Etekcity Lasergrip 1080 Infrared Thermometer Review

Verdict: useful when you need a surface reading

The yellow Etekcity Lasergrip 1080 is worth considering for comparing temperatures across suitable cooking surfaces or other household objects without touching them. Its usefulness depends on understanding what it measures. If the question is whether the center of food is cooked, whether someone has a fever or what the air temperature is, choose the appropriate dedicated instrument instead.

This research-based review covers the current upgraded 1080 under ASIN B00DMI632G. We have not tested calibration, response speed, repeatability or performance on different cookware. It is best approached as a surface-checking tool whose setup deserves as much attention as its temperature range.

Sources: Amazon: Lasergrip 1080 Advanced Light Yellow, B00DMI632G, Etekcity: current Lasergrip 1080 upgrade specifications.

Facts: the upgraded 1080 has different specifications

Etekcity’s current page identifies an upgraded model with a −58 to 1130°F range, 12:1 distance-to-spot ratio, adjustable emissivity and two AAA batteries. The linked US manual agrees. Amazon maps the reviewed ASIN to its Advanced Light Yellow option. Do not carry over an older version’s battery type, range or fixed-emissivity claim.

The manufacturer lists 0.1-degree display resolution. That describes the screen increment, not proof of 0.1-degree measurement accuracy. A precise-looking decimal should not override the accuracy limits or surface cautions in the supplied manual.

Sources: Etekcity: current Lasergrip 1080 upgrade specifications, Etekcity: current Lasergrip 1080 US manual, Amazon: Lasergrip 1080 Advanced Light Yellow, B00DMI632G.

Features: spot size and emissivity control the usefulness

At a nominal 12:1 ratio, the sampled area becomes wider as you move away. The manual illustrates approximately a one-inch spot at twelve inches and asks for a target larger than the sampled spot. The laser is an aiming reference; its visible dot is not the boundary of everything being measured.

Emissivity adjustment accounts for differences in how surfaces emit infrared energy. It gives the user a relevant setting, but also another opportunity for a wrong setup. Follow the manual’s guidance for the material rather than changing the number until the display matches a preferred answer.

Our practical inference is that a repeatable method helps comparisons: use the same suitable material, distance and settings when checking several locations. Record those conditions if you want to compare a later reading. A change in technique can otherwise be mistaken for a change in the object.

Sources: Etekcity: current Lasergrip 1080 US manual, Etekcity: current Lasergrip 1080 upgrade specifications.

Research: choose the instrument for the actual question

For a griddle, you may want to compare surface locations before cooking. For a roast, the important safety question concerns its interior. Those are different jobs even if both occur in the kitchen. USDA explains that internal food temperature must be measured with a correctly placed food thermometer; a surface reading cannot replace that step.

Before purchasing, name two or three real tasks you expect to repeat. Then ask whether the visible surface is the thing whose temperature you need. If the target is behind glass, inside food or represented only by an air vent, reconsider the measurement method. Avoid buying solely because a marketing montage depicts a familiar household scene.

We checked the current primary page, its manufacturer manual and the selected retail variant. No customer-star average has been converted into an editorial score. We also excluded gallery graphics that showed a different model or described screen resolution as accuracy.

Sources: USDA FSIS: food thermometers and internal temperature, Etekcity: current Lasergrip 1080 US manual, Amazon: Lasergrip 1080 Advanced Light Yellow, B00DMI632G.

Safety: protect eyes and keep food checks separate

The manual identifies a Class 2 laser and says not to aim it at people, animals or aircraft. Keep it away from children and avoid looking into the beam. FDA also warns about hazardous reflections. Read all laser warnings even if you mainly intend to use it in the kitchen.

For food safety, use a suitable probe at the correct internal location and follow current USDA guidance. For burns, never treat a doubtful infrared reading as permission to touch a hot or reflective surface. The manual also warns against prolonged heat exposure and use around explosive gases. Non-contact operation does not make a hazardous work area safe.

Sources: Etekcity: current Lasergrip 1080 US manual, FDA: laser-beam and reflection safety, USDA FSIS: food thermometers and internal temperature.

Buying: verify the current yellow variant

Choose this model if surface comparisons are useful to you and you are willing to learn the spot-size and emissivity limits. Skip it if you primarily need a fever thermometer, food probe or continuous air-temperature monitor.

Check Lasergrip 1080, ASIN B00DMI632G and the selected yellow upgrade. Compare the delivered package with the current manual, then review seller, delivery, return terms and total. Similar-looking options can have different specifications. Prices and availability change; no fixed offer is promised here.

Sources: Amazon: Lasergrip 1080 Advanced Light Yellow, B00DMI632G, Etekcity: current Lasergrip 1080 upgrade specifications.

Questions: what the reading can and cannot tell you

Sources: Etekcity: current Lasergrip 1080 upgrade specifications, Etekcity: current Lasergrip 1080 US manual, USDA FSIS: food thermometers and internal temperature.