These Thermal Cameras Are A DIY Homeowner's Dream For Spotting Problems And Finding Solutions

Buying a house is stressful for an incalculable number of reasons, especially if you're a first-time homeowner. A proper home inspection can uncover major issues that will either immediately cost you money – or lead to more problems in the future. However, what if you want to spot problems for yourself? In that arena, a product like HSFTOOLS' Finder series thermal imaging cameras will offer the edge you need to find your perfect place.

HSFTOOLS has become well-regarded for its thermal tech. Its HF96 Thermal Imager Camera, which has been awarded a best-selling product on Amazon and received an editor's choice recognition from BuyersGuide. Its tools are good for personal and professional use with a focus on HVAC maintenance, predictive maintenance, and water leakage detection. And now, the Finder S1 and newly announced Finder S2 are devices that link directly to Android smartphones, thus avoiding the hassle of swapping out batteries.

If you're looking for products that are easy to use and provide concrete analysis through an accessible mobile app, HSFTOOLS' Finder series is your golden ticket.

First released in October 2024, the HSFTOOLS Finder S1 is a budget-friendly choice for Android phone users looking to use thermal imaging in their DIY projects or home inspection and maintenance. Retailing for just $119, the Finder S1 can be manually adjusted to cover a thermal range from -4 to 752 degrees Fahrenheit, within a two-percent discrepancy on multiple surfaces: wood, brick, and more. As mentioned, the device does not need batteries, nor does it need to be plugged in to charge; HSFTOOLS' device is a portable camera that plugs directly into your Android phone (or tablet)'s USB-C charger port while consuming low power to ensure long-term use.

Compared to typical digital thermometers, the Finder S1 can identify multiple points of interest, those that are abnormally hot or cold, by creating intuitive, visual thermal maps at 9,216 pixels. HSFTOOLS' associated app also allows users to set notifications that give you a head's up if temperatures cross a particular high or low threshold, making it that much easier to figure out when something is wrong. Any images gleaned by the device can also have its resolution boosted to 720x720, viewable at a 25 Hz frame rate in a broad swath of user-customizable color palettes (and more than a dozen presets if you're too indecisive to pick your own). Add in the ability to adjust your images for settings like sharpness, contrast, and brightness, and it's clear to see how the Finder S1 could add an important tool to your belt for any home project.

If the Finder S1 sounds like a great value proposition but you're still saying to yourself, "I need something with a bit more juice," you're in luck. HSFTOOLS' Finder S2 thermal imaging camera is, broadly speaking, a similar product in terms of its use cases, durability, and accessibility; the S2 can also plug-and-play with all of your Android devices, no need for batteries or overnight charging. Its primary selling point is a higher-resolution camera that's designed with more professional working conditions in mind, and this leap in quality comes with a bit of a jump in price to $199.

The Finder S2's base image resolution is 256x192 compared to the Finder S1's 96x96, and still has access to the same Live Super Resolution image enhancement as its predecessor, allowing you to play with different settings and capture whatever quality is best for a diverse range of scenarios. Though it covers the same -4 to 752 temperature range as the Finder S1 (an ideal range for sensitive engineering gigs), the Finder S2's higher base specs means you can pull down 960x720 resolution thermal video in real-time. HSFTOOLS' laboratory tests suggest the Finder S2 can operate anywhere from six-to-eight hours on a single phone charge, which should be good enough to get you through a full day of work — or even just a day spent figuring out how to make a room warmer during the winter.

Chances are good that you'll like what you see when you see the world through an HSFTOOLS thermal imaging camera, be it the Finder S1 or S2, and the lightweight, detached nature of both devices is wonderfully futuristic. If you're concerned that such a small plug-and-play attachment for your phone might get damaged while doing hard labor around the house or construction site, the developer has you covered there too. Both the Finder S1 and S2 come with a one-year warranty for the device and 10-year warranty for the sensor, just in case.

With a spate of helpful features, a relatively low price tag, and the backing of a company renown for standalone thermal imaging cameras including the HF96, F2W, and P2W product lines, it's easy to see why the HSFTOOLS' Finder Series is worth your attention.