SQ Labs electromagnetic field detector (EMF) - budget option

Right, so I'm basically skint but I wanted to start doing some actual investigation work rather than just reading about it online. Bought a SQ Labs EMF detector from Amazon for £34.99 and I've had it about two weeks. Quick thoughts:

What is it: Handheld EMF meter. Battery operated (takes 2 AAA), roughly the size of a thick mobile phone, has a digital display and a sensitivity dial. Detects electromagnetic fields in the range of roughly 50-2000 milligauss. Pretty basic specs.

The Good: It works. I tested it near various electronics and it responds appropriately - picks up fields from my WiFi router, my laptop, my microwave, etc. Response is fairly immediate. The sensitivity dial lets you adjust the detection range. It's portable and battery-efficient. Price is genuinely unbeatable.

The Bad: Not waterproof. No data logging function - you have to manually write down readings. Display is a bit small. No audio alarm, just visual, which is annoying if you're trying to move around while monitoring. The instructions are rubbish. Build quality feels cheap - I wouldn't want to drop this.

For paranormal investigation: Honestly? It's fine as a starter tool. Will it detect genuine paranormal activity? Who knows - depends if paranormal activity actually generates EMF signatures, which is debated. But it's good for establishing baseline readings in a location and spotting anomalies. At this price point, even if it's completely useless for ghosties, it's not a massive loss.

If you've got more budget, get something better. But if you're starting out and want to do actual fieldwork without spending hundreds, this does the job.

Cheers for the honest review. I've been looking at EMF detectors and getting confused by all the options. For someone just starting out, this seems sensible. Question though - have you picked up any anomalies yet, or are you still in the baseline-testing phase?

Good review but worth noting that the Bosnian Pyramid investigations and the famous Skinwalker Ranch research both showed that electromagnetic anomalies do seem to correlate with paranormal activity. So even if individual cases are debatable, there's enough pattern to suggest EMF monitoring is worthwhile. Your cheap detector might actually pick up something interesting.

Have you tried it in old buildings or places with reported activity? That's really where the test is - not just near your WiFi router. Take baseline readings in a 'normal' location, then go somewhere with a haunting history and see if you get higher readings or spikes you can't explain.

The no audio alarm is actually a bigger issue than you're suggesting, I reckon. You really want hands-free operation when you're investigating. But yeah, at the price, can't complain too much. Might be worth saving up for something with logging function at some point though.

SQ Labs is decent for the money. I'd also consider the Meterk model from Amazon - bit more expensive (£49.99) but slightly better build quality and it's got a visual alarm at least. Either way, solid budget entry point.