£35 from JoJo Maman Bebe

Stick it in your baby’s ear without any fear

Tell yourself that this futuristic thermometer will look cool in your baby’s nursery and will take his temperature in style.

Tell your wife that this hi-tech infrared thermometer will ensure the minimum of distress when used on your precious child.

After several ill-fated attempts to use our strip thermometer on Henry’s little forehead we simply had to find something more effective. The Brother Max 3-in-1 Digital Thermometer fit the bill perfectly – it is a smooth looking device that can take temperatures quickly via ear or forehead, whilst also being usable as a room thermometer. It comes with a neat stand for your nursery so that it is always on hand when you need it, and it also has a close-fitting hard-plastic case that is ideal for travel.

Wriggling is no longer niggling

Having used the Brother Max over a few months I can confirm that it is quick and effective even against the most unwilling and wriggly of targets. Henry doesn’t mind the little tip pressing gently against his forehead and he is similarly unfazed by having it shoved in his ear. Key to this is the fact that it only takes 2 or 3 seconds for the reading to be taken, signified by a nice little beep. The resulting temperature is then displayed in big, bold digits on the bright display.

Flip it ‘n clip it

Once you have taken the temperature you can fold the tip back down and close the protective cover over it, which switches the device into its room temperature mode. There is even an orientation sensor in the device that flips the digits when you turn it upside down to clip into the stand – very simple, yet very effective.

Almost super, but not up the pooper

I have just two criticisms of the Brother Max thermometer. Firstly, the manual has a complex table of ‘normal’ temperature readings for different age groups. This is all very good, but it would be far more useful to have this printed on the device itself or even have the device tell you if your child’s temperature is in the normal range. My final gripe is that there is no rectal temperature option. How am I supposed to test how ill Henry really is when he’s trying to avoid going to school in 5 years’ time?

Dadgets.info says that the Brother Max thermometer is quick and painless for both father and child. And it also looks pretty damn cool.

Grin like a child at the clear and bright display, the lightning quick reading and the smart travel case.

Cry like a baby at the lack of ‘normal’ temperature confirmation and the absence of a rectal option.

Dadgets.info rating: 9 out of 10

All Dads need a thermometer for checking up on their children’s various illnesses, so why not make it a Dadget thermometer? Admittedly, I am quite drawn to using an old-fashioned mercury thermometer – there’s something about the threat of a rectal temperature reading that keeps kids from feigning illness – but a modern father needs a modern thermometer.

Mothercare Forehead Thermometer (£3.99 from Mothercare)

Cheap, cheerful, and completely impractical is this offering from Mothercare. It is a heat sensitive strip that you press against your child’s forehead like a crazed gunman for about 7 hours before it finally changes colour to indicate the appropriate temperature. If you’ve ever tried using this on a real-life, wriggling, screaming baby then you’ll soon realise that your £4 would have been much better spent on some Whisky miniatures.

Braun Thermoscan 4520 (£29.34 from Amazon.co.uk)

This is more like it. The Braun Thermoscan is digital, it takes temperatures within only a few seconds, and is the tool of choice for doctors which is reassuring. My only gripe with the Braun is that it uses single-use covers for the ear sensor. I’m all for hygiene, but the hassle and expense of buying disposable covers for the rest of my life just seems like a bit of a ball ache. So while it might be the natural choice for doctors, it ain’t mine.

Brother Max 3-in-1 Thermometer
(£35 from JoJo Maman Bebe)

The Brother Max has it all – a digital display, the ability to read temperatures from forehead or ear, a room temperature option, and a neat plastic travel case. Furthermore, it doesn’t require any disposable covers. The perfect thermometer then? Find out in my full review in a few weeks.