Budget equipment recommendations for beginners - what actually works?

So I'm thinking of starting some proper ghost hunting investigations - nothing too ambitious, just local allegedly haunted pubs and historical sites. But I'm genuinely lost on equipment. Do I really need to spend £400 on an EMF meter? Can a decent thermal camera be found for under £200? What's actually essential versus what's just expensive nonsense?

I've seen people on YouTube with absolutely bonkers setups - multiple cameras, thermal equipment, audio recorders everywhere. But I reckon a lot of that is just showing off for content. What's the minimum viable setup that would actually let me collect meaningful data?

Budget: around £300-400 maximum. Hoping to find out what gear delivers actual value versus what's just marketing bullshit.

Honestly, for £300-400 you're better off putting it all into a decent audio recorder and thermal camera, skip the EMF meter for now. A FLIR ONE thermal camera is about £200 and genuinely useful. Rest on a Zoom H5 recorder (£150). That covers the basics: environmental data and audio. Electronics like EMF meters have mixed reliability anyway.

Save your money initially. Hire equipment first - there's places in London and Manchester that rent thermal cameras and EMF kit for about £30/day. Try before you buy. A lot of people invest loads then realize they don't actually enjoy the hobby.

Do I really need to spend £400 on an EMF meter?

No. You can get a decent EMF meter for £60-80 that works fine. The expensive ones aren't dramatically better. Lots of money gets wasted in this hobby on 'professional' branded kit that's just a markup on standard electronics.

I'd recommend: thermal camera (non-negotiable), audio recorder (essential for EVP work), flashlight with good batteries, notebook. That's genuinely enough to do meaningful investigation. EMF meters are interesting but not necessary. The expensive stuff is just for people who want lots of gadgets to feel legit.

Two-year investigator here. Honestly spend the money on training and location access rather than equipment. Learning proper investigation technique is worth more than any kit. Most hauntings are better documented through audio and thermal data anyway - photography is overrated.