You can find a thermometer in almost any household nowadays and understandably so considering how useful these small yet practical devices can be for a family’s well being. Although a basic medical instrument at its core, a thermometer can serve several additional purposes and can be equipped with various accessories. A good one will even boast an LCD screen and various programmable functions to make itself more accommodating.
Having said that, we should also point out that the sheer usefulness of these instruments makes them very widespread and easy to come by. As such, they cannot all be expected to perform at the same standards, not if you’re buying a lesser model from an unreliable manufacturer that’s looking to capitalize on how common thermometers are. To give you a better idea of what’s out there, we put together a list of the ten best thermometers money can buy so as to help you make the correct choice.
Best Thermometers Of 2019
CocoBear Digital Medical Infrared Thermometer
This safe and accurate thermometer from CocoBear can be used to measure temperature up to an impressive standard, thanks to its high-tech infrared temperature sensing technologies. They allow it to work well and fast, which may explain why it has been clinically validated by the FDA and CE. Furthermore, this ingenious thermometer also comes equipped with three useful measuring modes and a long warranty for good measure. Then again, this is more or less the bare minimum you should expect from any reliable thermometer.
ThermoPro TP121 Digital Medical Infrared Thermometer
ThermoPro TP121 is a highly reliable and accurate thermometer that employs a highly sensitive sensor to provide accurate and rapid readings. Designed to be used on young children and adults alike, this versatile instrument can be used by almost anyone due to its user-friendly nature. We should also point out that it also has a silent mode to enable the user to take instant scans and measurements from a sleeping child without making any noise to disrupt the child’s sleep.
Digital Medical Baby Thermometer By DrKea
This easy to use thermometer from DrKea can be used to accurately measure the temperature in just a matter of seconds. Thanks to its tri-mode feature, it can be used to also monitor a person’s temperature and how it changes over time. Also worth mentioning is that it can be employed as a forehead, ear, or room temperature with just a flip of a switch. At the same time, it allows you to measure someone’s temperature as they sleep without the risk of waking them up.
Vicks ComfortFlex Digital Thermometer
Capable of providing 10-second readouts, this particular thermometer is 6 times faster than standard thermometers. Soft, flexible, and very easy to use, it enables you to handle it any which way you wish with no limitations whatsoever. What’s more, it also features a night glow function to enable its use in pitch dark conditions. We should also mention that it is mercury and glass-free, along with the lifetime warranty it comes with.
DT-R1221BLU Medical Thermometer by iProven
It is important for any thermometer to above all, be small enough for you to handle with ease. This is precisely what sets this compact thermometer apart from the rest, along with its impressive accuracy. Waterproof for hygiene reasons, you can easily clean and disinfect the thermometer when you’re done using it, which you may want to do ever so often on account of its rectal use. Furthermore, it is more than capable of providing accurate readings in just a couple of seconds, which makes it one of the best thermometers out there.
ADC Forehead Quick-Read Thermometer
As the name suggests, this is a forehead thermometer from ADC that you can employ in almost any circumstances to get easy and accurate readings. Ideal for clinical or physician use, it boasts a last reading memory, a dual scale F/C function, and a 100% water-resistant construction. Not just that but it also features an auto shut-off function to conserve battery life along with an audible tone feature for when the measurement is complete.
Equinox Digital Non-Contact Infrared Forehead Thermometer
This ingenious, high-end thermometer from Equinox can provide impressively accurate readings without ever touching a person’s skin. It does so with the help of a revolutionary infrared function aimed to remove the risk of potential contamination if used repeatedly without prior washing. At the same time, this thermometer stands out as one of the most user-friendly such instruments on account of its 3-color changing LCD screen and other equally useful features.
Enji Prime Digital Medical Thermometer
With Enji Prime’s Digital Medical Thermometer, you get not just a highly reliable medical thermometer like the name implies but a reasonably accurate room temperature as well. To say more on its medical usage, however, let us point out that it can provide its measurements in just 10 seconds or less, which is a great feat for any medical instrument. We should also point out that it comes with a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer which speaks volumes about the overall quality you can expect.
Braun ThermoScan 5 IRT6500 Thermometer
Primarily aimed at toddlers, this medical thermometer from Braun is generally considered one of the very best on account of its ergonomy and maneuverability. Light in weight and very easy to use, the IRT6500 comes with a pre-warmed tip to ensure that it gets accurate readings at all times. This is because the traditional cold tip of some thermometers has been known to cause lower temperatures being measured. This makes it very useful when trying to measure the temperature of a child who suffers from fever.
iProven DMT-489 Infrared Lens Thermometer
This is without a doubt, one of the most technologically advanced, highly reliable thermometers the market has to offer at this point in time. Equipped with a state of the art infrared lens technology, it is able to provide near-perfect readings. It owes its impressive accuracy not only to the infrared lens but also to the medical algorithms it employs to deduct the accurate measurement from any elements in the environment that might skew the readings in any way. Last but not least, we should also point out that this ingenious thermometer has been approved by the FDA for both baby and adult use.
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What To Look For In A Thermometer
Before getting into the specifics of what makes a good thermometer, we should perhaps mention how widespread and easily available these instruments have become over the years. This, unfortunately, means that the market gets flooded by sub-par thermometers from time to time. Even though not all these sub-standard instruments get FDA approved, they still make up a large section of the market, which is why you want to learn as much as possible about what makes a good thermometer and what characteristics to consider when buying one. With that in mind, we should perhaps go through the different types of thermometers out there.
Types Of Thermometers
- Digital Thermometers – These are perhaps the fastest thermometers out there, yet they are among the most expensive as well. Available in many shapes and sizes, digital thermometers are widely spread and can be found in many medical facilities across the world, including private practices and hospitals. For the most part, digital thermometers have no real limitations but pay close attention to whether such a device is waterproof or not because some of them aren’t. It also has to be said that digital thermometers can be used orally, rectally, or axillary depending on how they’re built.
- Electronic Ear Thermometers – As the name suggests, these thermometers are designed to be inserted into one’s ear to measure their temperature. It needs to be said, however, that one should always be careful with ear thermometer and not to insert them too deep inside the ear. We should also point out that ear wax may cause the thermometer to get incorrect readings and that there would be no way to know that for a fact without checking by hand. Furthermore, ear thermometers tend to not work that well in the case of infants younger than three months due to how their ear canals are formed.
- Forehead Thermometers – Not much to say about forehead thermometers except that they aren’t as reliable as other, more advanced thermometers. As a matter of fact, all external thermometers seem to be lacking when it comes to getting accurate readings on account of the many elements that might interfere with their sensors. Not to mention that sometimes people’s foreheads tend to be of a slightly different temperature than their core temperature for a wide range of medical reasons.
- Plastic Strip Thermometers – Also referred to as ‘fever’ thermometers, these instruments can be used to get reasonable readings in a timely fashion. We say ‘reasonable’ because they cannot possibly be expected to match ear thermometers when it comes to accuracy and reliability. This is because they are inexpensive, poorly packaged, and not expected to be used more than a couple of times. As you would expect from the name, they come in little plastic strips that you place on the forehead, a somewhat superficial practice by many standards.
- Pacifier Thermometers – Primarily aimed at infants and toddlers, pacifier thermometers can be used to measure the temperature of children younger than three months or so. The reason why people employ pacifier thermometers is that infants rarely hold still, which would make the use of any other form of thermometers quite tiresome and unreliable. If, however, you want to get a more accurate reading, then, by all means, use a digital thermometer of sorts, preferably an ear thermometer.
- Glass & Mercury Thermometers – Even though they aren’t as widespread these days as they used to, glass and mercury thermometers are still around to some extent. These thermometers work by inserting the tip underneath the tongue and waiting for a minute to get a reading. As you would imagine, this can be very dangerous if the thermometer spills or breaks, so it is perhaps best that you ignore glass & mercury thermometers altogether. Accuracy-wise, however, you can expect these thermometers to be quite accurate all things considered.
What To Look For:
- Accuracy: The first thing you want to consider when buying a thermometer is just how accurate its readings are. Unfortunately, you can only find that out with most thermometers by checking reviews and opinions from other users. It is best to look for one that healthcare professionals agree on, particularly the ones that physicians and nurses use. Try to remember that high-end thermometers are usually expected to provide accurate readings, which means that they are thoroughly tested before release.
- Speed: Another thing to consider is the speed of the thermometer, mainly how quickly it can measure up a person’s temperature from the moment they are first used. On average, modern thermometers take anywhere from 10 seconds to a couple of minutes depending on the type of thermometer, methodology, and manufacturer. It is also important to remember that if you have children, you should probably invest in a child-friendly thermometer.
- Versatility: You also want to consider just how versatile a thermometer is and whether you can use it for more than what it was primarily designed for. We say that because many modern thermometers are designed to switch between medical and practical purposes, in the sense that you can also use them to get the temperature inside a room. This is usually done by switching between its functions if the thermometer has such capabilities.
- Display: Last but not least, bear in mind that most of the popular thermometers out there are equipped with inbuilt LCD displays. Such a display can make it more convenient for you to see the exact temperature without causing too much eye strain like older, markings-based thermometers. On a related note, look for thermometers with a backlit display as they enable you to use them in pitch-dark conditions. This is always to be desired with children as you won’t have to risk waking them up by turning on the lights.
I began my writing career writing for various content firms, but it was under the tutelage of the editors here at SavantMag.com that I grew as a writer and editor. I love the content we write here and bringing solid reviews to consumers is rewarding beyond what I can even describe.
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