EMF Meters have been used by ghost hunters and paranormal investigators for a very long time, and for good reason. Anecdotal evidence has consistently shown the value of these devices for locating ghosts and spirits. I put together this enormous guide to help you find the absolute best EMF meters for ghost hunting in 2018!
First let’s talk about how and why EMF detectors are used to hunt ghosts, and then we’ll talk about the best meters available in 2018.
(If You’re Just Looking For The Best EMF Meters For Ghost Hunting, Click Here To Jump Straight To My Recommendations)
What is an EMF Meter?
First of all, electromagnetic frequencies (EMF) is detectable energy in the form of electromagnetism that is created when an an electrical or magnetic current moves or changes forms. There are many types of EMF radiation, such as radio waves, electrical currents, and magnetic fields. Although many forms of EMF radiation occur naturally, most of the dangerous exposure your body absorbs is from man made devices. These include cell phones, routers, iPads, computers, cell towers, smart meters and many other devices.
For a very long time ghost hunters both professional and amateur have relied on EMF readings to help in determining the presence of ghost and other paranormal activity, which we’ll talk about a bit more down below.
EMF meters are usually quite simple to understand, although some are more complicated. Many of the best meters and detectors for ghost hunting are analog meters with either physical needle displays, or light indicators. These meters will often also have speakers to help and give an audio reading of the amount of EMF radiation present in the space. The nice thing about these simpler analog EMF meters like the K2 EMF meter for example, is that they are easy and simple to work with, and they provide readings even while moving. Some digital meters with digital displays offer more accurate readings, but only work if you are still while it is gathering a reading.
There are so many different kinds of EMF meters. Some, like the Trifield 100XE detect all three types of radiation, magnetic, electric, and radio. While many others like the Cornet ED78S. only measure electrical and magnetic fields. Both of these are quality meters that I often recommend for detecting EMF radiation, but they both have their drawbacks.
Why EMF Meters and Detectors Are Used For Ghost Hunting
Paranormal investigators use a variety of tools for determining the presence of paranormal activity, spirits, ghosts and more. They use tools to get an understanding of the environmental conditions such as the temperature, humidity, lighting, and EMF radiation readings. They then monitor these conditions using a variety of tools and look for unexpected differences in the readings to help in determining the presence of paranormal activity.
Although EMF meters are one of the most common tools used by ghost hunters, this is far from proven science. Most of the evidence is anecdotally based upon the accounts of prominent and trusted paranormal investigators. Many of these investigators and ghost hunters swear that they often notice odd EMF readings in areas of suspected paranormal activity, and that these readings often help to confirm other determining factors.
This is why EMF detectors are so often used by ghost hunters, they are both an audio and data driven way to help determine unexplained activity.
How Ghost Hunters and Paranormal Investigators Use EMF Meters To Detect Ghosts
Remember that use of an EMF meter or detectors is a tool that many believe will help in determining the presence of paranormal activity, but this is not proven. Many in the paranormal community believe that ghosts of any kind are made of energy, and this energy breaks up the electromagnetic fields around them as they move, allowing an EMF meter to determine their presence and location.
Here is how to utilize an EMF meter for detecting ghosts:
1. Calibrate Your EMF Meter
The first thing you should do if possible is to calibrate your EMF meter so you can get accurate readings. This is also important for comparison purposes between readings of the same location.
The easiest way to calibrate your meter is to have a second meter. Place them both on the ground a few feet apart, preferably in an area free from EMF radiation. They should both have similar readings, keep moving them around and adjusting until they read the same.
Some EMF meters might have other ways to calibrate, see the owners manuals for this.
2. Move the Meter Slowly and Intentionally
Many paranormal investigators believe that the EMF meter will need to actually come in contact with the ghost or spirit to get a reading. Start by holding your detector, like the K2 EMF meter, at waist level and out in front of you. Move it slowly side to side, and up and down. Be careful not to jerk the meter, as this will alter it’s ability to get a reading, and make it more difficult to get an accurate reading.
I would then approach something that you know will give off a reading, such as the router in your home. This will help you to understand how the EMF meter will respond in the presence of these fields.
3. Careful Of EMF Sources
Remember that your EMF meter was originally designed to determine EMF radiation, not ghosts. All types of man-made devices emit EMF radiation. These include your cell phone, home router, smart meter, television and much more. When you’re establishing your baseline in the next step, be sure to keep this in mind.
Many ghost hunters film there adventures and investigations on cameras like a GoPro, remember that these cameras will emit their own electromagnetic fields, and be careful not to have them too close to your meter.
4. Determine A Baseline
Once you’ve gotten the hang of moving the the EMF meter in a slow and consistent pattern, and gained an understanding of how it reacts to EMF radiation, it’s time to get a baseline reading. Move around the space you plan to investigate in the manner we talked about above, and take consistent readings throughout. If it is a space you own, like you’re home, try to turn off as many devices as possible. You could even turn off the primary breaker for this to dramatically reduce any EMF exposure in the space.
Once you’ve taken a number of readings in the space, average them all together, and that will be your baseline reading.
5. Look For Spikes of EMF Radiation
Once you have eliminated man-made sources of EMF radiation, and taken a baseline of the area, it’s time to see if there is any likely paranormal activity. Many people believe that ghosts and paranormal beings will register in the range of 2.0 to 7.0 milligauss (mG), but this is only a rough estimate. More importantly, look for unexplained spikes on your EMF meter that are much higher than the baseline we established earlier.
6. Evaluate Your Findings
After you’re done, take a critical look at what happened. Try to think if there could be any other explanation for the spikes in radiation. Factor in other readings that you’ve taken during your investigation and put all the pieces together to determine for yourself if you believe there was a paranormal presence.
Do you believe you found a ghost using your EMF meter? Let me know in the comments!
Downsides Of EMF Detectors For Ghost Hunting
Although EMF meter’s are an extremely popular tool for paranormal activity investigations, they are not without their pitfalls, here are a few downsides of these devices:
- Many EMF meters like the extremely popular K2 or the Trifield 100XE are very sensitive to the man-made EMF radiation they were designed to detect. If there is a nearby cell tower, or you have other electronic equipment on you, it can alter the readings. This is why it is important to reduce these sources and take a baseline like we talked about in the steps above.
- Some meters, like the Trifield 100XE have a physical needle telling you the reading, and is therefore very sensitive to motion and difficult to read while moving.
- EMF meters, for the most part, were not created to measure paranormal activity, but instead were built to measure electromagnetic frequencies. Be sure you are aware of your surroundings when taking measurements.
Alright, now let’s talk about the absolute best EMF meters for ghost hunting, and why I recommend them.
Best EMF Meters For Ghost Hunting
There are many factors that go into selecting the best EMF meter for ghost hunting such as: readability while moving the device, accuracy, simplicity, cost, and much more.
I reviewed each of the following meters and consulted with individuals in the field of paranormal investigation about their opinions in order to come up with the following recommendations.
K2 (K-II) Meter Review (Best Entry Level Ghost Detector)
The K2 EMF meter is extremely popular for paranormal investigations. This is partly because it has been used for a very long time, is simple to use, and requires almost no setup. It is also popular in the paranormal community because it was made famous by the SyFy show “Ghost Hunters.” In the show the TAPS team would regularly use this meter as part of their toolkit in gathering evidence.
One nice thing about the way the guys on the show used the device, is that they were critical of their own findings. Just like we talk about in the instruction above, it’s important when you do see a spike on your meter to try and determine if it could have been EMF radiation from something nearby. The guys would try to disprove their own findings, and if they were unable to, then they took that finding into account.
One of the best things about the K2 for ghost hunting is that it is so simple and easy to use. Although it does come with a set of instructions, it couldn’t be much easier to read. Check out the video below to see a review of the device to get an idea of how it works. Essentially though there is just a set of lights ranging from 0 milligauss (mG) to 20+ mG. If you remember in our guide up above about how to use an EMF meter for ghost hunting, many people say that in an environment with no other EMF radiation, 2-7 or more mG might be a sign of paranormal activity.
A nice feature of having lights instead of a digital display is that it is much easier to read while moving, as well as in the dark. The latest version of the K2 EMF meter has an on/off button that the previous version did not. This is extremely useful as you do not have to hold down the power button while using it, which would often result in false readings.
The K2 EMF meter is the best entry level ghost detector because it is so simple to use, and almost fool-proof to read. It is also extremely exciting as you can be moving it around and easily read the spikes and surges. Many other EMF meter’s are more accurate and offer more features, but are extremely difficult to read while moving, or in the dark.
Where can I buy a K2 EMF Meter?
The best place to pick up the latest version is on Amazon, you can also pick up the previous beige version you see in the video above right here.
Mel Meter 8704R Review (Best Professional Ghost Hunter EMF Meter)
The K-II meter is extremely popular because of it’s low price and ease of use, but many professionals prefer the Mel Meter. In 2008 an electrical engineer named Gary Galka developed the device after his daughter Melissa died in a car accident. Mel-meters claim to be the “only professional measurement instrument line designed exclusively for paranormal enthusiasts.”
You’ll see the Mel Meter used on many ghost hunting reality tv shows like Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures as it is extremely popular with these professionals. Part of the reason it is so popular is it detects more than just electromagnetic fields. The Mel Meter also detects temperatures and will record maximum highs and lows. Many paranormal investigators will leave the meter in an area and come back to look at the maximum EMF exposure and temperature highs/lows the meter detected in order to help determine if a spirit passed by.
The newest version of the Mel Meter 8704R is black, and includes a built in flashlight, so be sure to look out for this newest version.
Check out the video below for a demonstration of how the Mel Meter works.
Why The Mel Meter Is The Best Professional Ghost Hunter Meter
First of all, unlike the K2 meter, the Mel Meter includes a temperature probe that will regularly provide temperature readings, as well as recording highs/lows. Many paranormal investigators will include sudden drops in temperature, cold locations, and sudden blasts of cold air in their findings as possible factors.
The Mel Meter 8704R also includes a red flashlight on top that can be used to see, but will not interfere with the infared cameras that are extremely popular among ghost hunters. The device has a digital display that can be backlight with red to see in the dark and provides constant readings of EMF radiation in terms of milligauss (mG) as well as temperature readings.
Where Can I Buy A Mel Meter?
You can pick up the newest version of Gary Glaka’s Mel Meter on Amazon with a free carrying case included. You can also find the older version as well, but it is far more expensive and offers less features.
The Ghost Meter EMF Sensor (Best Low Cost/Kids Ghost Detector)
I won’t spend much time talking about the Ghost Meter EMF Sensor, as it is just a fun inexpensive or kids EMF meter for ghost hunting. Although it does work, it has a very small range and almost no features. One nice thing about this this EMF meter for ghost hunting is it’s three indicators of EMF emissions. It has a needle display that ranges from 1-5 mG (This is an issue in itself as many anecdotal reports of ghost findings describe ranges far about 5 mG), LED light display, as well as an audio signal.
If you’re out in a cemetery, or at a haunted house with friends, the audio signal makes it extremely fun and exciting. However, you can turn this audio off so it does not interfere with what paranormal investigators call EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon).
Since it is a needle based display, it is much faster to respond to changes in EMF radiation, but you do need to be careful not to swing it too quickly as this can throw off readings.
The device is extremely inexpensive and makes a great gift. You can purchase it on Amazon, it has great reviews.
Trifield 100XE EMF Meter (Most Common EMF Meter)
I don’t want to go too far in depth on the Trifield EMF meter, but there are a few things worth talking about.
Although it was not designed for ghost hunting or paranormal investigations, the Trifield EMF Meter has a fantastic reputation for it’s quality and accuracy. Being a tri-axis meter, it can accurately detect radio frequencies, electric fields, and magnetic fields, and is very popular among EMF specialists as well as paranormal enthusiasts.
It is probably the most purchased, and most popular multi-purpose analog meter on the market. It does have a needle display, so you need to be careful not to swing it too dramatically.
It does have it’s downsides for ghost or spirit hunting specifically. First of all it does not have a lit display, so it is difficult to use at night. It also does not have an LED light display or audio output, you have to rely entirely on the needle display.
Overall the Trifield is a fantastic EMF meter that is very accurate and covers the full spectrum of electromagnetic fields, but is probably not the most ideal pick for the purposes of ghost hunting.
Final Thoughts on the Best Ghost/Spirit EMF Meters and Detectors
Ultimately you’ll just need to pick the EMF meter that best suits your needs and your budget. Some of the meters i recommended were not developed for ghost hunting, but work great for it, and some of the meters like the Mel-meter were developed specifically for it.
I’d encourage you to go to the Amazon listings from the links above, and read through the reviews and the questions. There are hundreds of people just like you trying to decide the best EMF meter, and it can be really helpful to read through people’s thoughts.
The category recommendations I made above are based on my own research and knowledge, and are truly what I believe are the best ghost detectors you can get, but don’t just take my word for it, go out there and research!
I wish you luck on your paranormal investigations, your ghost hunts, and your adventures!