The best moisture meters, compared.
Top pick: RDINSCOS MT19 – Longest review line in the set, 4.6 from 6,294 ratings, and a printed wood range of 5–75% at about £20.99. Best value: COCZOW PM6811A – Stated wood and building ranges, batteries included, and 4.5 from 2,433 ratings at about £17.99. Updated October 2026.
A moisture meter here is a handheld battery tool that estimates how wet a solid is, either with pins or with a pad. A pad uses capacitance, which the listings call pinless. UK buyers use one on a damp wall, on firewood, or on a caravan panel between services. For timber, BS EN 13183-2 is the resistance method, roughly 7% to 30% moisture content, with species and temperature allowed for. In masonry the Association treats electrical readings as comparative. Salts can raise them, and the meter cannot separate rising damp, a leak, and condensation. The [choice of pins or a pad, a wall mode, and a budget](/hub/measuring-equipment/moisture-meter/sub/moisture-meter-buying-guide) sits beside this table. This set has no microwave meter, no hygrometer, and no dual survey meter.
A moisture meter here is a handheld battery tool that estimates how wet a solid is, either with pins or with a pad. A pad uses capacitance, which the listings call pinless.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What will you test?
The RDINSCOS MT19 is a pin meter at £20.99 with 4.6 from 6,294 amazon.co.uk ratings, the longest review line in this set, and UK reviewers use it on house walls, single-skin brick, plaster after a leak, stove logs and a motorhome floor. The listing states 5–75%, ±5%, 10 mm probes, a spare pair and a wrench, four modes including hardwoods, softwoods, packing and building, a backlit LCD, hold, a tri-colour LED and auto-off after five minutes. Three AAA cells, a bag and a manual are in the box. A building mode is named and a numeric building range is not. One review calls the calibration doubtful against real logs, and another buyer broke a pin. It is the top pick here because that star line and the printed wood range sit together at £20.99, and you should skip it if the surface must not be marked.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Walls, logs and a caravan floor when you want a long UK review line and a printed wood range.
Less suitable: Paint or plaster you must not mark, or a masonry percent you will treat as exact.
Specifications
Common questions
What is in the box?
The listing includes the meter, three AAA batteries, four probe pins, a wrench, a storage bag and a user manual.
Which materials are named?
Four modes cover hardwoods, softwoods, packing and building. The bullets also name firewood, walls, plasterboard, flooring, paper and caravans. A separate numeric building range is not stated.
What do reviews say about the pins?
Buyers mention spare probes. One review says a pin broke. Another calls the calibration doubtful on logs of different ages.
The Valiant FIR421 is a pin meter at £17.99 with 4.6 from 1,749 amazon.co.uk ratings, and reviewers use the colour code to sort logs into ready, nearly ready and too wet for a wood stove. The listing also names structural timber and brickwork, and it shows temperature in °C or °F beside the moisture figure, at a stated weight of 60 g. No numeric moisture range is printed, so the colour cue is a burning hint on the listing, not a certificate. One UK review says no batteries were supplied, the cap over the prongs is stiff, and warm wood produced no reading. Pins stayed straight after repeated use in one long-term review. It fits a log pile when you want that colour cue at £17.99, and you should skip it if you need a printed percent band for plaster.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A stove owner who wants a colour cue on logs at £17.99.
Less suitable: A plaster percent you can compare with a printed building band, or warm timber that has just come indoors.
Specifications
Common questions
What does the colour cue mean?
The listing says a colour-coded indicator shows whether wood is suitable to burn. It does not print a numeric moisture range.
Does it measure temperature?
Yes. The bullets say it measures temperature in °C or °F. Temperature accuracy is stated as 1.5 °C.
Are batteries included?
The included-components line lists only the moisture meter. One UK review says no batteries were supplied. The listing does not settle that with a yes or no specification.
The COCZOW PM6811A is a two-pin meter at £17.99 with 4.5 from 2,433 amazon.co.uk ratings, and reviewers use it on split stove logs and on walls. The listing states six calibration scales, wood from 2.0–75.0% and building materials from 1.5–30%, a tri-colour backlight, hold, max/min and auto-off after five minutes. Two AAA cells are included, and the manual's language is not guaranteed to be English. No accuracy percentage is printed. Reviewers say the wood setting is unclear, that the percent needs an outside explanation, and that the pins are hard to push into some materials. It is the best value in this set because those stated ranges and that review count sit at £17.99, below the Dryzone and the RDINSCOS. You should skip it if you need a pinless scan or a manual you know is in English.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Logs and a wall pin check when you want stated ranges, batteries and a long review line at £17.99.
Less suitable: A surface you must not mark, or a buyer who needs an English manual confirmed on the listing.
Specifications
Common questions
Can it be used on plaster?
The title and bullets name plaster walls and a building-materials range of 1.5–30%. The wood range is stated separately as 2.0–75.0%.
Are batteries included?
Yes. The listing includes two 1.5 V AAA batteries. Reviews also say they are easy to fit.
Is the manual in English?
A manual is included. The listing says the English language is not guaranteed.
The Mecurate PDM-01 is a pinless meter at £24.99 with 4.5 from 1,871 amazon.co.uk ratings, and reviewers use it to watch plaster dry before painting and to scan caravan and motorhome panels without leaving holes. The listing gives softwood, hardwood, wall and masonry modes, nine softwood density steps, a three-colour LED bar and an audible alert. It also says building-material percentages are for reference only, so a wall figure is a comparison, not an exact moisture content. No scan depth and no percent range are printed. The feature text includes a bag and 3×AAA, and one UK review says those cells arrived flat. Another review says motorhome readings jumped as the meter moved, so you would average several spots before you decide. Choose it when the surface must stay unmarked, and skip it if you need a pin reading on a freshly split log.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Plaster, a rented wall or a caravan panel you must not mark.
Less suitable: A freshly split log, or anyone who will treat a masonry percent as exact moisture content.
Specifications
Common questions
Will it mark the wall?
The listing calls it pinless and non-destructive. UK reviews praise it for checking plaster and paint without leaving holes.
Can the wall percentage be treated as exact?
No. The listing says percentages for building materials are for reference only and cannot be used as exact values.
Are batteries included?
The feature text says 3×AAA batteries and a carrying bag are included. One UK review says the supplied batteries were flat.
The Dryzone meter from Safeguard Europe is a pin meter at £24.99 with 4.4 from 3,347 amazon.co.uk ratings, and UK reviews use it on damp walls, stove wood, caravans and motorhomes. The listing states wood from 6–60% on eight scales, building materials from 0–40%, a hold function, and an audio alert above 15% on wood and above 20% on building materials, with auto-off after three minutes. Wood accuracy is claimed at ±2%, which is a listing claim, not a lab result from this comparison. Two AAA batteries are not included, and the size bullet prints 15 cm × 60 cm, which does not match a handheld body. Reviewers say the pin cap is stiff, and one probe snapped in hardwood floorboards. It is the named UK brand in this set when you want both a wood scale and a printed building range, and you should skip it if you cannot mark the surface.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A pin check that needs both a wood scale and a printed building range.
Less suitable: A finished surface you must not hole, or a buyer who needs batteries in the box.
Specifications
Common questions
What ranges does the listing state?
Wood is stated as 6–60% and building materials as 0–40%. Wood accuracy is stated as ±2%. The audio alert is above 15% for wood and above 20% for building materials.
Are batteries in the box?
No. The listing says two AAA batteries are required and are not included.
What do reviews say about the pins?
Reviewers say the cap over the prongs is hard to remove. One buyer reports a probe that snapped in a hardwood floorboard.
The Neoteck NTK179 is a pinless meter at £21.74 with 4.4 from 387 amazon.co.uk ratings, and reviewers use it on drying walls, window frames and viewings because it does not mark the surface. The listing states a scan depth of up to 50 mm, softwood 0–60%, hardwood 0–36%, wall 0–20% and masonry 0–33%, with ±4% claimed for the wood modes only. Wall and masonry readings are called relative. A three-colour LCD, backlight, audible alarm, hold and auto-off after five minutes are stated, and 3×AAA plus a bag are in the box at 220 g. Reviewers say it is close enough for home monitoring and firewood, and they also say it is not a precision instrument and may only sense near the surface. One buyer would not trust the batteries to stay seated in storage. Use it when you want a stated depth and a wall mode without holes, and skip it if you need a resistance reading you will treat as timber moisture content.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A viewing or a drying wall where you want a stated depth and no pinholes.
Less suitable: A split-log core, or a reading you will treat as exact timber moisture content.
Specifications
Common questions
How deep does the listing say it scans?
The listing says it scans up to 50 mm without pins. That depth is the manufacturer's claim on the listing.
Are wall readings exact percentages?
The listing calls wall and masonry readings relative. It states ±4% for softwood and hardwood only.
Are batteries included?
Yes. The listing says 3×AAA batteries are included.
The GERUI WT660-1 is a two-pin meter at £10.99 with 4.3 from 234 amazon.co.uk ratings, and short UK reviews call it useful on logs when the pins are well seated. The listing states wood stages within 6–70%, building materials up to 15.2%, seven calibrated scales, ±2.0%, and a temperature claim of 0–50 °C via a long press of SET. Two AAA cells are not included, and the part number on the listing is written in German. Reviewers say the instructions do not name their wood species, the settings are unexplained, the body feels extremely cheap, and the batteries are difficult to fit. At 50 g it is the lightest stated weight in this set. It is a basic resistance check if you will buy cells and accept a thin guide, and you should skip it if you need a clear species table or a meter that feels solid.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A basic pin check on logs if you will supply 2×AAA and can live with a thin guide.
Less suitable: A buyer who wants batteries fitted, a species table, or a meter that feels solid in the hand.
Specifications
Common questions
What ranges are stated?
Wood stages sit inside 6–70%. Building materials are stated up to 15.2%. Accuracy is stated as ±2.0% and resolution as 0.10%.
Are batteries included?
No. The listing says you need to buy two AAA 1.5 V batteries. One review says they are difficult to fit.
Do the instructions name every wood?
Not in the reviews. Buyers say the instructions omit the species they wanted and do not explain the settings clearly.
The HAVENWARE DampSense HW1902 is a pin meter at £21.99 that UK reviewers have used for a first damp check and to watch a wall after a gutter leak, with 4.3 from 22 amazon.co.uk ratings. The listing claims timber, plaster, drywall, concrete and masonry, plus a backlit LCD and an audible alert, and the box is the meter and a manual at 130 g. No numeric wood or building range is printed, so you cannot check the percent against a stated band before you buy. The technical table says batteries are not required, while the UK reviews say the meter will not run until you buy 2×AAA cells. Reviewers also call the pin cap stiff and worry about snapping the probes. The same shape is described as a generic tester sold under other names. It is a compact first look at a wall you already suspect, and you should skip it if you need a printed range or cells in the box.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A first pin check on a wall you already suspect, if you will buy 2×AAA cells.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a printed percent band, batteries in the box, or a surface that must not be marked.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a pin meter or a pinless meter?
It is a pin-type meter. The listing says it is for wood and building materials, including plaster, drywall, concrete and masonry. A numeric range is not stated.
Are batteries included?
The technical table says batteries are not required. UK reviews say you need to buy 2×AAA cells before it will run. Those two statements are both on the listing.
Does the listing include a carry case?
No. The included components are the moisture meter and a user manual.
The S8603 is a pin meter at £8.99, the lowest price in this set, with 4.2 from 66 amazon.co.uk ratings, and the listing contains only two UK reviews, both short praise that it is simple and effective. The listing claims 0–99.9%, ±0.5%, four wood-group modes and more than 100 common woods, plus data hold, auto shutdown and 3×AAA in the box at 130 g. The title names firewood, carton, paper and timber, and it does not state a masonry scale. A printed 0–99.9% span is a manufacturer claim, and this comparison did not test it. No repeated complaint is printed because those two UK reviews are too short to show one. Treat the star line as a thin sample. It is a cheap wood-mode pin meter if you accept that limit, and you should skip it for a wall you need to map.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A cheap wood-mode pin meter when two short UK reviews are enough for you.
Less suitable: A damp wall, or anyone who needs a repeated complaint pattern from a long UK review line.
Specifications
Common questions
What does the listing claim for range and accuracy?
The bullets claim 0–99.9%, accuracy ±0.5% and resolution 0.1%, with four wood modes. A building-materials range is not stated.
Are batteries included?
Yes. Included components list three AAA batteries, a screwdriver and a manual.
What do the UK reviews say?
The listing has two UK reviews. Both are short and positive. No repeated complaint is printed, so there is no criticism list.
The Kiprim WM02 is a pin meter at £12.79 with 4.1 from 250 amazon.co.uk ratings, and reviewers use it on stove logs and smoker wood. The listing states softwood, hardwood, building and packing modes, hold, auto-off after two minutes, a protective cap, four spare probes, a wrench and one 9V cell. Accuracy is printed as ±4% RH, which is a relative-humidity style claim on a solid-material meter. A numeric moisture band is not stated. The bullet weight is 78 g and the item line is 170 g. One UK review recorded 0% on a plastered wall the buyer expected to show some moisture, and reviewers say there is no backlight and that the body feels cheaper than other Kiprim tools. It suits a log you are willing to pin, and you should skip it for a dark loft or a plaster reading you will trust on its own.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Stove or smoker logs when you want spare pins and a 9V cell at £12.79.
Less suitable: A dark loft, or a plastered wall you expect to read above zero.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it show temperature?
Yes. The listing says ambient temperature from 0–50 °C and 32–122 °F, plus hold.
Are spare pins included?
Yes. The bullets include two extra pairs of probes and a wrench. One 9V battery is included. Auto-off is stated as 2 minutes.
Why do some reviews mention 0% on plaster?
One UK review says a normal plastered wall read 0%. Other reviews use it on logs. The listing does not print a numeric wood or building range. Reviews also say there is no backlight.
The Elitech MOT-270W is a pin meter at £16.99 with 4.1 from 57 amazon.co.uk ratings, and the eleven UK reviews that were read mostly describe firewood, a wood burner and timber a woodturner was drying. The listing claims ±2%, four wood settings, 9.8 mm pins, hold, max/min, a backlit LCD and auto power-off, with alkaline batteries included and the cell size not stated. It says the meter calibrates at switch-on if the pins touch nothing. A numeric wood or building range is not printed, even though the title names walls, floors and other building materials. One buyer called a unit junk that does not work well, and no second hardware fault is repeated in those eleven reviews. It fits a log store if you will use the species table in the instructions, and you should skip it if you need a long review history or a printed masonry band.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Firewood or found timber when you will follow the species table and the open-air check.
Less suitable: A buyer who needs a long review line or a printed building-material percent.
Specifications
Common questions
How long are the pins?
The listing states 9.8 mm pins. It also says the meter calibrates at switch-on if the pins touch nothing.
What accuracy is claimed?
The bullets claim ±2% for wood, bamboo, paper and herbs. A numeric measurement range is not printed. Four wood settings are stated.
What do the reviews cover?
Eleven UK reviews are on the listing. Several use it on firewood and say the species table is clear. One buyer says the unit does not work well.
The VivaStride pin meter is listed at £10.99 for wood, and the amazon.co.uk listing has no customer-reviews line, so there is no star rating and no written UK complaint or praise to use. The listing claims modes A to D for teak, oak, poplar and lauan, a range of 0–99.9%, ±0.5%, a 10 mm needle, data hold and auto power-off, and it also names paper, bamboo and herbal materials. A 9V battery is required and is not included. Walls appear in a bullet headline, and a separate building range is not stated. The first-available date on the listing is 8 April 2026, so the listing is new beside the rest of this set. A 0–99.9% claim is the manufacturer's figure, not a result we measured. Skip it until a UK review line exists, unless you only need the printed species groups and will supply the cell.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who only needs the four named wood groups and will supply a 9V cell.
Less suitable: Anyone who wants UK reviews, batteries in the box, or a printed masonry band.
Specifications
Common questions
Which woods are named?
The bullets name four modes for teak, oak, poplar and lauan. They also mention paper, bamboo and herbal materials. A numeric building range is not stated.
Is a battery included?
No. The listing says one 9V battery is required and is not included.
What is the amazon.co.uk review line?
The listing has no customer-reviews line and no UK review text. Stars and a review count are not available for this ASIN.
Twelve amazon.co.uk listings are on this page. The score is the star line times 20, price is used only for the best-value place, and there was no laboratory test or oven-dry calibration. The weights follow that buying order and sum to 100.
Pins or a pad
30%Pins on a freshly split face for logs and bare timber. A pad when plaster, a rented wall, a finished floor, or a caravan panel must not be marked.
Wall or building mode
25%A stated wall, masonry, or building mode for a damp check. Treat that number as relative. Salts can raise it, and the meter does not name the cause.
Timber band
20%A timber percent only inside the band the listing states. A printed 0–99.9% or ±0.5% is a manufacturer claim, not a result from this comparison.
What is in the box
15%Backlight, hold, spare pins, a cap, and whether batteries are in the box. Several listings say cells are not included.
Review evidence
10%Stars and the review count on the amazon.co.uk listing. A 4.6 from 6,294 ratings outweighs a listing with no review line.
Choose the meter for the solid you will test, not for a printed accuracy that this page did not check. Pins belong on a freshly split log or bare timber. A pad belongs on plaster, paint, or a panel you must not hole. A wall or building mode is for a comparative scan. It does not name rising damp, a leak, or condensation. Prices in this set run from about £8.99 to about £24.99. The top pick is the RDINSCOS MT19 when you want the longest review line and a printed wood range.
A moisture meter in this comparison is a handheld battery tool that estimates how wet a solid is. Pins measure electrical resistance. A pad measures capacitance, which the listings call pinless. UK buyers use one on a damp wall, on firewood, or on a caravan panel between services. This set has no microwave meter, no hygrometer, and no Protimeter-style dual survey meter.
A pin reading on bark, or on the unsplit end of a log, is not the figure Forest Research describes. Split a fresh face, take three readings, and average several logs. SI 2020/1095 also points at a freshly split surface.
A wood percent on plaster is not moisture content in the timber sense. Masonry readings are comparative, and salts can raise them. The Mecurate says building-material percentages are for reference only, and the Neoteck calls wall and masonry readings relative.
Pin and pinless meters are different methods. BS EN 13183-2 is resistance, and Part 3 is capacitance. A figure on the RDINSCOS is not the same claim as the same figure on the Neoteck. Do not rank a wall by mixing the two.
Pins suit a freshly split face on logs and bare timber. A pad suits plaster, a rented wall, a finished floor, or a caravan panel that must not be marked. In this set the pin meters are Dryzone, COCZOW, Valiant, RDINSCOS, Kiprim, Elitech, GERUI, S8603, VivaStride, and HAVENWARE. The pinless meters are the Mecurate PDM-01 at about £24.99 and the Neoteck NTK179 at about £21.74. The Mecurate leaves no holes, and the listing says building-material percentages are for reference only.
Read a timber percent only inside the band the listing states. BS EN 13183-2's resistance method is about 7% to 30% on sawn timber, with species and temperature allowed for. A printed 0–99.9% or ±0.5%, as on the S8603 and the VivaStride, is a manufacturer claim. This comparison did not test it, and it is not a masonry calibration. RDINSCOS prints 5–75% and ±5%. COCZOW prints wood 2.0–75.0% and does not print an accuracy percentage. Dryzone prints wood 6–60% and a wood accuracy of ±2%.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a colour cue for wood you might burn, at about £17.99. The Valiant FIR421 is 4.6 from 1,749 ratings and names firewood, structural timber, and brickwork. No numeric moisture range is printed, and one review says no batteries were supplied.
You are watching plaster dry or scanning a caravan panel, and pins would leave holes. The Mecurate PDM-01 is pinless, at about £24.99, with 4.5 from 1,871 ratings. Building-material percentages are stated as a reference only.
You want stated wood and building ranges, batteries in the box, and a long review line under £20. The COCZOW PM6811A is the best value at about £17.99, with 4.5 from 2,433 ratings. The manual's language is not guaranteed to be English, and the pins mark the surface.
The top pick is the RDINSCOS MT19 at about £20.99. It is 4.6 from 6,294 amazon.co.uk ratings, with a printed wood range of 5–75%, spare pins, and four modes including building. A numeric building range is not stated, and pins mark the surface. The best value is the COCZOW PM6811A at about £17.99, with wood 2.0–75.0%, building materials 1.5–30%, 2×AAA included, and 4.5 from 2,433 ratings. The cheaper S8603 has only two UK review bodies, so it does not take that place.
RDINSCOS MT19
Longest review line in the set, 4.6 from 6,294 ratings, and a printed wood range of 5–75% at about £20.99.
COCZOW PM6811A
Stated wood and building ranges, batteries included, and 4.5 from 2,433 ratings at about £17.99.
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 on timber moisture, Ready to Burn in England, and damp readings in buildings. Prices, stars, and review counts are the amazon.co.uk listing figures in this set. Prices move. There was no laboratory test and no oven-dry calibration. Last checked 16 October 2026.
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 use the amazon.co.uk listings in this set. They are not a laboratory test.
