TopTes Decibel Meter, TS-501A Sound Level Meter with 2.25” Backlight LCD Screen, Portable SPL Tester with A Weighted, Range 30-130dB, Data Hold, MAX/MIN, Use for Home, Noisy Neighbor, Factory - Orange

I don't know how this gadget compares to a professional one, but it does appear to be pretty damn good.The sensitivity is excellent- I did a few random tests around the place and it picked up everything, The sound of a softly dripping tap, slight noises outside etc, you name it.Anyway its perfect for a new pet project where the noise level is extremely important , and removes any guesswork involved. It appears to be very well made, and even includes three Duracell batteries , and clear instructions., a nice touch. 10/10

This is a great little device. Not expensive and ideal for monitoring noise levels. Easy to use.

Good quality, easy to use & reasonably priced.

Good quality item, functional and accurate

I used this to test a few of my tools and appliances (including 3D printers) to see how much noise they were generating. I found that it provided consistent results that were easy to read.It requires AAA batteries (a set of which are included), which is fairly convenient, though I might have liked a built in rechargeable battery instead.Instructions were useful, the display is great, and it does exactly what it says on the tin. Recommended.

As soon as this product arrived I could instantly tell the great quality of this item - it has a good amount of weight to it (not too heavy or light). The kit includes the main unit, 3 batteries, a soft protective pouch and the instruction booklet. The booklet is quite bulky and daunting when you see it, but it is very easy to understand and straightforward, although the buttons and display make operating this device self-explanatory. The text on this display is fairly large in size and clear so there is no struggle to see what is written on the screen.I found the pouch that was included with this product very useful, not only for keeping this item safe and protected, but it also makes storing it more convenient.Once the batteries were installed it was all set up and ready to use (very easy). This device has some great features which include a minimum and maximum reading, fast or slow rates of the measurement and real-time measurements as well. It can also provide a temperature reading which I thought was fairly useful.When the microphone component is not being used there is a protective lid for it (practical). It is also worth noting that this microphone also has a foam surrounding it to filter out the wind.Overall, it works as intended and I have experienced no issues with this product so far. The price point of £25.99 (upon this review) I think is fairly reasonable considering its features and the good quality, therefore I do recommend it.

I don’t have any other sound level devices to compare this against, but when I used it to measure the sound level from some computer fans and other domestic equipment the readings seemed broadly in line with the specifications of each item.The sound level meter is portable and easy to use with clear buttons and display. It includes a hard cover for the sensitive microphone to stop it getting damaged in transit. It takes 3 AAA batteries which are easy to fit and replace when necessary. The essential sound level display is clear, but the additional information such as ambient temperature is cramped and can be hard to read.The case is hard plastic, but feels a bit fragile and I worried that it might crack if I dropped it, so this is probably not something to be slung in a toolbox and treated roughly. It does also come with a soft fabric pouch to prevent scratches, though.

The instruction leaflet look daunting when you open the box but in fact is easy enough to understand and a quick skim read had me up and running. In fact, the leaflet (unlike so many nowadays, especially with so many models to choose from) is one of this unit's selling points for me, being written in perfect English (the German also looks flawless) and providing some extremely professional advice and information on sound levels, risks to hearing etc. It makes me trust this unit.I've since happily been finding out how noisy things are, from my sitting room to the inside of a train and the kerbside to my wife in a chatty mood. I won't tell you which one was the loudest.TopTes offer two models, this one at £25.99 (price at time of review) and the TS-501B at £29.99, the difference being that this one covers A-weighting values (those typically audible to the human ear) while the B model also offers C-weighting (better suited for industrial and entertainment measurement, eg intrusive bass notes).It features fast and slow measurement settings, the latter to average out sound better, plus a "hold" feature so that you can note down fast-changing numbers and a hi/low feature which shows you the minimum and maximum it has sensed and only changes the display when either has been topped. It also displays temperature and humidity.Pricewise this sits in the midrange of the cheaper options on Amazon, with others ranging from £15 to £35 and peaking at over £100. I'm very happy with it and I'm very happy with the price.