Stove top thermo vs. IR results

I have a "Inferno" brand stove top thermometer that I assumed was accurate. Had some issues with the stove getting hotter than I would like, hit 800 on my wife the other night! Then after I gave her a hard time I had a few fires that seemed to get out of control also. I borrowed my father in laws infrared thermometer today and I was amazed at the difference. The stove top thermometer was 100 degrees high through the whole burn. Therefore the high temperatures I was experiencing were actually not that scary. Has anyone as seen such drastic differences? Does anyone know if infrared thermometers are accurate?

I have noticed a difference up to 150 degrees between the IR and stove top thermos. I recently purchased a new Rutland stove top thermometer and it never gets above 380 degrees (and I can assure you the stove is much hotter than that).

I have since gone to IR only.

infrared is much more accurate on stove top and i use mine to check spots around the house

I have a Candor Magnetic Thermometer, and just tested it against an IR Gun...it's within a few degrees.

Similar experience with the Condar thermometer and an IR thermometer.

We have 2 Condar's and we also check them against the IR a couple times a year.

Any recomendations on IR thermo?

IR thermometers are notoriously inaccurate, period! Even the expensive ones. I speak from experience using them in my job prior to retiring. IF you measure the same surface at the same place, you can get reasonably accurate CHANGES in temperature from reading to reading; HOWEVER, the actual temperature can be quite inaccurate because of variations in the reflective characteristics of the surface. A shiny surface will register a completely different temperature than a flat black surface of the same temperature. Some IR thermostats have a switch to go from one type of surface to another but they still are not accurate. If you are measuring bearing temps each month, you hit the same spot and see if the bearing is hotter or not. Same with your stove surface IF you want to see if one area is hotter than another. You're much better off with a contact pyrometer.