The best oscilloscopes, compared.
Top pick: BSIDE two-channel handheld Best value: BSIDE OT3 – Highest price block among listings with at least 20 reviews: about £39.99, 4.6 from 31, with a probe listed. One channel in UK reviews. Updated October 2026.
An oscilloscope draws voltage against time, so you can see a wave that a multimeter number cannot show. In the UK you buy one for a hobby board, a low-speed signal, or a bench circuit. Judge a suitable oscilloscope by bandwidth above the signal, real-time sample rate and memory together, channel count, and whether probes are in the box. The usual bandwidth figure is the -3 dB point, where a sine is about 29% low. Maker guides use a rule of thumb near five times the frequency you care about. Square waves need that margin more than sines. One channel shows that a signal exists. Two channels are the minimum when two signals must be seen together. Match 1X and 10X on the probe and the channel. A voltage figure is not a CAT mark, and a ground clip is a near-earth connection. A USB scope follows the computer's earth. A generator frequency is not the measurement bandwidth. UK mains are 230 V. HSE GS38 prefers dead tests. Those checks are in the [oscilloscope buying guide](/hub/measuring-equipment/oscilloscope/sub/oscilloscope-buying-guide).
An oscilloscope draws voltage against time, so you can see a wave that a multimeter number cannot show. In the UK you buy one for a hobby board, a low-speed signal, or a bench circuit.
36 products checked · 58 hrs invested · +21,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where will you look at the signal?
The BSIDE listing at £79.99 is the first handheld in this set that states two channels: 50 MHz, 250 MSa/s, 128 kB, a 3.98 inch resistive touch screen, and a seven-shape DDS generator. The cell is 3,000 mAh, with more than 10 hours claimed, and the unit weighs 268 g. UK comments mention the build and a bright screen, and the star line is 5.0 from 9. The generator bullet names sine, square, half, full, triangle, ramp, and DC, but it does not state a maximum generator frequency, so that figure is not the 50 MHz measurement claim. The package lists one BNC probe for a two-channel scope, plus a case and an alignment screwdriver. One UK review could not run Normal or Single until the seller sent firmware. Auto already showed a stable trace, and that buyer then raised the rating. The support address was hard to find in the manual, and the bullets give no maximum input and no CAT rating.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A two-channel handheld with a generator for bench or field electronics, if you can add a second probe.
Less suitable: A reader who needs two probes in the box, or a stated CAT rating.
Specifications
Common questions
How many probes does the two-channel BSIDE list?
The package list has one BNC probe, eight colour rings, a charging cable, a case, and an alignment screwdriver. The scope itself is two-channel.
What can the two-channel BSIDE generator output?
The bullet names sine, square, half, full, triangle, ramp, and DC, with frequency, amplitude, and duty cycle adjustable. It does not state a maximum generator frequency.
Did trigger modes work for UK buyers of this BSIDE?
One UK review could not run Normal or Single until the seller sent firmware. Auto already showed a stable trace. The same buyer then raised the rating.
The BSIDE OT5 at £59.99 raises the paper specification to 50 MHz and 200 MSa/s, with 128 kB, a 3.2 inch colour screen, and a 1,200 mAh cell claimed to last more than 8 hours. The only review on the listing calls it a single-channel tool and says that is enough for simple electronics. The star line is 5.0 from that one review, which is a thinner record than the OT3's 4.6 from 31. The package list has one BNC probe and does not include the alligator lead the OT3 lists. Five languages are named, EN, DE, FR, IT, and CN, and no signal generator appears. The ±400 V bullet has no CAT rating. The higher megahertz figure is a listing claim you cannot check against a stack of UK traces. At 143 g it is the same kind of pocket tool as the OT3, twenty pounds dearer, with almost no buyer history.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A single-channel pocket scope when 10 MHz on the OT3 listing is not enough on paper, and one review is acceptable.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a second channel or a stack of UK reviews.
Specifications
Common questions
How does the BSIDE OT5 differ from the OT3 on the listing?
The OT5 bullet says 50 MHz and 200 MSa/s. The OT3 bullet says 10 MHz and 48 MSa/s. The OT5 package list has one BNC probe and does not list the alligator lead that the OT3 lists.
How many reviews are on the BSIDE OT5 listing?
The listing shows 5.0 from 1 review. That review is a UK buyer using it for simple electronics and says one channel is enough for them.
Does the BSIDE OT5 include a signal generator?
No generator is listed. The waveform names in the bullet are signals the scope is said to capture.
The PicoScope 2204A at £126 is a two-channel USB oscilloscope, model 2204A-D2, part PP917, made for a computer rather than a built-in screen. The listing states 10 MHz, a maximum sample rate of 100 MS/s, and 8 kS of capture memory, in a 198 g body of 14.2 x 9.2 x 1.88 cm. Across 150 reviews the star line is 4.7, and UK buyers praise the PicoScope software and the small hardware, including people who wanted Linux, and they use it on audio and on basic car waveforms in the standard software. The box is the scope, a manual, and a USB lead, with no probes, so £126 is not a complete kit. The listing says it is not compatible with PicoScope 7 Automotive and points that job at the 4425A and 4225A, and one review says their copy only worked with version 6. The 8 kS memory is a short capture, the input limit is not stated, and there is no CAT rating. It is the top pick in this set on the depth of that review record, if you already have a computer and will buy probes for ground-referenced, low-voltage work.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A laptop user who wants Pico software on low-voltage, ground-referenced signals and will buy probes.
Less suitable: A workshop that needs Pico automotive software, or anyone without a computer.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the PicoScope 2204A include probes?
The included-components line says the 2204A-D2 is without probes. The box is the scope, a manual, and a USB lead.
Will the PicoScope 2204A run PicoScope 7 Automotive?
The listing says it will not, and points automotive buyers to the 4425A and 4225A. UK reviews still describe CAN and LIN traces on the standard software.
What has to be connected to the PicoScope 2204A?
It is powered from the USB port and needs a computer. PicoScope 7 for Windows, Linux, and Mac is named in the bullet. One review says their copy only worked with version 6.
Across 31 amazon.co.uk reviews, the BSIDE OT3 at £39.99 is the pocket scope buyers in these notes actually describe using. The listing states 10 MHz, 48 MSa/s, 128 kB, a 3.2 inch colour screen, and a 1,200 mAh cell with more than 8 hours claimed, at 138 g. UK reviews treat it as one channel, so it can show that a signal exists and cannot show two signals at once. Reviewers use it on hobby boards and for a first look at a vehicle LIN line or a CAN signal. The box lists a BNC probe, an alligator lead, a case, and a charging cable, which is more complete than several dearer listings. The menu and the short instructions come up as friction, and the 3.2 inch screen is small once the trace needs more than a glance. One unit stuck in calibration and shut itself off after about 20 seconds, so a failed unit is in the review notes even though the star line is 4.6. The ±400 V bullet is not a CAT rating.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A pocket check of one low-speed signal, including a first look at a vehicle LIN or CAN line.
Less suitable: Two signals at once, or a reader who wants a simple menu.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the BSIDE OT3 a two-channel scope?
The bullet does not print a channel count. A UK review calls it a one-channel scope. It cannot show two signals at once.
What is in the BSIDE OT3 box?
The bullet lists the oscilloscope, one BNC probe, one alligator-clip lead, four colour rings, a charging cable, a case, and an alignment screwdriver.
What input voltage does the BSIDE OT3 listing claim?
The bullet says a ±400 V measurement range. It does not print a CAT rating.
The OWON CMS061 at £109 is titled as a 600 A AC/DC clamp that adds an oscilloscope mode, a recorder, 20,000-count true RMS, NCV, and an 18650 cell, on a 2.8 inch IPS screen at 750 g. Bandwidth and sample rate are not on the listing, so the scope mode is a feature name rather than a stated megahertz. Six reviews give a star line of 4.6, and UK reviewers could see voltage and current waveforms on what they treated as a three-function hobby tool. One buyer disliked sharing the same leads between the meter and the scope, and another called it expensive around £100. A reviewer mentioned 1,000 A and 1,000 V, but those figures sit in the review, not on a specification line. The model line says OWON-CMS061 while the part-number line says OWON-CMS101. Electric-vehicle use was not checked by the reviewer, and there is no CAT rating.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A hobby user who wants a clamp and a basic waveform on the same tool.
Less suitable: Edge timing, two voltage channels, or proving a circuit dead.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the OWON CMS061 a bench oscilloscope?
The title is an AC/DC clamp meter that adds an oscilloscope mode and a recorder. Bandwidth and sample rate are not on the listing.
Does the OWON CMS061 connect to a phone?
The bullet says Bluetooth to the i-meter app on Android and iOS. A UK review says the device shows up as BDM.
What current does the OWON CMS061 title claim?
The title says 600 A. A UK review mentions 1,000 A and 1,000 V. Those figures are in the review, not in a specification line.
The Hantek listing at £215.99 is the only bench-format oscilloscope in this set. The title says two channels, 150 MHz, and 1 GSa/s, with a signal source, while the bullets add a single 25 MHz generator, 32 automatic measurements, FFT, XY, and a DVM. The model field says DSO2000 while the title says DSO2D15, and the body is 31.6 x 11 x 15 cm at 1 kg. Across 92 reviews the star line is 4.4. Several UK owners say they use it daily and like auto-set, and later firmware cleared lock-ups for at least one buyer. The same reviews record trace noise on the test signal, flimsy knobs, awkward PC drivers, and a probe count that does not agree: the title includes a P4100 probe, yet reviews split between one probe, two probes, and a faulty or missing probe. The specification table does not list a battery, and one buyer who expected battery mode did not find one. The 25 MHz generator figure is not the 150 MHz measurement claim, there is no CAT rating, and the plug type is not on the listing.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A home bench where the 150 MHz title and a built-in generator matter more than a battery.
Less suitable: Pocket work, or a buyer who needs two confirmed probes and a printed manual in the box.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the Hantek DSO2D15 battery powered?
The specification table does not list a battery. A review says the buyer expected a battery mode and did not find one. Another review describes a mains lead that did not connect.
How many probes arrive with the Hantek DSO2D15?
The title includes a P4100 probe. UK reviews split: some received one probe on a two-channel scope, one received two, and one reported a faulty probe or missing parts.
What is the Hantek DSO2D15 generator figure?
The bullet says a single 25 MHz generator with arbitrary and modulated output. The title bandwidth is 150 MHz. Those are different claims.
The OWON CMS101-NEW at £115.99 is a clamp with a scope mode, a recorder, and Bluetooth to the i-meter app, on a 2.8 inch IPS screen at 740 g. The star line is 4.2 from 8. One UK review calls it easy, accurate, portable, and sturdy, with a readable display and better battery life than expected, and that text does not mention a voltage fault. Other reviews on the listing describe 0.000 V while mains is present, readings such as 1.41 kV on a 230 V supply, and phantom current on the jacks. A further review says the app logged power only for that person. USB-C charging appears in a review, not in the bullet. No CAT rating is printed. A zero on this screen is not evidence that a conductor is dead, and the listing is not a substitute for a two-channel oscilloscope.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Only a buyer who has read the false-voltage reviews and still wants the clamp functions for a non-safety check.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a trustworthy dead-circuit check, or a real two-channel scope.
Specifications
Common questions
Can a zero on the OWON CMS101 screen mean the cable is dead?
A review on the listing says that after scope mode the meter can show 0.000 V while mains is present, and can also show readings such as 1.41 kV on a 230 V supply. Do not use that behaviour as proof a conductor is dead.
What does the UK review of this OWON CMS101 say?
The UK text calls it easy, accurate, portable, and sturdy, with a readable display and better battery life than expected. It does not mention the voltage fault described in other reviews.
Which model number is printed on this OWON CMS101?
Model number and part number are both OWON-CMS101-NEW. Rank on the listing is 67 in Lab Oscilloscopes.
This second CMS101 listing, model OWON-CMS101 at £116.99 and 820 g, repeats the clamp, scope, and recorder bullets. The star line is 2.5 from 3, and no United Kingdom review text is on the listing. One short review recommends it without any measurement detail. The faults that are written down are specific: meter mode showing 0 V rms with mains present, an implausible voltage in scope mode, and about 15.3 A with an empty jaw that zeroing does not clear. CE and RoHS are claimed on the listing, which is not a CAT rating and does not answer those readings. Bandwidth and sample rate are absent, as on the other clamp listings. There is no positive measurement story here that would make it a tool for proving a conductor dead. It is the weaker of the two CMS101 listings on the star line, and it costs £1 more than the CMS101-NEW at £115.99.
Pros
Cons
Best for: There is no positive measurement story on this listing that would make it a dead-circuit tool.
Less suitable: Proving a conductor dead, or any job that needs a stable voltage reading.
Specifications
Common questions
How is this OWON CMS101 different from the other listing?
This listing is model OWON-CMS101 at £116.99, 820 g, with a star line of 2.5 from 3. The other is OWON-CMS101-NEW at £115.99, 740 g, 4.2 from 8. The bullets describe the same kind of tool.
What faults are in the reviews of this OWON CMS101?
One review says meter mode shows 0 V rms with mains present. Another says the jaw reads about 15.3 A with nothing in it, and that zeroing does not clear it.
Is there a UK review of this OWON CMS101?
No United Kingdom review text is on the listing. The star line is 2.5 from 3.
The BSIDE OT9 at £149.99 lists two channels at 50 MHz and 250 MSa/s, a 4.3 inch touch screen, a 20,000-count graphical multimeter, and an eight-shape generator, with 128 kB and a 3,000 mAh cell. The package list is the fullest handheld box here: two BNC probes, an alligator lead, meter leads, a thermocouple, a charge cable, a bag, and a screwdriver, at 299 g. The scope bullet claims up to ±4000 V with X1, X10, and X100, while the meter bullet says up to 1000 V DC, 750 V AC, and 1 to 10 A. Those are different claims, and neither is a CAT rating. The listing has no customer-review line and no review text. The first available date on the listing is 16 July 2026. On paper it covers the gaps of the £79.99 two-channel listing, which ships one probe and has no meter. You would still be buying an unreviewed listing at nearly twice that price, and hours of runtime are not stated.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who wants the two-probe, meter, and generator box on the listing and accepts that the listing has no reviews.
Less suitable: Anyone who wants UK review history, or a printed CAT rating.
Specifications
Common questions
Are two probes included with the BSIDE OT9?
The package list says two BNC probes, one alligator lead, a pair of meter leads, a thermocouple, a charge cable, a bag, and a screwdriver.
Is ±4000 V the same as the BSIDE OT9 meter range?
No. The scope bullet claims up to ±4000 V with X1, X10 and X100. The meter bullet says up to 1000 V DC and 750 V AC, and 1 to 10 A. Neither line is a CAT rating.
Are there reviews of the BSIDE OT9?
The listing has no customer-review line and no review text. The first available date on the listing is 16 July 2026.
The RiseNova listing at £25.19 is sold as a DSO152-style handheld with a claimed 200 kHz bandwidth and a 2.5 MS/s sample rate. The bullet describes a 2.8 inch 320 x 240 screen, USB-C charging, and about 4 hours from a 1,000 mAh cell, in a body of 99 x 68.3 x 19.5 mm. The package line names one assembled oscilloscope and does not list a probe, a manual, or a case. Channel count is not printed, and the bullets give no maximum input and no CAT rating. The listing has no star line and no review text, so there is no UK account of a real trace. Weight does not even agree with itself: 100 g in the bullet and 170 g on the item line. At 200 kHz this is a slow listing beside the 10 MHz and 50 MHz handhelds in the same set.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who only wants the cheapest listing for a very slow wave and accepts that this listing has no reviews.
Less suitable: Work that needs tens of megahertz, a second channel, or a known probe in the box.
Specifications
Common questions
What bandwidth does the RiseNova listing claim?
The listing says 200 kHz bandwidth and a 2.5 MS/s sampling rate. That is far below the 10 MHz and 50 MHz handhelds in this set.
How long is the RiseNova battery claimed to last?
The bullet says a built-in 1,000 mAh cell and about 4 hours. Charging is USB-C. There is no review text on the listing to confirm that runtime.
Does the RiseNova box list a probe?
The package line names one fully assembled oscilloscope. A probe, manual, and case are not listed.
Ten oscilloscope listings on amazon.co.uk were scored on 21 October 2026 from listing facts and review notes, not from a lab test or a measured bandwidth. Amazon stars, review volume, listing usefulness as an oscilloscope, price against what the listing specifies, and review sentiment are weighted 25, 15, 30, 15 and 15. Deductions can apply for a single review, no review line on a dear listing, a firmware or support fault, a model-line clash, probes missing on a two-channel tool, trace noise and a disputed probe count, or reviews of a false zero or a nonsense voltage on a live conductor. Each star line stays the amazon.co.uk figure.
Amazon stars
25%Up to 25 points. Nearest whole number of (stars / 5) times 25, half up. No star line scores 0. The star line stays the amazon.co.uk figure.
Review volume
15%Up to 15 points from the review count on the listing. The steps used here are 0, 1, 3, 6, 8, 9, 31, 92 and 150 reviews. A thin 5.0 does not outrank a deeper record.
Listing usefulness
30%Up to 30 points for bandwidth, channels, a stated sample rate, probes in the box, and whether the form can show a trace. A clamp with no bandwidth or sample rate stays low. A generator megahertz figure is not measurement bandwidth.
Price against the spec
15%Up to 15 points for the shelf price against what the listing actually specifies. The best value is the highest price block among listings with at least 20 reviews.
Review sentiment
15%Up to 15 points from praise and repeated faults in the review notes. No review text scores 0. A false zero on a live conductor is a deduction, not a feature.
Choose bandwidth first, then channels, then sample rate and memory, then probes and earth. The notes below follow that order for these ten listings. None of the scores is a laboratory test.
An oscilloscope draws voltage against time. A multimeter number cannot show the shape of that wave. You buy one in the UK for a hobby board, a low-speed vehicle signal, or a bench circuit, and you judge it by bandwidth above the signal, real-time sample rate plus memory, channel count, and whether probes are in the box. None of the scores on this page is a laboratory measurement of bandwidth. The usual bandwidth figure is the -3 dB point, where a sine is about 29% low.
The usual figure is the -3 dB point, where a sine is about 29% low. A maker rule of thumb is near five times the frequency you care about. Square waves need that margin more than sines. It is not a statute.
One channel can show that a signal exists. A clock and a data line, or CAN high and CAN low, need two channels. A generator frequency on the listing is not the measurement bandwidth.
A normal ground clip is a near-earth connection. A USB scope follows the computer's earth. Do not lift the protective earth to float a Class I instrument. No listing here prints a CAT rating.
Put bandwidth first. The usual spec is the -3 dB point. Maker guides use a rule of thumb near five times the frequency you care about, and square waves need the margin more than sines. Two channels are the minimum when two signals must be seen together. Read real-time sample rate and memory as a pair: the PicoScope 2204A listing pairs 100 MS/s with 8 kS, and equivalent-time sampling does not catch a one-off glitch.
Match 1X and 10X on the probe and the channel, and compensate a 10X probe. A voltage bullet is not a CAT mark, and none of these listings prints one. A USB scope needs a computer and follows that computer's earth. A battery handheld still has a ground clip. A generator's output frequency is not the measurement bandwidth. The Hantek title says 150 MHz while a bullet names a 25 MHz generator.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You already use a computer and you want two channels on 3.3 V or 5 V signals. The PicoScope 2204A is about £126, 4.7 from 150 reviews, 10 MHz and 100 MS/s. It ships without probes, and the listing is not PicoScope 7 Automotive.
You want a larger screen and a signal source at home. The Hantek DSO2D15 is about £215.99, 4.4 from 92 reviews. The title says 150 MHz and 1 GSa/s. Reviews note trace noise, and the probe count does not agree.
You want a first look at a LIN or CAN line, not Pico automotive software. The BSIDE OT3 is about £39.99, 4.6 from 31 reviews, with a probe in the box. UK reviews treat it as one channel.
In this set of ten amazon.co.uk listings, the top pick is the PicoScope 2204A at about £126, with 4.7 from 150 reviews, two channels, 10 MHz and 100 MS/s. The box does not include probes, capture memory is 8 kS, and the listing is not PicoScope 7 Automotive. The best value is the BSIDE OT3 at about £39.99, 4.6 from 31 reviews, with a BNC probe listed. UK reviews treat it as one channel, and one unit stuck in calibration. None of these scores is a lab test or a measured bandwidth. Two OWON CMS101 listings include reviews of a false zero, or a nonsense voltage, on a live conductor.
BSIDE OT3
Highest price block among listings with at least 20 reviews: about £39.99, 4.6 from 31, with a probe listed. One channel in UK reviews.
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 last checked on 21 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures captured with these ten 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 21 October 2026. We did not lab-test these oscilloscopes.
