MicroTemp MT100 Compact Digital Infrared Thermometer

by Spark Industries

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3.2 x 0.5 x 0.5 inches ; 1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B001LIXUB6
• Item model number: MT100
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #56,799 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
  • #58 in Automotive > Tools & Equipment > Diagnostic & Test Tools > Thermometers
• Date first available at Amazon.com: December 14, 2008

Product Description

By measuring infrared radiation, the MicroTemp thermometer can tell you the temperature of any surface with the touch of a button. Lightweight and portable, it's useful for lots of do-it-yourself projects, including PC maintenance, automotive inspection, HVAC applications, food prep, metallurgy and much more. Includes wrist strap. Requires 2 LR44 batteries, included.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Better Ambient Room Theromometer, May 13, 2009

By 

M. Gozum (Eastern USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: MicroTemp MT100 Compact Digital Infrared Thermometer (Electronics)

This device works without contact, point at a dark object and it will measure the temperature of that object. As non-heat generating objects equilibrate to ambient, or room, temperature, that object represents room temperature too.

Infrared thermometers, IRTs, measure instantaneously, no waiting. They often cost more than $50, and commercial ones cost near $100.

As the IRT can measure a spot's temperature instantly, you can check for temperature gradients and thus, localize hot and cold spots. Its has many home uses. You can localize a heat source in a room or find leaking insulation; check water temperature after adjusting a thermostat; determine if your big screen TV is overheating inside a cabinet; determine how hot your PC is running before and after you add a cooling fan; determine if your air conditioner compressor is not working --- often what is perceived as cold air is often just the wind-chill effect of flowing air rather than truly cold air, and a thermometer best detects that difference; etc.,

Dark objects are preferred to be measured since they absorb heat, while light colored objects reflect it. Measuring temperature of light colored objects will cause minor errors in reading.

The Microtemp is low cost because its field of view is only 1:1 is limited to 120C, and error of ~ +/- 2% of Celsius reading. The Celsius scale translates to a reading error as high as 4F.

1:1 means it measures a spot as large as the distance of the thermometer from the object you are pointing it at. To measure the temperature of an object 1" in diameter, you should move the IRT 1" away from it.

Expensive IRT have field of views greater than 10:1, so it can detect temperature at very localized spots, and also, measure spots from great distances. They are often larger, and come with a laser pointer to pin point what area is being measured.

More expensive IRT also measure higher temps, over 500F. Water boils at 212F, so these higher temps are often for industrial machines that operate at high temps, but not too much higher to avoid damage. For home use, 212F is more than adequate for measuring anything just short of boiling water.

The device is like a flashlight and bullet proof in operation. You simply point at something and press the ON button. The temperature registers in under 1 second. Changing the batteries is as easy as a flashlight too: unscrew the casing, and pop them out. You can setup the default F or C scale easily and convert between the two. Measurements out of range generates an 'Err' screen, but the device is not toasted, compared to a contact thermometer! 4F error reading is not critical for home usage since trended readings are accurate: meaning if you measure continuously for a time, the relative differences between measured spots is accurate relative to each point.

The MicroTemp or clones are OEM devices, can be found under different brand names for much less than $10 and is very cost effective. Standard thermometers cannot be found as cheaply, or as accurately.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Useful to have around, September 23, 2009

By 

John G. Svinos "Harleydude" (Brea, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: MicroTemp MT100 Compact Digital Infrared Thermometer (Electronics)

I was recently in a hotel room that felt very very hot even though the air conditioning was apparently on. I wanted to call the front desk and let them know but I had no idea what the temperature was. I was thinking that it would be nice to have a small portable thermometer in my laptop bag to allow me to accurately measure temperature for situations like this. I searched Amazon and found this great little thermometer that works great, is very small and easy to carry in your pocket. I have used it several times since from checking the temperature in my car after parking in the sun all day, to check temperature of windows and wall to check the effectiveness of insulation and even to measure my skin temperature. It works instantly and is very accurate.

11 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not good for cooking, January 17, 2010

By 

Mike C (Jackson, MS) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: MicroTemp MT100 Compact Digital Infrared Thermometer (Electronics)

Well this product seems to work okay for temperatures under 235 degrees F or so. But when I purchased it I was going to use it for cooking more than anything else. Since cooking pans get up to 400 deg. this will not work for that purpose. I guess I should have read the fine print before I bought it. I did like the compactness of the unit though. So if you want and infrared thermometer for cooking you should look elsewhere.