Best thermometer

Choosing the best thermometer will allow you to keep track of your family's health, and we've found some of the smartest and most advanced thermometers you can buy right now. This includes no-touch thermometers for maximum hygiene or smartphone compatible models that allow you to track your health as the days and weeks progress. 

Alongside smart features, thermometers should be accurate and reliable. These models can be used at home or on the go, and are available at a range of prices. Our top pick is the CHOOSEEN Digital Forehead and Ear Thermometer, which is perfect for families as it covers a variety of age groups and can be used for ear, forehead, and even checking the temperature of formula. Keep reading for more of our top picks. 

Whatever you need from your thermometer, the CHOOSEEN Digital Forehead and Ear Thermometer probably does it. Its eight functions can be used to tell the temperature of water, baby formula, foreheads, ears, and more. It does all this with the press of a button, and its one-second reading is accurate, which is great for squirmy babies. The backlit LED panel will light up in orange or red if there’s a feverish temperature. This traffic light system will also tell you how severe the fever is. We have found it more accurate when used via the ear method than the forehead.

The Femometer Medical Oral Thermometer can be used orally, rectally, and in the armpit. It gives a reading in 20 seconds, which isn’t the fastest time but for a thermometer of this price it’s pretty good. This thermometer can be used for all ages, and the display will indicate if temperature is low or high which can help when tracking fevers. The battery is expected to last two years, and an automatic shutdown feature will turn the thermometer off after ten minutes to preserve the battery. This thermometer takes a bit longer to take your temperature than other models. 

The Withings Thermo offers contact-free clinical accuracy, and it will track the temperatures of up to eight family members. Readings from this smart thermometer automatically sync with the Withings app and readings are color-coded to indicate if your temperature is high, low, or normal. The consistency of this thermometer makes it worth it, although the app could be improved. 

Babies and young children can wriggle and squirm at the best of times, but when they're ill, it can be even trickier to take their temperature. The American Red Cross 10 Second Digital Thermometer takes temperature reading quickly and efficiently. The flex tip keeps your child comfortable as you take their temperature orally, rectally, or in the armpit. 

This thermometer also comes in a protective case and is very lightweight, making this an ideal thermometer for travel and taking on the go. It's also an inexpensive choice, meaning it's possible to buy two - one for home and one for travel.  

The iHealth No-Touch Forehead Thermometer has a large LED display for clear readings, and its infrared sensors offer reliable and incredibly quick results. When your temperature has been read the iHealth will vibrate, which will allow you to take temperature readings without waking a sleeping child up. The thermometer comes with batteries and its one button design makes it easy to use. We do wish the LED reading wasn't in white against the white background, as it can be difficult to read in bright light.

Favorited by pediatricians because of their accuracy and non-invasive method, ear thermometers reflect body temperature quickly and come with disposable tips for hygiene. 

The Braun Digital Ear Thermometer has a pre-warmed tip, meaning its results won't be skewed by a cool tip lowering the temperature of the ear. This also makes it less of a shock to the system for children and babies. It also has memory recall, meaning it will remind you of your last temperature taken once you're done. 

Your basal body temperature (or BBT) is used to track your ovulation. That’s why the Femometer Digital Basal Thermometer is perfect for natural family planning. The design is discreet and each reading takes roughly one minute. Pair with your app via Bluetooth to track your BBT readings with an automatically generated app. You can also set an alarm to remind you to take your daily reading. Of course, you don’t need to track your cycle with this thermometer. It takes oral readings accurately and is easy to operate. 

The verdict

Our top pick of the best themomoeter you can buy is the CHOOSEEN Digital Forehead and Ear Thermometer. It is an eight-in-one model that's guaranteed to fit your every need. However, it's also not the cheapest. We recommend the Femometer Medical Oral Thermometer or the American Red Cross 10 Second Digital Thermometer as great budget options. 

The smartest thermometer you can buy is the Withings Thermo, which can be paired with your smartphone for added insight. The Femometer Digital Basal Thermometer is also app-compatible, and ideal for family planning and fertility tracking. 

The Braun Digital Ear Thermometer is a great ear thermometer that's not too invasive, and if you'd rather no contact at all, the iHealth No-Touch Forehead Thermometer is our top pick.