The 5 best thermometers of 2024 for adults and kids

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The best thermometer can help determine if you or your child are running a fever.

Molly Hebda/Business Insider

The best thermometer should accurately inform you of how severely the body is in distress. This can help confirm if you or your child are ill enough to see a doctor, or if your systems are safe after exposure to dangerous weather. A fever is also a key symptom of COVID-19, and influenza often produces higher fevers than common colds. 

Our top pick is the iProven Forehead and Ear Thermometer DMT-489. It's accurate, can be used either on the forehead or in-ear, and costs less than $30. For a budget pick, we recommend the Vicks Comfort Flex Thermometer. It costs less than $10, has an easy-to-read digital screen, and is simple enough for both children and adults to use.

Below are the five best thermometers to buy, with testing insight from several experts, doctors, and parents to narrow down the list. I've also provided answers to FAQs, as well as info on how I tested each thermometer, at the end of this guide.

Top picks for the best thermometer

Best overall: iProven Forehead and Ear Thermometer DMT-489 - See at Amazon
The iProven Forehead and Ear Thermometer DMT-489 is highly impressive with an accurate instant read in just one second, versatile use, and comprehensive instructions on quality packaging.

Best budget: Vicks Comfort Flex Thermometer - See at Amazon
The Vicks Comfort Flex Thermometer was the most affordable of the thermometers tested, easy to use, and has a large digital screen with color-coded readings to indicate fever.

Best infrared non-contact: iHealth No-Touch Forehead Thermometer PT3 - See at Amazon
The iHealth No-Touch Forehead Thermometer PT3 reads in just one second and makes it easy to accurately take anyone's temperature while being socially distant.

Best for daily testing: Kinsa Quick Care Smart Thermometer - See at Amazon
If you're tech-savvy and looking for a great smart thermometer, the Kinsa Quick Care Smart Thermometer can be used in three ways and even allows you to contribute to public health research.

Best for kids: Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer with Smart Glow - See at Walmart
The Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer with Smart Glow was the most accurate and consistent out of all the thermometers I tested and has over 80 peer-reviewed clinical studies to back up its use on children.

Best overall: iProven Forehead and Ear Thermometer DMT-489

Molly Hebda/Business Insider

Pros: User-friendly, easy to read, nice storage pouch, precise, can be used either contactless or in-ear

Cons: Cap to change methods difficult to snap on, no probe covers 

The iProven DMT-489 infrared thermometer is two-in-one, as it allows you to switch from reading via an in-ear probe or a forehead setting, the latter of which is safer for infants under 3 months old.

It was the most accurate thermometer in my tests, reading within 0.5-1.0 degrees again and again for forehead readings and within 0.5-0.8 degrees for ear mode. It also displays the temperature within one second.

There are separate buttons for "head" and "ear," and to change from one to the other, you need to snap on or off the top cap of the thermometer, which I found a little difficult but still doable.

To get an accurate ear temperature, you have to insert and place the probe top correctly, so be sure to read the instructions thoroughly. It took me a couple of tries to feel confident taking my temperature this way.

I liked that it has a fever alarm and color temperature indication to take the guesswork out of interpreting the readings. The manual also includes a very comprehensive comparison table on how to interpret measurements based on age and method. The thermometer can also store up to 20 past readings for easy comparison.

The devices come with two AA batteries, a soft pouch for storage (great for travel and diaper bags), and cleaning instructions. It also comes with a two-year limited warranty and the option of an extended-year warranty for free.

Best budget: Vicks Comfort Flex Thermometer

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Pros: Affordable, multiuse, precise, large digital display, comes with probe covers

Cons: Very loud beep, must turn off and on between readings, colored fever alerts misleading, coin cell battery is more annoying to replace 

The Vicks Comfort Flex Thermometer is easy to use right out of the box: There's only one button and you have the option to use the device orally, rectally, or under the arm. It runs on an included coin cell button battery.

I found the large digital display to be the easiest to read of all the thermometers I tested. It also beeps the loudest of the group, which is especially helpful for seniors with visual and hearing impairments, but also could be a nuisance for some considering the beeping lasts a full eight seconds.

The LCD screen uses a color temperature indication alongside displaying the actual number, which is generally helpful but fever isn't the same for everyone so this could be alarmist if you run hot.

The precision and repeatability of the thermometer were quite good in my tests and only varied by about 0.5 degrees. Although the box says the Vicks Comfort Flex Thermometer takes 10-12 seconds to read your temperature, I found it was much quicker with a response time of 5 to 6 seconds orally and 6 to 7 seconds rectally. 

It's a little annoying you have to turn it off and back on to take a second reading, and it is only able to recall the last reading you took. But I did like that this model comes with 100 disposable probe covers and a protective holder, along with a one-year limited warranty and instructions in English and Spanish.

Best infrared non-contact: iHealth No-Touch Forehead Thermometer PT3

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Pros: Fast reading, precise, no beeping, helpful content in the user manual  

Cons: Vibration may be missed, prone to user error, doesn't work well for kids that won't sit still

Before testing the iHealth No-Touch Forehead Thermometer PT3 myself, I'd already seen it in action for pre-screening at both my dentist's office and my daughter's daycare. It seemed like a good product that offered quick readings.

When I tested it myself, I found that it was the best temporal thermometer of the bunch. Instead of a beeping alarm, the device vibrates once it has a reading, which also lights up the LED display. This is nice if you don't want a loud noise, and upon testing, I found the precision and repeatability varied only by 0.5 degrees. 

I also had Cindy Mrotek, whose business A.C.E Behavior Solutions screens people upon entry, try it out and she said the iHealth was a faster read compared to other infrared thermometers. However, she added it was a bit difficult to use on kids who can't sit still. I found the device wouldn't read if it was too far away from the skin.

The iHealth comes with a user manual in English and Spanish, a quick guide with pictures, two AAA batteries, and cleaning instructions. It also has a one-year limited warranty. 

Best for daily testing: Kinsa Quick Care Smart Thermometer

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Pros: Diverse way to read temps, can support multiple family members and keep temperature records separate, has great app features, contributes to public health research  

Cons: Needs app to work, does not include probe covers,

Every morning, I have to self-certify that my kids are free of COVID-19 symptoms before sending them off to school. A smart thermometer like the Kinsa — which stores all the readings for each family member on my phone and helps me monitor their baseline temperature — makes that daily routine much easier to manage.

The Kinsa Quick Care Smart Thermometer connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth and uses an app, which I found easy to set up. I then created profiles for each member of my family, which included inputting their birthdays to help the app's algorithm provide appropriate care instructions from person to person. You can also add notes and symptoms, and track medication doses within the app.

After each reading, the thermometer displays not only the temperature but a happy, neutral, or sad-face emoji corresponding with fever status.

You can check the temperature orally, under the armpit, or rectally (they also make a separate model specific for in-ear use). Although the box says the response time is 8 seconds, I found it to read a temperature between 2 to 3 seconds when used orally. The precision varies between 0.8 and 0.5 degrees.

Kinsa sits in a unique space for both thermometers and smart equipment contributing to public health: As Hilary Brueck, Insider's Senior Health and Science reporter, has laid out, the smart thermometer has helped forecast outbreaks of both the coronavirus and the flu, including detecting fever spikes weeks before hospitals and clinics start to see an influx of patients.

Best for kids: Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer with Smart Glow

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Pros: Most precise tested, suitable for all ages older than three months

Cons: Unintuitive, dim display, plastic cap to protect the sensor easy to lose 

Next to rectal thermometers, temporal artery thermometers are the most reliable way to get an accurate reading on children and babies over 3 months of age. (Use a rectal thermometer on infants under 3 months.) 

With the Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer, a gentle stroke across a child's forehead captures the naturally emitted heat waves coming from the skin over the temporal artery to give a reading in 2 to 3 seconds. It can store up to eight readings. 

When tested repeatedly, the Exergen thermometer delivered the most consistent and precise results of any model tested on myself and my kids — within 0.3 degrees.

However, unlike other models with backlight displays, the Exergen has a relatively small LCD screen with a dim readout. It may be hard to see if you are in a dark room. 

However, unlike others, this thermometer wasn't as intuitive to use, despite having instructions printed directly on the back of the device, I wasn't sure if I was correctly stroking the top of the unit across the forehead. However, the instruction manual had a QR code which led to videos demonstrating how to use it, which was helpful. 

The model comes with a 9V battery already installed, cleaning instructions, and a five-year limited product warranty.

Read our guide to the best thermometers for babies

What else we tested

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What else we recommend

Braun Thermoscan 7 Ear Thermometer: This is a fantastic in-ear thermometer with much peer-reviewed research to back it up, and not only do we recommend it but many parents I spoke with already own it. The downsides are it takes 10 seconds to read a temp, and it's the most expensive option I tested — especially when you factor in the disposable lens filters that need replacing for accuracy and hygiene.

Dr. Talbot's Infrared Forehead Thermometer, Non-Contact: This device has comparable precision and speed to the iHealth and is designed for contactless reading of infants over 3 months, including adults. I liked this device and it was easy to operate, but it's more expensive than the iHealth, and was difficult to change the settings using only the trigger. 

Kinsa Smart Ear Thermometer: The Kinsa is super sleek and easy to use on yourself, which can be tricky for the ear. I also found the app to be tremendous in terms of content with very helpful instructions. Even though the readings only took a second, the precision tended to vary by 1.5 degrees.

How I test thermometers

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I reached out to several pediatricians for their expert opinions on thermometers and read journal articles, "Consumer Reports," and customer reviews. I also spoke with 20 parents about their temperature-taking experiences.

I narrowed down the final list of thermometers by testing each model myself nine times over three days on myself and my two kids, as well as a handful of times on my sister and two of my nieces, one of whom is an infant.

I also handed off two of the infrared thermometers to Cindy Mrotek, owner of A.C.E Behavior Solutions, an essential business screening adults and children with special health care needs upon entry, for testing over one week.

I looked at each product's speed, size of the display, mute options, memory recall, batteries, warranty options, and storage containers. I also looked at:

Accuracy, precision, and readability of thermometer instructions

You have to use a thermometer correctly for an accurate reading, so I evaluated the information on each product's box and inside its user manual from a health literacy perspective, including how helpful and easy to read the instructions were.

Models varied, with some having a quick guide with pictures (great), information in Spanish (big bonus), or a QR code for video instructions, while others had printed so tiny you need a magnifying glass to read it.  

Cost and availability

Since thermometers are an essential part of an at-home health kit, they need to be affordable. Some on our list are the price of two cups of coffee, while others are upwards of $30, but we also lay out how you can save money on a thermometer by using your health savings account or flex spending account. 

Thermometer FAQs

What are the different types of at-home thermometers?

Your basic digital thermometer options to choose from are: 

• Single-use stick thermometer (marketed for rectal only) 
• Multiuse stick thermometer (rectum, mouth, or armpit)  
• Tympanic thermometer (ear) 
• Temporal artery thermometer (forehead)
• Tympanic and temporal thermometer (ear and forehead) 
• Infrared non-contact thermometer (forehead)  

All thermometers sold in the United States must meet federal standards and are already calibrated for home use at the time of purchase.

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Which type of thermometer is the most accurate?

Only a rectal temperature offers a true outpatient reading, says pediatrician, Dr. John Vann. "Everything else is an estimate," he said.

"Luckily, the exact number is not usually as important as how the patient looks," he adds. This is to say, there are other indicators of how severe someone's illness or condition is other than an optimally accurate temperature reading. There are also reliable methods for checking your temperature even if you don't have access to a thermometer.

No matter if you opt for an infrared thermometer or a strictly ear-based model, it's important to know fever isn't the same for everyone and that it varies by age, gender, and time of day, among other variables. Using a thermometer at various times of the day when you're feeling well gives you an idea of what's normal for you, or your baseline temperature. 

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Which is the best thermometer for home use?

Among at-home thermometers, medical research hasn't determined an exact correlation between oral, rectal, ear, armpit, and forehead temperature measurements. But Kaiser Permanente notes that an ear (tympanic) temperature is 0.5 to 1 degree higher than an oral temperature and a forehead (temporal) scanner is usually 0.5 to 1 degree lower than an oral temperature. 

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Can I use my HSA/FSA funds to buy a thermometer?

If you have an HSA or an FSA account, know that over-the-counter digital thermometers are eligible for reimbursement without a prescription. 

Here's how it works: 

• If you pay with cash or credit card in a store or online, you can request a reimbursement from your HSA/FSA account. Different plans have different requirements on what's needed for reimbursement but usually, a copy of your thermometer receipt will be enough.
• There are HSA and FSA-specific retailers, like the HSA Store and the FSA Store that make shopping for items that qualify for reimbursement simple. According to both websites, when shoppers use an HSA or FSA card to pay, they typically don't have to submit receipts. Purchases on these websites automatically substantiate. It is worth noting, however, that the thermometer options available on these websites are limited and cost more than other retailers. 

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What counts as a fever?

To figure out what's a fever for you, you want to find your baseline temperature (i.e., what's normal for you) by checking your temperature at various times of the day when you are feeling well. 

While many Americans think anything over 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit is a problem, what constitutes a fever is different from person to person.

Rik Heller, a biomedical engineer, and thermographic expert, told Insider, "Age, gender, and even time of day impact normal body temperatures." 

Some children's temperatures especially run higher than others, points out Dr. Jesse Hackell, a practicing pediatrician with New York-based Pomona Pediatrics. Any reading of 100.4 F or higher in a baby younger than 3 months is a reason to call the pediatrician. "Another reason to call is if the fever persists for more than 24 hours in children younger than two and more than three days in a child 2 years of age or older," he said.

Meanwhile, older adults tend to have lower baseline temperatures than younger adults, and fevers in the elderly are sometimes completely absent.

Our experts

• Jesse Hackell MD, FAAP, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Practice and Ambulatory Medicine and a practicing pediatrician with New York-based Pomona Pediatrics, a division of Boston Children's Health Physicians
• John Vann, MD, FAAP, a pediatrician at Omaha Children's Clinic in Omaha, Nebraska
• Dr. Jenifer Johnson, a family medicine physician and internist at Westmed Medical Group in Westchester, NY
• Rik Heller, a biomedical engineer, and thermographic expert who founded the clinical-grade thermometer company, Wello
• Cindy Mrotek, business owner of ACE Behavior Solutions

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