Larry Sanbourne

Yes indeed, the 37C use case is for sinus rinse! In that case I always pre-boil and then let it cool down before heating anew to desired temp. But I realize we can't discuss non-culinary things here and don't want to focus on that, even though it's one use! I'm hoping that the resulting setup, whether micro or immersion circulator or homebrew thermostat, will be useful for a wide range of applications, especially culinary (since I want to try sous-vide steak someday).

Thanks TdeV, I will look into microwaves. I have previously been anti-micro but it sure is helpful for leftover soups etc. For fun I looked into how to DIY this with my existing kettle. I was pointed to Inkbird ITC-308 which is only $35 and can be used for home brewing and other stuff. Seems a bit crazy but maybe really useful? https://inkbird.com/products/temperature-controller-itc-308 Does anyone have experience with these? Would it do the trick or am I totally off base?

Hi all, I own a Thermapen and love it! The volume for 98.6F (37C) is just 240mL. I need it twice a day and don't want to keep it warm for hours since that seems wasteful. With the Oxo kettle, the one that only goes down to 104F, I have to watch it like a hawk but it does heat it to 98.6 within a couple minutes… I could always use my kettles for boiling water and use the immersion circulator for the 98.6F, though I am having trouble imagining if these could be thin enough and stable enough on their own for this not to be annoying. I don't own a micro but at friends' houses I've tried this and it's indeed very efficient and repeatable. I wish some kettle mfrs would just let their kettles go down to below 104! Seems like some mods should be possible but I'm no electrical engineer... Larry

Hello eG, Do you know where to find one T8 LED tube light, 2700-3000K, with CRI 90+ for accurately judging food colors? TCP L12T8D5027K95 is the only model that I could find, and it is only available in cases of 25. My current kitchen lighting is 2700K and though I realize that's a bit warm, I don't want to replace all the lights.... Thanks, Larry

Thanks Duvel! I looked into these briefly. They take 3mins, which is slow. My current solution is a fine-spouted Oxo kettle that goes only down to 104F but has a temp gauge, so I turn it on and just watch the temp like a hawk and hope I don't miss if it goes wrong. It's quite annoying to use because you have to press the main button to turn it on, then again to initiate the warming, and then watch it like a hawk. After warming and using, you have to replace the kettle, then press the button again, … It's just a crazy amount of faffing for what should be very simple! I have to do this twice a day, so the little annoyances add up. I keep figuring I'm missing some easy solution… Instant-read thermometer in a larger clear kettle? Clear kettle that at least has a temp readout and fewer button presses? I'm very interested in immersion circulators since I'd love to try sous vide-ing steak someday but don't want to invest in a huge sous vide bath for something I'd do infrequently. The water I'm heating to 98.6F will go into small bottles with 5/8" spouts, so it might be a bit impractical to use a large immersion circulator for this purpose every day? But the steak would be amazing....

Hello to both of you, Thanks for your reply. The Zojirushi water boilers/warmers would be PERFECT, but the models I found only went down to 165F. Is there a version that goes all the way down to 98.6? JoNorvelleWalker - unfortunately it looks like the Stagg doesn't go low enough either. Larry

Hi Heidi, I'm looking for a kettle that can heat water for coffee or tea to boiling, but I need it to be controllable to lower temperatures for other (non-culinary) purposes. Thank you for any suggestions you might have! Larry

Hello eGullet folks, I'm in need of a specialized water kettle and I'm hoping someone here might have some recommendations. My requirements are quite specific: I need a boiler that can quickly heat water to 98.6°F (92-100 is fine; 104 is already too hot). It's vital that the unit be transparent so I can see the water level inside. Additionally, it would be ideal if it could also bring water to a full boil. I'm open to any suggestions, whether it's a consumer product or a more custom solution (bimetallic thermostat, analog temperature gauge, ...). Thanks in advance for any advice you can share! Cheers! Larry