General Tools Mini IR Thermometer IRT205

General Tool Mini IR Thermometer Offers Easy-to-Use Design and Budget-Friendly Price

We love a good IR thermometer for its ability to keep us from having to get super close for quick temperature checks. For instance, this morning I used the General Tools Mini IR Thermometer to check my morning coffee temperature.

What, am I supposed to just guess when my coffee is cool enough to drink? Should I put my lips up to potentially scalding liquid like some dope who doesn’t have an IR thermometer? Pfff, I’m not trying to burn the ol’ moneymaker, if you know what I’m saying. Work smarter, not harder.

But, of course, there are far more relevant applications for such an easy-to-use tool like this.

First Look at the General Tools Mini IR Thermometer

IR thermometers don’t typically take up a ton of space anyway, but still, General’s mini model stays even more compact than most. It’s easy to handle, and it won’t take up a whole lot of room in your toolbag or in a drawer.

General Tools hasn’t reinvented the proverbial wheel, but they have made the process pretty simple and convenient. It’s purely point and shoot here. Squeeze and hold the trigger while pointing the beam at windows, outlets, breakers, appliances, or whatever else needs a good old fashioned temperature reading.

Even the temperature itself is easy to read. The General Tools IRT205 features a backlit screen that makes working in dim areas a breeze. When you release the trigger, the thermometer holds the last temperature on display for about 10 seconds.

Switching between Fahrenheit and Celsius is simple as well. Inside the battery compartment, a switch lets you toggle between the two measurement standards.

Performance Specs

This compact infrared thermometer features an 8:1 distance to spot ratio and uses a red laser for targetting.

It has a range of -4ºF – 536ºF with a ±3.6° accuracy level above freezing. It’s a little less accurate (±5.4°) below.

General Tools is billing this model as a kind of everyman IR thermometer. Here are a handful of applications you could use this model’s temperature range for:

• Automotive diagnostics
• Electrical troubleshooting
• HVAC inspection
• Checking for energy leaks
• Cooking, including checking your coffee temperature

There’s a lot more, of course.

Price

The General Tools mini IR thermometer is a Home Depot exclusive, and it retails for $22.97.

For a point of comparison, there are more expensive, more accurate IR thermometers available. We like the work that brands like Fluke put into their products, but those thermometers are geared more toward the Pro market and you’ll pay a premium for the extended distance, temperature ranges, and features. For the more casual approach, the General Tools IRT205 is a great value for what it’s bringing to the job with its quality and simplicity.

General Tools Mini IR Thermometer Specs

• Model Number: General Tools IRT205
• Distance to Spot Ratio: 8:1
• Measurement Range: -4° to 536°F (-20 to 280°C)
• Measurement Accuracy: ±3.6ºF (±2ºC) or ±2% of reading (whichever is greater) above 32ºF (0ºC); ±5.4ºF (±3ºC) or ±2% of reading (whichever is greater) below 32ºF (0ºC)
• Measurement Resolution: 0.1° (F or C)
• Emissivity: 0.95 (fixed)
• Auto Power Off: 7 seconds after trigger release
• Operating Temperature: 32° to 104°F (0° to 40°C)
• Weight: 2.43 oz
• Power Source: Two AAA batteries (included)
• Dimensions: 5 x 4 x 1.3″
• Price: $22.97 at Home Depot

For more information about the General Tools Mini IR Thermometer, visit General by clicking here.