The 5 Best Temperature Guns for Gecko Tanks

Regardless of the specific gecko you have in your care—or any other reptile for that matter—a temp gun is an essential tool you should have at your disposal. With all the products flooding the market, you need to narrow down your options and select the best thermometer for your scaly babies.

Sounds difficult? Don’t worry—we’ve already done half of the work for you!

Based on our in-depth evaluation, the best temperature gun for gecko tanks is the Etekcity Lasergrip 774 Infrared Thermometer Gun.

Looking for more options? Well, there are four other great non-contact thermometers on the list! Want a cheaper alternative to the best choice? How about the most affordable but reliable temp gun? Or do you want something more professional? Maybe you need something smaller?

Continue reading to find out which thermometer gun is right for you and your baby geckos!

Runner Up

With adjustable emissivity settings, this non-contact thermometer gun can be used to measure the temperatures of any artificial or natural tank material.

Thermo Pro (Amazon)

Best Overall

Get this handy, no-frills, little infrared temp gun for your gecko tanks that you could use for years–and that’s with only one battery. This will show you that great quality doesn’t need a steep price tag.

Etekcity (Amazon)

Great Compromise

It’s hard to get good temp guns when you’re working with a very tight budget. But this inexpensive thermal gun is sure to meet your needs and budget.

Helect (Amazon)

In this installment of product reviews and recommendations, I have enlisted the whole Reptile Hero crew and experienced keepers and breeders for their help. We definitely had a lot of data and observations to go through among all of us. But rest assured, that only helped us give you a list of good but affordable non-contact thermometers.

(Find out more about our selection process in the buying guide for temp guns.)

Our Top 5 Best Temperature Guns for Gecko Tanks

• Best Overall form Etekcity
• Runner Up from ThermoPro
• Best Value from Helect
• Klein Tools
• Zoo Med

1. Etekcity Lasergrip 774 Infrared Thermometer Gun—Best Overall

If you’re looking for a truly tried and tested temperature gun, then the Etekcity Lasergrip 774 Infrared Thermometer Gun is our top recommendation.

Personally, this has been a really helpful thermometer that has helped me really bring my A-game when it comes to gecko-keeping. Weigh the pros and cons to see for yourself if this purchase is going to be worth it

Pros

• Cost: Overall, this temperature gun from Etekcity is arguably one of the most cost-effective non-contact thermometer available. This is true for both the upfront and long-term costs.
• Quality: Despite only costing less than 30 bucks, the build quality doesn’t feel cheap to the touch either. It won’t break easily even if you grip it tightly while checking for tank temps.
• Distance: Etekcity’s Lasergrip 774 is recommended to be used from a distance of 14.17 in (35.99 cm) to most accurately get temperature readings of spot measurement with a 1.18 in (2.99 cm) diameter.
• Battery: The package comes with a 9V battery which should last you about 12 hours of non-stop operation. I know that sounds quite short-lived but you only use it for a couple of minutes per day, which equates to a few years before you need a replacement.
• Screen: You can readily read the temperature readings, among other things, on the backlit LCD screen. The numbers are displayed in big legible letters so you won’t have a problem reading them.
• Precision: Although the Lasergrip 774 only has a single laser, it points smack-dab into the center of the spot measurement. You can be sure that you’re correctly aiming at your target and getting accurate temp readings with the pointer.

Cons

• Settings: The only drawback is the inability to change its emissivity setting. In short, it may be off by a few degrees when you check temps for light-colored, smooth, and/or glossy materials in the tank. However, the fixed setting of 0.90 ε is still within the recommendation for reptile keepers and breeders.

2. ThermoPro TP30 Digital Infrared Thermometer Gun—Runner Up

If you want something like the Lasergrip 774 from Etekcity but need something with adjustable emissivity—and a few dollars to spare—then consider getting the TP30 Digital Infrared Thermometer Gun from ThermoPro.

Pros

• Emissivity Options: You can set the emissivity of the ThermoPro TP30 anywhere from 0.10 to 1.00 ε. Just bear in mind that the default setting is 0.95 ε so you will need to change that accordingly. For instance, gravel added into a tank’s substrate mix has an emissivity of about 0.28 ε.
• Reading Distance: To get the most accurate temp readings in your gecko tanks, the manufacturers recommend a distance of 7.87 in (19.98 cm) for a spot measurement with a 0.66 in² (1.67 cm²) surface area.
• Backlight: This infrared temp gun from ThermoPro also has an LCD with a backlight so you can check for tank temperature even when the lighting isn’t so good. Plus, you could also check for the minimum and maximum temperature readings within your target’s surface area.

Cons

• Laser Pointer: Just like the first one, this model unfortunately only has one laser pointer. But it still does its job and will guide you as you check the surface temperature of different materials in your gecko’s tank.
• Long Battery Life: To operate this thermal gun, you need 2 AAA (3A) battery cells (here on Amazon). You get 2 batteries included with each unit. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the figures for how long that can power the thermometer.

3. Helect H1020 Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer Gun—Best Value

Let me make this perfectly clear: you don’t need to break the bank to get a good quality infrared thermometer gun. Granted, they are harder to find these days. So if you’re working with limited funds for your reptile-keeping tools, you definitely have to check out the Helect H1020 Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer Gun.

Pros

• Price: Nowadays, it’s hard to find a good non-contact infrared temp gun that is under 20 bucks. Luckily, my friends and I found out about the Helect H1020 thermometer. It’s honestly a bargain.
• Durable: Despite the low price though, this thermometer gun is pretty durable. So you don’t have to worry about having to buy another one after only a couple of weeks or months of using this
• Screen: Like the two previous options, the H1020 thermometer gun also has an LCD with a backlight. The digits shown on the screen are also easy to read and understand.

Cons

• Laser: Unfortunately, like most affordable thermometer guns, Helect’s H1020 also only has one laser pointer. But, as I have already pointed out, this won’t really affect how effective your thermal gun is at checking your gecko tanks for temps.

4. Klein Tools IR5 Dual Laser Infrared Thermometer

If you’ve got the money to splurge on a premium non-contact temp gun, then the IR5 Dual Laser Infrared Thermometer from Klein Tools may be just right up your alley. It also comes with a storage pouch, battery cell, and K-type probe.

Even better, it has been tested for drop protection. So if you drop this from a height of 6.6 ft (2 m). Now, I know you might be thinking that this will cost you a fortune but it’s actually more affordable than most other professional infrared thermometers.

Product Features

• Dimensions: At 4.53 x 1.85 x 6.83 inches, this sizable model is still manageable and handy.
• Weight: Weighing 9.84 ounces, the IR5 temp gun is easy to carry around.
• Laser Guide: The two laser guides are really helpful and precisely show gecko owners if they have correctly targeted the material they want to measure.
• Emissivity Setting: This infrared temp gun has adjustable emissivity settings from 0.10 to 1.00 ε.
• Response Time: From my experience, this thermometer has one of the fastest response times—only 0.25 sec.
• Temperature Range: You and your reptile are completely covered with their generous temperature range of -22–752ºF.
• Distance-to-Spot Ratio: This unit has the standard 12:1 ratio for nonintrusive reading of tank temperatures.
• Battery Required: This can last 10 hours of continuous use using a 9V DC battery.
• Display Screen: You get all the important details you need displayed on this unit’s backlit LCD screen. However, because all the information is simultaneously shown it can seem a bit crowded and distracting.

Then again, you may not need all the bells and whistles. In that case, feel free to choose from the 4 other options in the list.

5. Zoo Med REPTITEMP Digital Infrared Thermometer

The main appeal of this infrared thermometer gun from a widely known reptile brand is definitely how portable it is. Zoo Med’s pocket-size mini temp gun works as advertised—it will measure whatever you want to measure in your gecko tank.

However, it is far from perfect. The four products that I have already listed beforehand will give you more bang for your buck. Nonetheless, the REPTITEMP Digital Infrared Thermometer is an affordable and functional temp gun.

Product Features

• Dimensions: Measuring about 1.25 x 0.50 x 2.50 inches, this will snugly fit in your pocket.
• Weight: At only 1.76 ounces, this non-contact thermometer is super lightweight.
• Laser Guide: Unlike most infrared temp guns, this little thermometer doesn’t have a laser guide. As such, it can be difficult to ascertain if you’re correctly pointing at your target.
• Emissivity Setting: The emissivity set on this model remains a mystery to me. But I am guessing that it may be around 0.90 since it can measure most tank materials quite accurately.
• Response Time: Zoo Med also didn’t specify the response time but from our experience, it’s more or less 1 second.
• Temperature Range: With a -28–230ºF range of, deceptively limited
• Distance-to-Spot Ratio: This model has a low optical ratio of 1:1, so you have to hold it as close to your target as possible for accurate temp readings.
• Battery Required: A single 3V CR2032 coin battery (here on Amazon) is needed to power this temp gun. The first one is already included in the package. However, the manufacturer did not indicate how long that would last (i.e., lifespan).
• Display Screen: The LCD screen shows the battery life, time, and temperature readings. Unfortunately, it is not backlit so you will need good lighting for easy reading.
• Buttons: Only two are on the unit, the Scan and Mode buttons, that control other functions so it can be confusing.

Advantageous Similarities

Our top 4 temp guns (Etekcity, ThermoPro, Helect, and Klein Tools) share the following features:

1. Dimensions and Weight: These handheld thermal guns won’t cost you much effort as you go through the daily temp checks of your pets’ tanks.
2. Response Time: With a decent response time of half a second or less, you won’t have to wait forever until you get an accurate temperature reading in your gecko tank.
3. Temperature Range: They can measure a wide temperature range exceeding 40–122ºF (4.44–50ºC). So if your family includes a variety of reptiles—from arid to tropical species—then you can ensure that they will stay comfy in their respective enclosures.
4. Distance-to-Spot Ratio: Like most other thermal guns, these 4 have the standard optical resolution of 12:1. With this, you don’t have to reach too deep into your gecko’s vivarium and disturb it while checking for tank temps.
5. Buttons: Similar to most other good quality products available in the market, these thermometers have 4 buttons to control all functions. It may take some time, but you can easily get yourself familiar with all the functions each button controls. Plus, each button has a symbol for easier use.

How Do You Calibrate a Temperature Gun for Gecko Tanks?

You can easily calibrate an infrared thermometer gun for your gecko tanks at home using the ice bath method.

Here’s are the steps for preparing an ice bath for temperature gun calibration:

1. Fill a glass with ice up to the top.
2. Add cold water until it’s about half an inch below the tip of the ice.
3. If the ice floats, remove some water until it reaches the bottom.
4. Stir the contents of the glass for about 1 minute.
5. Then free up the topmost layer from ice.
6. Finally, measure the temperature of the iced water at the top—and center—using the thermometer gun with the emissivity either at 0.90 or 0.97 ε.

If your temperature gun already has a calibration certificate then it is unlikely that you would need to do this. Still, it never hurts to double-check. Moreover, temp guns with certifications generally ring up a couple of hundred dollars.

7 Tips to Get Accurate Tank Readings Using a Temp Gun

A good product only really works effectively if the user knows how to use it properly. Below are 7 tricks so that you get accurate temperature readings in your gecko tank each time:

1. Don’t use it in drafty spaces
2. Don’t hold it too close to heat lamps and other heat sources
3. Let it adjust to its surroundings for at least 10 minutes
4. Hold it so that the sensor directly aims at the material to be checked
5. Keep your hand steady while measurement is in progress
6. Follow the manufacturer’s recommended measuring distance
7. Keep the lens in front of the sensor clean and dry

Got Suggestions for Us?

It is quite hard to tell apart good infrared temp guns from bad ones at a glance. However, it’s not an impossible task. So I hope we were able to give you a hand in picking out the perfect handheld temperature gun for your precious little geckos—and other pet reptiles and even amphibians.

Again, Reptile Hero’s top 5 best temperature guns for gecko tanks are:

• Best Overall form Etekcity
• Runner Up from ThermoPro
• Best Value from Helect
• Klein Tools
• Zoo Med

Think that our recommendation list is missing something? Then let us know what your go-to infrared temp gun is here.

Further Questions

How many temperature guns do reptile owners need?

Unlike ambient thermometers that are necessary for every tank, a breeder or keeper needs only a single thermometer gun. Nevertheless, it is advisable for reptile owners to have a spare temp gun—also called a thermal or infrared (IR) gun.

Can I read my gecko’s tank temps through glass?

No, you cannot get accurate surface temperature readings of anything inside your gecko’s tank through the glass. Although you will still get a read-out if you try to, the value you will take will be of the surface temperature of the glass from outside the tank.

Can you use a temp gun to measure a gecko’s body temperature?

A thermometer gun can provide an approximate measure of your pets’ body temperature. This will not accurately portray how effectively and deeply they have actually absorbed infrared radiation, also known as heat. Instead, you can only get their skin or surface temperature.

Are non-contact temperature guns and infrared cameras different?

Yes, temp guns and infrared or thermal cameras are distinctly different things. The average thermometer gun can only give temperature readings of one object at a time. Conversely, a thermal imager provides an overall picture of the heat distribution and intensity of a larger area. You can find hybrids of the two like this one on Amazon as well.

Summary on Best Thermometer Guns For Geckos

Regardless of one’s experience, gecko owners have to take into account important factors that determine a temperature gun’s effectiveness. These are the 1) dimensions and weight, 2) laser guide, 3) emissivity setting, 4) response time, 5) temperature range, 6) distance-to-spot ratio, 7) battery required, 8) display screen, and 9) buttons.

Out of all the products that have been tested for the aforementioned factors, the Etekcity Lasergrip 774 Infrared Thermometer Gun came in first. Hence, it is the top product we recommend for gecko owners.