Although there is no substitute for professional medical advice, keeping track of your own temperature and of those in your household can still be helpful. Knowing whether you are experiencing just a small spike in your temperature or a full-blown fever can make all the difference between deciding whether you need to go to the hospital or to be concerned.
Therefore, a thermometer is a great practical and potentially life-saving medical device to have in your home. In the past glass thermometers using mercury were the most popular and widely available. They were used to take temperature readings rectally, orally and axillary (under the armpit), but were not very accurate and hard to read.
They also carried with them the serious risk of mercury contamination if they broke. Which was actually a very common occurrence. That is why they were removed from the market and quickly replaced by the safer and far more accurate digital models.
So, if you are looking for an easy-to-use and accurate way to take temperature readings from the comfort of your own home, you need to invest in a digital thermometer. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? It would be if it weren’t for the fact that there are a wide variety of digital thermometers out there, all made by companies who claim their products are the best.
At Internet Eyes, we understand that you may not have the freedom of lots of time to spend researching the best digital thermometers, which is why we have created this handy guide. AS well as the top 10 products, we have also included a buying guide offering some insight into what you should look for and features that are important.
Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Best Digital Thermometer for Adults UK 2020
iProven Ear and Head Digital Medical Thermometer
First on our list is a digital thermometer for adults and babies that is designed and manufactured by a company called iProven. This ear and head model are a non-contact type thermometer that has been clinically tested and provides measurements in both Celsius and Fahrenheit.
When you have people of different age groups in your home, it can be useful to have a thermometer like this that can take temperatures either from the forehead or eardrum. These readings can be taken very quickly, with forehead temperatures taking just 3 seconds and eardrum temperatures taking just 1 second.
The forehead measurement is obviously ideal when you have a young child or baby you want to monitor as they are unlikely to really notice what you are doing, let alone feel any discomfort because of it. We also love the inclusion of a sophisticated fever warning system. Based on the temperature reading, the display on the thermometer lights up in green, orange or red, indicating whether there is a problem or not.
To keep it clean and stored away safely when not in use, it comes with a soft pouch with a drawstring.
Fairywell 4-in-1 Professional Precision Digital Thermometer
The next of the best digital thermometers for adults we want to discuss is this 4-in-1 model from Fairywell. Like the above model, this is also one that can be used to measure temperature in either Celsius or Fahrenheit via the forehead or ear. It is incredibly easy to use and will produce highly accurate readings within just 1 second.
As well as taking the temperature of people, it can also be used to take the temperature of water, food, milk and ambient room temperature too.
The features we really want to draw your attention to are the memory recall and fever warning system. This thermometer has a generous memory storage function that will keep 40 sets of data stored so that you can look back and use it to assess whether someone in your household is getting better or worse.
As you will find with many digital thermometers, it also benefits from four different coloured backlights. When the thermometer is in standby mode it has a light blue backlight. If the reading that it takes is within the normal range, requires attention or is a fever, it will light up in either green, orange or red respectively.
Mosen Ear and Forehead Digital Infrared Thermometer
Next on our list is another very affordable and easy to use ear and head digital infrared thermometer. This has official European certification and full clinical validation and offers fast and accurate temperature reading. There are two simple buttons used to operate it and it works using sensor probes and a fully optimised algorithmic calculation. As with most, you can opt for either Fahrenheit or Celsius results and it can record a total of 40 sets of data, meaning you can easily monitor the progress of feature and whether it is improving or not.
There are three different colour backlights and an audible alert. For normal temperatures of between 32 and 37.5-degrees Celsius, it lights up in green and has one long single beep, for slight feverish temperatures between 37.6 and 38-degrees Celsius it lights up in orange and sounds 6 quick beeps and for high fever temperatures of between 38.1 and 42.9-degrees Celsius and sounds 6 quick beeps.
As well as taking the temperature from the forehead or ear, you can also take the temperature of an object, food, liquids or the room using this thermometer. To help keep the thermometer safe and clean, as well as making it easier to take it with you when you need to go anywhere away from home, it also comes with a high-quality cloth bag.
Braun Thermoscan 7 IRT6520 Thermometer
Braun is likely to be a name you will be familiar with even if you have never bought a digital thermometer before. The company has made its name producing high-quality teeth and grooming products. So, it’s no surprise that their entry into the world of digital thermometers is worth looking at. This one is recommended and used by doctors which suggest it produces highly professional and accurate results.
It is equipped with ExacTemp Positioning tech and uses patented age precision tech to give precise age-related guidance regarding fevers. There is a colour-coded display and it benefits from the addition of a nightlight for those late-night fever and temperature checks.
Thanks also to the pre-warmed tip there is no discomfort when it is inserted. Although you can’t record quite as many previous readings as some others, there is still space for 9. In addition to 21 probe covers that are disposable and very hygienic. Like the others in our list, there is the option of Fahrenheit and Celsius reading and you get a storage case to keep it safe and dust-free.
There is even an automatic shut-off if it is left on once 60 seconds have passed.
iProven Digital Thermometer
Another great product from iProven now is this digital thermometer for adults, kids and even babies. You can use it to take your temperature either orally or rectally. This is a sturdy and tough and features a very flexible tip that is comfortable and gentle for use on people of all ages. Although it is not recommended that you take temperatures rectally anymore, you can still do it orally and from the ear with this device.
The accurate and quick reading this produces in either Fahrenheit or Celsius in as little as 10 seconds. Waterproof, this thermometer is very easy to use and very easy to clean. We really like the quirky and friendly smiley indicator that is used to determine how serious or safe the temperature is.
Unlike other products in this guide, this comes with a hard-transparent case rather than a soft cloth bag.
Greatvol Forehead and Ear Infrared Digital Thermometer
Greatvol is the brand behind the next product in our guide, this forehead and ear infrared digital thermometer. This device uses one-key measurement tech to provide incredibly accurate and does it within one second. FDA and CE certified, this device is trusted, used and recommended by medical professionals and paediatricians.
As noted in our buying guide and as is the case with most devices featured here, this device has a memory function that stores a total of 12 previous readings and has an especially useful silent mode that won’t sound off and wake anyone up even when you are using it late at night.
Prefer to read temperatures in Celsius or Fahrenheit? This can do both. It is important to note that one major downside of this product is that it does not come with the batteries you need. So, always remember to order batteries at the same time as you order the thermometer.
Wohlman Infrared Ear and Forehead Magnetic Thermometer
Next up we have an award winner in the form of the Wohlman infrared magnetic thermometer for testing temperatures via either the ear or the forehead. The device won an IF Design Award in 2019 and has been clinically validated with RoHS, FDA and CE certifications. This is a great indicator that the thermometer is accurate and safe to use.
Like many of the other products we have featured already this uses a combination of a highly sensitive sensor probe along with a fully optimised algorithmic calculation to produce accurate readings within just one second.
To help get the closest to accurate results possible you can set the thermometer to take the temperature for people of certain ages. There are three options to choose from and you can switch easily between the ear and forehead mode as and when necessary. To help you keep track and assess regularly the health of your household, the thermometer can store a total of 40 previous temperatures.
The thermometer has a high and low fever monitoring and alerts. If there is a normal temperature the light stays normal whereas if it is low to mid fever or high fever it will light up with orange or red or with six short beeps respectively.
ELERA Ear Forehead Digital Thermometer
ELERA may not be a manufacturer you are very familiar with, but it is one that you probably should be. This device utilises the most cutting-edge infrared lens tech in the probe to help ensure it recognises even the smallest of changes in temperature. You don’t need to spend too long waiting for a reading, as once you have pressed a button and are checking in the appropriate place, as it takes just a second to provide accurate results. There is even a mute setting that means it can be used to stop waking anyone up if you are reading temperatures during the night.
As it’s a 4-in-1 thermometer, and those four modes are object mode, ear mode, adult forehead mode and baby forehead mode. As it features the object mode you can also take the ambient temperature of the room or just about any object, including food and liquid.
To help you keep track of the temperatures of people in your household, especially while they are ill, it can store a total of 40 different temperatures. That way you can check if their symptoms are improving or worsening.
Lookka Digital Infrared Ear and Forehead Thermometer
Another fine ear and forehead digital infrared thermometer you need to consider is this awesome device from a company called Lookka. To make things as simple as possible, the manufacturers have equipped it with just three buttons – one for ear readings, one for head readings and one to switch easily between temperatures in Celsius and Fahrenheit. Just because there are head and ear options don’t mean that’s the only temperatures you can take. For example, you can also take the temperature of ambient spaces, liquids and solids.
As is the case with many other models, there are three different light settings to help indicate whether the temperature you take is a problem or not. For seriously high, feverish temperatures the backlight turns red. For when you don’t want annoying beeps to sound you can select the mute function.
Mansso Finger Pulse Oximeter with LED Display
Finally, the last product on our list is this thermometer from Mansso. Another easy product to use, it offers clinically approved readings that are delivered within 1 second and displayed on a large clear screen with a white backlight that has been softened to protect your eyes, especially when used during the night.
Like others, we’ve discussed this has a memory function that offers a generous 32 spaces for previous temperature data. This is ideal when you are trying to monitor several members of your household’s temperatures while they are ill to see if they are getting better or not.
Digital Thermometer for Adults UK – Buyer’s Guide
Now that you’ve reached this part in or guide (or if you have skipped ahead) we wanted to provide additional help and guidance in your search for the best digital thermometer. It is important to not just rush out and buy the cheapest model you can find, as the quality is not likely to be very high. While the budget is definitely something you should consider, there are more important things you need to factor into your decision.
Contact or Non-Contact Digital Thermometer
One of the biggest headaches that many people experience when trying to choose a digital thermometer is whether they should opt for a modern non-contact infrared model or a more traditional contact model.
Many people like to stick to what they know and as contact thermometers, even the newer digital models, are easy enough to use, they often dismiss the infrared ones. However, a major advantage of non-contact thermometers is right there in the name – they don’t involve any contact.
This can be a real benefit for some reasons. First and foremost, the lack of contact involved in taking a reading means that there is a serious reduction in the chance of spreading bacterial infections and viruses. Although these are easier to pass from person to person when you are living under the same roof.
The other reason is simply that using them is a more comfortable experience for the person whose temperature you are reading. Rather than them needing to be placed on the person, you just point them the patient and hey presto you have a reading in a few short seconds.
How Easy Is It To Use?
Along with deciding which type of thermometer is best, one of the other mains things you need to make sure is that it is easy to use. Most of you reading this guide are unlikely to be health professionals. As such you will not want a thermometer that involves too much reliance on professional health knowledge and experience.
You will want one that you can pick up and use, more or less straight out of the box.
Easy to Clean and Maintain
Another huge consideration, especially when it comes to contact-type thermometers is how easy is it to clean and maintain. As you will be wanting to use the same thermometer for all members of your family or household without spreading anything infectious, cleaning that doesn’t require too difficult a process is a must.
Battery Lifespan
There is nothing worse and more frustrating, and in those rare occasions, potentially life-threatening, taking the digital thermometer from your medicine and medical supplies and discovering that the battery is out of charge. That is why you will find that many of the better models available these days are powered by rechargeable batteries. It may also be a good idea to invest in spares for those times when you or whoever is responsible for maintaining and charging the thermometer has forgotten to do so.
Features That Are Important
As well as looking at whether you want contact or non-contact style thermometer, how easy it is to use and clean and the kind of batteries that powers it, there is yet more to consider when buying one. In this next section, we are going to look at some of the digital thermometer features that are most important.
Unit of Measurements
Are you more familiar with temperature when it’s in Fahrenheit or Celsius? If there is one you feel more comfortable with reading, then you need to look for the digital thermometer that displays its readings in that measurement. Not all thermometers are made equal and it should be taken for granted that they will all use both measurements. Depending on the price tag and where it was made, you will find that some models, for instance, only use one form of measurement, whereas more expensive models give you the option to choose between the two.
Memory Storage
When you used to use a manual mercury glass thermometer to take temperatures, it was quite frustrating having to make a note of the numbers over a set period, wasn’t it? With the invention of digital thermometers, the good news is that you no longer need to do that. Many models now feature memory storage which means they will keep a record of readings taken. Therefore, if you are measuring the temperature of someone in your family or household with a fever and want to check whether their condition is improving or getting worse, this feature is a must. As the readings are automatically recorded it also removes the issue of human error.
Conclusion
When you or someone else in your family or household is ill, being able to monitor temperature accurately is a must. A fever, while not always life-threatening, can lead to further complications. By taking regular readings with a digital thermometer, you can be on the ball and know whether serious medical help is required or not.
Although it may have seemed overwhelming in the past, especially if you are new to the world of digital thermometers and are more familiar with the glass models of old, you now have 10 great products to choose from, rather than scouring through 10 thousand and an insightful buying guide to further help you make the right choice.
