In a nutshell

A colour-coded thermometer that allows parents to take temperatures without contact.

What we tested

  • Ease of use
    A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.
  • Effectiveness
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Style
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Durability
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
  • Worth the money
    A star rating of 4.0 out of 5.
Overall Rating
A star rating of 4.7 out of 5.

Pros

  • Accurate, easy to use, quick results, revolutionary technology, touch or no-touch functions, lightweight, portable.

Cons

  • Price.

A thermometer is a vital tool to have close to hand when you have a healthy child of any age but especially when you have a poorly little one.

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Having an accurate reading of your child's temperature is an important part of being able to react to a serious illness.

Although basic body temperatures vary, the usual range is from 36C to 36.8C. In children under five, a fever is over 37.5C and in children five or over, a fever is 38C.

Therefore it is absolutely essential to have precise temperature readings and electrical appliance brand Braun not only promises exact temperatures with its new NTF 3000 thermometer, but say it will give you accurate readings without having to touch your bubba.

Braun is one of the leading manufacturers and top sellers of thermometers. And before this, I used the Braun Theromoscan Ear thermometer, which was always accurate but a bit tricky to use.

I always used to fiddle around with one of the disposable filters, while trying to placate my daughter at the same time, which was never easy and invariably, I’d run out of filters at the critical moment!

The latest thermometer to hit the market, Braun’s No Touch + Forehead is the first to offer touch and no-touch functions.

And if that wasn’t reassuring enough the sensor also has a coded backlit display that interprets your little one’s temperature and tells you in colours whether it is good (green), slightly raised (yellow) or high (red).

What’s in the box?

  • Braun NTF 3000 No Touch + Forehead
  • AA batteries x 2

Any additional extras needed?

  • No

First impressions?

When I first received the product, I was pretty sceptical that it could take the temperature of my two-year-old daughter accurately.

According to instructions, you can get fast and precise temperature readings both by touching it to the head and by holding it up to the child’s forehead, up to 5cm away in just two seconds.

In theory, this sounded fantastic because it meant that I would not wake my daughter up if I took her temperature in the night and there would be no thrashing around with a feverish toddler.

Also, the backlight enables reading in the dark and it has a “no sound” mode.

How does the Braun NTF 3000 work?

The packaging and instructions are clear and helpful and it includes the two AA batteries needed for use. There is also a plastic cap that protects the sensor, which must be removed before use.

The instructions make clear the importance of holding the thermometer in the middle of the forehead between the eyebrows and there is a little sticker on the handle of the thermometer, for a reminder, just in case you forget when using it.

When switching it on, it takes two seconds to register and makes a beeping noise. After pressing the button and a couple more seconds of beeping, the screen shows up in clear green with the temperature, depending on whether it was taken on – or away from – the forehead.

Is it easy to use the thermometer?

Yes, taking my little girl’s temperature is easy. The one downside is the fact that your child will have to keep his or her head completely still – great if they are asleep, but not ideal if they are moving around.

The reading on my thermometer has varied by .1 of a degree, between measuring it right on my daughter’s head or away from her head, which wasn’t ideal but the variation is never more than this.

Either way, it is extremely quick and easy to use if your child remains still. Helpfully, it also switches itself off if you forget too, which let’s face it, when you’ve got an ill child, you probably will.

Is it portable?

Yes, it can be used at home and feels quite robust, so I was happy to throw it into our luggage when we went for a night away and my daughter had a bit of a cold, just in case.

Unsurprisingly, when she woke up drying and a bit clammy I was delighted I had it to hand. It travelled perfectly and is fairly light.

Is it value for money?

At £52.99, this is not a cheap product and one of the most expensive thermometers out there.

But in my opinion it’s worth the money for the peace of mind that it provides.

MadeForMums verdict?

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I was delighted with this product. Excellent quality, easy to use and great accuracy – thank you Braun!

Authors

Georgina is a writer, editor and journalist with over 20 years in the industry. She regularly contributes to the likes of Family Traveller, Metro and other titles, writing about parenting and travel.

Product Specifications

Product
BrandBraun
ModelNTF 3000 No Touch thermometer
Price£52.99
Features
Made fromPlastic
Features
  • No-touch mode, touch mode
  • Colour-coded backlit display
  • Silent mode
  • Two-second reading
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