Fast-reading baby thermometers

Braun ThermoScan Ear Thermometer has the best record for speed: 17 of 17 parents said it gave a reading quickly, though that is a smaller group than for Vicks Baby Rectal Thermometer. Vicks Baby Rectal Thermometer follows at 26 of 33, and Safety 1st Thermometer has the weakest record here at 5 of 15, with 58% of its reviews calling it slow. Fast is not the same as dependable, so read the accuracy complaints below before you pick.

  • 124 store reviews counted
  • Target shoppers
  • Jul 2017 to May 2026

Updated . How we count

Was the reading quick? What parents said
  1. Braun ThermoScan Ear Thermometer 17 said either way
  2. Vicks Baby Rectal Thermometer 33 said either way
  3. Safety 1st Thermometer 15 said either way

Share of parents who stated an outcome for slow readings. Ranked by the lower bound of a 90% confidence interval, so a product needs both a good share and enough reports to rank high.

Best record Braun ThermoScan Ear Thermometer 17 of 17 say it gave a reading quickly Check price on Amazon
What stands out

Speed and trust are separate questions. 42% of Braun reviews mention inconsistent readings and 38% call it inaccurate, and 28% of Vicks reviews call it inaccurate too.

The ranking, product by product

Praise and complaints are the points parents repeat most, shown as a share of each product's counted store reviews.

1

Braun

ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

Best for quick ear readings

17/17 say it gave a reading quickly

Every parent who commented on speed (17 of 17) said it gave a reading quickly, and 22% call it easy to use on a baby. Parents are split on trust, with 25% calling it accurate, 38% calling it inaccurate and 42% mentioning inconsistent readings.

What parents praise

  • Accurate 25%
  • Easy to use on baby 23%
  • Doesn't wake baby 8%
  • Consistent readings 5%

What parents complain about

  • Inconsistent readings 43%
  • Inaccurate 38%
  • Too expensive 10%
  • Breaks 5%
Where parents said it
  • Target 17 of 17
2

Vicks

Baby Rectal Thermometer

26/33 say it gave a reading quickly

The most reviewers weighed in on this rectal thermometer (33), and 26 of 33 said it gave a reading quickly, though 18% call it slow. 28% call it inaccurate and 10% say it broke, against 25% who find it easy to use on a baby.

What parents praise

  • Easy to use on baby 25%
  • Accurate 23%
  • Good value 5%

What parents complain about

  • Inaccurate 28%
  • Breaks 10%
  • Inconsistent readings 5%
  • Hard to use 5%
Where parents said it
  • Target 26 of 33
3

Safety 1st

Thermometer

5/15 say it gave a reading quickly

Slow is the main complaint, with 58% of reviews calling it slow and 32% calling it inaccurate. Reviews copied from Safety 1st's own site are kinder at 6 of 7, which we show but don't count.

What parents praise

  • Easy to use on baby 26%
  • Accurate 21%
  • Good value 11%

What parents complain about

  • Inaccurate 32%
  • Inconsistent readings 26%
  • Breaks 11%
Where parents said it
  • Target 5 of 15
  • Brand site 6 of 7 shown, not counted

Share of 19 store reviews that mention each point. A full bar is 50%.

Where these numbers come from

The 3 products ranked here carry 1,981 reviews at Target. We read the newest reviews of each product (up to a thousand per listing), kept the ones that talk about slow readings, and counted up to 40 per product, posted between Jul 2017 and May 2026.

A review counts only when the reviewer used the product themselves. We drop reviews written in exchange for a free product or a sweepstakes entry (2 on this page), and products that are no longer sold.

Target also shows reviews first posted on brands' own websites. We show them on product cards but never count them, because brand-site reviews run more positive than store reviews of the same products.

Because we searched for the problem, people who had it are overrepresented. Compare products with each other rather than reading a share as your own odds.

We count what parents report. Nothing here is medical or safety advice: for a sick baby, call your pediatrician, and for car seats, a certified child passenger safety technician can check the install.

Amazon buttons appear only on products that most parents here say fix the problem (at least 60%, with enough reviews to trust it). Everything else gets no buy link.

An AI model labels each review against a fixed list of points, and we spot-check the labels before publishing. We publish counts, never the reviews themselves.

Read the full method

Product pages we read

  1. Braun ThermoScan Ear Thermometer Target (40 reviews counted)
  2. Vicks Baby Rectal Thermometer Target (40 reviews counted)
  3. Safety 1st Thermometer Target (19 reviews counted)

People asking about it on Reddit

  1. What thermometer do you use? Just listened to baby scream her head off for 10 seconds for a reading. Looking for something quicker if possible r/NewParents, Jun 2025, 9 comments

Questions buyers ask

Which baby thermometer gives a quick reading?

Braun ThermoScan Ear Thermometer has the best record (17 of 17), followed by Vicks Baby Rectal Thermometer (26 of 33). Safety 1st Thermometer has the weakest record here at 5 of 15.

Are fast thermometers accurate?

Parents are split. 25% of Braun ThermoScan Ear Thermometer reviews call it accurate and 38% call it inaccurate, while 22% of Vicks Baby Rectal Thermometer reviews call it accurate and 28% call it inaccurate. Speed and accuracy are separate questions, so read the notes on each thermometer.

Should I choose an ear or a rectal thermometer?

Ask your pediatrician which type suits your baby's age. In these reviews, 8% of Braun ThermoScan Ear Thermometer reviews say it didn't wake the baby, and 25% of Vicks Baby Rectal Thermometer reviews call that rectal thermometer easy to use on a baby.

When should I call the pediatrician?

Call your pediatrician when symptoms are severe, last more than a few days, or come with a fever. A thermometer reading is one piece of information, and the reviews here are other parents' experiences, not medical advice.

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