Choosing The Right Infrared Thermometer For Your Needs

By Author: medguard
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So my kid came home sick last Tuesday and I pulled out our old thermometer - you know, the kind you stick under the tongue. What a nightmare. He wouldn't sit still, kept opening his mouth, and after ten minutes I still had no idea what his actual temperature was. That's when I went straight to the pharmacy and bought an infrared one.
Best decision I made all month.
Look, checking temperatures is just part of life now. Whether you've got kids who get sick constantly, you work in healthcare, or you're just trying to stay on top of family health, you need something that actually works. We've come a long way from those mercury thermometers that took five minutes and could poison you if they broke.
Now we've got digital thermometers and infrared thermometers that work fast and don't require wrestling matches with sick children. But picking the right one isn't as obvious as you'd think.
What's Out There
Digital ones are pretty basic. Stick them in someone's mouth, under their arm, ...
... or if it's a baby, you know where else. They beep when they're done. Work fine if you're only checking one person who cooperates.
Infrared ones don't touch you at all. Point at the forehead, click the button, done in two seconds. These are what you see everywhere now - airports, offices, doctor's offices doing quick checks on everyone.
Mercury thermometers are thankfully dead and gone. They were slow, dangerous, and honestly kind of useless compared to what we have now.
If it's just you or maybe one other person, digital is probably enough. Got multiple kids? Work in a clinic? Need to check lots of people? Get infrared and save yourself the headache.
Why Infrared Is Actually Better for Most People
Infrared ones pick up heat from your body without touching you. No contact means no germs spreading between people. During cold and flu season, this is huge.
Speed is the other big thing. Two seconds versus three minutes makes a massive difference when you're dealing with a cranky sick kid who won't hold still.
My daughter used to fight me every time I tried to take her temperature with our old thermometer. With the infrared one, she barely notices. Point at her forehead while she's watching TV, click, done before she realizes what happened.
Hospitals use them because they can screen tons of patients quickly. Offices check employees fast at the entrance. Parents with several kids don't have to spend half an hour taking everyone's temperature.
What Actually Matters When Buying One
Get one that's accurate. Seems obvious, but cheap ones give readings all over the place. What's the point if the numbers are wrong?
Fast readings help a lot with kids. Some take two seconds, others take longer. Those extra seconds matter when dealing with someone who won't cooperate.
Make it simple to use. Too many buttons and complicated menus just make things harder. My wife's grandmother has one with like eight different modes and she can't figure it out. Ours has two buttons - on and measure. That's it.
Some save previous readings so you can track how a fever progresses. Useful when the doctor asks how high it's been getting over the past few days.
Build quality matters because these things get dropped. A lot. Especially if kids are around. Cheap plastic cracks easily.
Think about what you need it for. Just you? Basic digital works. Family with kids? Infrared is worth it. Professional use? Definitely infrared with good features.
Don't Screw Up Your Readings
Make sure the forehead is clean and dry. Sweat or water mess up the reading. If someone just washed their face, wait a bit.
Hold it the right distance away - usually an inch or two from the forehead. Too close or too far throws off the reading. Check your manual.
Don't take readings right after someone exercises, takes a hot shower, or comes in from outside. Their skin temperature is wonky even if their actual body temperature is normal. Give them 15 minutes to settle down.
Common mistakes: measuring through hair, using it in really cold or hot rooms, not giving the device time to adjust to room temperature.
Get It from Somewhere Legit
Medical stuff needs proper certification. Random cheap thermometers from sketchy sellers might give completely wrong readings. What's even the point then?
Medguard sells certified, approved thermometers that meet actual medical standards. They've got both infrared and digital ones for whatever you need - home use, professional settings, whatever.
Quality matters with this stuff. Their products actually work and give you accurate readings. Plus if something goes wrong or you can't figure out how to use it, they have actual customer support. Try getting that from some random Amazon seller.
Just Get the Right One
Bottom line - get a thermometer that's accurate, easy to use, and fits what you need. Infrared works great for families and anywhere you're checking multiple people. Digital is fine for personal use.
Don't buy the cheapest thing you can find. Bad readings are worse than no readings because you might miss something serious or panic over nothing.
Check Medguard's selection for stuff that actually works. Whether you need basic digital or fancy infrared, get it from somewhere you can trust so it works when you actually need it.
Read More - Is Touching The Forehead Good Enough for A Fever Check?

Paul Clifford is the Owner & CEO of Medguard. He aims to strengthen the healthcare infrastructure of the country by supplying medical devices and consumable products of top-notch quality.