands or even just how things work... Love it.
@@ResumeStudios Right? You might watch without thinking you'll ever need some particular thing. But maybe some day you have a need for that thing, you're at the store, and you don't even remember HOW you know that one particular brand is crap while the other brand is decent, but you do know it, and it saves you a headache. And this channel covers so many things that every man can use at least a small chunk of the info at some point in the future. I've got two college age sons. Over the years I've taught them some basic car maintenance stuff, some building construction stuff, some home maintenance stuff, etc. And this is the kind of content all young men SHOULD watch just to make sure they're well rounded men. Maybe it's knowing when more or less teeth per inch on a saw blade is appropriate. Maybe it's knowing what kind of fluids are appropriate for a certain application. Maybe it's knowing which weed eater string is worth the money and which isn't. Whatever. You might not need it often, but when you do it can make the difference between you being a half competent newb versus just a complete bumbling idiot.
I really appreciate you trying as many brands as possible when you make these videos. I know it would be easier to test just a few well known brands, but you go the extra mile and I believe everyone here appreciates that.
We really do appreciate it, but being Canadian it would be nice to see the Canadian Tire brand Maximum as 90% of my tools are that. I am curious how it compares with the others and if they are worth buying. So far I have no complaints, maybe it is better not to know. :)
I just bought a pizza oven and when knew I needed a laser thermometer so I checked Project Farm last week and was bummed it had not yet been covered. Viola! Today I open RUclips and here it is! Project Farm is the best! Thanks for all the work you do!
As someone who used NBS-traceable IR thermometers widely in a laboratory environment, I am really impressed by the insight and intelligence of this review. It gives me new respect and confidence for other PF reviews where I am less knowledgeable about the underlying technology. As an aside, the price drop for these instruments has been amazing.
My friend was a tech at a natural gas company and they were usually first on board when new gadgets came out and they paid around $700 for one of these when they first came out.
The cheapness and availability of these often inconsistent tools makes me chuckle when I remember just a few years ago they were used to determine if someone would be let in a building or plane or not 😅
IR thermometers have a hard time with shiny, reflective surfaces and will often give skewed results from them. This can be compensated for by putting a layer of matte tape such as masking tape on the surface to provide a measuring spot. On the other hand, given the testing methodology was consistent across each device, it does remain a fair test in that each device was forced to operate in an equally adverse use-case. Excellent work as always sir. Thank you for helping all of us choose well on what to, and not to, spend our money on. Much appreciated.
Same with Thermal Cameras, half the training for those at work can be resumed as: "Reflective surfaces - including pooled water - are bad 'mmmmkay?" :)
Physicist here. The temperature probe has been calibrated whilst the tip is fully immersed in some medium (probably water). In your experiment, you are mainly measuring the air temperature very close to the concrete. Non-contact thermometers are a quite indirect method of estimating the surface temperature based on infra red emission and can never have a high accuracy because emissivity at the surface, at that particular point, is just a guess. There may well be tables giving average emissivity for a material but the values can be way off, even depending on roughness at the surface. In essence, you would have to create a perfect 'black body', which doesn't exist. A better way would be a copper pipe, painted as matt black as possible, filled with water and the probe inserted into the water. Also, take measurements at two points, maybe 0degC and 90degC. The probe will have been calibrated at multiple points. Hope this helps understand a difficult subject.
Having been a technician for an IR measurement company in the 90s, I can tell you that an accurate emissivity value is not too hard to guess, but an error multiplies the error of the sensor itself. The 1.5% is a joke. Accuracy of the displayed temperature is no where near as important as repeatability most of the time. These types of measurement units are notorious for going off repeatability and accuracy if they are out of a specified ambient temperature. So leaving it in a hot car is going to ruin any trust in its readings. The only thing worse I've come across are the micro-cartridge type IR sensors that output a simulated thermocouple output... They are horrible!
Also, these are attempting to measure surface temps. For those guys wanting to use these to measure air temps in ovens, that's a completely different thing.
The blackest black material to date is a type of carbon nanotube coating developed by MIT researchers in 2019. It absorbs an astonishing 99.995% of incoming light, surpassing Vantablack in darkness, so basically, it does exist.
I've needed to know this for a long time!!!, I'm Buying one Today now! lbvs. Not so long ago these Temp Guns we so expensive, but once they came down in price the new challenge was figuring out which ones actually work.
I remember when you first started this channel. Amazing how popular it is now. I'm sure I'm not the only one that references your channel when I'm headed out to buy some new tools, fasteners, glue, motor oil....etc. Thank you very much for all the effort & hard work put into all the reviews. Also thank you for not selling out & keeping your reviews honest, very much appreciated.
HVAC/R technician here. I use only Fluke testing and measuring tools. I have always found them to be better built and more accurate then other brands like Kline or fieldpiece. Nice to see what I felt was true, was measurable and correct. Thanks for the video. ^.^
I don't think the Fieldpiece laser thermometer is actually made by them unlike the joblink probes and meters are though. FP has fluke make tons of stuff for them to sell. Fluke used to make their meters years ago but I don't think they do any more after they started all the wireless stuff and changeable heads.
Yeah the Fluke is more accurate ONLY if you are measuring super cold temps in the negatives, which you aren't (I am also in HVAC). Sorry but the justification for spending literally 25 times more is not there. Now there might be an argument to be made for durability (if you drop it from time to time by accident), but at the end of the day, I can still buy 25 of the T600s for the same price and it's more accurate in the temperatures we commonly work at (35F to 85F).
@@Steven-gv1ke at the end of the day these things shouldn't be trusted to be "accurate" anyway since us HVAC/R guys are usually measuring pipe temps and pressures which requires more than these can give us consistently. I only use these to see if a register in the 24ft high foyer is working lol 😂
I just became a Patreon supporter of yours, and I encourage others who benefit from your videos to do it as well. You are a true benefit to RUclipsrs who have to wade through tons of video junk to find the real gem here! Thank you for all the hard work you go through to give us unbiased and useful information.
Just wanted to say, its insane that your production quality of your videos keeps going up. I just noticed the 4K video (watching you on a big screen) - the new camera equipment looks fantastic. Super sharp, clean, well lit, great balance of colors. Its definitely not a requirement of a channel like this to have this level of detail in the video; but its nice to have. And its noticed! Keep it up, glad to have your reviews!
Sometimes you get what you pay for but the small difference in performance between the best and a cheaper alternative makes the decision clear to pass on the top of the line model. Thanks for the time in the putting together the review!
One thing Todd usually doesn't test for is variation between units. (Not criticizing him - he already does far more than one man is normally capable of.) It's possible this particular T600 unit just by chance happened to hit the temperatures on the mark. While another T600 would consistently read 10% higher. And another 10% lower. A lot of times when you pay for an expensive model, you're paying for consistency (low variance) between units. Not just performance and accuracy. Unfortunately, testing for this type of variance requires a lot more time and money. Which I think Todd is better off spending testing other things. Maybe in the future when he's built this channel up into a big business and he has dozens of employees, he can start testing for variance.
My take was similar in that I can skip top of the line. I will likely get a brand name that has a middle price point hoping for better long term reliability or a better warranty.
@ProjectFarm - Please do it. I paid $49 for an IR thermometer to see where the heat loss was in the corner room in my house, because the thermal imagery was insanely expensive. Imager would give me a more meaningful image😛 speaking of insulation, maybe do a test of which additional attic insulation is better bang for buck. Fiberglass battery or blown,bor rockwool?
ThermoPro Tp450 for 40$ is the unit I use...And it reallly pissed off the Hvac tech when I used it to check my vent and it was as accurate as the thermometer he put in.Ty again for all the hard work,Farm for President 24
just remember that different materials and different surface finishes have different thermal emissivity values, so your infrared thermometer will say a piece of aluminum and steel are different temperatures when they are actually the same. To properly use one you need to set the correct thermal emissivity value on your infrared thermometer for the object you are measuring, or carry around something you can put in the air stream to measure off of that has a known emissivity value so you always get an accurate measurement. A lot of times the difficult part is finding out what the value you need to enter is. it would require a lookup chart or an actual surface thermometer to calibrate against.
@@alexdrockhound9497 It would but since I'm only using once in awhile for check ups ,the 1-2 degree difference doesn't affect me to much.But yes if I was using it in the field I would definitely have a calibration chart in truck.
This would actually be interesting for PF, especially if he tests actual Ultrasonic tooth brushes instead of the "Sonic" vibrating ones. Only 3 Ultrasonic tooth brushes are Emmi-Dent, Megasonex and Smilex. Ultrasonics do NOT use vibrating bristles to remove plaque at 50Khz, they use 1.6Mhz frequency which does not seem to feel as though it is moving, but causes plaque/calculus to simply dissolve. These make no sound, do not vibrate noticibly, and are benign enough that they are the gold standard in Cat/Dog dentals because they are beyond hearing range and the pet/human feels nothing. At $200 average, these are much more expensive than an Oral-B, etc, however they usually have a lifetime warranty and the benefit is less gum erosion as you get older and an almost Dentists office cleaning every time you use it, which means long term cleaner, healthier teeth and as white as possible aside from a professional whitening treatment. I'd rather pay upfront the one time $200 and get 10+ years of almost dentists visit cleaning every day vs $60-80 for the regular sonic with the general gum wear and tear and replacing that unit every 5 years anyway.
Electric toothbrushes are a gimmick my granma has had hers for 20+ years the kick of the motor is unmatched still holds charge and the ones of today don't rotate as much you gotta buy things pre planned obsolescence
Thank you Todd !! I just added the NJTY T600 infrared thermometer to my order list. I am sure it is a lot of work to make these videos but this isn't the first time I have used them to make a purchase. Thank you again !
Another great comparison Todd, I wish I was 25 instead of 75, I'd have the nicest collection of tools that could be imagined. At the best prices to boot! I must say that many of my old tools can't be matched by a lot of the new stuff. My granddads anvil is 120 years old. Thank you very much for your dedication and work, you have the best comparison channel anywhere to be found.
Many old tools were made better. I bought a 1/2" SK ratchet at Habitat Restore for $3. It was in pristine condition and it wasn't chrome plated. I discovered with a little research, that they did cadmium plating during the, "war years" .....so I've got a real gem.
These temperature guns are essential to my job as a dyno technician. When processing and testing engines that are built for customer orders, i run them for 60 seconds before a full break in period. During those 60 seconds, I am able to expect 250-400 degrees of heat to be sent into the exhaust manifolds. I measure the manifolds with the temperature sensor to judge roughly the potentially weakest or least efficient cylinders. This often leads to valve adjustments and other interesting observations. With this tool I'm able to yield a higher quality product for my customer. The tool I use at work is the Klein unit.
I use the Fluke 62 Max+ the fast response when going through the 8 headers is worth any money to me, but i also like to finish and how compact. Got mine for $130 in 2017 now $190 or $263 for the new 64 Max.
You don't always pay what you pay for, but penny wise, pound foolish so if/where it matters, splurge on a quality unit (that's reliable and won't break down nor become less accurate) and buy it for life. I am sure there are "pro" versions (read: expensive, sometimes prohibitly so) that ppl in scientific settings that use.
I purchased the NJTY 600 A 1/1/25 on your recommendation for $9.99 on Amazon. This model now does have emissivity adjustment. For the last two days I’ve been comparing it to my ETEKCITY 1022D With a 15:1 distance measure that I had purchased for $23 in June 2019. The readings on both of these units seem to be within a degree of each other. But for $13 less, it’s an amazing buy. Only complaint I have which you did not mention is the screen has to be tilted few degrees lower than horizontal level. Otherwise, if it’s held directly horizontal, the screen faded quite a bit making difficult to see.👈👀
Once again you have made an extremely useful video using the realworld extremes that people are curious about. You do an amazing job quantifying the things we know we want to see, but you spend the time to record them. Amazing video
For those cheap no name brands, you really cannot trust the specifications listed by the manufacturer. You truly perform a great service for the community with your testing, and I hope to continue watching you for years to come!
As a certified water damage tech, I'm used to seeing a lot of these same brands in the area of thermal cameras and moisture meters. Sometimes the winner is the mid-tier no name brand from china that uses high end components, as I found with thermal cameras. Some of the worst performers and value are in the big name 'trustworthy' brands, that in reality have cheap, out of date components and sensors.
yep, there are chinese companies that still want to offer a good tool at a fair price and build their brand into something durable but it's as hard for them to emerge from the subpar tofudreg of the others than it is for us to find them... 😅
what would you recommend for a thermal camera? have been wanting one lately but for a splurge purchase its too much to go pro grade but also idk any of the brands
@@CubeRhinoDev My Goyojo has been good, but the trick is to find one with 192x192 IR resolution or better, that will let you know a nicer sensor is in it. It beat the pants of the FLIR branded units I used to use.
My husband and I have made your videos apart of our Sunday ritual. My favorite videos are household items while my husband is all tools. I would love to see a video on Dishwasher Detergent / Pods or even dishwasher cleaning products. Thanks for what you do!
@ProjectFarm absolutely it's not that I've been waiting on you I've just been shopping for 1 for a while and now for $9 you made the decision much easier 👍
This could not have come at a better time. We just got a flat-top griddle and I just told me wife about an hour ago that I now needed to go buy an infrared thermometer. Thanks for doing this as always!!
Do I need one? No. Did I just buy a T600 because of this review? Absolutely! The value is irresistible, not unlike the $10 pressure gauge I also just bought a few weeks ago, LOL. Thank you so much for the honest appraisal and testing. When the need for a remote temp gauge arises, I will now be ready :-)
Hi Todd! Love your videos and was super hyped to see this one is in my area of expertise. One thing that you will generally find with cheaper IR and radio freq devices is that their accuracy wanes when the device itself is cold or too hot. That Fluke probably has resistors that cost over 100x the standard cheap resistors found in the cheapest brands and the reason is consistency through temperature fluxuations.
@@ProjectFarm it would be amazing if maybe you can stick them in the freezer at a reasonable temp, like outside in the winter, and test for accuracy and pin an update in the comments
My Casio watch model TSR-100 was built in November 1990. Measures just the same way! Just changed its battery and it still works like a charm. Even has 3 emissitivity settings.
My workplace uses Fluke because of the certificates they offer for their measurements, but given that I'm in the computer systems and validations department, I may suggest a couple other of the brands in this video. Once again, Project Farm not only provides honest reviews and testing, but the channel gives ideas to other industries, too.
With respect to shiny surfaces, my owners manual says this: "Inaccurate readings will result from measuring shiny or polished metal surfaces. To compensate, cover part of the surface to be measured with masking tape. Measure the taped surface once it reaches the same temperature as the original surface." Performance Tool model W89721 Infrared Thermometer. Even an inexpensive one can be a handy tool to have around the shop. I always appreciate your videos!
Thermal cameras would be my expensive idea. Stand alone handhelds or ones for iOS/android. I’m in the market for iOS version. Thank you for your videos I watch every one even if I don’t use what you’re testing,still enjoy watching. Thank you sir for what you do.
Of course there is the question of consistency and long term stability which are not tested. You'd have to buy a bunch of the same product trying to get as many different lots as possible then test them over a long term. One reason expensive things can be expensive is because you're suppose to get the same product every time.
Disappointed not seeing thermoworks in this comparison as they’re known for their accuracy. If possible could you add them in the future? Great stuff as always! This is by far my favorite channel on any platform, really appreciate what you do.
BEST channel on YT. Always my First stop for knowledge, often my Only stop … because You provide incredible ‘data’. I scrolled through the vids list, and unless I missed it, you haven’t done a vid comparing Water Repellant fabric products. There are quite a few (e.g. 3M ScotchGuard). This would be yet Another INVALUABLE vid imo. (Seasonal) Timing is Great, too ! Lastly, I don’t think that you need to/should provide vids on “how much you make on YT”. You provide a Tremendous resource, which doesn’t need to be Free; and … IT IS NO ONE’S BUSINESS ! Thanks for Everything Todd !
This came at the best time. I had been looking to get one of these recently after seeing them used on Pikes Peak to check people's brakes. As predicted, the cold weather and my sharp elbow cracked the leather in our truck. Would love to see one of your reviews on leather repair kits. They help tremendously when making a purchase. Thank you for all the time you put into them. ✌️
@speedfreak8200 He said was checking their breaks, not brakes. So either he was looking for signs of infection around broken bones or he was seeing if they were slipping a little booze into their mid-morning coffee 😂
100% I have no real need for one of these. I watch for the information in case I ever do need one, as well as the lengths this man will go to provide an unbiased, 'scientific' approach. Please protect this type of content forever! Thanks to you PF for all you do for us mere mortals :)
When he gave the temperature range for the first thermometer as -58 degrees to 900 degrees, I was actually worried he was going to follow that up with _"-and we're going to test that!"_
Your hard work that goes into these tests do not go unnoticed, every time i see a conversation about what tools are good the keyword Project Farm comes up. Keep up the great work!
I think a video testing out different solar panels would be a great thing. Either the small ones that you can get for a phone charger, or the larger ones that are made for charging things like the Jackery power stations.
Oh has the mighty Milwaukee changed. I purchased a Milwaukee 2277-20 IR thermometer (12 years ago) that also measures relative humidity, 40:1 spot ratio, and the ability to plug a type K thermal couple input and powered by a M-12 battery. Traceable to the National Bureau of Standards. Milwaukee charged a premium for this model. In the 12 years I've owned this gun, it's easily passed the ASTM/NBS test requirements with no adjustments required. You might find that the accuracy range isn't a single percentage but changes logarithmic per group of temperature ranges. Just about any of these IR/laser temperature guns are great for anyone that pulls a trailer when used to measure tire and wheel bearing temperatures. You don't require an exact temperatures, but are comparing tires/bearings on the same vehicle.
Gunga - Yep. My 1995 car seemed to have dragging brakes, and my finger test told me NG, but it took the numbers from an IR thermometer for me to pull out the wrenches 😛
Damn, I was just looking for one, perfect timing! Also, would it be possible to do a video on thermal imagers in the future? Thanks in advance and always appreciate the content!
I love playing with these things. Not sure what I would even use one for, but thank you! Edit: thanks for all the suggested uses. My scope was too limited before this video :)
I take one wilderness camping for inside homemade trailer temperature readings to know where my weaknesses are in insulation and then to know how cold it is outside in the morning.
I use them to test the temp on my rotors if I ever think one is sticking. I also use it to check temps on muffler so I know what temp paint to use on what area.
Great video. There are so many factors that cannot be tested without a large expense and you saved all of us a lot of money and research time. Thank you!
If ranked, i suggest AA gets first place, AAA gets second place, and 9v battery gets third place. Most places/people have AA and AAA batteries on hand but may need a special trip to the store for 9v batteries.
@@jasonproebstel1879 I've made the same observations for smoke detectors. I'm far more likely to have some AAs at 3 am. I've also got plenty of devices that could donate a set. This is also a notion amongst peppers. Standardizing on one or two sizes will simplify your planning.
@@jasonproebstel1879 no way. 9V should get first place. Something you're not seeing here is lifespan. 9v batteries last YEARS AND YEARS in these guns, even with daily use. AAA and even AA don't get you more than a few months at most. And if you're not using the gun, 9V is far more stable for in-device storage. They won't leak like AA left in devices for a long time.
@@ObservationofLimits Electronic devices like these will all run at 5V or maybe even 3.3V. This requires some kind of regulator, often a linear regulator in cheaper, low-current devices. For devices that use 2-3 AA/AAA batteries (3-4.5V nominal) it will almost certainly use a much more efficient switched mode boost regulator. Even if the 9V uses a buck regulator, the larger the difference in voltage, the less efficient it is. A single 9V battery has roughly 19kJ of energy. A single AA has roughly 15kJ, and since these all use 2 AA, the combined energy is roughly 30kJ. 9V batteries do leak for all the same reasons that AA cells leak. A 9V battery simply consists of 6 LR1 cells, also known as AAAA batteries. Just like your standard AA battery, the actual cell itself is further wrapped in a thin aluminum jacket. The actual cells within use exactly the same chemistry and build, just a different size and therefore capacity. 9V batteries can have a self-discharge rate of 20-50% per year. An alkaline AA is typically around 20-30% per year. However, a nickel metal hydride (NiMH) rechargeable has a much higher self-discharge rate of 70-90% per year. If you really want long life, get something with a rechargeable li-ion battery. They have higher energy density than alkaline cells and their self-discharge rate is only 1-2% per year.
Emissivity is essential to consider when looking at IR thermometers. Black body radiation is where these are supposed to be calibrated, and the adjustable emissivity on some of these units is the clue. You should be setting these for each different surface.
He tried and found that it didn't make much of a difference to the value and seemed to universally make the measurements less accurate. He also found that the default of 0.95 worked surprisingly well even across things that should have far lower emissivity like shiny steel and even polished chrome! I have no idea how that worked out that way, but he shows his measurements and the results are significant and consistent.
@@reverse_engineered I think his videos are generally very well done, but in this case a lot more demonstration of how IR temp readings work, how different surfaces vary in emissivity, and how that affects measurements would go a LONG way in making this content more accurate and useful.
@@superspeeder Agreed. I would've liked to have seen a test for distance to spot ratio as well. Being able to identify a hot spot (or not have one foul a measurement at distance) is more important for my usage than being off a few degrees more (possibly only in one specific test). All in all, however, I appreciate the testing we did get, and it bolsters buying a cheap one for home gamers!
@@MegaNardman 100%! I just think the DIY crowd benefits greatly when they’re explained in a bit more detail so they understand the shortcomings of certain tech. I’m an avid DIYer myself and I certainly appreciate all of his content! This channel is an excellent example of how useful the internet can be.
@@superspeederhe’s a generalist and a very good one. You can’t expect him to have the knowledge of a specific tradesmen that’s been doing it for thirty years buddy
I searched ‘project farm temperature gun’ recently. So glad you posted this. I use them for work but want a new one for my kitchen. Thanks for uploading this.
I've long wanted to buy an IR Thermometer but i never felt it was worth more than 50$, after watching this whole video, i simply sought out the nearest and cheapest T600 and pulled the trigger, can't wait to get it! Thank you for your incredibly reliable and unbiased science-based reviews, you're a pillar of knowledge to the world!
As usual a comprehensive review. I would like to see a comparison of thermal imaging cameras both independent handheld and ones that use a smart phone.
You should test if the distance to spot area is accurate, by placing a round hot object on something cold. The aim in the center of the hot object. If the Laser is off or the distance to spot area is wrongly advertised, you should see the cold object behind the hot object to affect the measurements.
Ive been watching you for years and have bought countless items based off your test! Ive never recommended any ideas for test, but I think testing pruning shears for branches and such would be a good one. Tons of cheap and expensive brands out there.
I was just thinking about asking for that yesterday holy crap! I put K&N in my truck I hope it does well! (Edit) I didn't use the octane booster though, just the fuel additive.
almost any 'additive' you put in your fuel, oil or water are not as good as just the regular oem stuff. If your car requires higher octane, you pay for the higher octane fuel. Edit: except 'heet' grew up in North Dakota. That was a staple lol!
note: InfraRed thermometers measure on InfraRed EMISSIONS, which are VASTLY DIFFERENT between different materials, that's why you usually get paper tape or something similar to act as the "thermal probe" and measure the temperature of the tape which has a known infrared emission.
Seems to be what I recall, the emissivity varies between materials. Such as wood, plastic, metals, etc. In this test the adjustable range doesn't help much as they were all metals.
@@CraigGrunenfelder it depends on the color of the surface. A piece of aluminum with black paint will have the same emissivity than a black piece of plastic or black wood or whatever black
@@miguelm203 Specifically it depends on the material of the surface itself. The aluminum is irrelevant if you have a layer of black paint on top - you are just measuring the paint. Anything radiated internally is absorbed internally.
I provide tire repair services at the client's location 24/7 here in Brazil. Many tools I bought after considering your reviews. I just get frustrated when Milwaukee wins the tests because what costs you guys below $ 1k over there in the US, for us here costs sometimes 10k in our currency. Nevertheless, your reviews help me so much when I take the threshold of the tools in consideration that I just adapt to my reality. And yesterday a fellow Brazilian, owner of a Dodge truck called me. It was a coincidence that he worked for an American company and when he saw me removing his tire with a lug wrench, suddenly this guy offers me a Milwaukee 😯. First I refused cause I didn't feel confident with something I never tried. At the end, though, decided to try. That thing is a beast 😂♥️. Gonna work hard in order to give some of these babies from time to time
I remember while working at SCE in Long Beach California in 1992, the company bought the only infrared Temp Gun made at the time.. a Raytek, it cost about $2700... We used it to find steam leaks and hot bearings on equipment around the power plant ..
👍 for bearings. I've also used ultrasonic probes and I've found that IR guns are just better. Especially if you can see one side of a shaft is 50° hotter than the other. Most ultrasonic probes don't have an actual scale. The other problem with ultrasonic is background noise, electrical noise, bearing construction (people not knowing certain bearings may be ceramic balled dry-bearings because of contamination requirements).
@@ObservationofLimits agreed... We also had a Stop Motion strobe light used to inspect motor/turbine couplings on rotating equipment that cannot be s/d..
Would be interested in a comparison of microfiber towels. I use them every day for almost everything and just use whatever's cheapest, but would be curious to find out if there's differences in value and performance worth discovering.
His testing showed that it didn't matter - the sensors all worked well across a variety of emissivity. Also, I don't think it's reasonable to limit the testing to having a piece of tape on the surface. The whole point of an IR thermometer is that it is contactless and works across a wide range of temperatures. If you have to put tape on the surface you are measuring you might as well be using a contact thermometer. Useful tests include testing real-world use cases like the ones he performed.
Thank you for the great quality content. I always check here first before buying tools. I live in South East Asia, and your channel is my 'go-to' for dependable reviews for China made products. FYI, the T600 by NJTY has a T600A version which has adjustable emissivity. The T600 is priced at USD$ 3.32 and the T600A at USD$4.84 through online purchase. Ordered one as soon as I watched your review.
My favorite channel by far. As a NG compressor mechanic of over 20 years we have always used “Raytek”. But as I’ve learned from you, price doesn’t alway equal best. Maybe next time include them so this ONE humble follower knows my money isn’t being wasted.
Thank you soo much for making these videos. I love watching them and learning from you hard work. I bought a new infared thermometer today, the T600, thanks to you.
I am so thankful for the insights that you share on so many tools. The fact that these are stored on your channel for future reference is really beneficial. I am surely not the only person when facing a purchase checks here first to see if you have tested whatever it is I plan to buy. Keep up the good work!
I belong to a few different tool channels on FB. Your channel gets several shoutouts in the comments when someone is going to make a bad purchase. Another great video!
Thanks Todd once again you've helped me make the right purchase. I've been planning on buying another one and thanks to you I got exactly the one I needed at a great price. I went with the nuty t600.
Last night I saw this and thought this couldn't have came at a better time! My old Cen-tech(hf) was showing the same temp no matter what. I had a low use back up from an unknown brand that a race sponsor had bought new to give me. Both have a lot of age on them. I fell asleep last night watching (not your fault, I was exhausted and had taken migraine meds). But today my sons boss told him to bring me one someone had abandoned at their shop. Its that fluke! I got lucky!
Im a blacksmith whos been watching your videos for years. Long time fan, really appreciate the work you put into testing things. I would live to have seen a 1000+ test though. Im forced to use thermocouples and blackbody radiation emissions to guage my temps. I wonder if any of these could do a good job too. Anyway, thanks again amigo! Love to watch the videos every time one dropa.
Thank you so much, I literally was looking for this review in your lineup last week when I was shopping and didn't find one. I put off the buy. T600 is now on it's way to me. You are the best sir!!
Great job! Thank you for not dropping these on the floor to "durability test" these..... First thing on a Monday, I'm not ready to see the sweet Fluke get destroyed.....
This is huge! I thought a tool like this would be out of reach due to price, but 9$!!!! Wow! I plan on using this to find colder areas for insulation/sealing for winter. Thank you!!!
I am about to make a project where i try different materials and proportions to make insulating bricks for a stone hoven, so glad you made this. Thanks.
Thanks for another awesome review! I have not enjoyed product reviews so much since reading Consumer Reports in the 1970s. At that time the publication was characterized by straightforward, concise testing much as you do today.
My Fluke 62 MAX only cost $117 in April 2017. I liked it so much I bought one for each of my 14 maintenance crews. Every single one still works and is still dead nuts accurate 6 years later.
I never thought a name brand IR thermometer would be inaccurate! I have an older Klein IR1, which has a nice feel and it's very quick to measure the temperature. I always thought it was accurate, but now I'm concerned. When I have some free time, I'll compare it to a known good thermometer to see how accurate it is. Great video! Something I never thought of, but after seeing the test results, I now know these units aren't the most accurate. Another test idea for you. Plunge routers. The smoothness of the plunge action, the vibration at the handles, the ease of controlling the router, speed control and quality construction. And also the claims of horsepower! I appreciate all the hard work you do!
Here are the infrared thermometers that I tested. More details in the video description. I always look forward to reading comments and video ideas! Best regards, Todd
Fluke: amzn.to/4f2OvBL
VEVOR: amzn.to/4f1QRkn
NJTY T600: amzn.to/3Y7C5l8
SOVARCATE: amzn.to/4029K2g
AOPUTTRIVER: amzn.to/402DlJ3
Milwaukee: amzn.to/4h5uYCM
Klein tools IR10: amzn.to/3U9O14N
Mestek: amzn.to/48adq47
KIZEN: amzn.to/3NmDWOn
FKM: amzn.to/3Y5O3M9
Klein Tools IR5: amzn.to/3NnCHOM
Surpeer: amzn.to/3zMj3sN
ThermoPro: amzn.to/403TvBZ
Soonkoda: amzn.to/3Y3kVW2
Videography Equipment:
Canon EOS R6 Mark II: amzn.to/4aErF18
Canon 70D Camera: amzn.to/31b5Gy0
Azden Microphone: amzn.to/34d3DLE
Go Pro Bundle: amzn.to/3Ca0ZVN
I have NJTY T600 and he have adjustable emissivity. You must just longpress C/F button :D
I forget the brand I have. A small red one I've had for almost 13 years. Very VERY handy when working in a foundry and you need to know if something is dangerous to touch or kneel on 🤣
Interesting. I never knew about emissivity. My cheap one doesn't have such settings. It's just point and shoot.
Still watching but something that would be interesting is battery life. I use mine daily on steam systems and the single 9v battery lasts years.
Some of the fancier Flukes we have at work seem to kill batteries pretty quick.
Brother Todd, I'm only partway in. Are we going to see drop testing?
See how brittle the guns are, corner protection, internals retention?
Thank you for your great tests. When I was working almost half of the time I used these scanning for hot spots and thermal leaks looking on MAX and MIN temps. I think it is also an important property to have been made in a way that also older people can see also those numbers.
I don’t need an infrared thermometer and i don’t think i ever will, but i still watched the whole video and gave it a thumbs up. That’s how good this channel is.
Thanks so much!
@@ProjectFarm you’re welcome. Your hard work is appreciated
You would be surprised just how useful an infrared thermometer can be.
Mine is even great forr entertaining the dog, because she loves chasing the red dot.
Dude, if you cook steaks, you can get the doneness precisely according to your taste with the $9 thermometer. Why do without?
@@lucdrouin4653 Spend a few more dollars and get a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the steak/roast you're cooking.
This has got to be one of the most valuable youtube channels for men. No marketing spiel, no superfluous subjectivity, just some quick and real info that is actually useful and beneficial. THANK-YOU for the time and effort you've put in and for your common sense no-nonsense methodology. I hope you're around for a long, long time.
..." most valuable RUclips channel for men"? @xtnuser5338, are you 'JDVance'?! 🤣
That's amazing, wish more of our subscribers are as generous as you. I've also been doing monthly donation for almost a year now. Super useful channel, thanks Todd.
@@hhemi0 Appreciated. I can't go doing that for every channel I watch, or even very often. But when I see actual, concrete and consistent effort put into offering value to the viewer, it most definitely deserves something.
I literally watch this channel even though I don't need most of these categories of items and might not ever, but I love the information and always learn something new about manufaturers or brands or even just how things work... Love it.
@@ResumeStudios Right? You might watch without thinking you'll ever need some particular thing. But maybe some day you have a need for that thing, you're at the store, and you don't even remember HOW you know that one particular brand is crap while the other brand is decent, but you do know it, and it saves you a headache. And this channel covers so many things that every man can use at least a small chunk of the info at some point in the future. I've got two college age sons. Over the years I've taught them some basic car maintenance stuff, some building construction stuff, some home maintenance stuff, etc. And this is the kind of content all young men SHOULD watch just to make sure they're well rounded men. Maybe it's knowing when more or less teeth per inch on a saw blade is appropriate. Maybe it's knowing what kind of fluids are appropriate for a certain application. Maybe it's knowing which weed eater string is worth the money and which isn't. Whatever. You might not need it often, but when you do it can make the difference between you being a half competent newb versus just a complete bumbling idiot.
I really appreciate you trying as many brands as possible when you make these videos. I know it would be easier to test just a few well known brands, but you go the extra mile and I believe everyone here appreciates that.
Thanks!
We really do appreciate it, but being Canadian it would be nice to see the Canadian Tire brand Maximum as 90% of my tools are that. I am curious how it compares with the others and if they are worth buying. So far I have no complaints, maybe it is better not to know. :)
The discovery is in the lesser-known brands which often perform better than the brand-name (and expensive) ones.
Yes! We appreciate your effort.
To my surprise and slight disappointment no tools were destroyed in the making of this video.
I just bought a pizza oven and when knew I needed a laser thermometer so I checked Project Farm last week and was bummed it had not yet been covered. Viola! Today I open RUclips and here it is! Project Farm is the best! Thanks for all the work you do!
You are welcome! Thanks for sharing.
Same boat as me, I want one for my kitchen but didn’t have a Project Farm video to reference so I haven’t purchased one yet.
wish @projectfarm tested Thermoworks thermomether! they are highly rated by cooking channels
I literally just did the exact same thing and it's only 10 days old! What perfect timing. Wouldn't trust anyone else's recommendation more.
Keep in mind this is NOT what you want for a pizza oven. Or any oven. You need to measure air temp, not surface temp. Completely different things.
As someone who used NBS-traceable IR thermometers widely in a laboratory environment, I am really impressed by the insight and intelligence of this review. It gives me new respect and confidence for other PF reviews where I am less knowledgeable about the underlying technology. As an aside, the price drop for these instruments has been amazing.
Thanks!
My friend was a tech at a natural gas company and they were usually first on board when new gadgets came out and they paid around $700 for one of these when they first came out.
The cheapness and availability of these often inconsistent tools makes me chuckle when I remember just a few years ago they were used to determine if someone would be let in a building or plane or not 😅
@@pilotdog68 covid idiots were the scariest of all
Are the inaccuracies TOLLERABLE in a LAB??
I got my T600 ordered before the very real and inevitable PF bump! Thanks for the great video PF!
@@jameshisself7375 welcome
Same!
Ha, I just ordered a T600 as well with the same idea of beating the inevitable price increase after this video is widely viewed.
Still won't be at a T800... he'll be back 😎
GMTA! Got it for $8.99. Let's see how much it jumps in the next few days.💥👀
IR thermometers have a hard time with shiny, reflective surfaces and will often give skewed results from them. This can be compensated for by putting a layer of matte tape such as masking tape on the surface to provide a measuring spot. On the other hand, given the testing methodology was consistent across each device, it does remain a fair test in that each device was forced to operate in an equally adverse use-case.
Excellent work as always sir. Thank you for helping all of us choose well on what to, and not to, spend our money on. Much appreciated.
Thanks and you are welcome! Thanks for the feedbacl/
Same with Thermal Cameras, half the training for those at work can be resumed as: "Reflective surfaces - including pooled water - are bad 'mmmmkay?" :)
Nest trick! Will try that ty!
Physicist here. The temperature probe has been calibrated whilst the tip is fully immersed in some medium (probably water).
In your experiment, you are mainly measuring the air temperature very close to the concrete.
Non-contact thermometers are a quite indirect method of estimating the surface temperature based on infra red emission and can never have a high accuracy because emissivity at the surface, at that particular point, is just a guess.
There may well be tables giving average emissivity for a material but the values can be way off, even depending on roughness at the surface.
In essence, you would have to create a perfect 'black body', which doesn't exist.
A better way would be a copper pipe, painted as matt black as possible, filled with water and the probe inserted into the water. Also, take measurements at two points, maybe 0degC and 90degC. The probe will have been calibrated at multiple points. Hope this helps understand a difficult subject.
Also the 1.5 % precision are probably with respect to the absolute temperature in K.
Having been a technician for an IR measurement company in the 90s, I can tell you that an accurate emissivity value is not too hard to guess, but an error multiplies the error of the sensor itself. The 1.5% is a joke. Accuracy of the displayed temperature is no where near as important as repeatability most of the time. These types of measurement units are notorious for going off repeatability and accuracy if they are out of a specified ambient temperature. So leaving it in a hot car is going to ruin any trust in its readings. The only thing worse I've come across are the micro-cartridge type IR sensors that output a simulated thermocouple output... They are horrible!
Yes, IR inaccurate.
Also, these are attempting to measure surface temps. For those guys wanting to use these to measure air temps in ovens, that's a completely different thing.
The blackest black material to date is a type of carbon nanotube coating developed by MIT researchers in 2019. It absorbs an astonishing 99.995% of incoming light, surpassing Vantablack in darkness, so basically, it does exist.
I've needed to know this for a long time!!!, I'm Buying one Today now! lbvs. Not so long ago these Temp Guns we so expensive, but once they came down in price the new challenge was figuring out which ones actually work.
Thanks for sharing.
Always appreciated, thank you
Rosewell REGD-TN439L0
I've had my Ames cheapy for several years
I'd buy one of each of the top 3 if I needed the temperature reading to be accurate for my job.
I remember when you first started this channel. Amazing how popular it is now. I'm sure I'm not the only one that references your channel when I'm headed out to buy some new tools, fasteners, glue, motor oil....etc. Thank you very much for all the effort & hard work put into all the reviews. Also thank you for not selling out & keeping your reviews honest, very much appreciated.
Thanks and you are welcome!
HVAC/R technician here. I use only Fluke testing and measuring tools. I have always found them to be better built and more accurate then other brands like Kline or fieldpiece. Nice to see what I felt was true, was measurable and correct. Thanks for the video. ^.^
You are welcome!
I don't think the Fieldpiece laser thermometer is actually made by them unlike the joblink probes and meters are though. FP has fluke make tons of stuff for them to sell. Fluke used to make their meters years ago but I don't think they do any more after they started all the wireless stuff and changeable heads.
Yeah the Fluke is more accurate ONLY if you are measuring super cold temps in the negatives, which you aren't (I am also in HVAC). Sorry but the justification for spending literally 25 times more is not there. Now there might be an argument to be made for durability (if you drop it from time to time by accident), but at the end of the day, I can still buy 25 of the T600s for the same price and it's more accurate in the temperatures we commonly work at (35F to 85F).
@@Steven-gv1ke at the end of the day these things shouldn't be trusted to be "accurate" anyway since us HVAC/R guys are usually measuring pipe temps and pressures which requires more than these can give us consistently. I only use these to see if a register in the 24ft high foyer is working lol 😂
@@Steven-gv1ke what does it matter. You are not auto techs and carry every tool you need in a bag.
I just became a Patreon supporter of yours, and I encourage others who benefit from your videos to do it as well. You are a true benefit to RUclipsrs who have to wade through tons of video junk to find the real gem here! Thank you for all the hard work you go through to give us unbiased and useful information.
You are welcome! Thanks so much for your Patreon support.
Just wanted to say, its insane that your production quality of your videos keeps going up. I just noticed the 4K video (watching you on a big screen) - the new camera equipment looks fantastic. Super sharp, clean, well lit, great balance of colors. Its definitely not a requirement of a channel like this to have this level of detail in the video; but its nice to have. And its noticed! Keep it up, glad to have your reviews!
Thanks, will do!
Sometimes you get what you pay for but the small difference in performance between the best and a cheaper alternative makes the decision clear to pass on the top of the line model. Thanks for the time in the putting together the review!
You are welcome! Thanks for the feedback.
One thing Todd usually doesn't test for is variation between units. (Not criticizing him - he already does far more than one man is normally capable of.) It's possible this particular T600 unit just by chance happened to hit the temperatures on the mark. While another T600 would consistently read 10% higher. And another 10% lower. A lot of times when you pay for an expensive model, you're paying for consistency (low variance) between units. Not just performance and accuracy.
Unfortunately, testing for this type of variance requires a lot more time and money. Which I think Todd is better off spending testing other things. Maybe in the future when he's built this channel up into a big business and he has dozens of employees, he can start testing for variance.
My take was similar in that I can skip top of the line. I will likely get a brand name that has a middle price point hoping for better long term reliability or a better warranty.
@@solandri69I was thinking/wondering the exact same thing.
It would be awesome to see a thermal imager round up next!
Thanks for the suggestion.
@ProjectFarm - Please do it. I paid $49 for an IR thermometer to see where the heat loss was in the corner room in my house, because the thermal imagery was insanely expensive. Imager would give me a more meaningful image😛 speaking of insulation, maybe do a test of which additional attic insulation is better bang for buck. Fiberglass battery or blown,bor rockwool?
seconded
I think FLIR would probably steal the show.
@@Jul-66not true if compare cameras of the same price
Ty 😀
Thanks for supporting the channel! I really appreciate it!
I bought the T600 about a year ago just because it was so cheap. Great to see that it was tested thoroughly and did so well!
Thank you for the feedback!
So far only place I have used my T600 which I need to buy another is to measure Water temp for chicken plucking.. 140 f.
ThermoPro Tp450 for 40$ is the unit I use...And it reallly pissed off the Hvac tech when I used it to check my vent and it was as accurate as the thermometer he put in.Ty again for all the hard work,Farm for President 24
Thanks!
@@ProjectFarmDoes that mean you are running for president? "Does tax policy work? We're going to test that!"
just remember that different materials and different surface finishes have different thermal emissivity values, so your infrared thermometer will say a piece of aluminum and steel are different temperatures when they are actually the same. To properly use one you need to set the correct thermal emissivity value on your infrared thermometer for the object you are measuring, or carry around something you can put in the air stream to measure off of that has a known emissivity value so you always get an accurate measurement. A lot of times the difficult part is finding out what the value you need to enter is. it would require a lookup chart or an actual surface thermometer to calibrate against.
I love your movies.
@@alexdrockhound9497 It would but since I'm only using once in awhile for check ups ,the 1-2 degree difference doesn't affect me to much.But yes if I was using it in the field I would definitely have a calibration chart in truck.
Test Idea: Electric Toothbrushes - Oral B, Sonicare, Aquacare, cheap ones, etc. and the different models of each.
I love this idea. Been wondering whether those cheap AA-battery powered ones are useful at all.
The Guardian demands it.
This would actually be interesting for PF, especially if he tests actual Ultrasonic tooth brushes instead of the "Sonic" vibrating ones.
Only 3 Ultrasonic tooth brushes are Emmi-Dent, Megasonex and Smilex.
Ultrasonics do NOT use vibrating bristles to remove plaque at 50Khz, they use 1.6Mhz frequency which does not seem to feel as though it is moving, but causes plaque/calculus to simply dissolve. These make no sound, do not vibrate noticibly, and are benign enough that they are the gold standard in Cat/Dog dentals because they are beyond hearing range and the pet/human feels nothing.
At $200 average, these are much more expensive than an Oral-B, etc, however they usually have a lifetime warranty and the benefit is less gum erosion as you get older and an almost Dentists office cleaning every time you use it, which means long term cleaner, healthier teeth and as white as possible aside from a professional whitening treatment.
I'd rather pay upfront the one time $200 and get 10+ years of almost dentists visit cleaning every day vs $60-80 for the regular sonic with the general gum wear and tear and replacing that unit every 5 years anyway.
Electric toothbrushes are a gimmick my granma has had hers for 20+ years the kick of the motor is unmatched still holds charge and the ones of today don't rotate as much you gotta buy things pre planned obsolescence
Electric toothbrushes are a gimmick
Thank you Todd !! I just added the NJTY T600 infrared thermometer to my order list. I am sure it is a lot of work to make these videos but this isn't the first time I have used them to make a purchase. Thank you again !
Thanks! Thanks for sharing.
I justify spending way too much money every week on a new product that I didn't realize I needed until I watched your weekly video. Thank you!!!
Happy to help!
Same here but in this case I was going to be researching for an IR thermometer today so I was VERY happy to see this notification.
Another great comparison Todd, I wish I was 25 instead of 75, I'd have the nicest collection of tools that could be imagined. At the best prices to boot! I must say that many of my old tools can't be matched by a lot of the new stuff. My granddads anvil is 120 years old. Thank you very much for your dedication and work, you have the best comparison channel anywhere to be found.
You're welcome!
Many old tools were made better. I bought a 1/2" SK ratchet at Habitat Restore for $3.
It was in pristine condition and it wasn't chrome plated.
I discovered with a little research, that they did cadmium plating during the, "war years"
.....so I've got a real gem.
These temperature guns are essential to my job as a dyno technician. When processing and testing engines that are built for customer orders, i run them for 60 seconds before a full break in period. During those 60 seconds, I am able to expect 250-400 degrees of heat to be sent into the exhaust manifolds. I measure the manifolds with the temperature sensor to judge roughly the potentially weakest or least efficient cylinders. This often leads to valve adjustments and other interesting observations. With this tool I'm able to yield a higher quality product for my customer. The tool I use at work is the Klein unit.
Thanks for sharing!
Having just watched the video I think you should be out shopping tomorrow!
I use the Fluke 62 Max+ the fast response when going through the 8 headers is worth any money to me, but i also like to finish and how compact. Got mine for $130 in 2017 now $190 or $263 for the new 64 Max.
You don't always pay what you pay for, but penny wise, pound foolish so if/where it matters, splurge on a quality unit (that's reliable and won't break down nor become less accurate) and buy it for life. I am sure there are "pro" versions (read: expensive, sometimes prohibitly so) that ppl in scientific settings that use.
Your Klien unit is most likely fine. PF didn't mention adjusting the Kleins for emissivity like he did the others, so I believe he missed doing so.
I purchased the NJTY 600 A 1/1/25 on your recommendation for $9.99 on Amazon. This model now does have emissivity adjustment. For the last two days I’ve been comparing it to my ETEKCITY 1022D With a 15:1 distance measure that I had purchased for $23 in June 2019. The readings on both of these units seem to be within a degree of each other. But for $13 less, it’s an amazing buy. Only complaint I have which you did not mention is the screen has to be tilted few degrees lower than horizontal level. Otherwise, if it’s held directly horizontal, the screen faded quite a bit making difficult to see.👈👀
Once again you have made an extremely useful video using the realworld extremes that people are curious about. You do an amazing job quantifying the things we know we want to see, but you spend the time to record them. Amazing video
Thanks!
I really appreciate your diligence in testing products. As a contractor ,I have made many purchases with the input you have given. Thank You.
You are welcome! Thanks for sharing!
For those cheap no name brands, you really cannot trust the specifications listed by the manufacturer. You truly perform a great service for the community with your testing, and I hope to continue watching you for years to come!
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks for supporting the channel! I really appreciate it!
As a certified water damage tech, I'm used to seeing a lot of these same brands in the area of thermal cameras and moisture meters. Sometimes the winner is the mid-tier no name brand from china that uses high end components, as I found with thermal cameras. Some of the worst performers and value are in the big name 'trustworthy' brands, that in reality have cheap, out of date components and sensors.
yep, there are chinese companies that still want to offer a good tool at a fair price and build their brand into something durable but it's as hard for them to emerge from the subpar tofudreg of the others than it is for us to find them... 😅
Any brand that you would recommend for a DIY thermal camera, thanks for any info.
what would you recommend for a thermal camera? have been wanting one lately but for a splurge purchase its too much to go pro grade but also idk any of the brands
@@pauldean7690 2nd!
@@CubeRhinoDev My Goyojo has been good, but the trick is to find one with 192x192 IR resolution or better, that will let you know a nicer sensor is in it. It beat the pants of the FLIR branded units I used to use.
My husband and I have made your videos apart of our Sunday ritual. My favorite videos are household items while my husband is all tools. I would love to see a video on Dishwasher Detergent / Pods or even dishwasher cleaning products. Thanks for what you do!
You are welcome! Thanks for the suggestion.
Man I've been waiting for this one, thank you.
Sorry it's taken me so long, and I hope you find the review helpful!
@ProjectFarm absolutely it's not that I've been waiting on you I've just been shopping for 1 for a while and now for $9 you made the decision much easier 👍
thank you Todd. One of my top 3 channels. We all love what you bring to the table. The TRUTH... Tell cousin Eddie hey
Our pleasure!
what are the other 2 channels out of curiosity?
This could not have come at a better time. We just got a flat-top griddle and I just told me wife about an hour ago that I now needed to go buy an infrared thermometer. Thanks for doing this as always!!
You are welcome! Glad it was perfecting timing!
Do I need one? No. Did I just buy a T600 because of this review? Absolutely! The value is irresistible, not unlike the $10 pressure gauge I also just bought a few weeks ago, LOL. Thank you so much for the honest appraisal and testing. When the need for a remote temp gauge arises, I will now be ready :-)
Lol, thank you!
Yeah, every time I watch this channel it costs me more money.
I didn't need one but ordered two. I truly enjoy your content. They make great gifts
Thank you!
Hi Todd! Love your videos and was super hyped to see this one is in my area of expertise. One thing that you will generally find with cheaper IR and radio freq devices is that their accuracy wanes when the device itself is cold or too hot. That Fluke probably has resistors that cost over 100x the standard cheap resistors found in the cheapest brands and the reason is consistency through temperature fluxuations.
Thank you for sharing!
@@ProjectFarm it would be amazing if maybe you can stick them in the freezer at a reasonable temp, like outside in the winter, and test for accuracy and pin an update in the comments
I have no doubt that's why my cheap Ryobi gun will go up and down so much.
My Casio watch model TSR-100 was built in November 1990. Measures just the same way! Just changed its battery and it still works like a charm. Even has 3 emissitivity settings.
Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, ideas and videos. Wishing you and your family the best.
Thanks and same to you!
My workplace uses Fluke because of the certificates they offer for their measurements, but given that I'm in the computer systems and validations department, I may suggest a couple other of the brands in this video. Once again, Project Farm not only provides honest reviews and testing, but the channel gives ideas to other industries, too.
Thanks!
With respect to shiny surfaces, my owners manual says this: "Inaccurate readings will result from measuring shiny or polished metal surfaces. To compensate, cover part of the surface to be measured with masking tape. Measure the taped surface once it reaches the same temperature as the original surface." Performance Tool model W89721 Infrared Thermometer. Even an inexpensive one can be a handy tool to have around the shop. I always appreciate your videos!
Thanks!
Thermal cameras would be my expensive idea. Stand alone handhelds or ones for iOS/android. I’m in the market for iOS version. Thank you for your videos I watch every one even if I don’t use what you’re testing,still enjoy watching. Thank you sir for what you do.
You are welcome! Thanks for the suggestion.
Yes! I would love to see thermal cameras tested
@@ambius2 me as well
This detailed test shows that even budget thermometers can be accurate and reliable for everyday use. Nice find!
Thanks!
Of course there is the question of consistency and long term stability which are not tested. You'd have to buy a bunch of the same product trying to get as many different lots as possible then test them over a long term. One reason expensive things can be expensive is because you're suppose to get the same product every time.
I appreciate the detailed comparisons between different infrared thermometers. It really helped me understand the pros and cons of each model.
I’ll definitely be referring to this when I make my purchase!
As an alternative, consider looking into dual-laser thermometers, which can provide even more precise measurements for different surfaces.
Disappointed not seeing thermoworks in this comparison as they’re known for their accuracy. If possible could you add them in the future?
Great stuff as always! This is by far my favorite channel on any platform, really appreciate what you do.
Thank you!
was looking for this comment. really wish he picked something from their Thermoworks too
on top of that the Thermoworks are all calibrated straight fro the factory
BEST channel on YT. Always my First stop for knowledge, often my Only stop … because You provide incredible ‘data’.
I scrolled through the vids list, and unless I missed it, you haven’t done a vid comparing Water Repellant fabric products. There are quite a few (e.g. 3M ScotchGuard). This would be yet Another INVALUABLE vid imo. (Seasonal) Timing is Great, too !
Lastly, I don’t think that you need to/should provide vids on “how much you make on YT”. You provide a Tremendous resource, which doesn’t need to be Free; and … IT IS NO ONE’S BUSINESS !
Thanks for Everything Todd !
Thanks! Thanks for the suggestion.
This came at the best time. I had been looking to get one of these recently after seeing them used on Pikes Peak to check people's brakes. As predicted, the cold weather and my sharp elbow cracked the leather in our truck. Would love to see one of your reviews on leather repair kits. They help tremendously when making a purchase. Thank you for all the time you put into them. ✌️
You are welcome! Thanks for the suggestion.
Real leather doesn’t crack in the cold.
Why would you check people's brakes ?
@speedfreak8200 He said was checking their breaks, not brakes. So either he was looking for signs of infection around broken bones or he was seeing if they were slipping a little booze into their mid-morning coffee 😂
@@speedfreak8200 It’s racing. They check everything. It’s an easy way to find a dragging brake pad, hot wheel bearing, cold cylinder etc.
i just bought a t600 last week, glad to see i made the right choice!
Glad to hear!
Just yesterday I was looking at a Milwaukee non contact voltage tester with IR temp feature. Timely video!
Thanks!
I've had one from General Tools (not Harbor Fright) for years. Carried in tool box to check hot breakers , wall outlets and electrical components.
100% I have no real need for one of these. I watch for the information in case I ever do need one, as well as the lengths this man will go to provide an unbiased, 'scientific' approach. Please protect this type of content forever!
Thanks to you PF for all you do for us mere mortals :)
Thanks, will do!
When he gave the temperature range for the first thermometer as -58 degrees to 900 degrees, I was actually worried he was going to follow that up with _"-and we're going to test that!"_
Lol
Lol.
I was disappointed he didn't. At least 2000°F or so for those that claimed higher than that. It would have been useful for forging and casting.
Your hard work that goes into these tests do not go unnoticed, every time i see a conversation about what tools are good the keyword Project Farm comes up. Keep up the great work!
Thanks, will do!
I've mentioned here before, I've found myself standing in a store skipping through a PF video to check the ratings.
I think a video testing out different solar panels would be a great thing. Either the small ones that you can get for a phone charger, or the larger ones that are made for charging things like the Jackery power stations.
Thanks for the suggestion.
Dude, you did it again. I went out a bought a T600A. Cheap, acurate and does the job. These videos give real data and not just opinions. Thanks again!
You are welcome!
Oh has the mighty Milwaukee changed.
I purchased a Milwaukee 2277-20 IR thermometer (12 years ago) that also measures relative humidity, 40:1 spot ratio, and the ability to plug a type K thermal couple input and powered by a M-12 battery. Traceable to the National Bureau of Standards. Milwaukee charged a premium for this model.
In the 12 years I've owned this gun, it's easily passed the ASTM/NBS test requirements with no adjustments required.
You might find that the accuracy range isn't a single percentage but changes logarithmic per group of temperature ranges.
Just about any of these IR/laser temperature guns are great for anyone that pulls a trailer when used to measure tire and wheel bearing temperatures. You don't require an exact temperatures, but are comparing tires/bearings on the same vehicle.
Thanks for sharing.
Gunga - Yep. My 1995 car seemed to have dragging brakes, and my finger test told me NG, but it took the numbers from an IR thermometer for me to pull out the wrenches 😛
Damn, I was just looking for one, perfect timing!
Also, would it be possible to do a video on thermal imagers in the future? Thanks in advance and always appreciate the content!
Thanks for the video idea!
I love playing with these things. Not sure what I would even use one for, but thank you!
Edit: thanks for all the suggested uses. My scope was too limited before this video :)
You are so welcome!
Pizza ovens, pizza stones, griddle or frying pan
I take one wilderness camping for inside homemade trailer temperature readings to know where my weaknesses are in insulation and then to know how cold it is outside in the morning.
@@politicalfoolishness7491 that's a really great idea. Thank you for the suggestion!
I use them to test the temp on my rotors if I ever think one is sticking. I also use it to check temps on muffler so I know what temp paint to use on what area.
Great video. There are so many factors that cannot be tested without a large expense and you saved all of us a lot of money and research time. Thank you!
I was just talking about your channel yesterday!
I hope the comments were positive. lol. Awesome and thank you!
@@julsz.8754 I tell everyone about this channel.
Glad you showed what batteries each unit requires. You should put that data into your spreedsheet.
If ranked, i suggest AA gets first place, AAA gets second place, and 9v battery gets third place. Most places/people have AA and AAA batteries on hand but may need a special trip to the store for 9v batteries.
Yah..
Welcome my home
@@jasonproebstel1879 I've made the same observations for smoke detectors. I'm far more likely to have some AAs at 3 am. I've also got plenty of devices that could donate a set. This is also a notion amongst peppers. Standardizing on one or two sizes will simplify your planning.
@@jasonproebstel1879 no way. 9V should get first place.
Something you're not seeing here is lifespan. 9v batteries last YEARS AND YEARS in these guns, even with daily use. AAA and even AA don't get you more than a few months at most.
And if you're not using the gun, 9V is far more stable for in-device storage. They won't leak like AA left in devices for a long time.
@@ObservationofLimits Electronic devices like these will all run at 5V or maybe even 3.3V. This requires some kind of regulator, often a linear regulator in cheaper, low-current devices. For devices that use 2-3 AA/AAA batteries (3-4.5V nominal) it will almost certainly use a much more efficient switched mode boost regulator. Even if the 9V uses a buck regulator, the larger the difference in voltage, the less efficient it is.
A single 9V battery has roughly 19kJ of energy. A single AA has roughly 15kJ, and since these all use 2 AA, the combined energy is roughly 30kJ.
9V batteries do leak for all the same reasons that AA cells leak. A 9V battery simply consists of 6 LR1 cells, also known as AAAA batteries. Just like your standard AA battery, the actual cell itself is further wrapped in a thin aluminum jacket. The actual cells within use exactly the same chemistry and build, just a different size and therefore capacity.
9V batteries can have a self-discharge rate of 20-50% per year. An alkaline AA is typically around 20-30% per year. However, a nickel metal hydride (NiMH) rechargeable has a much higher self-discharge rate of 70-90% per year.
If you really want long life, get something with a rechargeable li-ion battery. They have higher energy density than alkaline cells and their self-discharge rate is only 1-2% per year.
Emissivity is essential to consider when looking at IR thermometers. Black body radiation is where these are supposed to be calibrated, and the adjustable emissivity on some of these units is the clue. You should be setting these for each different surface.
He tried and found that it didn't make much of a difference to the value and seemed to universally make the measurements less accurate. He also found that the default of 0.95 worked surprisingly well even across things that should have far lower emissivity like shiny steel and even polished chrome! I have no idea how that worked out that way, but he shows his measurements and the results are significant and consistent.
@@reverse_engineered I think his videos are generally very well done, but in this case a lot more demonstration of how IR temp readings work, how different surfaces vary in emissivity, and how that affects measurements would go a LONG way in making this content more accurate and useful.
@@superspeeder Agreed. I would've liked to have seen a test for distance to spot ratio as well. Being able to identify a hot spot (or not have one foul a measurement at distance) is more important for my usage than being off a few degrees more (possibly only in one specific test). All in all, however, I appreciate the testing we did get, and it bolsters buying a cheap one for home gamers!
@@MegaNardman 100%! I just think the DIY crowd benefits greatly when they’re explained in a bit more detail so they understand the shortcomings of certain tech.
I’m an avid DIYer myself and I certainly appreciate all of his content! This channel is an excellent example of how useful the internet can be.
@@superspeederhe’s a generalist and a very good one. You can’t expect him to have the knowledge of a specific tradesmen that’s been doing it for thirty years buddy
I searched ‘project farm temperature gun’ recently. So glad you posted this. I use them for work but want a new one for my kitchen. Thanks for uploading this.
You are welcome!
Oh boy, looks like this Sunday morning just heated up!
Thank you!
I see what you did there
😆😂🤣
Suggested video: extended double box end ratcheting wrench. They are becoming super popular.
Thanks for the video idea.
Hello there! Have a great Weekend!🙌🏼🙌🏼
Thank you and you too!!
@@ProjectFarm Thank you!😄
I've long wanted to buy an IR Thermometer but i never felt it was worth more than 50$, after watching this whole video, i simply sought out the nearest and cheapest T600 and pulled the trigger, can't wait to get it! Thank you for your incredibly reliable and unbiased science-based reviews, you're a pillar of knowledge to the world!
You are welcome!
Would love to see a video on best cordless dremel!
Thanks for the suggestion.
As usual a comprehensive review. I would like to see a comparison of thermal imaging cameras both independent handheld and ones that use a smart phone.
Thanks! Thanks for the suggestion.
Just bought a FLIR camera for finding rodent nests, bee hives etc around my property. While I was searching I was thinking the same thing!
Better start donating money. Actual IR cameras are expensive AF.
You should test if the distance to spot area is accurate, by placing a round hot object on something cold. The aim in the center of the hot object. If the Laser is off or the distance to spot area is wrongly advertised, you should see the cold object behind the hot object to affect the measurements.
Thanks for the suggestion.
That makes me wonder if the claimed 50:1 ratio of the VEVOR is accurate, since nobody else is that high.
@@PeterTmann I seriously doubt it. Spec inflation.
Ive been watching you for years and have bought countless items based off your test! Ive never recommended any ideas for test, but I think testing pruning shears for branches and such would be a good one. Tons of cheap and expensive brands out there.
I remember my first one 25 years ago to check my intercooler efficiency
I didn't realise it was 4°c out until much later when COVID hit 🤣
Great point!
Suggested video: Best OCTANE BOOSTER additive. Lucas vs STP vs VP Racing vs K&N vs Gumout vs Royal Purple.
Thank you for the video idea!
@@ProjectFarm yes, best octane booster, please! 🙏🏻👍🏼👍🏼
Yes! I'd love to see if they offer any benefits at all
I was just thinking about asking for that yesterday holy crap! I put K&N in my truck I hope it does well!
(Edit) I didn't use the octane booster though, just the fuel additive.
almost any 'additive' you put in your fuel, oil or water are not as good as just the regular oem stuff. If your car requires higher octane, you pay for the higher octane fuel.
Edit: except 'heet' grew up in North Dakota. That was a staple lol!
note: InfraRed thermometers measure on InfraRed EMISSIONS, which are VASTLY DIFFERENT between different materials, that's why you usually get paper tape or something similar to act as the "thermal probe" and measure the temperature of the tape which has a known infrared emission.
17:16 there
3M 33+ Electrical tape, black, has 0.90 emissivity. We use it as a sanity check to verify our FLIR IR cameras.
Seems to be what I recall, the emissivity varies between materials. Such as wood, plastic, metals, etc. In this test the adjustable range doesn't help much as they were all metals.
@@CraigGrunenfelder it depends on the color of the surface. A piece of aluminum with black paint will have the same emissivity than a black piece of plastic or black wood or whatever black
@@miguelm203 Specifically it depends on the material of the surface itself. The aluminum is irrelevant if you have a layer of black paint on top - you are just measuring the paint. Anything radiated internally is absorbed internally.
I provide tire repair services at the client's location 24/7 here in Brazil. Many tools I bought after considering your reviews. I just get frustrated when Milwaukee wins the tests because what costs you guys below $ 1k over there in the US, for us here costs sometimes 10k in our currency. Nevertheless, your reviews help me so much when I take the threshold of the tools in consideration that I just adapt to my reality.
And yesterday a fellow Brazilian, owner of a Dodge truck called me. It was a coincidence that he worked for an American company and when he saw me removing his tire with a lug wrench, suddenly this guy offers me a Milwaukee 😯. First I refused cause I didn't feel confident with something I never tried. At the end, though, decided to try. That thing is a beast 😂♥️. Gonna work hard in order to give some of these babies from time to time
Coolant additives test
Great suggestion!
I remember while working at SCE in Long Beach California in 1992, the company bought the only infrared Temp Gun made at the time.. a Raytek, it cost about $2700... We used it to find steam leaks and hot bearings on equipment around the power plant ..
Thanks for sharing.
👍 for bearings.
I've also used ultrasonic probes and I've found that IR guns are just better. Especially if you can see one side of a shaft is 50° hotter than the other. Most ultrasonic probes don't have an actual scale.
The other problem with ultrasonic is background noise, electrical noise, bearing construction (people not knowing certain bearings may be ceramic balled dry-bearings because of contamination requirements).
@@ObservationofLimits agreed... We also had a Stop Motion strobe light used to inspect motor/turbine couplings on rotating equipment that cannot be s/d..
Why is it always so hot in the corner of a room?
Because a corner is 90 degrees!
Best Dad Joke of the hour....
Love Vevor tools -
The floor is lava at a staggering 180 degrees!
@@dimitar4y@dimitar4y ok, that's better than mine...
Would be interested in a comparison of microfiber towels. I use them every day for almost everything and just use whatever's cheapest, but would be curious to find out if there's differences in value and performance worth discovering.
Thanks for the suggestion.
On error in your reflective surface testing. You should cover any reflective surface with masking tape to obtain a more accurate reading.
His testing showed that it didn't matter - the sensors all worked well across a variety of emissivity.
Also, I don't think it's reasonable to limit the testing to having a piece of tape on the surface. The whole point of an IR thermometer is that it is contactless and works across a wide range of temperatures. If you have to put tape on the surface you are measuring you might as well be using a contact thermometer.
Useful tests include testing real-world use cases like the ones he performed.
Thank you for the feedback!
Test idea: Lysol, 409, comet, etc.
Thank you for the suggestion!
Yes!
Thank you for the great quality content. I always check here first before buying tools. I live in South East Asia, and your channel is my 'go-to' for dependable reviews for China made products.
FYI, the T600 by NJTY has a T600A version which has adjustable emissivity. The T600 is priced at USD$ 3.32 and the T600A at USD$4.84 through online purchase.
Ordered one as soon as I watched your review.
My favorite channel by far. As a NG compressor mechanic of over 20 years we have always used “Raytek”. But as I’ve learned from you, price doesn’t alway equal best. Maybe next time include them so this ONE humble follower knows my money isn’t being wasted.
Thanks! Thanks for the video idea.
I ordered one of these less than a week ago. Looked for your video FIRST before I picked one, but that was a few days before you posted this!
Thanks for sharing.
Love your passion for doing a thorough review. Always watch your reviews even for products I’m not currently looking for
Thanks so much!
Thank you soo much for making these videos. I love watching them and learning from you hard work. I bought a new infared thermometer today, the T600, thanks to you.
I am so thankful for the insights that you share on so many tools. The fact that these are stored on your channel for future reference is really beneficial. I am surely not the only person when facing a purchase checks here first to see if you have tested whatever it is I plan to buy. Keep up the good work!
Thanks, will do!
I belong to a few different tool channels on FB. Your channel gets several shoutouts in the comments when someone is going to make a bad purchase.
Another great video!
Thanks!
Thanks Todd once again you've helped me make the right purchase. I've been planning on buying another one and thanks to you I got exactly the one I needed at a great price. I went with the nuty t600.
You are welcome!
Last night I saw this and thought this couldn't have came at a better time! My old Cen-tech(hf) was showing the same temp no matter what. I had a low use back up from an unknown brand that a race sponsor had bought new to give me. Both have a lot of age on them. I fell asleep last night watching (not your fault, I was exhausted and had taken migraine meds). But today my sons boss told him to bring me one someone had abandoned at their shop. Its that fluke! I got lucky!
Thanks for sharing.
Im a blacksmith whos been watching your videos for years. Long time fan, really appreciate the work you put into testing things. I would live to have seen a 1000+ test though. Im forced to use thermocouples and blackbody radiation emissions to guage my temps. I wonder if any of these could do a good job too.
Anyway, thanks again amigo! Love to watch the videos every time one dropa.
Thank you so much, I literally was looking for this review in your lineup last week when I was shopping and didn't find one. I put off the buy. T600 is now on it's way to me. You are the best sir!!
Thanks and you are welcome!
Great job!
Thank you for not dropping these on the floor to "durability test" these..... First thing on a Monday, I'm not ready to see the sweet Fluke get destroyed.....
This is huge! I thought a tool like this would be out of reach due to price, but 9$!!!! Wow! I plan on using this to find colder areas for insulation/sealing for winter. Thank you!!!
You are welcome!
I am about to make a project where i try different materials and proportions to make insulating bricks for a stone hoven, so glad you made this. Thanks.
You are welcome!
Just went and bought mine from your link, thanks for the great reviews as always!!!
You are welcome! Thanks for sharing.
The amount of value this man has provided to the entire world is immeasurable. Thank you!
You are welcome!
Thanks for another awesome review! I have not enjoyed product reviews so much since reading Consumer Reports in the 1970s. At that time the publication was characterized by straightforward, concise testing much as you do today.
This is very helpful, because I need to measure the temps of hot brake rotors. Now I know which one to buy! Thanks!
Your review of cordless vacuums convinced me to get the Ironfist. And it is the best corded vac I've ever had. Your research is the best.
My Fluke 62 MAX only cost $117 in April 2017. I liked it so much I bought one for each of my 14 maintenance crews. Every single one still works and is still dead nuts accurate 6 years later.
Nice!
I never thought a name brand IR thermometer would be inaccurate! I have an older Klein IR1, which has a nice feel and it's very quick to measure the temperature. I always thought it was accurate, but now I'm concerned. When I have some free time, I'll compare it to a known good thermometer to see how accurate it is.
Great video! Something I never thought of, but after seeing the test results, I now know these units aren't the most accurate.
Another test idea for you. Plunge routers. The smoothness of the plunge action, the vibration at the handles, the ease of controlling the router, speed control and quality construction. And also the claims of horsepower!
I appreciate all the hard work you do!
Thanks! Thanks for the suggestion.