MLT Thermometer

Hi, I'm getting ready to make the switch to all grain. I decided to go with a coleman extreme for my MLT because I happened to have one almost brand new. My question is on monitoring the mash temp. What does everyone use with a rectangle MLT?

I found this: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001VXZVNG/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 which seems like it should work. Its says it immersible so I could toss the probe in the mash and shut the lid. Any thoughts or other ideas?

Thanks for posting this. I'm going to be doing my first all grain brew in the next few weeks and have been looking for a reasonably priced waterproof thermometer. Since 5 or so of the reviews are from brewers, I decided to buy one. The only experience I have is with a normal grocery store thermometer. Hopefully this will hold up until I get a Thermapen.

I did this to my mash tun.

I use one of these. Takes 5 seconds. I only check once or twice, when I'm stirring the mash.

I use a similar one , with basically the process you described .

I strike , stir it all in good and drop my probe to about the center of my grain bed and close the lid. I use 1 lbs of rice hulls in every batch ( 5 gal.) to help to keep the temp. even in the grain bed. I believe I got that from reading Gordon Strong's Brewing Better Beer ( great book ) . This way I have a good idea of the temp throughout the mashing process . If it starts to drop I aggressively rock the cooler a time or two and often the temp will come back up a couple degrees.
It is interesting to watch the temp . At first I often see a drop then a rise to my target range. At about 40 min I loss a degree or so , but that temp will normally hold even out a 90 min mash.

Your not direct fire so remember your target temp is going to need to be a +\- range and you will likely drop a degree as time goes on . So if you wanted 150 don't stress over 151 or 149. Watch you system and learn how it reacts to changes. I have hot running water in my brewing area and have the heater set to a scorching 170f when I am prep-ing at the start of my brew day I fill my cooler with hot water and let it sit till just about mash time and then drain it through the ball valve . This gives the valve a good flush and preheats my cooler. I brew on a raised wooden porch so I am able to do lots of dump and drain stuff without a mess. Sorry , I may have wondered off topic , but these are a few things I thought might be useful to ponder.

Happy brewing!

Quick update for me. I got the thermometer from the original post and while making a starter last night, I put the probe in the boiling water (only water at that point) and after about a minute or so, it stayed between 211.6 and 212.6. I think this should work out well. I put the thermometer I normally use in since I thought about it, and it read around 214. I'll have to try these in ice water soon.

As mentioned in one of the amazon reviews the Taylor thermometer from the first post does not have an on/off switch.