The best geiger counters, compared.
Top pick: GQ GMC-800 – Highest score: logging and four alarm types stated, 4.6 from 1,097 reviews, at about £80.98. The UK review would not call it proven accurate. Best value: Soogua Geiger counter – About £37.60 for a listing that names a GM sensor, with 4.1 from 145 reviews. The alarm-stuck report and the mixed review sample stay on the row. Updated October 2026.
A Geiger counter here is a handheld Geiger–Müller meter, or a small tube-driver kit, that counts ionising events and may show a dose rate. Shoppers on amazon.co.uk use one to check a rock, a piece of glass or a worktop. Some hope it will test a house for radon, or food for contamination. The tube does not measure energy, a glass wall does not see alpha, and µ/h is the maker's conversion, not a dose. Look for a named response to beta, gamma and, a real GM tube, as well as µ/h, and reviews that show whether the unit dies in the first week. The [Geiger counter buying guide](/hub/measuring-equipment/geiger-counter/sub/geiger-counter-buying-guide) sets out the tube, the units and the limits before you pay. This page ranks the eight amazon.co.uk listings read. Tells you the count is higher than the background on your table. µ/h is only a gamma estimate from the maker's conversion. None of the eight kept listings states a mica window, so do not read any of them as an alpha meter.
A Geiger counter here is a handheld Geiger–Müller meter, or a small tube-driver kit, that counts ionising events and may show a dose rate. Shoppers on amazon.co.uk use one to check a rock, a piece of glass or a worktop.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Do you need a computer log?
The GQ GMC-800 lists at £80.98 with 4.6 from 1,097 reviews. The bullets state beta, gamma and X-rays, memory for up to 10 years, free PC software, and LED, audio, vibration and voice alarms. The box list is the meter, a USB-C cable, a quick start guide, a safety card and a lithium-ion battery. In 47 reviews, the United Kingdom review says it is easy to use and responded near a smoke detector, and that the buyer could not vouch for accuracy without a comparison meter. Other buyers describe a large colour screen, a click that tracks the counts, and several days of battery life if the display is not left on. The same sample reports screen scratches and image burn-in from ordinary handling, and a sensor on the side rather than the front. This amazon listing does not print a dose-rate range, and alpha is not stated. It is the top pick on the score. It is not a radon test.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Someone who wants a computer log and several alarm types for rocks, glass or a worktop
Less suitable: Alpha detection, a radon result in Bq/m³, or the lowest spend in this set
Specifications
Common questions
Does the GMC-800 listing include data logging?
Yes. It states memory for up to 10 years, history preview, and free data software. A numeric dose-rate range is not in this listing.
What alarms are listed?
Visual LED, audio, vibration and voice. The listing says you can set the alarm threshold.
What is in the box?
The main unit, a USB-C cable, a quick start guide, a safety reference card, and a lithium-ion battery.
The Dpofirs mini detector is £41.72, with 4.6 from 23 reviews. The title says beta, gamma and X-ray, and the bullets name a 2.8 inch screen, a sound alarm with a mute button, and stored accumulated dose. Eleven reviews include four labelled United Kingdom. Two of those UK buyers called it fast or enough for peace of mind. Another UK buyer saw no clear effect against a smoke alarm or a tritium light. A fourth said the unit arrived heavily scratched, with a stained manual, and looked used. A German review says rechargeable cells can be used by USB and are not included, and that accuracy has to be guessed. No tube name and no dose-rate range are in the listing, and one box had a side USB port but no cable.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A small screen and a sound alarm when a 23-review file is enough for you
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a named GM tube and a printed range before they buy
Specifications
Common questions
Does it have an alarm?
The bullets say it sounds an alarm when the dose exceeds a threshold, and that there is a mute button.
What screen size is stated?
2.8 inches. A sensor name and a dose-rate range are not in the listing.
Does the listing say it tests food?
The listing asks that question and does not answer it. Nothing in the bullets is a food method.
The GQ GMC-320S is £61.56, with 4.5 from 301 reviews. The listing says it logs every second, that history downloads to a computer, and that it has dosimeter, CPM and graph modes on an included lithium-ion battery. In the first 50 reviews, the United Kingdom note says it is easy to use and that a non-expert cannot tell how accurate it is. Buyers describe CPM, µSv/h and mR/h, a click and an alarm that can be switched off, and a USB serial link with no Wi-Fi. The power button has to be held for a few seconds, or the screen flashes and shuts down. One buyer's display stopped while the counter still ticked. The listing also prints 220 V AC beside the battery line, so that mains figure is unconfirmed. The bullets do not name alpha, beta, gamma or X-ray.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A GQ log at £61.56 when you do not need the listing to name beta, gamma and X-ray
Less suitable: A buyer who wants those radiation types written on the listing before paying
Specifications
Common questions
Can history be saved?
The listing says it logs every second to internal memory and that history can be downloaded. A free PC viewer is named.
Does the listing say which radiation it detects?
No. The bullets name modes, not alpha, beta, gamma or X-ray. Radiation types are not stated.
Why are both a battery and 220 V listed?
The listing says a lithium-ion battery is included and also prints Voltage 220 V AC. Those two lines conflict. Treat the mains figure as unconfirmed.
The Forensics Detectors FD-5000 is £69.00, with 4.5 from 44 reviews. The listing states beta, gamma and X-rays, 0.01 µSv/h to 50 mSv/h, a cumulative span of 0 µSv to 1,000 Sv, and a radiation test card. In 23 reviews, buyers use the card to see the meter move, with card readings reported around 27 µSv/h and about 35 µSv/h. The colour screen is called clear, and the listing claims a 10 ft drop test. Several notes say a garden and ordinary household items barely move the reading, so the card is the strong response. One buyer said the unit would no longer hold a charge, and another called it inaccurate and could not get a refund. An alarm is not stated. The only review labelled United Kingdom mentions delivery to Romania, so that label is a thin UK sample. The card is not a UK calibration certificate.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who wants a printed dose-rate span and a card that shows the meter responds
Less suitable: Someone who wants a large UK review file or a stated PC log
Specifications
Common questions
What dose-rate range is stated?
0.01 µSv/h to 50 mSv/h, and a cumulative range of 0 µSv to 1,000 Sv. Alpha is not stated.
Does it include a check source?
The title and bullets say a radiation test card is included. The listing does not include a calibration certificate.
What modes does the listing name?
Dosimeter mode, CPM count mode and graph mode, on a colour LCD. An alarm is not stated.
The Shkalacar listing is an assembled driver board at £59.09, with 4.3 from 58 reviews, not a handheld dose meter. It states support for M4011, STS-5, SBM-20 and J305 tubes at 330 to 600 V, and PC or Matlab acquisition. Twenty-two reviews include two labelled United Kingdom. One UK buyer reported a background of about 23 clicks or fewer and a clear rise after a CT isotope. The other UK note says the LEDs do not light unless they are pressed and that the soldering is loose. Buyers fit their own tube, and one supplied tube arrived broken. Documentation is described as thin, and there is no dose screen until you add a microcontroller and, often, a case. The bullets do not say a tube is in the box.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A kit build where you will add a tube and a microcontroller yourself
Less suitable: A cased meter you can switch on the evening it arrives
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a finished handheld meter?
No. The listing is an assembled board for Arduino and for PC or Matlab logging. A dose screen is not stated.
Which tubes does it support?
M4011, STS-5, SBM-20 and J305, at 330 to 600 V. The bullets do not say a tube is in the box.
Does the listing say it needs batteries?
The listing asks that and does not answer it. Power is not stated.
The FNIRSI GC-01 is listed at £50.79, with 4.1 from 1,416 amazon.co.uk reviews, the largest count in this set. The listing names a GM sensor, gamma, beta and X-rays, a cumulative dose from 0.00 µSv to 500.0 mSv, and light, vibration and sound alarms. In the first 50 reviews, seven were labelled United Kingdom, one buyer used it after a cat's radioactive iodine treatment and called the detection quick. Another UK buyer said a J321 tube responded to a smoke detector only after a firmware change, and that the stock unit has no click until then. A UK buyer returned a unit because the readings sat far below a friend's Geiger–Müller meter. A further UK review describes four or five days of use, then a permanent red light and no response to charging. The included-components field says DSO, which does not describe this meter, and alpha is not stated. It scores above the Soogua. Early-failure reviews keep it off the best value row.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A priced check of glass or a smoke detector when you can return a unit that reads low or dies early
Less suitable: A meter you need to trust next week, or any alpha or radon measurement
Specifications
Common questions
Which radiation types does the listing state?
Gamma, beta and X-rays, with a GM sensor. Alpha is not stated. The energy line is 48 keV to 1.5 MeV, within ±30% for caesium-137 gamma.
Does it have an alarm?
Yes. The listing states light, vibration and sound, and alarms for the current dose and the cumulative dose.
What cumulative dose does the listing state?
0.00 µSv to 500.0 mSv. A dose-rate range is not in the listing, so that field is not stated.
The Soogua counter is £37.60, with 4.1 from 145 reviews. It names a GM sensor, gamma, beta and X-rays, cumulative dose to 500.0 mSv, 48 keV to 1.5 MeV within ±30% for caesium-137 gamma, and 80 CPM/µSv. Those energy and dose sentences match the GC-01 listing, which warns you that the text may be copied rather than proving the tubes are the same. The first 50 reviews include none labelled United Kingdom, and the first review describes a metal food-court tray, so the sample is contaminated. Buyers who are clearly writing about a meter mention a clear LCD, a quick rise near antique glass, and adjustable alarm thresholds. One unit stuck on a steady beep and vibration until the battery was disconnected. It arrived uncharged, a laptop USB-C PD charger would not start it, and the included cable did. It is the best value among listings under £45 that name a GM sensor. The alarm-stuck report stays with the row.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A lower spend on a listing that names a GM sensor, if you will check charging and that the alarm clears
Less suitable: A clean UK-only review file, or a meter with a stated computer log
Specifications
Common questions
Which radiation types are stated?
Gamma, beta and X-rays, with a GM sensor. Cumulative dose is 0.00 µSv to 500.0 mSv. Alpha and a dose-rate range are not stated.
Does the listing answer the radon question?
The listing asks whether it detects radon and does not answer. Do not treat this meter as a radon test.
What alarm modes are listed?
Sound, vibration, an alarm light and the display, including when the screen is asleep.
The SPORTARC handheld is £34.39 and 110 g, with 3.4 from 3 reviews. The title says beta, gamma and X-ray. Sensor, alarm, power and dose range are not in the listing, and alpha is not stated. The only review body is labelled United Kingdom and says good quality, which is too short to describe a click, a source, or a failure. Mainland UK delivery is confirmed only at checkout, according to the listing note. At 13 x 10 x 4 cm it is a small white handheld on paper, and that is nearly all the listing contains. A star line from three reviews cannot show whether the title describes a GM tube.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Only a buyer who wants the cheapest title here and will not rely on the number
Less suitable: Any check of glass, rock, food or a room where the reading matters
Specifications
Common questions
What specifications are in the listing?
Brand SPORTARC, 110 g, and 13 x 10 x 4 cm. Sensor, alarm, power and dose range are not stated.
How many reviews does the listing show?
3.4 out of 5 from 3 reviews. The only review text says good quality.
Does the title state radiation types?
Yes, in the title only: beta, gamma and X-ray. Alpha is not stated.
Scores use the eight amazon.co.uk listings read on 16 October 2026. Points follow the star line, the review count, how clearly the listing names radiation types, a GM sensor, a dose figure, an alarm and a log, and whether the stated job matches a logging meter, a named GM sensor or a tube-driver kit. Price in this set adds up to 10 points. Deductions apply only for a fault the listing points have not already zeroed. Nothing was laboratory tested or UKAS calibrated. A click, a test card or a maker's µSv/h line is not a radon result and not an approved dose under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017.
Stars
30%Amazon stars divided by 5, then multiplied by 30, rounded half up. The star line is not treated as proof of accuracy.
Review volume
25%1,000 or more reviews score 22. 200 to 999 score 16. 100 to 199 score 12. 50 to 99 score 9. 20 to 49 score 6. Under 10 score 2.
Listing clarity
20%Points for radiation types in the bullets, a named GM sensor or tube driver, a numeric dose rate or cumulative dose, a named alarm, and a PC or on-device log. A title-only radiation line scores less than a bullet.
Stated job
15%A logging meter that also names beta, gamma and X-ray, with a large review file, scores highest. A named GM sensor, a printed dose-rate span with a test card, a tube-driver kit, and a thin handheld sit lower.
Price in this set
10%Under £40 scores 10. £40 to £55 scores 8. £55.01 to £75 scores 6. Over £75 scores 3. The band is this folder, not a market census.
Start with the job. A gamma or X-ray check, a computer log, or a soldered kit belongs on a Geiger counter page. A radon answer does not. Then read what the listing says the tube can see: beta, gamma and X-ray, and do not treat that line as alpha. CPM is the count. µSv/h is only a gamma estimate. A test card, or a line about US NIST, is not a UK calibration certificate. Eight amazon.co.uk listings were read on 16 October 2026, from about £34.39 to about £80.98.
A Geiger counter in this UK set is a handheld Geiger–Müller meter, or a small tube-driver kit, that counts ionising events and may convert them to a dose rate. CPM tells you the count is higher than the background on your table. µSv/h is only a gamma estimate from the maker's conversion. The tube does not measure energy. A glass wall does not see alpha. None of the eight kept listings states a mica window, so do not read any of them as an alpha meter.
An EMF gadget reads fields. A nitrate tester is not a Geiger counter. Four Greentest food testers were removed from this set because the title said radiation and the product did not. Buy the instrument that matches the job.
The UK Action Level is 200 Bq/m³ and the Target Level is 100 Bq/m³, as an annual average. A Geiger counter does not report those units. A quiet meter does not mean a home is fine. UKHSA's domestic pack is two passive detectors for about three months.
CPM cannot be compared across brands. µSv/h on a beta source is the maker's conversion. A test card is not a UKAS certificate. A consumer meter is not an approved dosimetry service under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017.
Prefer an explicit beta, gamma and X-ray line in the bullets. Do not treat that line as alpha. None of the eight kept listings states a mica window, so a glass-walled tube is not an alpha window. A GM sensor named on the page is stronger evidence than a title alone. The FNIRSI GC-01 and the Soogua both name a GM sensor. The GQ GMC-800 names the radiation types and a log, and this amazon listing does not name the sensor. The GMC-320S names a log and does not name the radiation types.
CPM is the figure for higher than the table. µSv/h is only a gamma estimate. Logging to a PC is stated for the GMC-800 and the GMC-320S, not for the GC-01 or the Soogua. The FD-5000 states a dose-rate span of 0.01 µSv/h to 50 mSv/h and a test card, and some reviewers saw a strong response only on that card. A test card, or a sentence about US NIST and NRC, is not a UK calibration certificate and not an approved dosimetry service under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a cased meter for a rock, a piece of glass or a worktop, and you want a GM sensor named on the listing. The Soogua is about £37.60, with 4.1 from 145 reviews, and it states beta, gamma and X-ray. One alarm stuck until the battery was disconnected, and the review sample includes a tray review and no UK label. It is not a radon test.
You want a computer log and several alarm types. The GQ GMC-800 is about £80.98, with 4.6 from 1,097 reviews. The listing states beta, gamma and X-ray, memory for up to 10 years, and free PC software. The UK review would not vouch for accuracy, and this amazon listing does not print a dose-rate range.
You will add a tube and a microcontroller yourself. The Shkalacar listing is an assembled driver board at about £59.09, with 4.3 from 58 reviews, for M4011, STS-5, SBM-20 and J305 tubes at 330 to 600 V. It is not a cased dose meter. The bullets do not say a tube is in the box.
The top pick is the GQ GMC-800 at about £80.98, with 4.6 from 1,097 reviews. The listing states beta, gamma and X-ray, logging and four alarm types. A UK review would not call it proven accurate. It is not a radon test and it does not state an alpha window. The best value among listings under £45 that name a GM sensor is the Soogua at about £37.60, with 4.1 from 145 reviews. The alarm-stuck report and the contaminated review sample stay with that row. The FNIRSI GC-01 scores higher and costs more, and early-failure reviews keep it off the value place.
GQ GMC-800
Highest score: logging and four alarm types stated, 4.6 from 1,097 reviews, at about £80.98. The UK review would not call it proven accurate.
Soogua Geiger counter
About £37.60 for a listing that names a GM sensor, with 4.1 from 145 reviews. The alarm-stuck report and the mixed review sample stay on the row.
Editorial
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.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
UKHSA, Public Health Wales, the Health and Safety Executive and the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017, plus manufacturer pages and the amazon.co.uk listings read on 16 October 2026. Prices move. Nothing was laboratory tested or UKAS calibrated.
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. Scores compare published listings and review texts. They are not a laboratory test.
