The Thermapen is the leader in instant read thermometers but is pricy, for the past year I’ve been using the Lavatools Javelin Pro instant read which sells for about half the price and thought I would share my experience.
Figure I’ll start with the most important characteristics, speed and accuracy. I’ve done the typical ice water and boiling water tests. Temps are right on target and match my Thermoworks Smoke within a degree so accuracy is good. Speed wise when switching from ice to boiling water it takes around 3-4 seconds to settle on a final temp. Less extreme swings from say room temp to 135 seems to be a little faster so I have no complaints there.
Build quality seems solid. If you read other online reviews it sounds like the early production runs had a weakness where the probe articulates which Lavatools claims has been fixed. It seems solid to me and doesn’t feel fragile. The readout is big and easy to read and automatically rotates to keep it oriented properly. The backlight is bright enough to comfortably read in the dark. After a year of being used almost every day it is still on the original battery. I am notoriously clumsy and have dropped it many times without problems.
Lavatools says it is “splash resistant”. I haven’t left it out directly in a downpour but it has certainly gotten wet many times without issue.
I’ve never owned a Thermapen but got to see one in person last month at Thanksgiving. I didn’t do any testing, just picked it up and looked at when I saw it lying on the counter. The Thermapen feels more solid and I like its more “streamlined” appearance than the Javelin. I didn’t have the Javelin with me for a side by side comparison but I would say the probe tips look to be about the same size.
I purchased the smaller and simpler Lavatools Javelin for my dad. The standard Javelin is smaller, lacks the backlight and is slower than the Pro version but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the standard Javelin for those with a smaller budget but I do think the Pro version is worth the upgrade, the backlight alone makes it worth it.
I would pick the Javelin Pro over the Thermapen Classic just for the backlight. It is a small convenience but is essential for me since I cook in the dark so much. I think the Javelin Pro is a better value than the full priced Thermapen MKIV. However if I had known how often Thermoworks puts there products on sale I might have held off as a good Thermoworks sale can really narrow the price difference down. The other thing to consider is the long-standing and positive reputation of Thermoworks quality and customer service. I’ve seen many people who have had their Thermapen for a decade without issue and those who have had problems report positive experiences with Thermoworks CS department. Lavatools hasn’t been around as long so it’s really too early to say if they are comparable in the long run so we’ll just have to wait and see.
Overall I’d happily recommend the Javelin Pro to anyone who is looking for a quality, fast instant read thermometer without the Thermapen price.
Topic: Lavatools Javelin Pro (Read 2962 times)
