Abstract: A thermometer is disclosed, comprising a handle, a sensor, an interface, a speaker, a memory, and a display. The sensor is configured to detect the surface temperature of an object without contacting the surface. In some embodiments, the interface includes a mode button to select from a plurality of modes of operation including a surface mode, a human body mode, an animal body mode, a high precision mode, and an ambient mode. Additionally, in some embodiments, the thermometer is configured to output audio/visual data. In some embodiments, temperature readings are stored in the memory for later retrieval and display. A method of generating a temperature reading is also disclosed.