10 Best Thermal Imaging Inspections
for April 2023

The Teslong 260x200 Infrared Thermal Imaging Camera with Metal Bracket for Electronics Testing is our second pick for budget thermal imaging cameras. While it's pricier than the B&K TG825, it's quieter, has better image quality, and is easier to operate. It also has more infrared (IR) wavelengths, which can improve resolution and color range, and longer detection distances. Like the TG825, the 260x200 has a temperature resolution of 0.1 degree Celsius, a detection range of 50 inches, and a measurement accuracy of 0.1 degrees Celsius. The 260x200 also has a lower minimum detection temperature, at 65 degrees Celsius, and a lower minimum measurement temperature, at 40 degrees Celsius. If you're just looking for a basic thermal imaging camera that can detect temperature differences, the 260x200 is a great choice. It's also a good choice if you want a thermal imaging camera that's easier to operate and quieter than the TG825.

The UNI-T UTi260B is a solidly built infrared camera that does a solid job, but its main drawback is that its infrared resolution (256x192) is well below the resolution of most thermal imaging cameras. That means that it won't be able to detect tiny defects and details, such as minute heat leaks in circuit boards or tears in leather, and for fine detail work you'll need to upgrade to a camera with higher infrared resolution. (The UTi260B has a higher thermal resolution than the 469-288 and the 50-75, but it's lower than the 750-240.) In addition, the UTi260B's infrared sensitivity is best suited for outdoor surveillance. For indoor use, we recommend the 469-288 or the 50-75. The UTi260B is still a decent camera, though. It's easy to use, and its relatively low price ($279.99 on Newegg) makes it a great value.

The HT-19, from Hti- Xintai, is a small, lightweight IR Thermal Imager that is ideal for home inspections, firefighting, farming, electronics manufacturing, studying traffic, archaeology and any other business, hobby, or science where accurate to 2.5F temperature readings are essential. This device uses the 320 x 240 resolution, making it perfect for high-resolution imagery and will help save you time on the job. The HT-19 also uses a 3.2 inch color LCD display screen, which gives you a sharper image and better visibility when working. The HT-19 is powered by a 2.1V, 1800mAh battery, which drives a 320 x 240 IR infrared thermal imager. The HT-19 also comes with 5 color temperature palettes, which makes readings more useful and easier to visualize. The HT-19 is easy to set up and use, with no learning curve or complicated controls. The HT-19 uses micro USB to connect to your Windows or Mac computer, and is powered via USB connection. The HT-19 also comes with a 3 GB built-in memory card, so you can easily transfer and store images and data.

This Hti-Xintai infrared thermal imaging camera is an accurate, easy-to-use, and affordable option. It has several advantages over other infrared thermal imaging cameras we tested, including a better resolution (320 x 240 vs 160 x 120 pixels), a slightly larger display, and a built-in memory card for storage. The 3.2-in. color display is bright, sharp, and easy to see, and the three color palettes make it much easier to identify temperature differences. The camera's button layout is also simpler and more intuitive than competing models. The display also tilts 30 degrees forward and back, and you can adjust the field of view and zoom up to 10 times, which is especially helpful for inspecting small objects or tight spaces. The camera's built-in battery lasts about 3 hours, which is long enough for a full day's work; the battery can be recharged with the included USB cord. The image quality is sharp, with images displaying both visible and infrared radiation clearly, and the temperature readings are accurate, with a resolution of 2.5F. The 320 x 240 resolution is an improvement from our previous pick, which has 160 x 120 pixels, making it more suitable for professional applications.

The HIKMICRO E1L Thermal Imager is a great, affordable thermal camera for hobbyists and contractors. The E1L is compact and lightweight, and features a large 160x120 thermal sensor, a solid build, and a long battery life (8 hours). It's perfect for home inspectors looking for an affordable thermal imaging camera that won't slow them down. Video resolution is 160x120, which is ideal for most home inspection needs, and the thermal sensor delivers excellent image quality, even at long distances. The E1L's temperature range runs from -20C to 550C (-4F to 1022F), which is more than enough for most home inspections. It has a built-in laser pointer, so inspectors can easily track heat sources, and it comes with two lens attachments, a 40x and 64x zoom lenses. The lens attachments are handy, but we'd recommend the 64x lens for home inspections because it provides a wider range of coverage. The E1L features a built-in rechargeable battery, so inspectors don't need to carry extra batteries. When fully charged, the battery lasts about 8 hours, which is more than enough for most home inspections. Finally, the E1L has a removable battery door, which makes battery swapping easy.

The Thermal Imaging Camera (HTI-19) from Gun Style is an affordable, high-quality, infrared thermal camera that excels in low-light conditions. It works with a wide array of temperatures, including supercooled and frozen liquids, so you can monitor the temperature of your home, office, vehicle, or other property. The included SD card stores up to 4 GB of data, and you can use the included USB cable to transfer the data to an external hard drive or computer. The Thermal Imaging Camera has a bright 3.2-inch color screen, and the image display is crisp and clear. The resolution is 76,800 pixels, which is more than enough for high-quality image capture. The Thermal Imaging Camera also includes five different color temperature presets, so you can select the ideal scale for your job. The remote control is handy, too, and the camera can be mounted on a tripod. The Thermal Imaging Camera includes a one-year warranty.

The FLIR C5 thermal camera is compact, easy to use, and well suited to a variety of tasks, from finding hidden leaks in water pipes, to inspecting roofs and buildings for heat loss or structural damage. The thermal image makes inspecting large, dark spaces like attics and ceilings much easier, and the built-in LED floodlight lets you see clearly in total darkness. The thermal resolution is high enough to see fine detail, and the image resolution is high enough to see paint chips on walls or details in wood. The C5 has 32GB of internal storage, but FLIR's cloud connectivity means you don't have to take an image or record a video to store on the device. Once an image is recorded, it will be automatically uploaded to the cloud, where it will be stored indefinitely and securely. The C5's FLIR thermal imaging app stores all of your images, videos, and notes in the cloud, and you can access them from your phone, tablet, or laptop. The app's user interface is simple, straightforward, and intuitive, and it allows you to easily share your images with friends and colleagues.

When FLIR introduced the MF110, it quickly became the yardstick by which all other thermal imagers were measured. The MF110 was easy to use, had great image quality, and was packed with features. The MF160 builds on that with a wider range of available features, including PIN and PINLESS moisture detection, a thermal imager that can store 1000 images, and an improved imager. The MF160 comes with a PIN probe, a PINLESS probe, and an external pin probe. The pin probe is especially useful for detecting moisture on metal. The MF160 is tougher than the MF110, and it's waterproof, dustproof, and shockproof. The FLIR MR160's image quality is on par with the MF110, and it's another excellent choice for thermal imagers. The FLIR MR160 is our favorite infrared moisture meter.

The Huepar 80 x 60 IR Thermal Imaging Camera is compact, lightweight, and fairly easy to use. It can identify temperature differences as small as 15°C, which is plenty for inspecting homes, offices, and cars. The adjustable emissivity feature lets you adjust for different materials, and the on-screen temperature display makes it easy to spot problem areas. The Huepar also comes with free software for analyzing the images, but you'll need to pay extra for a pro version. The Huepar isn't as sophisticated as some other options, but it's a good budget choice that works well for most applications.

After spending weeks researching and testing dozens of thermal imaging cameras, the ITC629 is the best one for professionals. Its 0.07C sensitivity is more sensitive than other thermal imaging cameras we tested, and its 422x240 image resolution is high enough to capture details. The ITC629 also has an advanced thermal tracking feature called Hot & Cold spot thermal tracking, which can automatically track the hottest and coldest spots on the image, allowing you to easily identify which object has the hottest or coolest temperature. The ITC629 also has an intuitive user interface that makes it easy to capture and analyze images. You can even record videos with the ITC629, so you can easily analyze potential issues. The ITC629 also has night vision, so you can use the ITC629 at night. The downside is that the ITC629's field of view is smaller than other thermal imaging cameras we tested, and its test range is -4F to 842F.