Thermometers have always been a baby essential, but in the last year, they have become a huge hot selling item. And technology has improved so much, that the basic mercury thermometer that you may have used as a kid is not even sold in stores. So how do you know which thermometer is the most accurate, will work the best for your family, and is the best deal?
Find out below what are some of the very best baby thermometers on the market. And of course, you don’t have to use these thermometers on just babies, they will work on everyone! You can also check out my reviews of each one at the links listed below.
Frida Baby 3 in 1 True Temp
Frida Baby Quick Read Digital Rectal Thermometer
iHealth No Touch Forehead Thermometer
Femometer Forehead Thermometer
VAVA Smart Baby Thermometer
Location
It used to be that a thermometer would basically work rectally or orally. Now there are thermometers that work without even touching your skin! This really is an innovative time, with more options available for nearly everything.
When it comes to thermometers, one of the things you want to know about right off the bat is how and where you use them. Each thermometer works differently and can take the temperature in different locations on the body. However, not every location is created equal. These thermometers have pros and cons to them and I’ll discuss that specifically for each model below.
Frida Baby 3 in 1 True Temp
One of the great things about the Frida Baby 3 in 1 True Temp is that it gives you different options for locations you can check the temperature in a few different locations.
Rectal
It can be taken rectally using a probe that is shorter. This will ensure that you don’t push it in too far and hurt your baby in the process. Rectal temperatures are the most accurate readings and they are recommended for any child three years old and younger. However, it is the most challenging place to check temperatures, so most parents try to avoid it when they can.
Armpit
Another way you can take your child’s temperature using this thermometer is under the armpit. This is considered to be not very accurate since your armpit comes in contact with the environment around your child and it can be affected by different things. However, it is an excellent way to screen your child for a fever. This means if your child has a high armpit temperature, you will then be encouraged to take their rectal temperature. Most parents want to avoid taking rectal temperatures when they can, so this is a great way for them to avoid doing so. If the temperature isn’t very high, then you might not worry enough to get the more accurate rectal read.
Oral
The third way you can use the 3 in 1 thermometer is orally. Most children lack the ability to keep still and hold the thermometer under their tongue to get an accurate read this way. This is why most pediatricians will encourage you to take rectal temperatures until they are at least 3.
It is convenient to have a 3 in 1 thermometer because you can use it throughout your child’s life in whatever location suits their age best. However, you may not want to use a thermometer orally that you also use rectally.
Frida Baby Quick Read Digital Rectal Thermometer
As you could probably guess from the name, the Frida Baby Quick Read Digital Rectal Thermometer is a thermometer that you use in your bum! Or your baby’s bum… probably NOT your bum.
Not super fun to do, but the most accurate read you can get from a baby under three years of age. It’s probably the best pro and the worst con on the whole list.
iHealth No Touch Forehead Thermometer
The iHealth No Touch Forehead Thermometer is becoming more and more sought-after thermometer on the market. If you have a daycare, a school, a medical practice, or any place during a pandemic that you need to take several people’s temperature on a daily basis, this is the absolute best method of doing it.
But even if you are just using this in the home, it is still an amazing buy. This is not the most accurate way of checking for a fever, but it is the most convenient. You don’t have to even touch your child, so you can take temperatures while they are sleeping or when they are fussy and they won’t fight you.
You can use it as a screening method and have a rectal thermometer on hand just in case.
Femometer Forehead Thermometer
Like the iHealth thermometer, this temperature is taken from the forehead.
VAVA Smart Baby Thermometer
The VAVA Smart Baby Thermometer takes temperatures from the armpit. This is not always the most accurate place to take temperatures, but it is a great way to keep an eye on your child’s temperature and cause the least amount of discomfort.
No Wake Test
When your baby has a fever, you will likely want to check their temperature several times at night. Even if your baby is sleeping, going into their room and feeling their head will make you uneasy if you don’t know what their actual temperature is. This is why it is important, to me, to be able to take your child’s temperature without waking them up.
Below I have graded all the thermometers on their ability to not wake the baby.
Frida Baby 3 in 1 True Temp
This thermometer gets a solid D for the no-wake test. You could possibly not wake your baby if you are taking an armpit temperature, but there are other obstacles other than just sticking it in the location and waiting for the temperature to register. You will likely have to undress your baby partially, which is nearly impossible to do without waking them. It also beeps when it registers the temperature, so that could wake your baby as well.
Checking your baby’s temperature orally or rectally is basically impossible.
Frida Baby Quick Read Digital Rectal Thermometer
No doubt in my mind, this thermometer gets an F for the no-wake test. If I could go lower than an F, I would. There is nothing peaceful or restful about getting a thermometer stuck up your bum, no matter how young you are. Undressing your baby and the beeping sound makes it even more difficult.
iHealth No Touch Forehead Thermometer
The iHealth Forehead Thermometer gets an A+ in the no-wake test. Not only does this thermometer not even touch your baby, but it also vibrates instead of beeps, so you know when the temperature has registered and it won’t wake your baby. This is a winner in my book.
You can see how easy it is to take a temperature in this video below:
Femometer Forehead Thermometer
The Femometer Forehead Thermometer is just slightly lower than the iHealth at a B. It doesn’t touch your baby, so that works to your advantage, but it doesn’t have the vibrating feature and it beeps like typical thermometers. So if you are a baby in a very quiet room, with the thermometer less than an inch from your face, it could definitely wake you up.
VAVA Smart Baby Thermometer
This thermometer also gets an A+. This design allows you to constantly keep track of your baby’s temperature throughout the day. It is located under the armpit and you don’t have to undress, probe your baby, or even go into their room to know what their temperature is.
Backlit
Fevers very rarely happen in the best of circumstances. They don’t usually happen when there is nothing on your schedule after you’ve had a full night of sleep and are well-rested. Fevers, at least for our family, often occur late at night when it is the absolute worst time of all. So having thoughtful features like backlighting so I can read the temperature in a dark room is very important to me.
Frida Baby 3 in 1 True Temp
The Frida Baby 3 in 1 has a backlit screen, so nighttime readings are easier. Your baby will probably not sleep through you taking their temperature but you don’t have to turn on a light to read it.
Frida Baby Quick Read Digital Rectal Thermometer
The Frida Baby rectal thermometer is very similar to the 3 in 1 and is backlit as well.
iHealth No Touch Forehead Thermometer
The iHealth thermometer will display the thermometer in LED digital numbers. The screen isn’t backlit, but the numbers are and show up well in the day and during the night.
Femometer Forehead Thermometer
The Femometer Forehead thermometer is one of my favorite backlit thermometers. It not only is backlit, but it has three different colors to indicate the level of the temperature; green, yellow, and red. These indicate normal, low fever, and high fever. So if you ever are wondering at what point you need to be really concerned and call a doctor, you will know from the colors.
VAVA Smart Baby Thermometer
The thermometer itself does not have a screen, but the docking station does. This docking station has a lit display similar to an alarm clock. If your child’s fever raises past 100 degrees Fahrenheit, then the docking station will alert you with an alarm and flashing lights.
Battery Life
Thermometers have come a long way in the last few decades. There is no question that the thermometers today are much better than the ones years ago, however, there is one area where they do perform better than the ones of today. Old fashioned mercury thermometers do not require a battery, where all the thermometers today do. So this is one feature that you will want to look into as you are deciding which one to buy.
Frida Baby 3 in 1 True Temp
The Frida Baby 3 in 1 True Temp thermometer is one of the most standard thermometers out there. It doesn’t require a lot of battery life to run, which is a good thing. It takes 1 CR2 battery, which is included. And it takes a long time for these batteries to run down. It depends on how much you use it, of course, but it’s taken mine over a year before I’ve needed to change batteries.
Frida Baby Quick Read Digital Rectal Thermometer
The Frida Baby Rectal Thermometer, like the Frida Baby 3 in 1, takes 1 CR2 battery that is included.
iHealth No Touch Forehead Thermometer
The iHealth No Touch Forehead Thermometer takes 2 AAA batteries, which are easy to find and replace. It doesn’t drain batteries quickly, especially if you use the standard edition. There is a wireless option that will pair to your phone and that will drain your batteries a bit faster since it takes more energy to pair with the phone.
Femometer Forehead Thermometer
The Femometer Forehead Thermometer takes 1 AAA battery, which again, is easy to buy and replace.
VAVA Smart Baby Thermometer
The VAVA Smart Baby Thermometer is a bit different than the other thermometers on this list in how the battery life works. The docking station has its own charge as well as a cord that plugs into the wall. The thermometer itself charges in the docking station. So while the thermometer itself will last for 24 full hours, you can continue to recharge it endlessly.
The charging time is about an hour and a half and the docking station is slightly more.
Adhesives
While we are talking about replacement parts etc, it is important to note that you will need the replacement stickies that attach the thermometer to your child’s skin. It is very important that you use the 3M medical-grade adhesive since other adhesives and tapes can cause skin irritation. The unit comes with 10 replacement adhesives, and it is wise to have more on hand.
If you want to be frugal about it, you can definitely reuse these adhesives until the stickiness wears out, but be mindful that you reuse them on your same child and within the same fever. It is probably ill-advised to use an
adhesive that has been out collecting germs for a few months before using it
again and using the same adhesive between siblings will allow germs to travel quickly.
Extra Features
Each thermometer has something that makes it stand out from the crowd. Each one of these thermometers is different and some of them work in different ways. They all have features that make them some of the biggest sellers in the thermometer market. Here are my favorite extra features in each one.
Frida Baby 3 in 1 True Temp
The Frida Baby 3 in 1 is a classic contact thermometer, but it has a couple of bells and whistles that are better than some other similar thermometers. This one will keep a memory of the last 10 temperatures taken so you can recall how your child’s temperature has been morphing. It also can be used in three different locations, mouth, armpit, and rectum.
Frida Baby Quick Read Digital Rectal Thermometer
One of the most convenient features of the Frida Baby Rectal thermometer is that it has a parent stopper. Most parents are nervous to take a rectal temperature because it is hard to know how far in it needs to go and they don’t want to hurt their baby. A rectal stopper is an important tool that gives parents the confidence to get the most accurate temperature reading possible.
iHealth No Touch Forehead Thermometer
The iHealth thermometer has one of the sleekest designs I have ever seen. It has all the features you need and none that you don’t. It is a thermometer for minimalists. There is nothing more simple than using this thermometer because you literally only have to press one button and you get the simple results you want.
Femometer Forehead Thermometer
This thermometer is easy to use and gives the absolute most information on this list. You can use this to check the temperature in the room, bathwater, food, and your child’s temperature. You can use this daily for all your temperature-taking needs.
VAVA Smart Baby Thermometer
The VAVA Smart thermometer is one of the only ones in its category. It checks temperatures throughout the entire day. You can watch your baby’s temperature evolve throughout the day without having to take their temperature several times. This is especially helpful when your child has a medical condition like febrile seizures and that will alert you when their temperature starts to get too high.
Quick
After accuracy, quickness is one of the more important features of a thermometer. Most babies don’t want their temperature taken, especially if they are feeling sick and cranky. And if you’ve ever had to fight a baby to change their diaper or put them in a car seat when they don’t want to, you’ll know that they are surprisingly strong for their size.
Especially if you are checking a temperature in a delicate area like the rectum, you’re going to want to have a quick reading. Here is the breakdown of how fast each thermometer works.
Frida Baby 3 in 1 True Temp
The Frida Baby 3 in 1 True Temp takes 10 seconds to get an accurate reading. Then 30 seconds later it will give you a double check reading. This doesn’t seem very long, but each second taking a rectal read can feel a lot longer.
Frida Baby Quick Read Digital Rectal Thermometer
Again, the Frida Baby Quick Read Digital Rectal Thermometer will get a temperature reading in 10 seconds. This isn’t as long as it used to take with the old mercury thermometers, but it’s longer than I’m sure you or your baby want a thermometer up their rectum.
Although it is a longer time than the other thermometers on this list, the fact still remains that rectal readings are the absolute most accurate thermometers you can have. So it is worth having these on hand even if you only use them when your baby has an extremely high fever.
iHealth No Touch Forehead Thermometer
The iHealth No Touch Forehead Thermometer is one of the fastest thermometers with a reading of 1 second. This is a perfect thermometer for screening fevers in your own child and in professional settings.
Femometer Forehead Thermometer
According to Femometer, the Femometer Forehead thermometer takes 3 seconds to get a reading.
VAVA Smart Baby Thermometer
Again, the nice thing about the VAVA Smart Baby Thermometer is that it is a different process completely from the typical method of taking your child’s temperature. This thermometer has continuous temperature readings and you don’t even have to lift a finger. All you do is make sure that you put the thermometer in the right spot under the arm and you can get continuous readings all day long.
Conclusion
All the thermometers on this list are ones that I would recommend to anyone. They all have specific uses and benefits that make them stand out from the rest. Below I listed what each one’s main selling point would be for me.
Frida Baby 3 in 1 True Temp
Best Basic Thermometer
Frida Baby Quick Read Digital Rectal Thermometer
Most Accurate Thermometer
iHealth No Touch Forehead Thermometer
No-Fuss Thermometer
Femometer Forehead Thermometer
Most Versatile
VAVA Smart Baby Thermometer
All Day Reads
When you are thinking about what thermometer would work best for your family, consider how you would be using it. If you have several children at home, maybe a no-touch option would be best. If you want to use one for checking the temperature of bathwater and food, then the Femometer would be your best bet. If you want just a standard, basic thermometer, the Frida Baby ones are some baby essentials. And if you have a child with a medical condition or you just have a lot of anxiety surrounding fevers, then the constant temperature tracking you can get with the VAVA will be invaluable.