The best light meters, compared.
Top pick: BSIDE L1 Best value: V·Resourcing (black and orange) – About £16.99 with lux, foot-candles, hold and temperature, and UK review texts. No case, and the white listing is the same review sample. Updated October 2026.
A light meter is a handheld that gives you a number for light instead of a guess from the eye. On a UK shelf the name covers three jobs. An illuminance meter reads lux or foot-candles on a surface. An exposure meter reads aperture, shutter and flash for a camera. A cold-shoe meter only shows a match light. The title often does not say which job the product does, so start with the family. You recognise a suitable illuminance meter by a stated range, a lux and foot-candle switch, and a sensor you can aim without standing in the light. A rotating head or a head on a lead reduces body shadow. Check whether the screen shows lux, a klux figure, or a times-ten mark. Visible illuminance is not plant PPFD, UVB, or colour temperature unless the listing says so. A meter of this kind is a comparison, not a workplace certificate: a formal survey wants a BS 667 Type F instrument with a calibration record. How to separate the three jobs is in the [light meter buying guide](/hub/measuring-equipment/light-meter/sub/light-meter-buying-guide).
A light meter is a handheld that gives you a number for light instead of a guess from the eye. On a UK shelf the name covers three jobs. An illuminance meter reads lux or foot-candles on a surface.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What do you need the number for?
The BSIDE L1 is a grey pocket illuminance meter at £15.99. Bullets state four ranges, 0–200, 2,000, 20,000 and 200,000 lux, auto range, lux or foot-candles, max, min and average, data hold, and ±4%. Weight is 98 g. A 9 V cell is required and not stated as included. The star line is 5.0 from 1. There is no review text with the listing, so there is nothing to praise or fault in the owner's words. The title mentions plants and film. It does not state f-stops or PPFD.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a small listed lux meter and you do not need review evidence.
Less suitable: You want UK owners' reports, or a confirmed backlight and a cell in the box.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it have a backlight?
A buyer question asks. The bullets do not say.
Is the 9 V cell in the box?
The technical line says one 9 V battery is required. It does not say included.
What do owners say?
The listing shows 5.0 from 1 review. The review text is not included.
The BINTA BTN043 is £19.99 and states 0 to 200,000 lux, 0 to 19,999 fc, ±4% under a standard source, a 0.5 s sample, max/min, hold, 50 stored sets, and a 9 V cell in the box. A cap and a lanyard are in the bullets. It shows 4.8 from 10 reviews. None of the ten bodies is marked United Kingdom. A German review says that above about 2,000 lux the display uses a factor that is easy to miss. A US review says it does not read colour temperature. First listed 17 June 2026.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want logging and a 9 V cell and you can read a scale factor.
Less suitable: You want a UK review sample larger than ten.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the head rotate?
Buyers ask. The bullets do not say so. A US review describes pointing the sensor at an angle.
Does it measure colour temperature?
A US review says no. The listing is lux and foot-candles only.
How many UK reviews are in the file?
None of the ten bodies is marked United Kingdom. The star line is 4.8 from 10.
The Sekonic L-308X is an exposure meter at £199. The listing states 0 to 19.9 EV at ISO 100, flash from f/1.0 to f/90.9, a sliding lumisphere, a 40° reflected lens, lux and foot-candle readout, cine and HD cine modes, a soft case, a strap, and a synchro cap. It is not water resistant. AA cells are required and not stated as included. It shows 4.6 from 1,283 reviews. UK texts prefer it to phone apps on meterless cameras and call the body plasticky. One unit read backwards after a drop with no crack. Digital Camera World notes that the lux mode wants an optional lumidisc, which this kit does not list. Buy it for aperture and shutter, not for an office survey.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You shoot stills or cine and you need flash or incident readings.
Less suitable: You only want a £20 lux check of a room or a grow lamp.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it meter flash?
Yes. The listing says ambient and flash, from f/1.0 to f/90.9 at ISO 100.
Is the lux reading the same as a flat survey meter?
The listing offers lux and foot-candles. A review of the L-308X says the simplified illuminance mode wants the optional lumidisc, which is not in this kit.
What is in the box?
The listing includes the meter, a soft case, a strap, and a synchro terminal cap. AA batteries are required and not stated as included.
The URCERI MT-92H is £27.99, yellow, with a split sensor, 0 to 200,000 lux, updates stated at 500 ms, lux or foot-candles, Celsius or Fahrenheit, and temperature from -10 °C to 60 °C. Modes are maximum, minimum, and average, with auto-off and a battery icon. Three AAA cells and a manual are included. It shows 4.6 from 91 reviews. A UK owner uses it in a white box and finds dim light weak. A France-marked review says it fails below about 20 lux. US texts like the coiled sensor and say it is a poor exposure meter. No bag is listed.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the sensor on a lead at the plant or the worktop.
Less suitable: You need reliable readings under about 20 lux, or a camera meter.
Specifications
Common questions
What temperature does it claim?
The listing states -10 °C to 60 °C, also printed as 14 °F to 140 °F.
Does it work in very low light?
A UK review says it is weak where the eye has adjusted. A France-marked review says it does not detect brightness below about 20 lux.
Is there a case?
Included components are the meter, three AAA cells, and a manual. A UK review wanted a bag and says the head does not clip on.
The Dr.meter LX1330B is listed at £29.99 with a 0 to 200,000 lux range, a lux/foot-candle switch, a peak button, and about two readings a second. A long UK review describes a sensor on a coiled cable under an orange rubber boot, a 9 V cell, and a manual that never says how to switch on. Included components say one light meter. Batteries included is Yes, while Batteries Required is No. It shows 4.5 from 2,937 reviews. UK texts like the remote head and call it bulky. One first unit dropped to zero. It is a lux meter, not a camera meter.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the sensor away from your body and you will tolerate a weak manual.
Less suitable: You want a pocket meter, a case that is clearly listed, or f-stops.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the sensor come off the body?
The bullets do not say so. A UK review describes a separate sensor on a coiled cable with a cover.
Is a carry case included?
Included components list one light meter. A UK review expected a case and received only the rubber cover.
Will it set a camera?
UK reviews say it measures room light in lux, not ISO and shutter speed.
The TopTes TS-710 is an illuminance meter at £29.99 with a stated range of 0.1 to 200,000 lux, foot-candles, a 180° sensor, a backlit screen, max/min, hold, temperature and humidity. The kit lists a soft case, a sensor cover, and three AAA cells. It shows 4.5 from 651 amazon.co.uk reviews, mostly written in the United Kingdom. Reviewers praise the swivel and the screen. A photographer notes there is no f-stop, and several mention a screwed battery cover. In this set it is the top pick for a household or small-workplace lux check. It is not a calibrated survey instrument.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want lux or foot-candles in a room, on a lamp, or on a plant canopy, and you want the sensor to turn.
Less suitable: You need aperture and shutter, UVB, PPFD, or a certificate for a formal survey.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the TS-710 show camera settings?
No. A UK review says there is no f-stop. It shows lux or foot-candles, plus temperature and humidity.
Are batteries and a case in the box?
The listing includes a soft case, a sensor cover, three AAA batteries, and a manual. Reviews say the battery cover needs a screwdriver.
Can the sensor turn?
The title states a 180° rotating sensor. UK reviews call that swivel useful.
The black URCERI is £29.99 and states 0 to 200,000 lux, ±3% of reading ±8 digits under 10,000 lux and ±4% ±10 digits above that, min/max, hold, auto-off, and a low-battery mark. Item weight is 160 g. The battery line says two AAA cells are required and does not say included. UK reviews often found cells in the pack. It shows 4.4 from 1,389 reviews. Buyers use it for plants, offices, and classrooms. A photographer says it is the wrong tool for camera settings. The screen's viewing angle and the fixed head are the repeated complaints. One unit stayed at zero.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a simple fixed lux meter with a large UK review history.
Less suitable: You need a turning head, a listed case, or photographic settings.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a camera light meter?
A UK photographer says converting these lux readings into camera settings is too involved, and a proper exposure meter is the better buy for that job.
Does the sensor turn?
A UK review says the head does not swivel, which makes the screen awkward. Another owner removed a screw to force a turn. The listing does not claim a swivel.
How good is the temperature reading?
UK reviews bought it for lux. They describe the temperature channel as slower or further adrift.
The Soonkoda S8608 is the lowest shelf price in the file, £12.99. Bullets state 200,000 lux and 18,500 fc, a mode key for lux or foot-candles, max and min, and three AAA cells included. Weight is 130 g. An international-products line says the item may be sold from abroad and the language may differ. The star line is 4.3 from 324. The first 40 review bodies are marked Canada, the United States, Australia, Japan, or Saudi Arabia, not the United Kingdom. Those texts like it for plants and also report a zero reading, a death after five weeks, and LED readings that did not match fluorescent.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the cheapest lux meter in this set and you accept a non-UK review sample.
Less suitable: You want UK-written reviews, a stated class, or a case.
Specifications
Common questions
Are the written reviews from the UK?
The star line is on amazon.co.uk. The written review bodies are marked other countries.
What units does it switch?
The bullets say lux and foot-candles, and they print 1 fc = 10.76 lux.
Does the listing state an accuracy percentage?
No. A US review mentions ±3% in documentation. That figure is not in the amazon bullets.
The V·Resourcing HSW-02-912-017BK is a black and orange illuminance meter at £16.99. The listing states 0 to 200,000 lux, ±3% of reading ±8 digits below 10,000 lux, lux or foot-candles, data hold, a backlit colour screen, ambient temperature, and three AAA cells. It shows 4.3 from 111 reviews. UK texts use it on grow lights, a sports hall, and a reptile tank. One buyer explains the klux display. Another received a dead unit. English instructions are confirmed by one review and denied by another. The white ASIN shares this review text. In this set it is the best value lux meter if you can live without a case.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a cheap lux and temperature check and you will learn the range factor.
Less suitable: You need a case, a remote head, or a meter with its own review sample.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it measure temperature?
The listing says ambient temperature as well as lux. It does not state the temperature range.
Why does a bright reading look like a small number?
A UK review says the screen uses a decimal under 1,000 lux, whole numbers to 9,999, then a klux figure.
Is this a separate product from the white meter?
It is a different ASIN and colour. The listing repeats the same 4.3 from 111 and the same review text.
This is the white V·Resourcing listing, part W-U113, at £16.99, first available 15 February 2019. The bullets match the black and orange meter: 0 to 200,000 lux, ±3% of reading ±8 digits below 10,000 lux, lux or foot-candles, hold, backlight, temperature, three AAA cells, 150 g. The page repeats the same 4.3 from 111 and the same UK reviews, including the dead unit and the klux explanation. Treat it as a colour, not as extra evidence.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the white body and you already accept the shared review record.
Less suitable: You are counting reviews twice, or you need a different sensor layout.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the temperature range printed?
A buyer question asks. The bullets say the meter measures ambient temperature and do not give the range.
Are these reviews only about the white meter?
No. The page copies the same reviews as the black and orange ASIN.
What cells does it take?
Three AAA batteries, stated as included.
The black TTArtisan Light Meter II is a cold-shoe exposure meter at £62. The listing states indicator lights, two dials, a 23-stop shutter claim, a clicked aperture dial, 45° average metering, and a CR1632 that is not included. Item weight is 70 g. It shows 3.9 from 218 reviews, the same text as the silver ASIN. UK owners use it on meterless film bodies and report readings within a fraction of a stop of another meter. The ISO dial moves by accident. Units die, or stay dead until the cell or the contact is changed. It does not show lux.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a reflected match meter on a film camera and you will check the ISO dial.
Less suitable: You need lux, flash, or incident light.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it show lux?
No. It shows over, under, or match with indicator lights while you set the dials.
Is the battery included?
The listing says you must buy a CR1632 separately. One UK review says CR2032. The listing text is CR1632.
Are the reviews unique to the black meter?
No. The silver ASIN repeats the same 3.9 from 218 and the same review text.
The silver TTArtisan Light Meter II is the same model number, YBSTT202206281535L, at £62, with the same 23-stop claim, clicked aperture dial, 45° metering, and a CR1632 that is not included. Package size in this file is 9.2 x 8.6 x 4.3 cm, and weight is 70 g. The review text matches the black listing, including the loose ISO dial and units that failed. One UK buyer chose silver and found the black engraving hard to read. Do not add the 218 reviews to the black listing's 218.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the silver body on a silver camera and you will watch the ISO dial.
Less suitable: You need high-contrast dial marks, lux, or a separate review sample.
Specifications
Common questions
Why is silver harder to read?
A UK review of the silver meter says the black markings are small and discreet.
Does the price include the cell?
No. The bullets say the CR1632 is not included.
Can it meter flash?
Flash is not stated. The display is a match light for ambient exposure.
Twelve light-meter listings on amazon.co.uk were scored from the listing facts and the review notes already on the rows, not from a lab test or a BS 667 calibration. The checks are the job (lux, exposure, or shoe-mount), the sensor geometry, the stated range and display factor, the kit and cells, and whether the written reviews are marked United Kingdom. Shared colour listings are one sample. A missing calibration certificate is a limit on every row. The 0–100 score is that listing score, not a Type F result.
Job family
25%Lux on a surface, f-stop for a camera, or a match light in a cold shoe. Mixing those jobs is the expensive mistake. Visible illuminance is not PPFD, UVB, or colour temperature unless the listing says so.
Sensor geometry
20%Fixed head, rotating head, split or cabled head, sliding lumisphere, or a 45° shoe meter. A remote or rotating head reduces the shadow of the body.
Range and display
15%Up to 200,000 lux is the common illuminance claim. Confirm whether the screen is showing lux, a klux figure, or a times-ten mark, and whether foot-candles are a stated switch.
Kit and power
15%Case, cells in the box, and a battery warning. A CR1632 that the listing says you must buy separately is not an included cell.
Review evidence
25%Star line from the amazon.co.uk listing, and whether the written reviews are marked United Kingdom. Two colours that repeat one review text are one sample, not two.
Start with the job, then the sensor, then the range and the screen factor, then the kit and the review sample. The notes below follow that order for these twelve listings. None of the scores is a laboratory test or a BS 667 class.
A light meter on amazon.co.uk is one of three instruments. An illuminance meter reads lux or foot-candles on a surface. An exposure meter reads aperture and shutter, and sometimes flash. A cold-shoe meter only shows a match light while you turn the dials. UK buyers in this batch are checking rooms, grow lamps, and meterless cameras, and the title does not say which job the product does.
Lumens are the lamp’s output. Lux is light on a surface at a distance. A listing that claims 200,000 lux is an illuminance range, not a brightness sticker for the bulb.
A UK review of one meter describes a decimal under 1,000 lux, whole numbers to 9,999, then a klux figure. Another review says that above about 2,000 lux a factor is easy to miss. Read the annunciator before you write the number down.
The white V·Resourcing listing repeats the black and orange review text. The silver TTArtisan listing repeats the black review text. Adding the counts treats one sample as two.
Name the job before the brand. Lux on a surface, f-stop for a camera, or a match light in a cold shoe are different instruments, and the product title often does not say which one you are holding. Visible illuminance is not PPFD, not UVB, and not colour temperature. None of these listings says PPFD or UVB. Geometry is the next check: a fixed head, a rotating head, a split or cabled head, a sliding lumisphere, or a 45° shoe meter. A remote or rotating head reduces the shadow of your body.
Read the kit after the job. A soft case is stated on the top-pick illuminance meter and on the exposure meter. Several illuminance listings do not state a case. Cells differ: three AAA included, two AAA required and not stated as included, a 9 V cell included or only required, AA cells required, or a CR1632 you must buy separately. A star line is the amazon.co.uk figure.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want lux or foot-candles and a sensor that turns. The TopTes TS-710 is about £29.99, with a stated 0.1 to 200,000 lux range, a 180° head, a soft case, and 4.5 from 651 reviews. It is not a calibrated survey instrument.
You can live without a case and you will learn the range factor. The black and orange V·Resourcing meter is about £16.99, with lux, foot-candles, hold and temperature, and 4.3 from 111 reviews. The white listing shares that review text.
A lux figure will not set a meterless camera. The Sekonic L-308X is about £199 and states incident, reflected, and flash, plus cine modes. UK reviews prefer it to phone apps and call the body plasticky. The kit does not list the optional lumidisc.
In this set of twelve amazon.co.uk listings, the top pick is the TopTes TS-710 at about £29.99. The listing states 0.1 to 200,000 lux, a 180° sensor, a soft case, and temperature and humidity, with 4.5 from 651 reviews and UK texts that mention the swivel. It is a household or small-workplace lux check, not a calibrated survey instrument, and it does not show f-stops. The best value is the black and orange V·Resourcing meter at about £16.99, with lux, foot-candles, hold and temperature, and 4.3 from 111 reviews that include UK texts. It has no case, one dead-on-arrival report, and the white listing shares that review text. The Sekonic L-308X scores next on the exposure job, at about £199, and is not the lux top pick. None of these scores is a lab test or a BS 667 Type F claim.
V·Resourcing (black and orange)
About £16.99 with lux, foot-candles, hold and temperature, and UK review texts. No case, and the white listing is the same review sample.
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.
Public UK and manufacturer sources from the research digest. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures in this batch, not a live recrawl. The price bands are this set, not a market average.
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, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures captured with these twelve listings. We did not lab-test these light meters.
