When a person is ill, the ability to quickly and accurately determine their body temperature is important for evaluating their condition.
However:
The traditional oral/armpit thermometers are impossible to use on most babies, children, or irritable adults. 😉
The best forehead thermometers can read anyone’s temperature in less than 3 seconds and are the quickest and most convenient devices for checking for fever in any baby, child, or adult.
Below you’ll find our top picks and our detailed forehead thermometer reviews.
👉 In a Hurry? see the 6 best forehead thermometers in 2020 comparison table below first:
| Our Verdict/Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|
ThermoDetect Pro | 🥇 4.8 stars Best Overall Most accurate | Check on official site |
| Braun No Touch Forehead Thermometer   | 4.7 stars Best non-contact thermometer | Check on Amazon |
Withings Thermo | 4.7 stars | Check on official site |
iProven DMT-489  | 4.7 stars Best forehead & ear thermometer | Check on Amazon |
| Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer   | 4.6 stars Accurate, budget-friendly | Check on Amazon |
| Clinical forehead thermometer   | 4.6 stars Non-contact, fast reading | Check on Amazon |
Jump to our full infrared forehead thermometers reviews – below!
Overview
Is a Forehead Thermometer Accurate?
Temporal artery thermometers, known as forehead thermometers, use an infrared scanner to measure the temperature of the temporal artery in the forehead.
They can read a person’s temperature very quickly, are easy to use, safe, and easily tolerated by children and babies.
With some thermometers, you don’t even have to touch the skin to read the temperature, which makes them best for testing sleeping children – without waking them up and disturbing them.
They make the best fit for infants older than 3 months and older children, and according to the Mayo clinic, new research suggests that they may also be used for newborns.
Are they accurate?The latest research suggests that forehead infrared thermometers are the most accurate alternative to rectal digital thermometers for taking a child’s temperature.
However:
Remember that the environment around you may influence your skin temperature. The tested child/adult needs to be in the same steady room for 30 minutes if you want an accurate read.
Do you add a degree with a forehead thermometer?
User manuals report an accuracy of about 0.4 Fahrenheit degrees, which is not ideal, but all the accuracy in the world won’t help if you can’t use it on a temperamental child.
What is Considered a Fever When You Use a Forehead Thermometer?
Checking for fever can be done in different parts of your body, including the armpit, mouth, ears, rectum, and forehead.
- An ear temp. is 0.5°F (0.3°C) to 1°F (0.6°C) higher than an oral temperature.
- An armpit (axillary) temperature is usually 0.5°F (0.3°C) to 1°F (0.6°C) lower than an oral temperature.
- A forehead (temporal) scanner is usually 0.5°F (0.3°C) to 1°F (0.6°C) lower than an oral temperature.
So, what is considered a fever on the forehead?
According to the Seattle children’s hospital, a forehead temperature of 100.4° F (38.0° C) or higher is considered a fever.
The Top 6 Forehead Thermometers (2020)
Our requirements for a forehead thermometer were simple: something fast, accurate, consistent, silent, and easy to read.
Here’s what we recommend:
1. ThermoDetect Pro Best Overall
The fair-priced ThermoDetect Pro is the only FDA-approved infrared thermometer that is manufactured at an FDA-registered facility in California, and is also has FCC and CE certification.
You can take the fever of babies, young children, adults and the elderly accurately and fast, and it is our #1 pick for 2020. Here’s why:
- The highly accurate, non-contact reading, takes less than a second and is confusion-free with the color coded fever indicator (Green for a normal body temperature, Orange for a slightly raised temperature, and Red for a high body temperature).
- Most accurate – the readings have greater than 0.01° accuracy when taken from a distance of 0.4-2 inches (1-5 cm).
- Minimal use of battery power – the ThermoDetect Pro stays charged all day and for months, with thousands of temp. checks on one battery cycle.
- When you buy on the official site, you get free shipping via USPS and a 30-day money back guarantee.
- The price is average-low compared with other forehead thermometers.
2. Braun 3-in-1 No Touch Forehead Thermometer Most Silent
The Braun No Touch thermometer offers a completely silent reading (best for sleeping children/babies) and speedy and accurate readings, thanks to the age and fever guidance built-in feature.
You simply turn it on, select the age range, position it on, or 2.5 cm away from the point between the eyebrows, and when the 3 dashed lines appear, you press the temperature button.
(The gentle guidance light directs you to accurate aiming)
When the infrared scanner is done (in 2 seconds!), you’ll see the appropriate fever light glow (green/yellow/red) to help you understand the temperature reading.
Braun No Touch Thermometer Pros
- Silent
- No-touch option – measures temp. at a distance of to 2.5 cm
- Easy to use with large, color-coded display
- Speedy – takes to seconds to check for fever
- Can also be used to test bath water and food temperature
✅ Check today’s price on Amazon
Cons
- The tested individual should be in the same ambient temperature for at least 10 minutes – to get accurate readings
- Needs to be placed in a very specific place to get consistent readings (use the guidance light and follow instructions to avoid mistakes)
3. iProven DMT-489 Best Forehead & Ear Thermometer
The iProven new 2020 model doubles as both a forehead and an ear fever checker and offers fast and reliable readings for children (older than 6 months) and adults.
It easily switches from ear to forehead functionality and comes with a convenient and easy to read color-coded display (no guessing what’s considered as fever).
It takes just a second to get a reading in the ear, and less than 3 seconds to get it on the forehead.
Remember, ear temperature and temporal temperature are different, that’s why the iProven is specially calibrated for both forehead and ear measurements.
iProven Thermometer Pros
- No guesswork – the color-coded display will let you know
- Accurate and consistent – built with the newest infrared lens technology
- Comes with a storage bag
- You can choose either Fahrenheit or Celsius temp. reading
- 100-day money-back guarantee
✅ Check today’s price on Amazon
Cons
- The thermometer needs at least 30 minutes to acclimate to room temperature
- You cannot silence the beep at the end, may disturb sleeping children
4. Withings Thermo Smart Temporal Thermometer
The popular Withings Thermo temporal thermometer has 16 infrared sensors that take more than 4000 measurements for a highly accurate result (clinical accuracy: ±0.2°C (±0.4°F) – without any contact.
The ultra-fast reading is displayed with a color-coded fever indicator, and it comes with an app that helps you track the data from every measurement, along with health advice (from Boston’s Children Hospital) that appears in the app automatically.
Readings appear illuminated on the device and the LED indicator tells you if the temperature is normal, elevated, or high – based on the age of the user.
Up to 8 people can use the app and access their personal temperature history – that can be quickly shared with a health professional.
And, the batteries last for 2 years!
Withings Thermo Pros
- No need to calculate fever by age – the color-coded LED display indicated if there is a fever – according to the age of the user
- Temperature tracking – comes with an app that can track up to 8 users’ data, with health advice from the Boston Children Hospital
- Batteries last for years
- FSA-eligible
- Accurate and reliable, with consistent readings
- Fever reduction medication dosage appears automatically on the app, according to the user age and temperature
✅ Find the best price and warranty – on the official site
Cons
- Some users say that the app is a bit difficult to set up
5. Exergen SmartGlow Temporal Artery Thermometer Budget Friendly
The Exergen infrared forehead thermometer is quick and easy to use, and you only need a gentle glide on the forehead to get an accurate reading – in 3 seconds.
The highly sensitive temporal thermometer takes about 1000 readings in a single second while determining the most accurate one.
It stores the last 8 temperature readings and you can choose to have the display beep and flash when the process is complete.
Exergen Infrared Forehead Thermometer Pros
- Can be silenced and used on a sleeping baby
- Takes up to 3 seconds to swipe on the forehead and check for fever
- Accurate and consistent readings
- No downtime between repeated uses
- Recommended by nurses and Consumer Reports
- Great value for the money
✅ Check price on Amazon
Cons
- Probe lens and cone should be shiny clean. If not, wipe with alcohol.
6. Clinical Forehead Thermometer
The Clinical forehead FDA-approved thermometer is a non-contact, easy to use, and reliable infrared scanner thermometer – that gives you a reading in 1 second.
It is built with the latest infrared technology (refined microchip and highly sensitive sensor) for maximum accuracy and consistency, and the price is not as expensive as others in this list.
Clinical Forehead Thermometer pros
- Large LCD display
- No need to touch the skin
- Easily switches between Fahrenheit and Celsius
- Accurately measures body temperature and objects
- Silent mode – no beeping that can wake up kids
- High user reviews on Amazon
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- Some users say that you have to add a degree to the reading to get an accurate and consistent body temperature.
Forehead Thermometers FAQ
To your health and happiness,
Meital
P.S
If you are a nurse or any caregiver, you may be interested in the best infrared vein finder as well! 😍
Sources
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/fever/in-depth/thermometers/art-20046737
https://www.seattlechildrens.org/conditions/a-z/fever-how-to-take-the-temperature/
Allegaert K, Casteels K, van Gorp I, Bogaert G. Tympanic, infrared skin, and temporal artery scan thermometers compared with rectal measurement in children: a real-life assessment. Curr Ther Res Clin Exp. 2014;76:34–38. Published 2014 May 8. doi:10.1016/j.curtheres.2013.11.005
Panagiotis Kiekkas PhD, RN, et al., Agreement of infrared temporal artery thermometry with other thermometry methods in adults: systematic review, https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.13117
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