What You Need to Know When Buying an Infrared Thermometer

Infrared thermometers have been with us for some time. However, in the past, their use was somewhat used in industrial setups. This has since changed, and the use of infrared thermometers (IR) has trickled into our homes. The decision to buy or not to buy requires you to know what you need at why.

Factors to Consider When Buying IR Thermometers

What is an infrared thermometer? It is essentially a device used to measure temperatures from a distance using laser technologies. With a variety of infrared thermometers in the market, it is imperative to ask yourself some questions before making a purchase. Here are some factors to consider when buying an infrared thermometer.

Temperature Range

It is important to have an idea of the environments you will using the thermometer. Understanding this will undoubtedly give you an idea of the temperatures you are likely to encounter. For domestic applications, a thermometer offering a range of -50 to 550 degrees Celsius can be sufficient. On the other side, for industrial applications, you might be required to buy a professional thermometer that can measure up to 800 degrees Celsius.

Accuracy and Speed

How fast can you take your temperature reading? How accurate will be results? When shopping for an infrared thermometer, see to it that you go for a device that is not only accurate but also fast. At times, how long you take before taking a reading is often a matter of life and death. Thus, this requires you to go for IR thermometers with quality sensors and high accuracy.

Distance to Spot Ratio

Also known as the DS ratio, this refers to the area of the measurement circle. This area is referred to as a spot. The further you are from the area, the wider the zone that can be measured using the thermometer. To help you understand how this works, a DS ration of 10:1 refers to a distance of 10 inches and a measurement zone of one inch. This implies that when the measurement distance increases to 30 inches, the size of the measurement spot increases to three inches.

Budget

If you need a thermometer for domestic use, you might buy a cheap model that will serve just right. For an IR thermometer with superior features, you should be ready to part with a lot more.