TFA Dostmann 10.3014.14 Max - Min Thermometer - Multi-Colour

This thermometer works well and appears accurate. The instructions appear translated from German and are not very clear. The thermometer works based on clear fluid expanding or contracting from the *bottom* of the the thermometer up the scale to indicate the temperature. If the columns of clear (note - NOT orange) fluid that indicates the temperature on both scales become "bubbled" the following procedure will correct them.1) Use a fridge magnet or similar to slide both the metal maximum and minimum indictors up the scale to the very top of the thermometer.2) Then hold the *top* (NOT the bottom) of the thermometer and shake it like an old mercury thermometer to drive the bubbles from the columns of clear fluid indicator.3) Press and hold the button until the maximum and minimum metal indicators reset at the top of the fluid.I am glad to find an old fashioned analogue thermometer that is accurate. - I doubt the battery required for a digital will last any time given the temperature variations it will have to endure. No error of measurement is given in the instructions but both scales give a reading of the current temperature consistent with each other and appear to measure within one degree of accuracy..

I read the mixed reviews on here but decided to take a leap of faith and trust in the positive ones as my husnand wanted an outdoor thermometer, and after a lot of researching it was the only one that fitted the bill. I read him out the negative reviews before ordering but he - like others here - thought because it was made in Germany it would be a quality item. It's not. It worked for a while and was great for the short time it worked but then it stopped working. A waste of money

Easy to read -does the job.

I had this working well for a week when the red liquid started breaking up. I wanted to return the thermometer but the returns to a country outside uk involved pasting several large address and customs notices to a small parcel. The return postage would be over £2 which would be refunded if product faulty. It was not worth the hassle.I then discovered how to make the bubbles dissipate by breaking them up into tiny ones which would fall down under gravity to the clear column. Using a strong magnet, agitate the blue markers across the bubbles until broken up.When complete, the min and max readings were slightly different so by flexing the case, it easy to take all apart and reposition the glass using new hot glue.Discovered that the red column would break up again if the thermometer jiggled in the wind, so secured firmly.I therefore accepted this product because it is easy to repair. It would be improved by using a better contrast liquid.

The gaps in the liquid are difficult to close by the normal shaking of the thermometer. Wouldn't buy this thermometer again although I suspect many others suffer the same problem. Not keen on battery operated as they seem to fail quickly

The metal stops keep getting mixed in with the red temperature liquid which also keeps separating. I've followed the instructions to fix this * STILL the metal strips remain mixed with the red temperature liquids which also separate.despite shaking the thermometer as instructed in the user leaflet. It is impossible to read the MAX Min as a result & the thermometer is now useless!! A waste of money -DO NOT BUY & VERY disappointing for a product made in Germany which you would think indicated a quality product.This is NOT what I expected

I had an old mercury one of these for many years - in fact I still have it but the small magnetic indicators don't defy gravity any longer (yes I should have just laid it horizontal!). This one has no mercury (I'm assuming that's considered a good thing) and it works fine. I have tried the ones with LCD display but I suspect the temperatures in a greenhouse get too hot for them. I've tried a couple of these and the segments tend to stop working. It's amazing how important it is to have all the segments working.

The thermometer is good value for money and seems to be accurate. I had a problem intiially with the coloured liquid forming small bubbles below the min / max markers, but I was able to solve this fairly quickly by following the instructions provided - shaking the thermometer and using a magnet to move the markers. My only critisism would be that the thermoeter is not as easy to read as a traditional mercury thermoeter (of which I have had two for about 20 years). However these are no longer available for sale and this thermoeter is probably the next best alternative