I have 2 herpstats, and am very happy with them. T-stats are really an investment item. Like a ceramic heat emitter, a good one will last you basically forever, so spending money for a good one, though expensive up front, will likely save you money in the long run. I even bought the humidity probe with my herpstat 4, and use one of the channels to run a humidifier in my snake room during the winter.