As well as having a baby thermometer on hand to check when your baby has a fever, it's also important to make sure that you have one of the best baby room thermometers to check that your little one's room is at a safe temperature.
Babies can't maintain their own temperatures, so you need to ensure that their environment isn't too hot or cold so that it's a safe temperature, especially at night.
Having a baby room thermometer is also helpful for knowing how to dress your baby at night, so you know what baby sleeping bag to choose.
The best baby room thermometers at a glance:
• Best baby room and bath thermometer combined: Angelcare Baby Bath and Room Thermometer, £15.43
• Best baby room thermometer nightlight: Tommee Tippee Gro-Egg Room Thermometer, £27.49
• Best baby room thermometer to play with in the bath: Aycorn Digital Bath and Room Thermometer, £14.99
From those that double as night lights to dual-purpose baby room thermometers that can also be used in the bath, investing in a baby room thermometer can tell you at a glance whether or not a room is safe to sleep in. We’ve hand-selected the best baby room thermometers on the market.
Best baby room thermometers 2024
Best baby room and bath thermometer combined
Description
With a sweet seal design and a digital display that includes high and low-temperature indicators and a battery power-saving mode, this baby bath and room thermometer from Angelcare ticks all of our boxes. With a quick shake to activate it (so, great if you've only got one hand spare), it's good to go. Reviewers like the simple red light which tells you if the temperature is too hot, and its longevity.
Pros
- Cute design
- Flashes red if too hot
- Safe for baby to play with
- Works as both a bath thermometer and room thermometer
Cons
- Some reviewers suggested that it's sometimes difficult to activate if not shaken correctly
Best digital baby room thermometer
Description
One reviewer called this a 'traffic light for your baby's bedroom', which helps explain this product's colour-changing feature perfectly. It allows you to see at a glance if the room is too hot or cold, without even needing to look at the numbers. Plus, the colourful display doubles up as a soothing night light, which many reviewers have said they've gone on to use after their child is out of the newborn stage, making it great value for money.
It's USB-powered, making it good for travelling, although it does need to be plugged into work, which is a drawback if you'd prefer something that's battery-powered. If you have the Tommee Tippee sleeping bags, you'll be delighted to hear that the lamp's colour coordinates with the labels, making it easy to see which tog you should use. Clever.
Pros
- Long USB cable
- Glows different colours
- Doubles up as a night light
- Easy-to-understand 'traffic light' feature
- Three different brightness levels
- Colours co-ordinate with tog rating of Tommee Tippee sleeping bags for ease
Cons
- Needs to be plugged in so can't be moved around as easily as battery-powered ones
Best multipurpose baby room thermometer
Description
Another great dual-purpose baby thermometer, the Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature thermometer can be used in the bath and bedroom. Reviewers love the LED warning light, which lets you know when the bath is getting too hot, and the fact that it floats. We also like that it has a really nice, clear, easy-to-read screen, although it is an LCD screen, so you need to be looking at it head-on to see the numbers (as opposed to at an angle).
Pros
- Fast readings
- Floats
- LED warning light
- BPA-free
Cons
- Reviewers say the 'tap' temperature reading can be temperamental
- Batteries can be difficult to replace
Best baby room thermometer nightlight
Description
Awarded Bronze Best Safety Product at the Mother&Baby 2021 Awards.
This clever little room thermometer shows you at a glance whether the temperature of your baby’s room is ok. It glows blue if the room is too cold, red if it’s too hot and stays yellow when the sleep environment is safe. Not only does it save you from having to test your eyesight in the middle of the night, but the glow also acts as a gentle nightlight for your little one.
Our mum reviewer liked how quickly you could check the room's temperature, which helped her dress her baby at night time. The only change she suggested was that it could be wireless or have batteries, as opposed to needing to be plugged in.
Read our full The Gro Company Gro-Egg review.
Pros
- Works as a night light
- Colour coding indicator
- Rechargeable
Cons
- Isn't wireless
Best baby room thermometer to play with in the bath
Description
This cute crab thermometer does two jobs in one – something we always love as mums. You can use it to check your baby's bath temperature, then dry it off and use it in the nursery. It doesn’t take up too much space in the bathroom or the nursery and is really easy to transport between rooms. It also has a handy red LED warning light that flashes if the temperature is over 39 degrees and messages on the display for extra reassurance It's been labelled a 'must-have' by one mum, found to be easy to use, great value and fun addition to bath time play.
Pros
- Cool design
- Easy to read
- BPA-free
- Gives reading in five seconds
Cons
- Tapping function can be temperamental
Best fun baby room and bath thermometer
Description
This might just take the award for cutest on our list - we've got a real soft spot for Finn the Whale. He can float on water to check the temperature of your baby's bath or stand on a shelf in the nursery to read the room's temperature. Our parent testers said that their favourite feature is the flashing light to alert you when the bath is too warm, but did comment that the design lends itself more to a bathroom product than a nursery product. They also found that the 'tap to activate' feature could sometimes be temperamental.
Read our full Brother Max Finn Bath & Room Thermometer review.
Pros
- Can also be used as a bath toy
- Flashes red if temperature is too warm
- Easy to read
- Child-friendly design
Cons
- Some parents thought it took a while for the temperature to show
Best baby room thermometer with a timer
Description
This bee-shaped thermometer is a pleasant and fun bath playmate, as well as a nursery companion. It has alerts for high or low temperatures and arrows on the screen, plus a timer function so you know how long your child has been in the bath. Reviewers like the consistent monitoring, as shown by the coloured light, and how accurate it is.
Pros
- Cute design
- Has a stopwatch to time bath time
- Suitable for bath and nursery
Cons
- Setting the timer can be tricky
Best no-frills baby thermometer
Description
It may not be the prettiest baby room thermometer on the market, but it's certainly clear and accurate. It has a fast response for peace of mind, measuring every ten seconds to provide updated and accurate readings for parents. It also has a humidity meter with a climate level icon indicating whether the room is comfortable for your little one. With over 120,000 ratings and an average rating of 4.5 stars, you can't go wrong with this option.
Pros
- Affordable
- Easy to read
- Also measures humidity
- Good value for money
Cons
- Not a child-friendly design
What temperature should my baby's room be?
A safe sleeping temperature for your baby’s room is between 16 and 20 degrees. According to The Lullaby Trust, the chance of SIDS is higher in babies who get too hot, so keeping your baby’s room at a comfortable temperature is important. Baby room thermometers will give you an accurate temperature reading at a glance.
How can you check if your baby is too hot?
Obviously, every baby is different, and even if you’ve used a baby room thermometer, it’s important to check your baby using a baby thermometer regularly to ensure they are not too hot. This can be done by simply feeling your baby’s tummy, or the back of their neck, as their hands and feet will often be colder than the rest of their body.
If your baby feels hot or sweaty, remove layers. When it comes to dressing your baby for bed in different temperatures, we've got you covered.
If you’re worried the temperature in the room is too hot, especially during the summer months, open the bedroom or a window if it is safe to do so before putting your baby down to sleep. Also, if you’re using a fan to cool the room, ensure it is not aimed directly at your baby.
Make sure your baby has sufficient fluids if bottle-fed and if your baby's room is difficult to cool, make sure to use lighter bedding and clothing.
As time goes on you'll learn about your baby, so it will become easier to check their temperature and know what's normal.
How can I ensure my baby’s room is warm enough?
Despite feeling cold in the winter, you will rarely need to keep your heating on all night. However, if you do, ensure it is set to a low temperature no higher than 20 degrees. It’s often a better idea to add another layer to your baby. Remember, it’s important not to put a hat on your baby indoors as they maintain body temperature by releasing heat.
Another good way to keep an eye on room temperature is to have a baby monitor with a screen - these often also include a baby room thermometer so can also alert you of the room's temperature and for example, in the winter if you've got the heating cranked up too high, you know sooner rather than later when to turn it down.
Maria Martin is Digital Group Editor for Yours.co.uk and Motherandbaby.com. She is a mum-of-two with a passion for helping women from all walks of life – from supporting breastfeeding mothers with expert advice to encouraging conversations about mental health. In her professional role, she has over 10 years' experience in the digital world, including editing articles, focussing on SEO, social media engagement, picture researching and video editing.