Oral thermometers are tops for temps.

Flu season is on the way, as is a "burning" question for coughers and sneezers: Which type of fever thermometer is best? We asked 24 adults and 21 children ages 5 to 14 to test eight oral, ear, and forehead thermometers and found:

* The oral ones proved best overall.

* Price and performance don't correlate. The best cost less than $15. A $40 children's ear thermometer was only fair.

* Simple as thermometers are, some have bells and whistles--beeps that tell you when they're in the right spot or when they're finished, or soft or curved tips--that can add to convenience.

We based our Ratings primarily on precision, or how widely the thermometers" results varied from those of our control, the Geratherm Mercury-free Oral thermometer, whose accuracy we verified.

The bottom line. A digital oral thermometer is the best choice for an adult or a child. The best in our tests was the BD Digital Accu-Beep, $10, which beeps when it's properly located under the tongue. Its only disadvantage is that it takes about a minute to provide a readout. Very good choices that deliver the temperature in less than 30 seconds are Vicks ComfortFlex, which has a soft tip, and Omron 20 Seconds Digital. Both cost $13.

The top three have a signal to indicate when they're clone and a lifetime warranty. They can be used to take temperatures rectally and under the arm as well as orally. Rectal temperatures are generally considered most accurate for young children. Oral temperatures tend to be as much as 1[degrees] F lower than rectal.