Renters recording a patch
In England a written note to the landlord, with photos, comes before any kit. A small sealed plate pack can sit alongside that record. It does not replace the council’s environmental health team if nothing is fixed.
Mould test comparison 2026
The best mould tests, compared.
Top pick: Omikrafto mould test kit, 10 rooms Best value: anlab mould test kit, 3 plates – About £13.59 for three sealed plates, with the shared 4.1 from 420 reviews, when you only need a few rooms. Updated October 2026.
Charlie White (Charlie DIYte)Expert source
A dark patch, a musty cupboard, or a row with a landlord about whether a mark is dust is why people in the UK look for a mould test. On amazon.co.uk the usual kit is agar plates and swabs. At a higher price, a rapid strip targets named mould groups on one surface. A settle plate only shows what fell on the jelly. In 2024 the English recorded a significant damp problem in 5% of dwellings in England (about 1.4 million), higher in private rented homes (10%) than in owner-occupied homes (4%). A consumer plate does not replace a building inspection. Who should skip each kit is in the [best mould tests](/hub/climate-measuring/mould-test/sub/mould-test-best) guide. Method and pack size, without the model table, are in the [mould test buying guide](/hub/climate-measuring/mould-test/sub/mould-test-buying-guide). People buy one after seeing a black patch, smelling a cupboard, or trying to show that a mark is more than dust. The kit can only answer the question its method can ask. A blank dish does not clear a home, and a furry dish is not a species report.
A dark patch, a musty cupboard, or a row with a landlord about whether a mark is dust is why people in the UK look for a mould test. On amazon.co.uk the usual kit is agar plates and swabs.
28 products checked · 64 hrs invested · +18,600 readers
8 of 8: Best mould tests compared
Swipe for more
1-2 of 8Best overall
Best value
10.0/10
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∼ £19
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5.0(4)
4.3(167)
4.3(65)
4.2(13)
4.1(420)
4.1(420)
4.0(29)
3.9(2,932)
Personal buying guide
Which mould test fits?
Question 1 of 2
What do you need the kit to show?
The best mould tests in detail
Our view
The Omikrafto ten-room kit lists ten agar dishes, ten cotton swabs and an identification guide at £18.99. It claims air, surface and HVAC sampling, with visible growth in about 48 hours. The listing does not say whether each plate is sealed on its own. The amazon.co.uk line is 5.0 from 4 reviews, and the reviews include one short comment that calls the kit intuitive and easy. That is too little written feedback to judge failures, contamination or how useful the guide is. There is no mention of a laboratory report. It can serve as a mid-priced ten-spot screen if you accept that the score rests on four ratings and almost no detail.
Pros
- Ten dishes and ten swabs at £18.99
- Air, surface and HVAC sampling claimed
- About 48 hours to visible growth
- An identification guide is included
- The only written review calls it easy to use
Cons
- 5.0 comes from only 4 reviews
- Almost no written reviews to show what went wrong or right
- The listing does not state separate sealing
- No laboratory identification is described
- The guide's usefulness is barely tested in reviews
Best for: A ten-room screen at a price between the cheapest kit and the £24.99 boxes, buyers who are comfortable with a very small review count, a simple dish-and-swab check for visible growth
Less suitable: Anyone who wants a proven identification guide, buyers who need many independent UK reviews, a case where you must know the plates were sealed one by one
Specifications
- Model
- Omikrafto mould test kit, 10 rooms
- Brand
- Omikrafto
- Price
- ∼£19
- Customer rating
- 5.0/5(4)
- Test type
- Settle plate and swab
- Tests in box
- 10
- Methods claimed
- Air, surface, HVAC
- Result time
- About 48 hours
- Identification
- ID guide
- Weight
- 490 g
- What's included
- 10 dishes, 10 swabs, guide
Common questions
How many tests are in this Omikrafto box?
The listing says 10 agar petri dishes and 10 cotton swabs, plus an identification guide.
Why is the score 5.0?
The amazon.co.uk line is 5.0 from 4 reviews. Only one short review is on the listing, and it says the kit was intuitive and easy.
Does the listing say the plates are individually sealed?
It does not. Separate sealing is not stated for this kit.
Our view
The ENESNES kit is a settle-plate set with a guide, and the listing also names gloves, a 5x lens, labels and removal notes. It claims sampling for air, heating and ventilation, a car and surfaces, with visible growth in about 48 hours, and it needs no batteries. The same listing disagrees with itself: the title and components say four individual tests, while the bullets say eight agar plates. Plates are described as two packs rather than one seal per dish. A photo-identification offer says you can email pictures and expect a reply within 24 hours. Reviews from outside the UK say someone did reply. The listing has little UK detail on that service, and it is not described as an accredited laboratory report. Cool storage and use within two months of receipt are on the listing. At £22.81, with 4.3 from 167 reviews, check the plate count on the page you buy.
Pros
- Guide, gloves, a 5x lens and labels are named in the bullets
- Photo identification claimed, with a reply within 24 hours
- Air, HVAC, car and surface sampling claimed
- About 48 hours to visible growth, with no batteries
- 4.3 from 167 reviews
Cons
- The listing says both 4 tests and 8 plates
- Plates come as two packs, so a seal on every dish is unclear
- Little UK detail on whether the photo reply actually arrives
- The photo reply is not described as an accredited laboratory report
- The listing says cool storage and use within two months of receipt
Best for: A buyer who wants a photo sent to the seller after the dish grows, checking a room, a vent or a car in one kit, someone who will use the plates within two months
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a clear plate count before they order, an accredited species report, stock you plan to keep for many months
Specifications
- Model
- ENESNES mould test kit
- Brand
- ENESNES
- Price
- ∼£23
- Customer rating
- 4.3/5(167)
- Test type
- Settle plate and swab
- Tests in box
- 4 or 8
- Sealed separately
- Two packs
- Methods claimed
- Air, HVAC, car
- Result time
- About 48 hours
- Identification
- Guide and email photos
- Weight
- 200 g
- What's included
- Plates, guide, lens, gloves
Common questions
Is this a 4-test or an 8-plate kit?
Both figures are on the listing. The title and included components say 4 individual tests. The bullets say 8 agar plates.
Can you send a photo for a name?
The bullets say you can email photos and expect a reply within 24 hours. Reviews from outside the UK say someone did reply. The listing has little UK detail on that service.
Does it need power?
The listing says no power source and no batteries.
Our view
The iigala ten-plate kit is a separately sealed settle-plate set at £24.99, with ten agar dishes, ten swabs, ten bags and a manual. The listing and several reviews say you can open one plate at a time. For an air sample, one review says the manual tells you to leave the open dish in place for one hour, seal the bag, and look again after about 48 hours. Sampling itself is described as straightforward. Naming the mould is the weak point: UK reviews say the photos are close-ups, so the colony is hard to match to a type. The score is 4.3 from 65 reviews. At the same £24.99 as the anlab six-plate box, you get more plates, still without an accredited laboratory identification.
Pros
- Ten plates, swabs and bags, each plate sealed separately
- Air sampling steps are described in reviews as simple
- About 48 hours to visible growth
- 4.3 from 65 reviews
- More plates than the anlab six-pack at the same £24.99
Cons
- The booklet photos are called too close-up to name the mould
- No accredited laboratory identification is included
- The +/-0.5% accuracy line does not explain species naming
- A one-hour open-dish air sample still needs a wait of about two days
- Fewer reviews than the anlab and Healthful Home listings
Best for: Testing up to ten rooms with plates you open one at a time, a clear settle-plate routine for air or surfaces, buyers who care more about whether growth appears than about the species name
Less suitable: Identifying the mould type from the booklet alone, a same-day answer, a tight budget, because ten-plate kits exist here below £20
Specifications
- Model
- iigala mould test kit, 10 plates
- Brand
- iigala
- Price
- ∼£25
- Customer rating
- 4.3/5(65)
- Test type
- Settle plate and swab
- Tests in box
- 10
- Sealed separately
- Yes
- Methods claimed
- Air, surface, HVAC
- Result time
- About 48 hours
- Identification
- Photos, type unclear
- Weight
- 250 g
- What's included
- 10 dishes, swabs, bags, manual
Common questions
Are the iigala plates sealed one by one?
The listing and several reviews say each plate and swab is sealed separately, so you can open one at a time.
How do you run an air sample with this kit?
One review says the manual says leave the open dish in place for 1 hour, seal the bag, and check after 48 hours.
Will the booklet name the mould?
UK reviews say the instructions are clear but the photos are close-ups, so the type is hard to judge from the dish.
Our view
The Omikrafto five-room kit is a small settle-plate set at £13.99, with five agar dishes, ten cotton swabs and an identification guide. The title says five rooms. The listing claims air, surface and HVAC sampling and visible growth in about 48 hours, and it does not say the plates are sealed separately. The score is 4.2 from 13 reviews. The UK review on the listing says the buyer followed the instructions and the dishes still showed nothing. The only other review in that set, written in German, calls it an easy room-air kit with a guide. Thirteen reviews is a thin base, and a blank dish after a careful run is a serious limit for a kit whose only job is to show growth.
Pros
- Five plates and ten swabs at £13.99
- Air, surface and HVAC sampling claimed
- About 48 hours to a visible result
- An identification guide is included
- More swabs than dishes, so you have spares
Cons
- A UK review reports no growth after following the instructions
- Only 13 reviews, with two written comments in the review set
- Separate sealing is not stated
- No laboratory identification is described
- A blank result leaves you without a yes-or-no screen
Best for: A five-room check on a small budget, buyers who want spare swabs with a short plate set, a trial of settle plates before a larger box
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a reliable visible result after following the steps, a whole-home survey of many rooms, buyers who want a large review history
Specifications
- Model
- Omikrafto mould test kit, 5 rooms
- Brand
- Omikrafto
- Price
- ∼£14
- Customer rating
- 4.2/5(13)
- Test type
- Settle plate and swab
- Tests in box
- 5
- Methods claimed
- Air, surface, HVAC
- Result time
- About 48 hours
- Identification
- ID guide
- Weight
- 370 g
- What's included
- 5 dishes, 10 swabs, guide
Common questions
How many rooms does the Omikrafto 5-pack cover?
The title says five rooms. The box is listed as 5 petri dishes and 10 swabs.
Did UK reviewers get a result?
The UK review on the listing says the buyer followed the instructions and the dishes still showed nothing.
What else is in the reviews?
A German review calls it an easy room-air kit with a guide. That is the only other written review in the set.
Our view
The anlab three-plate kit is the smaller settle-plate set: three agar dishes, three sealed bags and five cotton swabs, plus a manual. The listing claims air, surface and HVAC sampling, with visible growth in about 48 hours, and it does not need batteries. At £13.59 it is the lower-priced anlab option when you only want a few rooms. The listing shows the same 4.1 from 420 reviews, and the same review texts, as the six-plate anlab box, so treat that score as a shared listing figure. Identification still depends on the picture guide. On the related pack, reviewers often could not match the colony, and a seller note is not described as an accredited laboratory report. Use the three plates as a short home screen, then seek a survey if growth appears or the room stays musty.
Pros
- Three plates at £13.59, the cheaper anlab pack
- Five swabs for the three dishes
- Air, surface and HVAC sampling claimed
- About 48 hours to visible growth, with no batteries
- Each plate is listed with its own sealed bag
Cons
- Only three dishes, so a whole-home sweep needs another box
- The 4.1 from 420 reviews is the same figure as the six-plate listing
- Species naming rests on a picture guide that related reviews often could not match
- A seller reply is not described as an accredited laboratory report
- The +/-0.5% accuracy line does not describe how the mould would be identified
Best for: A low-cost check of two or three rooms, trying the anlab plate method before buying the six-pack, a household that wants swabs as well as settle plates
Less suitable: Surveying many rooms in one go, anyone who needs a species name from a laboratory, readers who want a review score tied only to this three-plate ASIN
Specifications
- Model
- anlab mould test kit, 3 plates
- Brand
- anlab
- Price
- ∼£14
- Customer rating
- 4.1/5(420)
- Test type
- Settle plate and swab
- Tests in box
- 3
- Sealed separately
- Yes
- Methods claimed
- Air, surface, HVAC
- Result time
- About 48 hours
- Identification
- Picture guide
- Weight
- 99.8 g
- What's included
- 3 dishes, 5 swabs, bags
Common questions
How many tests are in the anlab 3-pack?
The listing says 3 agar dishes, 3 sealed bags and 5 cotton swabs, plus a manual.
Is the 420-review score only for this 3-pack?
The listing carries the same 4.1 from 420 reviews and the same review texts as the anlab 6-pack. Treat it as a shared listing figure.
Does it need batteries?
The listing says batteries are not included and not required.
Our view
The anlab six-plate kit is a settle-plate and swab set for checking more than one spot from a single box. The listing includes six separately sealed agar plates, six bags, cotton swabs and a picture guide, and it says visible growth can appear in about 48 hours. You can use a plate for room air, a surface or a claimed heating or ventilation point, then compare what grows with the booklet. Reviewers often say the colony did not match those pictures. Some emailed the seller and received a note, which the listing does not describe as an accredited laboratory report. One buyer said a warm airing cupboard needed a few days rather than two. At £24.99, with 4.1 from 420 reviews, it is a home screen for visible growth across several rooms.
Pros
- Six agar plates, each listed as sealed on its own
- Bags, swabs and a picture guide included
- Air, surface and HVAC sampling claimed on the listing
- Visible growth claimed in about 48 hours
- 4.1 from 420 reviews, a large review count for this set
Cons
- Reviewers often could not match a colony to the booklet
- A seller email is a note, and the listing does not call it an accredited report
- One review needed a few days in a warm airing cupboard
- £24.99 buys six plates, while some ten-plate kits here cost the same or less
- The +/-0.5% line on the listing does not explain how a species would be named
Best for: Checking several rooms with plates you can open one at a time, a first home look for visible growth in air or on a surface, keeping spare sealed plates for a later room
Less suitable: A named species or an accredited laboratory report, a result the same day, a single cheap spot check, where the three-plate anlab box is listed at £13.59
Specifications
- Model
- anlab mould test kit, 6 plates
- Brand
- anlab
- Price
- ∼£25
- Customer rating
- 4.1/5(420)
- Test type
- Settle plate and swab
- Tests in box
- 6
- Sealed separately
- Yes
- Methods claimed
- Air, surface, HVAC
- Result time
- About 48 hours
- Identification
- Picture guide
- Weight
- 200 g
- What's included
- 6 dishes, swabs, bags, guide
Common questions
Does the anlab 6-pack include separate plates?
The listing says each plate is sealed on its own, with 6 dishes, 6 bags, swabs and a manual. Reviewers still argue about whether the guide names the mould.
How long does this anlab kit say results take?
The listing says visible results in as little as 48 hours. One review says growth took a few days in a warm airing cupboard.
Can you tell the species from the dish?
Several reviews say they could not match the colony to the booklet. Some emailed anlab and received a note. That is not described as an accredited lab report.
Our view
The JOAAZAR kit is the lowest-priced ten-room option in this set, at £12.96 for ten agar dishes, ten cotton swabs and an identification guide. The listing claims air, surface and HVAC sampling, with visible growth in about 48 hours. It does not say whether each plate is sealed on its own. The score is 4.0 from 29 reviews, a thinner base than the larger anlab and iigala listings. A UK review says the provider does not offer laboratory testing, and other reviews call the booklet weak on mould types. Buyers also mention a wet inner pack and instructions that seemed to expect laboratory tools. Gloves appear in one UK review and are absent from the bullet list. Treat it as a cheap multi-room screen for visible growth, with species naming left uncertain.
Pros
- Ten plates and ten swabs at £12.96
- Air, surface and HVAC sampling claimed
- About 48 hours to a visible result
- An identification guide is listed in the box
- Enough dishes for a multi-room first look
Cons
- A UK review says no laboratory testing is offered
- Reviewers describe the species guide as weak
- Complaints include a wet inner pack and instructions that seemed to need laboratory tools
- The listing does not say the plates are sealed separately
- 4.0 from 29 reviews is a small sample
Best for: Covering up to ten rooms on a small budget, a household that only wants to see whether anything grows, comparing several spots before you pay for a survey
Less suitable: A named mould species or a laboratory report, buyers who want individually sealed plates stated on the listing, anyone who needs a large UK review base before they buy
Specifications
- Model
- JOAAZAR mould test kit, 10 rooms
- Brand
- JOAAZAR
- Price
- ∼£13
- Customer rating
- 4.0/5(29)
- Test type
- Settle plate and swab
- Tests in box
- 10
- Methods claimed
- Air, surface, HVAC
- Result time
- About 48 hours
- Identification
- Booklet, no lab
- Weight
- 490 g
- What's included
- 10 dishes, 10 swabs, guide
Common questions
How many rooms does the JOAAZAR kit claim?
The title says a mould test for 10 rooms, with 10 agar dishes and 10 swabs.
Does JOAAZAR identify the mould in a lab?
A UK review says the provider does not offer lab testing. Other reviews say the booklet is weak on mould types.
What did buyers complain about?
Reviews cite a poor species description, a wet inner pack, and instructions that seemed to expect laboratory tools.
Our view
The Healthful Home 5-minute mould test is a different method from the agar kits. It is an immunoassay swab strip, model HH2003, that claims to flag Aspergillus, Penicillium and Stachybotrys from a surface swab, with lines in about five minutes. Reviews describe one session and two sample devices, so a second room means another box. At £39.97 it is the dearest product here, with 3.9 from 2,932 reviews, by far the largest review count. The listing says expert consultation is included. Several UK reviews say emails went unanswered, the control line never appeared, or a fuller laboratory swab cost about £60 extra. It suits a fast surface check for those three named groups. It does not map a whole home the way a ten-plate settle kit does.
Pros
- A result claimed in about five minutes
- Named groups: Aspergillus, Penicillium and Stachybotrys
- 2,932 reviews, the largest count in this set
- No batteries, and a compact plastic strip kit
- The listing includes an expert consultation
Cons
- One session only, so each extra room needs another kit
- £39.97, the highest price in this set
- 3.9 from 2,932 reviews, a lower score than the plate kits
- UK reviews report unanswered emails and a missing control line
- A fuller laboratory swab is described at about £60 extra
Best for: A same-day surface check for Aspergillus, Penicillium or Stachybotrys, one room or one surface rather than a multi-room sweep, buyers who want a large review history before they trust a kit
Less suitable: Testing many rooms from one box, air, HVAC or car sampling of the settle-plate kind, anyone counting on the included email consultation, a tight budget
Specifications
- Model
- Healthful Home 5-minute mould test
- Brand
- Healthful Home
- Price
- ∼£40
- Customer rating
- 3.9/5(2,932)
- Test type
- Immunoassay swab strip
- Tests in box
- 1 session
- Methods claimed
- Surface, 3 groups
- Result time
- About 5 minutes
- Identification
- Strip lines
- Weight
- 49.9 g
- What's included
- Swab strip, one session
Common questions
What does the Healthful Home strip claim to detect?
The title names Aspergillus, Penicillium and Stachybotrys. Reviews describe lines within minutes on a swabbed surface.
How many rooms can one box test?
Reviews describe a single session with two sample devices. Buyers say a second room needs another kit.
Is the expert consultation included?
The listing says it is. Several UK reviews say emails were not answered, the control line never appeared, or a fuller lab swab cost about £60 extra.
How we compared
Eight mould test kits from amazon.co.uk are on this page, chosen from a wider set of listings after moisture meters, hygrometers and allergy kits were set aside. Scores use the listing price, the review count, and what the product page actually claims about method, pack size and how you read a result. There was no laboratory comparison, and a star rating is not treated as proof of species.
1
Method
30%A surface swab or a rapid strip answers what is on that spot. A settle plate only shows what fell on the jelly. Neither gives spores per cubic metre or a whole-home pass mark.
2
Pack size
20%One strip session, three plates, or ten plates. The box should match the number of spots. Ten plates for one skirting board, or one strip for every room, is a mismatch.
3
Sealed plates
15%Reviews favour plates sealed one by one, so the rest of the box is not opened on day one. If the listing does not say this, the cell stays blank.
4
Reading the result
20%Picture guides are often too close-up. An email photo service is not an accredited lab. A blank control line makes a strip invalid.
5
Next step
15%Growing colonies at home is a poor plan if a baby, someone with asthma, or someone with a weak immune system lives there. In a rented home, photos and a written report come before the kit.
Independent review
Last updated: October 2026
9 sources checked
Mould test buying guide
A mould test only helps if the method matches the question. Plates show what landed on jelly after a wait of about 48 hours. A strip aims at three named groups on one surface in minutes. Pack size, sealing and how you will read the result matter more than a lone star rating. The notes below stay inside the listings and the public UK sources used for this page.
What is a mould test?
A mould test kit on amazon.co.uk is usually a set of agar plates and swabs or, at a higher price, a rapid surface strip for named mould groups. People buy one after seeing a black patch, smelling a cupboard, or trying to show that a mark is more than dust. The kit can only answer the question its method can ask. A blank dish does not clear a home, and a furry dish is not a species report.
Best for
- A first look for visible growth in a few rooms
- One surface check for Aspergillus, Penicillium or Stachybotrys
Not ideal for
- A whole-home clearance or an accredited species report
- Anyone who needs a surveyor after a leak or widespread growth
Mistakes to avoid
- 1
Buying a damp meter instead
A moisture meter and a hygrometer are not mould tests. RICS says a damp meter is for timber, not a diagnosis of a solid wall. They were left out of this set on purpose.
- 2
Calling any growth black mould
A furry plate is not a species name, and it is not a mycotoxin result. Booklet photos and a seller email are not an accredited laboratory. A blank dish does not clear the house.
- 3
Trusting four perfect ratings
The Omikrafto 10-room kit is 5.0 from 4 reviews. That does not outrank anlab at 4.1 from 420 reviews, or Healthful Home at 3.9 from 2,932. Open one plate at a time, and do not incubate to a temperature the room never reaches.
What to weigh up
Method
HighThe first split is what the kit can actually answer. A surface swab or a rapid strip is about one spot: what is on the surface you wiped. A settle plate only shows what happened to fall on the jelly while it sat open. Neither result is spores per cubic metre, and neither is a pass mark for the whole home. In this set the anlab, JOAAZAR, iigala, Omikrafto and ENESNES boxes are settle-plate and swab kits.
Reading the result
HighA dish that grows still has to be read, and that is where these kits are weakest. Picture guides are often too close-up, so a colony is hard to match to a type. UK reviews of the iigala manual say the steps are clear and the photos are not. On the anlab packs, reviewers often could not match the colony to the booklet, and a note back from the seller is not described as an accredited laboratory report.
Which option suits you?
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
Several rooms, one box
If you want to open one plate at a time across up to ten spots, a separately sealed ten-plate set matches that job. It still only shows visible growth, not a named species.
One surface, same day
A minutes-scale strip is for Aspergillus, Penicillium and Stachybotrys on a swabbed surface. Reviews describe one session, so a second room means another box.
Common questions about mould tests
Which mould test is the top pick for 2026?
The top pick in this set is the iigala mould test kit with 10 plates, about £24.99. Each plate is listed as sealed on its own, the box states 10 dishes rather than two conflicting counts, and the amazon.co.uk line is 4.3 from 65 reviews. The booklet photos are a weak point, and there is no accredited laboratory identification. It screens for visible growth, not a species report.
How much does a mould test cost on amazon.co.uk?
In this snapshot, entry settle-plate kits are about £12.96 to £13.99: JOAAZAR 10 plates, anlab 3 plates and Omikrafto 5 plates. Mid-range kits are about £18.99 to £24.99. The Healthful Home strip is £39.97. Under £15 you are, as a rule of thumb, buying plates and a leaflet. Pump kits with a laboratory fee show on amazon.co.uk above £100 and are not in this comparison.
What should you check before you buy a mould test?
Start with the method. A swab or rapid strip answers what is on that spot. A settle plate only shows what fell on the jelly. Match one strip, three plates, or ten to the spots. Prefer plates the listing says are sealed. A close-up booklet or a seller email is not an accredited laboratory. If a baby, someone with asthma, or someone with a weak immune system lives there, do not grow colonies at home as the plan.
Does a settle plate prove toxic black mould?
No. A settle plate does not detect toxic black mould, measure mycotoxins, or clear a house when the dish stays blank. Growth is not automatically black mould. A University of Connecticut note, used here for method only and not as UK law, explains why settle plates grow in ordinary rooms. A booklet photo or a seller’s email is not an accredited identification.
Do Awaab’s Law times apply to private landlords?
Awaab’s Law times apply to social landlords in England: emergencies within 24 hours, and significant damp and mould investigated within 10 working days, then made safe within 5 working days, with longer works started within 12 weeks. Those clocks do not bind private landlords. GOV.UK still tells landlords not to wait for medical evidence, to fix the cause, and to look again at least six weeks later.
When should you call a surveyor instead of using a kit?
Call a professional when mould is larger than about a square metre, keeps returning, follows a leak, or affects someone with a lung or immune risk. RICS says a damp meter is for timber, not a diagnosis of a solid wall, and that you should ask for a surveyor who does building pathology. The UK Centre for Mould Safety says sample only when the test answers a stated question. A consumer plate does not replace that inspection.
Can a 5.0 score from four reviews outrank a lower score?
No. The Omikrafto 10-room kit shows 5.0 from 4 reviews, with one short positive comment on the listing. That is too little written feedback to judge contamination, a failed dish, or the guide. A lower score from hundreds of ratings, such as anlab at 4.1 from 420 or Healthful Home at 3.9 from 2,932, is a firmer base. Do not let four ratings outrank that history.
Is a mould test the same as a room thermometer?
No. These kits do not measure temperature or humidity, and a hygrometer reading is not a mould test. Moisture meters were left out of this set for that reason. If you want a room thermometer you can read from your phone, that is a different comparison: the Bluetooth thermometer page. Use it for temperature, not as proof of mould. Damp still needs the cause fixed, whether or not a plate grows.
Our verdict
The top pick is the iigala ten-plate kit: the plates are listed as sealed one by one, the count is a clear 10, and the amazon.co.uk line is 4.3 from 65 reviews. The booklet still will not name the mould. The best value is the anlab three-plate kit at about £13.59, with sealed bags and a 4.1 from 420 reviews shared with the six-plate listing. A 5.0 from four ratings does not outrank either of those. None of these kits is a surveyor’s report.
Best value
View offer
anlab mould test kit, 3 plates
About £13.59 for three sealed plates, with the shared 4.1 from 420 reviews, when you only need a few rooms.
Editorial
DIY & tools editor
DIY & toolsamazon.co.uk listingsPublic UK sources
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Updated: October 2026
9 sources checked
Guides to mould tests
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Best mould testsWho each kit is for, and who should skip it.Mould test buying guideMethod and pack size as a decision, without a model table.DIY kit or surveyorWhen a plate is enough, and when a surveyor should take over.How to use a mould testHow to run, read and dispose of a home kit.Mould test for tenantsHow to report damp and mould in a rented home in England.
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Sources
Public UK sources used for this comparison, last reviewed in October 2026.
- GOV.UK: damp and mould, health risks for rented housing (retrieved October 2026)
- English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025, housing quality (retrieved October 2026)
- Awaab’s Law: guidance for tenants in social housing (retrieved October 2026)
- HHSRS (England) Regulations 2005 (retrieved October 2026)
- NHS inform: damp and mould indoors (retrieved October 2026)
- Shelter England: damp and mould in rented homes (retrieved October 2026)
- RICS consumer guide: damp and mould (retrieved October 2026)
- UK Centre for Mould Safety: choosing a surveyor (retrieved October 2026)
- University of Connecticut EHS: facts about DIY mould test kits (retrieved October 2026)
Expert source (DIY & tools): Charlie White (Charlie DIYte) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices and review counts come from the listings. We did not run a laboratory comparison of these kits.