The report card
- Accuracy & reliability30% of score7.0
Braun calls it clinically validated, but forehead readings aren't among NICE's recommended methods for under-5s.
- Suitability by age20% of score6.5
Fine as a quick check at any age; confirm a high or borderline result with an underarm or ear reading.
- Ease of use20% of score9.0
Around 2 seconds, touch or no-touch, with no caps to fit.
- Night-time use10% of score9.0
Backlit, colour-coded display and a silent mode.
- Fever guidance & memory10% of score8.0
Age Precision colour coding, though MadeForMums notes there's no memory function.
- Value & running costs10% of score7.5
Fair for a Braun, with no running costs beyond batteries.
The full review
Braun's Sensian 7 (model BNT400, sold as the No Touch + Touch at some retailers) takes a reading from the forehead, either without contact or with a light touch, in around two seconds. It borrows Age Precision from Braun's ear thermometers, so the backlit display turns green, yellow or red depending on your child's age band. There's a silent mode, and a separate mode for checking the temperature of liquids such as bath water.
The appeal is obvious: you can check a sleeping toddler without waking them, and there are no caps to buy. Mother&Baby's testers liked the colour-coded, backlit screen and silent mode, and it averages 4.5 stars from around 150 reviews at John Lewis.
The honest caveat is about the method rather than this model. NICE's guidance for under-5s lists underarm and ear thermometers, not forehead ones. Use it as a quick check, and if the number is high or doesn't match how your child seems, confirm it with an underarm or ear reading before acting on it. Testers also found it takes a little practice to position correctly, and it's bulkier than a stick.
Pros and cons
What I like
- Checks a sleeping child without contact
- Age Precision colour coding on a backlit screen
- Silent mode
- No caps or covers to buy
What I don't
- Forehead readings aren't a NICE-recommended method for under-5s
- Takes practice to position consistently
- No reading memory, according to MadeForMums
Key specs
- Type
- Infrared forehead, touch or no-touch
- Reading time
- Around 2 seconds
- Age settings
- 0 to 3 months, 3 to 36 months, 36 months+
- Modes
- Body temperature, plus liquids such as bath water
- Display
- Backlit and colour-coded, with silent mode
- Power
- 2 x AAA
Head-to-heads
What I read
This is a research-led review. These are the main sources behind the scores, alongside patterns in verified owner reviews. How I review.