The 7 Best Thermometers of 2021

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While your body temperature fluctuates throughout the day due to a variety of factors—activity, time of day, and even what you're eating—a sudden temperature change can be an indicator that something is wrong with your health.

While historically, 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit has been considered “normal” body temperature, one recent study calculated it is closer to 97.9. Regardless, health experts are pretty unanimous when it comes to what defines a fever—100.4 degrees Fahrenheit. “Fever is often just a sign of the body fighting some type of an infection—and an elevated temperature is a good thing and is helping your body recover,” explains Maryellen Flaherty-Hewitt, MD, FAAP, Interim Section Chief of General Pediatrics Yale Medicine.

Identifying a fever is crucial and “accuracy is critical for your physician to make an appropriate assessment of the situation,” she continues. “Many of us think we can guess by using the back of the hand, but this has been shown to be inaccurate.”

She adds that investing in an accurate thermometer (or two) to keep in your family’s health kit should be a priority.

“You should take your temperature anytime you feel ill,” Darren Mareiniss, MD, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Sidney Kimmel Medical College – Thomas Jefferson University, explains.

There are many different types of thermometers to choose from. So, which should you consider?

“I would use an oral, tympanic, or rectal thermometer,” says Dr. Mareiniss “The oral and rectal thermometers are more accurate.” While adults don't typically use rectal thermometers, which are “better markers of core temperature and can often give a reading a full point higher Celsius than the oral temp,” they are regularly used with children and hospital patients.

Dr. Flaherty-Hewitt recommends using axillary in older children, and oral “for children that can follow the directions appropriately” as well as adults. “Infrared thermometers are good for screening but not recommended for use for specific clinical judgments, for example, evaluation of fever in infants, as they can be affected by sweating or vascular changes,” she adds.

Obviously, you want a thermometer that is accurate. Dr. Mareiniss explains that in order to test a thermometer for accuracy, you can take your temperature several times. If it “consistently gives results that are similar,” it is reliable. Additionally, Dr. Flaherty-Hewitt suggests finding one that is easy to use.

Here are the best thermometers on the market today.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

iHealth No Touch Forehead Thermometer at Amazon

It is an accurate, efficient, and user-friendly thermometer recommended by many doctors.

Best Budget:

femometer Digital Thermometer at Amazon

Lightweight and convenient, it offers an accurate measurement in two to three minutes.

Best for Forehead:

iProven Ear and Forehead Thermometer at Amazon

Able to store 20 readings, it is a great tool for monitoring temperature.

Best for Ovulation Tracking:

femometer Digital Basal Thermometer at Amazon

This uses your data and an advanced algorithm to predict your likelihood of conceiving.

Best Smart Thermometer:

Withings Thermo Temporal Thermometer at Amazon

It relies on 16 infrared sensors that take a whopping 4,000 measurements in just seconds.

Best for Ears:

Kinsa Smart Ear Digital Thermometer at Amazon

It is easy to use, monitoring the infrared heat radiated from the eardrum and surrounding tissue, offering a reading in a second.

Best Oral:

Vicks ComfortFlex Digital Thermometer at Amazon

It features a flexible tip that can be used under the tongue or armpit and even rectally.

No-touch thermometers are incredibly easy to use, making the process of taking your entire family’s temperature multiple times a day an easy task.

The iHealth PT3 is an accurate, efficient, and user-friendly battery-operated best-selling thermometer. To use it, you simply place it 1.18 inches away from the center of the forehead. With the help of three infrared sensors, it reads 100 different data points, uses an algorithm, and then offers up an accurate reading in a single second.

It's a great option to use on children and adults, making for the perfect family thermometer. We also appreciate its large LED display and extra-large text, making it easy to read even when the lights are out. Another great feature? Instead of beeping during the temperature-taking process, it simply vibrates, so you can monitor your child’s temperature while they're sleeping without fear of waking them up.

If you are looking to get an efficient thermometer while spending the least amount of money, Femometer’s digital thermometer is our top pick. This digital gadget, which can be used orally, under the armpit, and rectally, is perfect for children, adults, and even pets. “A tip for oral thermometers: keep your mouth closed while taking a temperature so as not to have an inaccurately lower temperature,” suggests Dr. Mareiniss.

Lightweight and convenient, it offers up an accurate measurement in up to two to three minutes. Just in case you forget to turn it off, it automatically shuts down after 10 minutes to preserve battery life. It also comes with a hard case, so after you disinfect it post-use you can store it easily.

This thermometer from iProven is a double-tasker, offering readings taken from both your forehead or eardrum. It features state-of-the-art infrared technology, relying on sensors to measure radiation, giving you an accurate reading in just one to three seconds. It is also a great tool to monitor temperature, as it stores up to 20 readings. To use, simply hold up to your forehead or use the attached ear probe. After three beeps, it will either show a red warning light if a fever is detected or green if your temperature is within normal parameters. Two AAA batteries are included, as well as a handy carrying pouch to store it in.

Whether you are trying to get pregnant or avoiding it, a thermometer is a handy tool to track ovulation. Fermometer’s Digital Basal Thermometer was constructed specifically for the purpose of family planning. This smart and precise thermometer connects via Bluetooth to an app on your smartphone, keeping track of your temperature, which they recommend taking daily at the same time. Just in case you forget, there is an alarm to remind you. The app uses your data and an advanced algorithm to predict your likelihood of conceiving, incorporating other fertility signs including BBT, ovulation test results, PdG test results, and period information.

A smart thermometer can come in handy for temperature monitoring. Withings Thermo Temporal Thermometer is a contactless tool that automatically synchronizes with your phone via Wi-Fi, sending data so that up to eight users can access their personal temperature history. The gadget relies on 16 infrared sensors that take a whopping 4,000 measurements in just seconds, giving you an accurate reading as well as a color-coded indication whether you're experiencing a fever or if your temperature is normal. An added bonus? It is FSA eligible, so no prescription needed.

Kinsa’s Smart Ear Digital Thermometer is another intelligent temperature-taking tool cleared by the FDA for safety and accuracy. It is easy to use, monitoring the infrared heat radiated from the eardrum and surrounding tissue, offering a reading in a single second. It sends your data via Bluetooth to the free Kinsa app, where it stores readings and also offers guidance based on age, temperature, and other symptoms. It also features a large, easy-to-read backlit display for accurate readings in the dark.

An oral thermometer is an old school and accurate temperature taking method. For those who shy away from high tech and “smart” gadgets, Vicks ComfortFlex Digital Thermometer is a user friendly tool offering up results in just eight seconds. It features a flexible tip that can be used under the tongue or armpit and even rectally.

Final Verdict

While there are plenty of thermometers on the market, iHealth PT3 is particularly noteworthy. Not only is it reasonably priced, but this no-touch gadget offers readings quickly and can be safely and effectively used on the whole family, making it the perfect everyday family thermometer. However, if you are looking for a specific type of thermometer, have budgetary restraints, or are looking for one with smart capabilities, there are a variety of others you should look at.

What to Look for in a Thermometer

Budget: Always take budget into consideration before buying any health gadget. You can spend as little as a few dollars or over $100 on a thermometer. Usually, the pricier ones rely on more advanced technology to give readings and may connect to an app via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. However, some of the less expensive models are just as accurate.

Type of User: As the doctors mentioned, different types of thermometers are better suited for various ages, and others are specialized for specific uses, such as family planning.

Number of Users in a Household: If you are looking for a thermometer for just yourself, you don’t have to worry about cross-contamination quite as much. But if you want to purchase one for the entire family’s use, a no-touch unit is a better option, as you won’t have to disinfect after every use.

Why Trust Verywell Health

As an internationally recognized health writer and product guru, Leah Groth understands that nobody wants to waste their time or money on products that fail to produce results. Over the years, she has interviewed the world's top health experts and reviewed hundreds of items, to help readers like you discover the most effective health gadgets, tools, and aids that will help you look and feel your very best.

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Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Yale Medicine. Is 98.6 degrees really a 'normal' temperature? Updated July 30, 2020.

The 7 Best Thermometers of 2021

These devices are vital to your at-home first aid kit

Best Overall: iHealth No Touch Forehead Thermometer

Best Budget: femometer Digital Thermometer

Best for Forehead: iProven Ear and Forehead Thermometer

Best for Ovulation Tracking: femometer Digital Basal Thermometer

Best Smart Thermometer: Withings Thermo Temporal Thermometer

Best for Ears: Kinsa Smart Ear Digital Thermometer

Best Oral: Vicks ComfortFlex Digital Thermometer

Final Verdict

What to Look for in a Thermometer

Why Trust Verywell Health