You can now buy the (surprisingly amazing) Withings Thermo contactless thermometer

Withings Thermo, the company’s flashy FDA-approved contactless thermometer, is now available for purchase.

Thermo allows you to scan the forehead and temporal artery to get a temperature, and it doesn’t need to come into contact with the skin. Withings says Thermo can be up to half an inch away and still get an accurate reading.

The device links to an app, which lets you view and manage several family members. Each reading can also be annotated with notes on how a person is feeling, a list of symptoms or which medications they may be taking.

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The Withings Thermo itself also keeps track of those profiles for cataloging purposes. Once a temperature is taken, it can be assigned to a member of your family — which is great for those times everyone is ill.

Using 16 infrared sensors, Thermo takes up to 4,000 measurements in under two seconds to detect the hottest point on your skin. To get a reading, you start from the center of the forehead and move toward either side.

Using the Withings Thermo

I’ve had a Withings Thermo for testing purposes for a few days, and it’s as good as advertised. I was dubious of Withings’ claims, but Thermo holds up to scrutiny.

Setup via the app is a bit clumsy; Thermo wants to turn off to save battery life (it takes two AAA), but the app often takes longer than its on-time to set everything up. It took me a few tries, but there’s not much to it, and the on-screen directions walk you through each step with ease.

The app (iOS or Android) is gorgeously laid out and easy to use. There really isn’t any way to get confused by it. You take a temperature, it loads into the app, and you’re free to leave it or make notes on that temperature.

While you may not be using Thermo day-to-day, it’s still a handy all-in-one experience for those times you need it. I’d rather be able to enter the emergency room, doctor’s office or urgent care with data instead of guessing as to how long I’ve felt bad or had a high temperature.

If you’re interested in updating your thermometer, Thermo is $99.95, and available from Withings or in the Apple Store. It’s not the most cost-effective upgrade, but I like its ease of use, accuracy and app.