Hello, This topic came up a week or two ago and while the talking instant read thermometer I am mentioning here is not in any way a smart device connected to an iPhone, I wanted to briefly write a few sentences about it because I feel that certain stand-alone speaking devices should not be off-topic as long as you compare them with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi models which connect to the phone. Anyways, I bought the following model: Kizen Instapen Pro Instant Read Meat Thermometer - Best Waterproof Thermometer with Talking Function, Backlight & Calibration. Digital Food Thermometer Here are links for both Amazon Canada and Amazon.com:
Amazon Canada link<https://www.amazon.ca/Kizen-InstapenPro-Instant-Read-Thermometer/dp/B07F2ZZVP4/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=kizen+instapen+pro+voice&qid=1690496082&sr=8-1> Amazon.com link<https://www.amazon.com/Kizen-Instapen-Instant-Read-Thermometer/dp/B07F2ZZVP4/ref=sr_1_1?crid=143VQYWQ2JI6I&keywords=Kizen+Instapen+Pro+Instant+Read+Meat+Thermometer+-+Best+Waterproof+Thermometer+with+Talking+Function%2C+Backlight+%26+Calibration.+Digital+Food+Thermometer&qid=1690497952&sprefix=kizen+instapen+pro+instant+read+meat+thermometer+-+best+waterproof+thermometer+with+talking+function%2C+backlight+%26+calibration.+digital+food+thermometer%2Caps%2C165&sr=8-1> >From Amazon Canada this is currently available for $39.50 Canadian, on >Amazon.com is is only $21.20 US, but before anybody from Canada thinks they >can get a deal, make sure you notice where it says "No Import Fees Deposit & >$9.74 Shipping to Canada". If you add up $21.20 and $9.74 you end up with >$30.94 US which is approx. $41 Canadian so definitely no savings here. When I received it it came in a small cardboard box and it looked and felt well-made. There is a display on one side and above it are 3 buttons, the middle one you press to make it speak the temperature, the left one (if you look at it with the tip folded out and pointing up) switches from Fahrenheit to Celsius and the right one turns on backlighting for the display. This means that once you select which temperature unit you want, as a blind person all you ever need is the talk button in the middle. On the opposite side is the battery cover, it is round and about the size of a Canadian 2 Dollar coin and it has in fact a coin slot so when you want to open it, use a coin, give it a quarter turn and it is unlocked. The battery inside is a single CR2450 Lithium button cell, it is a rather big one as button cell batteries go and they are readily available, I just ordered a replacement pack of 4 Energizer ones from Amazon Canada for $10, you can find packs of 10 for even less per piece and there are no-name brand ones available for as little as 80 Cents a piece if you order 10 or 15, but who needs this many. When you fold it there is a small but noticeable click at the ver end when it locks into place and this turns the thermometer off, fold it out and it turns on - simple and pretty standard for these type of devices. The unit came with a battery installed and 1 replacement battery in a tiny ziplock bag, other than that there is just a folded manual and that is it, I liked the fact that except for the small ziplock bag with the battery and one of these clingy plastic films which covered the side where the screen is there is no other plastic packaging.When I first folded it out and pushed the talk button all I heard was a half-second little cough and that was it. I already assumed that maybe I had a defective unit especially since somebody else in the original thread posted they had ordered one of these and it wasn't working. I logged into my Amazon account and since it was not sold by Amazon, when I requested a return I first had to send a message to the seller. I explained what was happening and within a couple of hours I received the below reply: Hello Sieghard, Thanks for reaching out! We are sorry to hear about the voice function not working properly. This is not the type of experience we would like to provide. We want to assure you that the issue you encountered is not a common occurrence. Our products undergo rigorous quality control measures to ensure their performance and reliability. However, as with any manufactured item, there can be isolated cases where unforeseen issues arise. Since you mentioned you are only hearing a small sound when pressing the talk button and no temperature readings are being spoken, it appears there may be an issue with the voice function on your specific unit. A few things I would suggest trying: 1. Replace the battery in the thermometer with a fresh one. Low or dead batteries can sometimes cause issues with the voice function. 2. Double-check that the voice function is properly enabled on your thermometer. There should be a switch or button to turn the voice on and off. Make sure it is switched to the "on" position. 3. If replacing the battery and ensuring the voice is on does not resolve the issue, it seems your thermometer may have a defect with the voice component. In this case, returning the item for a replacement or refund through Amazon is the correct course of action. Amazon has set procedures in place for handling orders within 30 days, and they will provide the necessary assistance. Also, we rely on Amazon's streamlined fulfillment services to store, sell and fulfill all of our products. We apologize for the inconvenience this has brought. If you have additional questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out again. We are here for you. All the best, Mon Customer Obsession Representative Note the " Customer Obsession Representative", I thought that is a nice touch. Anyways, maybe previous models had an on/off switch, but I asked one o fmy sighted employees to check the unit and apart from the "Talk" button there was nothing. Of course replacing the battery was something I had thought of doing so after this advice from them I did replace it with the other one which came in the box and this immediately resolved the issue and the device is working perfectly now. I am including a link below which plays a little recording where I am holding the tip in a jug of water, I let the temperature speak and then I add a cup of very hot water, I let it speak the result, then I add another cup of hot water etc. As you can see the thermometer works very well and it is also quick, after pressing the button you can press it again after a second or so even though in the description it mentions a 2-3 second response time, but at least it is not like a previous model I had years ago which had a very large and thick probe which was connected with a cable to a little box which had the talk button so you really needed two hands to do this and then after pressing the button it would take at least 3 seconds before it even spoke the result. This fold-out probe is about 6 inches long so plenty long enough to poke into a large turkey and it is super easy to use one handed. Another nice little detail is that the side opposite to the buttons has a magnet towards the top of the handle so when it is folded up you can just stick it onto the fridge instead of having to put it in a drawer where you have to rumage around for it. It also has a large hole molded into the housing at the top so you can also hang it on a hook or attach a lanyard if you want to hang it around your neck during cooking. All in all I am very pleased with the unit, it is not super expensive and seems to work extremely well. Here now the link to the recording, if you listen carefully at the beginning where I mention that I am now unfolding it, you hear the little click which you get when you fold and unfold it and I assume that is possibly what triggers the thermometer to turn on and off. Also when I press the talk button quickly at the end there was one time when I pressed it and it had just barely finished speaking and that time I had to press it again as it was apparently not ready for the next reading.. It's too bad there isn't a way to lock the speaking function for continuous speaking without having to press the button which ould be useful if you were checking, for example, oil temperature for deep frying, but since you can easily hold the thermometer and press the button with one hand it really isn't a big deal. Demo of Kizen InstaPen Pro Voice<https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/7g469agslxkdikf7urssg/DV-2023-07-27-161413.mp3?rlkey=xj2j8p0gvwia4l1w6m2fpl75o&dl=0> Best regards, Sieghard -- The following information is important for all members of the V iPhone list. 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