Thermal imaging on a budget: Seeking recommendations under £300

I've been lurking here for months and finally ready to invest in proper kit. I've got a basic EMF meter and a decent digital recorder, but I want to upgrade to thermal imaging without dropping £2k on professional gear.

I've been eyeing the FLIR ONE Pro (around £280-320 depending on retailer), which pairs with your mobile and gives decent resolution. But I've also seen budget alternatives from Xinfrared and other Chinese manufacturers. Has anyone used these? Are they reliable, or am I wasting money?

I'm primarily interested in indoor investigations (suspected haunted flat in Hackney, long story), so I don't need military-grade specs. Just something that works and won't break after two uses.

FLIR ONE Pro is solid. I've had mine for two years. The mobile integration is seamless (works best with iPhone, a bit clunky on Android). Resolution is 160x120, which is fine for detecting warm spots but won't give you detailed images. Battery life is decent. Highly recommend it over the Chinese knockoffs, which tend to have poor calibration.

Chinese manufacturers

Personally, I'd suggest saving another £100-150 and going for the FLIR E4. It's older (discontinued), so you can find them refurbished for around £400. Better resolution (80x60), standalone unit (no mobile required), and more durable. I use mine on every investigation.

Thermal imaging is fun but massively oversold in paranormal investigation. You'll spend £300 and get 90% false positives (radiators, pipes, drafts, body heat from previous visitors). That said, FLIR ONE Pro is the sensible choice. Buy it, use it, learn from it.

If you're based in London, there's a specialist shop in Camden that stocks FLIR units. Might be worth visiting in person to test the app integration on your specific phone before buying. They're usually helpful and won't try to upsell you to pro models.