The best lux meters, compared.
Top pick: Proster 1010DM Best value: Dr.meter 1010BS split – About £18.99 for a split sensor, 4.5 from 395 ratings and 16 UK reviews. Not the second-highest score. The range stops at 100,000 lux. Updated October 2026.
A lux meter is a handheld illuminance meter. It reports visible light falling on a surface, in lux, and often in foot-candles as well. In the UK you buy one to compare a shelf, a desk, or a dim corner, not to commission a lighting survey. A suitable meter is one you can aim without shadowing the sensor, with a lux range that covers the task, a screen you can read, and an accuracy line you treat as the seller's claim. UK charts use lux. One foot-candle is about 10.76 lux. The number follows the eye's sensitivity curve, so it describes how bright a surface looks to a person under white light. It is not a lumen rating of a bulb, and it is not the plant quantity PPFD. A spot reading does not prove a workplace meets the lighting duty, and it does not sign off emergency lighting. How to choose range, sensor, and the accuracy claim is set out in the [lux meter buying guide](/hub/measuring-equipment/lux-meter/sub/lux-meter-buying-guide).
A lux meter is a handheld illuminance meter. It reports visible light falling on a surface, in lux, and often in foot-candles as well.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where does the sensor need to sit?
The Proster 1010DM is £25.99 and combines a lux meter, stated to 199,999 lux and 19,999 foot-candles, with AC and DC voltage to 600 V, resistance to 20 MΩ, and continuity. Power is a built-in 3.7 V 1,000 mAh pack charged by USB-C. The listing claims IEC 61010 and CAT II 600 V. The star line is 5.0 from four amazon.co.uk ratings, with one United Kingdom review dated 9 October 2026. That review liked the 2.4 inch colour display, automatic voltage, resistance, continuity, and the pouch, probes, cable, and tethered sensor cover. It also says the meter does not appear to measure current, and that the light reaction is too fast to catch a camera-flash peak. Four ratings cannot carry a top score. CAT II is not a reason to open a consumer unit, and there is no lux calibration certificate.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want voltage, resistance, and a lux reading in one pouch, and you accept four ratings.
Less suitable: You need current measurement, a large review sample, or a certificate for the lux figure.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this only a lux meter?
No. The listing combines illuminance with AC/DC voltage to 600 V, resistance to 20 MΩ, and continuity. The UK review says it does not appear to measure amps.
How is it powered?
A built-in 3.7 V 1000 mAh battery charged by Type-C. The box list includes the charging cable.
What safety rating does the listing claim?
IEC 61010, CAT II 600 V, pollution degree II. That is the listing text, not an installation test.
The WapoRich RQ-5000APP claims 1–400,000 lux at £32.97, the widest range in this set, with a head the listing says turns through 270°. The same bullets name Bluetooth export, 30 stored groups, a 1/4 inch thread, hold, max and min, and a backlight. The accuracy bands are printed in three steps, from ±4% of reading below 10,000 lux up to ±8% of reading plus 2.0% of full scale at 200,000 lux and above, as the seller wrote them. The star line is 5.0 from three amazon.co.uk ratings, and the only United Kingdom review text is 'Very good'. Battery inclusion is not stated, and the included-components line names a user manual. The listing says the meter was calibrated to a 2556 K standard incandescent lamp, which is a seller's sentence and not a certificate in the notes. App behaviour is not described in a UK review. Three ratings cannot support a top pick, however long the feature list is.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You specifically want the 270° head and the app claim, and you accept three ratings as the whole evidence.
Less suitable: You are reading 5.0 from three reviews as proof of accuracy, or you need a UK write-up of the Bluetooth export.
Specifications
Common questions
What range does the listing state?
1–400,000 lux, with 0.1 lux or foot-candle resolution stated.
Can it mount on a tripod?
The bullets say a 1/4 inch screw hole. That is a listing claim.
How many UK reviews are in the notes?
One, which says 'Very good'. The star line is 5.0 from 3.
The ALLmeter WT577 is £17.99 and states 0–200,000 lux, data hold, max and min, auto range, and a backlit LCD, with a sample rate of twice a second. The star line is 4.9 from only 10 amazon.co.uk ratings, and the notes have two United Kingdom reviews, both short and positive. Those reviewers mention three AAA cells in the box, a compact body of about 17.5 cm, a lens cap, and a button that switches between light and temperature. A numeric accuracy is not printed, and there is no calibration certificate. Rotation of the head is not stated. Ten ratings are too few to treat 4.9 as a settled record, even though the two UK notes are favourable. An 18-month warranty is stated on the listing. It is a compact hold-and-backlight option only if you accept a tiny sample.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a compact meter with a cap, hold, and backlight, and you can live with 10 ratings.
Less suitable: You want a large UK sample or a printed percent tolerance.
Specifications
Common questions
Are batteries in the box?
Yes. Included components are the meter, three AAA batteries, and a user manual. A UK review also found the three AAA cells on unboxing.
How often does the listing say it updates?
Two times per second, with data hold, max/min, and auto range.
Does the listing show a calibration certificate?
No. The listing does not print a calibration certificate.
The BINTA BTN043 is £19.99 and states 0–200,000 lux, 0–19,999 foot-candles, data hold, max and min, a backlit four-digit LCD, and storage for 50 records. The accuracy bullet says ±4% of reading under conditions it calls standard, without setting those conditions out. The star line is 4.8 from 10 amazon.co.uk ratings. The review text saved with the listing is from Germany and the United States, so it is not UK opinion. A 9 V cell is included, and an 18-month warranty is stated. A protective sensor cap is stated, and rotation is asked on the page and not answered as a specification. Ten ratings and no UK write-up are a thin basis for a plant or room meter, whatever the feature list says. A delivery note says some items cannot ship outside mainland UK.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the storage and hold features on the listing and you can buy without UK review text.
Less suitable: You want UK owners' notes, or a sample larger than 10 ratings.
Specifications
Common questions
What does the listing include?
The meter, one 9 V battery, and a user manual, plus an 18-month warranty line.
How many readings can it store?
The bullets say auto storage of 50 records, with max/min and data hold.
Are there United Kingdom reviews in the notes?
No. The star line is 4.8 from 10. The written reviews saved with the listing are not from the United Kingdom.
The URCERI MT-92H is a split-sensor meter to 200,000 lux at £27.99, with updates every 500 ms and max, min, and average on the listing. The star line is 4.6 from 91 amazon.co.uk ratings, and only three of the reviews in the notes are from the United Kingdom. Those three describe consistent readings in a white box and an office that was brighter than a manager expected. The separate head is the practical point: you can leave the cell on the plane and read the body without standing in the light. One UK reviewer did not trust it in very dim light the eye could still see, and called the temperature sensor an afterthought. The stated temperature window is −10 °C to 60 °C. There is no numeric lux accuracy in the bullets, and that review also missed a bag. It suits a shelf or a desk where the sensor has to sit apart from your hand, if you accept a small UK write-up and no certificate.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the sensor on a shelf or a desktop while you read the body from the side.
Less suitable: You need a large UK write-up, a printed lux tolerance, or a reading you trust in very dim light.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the sensor separate?
Yes. The title and bullets say a split sensor.
What temperature range is stated?
−10 °C to 60 °C. A UK reviewer was unsure why the channel was there.
Does it come with a case?
The included list is batteries, meter, and manual. A UK review wished it had a bag and said it does not.
The Dr.meter LX1330B covers 0–200,000 lux at £29.99, with a foot-candle switch and a PEAK hold the listing says catches the highest pulse, at about two readings a second. It has 4.5 from 2,937 amazon.co.uk reviews, the largest count in this set, and 22 United Kingdom reviews in the notes. UK reviewers rearranged houseplants with it, and one said it matched a more expensive meter. A numeric tolerance is not in the bullets. The battery lines contradict each other: one says a 9 V cell is included, and another says batteries are not required. One buyer expected a carry case and received only the rubber cover, one returned it over unclear instructions, and one first unit read intermittently and was replaced. Rotation of the head is not stated. The review volume is the reason to consider it, and the case dispute and the missing accuracy line are the reasons not to treat the count as a test.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the biggest review count and a PEAK button, and you will not assume a case is in the box.
Less suitable: You need a printed percent tolerance, a head that is stated to rotate, or a clear battery list.
Specifications
Common questions
What battery does the listing name?
A 9 V cell. One technical line says it is required and included, and another says batteries are not required. Both lines are on the listing.
Does the listing include a carry case?
The included-components line says 1 x light meter. A UK review says a carry case was advertised and only a rubber cover arrived, and that customer service responded.
What is the PEAK control?
The bullets say one press holds the highest light-pulse value. That is a listing claim.
The TopTes TS-710 reads from 0.1 to 200,000 lux, and the listing says the head turns through 180° with a sample every 0.5 seconds. Across 651 amazon.co.uk ratings the line is 4.5, and the review notes hold 33 United Kingdom reviews. Reviewers mention the swivel, a readable backlight on the 2.25 inch screen, and a soft case with a sensor cover and three AAA cells. The listing prints 3% of reading plus 5 digits, plus hold, max and min, and ambient temperature and humidity. One UK review used it to look at emergency lights in social housing, which is a use and not a sign-off against BS EN 1838. The same reviews say the number jumps when the light is not steady, and the meter does not show colour temperature in kelvin. The housing is utilitarian hard plastic. In this set it is the top pick when you want to turn the head towards a shelf or a desk and still see the screen, and it is still an uncertified pocket meter.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a repeatable home or hobby spot check and a head you can swivel towards a shelf, tank, or desk.
Less suitable: You need a certificate, a cosine figure on the listing, or a colour-temperature reading.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the sensor rotate?
Yes. The listing says 180 degrees. UK reviews call the swivel useful.
What else does it display?
The listing says ambient temperature in °C or °F, humidity, max/min, and data hold, plus lux and foot-candles.
Does it measure kelvin?
No. A UK review says it measures brightness in lux or foot-candles, not colour temperature.
The Dr.meter 1010BS is a split-head meter at £18.99, and the listing stops at 100,000 lux rather than the 200,000 lux printed on most of this set. It has 4.5 from 395 amazon.co.uk reviews, with 16 United Kingdom reviews in the notes. Owners used the separate head on carnivorous plants and to compare rooms, screens, and outdoor light, and they could read the body while the sensor moved. More than one UK reviewer called the plastic shell cheap or flimsy. Three manual ranges are printed, and both upper ranges use a ×10 multiplier, which is easy to misread. A percent accuracy is not stated, and neither is a battery in the box. In this set it is the best value when you want a remote cell under £20 and a real UK sample, and it is the wrong meter if you need daylight near 200,000 lux or you will not apply the multipliers as printed.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a remote sensor under £20 for shelves and rooms, and you will read the range multiplier as printed.
Less suitable: You need 200,000 lux, auto range, or a percent accuracy line on the listing.
Specifications
Common questions
What is the top of the range?
The listing says 0–100,000 lux, with three ranges and the multipliers printed in the bullets.
Is the sensor separate from the display?
Yes. The bullets call it a split design so the sensor can be aimed while you read the body.
Does the listing include a battery?
Not stated. The listing does not say whether a battery is in the box.
The URCERI handheld covers 0–200,000 lux, and the listing prints ±3% of reading ±8 digits below 10,000 lux and ±4% ±10 digits above that. It has 4.4 from 1,389 amazon.co.uk reviews, and the review notes are capped at 50 United Kingdom blocks, the largest UK sample here. Owners place houseplants with it, switch between lux and foot-candles, and use hold, and one says it agreed with another meter where a phone app did not. A UK review says the head does not swivel, so you aim the whole body. Temperature digits are a repeated complaint: they drift or arrive slowly, so treat them as a spare channel. The colour LCD is sometimes hard to read, and one reviewer called the finish cheap. Two AAA cells are required, and the listing does not say they are in the box. It is a strong room-check meter when you want review volume and a printed accuracy band, and a poor photographic exposure meter.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a widely reviewed fixed-head meter for rooms and plant shelves you can reach without twisting the sensor.
Less suitable: You need to park the cell in a corner and read the screen from the side, or you want a thermometer you can trust.
Specifications
Common questions
What accuracy is printed?
±3% of reading ±8 digits below 10,000 lux, and ±4% of reading ±10 digits above 10,000 lux. No certificate is shown.
Does the head swivel?
Not stated on the listing. A UK review says it does not.
Are the temperature digits trusted in UK reviews?
Several UK reviews say they drift or should not be taken seriously. Lux was the reason they bought it.
The Soonkoda S8608 is the lowest price here at £12.99, and the listing states 200,000 lux and 18,500 foot-candles, with the note that 1 foot-candle equals 10.76 lux. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.3 from 324 ratings. The review notes have no United Kingdom review text, so those stars are not UK opinion you can read. Three AAA zinc-carbon cells are included, the weight is 130 g, and a RANGE key is the max and min claim. Rotation, data hold, backlight, and a percent accuracy are not stated. The listing warns that labels and instructions may differ on stock sold from abroad. At this price you are buying a range claim and a small meter, and you have no UK write-up of how the screen behaves.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the cheapest range claim in this set and you can accept stars without UK review text.
Less suitable: You want UK owners' notes on the screen, a printed tolerance, or a sensor you can split from the body.
Specifications
Common questions
What lux range does the listing state?
The listing states 200,000 lux and 18,500 foot-candles, and it says 1 fc equals 10.76 lux.
Are batteries included?
Yes. The listing says 3 AAA batteries are required and included, and it names zinc carbon cells.
Are the written reviews from the United Kingdom?
No. The Customer Reviews line is 4.3 from 324. The review text saved with the listing is from other countries, so it is not used as UK opinion.
The V·Resourcing black and orange meter is £16.99 and states 0–200,000 lux, data hold, a backlight, and ±3% of reading ±8 digits below 10,000 lux. Above 10,000 lux the listing does not print a tolerance. The Customer Reviews line is 4.3 from 111, and the review notes say that line and the review wording overlap the white ASIN B07NRWCSB6, so this is not a second independent sample. Shared UK text covers grow-light checks, dim spots for houseplants, and a sports-hall look, once the decimal and k-lux scale is learned. English instructions are missing or easy to miss, and the screen is hard in sunlight unless you shade it. One verified review in that shared text says the unit arrived faulty. The head is fixed. It is a low-price consumer meter for a comparison under one lamp, and rank 1 in Light Meters & Accessories is not a laboratory result.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a cheap fixed-head meter for grow-light and room comparisons and you can shade the screen.
Less suitable: You are treating Best Sellers Rank as a test, or you need a head that turns and a tolerance above 10,000 lux.
Specifications
Common questions
What accuracy does the listing state?
±3% of reading ±8 digits below 10,000 lux. It does not state a figure above that, and it does not show a calibration certificate.
Does it show temperature?
The listing says it has a built-in ambient thermometer. It does not state a temperature range.
Are UK reviews independent of the white V·Resourcing listing?
The notes share the 4.3 from 111 line and overlapping review text with B07NRWCSB6. Treat them as one pool.
The V·Resourcing white meter is also £16.99, with the same 0–200,000 lux claim, data hold, backlight, and ±3% of reading ±8 digits below 10,000 lux. Part number W-U113 was first listed on 15 February 2019, earlier than the black and orange colourway. The star line is again 4.3 from 111, and the review notes treat the wording as one pool with B0DMFSKV2S. Shared UK comments describe it as a consumer meter, not a lab instrument, and they like the backlight once the scale is understood. English instructions are disputed, and one reviewer called it unbranded when a manual could not be found online. Another blamed the viewing angle after a battery swap. A dead-on-arrival report sits in that same shared text. Buy the colour you prefer, and do not add the two review counts together.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the white body of this fixed-head meter and you already know the reviews are not a separate sample.
Less suitable: You want two independent 111-review records, or a rotating head.
Specifications
Common questions
How does this differ from the black and orange V·Resourcing listing?
The listing colour is white and the part reference is W-U113. Price, stars, rank, and the review text match B0DMFSKV2S.
What does the listing include?
3 AAA batteries are stated as included. A carry case is not stated.
Is a calibration certificate shown?
No. The accuracy line is ±3% of reading ±8 digits below 10,000 lux only.
Twelve lux-meter listings on amazon.co.uk were scored on 19 October 2026 from the UK listing and the review notes already saved with each row, not from a laboratory test. Amazon stars, review volume, and fit for a home illuminance check are weighted 37, 21 and 42. The shelf price is not in the score. It decides the best-value award only. Deductions apply for fewer than 20 reviews, fewer than six reviews, no United Kingdom review text, a review pool shared by both V·Resourcing listings, a dead or intermittent unit, a temperature channel UK reviews do not trust, and battery lines that contradict each other. A printed percentage is the seller's claim. The score does not mean a meter is cosine-corrected, UKAS calibrated, or compliant with BS 667.
Amazon stars
37%Up to 37 points from the amazon.co.uk star average. The line is the UK listing. It is not a laboratory score, and it does not prove cosine correction or a calibration certificate.
Review volume
21%Up to 21 points from how many reviews sit behind that star line, with a cap so a huge count cannot swamp the other checks. Fewer than 20 reviews, and fewer than six, draw separate deductions. No United Kingdom review text is marked down, and the shared 4.3 from 111 on both V·Resourcing listings is one sample.
Fit for a home check
42%Up to 42 points for a sensor you can aim, a numeric accuracy line, hold or max/min, a range of at least 200,000 lux, and cells the listing says are included. A fixed head scores lower than a rotating head or a split sensor. A range that stops at 100,000 lux scores lower than one that reaches 200,000 lux. Price is not in this block.
Start with where the sensor has to sit, then the unit and the range, then what the number is allowed to mean, then the accuracy line as a seller's claim. The notes below follow that order for these twelve listings. None of the scores is a laboratory test.
A lux meter is a handheld illuminance meter. It measures visible light on a surface in lux, and these listings usually offer foot-candles as well. One foot-candle is about 10.76 lux. UK charts, and the figures people quote for rooms, are in lux, so leave the meter in lux unless you mean to convert. Buyers on these amazon.co.uk listings are mostly checking houseplants, a grow spot, or an uneven room. They are not commissioning a survey.
Lumens are what a lamp emits. Lux is what arrives on a surface. A lumen number on the bulb box is not the reading you should expect on the desk or the shelf.
UK charts are in lux. One foot-candle is about 10.76 lux. A meter left in foot-candles will look far too low if you compare it with a lux figure.
A bullet such as ±3% of reading is the seller's claim. None of these listings shows cosine correction, BS 667 Type F, or a UKAS certificate. LIA TS23 puts a maintained Type F field meter near ±6%.
Decide the geometry before the brand. A fixed head is enough when the surface is an open desk and you can aim the whole body without covering the cell. A rotating head, or a sensor split from the display, lets you park the cell and still read the screen. ILP Guidance Note 7 notes that a remote head reduces the shadow from your body. Then set the unit. UK charts are in lux. One foot-candle is about 10.76 lux, and several of these listings print that factor.
Lux follows the eye's sensitivity curve. It answers how bright a surface looks to a person under white light. It does not answer plant PPFD, colour temperature in kelvin, or whether emergency lighting meets BS EN 1838. Use it to compare spots under one lamp. Do not treat a phone app as the same instrument. The accuracy line is the next check, and it is a seller's sentence. Some listings print a band below 10,000 lux, and some print a second band above that. Others print no percentage at all.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a repeatable comparison of shelves or a tank, and a head you can turn towards the surface. The TopTes TS-710 is about £29.99, with 4.5 from 651 ratings and 33 UK reviews. The listing says 180°. Lux is not plant PPFD, and there is no certificate.
You want to see which corner or bulb is dim, and you want the largest UK review sample in this set. The URCERI handheld is about £29.99, with 4.4 from 1,389 ratings. A UK review says the head does not swivel, so you aim the whole body.
You want the cell on the surface and the screen in your hand. The Dr.meter 1010BS is about £18.99, with 4.5 from 395 ratings and 16 UK reviews. The sensor is split from the body. The range stops at 100,000 lux, and the upper ranges use a ×10 multiplier.
In this set of twelve amazon.co.uk listings, the top pick is the TopTes TS-710 at about £29.99. The listing says the head turns through 180°, prints 3% of reading plus 5 digits, and includes hold, max/min, and three AAA cells. The star line is 4.5 from 651 ratings, with 33 UK reviews in the notes. The reading jumps when the light is not steady, and there is no calibration certificate. The best value is the Dr.meter 1010BS at about £18.99, a split sensor with 4.5 from 395 ratings and 16 UK reviews. It is not the second-highest score. The URCERI handheld scores higher and costs about £29.99. The 1010BS stops at 100,000 lux, and both upper ranges use a ×10 multiplier. None of these scores is a lab test, a UKAS certificate, or a claim that a spot reading meets BS 667.
Dr.meter 1010BS split
About £18.99 for a split sensor, 4.5 from 395 ratings and 16 UK reviews. Not the second-highest score. The range stops at 100,000 lux.
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 sources from the research digest, last checked on 19 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures captured with these twelve listings. 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 from the UK listings checked on 19 October 2026. We did not lab-test these lux meters.
