Best Baby Thermometer 2025: Get an Accurate Temperature Reading with Our Tried and Tested Favorites

Whether you’re caring for a newborn for the first time or you’re a post-natal pro, the best baby thermometers will help put your mind at ease. From checking the temperature of the bath, to confirming if your baby has a fever, a thermometer is an essential item for any parent.

Our expert team put all of the baby thermometers featured in our roundup to the test to ensure that only the very best were making the cut. Our methodology involved testing the thermometers in real-life scenarios – such as bathtime – in the armpits and ears and on the foreheads of our babies. We carefully assessed all the key aspects of the thermometers, including ease of use, range and accuracy of readings, battery life, overall design, and value for money.

Below, you can find our top picks covering a range of requirements and budgets. However, if you feel like you need some more information on how to choose the right thermometer, check out our detailed buying guide.

Best baby thermometer: At a glance

How we test baby thermometers

As parents ourselves, we know how helpful a reliable review can be when making a purchase – especially when it comes to baby equipment. This is the reason why our baby product reviews are conducted by journalists who are also parents.

In the case of baby thermometers, this allows our reviewers to put each product through its paces in a real-life setting, and make judgements about ease of use, accuracy (compared against other thermometers), range of readings offered, design, value for money, and any extra features offered, based on their actual lived experience with the products.

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The best baby thermometers you can buy in 2025

1. Braun ThermoScan 7: Best overall baby thermometer

Price when reviewed: $60 | Check price at Amazon

• Great for… three age settings, provides fast readings
• Not so great for… expensive

Braun’s baby thermometers are among the most recommended by pediatricians, and the ThermoScan 7 is one of the most popular among new parents since it ticks a lot of boxes. Research has shown that small children, toddlers, and newborns have different normal temperature ranges, and what would be a normal temperature for a four-year-old child could be classed as a fever in a newborn baby. In using this knowledge, the ThermoScan 7 offers three age settings: one for 0-3 months, one for 3-36 months, and one to cover from 36 months all the way up to adulthood.

The ThermoScan 7 can provide a reading in seconds – perfect, if you have a wriggly toddler – and warn you if you haven’t positioned it properly for an accurate result. This thermometer will also store the last nine readings, which is really useful if you’re trying to determine whether your little one is getting better or worse, or if you need to pass the information on to a doctor.

In addition, the ThermoScan has a pre-warming tip, for increased accuracy, and spare tip covers, or “lens filters”. Once you’ve used up the spare lens filters, you can easily pick up a pack of 40 replacements on Amazon cheaply. In terms of battery life, we’ve had this thermometer for around a year and have yet to replace the batteries it came with.

Key specs – Batteries: 2 x AA (included); Age settings: 3; Memory: 9 previous readings; Fahrenheit and Celsius: Both; Warranty: No

2. Braun No Touch + Forehead Thermometer: Best thermometer for all ages

Price when reviewed: $60 | Check price at Amazon

• Great for… affordable, covers all ages
• Not so great for… babies sensitive to light

Another great thermometer from Braun, the No Touch plus Forehead thermometer is quick and easy to use. To get an accurate reading, you can either place the thermometer, in Touch mode, gently on the baby’s forehead, between the eyebrows, or in No Touch mode, you can simply hold it 2 inches in front of the baby’s forehead.

As with the ThermoScan, this device uses Braun’s patented Age Precision technology to adjust the fever guidance and warning messages based on your child’s age. But this thermometer also features a silent mode, so you can take your child’s temperature while they sleep with less risk of waking them up. You can even use this unit to measure the temperature of the baby’s food, drinks, and bathwater.

Key specs – Batteries: 2 x AAA (included); Age settings: 3; Memory: N/A; Fahrenheit and Celsius: Both; Warranty: No

3. Tommee Tippee Closer To Nature Digital Ear Thermometer: Best in-ear baby thermometer

Price when reviewed: $30 | Check price at Amazon

• Great for… suitable for all ages, user-friendly
• Not so great for… lacks advanced features

Tommee Tippee’s Digital Ear Thermometer is the easiest to use in-ear baby thermometer we’ve tried and has a decent range of features. Plus, thanks to its tiny tip, it’s suitable for newborns all the way up to the adults in the family.

It takes just a second to give an accurate reading and it stores the previous nine readings, making it easy to track your little one’s fever and tell the doctor if it’s ramping up or calming down. The reading is given on an LCD display and the thermometer will sound an alarm if a fever is detected.

It doesn’t have the age-related features of the Braun models – hence the price difference – but that just makes it less fiddly and easier to get to grips with. Included in the box are eight replacement hygiene covers and you can buy 40 extra replacements separately on Amazon for $22.

Key specs – Batteries: 1 x Lithium cell battery (CR2032) (included); Age settings: N/A; Memory: 9 previous readings; Fahrenheit and Celsius: Both; Warranty: No

4. Withings Thermo: Best smart thermometer

Price when reviewed: $100 | Check price at Amazon

• Great for… sixteen infrared sensors, in-app connectivity
• Not so great for…anyone apprehensive about logging personal data

With 16 infrared sensors to take 4,000 measurements, Withings claim this is a high-precision thermometer, and it’s certainly high tech. You link the device to the Withings app on your smartphone, which then takes you through the set-up process – which might seem like a lot of effort for a thermometer, but you should only need to do it once. Then you scan the thermometer across your forehead (it’s non-touch) and it vibrates to let you know it’s clocked your temperature. The reading is displayed in LEDs across the thermometer and will indicate, in color, whether or not you have a fever.

What we really liked about this model is that you can set up profiles in the app for each family member, and assign a temperature reading to a particular person from the device itself, which will then be recorded and visible on the app. While those who are apprehensive about logging their personal data might not be keen, in our busy household, with multiple kids who might be unwell at any given time, we found it incredibly useful.

Key specs – Batteries: 2 x AAA; Age settings: 3; Memory: Unlimited; Fahrenheit and Celsius: Both; Warranty: 2 years

How to choose the best baby thermometer for your child

Before we dive into our baby thermometer buying guide, here is some important information on what to do if your baby has a high temperature:

My baby has a high temperature, what should I do?

If you take your baby’s temperature and the reading is above or below the normal range for your child’s age, seek medical assistance. For newborns, a normal temperature is around 98.6℉. This temperature can vary between children and can fluctuate over the course of a day – from a low of 97.4℉ to a high of 99.6℉ – and mild increases to 100.4℉ can be caused by simply wearing too many clothes, taking a hot bath, or being outside in hot weather.

Infants younger than 3 months of age whose temperature reaches 100.4℉ should be seen by a doctor as this could be indicative of a serious illness. For kids between 3 months and 3 years of age, a fever of 102℉ similarly needs to be evaluated by a doctor. And a temperature of 104℉ or higher requires medical attention, regardless of age.

Anything around 97.4℉ or below is also very concerning and should be seen by a doctor.

Bear in mind that recent vaccinations can often spike a fever in babies and these are often manageable with infant paracetamol. However, if the fever persists, call your doctor or take them to the emergency room.

If your baby’s temperature is extremely high and does not come down with paracetamol or ibuprofen, at the pediatrician’s suggestion, take them to the emergency room. If the baby is under 8 weeks old and has a high fever, call an ambulance immediately.

In every scenario, ensure that the baby is getting plenty of fluids, is wearing minimal clothing, and do not try to cool the child down by way of ice baths, fans, or cold compresses.

What types of baby thermometers are available?

There are many different types of baby thermometers on the market, so you can be forgiven for feeling overwhelmed when looking through all of them for the first time. Below, we cover the main types, and what they’re useful for, to aid you in choosing.

In-ear baby thermometers

Most doctors use a digital in-ear thermometer to measure infant temperatures as it is quick, painless, does not require the child to sit still for hardly any time at all, and still gives an accurate reading of the child’s body temperature. At-home versions of ear thermometers are widely available and can be used, with care, even on small babies.

Forehead baby thermometers

A popular alternative is an infrared baby forehead thermometer. These give a temperature reading from the child’s forehead without physical contact, which is great for when they’re sleeping or wriggling around. Be sure to follow the instructions, especially regarding the correct distance to take a reading, for an accurate result.

Armpit baby thermometers

Another option is a simple – and usually very affordable – armpit thermometer. These are often recommended for newborns as they’re user-friendly, comfortable, and safe. Most of these types of thermometers can be used as both oral and armpit thermometers, and some can even be used under the chin.

Multi-use baby thermometers

Some armpit baby thermometers are often called multi-use thermometers and, in addition to the mouth and under the chin, can even be used rectally. This is recommended for children up to 3 years old by John Hopkins Medicine as it is usually the most accurate. In any event, and as with anything that babies are likely to put in their mouths, these thermometers will need to be sterilized – very well – after each use, which is why it’s often a good idea to use a thermometer in an armpit or under the chin for the first couple of months.

Baby room thermometers

In order to keep the baby at the optimal, safest, and most comfortable temperature at all times, a room thermometer is a must. A room temperature of between 60 and 68 degrees is comfortable for a baby, so you’ll only need to wrap them in light bedding or an age-appropriate sleeping bag in a cozy room like this. Outside of these temperatures, the baby could be too cold or too hot – too cold and the baby could keep waking up throughout the night, while too hot increases the chance of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). As scary as that sounds, it’s good to know that a simple room thermometer can help you keep your baby at the perfect temperature, giving you that extra bit of reassurance.

Some baby room thermometers also feature a handy night-light which, in addition to cheering up the nursery with a soft glow and providing a feeling of security to the little one, often change color according to the temperature so all you have to do it glance in the room to know if it’s getting too warm or too cold.

Similarly, some of the best baby monitors feature a temperature reader too.

Be aware that placing the night-light/thermometer, or the monitor, near a window or a radiator can skew the readings so it’s always best to put it as close to the baby’s crib as possible to get the most accurate measurement.

Baby bath thermometers

To help stop you putting your delicate, little, soft-skinned angel in a bath that is either a little too warm or a little too cold – anything that’s not just right, as it should be – a simple bath thermometer is extremely useful. These waterproof gadgets can either stick to the inside of the bath or float in it like a toy, are far more accurate than your elbow, and are still easy to read through splashes and bubbles. Colorful models can also distract the baby’s attention, so that you can scrub that grubby neck without a fight.

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