The outrage expressed in the reviews could have been obviated by an
accurate product description. The description on both sites reads: "Set
temperature range: 32 to 572 (0 to 300)." This description, which gives
the range in degrees Fahrenheit and then Celsius in parentheses, would
indicate that the thermometer displays both scales.
Instead, the description should read: "Temperatures displayed in degrees
Celsius only (0 to 300)." Then, those who didn't want Celsius would not
have bought the product and would not have left an irate review.
I have noticed that on Amazon product descriptions are not infrequently
copied mindlessly from sources that are not adequately checked to ensure
that the description matches the actual product for sale. The reviewers'
point is not that they are against Celsius, but that the product
description was wrong, and they bought a product they didn't want. I
sympathize.
Martin Morrison
"Metric Today" Columnist
