The Withings Thermo is a smart thermometer that’s designed to let you quickly take readings by swiping it across your forehead, letting you store and sync readings to the companion Withings app. It’s one that can be used by multiple users, helped by the non-invasive way you take readings, with Withings claiming that its hygienic thermometer has an accuracy of +0.2C (+0.4F).
Price and availability
The Withings Thermo has been around for a while now and actually launched back in 2016. It’s pretty widely available, but you’ll find it easiest on places like Withings’ own website, the Apple Store, and retailers in the UK like Boots, Currys, and Amazon.
At $99.95/£89.95, this is certainly not a cheap smart thermometer. The price has actually dropped below the $70/£70 mark since launch and likely has something to do with the emergence of Withings’ new more feature-packed BeamO thermometer, which will launch at $249.95/(£TBC) when it goes on sale later in 2024.
Specs and features
The smarts in this thermometer lies with the array of 16 infrared sensors that sit at one end of the device. These are used to scan from the temporal artery to detect temperature changes at the forehead. Measurements are nice and quick to take and are then displayed on the built-in LED matrix display. When you set it up with the Withings app, you can use the Thermo with up to eight people, so when measurements are taken, you can scroll through users to assign the measurement to. Those readings in the Withings app will display readings and determine whether you have a fever or not.
Build and Performance
The Thermo is larger than your typical non-smart thermometer, but it does look great and there is a cap to keep the sensor covered and protected. Setting up was very straightforward and it’s nice to have the option to quickly sync readings over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to the Withings app. It’s also handy to have a good-sized display and while it’s not rechargeable, the AAA batteries it’s powered by should keep you measuring for some time. Crucially, the measurements felt accurate. As long as you correctly take the measurements and follow the instructions, the readings are reliable and you can quickly review them inside of the packed Withings app.
Competition
In terms of other smart thermometers you could grab instead, there are a few alternatives. iHealth for instance makes a no-touch forehead thermometer as well that costs less than $20/£20. You can also pick up a Kinetik ear and forehead thermometer for less, which lets you sync data to your phone making it possible to share data with a doctor. These alternatives might not look as good as the Thermo, but they do offer a cheaper route to non-invasive measurements.
Should you buy it?
You should buy it if..
- You want a nicely designed smart thermometer
- You want a smart thermometer that quickly takes measurements
- You want a thermometer that shares data to Apple Health
You shouldn’t buy it if…
- You want to use a thermometer without setting up with a phone
- You don’t need to track the temperature of multiple people
- You’re happy with a cheaper, more invasive thermometer
Verdict
The Withings Thermo does the simple job of taking your temperature in an unfussy fashion. It’s really easy to use and it takes reliable measurements very quickly, letting you view them on a big built-in display. The Withings app doesn’t hide away too many extras, but if you’re looking for a well-designed, non-invasive thermometer that’s ideal for keeping tabs on the temperature of a few people at the same time, the Thermo does deliver and it does it in a really polished manner. While its one of the best fitness accessories you can buy from the Apple Store, You just might be able to spend less and get the same results elsewhere.
The bottom line:
The Withings Thermo is an excellent, if expensive, smart thermometer for your iPhone.
