Braun ThermoScan 7 ear thermometer at EUR 41.79: its 21 caps last three fevers at the one reading a day Thuisarts advises

At nine in the evening your child feels hot to the touch and will not sit still long enough for you to take a temperature. The Braun ThermoScan 7 IRT6520 is an ear thermometer: fit a single-use cap, place the probe in the ear canal, press once and read the number. On Amazon.nl it is sold and shipped by Amazon for EUR 41.79 against a listed recommended price of EUR 62.99, rated 4.5 from 53,384 reviews with 78 per cent five stars and 5 per cent one star.

Braun thermometers are made by Kaz Europe in Bussigny, Switzerland, part of the Helen of Troy group, which uses the Braun trademark under licence from Procter & Gamble. The ThermoScan 7 differs from a basic ear thermometer in two ways. First, Age Precision: you must choose an age band before measuring (0 to 3 months, 3 to 36 months, over 36 months), and the display then lights green, yellow or red for that band, because the fever threshold shifts with age. Second, the tip is pre-warmed to 34 C, close to body temperature, to reduce the low readings a cold probe causes, and a reading only counts once the ExacTemp light and beep confirm a stable position. The display has a night light, so it can be read without switching on a lamp.

Thuisarts, the Dutch GP information site, is blunter than any product page: fever means 38 degrees or higher, a rectal reading is the most reliable, an ear thermometer is less so, and for babies under three months only a rectal reading works well, with any fever at that age meaning a call to the GP or out-of-hours service straight away. That makes this ear thermometer a fit for wriggling children over three months and for adults, while a household with a newborn also needs a stick thermometer; the Braun PRT2000 stick model on the same page is EUR 17.50. Thuisarts also says one reading a day is enough during a fever, which usually passes within a week, so you can work out the running cost of caps: caps per illness = readings per day x days of fever, which is 7 for one reading a day over a week; the 21 caps in the box cover three rounds like that, after which Braun original caps are EUR 8.37 for 40 on Amazon.nl, about EUR 0.21 each, and a year of caps costs your household readings per year x 0.21.

• How the range differs: in Braun's own comparison table the ThermoScan 7 in black is EUR 49.89 with the same functions; the TempleSwipe forehead model is EUR 29.95, rated 4.0, without Age Precision; the BNT400B no-touch model is EUR 29.00, rated 4.0 from 1,940 reviews, with Age Precision and no caps needed, so if fevers are rare in your home, the EUR 12.79 gap plus the cap cost is a reason to choose it. (source 1)
• What it is not for: the official Braun page states it is for home use and not for professional clinical use, and it is not intended to interpret hypothermic temperatures; every measurement needs a clean new cap, readings without one may be inaccurate, and the lens needs cleaning as the manual describes. (source 2)
• Check before buying: the page shows 12 other sellers from EUR 41.79, so confirm the seller reads Amazon to get the Amazon shipping and 30-day returns described here; the safety note on the listing says it is not suitable for children under three to use and must be used under adult supervision, and the caps are small parts to keep out of reach. (source 1)

Price

Amazon.nl EUR 41.79・recommended EUR 62.99・40 original caps EUR 8.37

Rating

4.5 stars・53,384 global ratings

Specs

Model IRT6520・age bands 0-3 months / 3-36 months / over 36 months・tip pre-warmed to 34 C・night-light display・21 caps, 2 AA batteries and a storage cradle included

Platform

Amazon.nl, shipped and sold by Amazon, ASIN B00NVMIO02

Checked

17 September 2026

Hokimi field note: as soon as it arrives, press the Age Precision button and set the band for the youngest child in the house, because it will not start a measurement without an age band and that step is what trips people up at night; eject the old cap and fit a new one between two readings in the same ear, and keep the box of caps next to the thermometer rather than at the back of the medicine cabinet. The Amazon link on this page is an affiliate link: Hokimi may earn a commission if you buy through it, at no extra cost to you. This page is not medical advice; if your child seems unwell, contact your GP.