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An infrared laser thermometer, usually called a laser thermometer, temperature gun, or point-and-shoot thermometer, is not useful for all cooking tasks where accurate temperature readings are needed, but it can be a very useful tool in the kitchen for certain tasks.
CulinaryLore readers most often order the Etekcity Infrared Thermometer Temperature Gun 1080.
Given the dozens of choices of infrared thermometers on Amazon and other retailers, it can be difficult to choose one that is accurate enough and reliable enough for home use without having to pay top dollar for a professional industry model.
See Also: Should You Buy an Instant-Read Digital Meat Thermometer?
Lasergrip Infrared Temperature Gun
According to customer reviews and sales status, the Klein Tools IR1 Infrared Thermometer Gun is a top choice. This affordable temperature gun will measure temperatures from -4F to 752F (-20C to 400C) with more than enough accuracy for most home cooking needs, as well as most other needs other than medical.
The bestselling product is the Etekcity Infrared Thermometer Laser Temperature Gun 774. Note that this is a private label product on Amazon, meaning you will find the same product under different “brand” names such as Nubee.
As of this writing, the Lasergrip model 774 has 54,248 Amazon customer reviews, with an average rating of 4.5 stars. The product has maintained this average rating for the past 5 years, if not more. Judged by customer satisfaction, ratings, and price, this is one of the best values for laser thermometers on Amazon. There are other quality choices, but these are generally more expensive or do not have customer feedback available that this unit has gathered.
While the 774 is a bestseller, for a little more money, the Lasergrip 1080 will give you a wider temperature range.
- 774 temp range: -58℉ to 842℉/ -50℃ to 450℃ 1080
- 1080 temp range: -58℉ to 1130℉/ -50℃ to 610℃
Infrared Thermometer for Cooking?
Laser thermometers can only accurately read the surface temperatures of objects or cooking food.
While this is not useful when internal temperatures are needed, the advantage of an infrared laser is that, unlike a probe thermometer, which must be inserted into food, a laser thermometer can measure temperatures from a distance.
For example, laser pointer thermometers are favorites of outdoor grillers and barbecue enthusiasts because the temperature of the grill or smoker can be very quickly determined, without having to get your hand near the hot fire or hot surfaces.
In some cases, temperatures may be too high to use a classical oven thermometer.
Laser thermometers can also be used to quickly determine oven temperature, especially if you are having trouble with your oven temperature settings being inaccurate. As well, if you are working with a frying pan or griddle which you want to be at a very precise temperature, the laser thermometer is the best way to go.
The same is true of any other cooking surface, such as pizza stones, hot rocks, salt blocks, etc.
Tempering chocolate is also made easier by the use of a laser thermometer since you can get instant temperature readings without having to insert a probe and clean it after each use.
Perhaps the most important use of an infrared temperature sensor is to instantly check the surface temperatures of hot or cold foods that are sitting for long periods. This is why restaurants and the food safety inspectors who check up on restaurants use them.
Hot foods must be kept hot and cold foods must be kept cold, and the food temperatures need to be maintained in a certain safe range. In this case, if the surface temperature of the food is off, then this is all you need to know, as bacteria can grow in a region that is at an improper temperature, regardless of if the center of the food is colder or hotter.
Of course, they can be used to measure temperatures of all sorts of other things, such as your air conditioner, your refrigerator, etc.
How to Get Accurate Readings from Temperature Guns
Some people report that these products are inaccurate. Usually, this is due to a misunderstanding on the user’s part.
As above, infrared temperature readers can only measure surface temperatures. This means that the gun must be pointed at a thermally conductive material.
For example, if you point the gun into your oven, it cannot measure the temperature of the air in the oven. It can only measure the temperature of the oven wall or the oven rack. Knowing the temperature of your oven wall will not tell you the temperature in the center of the oven, where food is set for baking, etc.
Also be aware that these units may not be accurate when pointed at certain highly reflective surfaces, including some shiny pans.
The distance between you and the surface being measured also makes a difference to the results of the reading, as the unit will measure in an expanding cone. The further you are away, the greater the surface area you are measuring.
Depending on the unit, then, if you are too far away, you may be measuring too great a surface area, and thus receive an inaccurate reading.
When measuring the temperature of food, this shouldn’t be a problem, as most people will simply point the gun from perhaps a foot away directly at the food they want to measure (keeping in mind you are only measuring surface temp).
However, many people try to measure the temperature of the air inside ovens, refrigerators, rooms, heating and cooling ducts, etc.
Let’s look at using a temperature gun to measure the temperature of your oven.
Measuring Oven Temperature With a Laser Thermometer
As above, these units can only really measure the temperature of the oven walls or oven rack. This does not tell you “how hot your oven is.”
In order to get an accurate reading with a gun, then, you need a very good heat conductor inside your oven, preferably one that maintains its heat very well. A cast-iron pan would be a good choice, for instance.
A pan would be placed in the oven while the oven preheats, and then allowed to heat for a reasonable period of time; enough to allow the pan to come to temperature. Then, the gun would be pointed directly at the cast iron pan. This should give a fairly accurate reading of the oven temperature.
If the pan was moved around the oven, this could give a reading of hot and cold spots in the oven, although this would take quite a while!
As well, people try to use laser thermometers to check for fever by measuring human skin.
These units should not be used to take a person’s temperature, as the temperature of the skin may be cooler than normal. The most accurate way to take a person’s temperature, baby or not, is, dare I say it? Anally. Yet, during the pandemic, we saw hundreds of body temperature checkpoints using laser-pointing thermometers.
The second most accurate way to check body temp is a thermometer placed in the mouth. Ear thermometers can be quite accurate, and many people use them for infants, but the temperature just inside the ear may not accurately reflect the true core temperature, which is why you’ll rarely see ear probes being used at doctor’s offices, today.
Given all this, you can see why just pointing a laser gun at someone would not work! It is best to carefully read the manufacturer’s instructions before use.
Some people, however, just buy these for fun. They like to point them around the house and measure things for giggles!
As usual, before you buy any product, exercise due diligence, and make the choice that seems best for you. Let’s look at the Lasergrip 1080 in more detail.
Lasergrip 1080 Infrared Thermometer Temperature Gun
The Etekcity Infrared Thermometer Temperature Gun 1080 has a wide temperature range of -58°F to 1130°F (-50°C to 610°C) and an accuracy of ±2%. It can measure a variety of surfaces, including food, engines, and electronics with a high accuracy. It also allows you to adjust the emissivity of the unit to customize it for different surface types.
Emissivity is a measure of how well surfaces emit thermal radiation. For example, a very black surface will better emit thermal radiation than a light surface. Adjusting for this helps take into account these differences. The Lasergrip 1080 has an emissivity range of 0.1–1.0 to provide more precise readings for a range of different surfaces. To adjust the setting, you press and hold the down or up buttons.
- Wide Temperature Range: Measure an upgraded temperature range from -58°–1130°F / -50°–610°C and get your result in 500 ms; The display will also show the max temperature of the surface you’re measuring. Perfect heat gun for measuring
- Professional EMS Mode: The Lasergrip 1080 Infrared Thermometer has an emissivity range of 0.1–1.0 for precise readings across different surfaces and conditions; Adjust the emissivity by pressing and holding the Up and down buttons on the heat gun
- Non-Contact: 12:1 D:S, the Lasergrip can accurately measure targets from a distance like industrial settings, making it safer to measure dangerous objects; For the best accuracy, the distance of measurement should be approximately 14.17 in.
- Additional Functions: The Lasergrip has a backlit LCD screen with a unit conversion feature (°F/°C); It has an auto-off feature to extend battery life and a low battery indicator, so you will not accidentally run out of battery life.
- Versatile Design: Infrared technology allows you to measure the surface temperatures of various objects with temperatures above the boiling point and below the freezing point; Use it for cooking, ovens, A/C, refrigerators, soapmaking, pets’ beds, etc.
- Do Not Use on Humans: The Lasergrip is intended for use on inanimate objects only. Measuring the temperature of a human or animal is unsafe
- Storage Instructions: Store your Lasergrip in a ventilated or airtight environment at low temperature. AVOID direct sunlight or direct source of heat, otherwise there is a high risk of the product surface being sticky
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The Lasergrip 1080 also has a laser pointer to help you accurately aim it, a large and easy-to-read LCD readout area with a backlight, and dual temperature units, both Celsius and fahrenheit. Another convenient feature is the auto on/off, which will turn off the unit after 15 seconds of no activity to preserve the batteries.
The temperature range is wide enough that it should cover just about anything a home user can throw at it. You can measure temperature well below freezing and high above the boiling point. I can’t imagine why anyone at home would need to measure the temperature of something that is -58° F, let alone 1130° F.
Here is a quick summary of all the features:
- Wide temperature range: -58°–1130°F / -50°–610°C
- Adjustable emissivity: Allows for customization of the emissivity setting for different surface types
- Laser pointer: Helps to accurately target the measurement area
- Large LCD display: Easy-to-read display with clear backlighting
- Dual temperature units: Displays temperature in both Fahrenheit and Celsius
- Auto power-off: Conserves battery life by automatically turning off after 15 seconds of inactivity
- Batteries included: 2 AAA batteries are included in the package
Like any temperature gun, the accuracy of the readings decreases as you move farther away. And, of course, you’ll need to replace the batteries periodically. Note that some customers have complained about the battery life, suggesting it should be a bit longer and that the unit could be ‘stronger.’ It is unclear what they mean by this. I would assume that many users expect it to be accurate at longer distances. This is not a bug, it’s just a limit of the technology, especially at this price range. For best accuracy, a distance of approximately 14.17 inches (let’s call it 14.5) is recommended.
All in all, customer reviews for the Etekcity Infrared Thermometer Temperature Gun 1080 are generally positive, and many reviews praise accuracy, ease of use, and versatility. Most buyers keep the unit, with few returns.