ThermoWorks ThermoDrop Review – You Need One

Today, we’re doing a ThermoWorks ThermoDrop review. I saw this neat little thermometer on the ThermoWorks web site as I was looking for grilling accessories.

This inexpensive little thermometer made an ideal replacement for my recently broken zipper-pull type thermometer.

So let’s check it out – a ThermoDrop review.

ThermoWorks ThermoDrop Review

For that reason, I ordered the ThermoDrop on Thursday evening, and it arrived on Saturday, three days later. In other words, great order processing. I also ordered the optional lanyard accessory. At the time I ordered my ThermoDrop, it was $19.00 plus tax and a $3.99 shipping charge. Check out the ThermoWorks ThermoDrop website here for the latest pricing.

The ThermoDrop arrived in a small padded envelope. No excessive packing materials which is a good thing. I don’t like that plastic clamshell packaging that requires a herculean effort and Rambo knife skills to remove. This was simple, easy to remove, paperboard packaging.

What’s in the Box

Ok, so what do you get, what’s in the box?

ThermoDrop Specifications

For those ultralight backpacking folks who count ounces and grams, this is my out-of-the-box, with battery-installed specifications as measured on my digital food scale.

ThermoDrop Review – Features

Firstly, the ThermoDrop has one single button. Simple enough.

Mine was set up out of the box for Fahrenheit. However, looking at the instruction card, to change to Celsius, just press and hold the button for 5 seconds at power up.

The ThermoDrop stays on until you turn it off. No auto-shutoff feature. Though I don’t think you need one since the CR2025 battery does last a very long time. If you want extra batteries on hand, consider these CR2025 batteries from Amazon.com. This four-pack of backup batteries should last several years. With over 900 customer reviews, these batteries make a good addition to the emergency stash.

The ThermoDrop also features a backlight if you need it. Just press the button, and it lights up for ten seconds, then the backlight shuts off.

The package says the display is auto-rotating. The ThermoDrop does auto-rotate, just when turning top to bottom or bottom to top. It does not rotate from side to side.

The ThermoDrop will remember the maximum and minimum temperatures until you turn it off. To view the maximum and minimum temperature, just press and hold the button for 3 seconds until MAX flashes in the display and you see the maximum recorded temperature. Press again and you get the MIN to see the minimum recorded temperature. Press again for the current temperature, or just wait 10 seconds.

To power off the ThermoDrop, press and hold the button for 5 seconds until it turns off.

The battery compartment has a small silicon o-ring for sealing out water and dust. To remove or replace the battery, all you need is a flat object or coin like a quarter.

ThermoDrop Operation

So how does it perform?

The ThermoDrop is not an instant-read thermometer. Like any other thermometer, it needs to adjust to the ambient temperature of the environment.
While taking pictures of the ThermoDrop, the temperature of the packaging climbed to 114 °F in direct sunlight.

I later placed the ThermoDrop in the top most part of my refrigerator, dropping the temperature down to 41 °F. I probably should drop that refrigerator temperature down a few degrees.

In the hot summertime garage, the spare refrigerator and freezer both remained at food-safe temperatures after a week of monitoring. Comforting to know in 100 °F outdoor temperatures.

The ThermoDrop is super easy to use, just turn it on and wait to see what the temperature is.

ThermoDrop Review – Final Thoughts

So far, after a few days of use, there is no downside to the ThermoDrop zipper-pull thermometer. The temperature accuracy seems spot on. Temperature readings match other digital thermometers in the house, like the thermostat.

At the time I ordered mine, it was $19.00 plus tax and $3.99 shipping. Check out the ThermoWorks website here for current pricing or specials. Maybe you’ll find other grilling or outdoor cooking accessories you might need.

I haven’t had my ThermoDrop out in any rain or other adverse weather yet to test out its IP67 water resistance rating.

Lastly, would I purchase this again? Heck yes! Actually, I have already ordered another ThermoDrop. Why? We recently experienced a springtime-related thunder storm prolonged power outage – 5 hours. Having a ThermoDrop in both the refrigerator and chest freezer would be a great way to monitor both the minimum and maximum temperatures for food safety. During this COVID pandemic, food is not something that can easily be replaced. Food shortages everywhere. Next time we will be better prepared.

September 2020 ThermoDrop Update

As expected, the ThermoDrop continues to perform.
The original CR2025 battery is going strong despite the ThermoDrop running 24/7 for the last two months monitoring the room over the garage temperature.

December 15, 2020 ThermoDrop Update

Well, the battery finally gave out. The original CR2025 lasted 7 months or rounded to about 5000 hours. I might have missed the battery giving out by a day or two. But the 5000 hours of battery life is pretty darned good.

So, it was easy enough to replace the CR2025 battery. Just pop off the back by turning the battery cover with a coin, then remove and replace it. Be sure to recycle that old battery.

August 21, 2021 ThermoDrop Update

The ThermoDrop is still going strong 15 months after we purchased ours.
The CR2025 battery is closing in on 6000 hours of run time. To be fair, there hasn’t been much need to use the backlight where we have it hanging now.

November 30, 2021 ThermoDrop Update

No display. Replaced the CR2025 battery, and all is good again.
Guessing 8000 hours of run time off that CR2025 battery.