What's a reasonable price to pay for a stove-top thermometer?

[drewmo]

I passed a stove shop today and thought I'd pick up a thermometer for my woodstove. Using my best French, I asked for a thermometer. They went into the back storeroom and handed me something that looked much like a tin can lid with a small dial and some numbers on it. Again, using my best French, I asked for the price, figuring it couldn't be too expensive. Boy, was I wrong. They were asking the equivalent of $180! I even saw the figure printed in their catalog so I knew I wasn't the only one they're taking advantage of.

I must admit I haven't done my research and looked at prices online. Who knows, maybe $180 is a steal. But I doubt it and will gracefully eat my words if I'm wrong. Infrared thermometers don't even go for prices like that. Now I know who owns the Jaguar parked in front of the showroom.

So, I'm headed to eBay and Home Depot online to do a little research on prices.

 

[carpniels]

HI Drew,

Do you have any idea how expensive it is to pay for the socialist system in France? Taxes are through the roof. Hence everything is more expensive there.

Niels

PS. When my craftsman chainsaw needed replacement, I sent it to my brother in Holland. He used it until the piston rings broke. He looked for a new chainsaw (Husky or Stihl) and reported back to me. The 345e en MS250 were over 500 euro. That is over $750!!

He asked me to check my local dealer and I pick up an MS250C-BE for $360. Used it for one tank to get it dirty, and send it to him as a used chainsaw (with sawdust and dirt). Saved him half the money.

I am going to Holland next week and half of my suitcase is full of stuff that Dutch people asked me to buy and bring because it is so cheap overhere.

 

[drewmo]

Niels, yes, it's quite evident to us expats that living in France, or anywhere in Western Europe for that matter, is incredibly expensive. Gas is now over $8 a gallon here, thanks in large part to the weak dollar. But seriously, $180 for a stove top thermometer? They're having us for a laugh. By the looks of it, you can find one in the States for $10. By chance, do you have any room in your suitcase? ;-)

-drewmo

 

[BotetourtSteve]

I recently paid 19.99 for a Rutland stovetop.

 

[reaperman]

I paid $6.99 at Menards

 

[North of 60]

$18.00 @ Home Hardware and we are in the middle of nowhere. Still Gods country though.

 

[Jay H]

So, I'm headed to eBay and Home Depot online to do a little research on prices.

Whew, you scared me, at first you had me thinking that there were Home Depots in France. yikes!!

It sounds like it would be cheaper for you to have somebody ship you one, if carpneils doesn't have room in his suitcase, anyway.... Maybe we can get into the act of wood stove thermometer smuggling. I can see the news... man arrested at Charles deGaul for smuggling stovetop thermometers...

Jay

 

[mayhem]

My Rutland stovetop was about $10 at Home Cheapo. The colored zones to indicate overfire and underfire are not calibrated for my stove, but it reads accurately.

 

[drewmo]

Maybe we can get into the act of wood stove thermometer smuggling. I can see the news... man arrested at Charles deGaul for smuggling stovetop thermometers...

Yeah, that'd be a great idea, considering the markup I'm seeing over here. In fact, there are many things I could think of that would be worth smuggling this way, like Skippy and any OTC medications including contact lens solution.

I'm headed back to Maine in a couple of months to see the folks, so I'll pick one up then for sure.

 

[fullbore]

I ordered two Condar thermometers from the factory for around $15ea.