The Wheatstone bridge of a Pirani gauge has been made self‐balancing, and the gauge thermostatic, using a simple but novel dual op‐amp circuit. The system retains the electrical and pneumatic robustness, and the atmospheric to high‐vacuum pressure range, characteristic of conductance‐type gauges. Without recourse to ultrathin material for the temperature‐dependent resistor, response time constants (dependent on bridge setting) of <30 ms in high vacuum have been demonstrated. At total pressures <0.1 Pa, the system can detect pressure change, sustained for >0.1 s, of 2.5 mPa; or an impulse of pressure change, occurring within 50 ms, of 0.25 mPa s. The circuit described is also applicable to bolometric power measurement, where fast response is required.