Braun
Braun ThermoScan 7+ (IRT6525)
The ear thermometer to beat: fast, well validated and properly thought through for night-time checks.
Best for Parents of babies over 4 weeks and toddlers who want quick, reliable readings without a battle.
Stage guide
Health
Thermometers, nasal aspirators and nursery air: the kit you reach for at 2am with a hot little forehead.
Baby Thermometers
Ear, underarm, no-touch and smart thermometers for babies and toddlers, rated on accuracy and on whether they suit your child's age.
Braun
Braun Age Precision Digital Stick (PRT2000)
The humble underarm stick does exactly what the NHS asks, and Braun adds useful age-based colour coding.
Best for Every family with a newborn, and anyone who wants the method NICE and the NHS actually recommend.
Braun
Braun ThermoScan 7+ connect (IRT6575)
The ThermoScan 7+ with a Bluetooth app, handy when you need to track a fever over several days.
Best for Parents juggling more than one child, or anyone who wants a timed log of readings to hand when they call 111.
Braun
Braun Sensian 7 No Touch + Touch (BNT400)
The best of the forehead bunch and great for checking a sleeping toddler, but not a replacement for an underarm or ear reading.
Best for Quick, silent checks on a sleeping child, with a stick or ear thermometer on hand to confirm.
Nasal Aspirators
Manual and electric nasal aspirators for babies, rated on gentleness, hygiene, noise and how well they clear a blocked nose.
Fridababy
Fridababy NoseFrida The SnotSucker
Cheap, silent and brilliantly controllable: the aspirator parents keep recommending to each other.
Best for Anyone who wants the most control over suction for the least money.
Snufflebabe
Snufflebabe Nasal Aspirator
The high-street alternative to the NoseFrida, with washable filters and no ongoing costs.
Best for Parents who like the mouth-powered approach but don't want to keep buying filters.
Humidifiers & Air Purifiers
Cool-mist humidifiers and air purifiers for the nursery, rated on hygiene, night-time noise, running costs and whether you need one.
Levoit
Levoit Core 300S Smart Air Purifier
Quiet, properly specified and sensibly priced: the purifier I'd put in a nursery.
Best for Families near busy roads, with pets or with hay fever in the house who want cleaner air at night.
Levoit
Levoit Dual 150 Ultrasonic Humidifier
A quiet cool-mist humidifier with a humidistat and a top-fill tank, for around £50.
Best for Parents whose nursery genuinely reads dry on a hygrometer.
Shark
Shark BreatheClear Compact with NeverChange6 (HP062UK)
Clever sensors and no filters to buy for years, though its cleaning power is modest for the money.
Best for Parents who want a set-and-forget purifier for a small nursery and hate buying filters.
Babymoov
Babymoov Hygro Plus 3-in-1 Humidifier
Designed for nurseries, with a built-in hygrometer that keeps humidity in a sensible range.
Best for Parents who want a humidifier that measures and regulates the room's humidity for them.