Is the inkbird really worth it? Mixed reviews?

[Chayo]

Looking into getting a inkbird temp controller but have come across negative and positive reviews but more negative on BRS reviews. Can someone suggest the pros and cons from experience? Is it worth it or just a headache/disaster waiting to happen?

 

[Jekyl]

I use one and it has saved my tank twice

 

[Chayo]

I use one and it has saved my tank twice

Do you mind sharing how? Thanks

 

[KevinC]

its a small investment that so far is working great for me. 3 months in and everything is in check, $25 assurance i guess? But then again, there are better ones that you can get for sure but at the cost of $100+. I done some research before and it seems like things only go wrong when you used it for too long

 

[Gungo]

Great temp controller, it's controlling my JBJ 1/3HP chiller (for more stable temp), and never had an issue with it.

 

[JohnTheReefer]

I recently started using one on my nano and it is a great way to monitor and control the temp. The alarm feature is nice as well. You can set the alarm to sound at any temp you like.

 

[Chayo]

its a small investment that so far is working great for me. 3 months in and everything is in check, $25 assurance i guess? But then again, there are better ones that you can get for sure but at the cost of $100+. I done some research before and it seems like things only go wrong when you used it for too long

Thanks for the feedback, how long after use do you plan on replacing?

 

[KevinC]

Thanks for the feedback, how long after use do you plan on replacing?

frankly, I would say 1 yr? or when i need to start calibrating the temperature frequently

 

[siggy]

What other option do you have available? I think I would have more confidence in the inkbird than what a cheap heater comes with.
Besides I like titanium. You get the tank grounded as a bonus. So you will need something if you go that route.

 

[Fish_Sticks]

Look into a RANCO industrial temperature controller.

 

[ca1ore]

There have been a number of running changes to the inkbird, so you have to look closely at the reviews. Early incarnations used a stainless probe that was not long lasting in salt water and the readings would drift significantly. I had two, and after a year they were both off by 8 degrees. You could calibrate, but the accuracy did not hold. More recent incarnations use a plastic probe, presumably to fix the problem. I don’t use mine for anything important as I don’t trust them. Ranco is a better option, though even there the probe needs to be protected from salt water.

 

[JCTReefer]

I’m a fan of Ranco personally. Never had any problems from them. Temp has never strayed more than a degree. They also seem to be very accurate so far as what the readout says and the actual temperature in the tank. At least that’s my experience. They’re Industrial grade also and have been in the business for a long while. I’ve read too many negative things about inkbird to trust them. They are cheap, so I guess you get what you pay for. Just my opinion of course.

 

[lpsouth1978]

I have used both the Ranco and the Inkbird and use exclusively the Inkbird now. The ranco is a great unit, but is pretty pricey and BULKY. I have never had an Inkbird fail but it has saves my systems on more than one occasion, when a heater got stuck in the on position.

That being said, I do not completely trust any single piece of equipment and have redundancies in place. First I have 2 slightly undersized heaters, so neither should be able to cook my system if something fails. I also use a Seneye to monitor the temp to ensure proper Inkbird calibration. Finally, I have the inkbird on a smart switch. That way if the Seneye sends an alert that the temp is too high, I can turn the Inkbird off from wherever I am, eliminating the possibility of cooking my system.

 

[DDenny]

I have the 308S heating and cooling as summers get to 110 and the A/C is even set to 78 during the day. So far so good with mine. Has worked flawlessly. Just make sure you get the aquarium temp probe one. Got to find a decent fan to cool the tank now before it gets to hot.

 

[green behind the ears]

What other option do you have available? I think I would have more confidence in the inkbird than what a cheap heater comes with.
Besides I like titanium. You get the tank grounded as a bonus. So you will need something if you go that route.

Oh yeah of course ! Good point

 

[LardLad]

They are an easy way to nail down one important element of STABILITY....

....But only if you are interested in that sort of thing

 

[Rubberfrog]

It just depends how anal you are with temp swings. Some guys really want the .1° accuracy. Inkbird won't do that.

 

[JCTReefer]

The ranco is a great unit, but is pretty pricey and BULKY

Yes, it is bulky!!! I really don’t like that part about them. For the OP, here’s and example of the size of one. Much bigger than an Inkbird!!! As a reference, that’s 3 inch steel square tubing my bracket is attached to. So it’s pretty dang big!

 

[1Bigfish]

It just depends how anal you are with temp swings. Some guys really want the .1° accuracy. Inkbird won't do that.

That’s my only complaint with inkbird, the 1 degree temp swing.

 

[Gtinnel]

I have only used the inkbird for temp controller so I can't compare it to any other but I absolutely love my inkbird. After I installed it I was woke up one night because my heater had failed off and it let me know. Without the inkbird I would've gone days without noticing my heater failed. I probably only would've noticed when I saw it effect my livestock.

I use the wifi inkbird and it allows you to set the temp to only fluctuate by half of a degree.