Review on SMARTSMITH Alcohol Refractometer - High Accuracy Spirit Alcohol 🍹 Volume Percent Measurement with automatic temperature compensation (ATC), 0-80% v/v Range by Seema Schroeder

I am new to home brewing but have a lot of experience in the aquarium hobby. I have a very good refractometer for my aquarium, so of course the first thing I did was to compare. This item is cheap. It seems cheap, and there are a few things you need to know (e.g. I tested it on my post-calibration faucet and on my two current tanks, compared to my expensive tool, and it worked great. I also tested the cider SG which I was about to use against my hygro and it was spot on too. Then I checked my cider, mead and wine. Hit all three. My cider (not the one listed above ) showed 9.1 proof (lav ec1118) on the hygrometer but barely 4 proof on the refractometer, trust me it was definitely more on page 9 as I had to stop (feel it) at three glasses which isn't on 4 abc would be.The next day I spoke to a guy who works at the local HBS.He said refractometers are great for determining the sugar content of grapes in the field but not for home brewing.Ah ha!This one instrument can there s cannot reliably determine the specific gravity of alcoholic beverages. I'm not sure why this is, but it seems to be a pattern. So when I compare this refractometer to my famous one in the aquarium community for $50-60 I can say that this one looks cheap and the lid that covers the sample plane is pushed back a bit so you have to add more liquid but that's it Not . works and if I was going to use it for candy things I'd probably want this cheap version in case it sticks together. So if you're first checking the Brix of your homemade grapes I'm envious and secondly don't be afraid to buy this Cheepo refractometer. BUT if you are testing the FG of your beer, avoid this model. I give three stars for both, one for home brewing, five for all the sugar that wasn't brewed.