Maplin are currently doing an IR thermometer for £29.99 + delivery. On
orders £30 its free delivery, and if you've already signed up to their
email list, you can get £2 off £5 orders or something similar - certainly
low enough for this purchase. Price will go back up to £49.99 on 24th Dec
it seems.

Looking at the specs of the one at CPC people have posted, it looks
similar - +-2% of reading or +-2 oC accuracy though it has 0.5 degree
resolution rather than 1 degree on the CPC one. Oh, and the Maplin's one
range is higher - but who really would be using a cheap thermometer for
270 degrees?

http://www.maplin.co.uk/products/mod...moduleno=36598

or

http://custom1.farnell.com/cpc/produ...%5 Fid=275626

I've ordered one and I'll see how it goes. Finally gave in after spending
10 minutes trying to get a pipe thermometer onto a boiler output pipe which
was in a confined and hot space and then waiting for ages whilst it settles
and then doing the same on 7 rads and then having to put it back onto the
boiler again...

Hopefully it'll work as described.

Incidentally - is there any way of using it to measure a room's temperature?
I realise it measures surface temps - just wondered whether it could be used
to measure a room's air temp as well - doubt it - but worth asking.

Thanks

D