Review of FR800 - non contact infrared thermometer for body temperature

Jiacom FR800 is a digital non contact infrared thermometer for body temperature measurement. Before making the decision to offer FR800 as the first product in our IR thermometer category, the Amperordirect team reviewed a slew of similar products. We are happy to report FR800 as the best infrared thermometer among them. If you are in the market to purchase an infrared thermometer, the detailed qualifications below can help you find the best no contact thermometer for your needs.

• Is it a true infrared NO TOUCH thermometer?  What is the measuring range? How does its performance compare with the traditional thermometer?

• How accurate the infrared thermometer can be?  Is the reading stay consistent all through the specified range?

• Are the certificates checked  - FDA approval / CE / ISO / NMPA?

• How easy is it to use the infrared thermometer?

Does the "no contact infrared thermometer" concept really work?

Our first evaluation purpose was to determine if this concept works. Yes, we know there are lots of non contact IR thermometers flooding the market, aiming to earn some quick bucks during the Pandemic. But, are they just marketing gimmicks? We have seen products that were converted from a BBQ thermometer gun with a more soft color cover. Are those thermometers fine-tuned to take temperature in human body temperature range? Unfortunately that is not the case.

Jiacom has specified FR800's measurement range as "no more than 5cm (2 inches)  away". Below you can see a length chart from 20mm to 50mm (2 inches). In the real life test, we have found it to be a reasonable operation requirement. The FR800 at 2 inches from the forehead is positioned not too close - it won't touch the person under-test easily, and far away enough - to not disturb the person under-test. Additionally, there are other factors encourage us to pick Jiacom FR800.
We have now confirmed the Jiacom FR800 can measure human body temperature at 5cm (2 inch) distance. Next, we will compare how the FR800 performs against a traditional thermometer. We will use the most popular thermometer for US families, the ear thermometer, to conduct the comparison.

According to the "Fever Temperatures: Accuracy and Compare" page from C.S. Mott Children's Hospital at Michigan:

• The average normal oral temperature is 98.6°F (37°C).
• An ear (tympanic) temperature is 0.5°F (0.3°C) to 1°F (0.6°C) higher than an oral temperature.
• A forehead (temporal) scanner is usually 0.5°F (0.3°C) to 1°F (0.6°C) lower than an oral temperature.
  

The difference between the ear and the forehead temperature can be upto 2°F (1.2°C).

In a consecutive measuring sequence conducted in a very short period of time, we used the FR800 to take the forehead temperature scan at 2', the maximum specified distance, and the well accepted Braun ThermoScan to take ear temperature. Below is the test result.
You can see the variance between the two falls inside the above mentioned range. We can safely make the conclusion that the infrared body thermometer FR800 is able to create trustworthy reading.


Can we proclaim the FR800 is an accurate infrared thermometer?

There are major concerns in regarding no contact thermometer accuracy:

• The user manual suggests "no more than 5cm (2 inches) away". Can the FR800 hold its precision throughout the suggested range?
• What will happen if I measure outside the suggested range?
• I cannot always point the device to one exact position. Will this affect the reading?
  

Below you can see the experiment we designed to answer the above concerns. We chart the measuring results from 30mm to 80mm, with 10mm interval in-between and 5 measurement at each testing point. The result shows the FR800 can provide consistent reading across the specified range. There is a slight temperature decrease on the data while the measuring distance increases. But, the reduction is minimal. It won't affect the decision to determine if the person under-test has a fever and needs to receive further care or not. On the other hand, the testing data starts to drop sharply beyond 60mm distance. Therefore, it is recommended to use the device beyond the specified range.


Again, FR800 shows consistent results inside the specified measuring range while pointing at around the forehead area. When you follow the instructions in the user manual to operate the device, FR800 is an accurate infrared thermometer for body temperature.


Rely on professionals' examination:

So far, we are very happy with our test results on FR800. One good thing about living in this modern time is the fact there are government funded regulation bodies to help safeguard the medical devices we use. We can rely on the professionals' opinions to make the choice.

Below you can see the certificates we have gathered from Jiacom.

• FDA 510(K) Premarket Notification: LINK
• CE Certificate: LINK
• NMPA Registration: LINK
• ISO 13485 : LINK
  

Jiacom FR800 is a FDA approved no contact digital infrared thermometer. It also received European countries' blessing by obtaining CE certificate. The NMPA registration is the Chinese equivalent to FDA. ISO 13485 grants to manufacturers which have established and apply a quality management system for medical devices.

Being able to review those certificates, we know the device has passed the check from prominent established regulation standards, procedures and organizations all around the world. AmperorDirect team feels comfortable to offer FR800 on our website to our loyal customers.


Easy to Use:

The concept of "easy to use" can be very subjective. We like the bright LCD display which enables the use of the FR800 in the dark environment, while the person under-test is at rest. The 1-2 sec quick measuring time can guarantee the least disturbance. The color changing scheme provides quick reminder that the person under-test might need further attention. The ergonomically shaped design makes the thermometer in the palm feels like a natural extension to the arm. The button is positioned for easy access. Those are features we think a good no contact thermometer should possess - and the FR800 has them all.

We have to say thanks to Jiacom for their willingness to be flexible. Jiacom has a minimum order quantity requirement to take on any customization projects. Our first order quantity did not meet the requirement. However, after listening to us emphasize how important it is for thermometers shipping into the U.S. market to have Fahrenheit (°F) as the default unit, they decided to give us an exemption.

Is setting °F as the default temperature unit such a big deal? Let’s take a look at the unit switching instruction in the manual:

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How to switch °C and °F?

Press the SCAN button about 8 sec when the machine in off status, then it will occur °C or °F. If this unit not what you want, please press the SCAN button immediately.
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The instructions are not straight-forward. Besides the grammar errors in the instruction manual, which we can ignore, holding the SCAN button for a long time while nothing displays on the screen can discourage people to continue the necessary 8 seconds steady action. Our testers were confused and got frustrated during the process. Moreover, the unit setting goes back to the default every time you change the battery. You will need to go through the same process again.


Conclusion:


Check out he FR800 No Contact Thermometer Web Page for the Detailed Product Specifications.Read the revised FR800 English User Manual at Here.