The best sound level meters, compared.
Top pick: ONE WORLD YT-311 Best value: V·RESOURCING HSW-20-026 – About £15.99 with 4.4 from 706 reviews, fast and slow, and temperature on the same unit. A-weighting only. Updated October 2026.
A sound level meter turns sound pressure at a microphone into a decibel reading so you can compare a room, a machine, or a classroom. In the UK you buy one for a home or workshop check, a wall prompt, or a first look at neighbour noise or noise at work. Judge a listing by the stated range, A-weighting, C-weighting, fast and slow, and, when the job is a workplace estimate, integrating LAeq, a C-weighted peak, and a calibrator. A live number is not a daily noise dose. How those checks line up is in the [sound level meter buying guide](/hub/measuring-equipment/sound-level-meter/sub/sound-level-meter-buying-guide). A handheld suits a check you walk around. Logging suits noise that happens when you are out. A large display suits a classroom or studio prompt. A Class or Type line on a listing is not pattern evaluation, and there is no single daytime decibel cap for a home. Leave the microphone cap off, write down the weighting, the place, and the duration, and do not treat a slow reading as the peak of an impact.
A sound level meter turns sound pressure at a microphone into a decibel reading so you can compare a room, a machine, or a classroom.
42 products checked · 68 hrs invested · +21,400 readers
Swipe for more
1-2 of 12
Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
When do you need the number?
The ONE WORLD YT-311 states 30–130 dB, A and C, fast and slow, temperature and humidity, and a three-colour backlight at £18.90 with three AAA cells and a multilingual manual. The star line is 5.0 from only two amazon.co.uk reviews, both United Kingdom: buyers used the numbers in a neighbour email and called it compact. There is no repeated defect in those two texts, and there is also no depth to trust. Specs look stronger than ALLmeter on paper; the evidence does not. Wait for a thicker file, or pick Tadeto, TopTes, or V·RESOURCING instead.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You like the feature list and accept buying on two reviews.
Less suitable: You want a proven UK sample before you spend, even at under £20.
Specifications
Common questions
What else does the YT-311 measure?
Temperature and humidity, beside 30–130 dB, A and C weighting, and fast and slow.
How many reviews are on the listing?
5.0 out of 5 from 2 reviews. Both stored texts are marked United Kingdom.
Which batteries are included?
Three AAA alkaline batteries. The manual languages stated are English, Italian, French, German, and Spanish.
The LATNEX SM-130DB sits at £113.99 as the dearer handheld that states EN 61672 Type 2 and includes a calibration certificate, with ±1.8 dB at 94 dB / 1 kHz and a 35–130 dB window. It has 4.5 from 95 amazon.co.uk reviews; only one stored review is marked United Kingdom, the rest are overseas. Buyers found it easy for home, generator, and workplace ambient checks and said readings were close to a dearer meter they already owned. There is no backlight, the 9 V cell is inconvenient, and a rifle muzzle was not registered. One report had dBC drifting about 5–6 dB high after several days. A Type 2 phrase plus a certificate is not pattern evaluation, and the listing does not state LAeq. Use it when you want a certificate on the shelf price; skip it for impulse peaks or a full noise-at-work integrating survey.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You will pay about £114 for a Type 2 claim and a certificate for ambient checks, knowing it is still a listing claim.
Less suitable: You need a cheap live meter, reliable impulse capture, or a pattern-evaluated integrating Class 2 kit.
Specifications
Common questions
What range does the LATNEX SM-130DB state?
35–130 dB, with ±1.8 dB at 94 dB and 1 kHz, and 0.1 dB resolution.
Does the listing include a calibration certificate?
The title and bullets say yes, and they cite EN 61672 Type 2. A and C weighting are not in the spec lines.
Which battery does it use?
One 9 V alkaline battery, included.
Across 3,413 amazon.co.uk reviews, the Tadeto SL720 is the handheld buyers reach for when they want a live 30–130 dB reading with A and C weighting and a stated fast (0.125 s) and slow (1 s) choice at £29.99. UK reviewers used it on speakers, pianos, and to hunt a noise source in a car by comparing spots, and several preferred it to a phone that capped near 90 dB. Housing staff were given the numbers in at least one neighbour case. There is no calibrator in the box and no buyer check for the stated ±2.0 dB. Impulse and air-rifle peaks were missed, and max hold was said to work on fast only. Track-day readings also disagreed with circuit kit. It is the strongest live meter in this set when you will write down the settings, and the wrong tool if you need LAeq, a Class claim, or a peak you can defend.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a live A and C handheld around £30 with a large UK review file for rooms, speakers, or relative spot checks.
Less suitable: You need integrating LAeq, a pattern-evaluated Class meter, or reliable capture of short gun or impact peaks.
Specifications
Common questions
What time weightings does the Tadeto SL720 list?
Fast at 0.125 seconds and slow at 1 second, with A and C weighting and a 30–130 dB range.
Are batteries listed?
No. Battery type and count are not stated. The included-components line is the meter.
What accuracy does the seller state?
±2.0 dB, with 0.1 dB resolution. That figure is the listing, not a lab result.
At £15.99 the V·RESOURCING HSW-20-026 is the cheapest handheld in this set with a real UK review file: 4.4 from 706, first 50 stored marked United Kingdom. It states 35–135 dB, A-weighting only, fast 125 ms and slow 1 s, MAX/MIN, data hold, and a temperature reading, with three AAA cells included. Buyers used it as a risk-assessment cue, for neighbour checks, and for product loudness. Instructions in Chinese or contradictory notes on a 94.0 versus a pictured 90.7 figure frustrate people who do not own a calibrator. One off button failed, and one sealed unit had no battery cover so the included cells could not be replaced. It is best value for a simple A-weighted live check under £20, and the wrong meter if you need C-weighting or a peak limit.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the cheapest workable A-weighted handheld under £20 for a home or neighbour cue.
Less suitable: You need C-weighting, a logger, or instructions you can trust without a 94 dB source.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing state C weighting?
No. It states A-weighting, 35–135 dB, and ±2.0 dB.
When does it switch off?
The bullets say auto power off after 15 minutes. Fast is 125 ms and slow is 1 s.
What do the stored UK reviews say about calibration?
The manual tells some buyers to use a 94 dB source. Reviewers say they do not have a calibrator. One sealed unit had no battery cover.
The TopTes TS-501B is a 30–130 dB A and C handheld at £29.99 with a 2.25-inch backlit screen, MAX/MIN, data hold, and three AAA cells in the box. Across 2,543 amazon.co.uk reviews, buyers called it easy once the plastic microphone cap was off, and at least one compared it with a calibrated meter and called it close. It shows up in neighbour notes and home-cinema checks. One unit was returned as inconsistent, another seemed stuck near 40 dB, and a heavy user drained the AAA cells quickly. There is no tripod thread, and the grip was called slippery. A neighbour log from this meter did not make the council act. Use it for a live reading you can repeat with the cap off; do not treat one number as a council finding or a workplace dose.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want an orange A and C handheld near £30 with batteries included for home cinema, workshops, or neighbour notes.
Less suitable: You need a logger, a tripod mount, or a reading the council will treat as formal evidence.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the TOPTES TS-501B offer C weighting?
Yes. The listing states A and C weighting, 30–130 dB, and ±1.5 dB.
What power does it use?
Three AAA alkaline batteries are included. Auto power off and a low-battery icon are stated.
Is a tripod thread listed?
No. UK reviews ask for a thread or a better grip. Data logging is not stated.
The ALLmeter WT576 is a compact 30–130 dB A-weighted handheld at £18.99 with MAX/MIN, hold, backlight, AAA cells, and a windshield in the box. It has 4.3 from only 16 amazon.co.uk reviews, three marked United Kingdom. Those notes call it clear and handy between rooms. C-weighting is not stated, and the sample is too small to rank it against Tadeto or TopTes. One UK reviewer started a complaint about the manual that does not finish in the stored text. Buy it only if you accept a thin file and A-weighting only; otherwise the V·RESOURCING unit undercuts it on price with far more reviews.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a compact A-weighted spare under £20 and accept a small review sample.
Less suitable: You want C-weighting or a large UK review file behind the buy.
Specifications
Common questions
Is C weighting listed for the ALLmeter WT576?
No. The listing states A-weighting, 30–130 dB, and ±1.5 dB.
What is in the box?
The meter, a windshield, AAA batteries, and instructions. The AAA count is not stated.
How many reviews are on the listing?
4.3 out of 5 from 16 reviews. Three stored reviews are marked United Kingdom.
The DANOPLUS DP-441 is the clearer logger in this set: 30–130 dB, A and C, fast and slow, up to 43,000 records, colour chart on the unit, and Excel export over USB at £45.99. Across 259 amazon.co.uk reviews (nine stored marked United Kingdom), buyers praised the display, battery life after the stated 1.5-hour charge, and graphs with an average line. It was used on a studio desk. There is no stand in the box, no LAeq or Class line on the listing, and one review called the unit a waste of money. Windshield use is barely discussed. Buy it when noise happens while you are away and you will export a time series; do not treat the export as a Control of Noise at Work dose.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need stored samples and a PC export when the noise is intermittent or you are out.
Less suitable: You only want a live handheld under £30, or you need a formal LAeq or LCpeak survey.
Specifications
Common questions
Which computers does the DP-441 listing name?
Windows 7, 10, and 11, with Excel export. A DC output is also stated.
What range and accuracy does it state?
30–130 dB and ±1.5 dB, with A and C weighting and fast and slow.
Is a carrying case listed?
The included-components line lists the meter, a sponge ball, a USB cable, and a manual. It does not list a case.
The DANOPLUS DP-413_R1 is a 13-inch wall or desk display at £49.90 with green under 60 dB, yellow 60–85, and red above 85, plus clock, temperature, and humidity. It has 3.8 from 50 amazon.co.uk reviews; only two stored texts are marked United Kingdom. Those UK buyers liked the brightness steps and used the red face as a prompt to put ear defenders on. Screws and a 300 cm USB-C cable are in the box. Continuous use still wants charge left connected, from the listing. Frequency weighting is not stated. Treat the faces as a room prompt, not a noise-at-work action-value meter.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a wall or desk prompt people can see across a room or bench.
Less suitable: You need a handheld survey number, logging, or a workplace dose.
Specifications
Common questions
How does the box differ from DP-413?
This listing includes two screws. It still states a 13 inch LED, 30–130 dB, ±1 dB, and a buzzer.
What runtime does the listing claim?
About 10 hours from a full charge, and the bullets advise leaving it on charge for continuous use.
Is A or C weighting stated?
No. Extra readings are time, temperature, and humidity. Face icons are green under 60 dB, yellow from 60 to 85 dB, and red above 85 dB.
The Wintact WT1355A is the other logger: A and C ranges, fast and slow, colour alarm, up to 43,000 sets over USB, a stated 1/4-inch tripod thread, and a factory 94 dB / 1 kHz calibration line at £39.99. It has 3.8 from 38 amazon.co.uk reviews, with 32 stored marked United Kingdom. Buyers liked the live reading, half-hourly notes, and the thread. The menu and instructions often arrived in Chinese and had to be switched, and PC software was missing or hard to install. That friction matters more than the price gap under the DANOPLUS logger. Prefer it when you need the thread and will change the language screens; prefer the DP-441 when export software matters more.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a cheaper logger with a tripod thread and will change the language and live with thinner software.
Less suitable: You need polished English software on day one or a formal integrating survey.
Specifications
Common questions
How many records does the WT1355A state?
Up to 43,000 sets, with USB transfer to a PC. LAeq is not stated. The software name is not stated.
Can it go on a tripod?
The bullets state a 1/4-inch thread.
What do the stored UK reviews say about the menu?
Several say the unit arrived in Chinese and that the PC software was missing or hard to install.
The DANOPLUS DP-413 is the sibling wall board at £49.99: 13-inch LED, 30–130 dB, green under 60, yellow 60–85, red above 85, buzzer, clock, temperature, and humidity. It has 3.7 from 43 amazon.co.uk reviews, three marked United Kingdom. Buyers liked the size and the adjustable alarm; some said the climate readouts were more useful than the decibel figure. The battery drops quickly if you expect all-day cordless use, children ignore the alarm, and accuracy is not something buyers could check. Weighting is not stated. Choose it as a visible prompt; choose a handheld when you need a number you can move between rooms.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a fixed classroom or studio prompt and will leave USB power connected.
Less suitable: You need cordless all-day use, a handheld survey, or a workplace dose.
Specifications
Common questions
What do the face icons mean on the listing?
Green under 60 dB, yellow from 60 to 85 dB, and red above 85 dB.
How is it powered?
A rechargeable lithium battery and a USB-C cable stated at 300 cm.
Is A or C weighting stated?
No. The listing states 30–130 dB and ±1 dB, plus time, temperature, and humidity.
The Kethvoz KE-70000AR-WIFI is a wall or desk Wi-Fi board at £53.99 stating 30–130 dBA, ±1.5 dB, a one-second refresh, an 11-inch LED, temperature, humidity, and smartphone alerts with a seven-day trend. There is no Customer Reviews line and no calibration certificate. Power is specified at up to 5 V DC. Whether it works without Wi-Fi is unanswered on the listing. Until reviews exist, treat it as an unproven room monitor with app extras, not a survey meter and not a mould test despite the seller climate sentence.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want app alerts on a room board and accept buying with zero reviews.
Less suitable: You need proven UK feedback, a handheld check, or a certificate.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Kethvoz listing include a calibration certificate?
No. The listing says the certificate is not included.
What does it measure besides sound?
Temperature from −10 °C to 50 °C, humidity from 20 to 85 % RH, and a clock. Sound is stated as 30–130 dBA.
Are there customer reviews on the listing?
No review score and no review text are in the file. Whether it works without Wi-Fi is asked and not answered.
The TECPEL DSL-330 is listed at £170.00 as a digital sound level meter, 275 g, battery powered, with a Best Sellers Rank deep in DIY & Tools. The listing has no range, weighting, accuracy, class, display detail, or customer reviews. Batteries are neither included nor required on the technical table, which does not add up for a battery product. Until a datasheet fills those gaps, skip it in favour of any specified handheld in this set.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Almost nobody in this comparison until a full datasheet appears.
Less suitable: Any buyer who needs a stated range, weighting, or review evidence before spending £170.
Specifications
Common questions
What measuring range does the DSL-330 listing give?
None. The listing states the model, 275 g, and a battery-powered power source.
Are batteries included?
The technical table says cells are neither included nor required.
Is there a star rating?
The file has no customer-review line.
Twelve sound level meter listings on amazon.co.uk were scored on 21 October 2026 from listing facts and review notes, not from a laboratory calibration. Amazon stars and review volume, listing fit, review outcome, and shelf price are weighted 35, 30, 20 and 15. A live handheld, a logger, and a wall display sit on the same 0–100 map, then read as different jobs. Deductions can apply for no reviews, an empty specification, A-weighting only when the job needs C, logger software friction, or a wall board treated as a survey meter. LAeq and LCpeak are absent on every card, so nobody scores as an integrating noise-at-work meter. Each star line stays the amazon.co.uk figure. Decibel figures on a listing are not a lab result.
Amazon evidence
35%About 35 points from the star average and how many reviews sit behind it. A file of thousands outranks a file of two. Stored reviews marked outside the United Kingdom weigh less than a UK sample when the file says so. No review line scores at the bottom of this block.
Listing fit
30%About 30 points for the stated range, A and/or C weighting, fast and slow, logging, a certificate or Class/Type claim, power, and mounting. LAeq and LCpeak are absent on every card here, so nobody scores as a noise-at-work integrating meter.
Review outcome
20%About 20 points from what the stored reviews actually describe. A cap left on, menus in another language, missed impulse peaks, short battery life, and drift reports come off. Praise for a readable screen or a useful export comes on. A single report is not a rate.
Value
15%About 15 points for the shelf price in GBP against what the card actually delivers for a UK live check, a log, or a room prompt. The lowest price is not the best value when the page is A-weighting only or the review file is two lines.
Start with the job, then weighting and time response, then whether you need a log or a display, then class and price. The notes below follow that order for these twelve listings. None of the scores is a laboratory calibration.
A sound level meter turns sound pressure at a microphone into a decibel reading so you can compare a room, a machine, or a classroom. UK buyers use one for a home or workshop check, a wall prompt, or a neighbour or noise-at-work question. A live number is not a daily noise dose and not a finding of statutory nuisance. These twelve amazon.co.uk listings were scored on 21 October 2026 from the pages and the review notes already on the rows. Nothing here is a laboratory calibration.
A recurring first-use note on a handheld in this set is a plastic cap left over the microphone. The reading then sits near the floor of the range. Take the cap off before you compare rooms.
One listing states EN 61672 Type 2 and a calibration certificate. That is a seller claim. Pattern evaluation is a separate step, and the page does not state LAeq or LCpeak.
A household reading is not an abatement notice. Neighbour noise is statutory nuisance, and a night warning needs an approved device. A slow A reading is not the peak of an impact.
Name the job before the brand. A live check needs a handheld you can carry between rooms. Noise that happens when you are out needs a logger. A classroom or studio that must be seen from across the room needs a large display, and the coloured faces on those boards are a prompt, not a dose. A workplace exposure needs an integrating meter. A BS 4142 survey needs Class 1. Then read weighting. A-weighting is the scale used for the exposure figures in dB(A).
Daily exposure is LEP,d. Guidance for employers asks you to estimate the dose and the peak without subtracting hearing protection, using an integrating Class 2 meter, LAeq, LCpeak, and a Class 2 calibrator. None of these twelve listings states LAeq or LCpeak, so none of them is that workplace meter. One handheld states EN 61672 Type 2 and a calibration certificate. That remains a listing claim.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a live handheld with A and C weighting and a large UK review file, and you will write the settings down. The Tadeto SL720 is about £29.99, 4.4 from 3,413 reviews, 30–130 dB, fast and slow. Reviews describe missed impulse peaks. It does not state LAeq.
You want a level people can see from a classroom or a bench, and you will treat the coloured face as a prompt. The DANOPLUS DP-413_R1 is a 13 inch display at about £49.90, 3.8 from 50 reviews. Weighting is not stated. It is not a workplace dose.
You want the lowest shelf price in this set for a live A-weighted reading and you do not need C-weighting. The V·RESOURCING HSW-20-026 is about £15.99, 4.4 from 706 reviews, 35–135 dB, with temperature on the same unit. Calibration notes frustrate some buyers.
In this set of twelve amazon.co.uk listings, the top pick is the Tadeto SL720 at about £29.99, with 4.4 from 3,413 reviews, A and C weighting, and fast and slow stated. Reviews describe missed impulse peaks, and there is no calibrator in the box. The best value is the V·RESOURCING HSW-20-026 at about £15.99, with 4.4 from 706 reviews, A-weighting only, fast and slow, and a temperature reading. A 5.0 from two reviews does not take a badge. None of these scores is a calibration. None of the twelve states LAeq or LCpeak.
V·RESOURCING HSW-20-026
About £15.99 with 4.4 from 706 reviews, fast and slow, and temperature on the same unit. A-weighting only.
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 21 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 21 October 2026. We did not lab-test these sound level meters.
