Kinsa QuickScan thermometer review: specs, performance, cost

Having an accurate and easy-to-use thermometer is a must, especially when flu season approaches. We wanted to know if the smart thermometer advanced compared to the mercury-powered glass thermometers of the past.

Kinsa Health was launched in 2012 with a mission to prevent the spread of infectious diseases through the use of technology. Ten years later, these smart thermometers are so ubiquitous that many schools require them for back-to-school shopping lists.

Kinsa’s QuickScan thermometer is a touchless device that connects to your phone via Bluetooth with the free Kinsa app. It allows you to aggregate your family’s health data and anonymous local updates in one place.

The thermometer measures your temperature in seconds—which is definitely better than sitting around for minutes with a glass thermometer under your tongue. We tested Kinsa’s QuickScan thermometer to determine whether it deserves a permanent spot in the medicine cabinet.

The QuickScan thermometer has an attractive blue and white design. The exterior is made of soft plastic with raised edges for comfort to hold.

It includes 1-touch buttons, fever level indicator with emoticons and backlit display for easy reading. It weighs six ounces and feels slim. It’s powered by two triple-A batteries, which are included.

There are sensors on the back of the device that detect infrared radiation. Such touchless thermometers work by measuring the amount of infrared radiation emitted by an object.

Of course, non-contact thermometers are becoming popular during the pandemic. Businesses and schools looking to maintain good public hygiene will continue to benefit from the non-contact design of this thermometer.

Kinsa’s non-contact thermometer uses infrared to detect forehead temperature

The temperature reading is displayed on both the device and the app in two seconds. What we appreciated was that although it’s a non-contact thermometer, there’s a soft feel to the back of the device in case the sensor accidentally brushes your forehead during use.

We compared the QuickScan to a mercury oral thermometer and found that the readings were similar. We found QuickScan to be just as accurate.

Like most smart devices, it requires some light setup before you can complete your first reading. We suggest setting up the app and thermometer before you actually need it.

First, download the Kinsa Health app from the App Store. The Kinsa Health app is free and easy to navigate. From there, you need to pair the app with your device. Then add all the family members who will be using the device.

Hold the thermometer 1 inch away from the center of the forehead and click the thermometer button to take a person’s temperature.

Kinsa talks to the QuickScan thermometer app, which guides you through the temperature measurement process

You can then assign the temperature reading that appears in the app to the correct family member. Plus, you can track symptoms and medications.

Users can view a comprehensive daily timeline of drugs administered, doses, symptoms and temperatures. This helps parents stay on the same page and see how their child is progressing.

Some symptoms, such as persistent fever, require guidance from the device. For example: If symptoms persist for several days, it is a good idea to discuss this with your doctor. Logs can be sent to doctors for easy reading.

Within the Kinsa app, a user can create an unlimited number of profiles to store and track the date/time of symptoms, temperature readings and medications administered. Users can get personalized guidance based on age, fever and symptoms.

When symptoms are of concern, Kinsa refers the user to a Teladoc-certified physician. The app displays a timeline showing when symptoms were felt, medications taken and dosages.

In addition, to understand where the disease is spreading in real time, Kinsa collects unknown temperatures and symptoms in your area and displays community alerts in the app.

View local disease rates on the Kinsa app

One issue we discovered was in-app. The app has a bug that causes it to crash sometimes and require a restart. This is annoying if you’re trying to quickly take the temperature of a sick or cranky child.

Another complaint we had was about using the app for the first time. Before you can take your first reading, the thermometer will ask you to connect to the app. If you want to read quickly, this can be frustrating.

However, once you connect the thermometer to the Kinsa Health app, the thermometer will display future readings on the thermometer screen without opening the app.

Another consideration is that the drop-down menu does not list all possible symptoms. If you experience any symptoms that are not listed, you will not be able to record the correct symptoms. It would be helpful to record symptoms manually instead of using the drop-down menu.

The QuickScan is a good thermometer and we think most people would benefit from having one on hand. It is especially suitable for people with children who need to detect symptoms in the middle of the night.

If multiple family members are caring for a sick child, the app can show a timeline of symptoms and doses so double doses are not given.

Timeline shows data on dosage, symptoms and fever for each family member

This thermometer easily qualifies for an HSA/FSA, so check with your health insurance plan to see if you can get one for free from a Kinsa Health store. In addition, Kinsa works with schools to inform parents about possible viruses in the classroom.

This thermometer is a great gadget for those who use health apps frequently and like to monitor their health comprehensively. The contactless design is a smart and health conscious choice for both schools and businesses.

Overall, this product lives up to the hype. With a simple app, temperature readings in 2 seconds, medical guidance, FSA/HAS compliance and FDA approval, Kinsa QuickScan deserves a permanent place in your medicine cabinet.

• Easy to use device and Kinsa app
• contactless
• FDA approval
• FSA/HSA Compliant
• health guidance
• Health App Sync
• Symptoms, Medication and Fever Detection

• Must be connected to the app before first use
• symptoms come from a limited list of symptoms
• App crashes sometimes

You can buy the thermometer from Amazon for $36.99 or directly from Kinsa Health for $49.99.