Review: Brother Max 3-in-1 Digital Thermometer

A thermometer is an essential component of every parent’s first aid kit.  As we all know, kids are prone to catching everything that’s going around and a raised temperature can be an early indicator of all kinds of ailments, from minor things like colds to more serious infections including meningitis.  Fast, accurate temperature readings minimise irritation for a sick child, offer peace of mind for parents and can alert you when a problem needs medical attention.

Renowned for their range of innovative products aimed at making life easier for parents and children, Brother Max have developed the 3-in-1 digital thermometer – a unique device that can measure ear, forehead and ambient temperature.  The thermometer is so accurate that it has been certified as a medical device.

The Brother Max 3-in-1 Thermometer’s clever design means that when not being used to take your child’s temperature, it sits securely in its own stand and measures the temperature in your baby’s room, ensuring that it is not only comfortable for your child but that it meets guidelines set out for the prevention of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).  The unit automatically re-takes the room temperature every four minutes, ensuring accuracy.  The stand can be placed on any flat surface or alternatively can be mounted on a wall or other vertical surface using the adhesive pad supplied – it can even hang from the underside of a shelf.  Depending on position, the thermometer can be rotated through 180 degrees for easy reading, and the screen display will automatically ‘flip’ depending on the orientation of the unit so you can always read it at a glance.  The product has been specially designed to use a very small amount of power – a single set of batteries will allow it to remain on in ambient mode for six months and take up to 3,000 body temperature readings.

To take your child’s temperature, the thermometer is easily switched into temperature mode by retracting the protective cover and opening out the probe.  Unlike many other digital thermometers, the product gives an accurate reading without the need for probe covers and the probe is easily cleaned after each use with a tissue or soft cloth.  You can switch between forehead and ear modes at the touch of a button – the thermometer beeps to confirm the change and will display the ear or forehead icon on the backlit screen. You can also switch easily between Celsius and Fahrenheit modes – all controls have easy-to-understand icons so if you lose the instructions you won’t be lost!

To take the in-ear temperature, simply place the probe in your child’s ear and press the temperature button – the reading takes 1-2 seconds and the unit will beep to confirm that the reading has been successful.  The probe is designed so that it cannot be inserted too far into your child’s ear, avoiding injury.  The unit will also display the ‘Lo’ message if the probe has not been inserted far enough to give an accurate reading, ‘Hi’ if the temperature exceeds the unit’s range or ‘Err’ if the ambient temperature is too high or too low for an accurate ear/forehead reading to be achieved.

To take forehead temperature, simply hold the probe against your child’s forehead and press the temperature button.  The reading takes just one second and as before the unit will beep to confirm that it is complete.  In ear or forehead mode, the unit will switch itself off automatically when left idle for 30 seconds.  To return the thermometer to ambient mode simply flip the probe back down and rotate the cover before placing the unit back on the stand.  The unit will beep again to confirm the change of mode and the backlight will come on for 10 seconds.

I found the thermometer very easy to use; the readings it gave were accurate and extremely fast which is a huge benefit when dealing with an unwell, irritable child, and the backlit screen is easy to read day or night. The forehead function is an excellent addition because although in-ear readings are generally regarded as more accurate, it is much easier to take a forehead reading without waking a sleeping child – ideal for keeping tabs on your child’s temperature during the night.

I thought the fact that the unit also measures room temperature was a great idea, meaning it has an everyday function but can be grabbed from the night stand to measure your child’s body temperature when required, instead of rummaging in cupboards and drawers in the middle of the night like we usually do!  It also comes with a robust carry case, the base of which can be used as a temporary stand, making it ideal for travel.

I have only two very minor criticisms of this product.  When in ambient mode on the stand, the thermometer can only sit in two positions – fully upright at 90 degrees or horizontal at 180 degrees.  When placed on a flat surface below eye level – in our case a chest of drawers – this meant bending down or leaning over to read the screen.  It would have been useful if the unit could be positioned at a 45 degree angle – although the problem could be resolved by placing the unit on a shelf at eye level or attaching it to the wall.  Also, the backlight automatically switches off after 10 seconds, but when you press the temperature button to switch it on again, the unit beeps – I would prefer to be able to turn it on silently so I could check room temperature without the risk of waking Bubs up – although the beeping is fairly discreet and probably wouldn’t wake him in normal circumstances.

Overall I think this is an excellent product; it looks great, is well thought-out and designed and is completely user-friendly.  Retailing at £34.99 it also compares well to other digital in-ear thermometers whilst offering the additional forehead and ambient temperature options.  Highly recommended.