Is the dealnews Office Haunted? We Review Cheap Ghost Hunting Equipment

Published October 27, 2011

Who says you need to spend a lot to get the same kind of results as "real" ghost hunters? In our latest video, we tested out some inexpensive equipment that's purported to find spirits. Here's what you need in your ghost hunting kit:

Ambient Thermometer
The only requirement for this item is that it must be instant-read, and it should re-sample the temperature at short intervals. We tested the Extech 44550 Pocket Humidity / Temperature Pen, and it seemed to work just fine, retaking the room's temperature every five seconds. But at $32.99, it was a bit pricey. Cheaper is the Rosewill 4-Functions Mini Infrared Thermometer for $14.49 with 99 cents for shipping. While it wasn't shipped to us in time for the video, it should work just fine in a ghost hunting capacity.

Flashlight
Honestly, any flashlight will do — as long as it gives off light.

Voice Recorder
There are all kinds of pocket recorders that use tiny tapes and digital storage, but the best way to try and catch an EVP (Electonic Voice Phenomenon) on the cheap is to use your smartphone. Both iTunes and Android marketplaces have several free apps that let you record voice; just do a quick search and dozens will turn up. For this video, we used the PCM Recorder app for Android.

In fact, during our investigation we caught an EVP with it:

EMF Meter
The cheapest Electromagnetic Field Meter we could find was the E.L.F. Zone Gaussmeter sold by GhoSt Augustine via Amazon for $12.95 with free shipping via Amazon Prime. With only three lights, it's a simpler version of a Gaussmeter, but it'll still let you know when you're near a "ghost" (or an unshielded electromagnetic source).

With this equipment, we can almost guarantee you'll catch as many REAL ghosts as those guys on TV do!

GIVEAWAY
Since we've already determined the haunted-ness of our offices, there's not much more we can do with the items we used in the video ... so we're giving them away! Want to win them? In the comments section of this page, just tell us who your favorite ghost of all time is. That's it! Painless! Then, we'll randomly choose one lucky winner* from all the entries to receive the E.L.F. Zone Gaussmeter, Extech Humidity / Temperature Pen, and a pocket flashlight.

^{Of note, due to restrictions on giveaways, we are unable to extend this prize to residents of Florida ... but you guys have Disney World's Haunted Mansion to console you.}

Jeff Somogyi is the dealnews Media Editor. He'll be stubbornly skeptical until the day he becomes a ghost ... and haunts YOU! Read his spirit-writings on Twitter or on his blog. You can also sign up for an email alert for all dealnews features.