How we made this guide: picks, prices and specs come from our catalog and the makers' published specs, owner quotes come from customer reviews on our product pages and every guide is checked and edited by Trevor Hall.
Pick a pinless meter to scan drywall, plaster, tile and subfloors quickly without marking them, and pick a pin meter when you need a percent moisture content in wood or a reading at a known spot. The Tramex ME5 is the pinless-only choice at $600, and the FLIR MR60 Pro puts both methods in one meter for $453.99.
Most restorers and inspectors end up carrying both methods, because they answer different questions. Pinless tells you where to look. Pin tells you how wet a piece of wood is at the spot you pushed the pins in.
Quick answer
Scanning a wall, floor or ceiling to map water damage: pinless. Checking percent moisture in framing, hardwood or a subfloor: pin. Doing both in the field: a meter that takes a pin probe, or a combination meter. Browse every moisture meter we carry.
How each type measures
A pin meter pushes two metal pins into the material and passes a small current between them. It reports a resistance-based reading, and the meter converts that to a percent moisture content using a material setting. FLIR describes the pin side of its MR60 Pro as a resistive measurement, with 11 selectable material groups for pin readings.
A pinless meter rests a flat sensor pad against the surface. Tramex says the ME5 sends a low-frequency signal from electrodes in its base and measures the electrical impedance, which changes with the moisture in the material. The reading covers everything in the zone under the pad down to the depth setting, and it leaves no mark. The FLIR MR77-NIST lists pinless readings up to 0.75 in (19 mm) below the surface.
That difference drives everything else in this guide. Pins give you one point, down to the depth you drive them. A pad gives you a fast sweep of an area. Tramex lists paint, wallpaper, ceramic tile and floor coverings among what the ME5 reads through.
Pin vs pinless at a glance
| Question | Pinless | Pin |
|---|---|---|
| What it measures | A reading through the surface to a set depth, best used as a relative comparison | A reading between the pins, shown as percent moisture content with the right material setting |
| How it reads | Electrical impedance in a zone under the pad | Electrical resistance between two pins |
| Depth | Set by the sensor and the depth setting (ME5: 3/8 in shallow, 1-1/4 in deep; MR77-NIST: up to 0.75 in) | Down to where you drive the pins. Uninsulated pins read along their whole length, so the wettest layer they touch sets the reading. Insulated pins read only at the tips |
| Scale | Often a relative scale for drywall and masonry, a percent scale for wood | Percent moisture content for wood, set by the material group or species |
| Surface damage | None | Two small holes at each test point |
| Speed over an area | Fast: slide the pad and watch the reading | Slow: one test per point |
| Reads through coverings | Yes. Tramex lists paint, wallpaper, ceramic tile and floor coverings for the ME5 | No. The pins must go into the material itself |
| Best materials | Drywall, plaster, tile, roofing and finished floors | Wood, framing, subfloors and trim |
| Wet surface or condensation | Reads high, so wipe the surface and recheck | Uninsulated pins read high from surface water |
| Possible false readings | Dense materials and metal behind the surface can push a reading up, so compare against a dry reference | Surface moisture, conductive coatings or treated wood can skew a reading |
| Corrections | Depth setting and material choice | Wood species or material group, and temperature on some meters |
| Meters here | Tramex ME5, Tramex MEX5, FLIR MR60 Pro, FLIR MR77-NIST | FLIR MR60 Pro (MR02 probe in the box), FLIR MR77-NIST with its external probe, Tramex MEX5 with the HH14TP30B or HA21SP52B |
What pin and pinless readings share
Both are screening tools: a reading tells you where moisture is, not why. Pair any reading with a visual check, a dry comparison reading and a thermal image where you have one. Our guide to thermal imaging for home inspection covers the camera side, and the older moisture meter vs thermal camera post compares the two tools.
Depth: a fixed zone vs the pins
A pinless meter reads a zone. The ME5 offers 3/8 in and 1-1/4 in settings, the MEX5 reads to 0.4 in (10 mm) and 1-1/4 in (30 mm), and the MR60 Pro and MR77-NIST reach 0.75 in. Anything wet inside that zone counts toward the number.
Material, species and temperature settings
Every meter needs the right setting for the material. The MR60 Pro lists 11 material groups for pin readings. Tramex's ME5 page gives a 5 to 30 percent wood scale and a 0 to 100 reference scale for building materials. Pin readings in wood shift with temperature, so use the meter's correction where it has one.
False readings and how to check them
Metal and dense material can raise a pinless reading, and so can a wet surface. A thin board over something wetter inside the pad's depth can also read high. Check against a dry sample of the same material, and confirm a pinless find with a pin reading in wood. Before documented work, check calibration. The MR77-NIST ships NIST calibrated.
Are pinless moisture meters accurate?
Yes, pinless meters work. They are accurate for finding and comparing. A pinless meter is very good at showing that one part of a wall reads higher than the rest, which is what you need to map water damage. It is weaker as a single absolute number on drywall, because the scale depends on the material and the meter setting.
The practical fix is the one inspectors use: take a reading on a dry spot of the same material, then compare. For the numbers, see our moisture meter readings chart, which covers what drywall, wood and concrete readings mean.
Five of the 16 owner reviews on the ME5 product page call it accurate. One reviewer writes:
“Very accurate and very easy to read!”
Tramex ME5 owner · 5 out of 5 stars
A high reading is moisture, not mold. A meter cannot show mold, and a normal reading does not clear a room of it either.
Which meter for which job
| Job | Better start | Why | Meter here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mapping water damage on walls and ceilings | Pinless | Sweep the whole area, mark the edge of the wet zone, no holes | Tramex ME5 |
| Drywall and plaster checks | Pinless | Fast, leaves no marks, compare against a dry sheet of the same material | Tramex ME5 or MR77-NIST |
| Hardwood flooring | Either, ideally both | Pinless surveys the boards with the wood scale and leaves no holes. Pins confirm at depth with the species set | MR60 Pro, or MEX5 with the HH14TP30B |
| Wood subfloor and framing | Pin | Hammer or long pins reach into the wood and give a percent reading | MEX5 with the HA21SP52B |
| Tile and finished floors | Pinless | Reads through the covering without lifting it | Tramex ME5 |
| Concrete slabs | Pinless survey, then RH probe | The meter finds the wet areas, a probe confirms. See how to test concrete moisture | Tramex MEX5 |
| Inspection reports | Both | Scan first, then document with a pin reading where wood is involved | MR60 Pro or MEX5 |
The pinless pick: Tramex ME5
Pinless scanner
Tramex ME5 - Moisture Encounter ME5
$600 · 4.9 from 16 reviews
A dual-depth scanner for drywall, plaster, tile, masonry and wood when you do not want holes.
The ME5 is pinless only. Its two depth settings let you tell a wet surface from moisture deeper in the wall. It weighs 8.4 oz (238 g). It works with the Tramex Meters App for iOS and Android, and it covers wood, drywall, plaster, tile, masonry and roofing membranes.
Owners rate it 4.88 across 16 reviews listed on its product page. Another owner writes:
“Tramex has got the Ideal tool for covering large areas of metering quickly.”
Tramex ME5 owner · 5 out of 5 stars
Pros
- Two depth settings in one pad
- No holes in finished surfaces
- Light enough to scan overhead for a long stretch
Cons
- No pin or humidity probe support
- Readings on drywall are relative, so you need a dry reference
- Analog dial with no backlight: one owner says it is hard to use in the dark, so carry a light or read it on the Tramex Meters App
Skip it if you want one meter that also takes a pin probe. For that, look at the MEX5 or the MR60 Pro below.
The pin-ready pick: Tramex MEX5
Scan plus pin probes
Tramex MEX5 - Moisture Encounter MEX5
$1,020 · 5.0 from 2 reviews
Pinless dual-depth scanning with sockets for external pin and RH probes.
The MEX5 scans like the ME5 and adds more. It is a non-destructive dual-depth meter, shallow to 0.4 in (10 mm) and deep to 1-1/4 in (30 mm) per Tramex's MEX5 user guide, with a wood range listed as 0 to 30 percent. It reads ambient conditions too: relative humidity, temperature, dew point and grains per pound. A built-in infrared thermometer reads surface temperature, and data logging runs through the Tramex Meters App.
Both reviews on file give it 5 stars. A mold assessor writes:
“As a mold assessor I really on my Tramex daily to give me accurate readings .”
Tramex MEX5 owner · 5 out of 5 stars
Pros
- Scanning, pin probes and RH readings in one meter
- Built-in infrared thermometer
- App logging for reports
Cons
- Costs well above the ME5
- Pin probes are sold separately
Skip it if you only scan walls and never need a pin or humidity reading.
Pin probes for the MEX5
The two Tramex probes on our site plug into the MEX5 and CMEX5. Neither works with the ME5, which reads only through the electrodes in its base. Tramex's MEX5 user guide lists pin electrodes as optional plug-ins for the MEX5's probe socket.
Pin probe for wood
Tramex Heavy-duty Pin-type Wood Probe - HH14TP30B
$205
A cabled pin-type probe for wood and wood-based materials on the MEX5 or CMEX5.
Hammer electrode
Tramex Hammer-action pin-type electrode - HA21SP52B
$345
A hammer-action electrode with a heavy-duty handle for structural wood and subfloors.
The HA21SP52B suits deeper checks in structural timber and subfloors. Neither probe has owner reviews yet.
The one-meter pick: FLIR MR60 Pro
Pin and pinless
FLIR MR60 Pro Moisture Meter Pin and Pinless
$453.99
One meter with an integrated pinless sensor and an external pin probe.
The MR60 Pro is the simplest way to own both methods. It has an integrated pinless sensor that reads up to 0.75 in (19 mm) deep and an external MR02 pin probe, which FLIR lists in the box. Extras include a 10 Hz sample rate, a 2.3 in color display, an alarm you can set for high readings and storage for up to 10,000 screenshots and readings, moved to a PC by USB. FLIR's MR60 page lists an IP54 rating and a 3 m (9.8 ft) drop test.
Pros
- Both methods for under $500
- High-moisture alarm and data storage
- Material groups for pin readings
Cons
- No dual-depth pinless setting listed
- No humidity or dew point readings on its spec list
Skip it if you need dual-depth pinless scanning, humidity and dew point readings or a meter that takes Tramex probes.
The pinless and pin pick with NIST calibration: FLIR MR77-NIST
Pinless with calibration
FLIR MR77-NIST 5-in-1 Moisture Meter with METERLiNK Technology and NIST Calibration
$949
Pinless to 0.75 in, an external pin probe option, alarms and an infrared thermometer.
The MR77-NIST reads up to 0.75 in (19 mm) below the surface with its pinless sensor and also takes an external pin probe for pin readings. It adds a field-replaceable temperature and humidity sensor, an infrared thermometer with laser targeting, alarms and Bluetooth with the Teledyne FLIR Tools Mobile App. It ships with NIST calibration, which matters when a report has to stand up to review.
Pros
- NIST calibration for documented work
- Humidity and temperature alongside moisture
- Bluetooth app support
Cons
- Costs more than the ME5 and MR60 Pro
- Pinless depth stops at 0.75 in (19 mm), against 1-1/4 in on the Tramex deep setting
Skip it if all you need is a quick scan, since the ME5 or MR60 Pro costs less.
Side by side
| Meter | Method | Depth | Price | Also reads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tramex ME5 | Pinless only | 3/8 in shallow, 1-1/4 in deep | $600 | App support |
| Tramex MEX5 | Pinless plus pin and RH probes | 0.4 in shallow, 1-1/4 in deep | $1,020 | RH, temperature, dew point, grains per pound, infrared surface temperature |
| FLIR MR60 Pro | Pin and pinless | Pinless up to 0.75 in (19 mm); pin down to where you drive the probe | $453.99 | Alarm, 10,000 stored readings |
| FLIR MR77-NIST | Pinless plus external pin probe | Up to 0.75 in pinless | $949 | Humidity, infrared thermometer, alarms |
How to choose
- Mostly drywall, plaster and tile: choose a pinless scanner such as the ME5, or browse our pinless moisture meters.
- Wood is half the work: choose a meter with pin capability, either a combination meter or one with probe sockets.
- Reports that get reviewed: choose a meter with logging, and NIST calibration where a buyer or insurer asks for it.
- One meter only: the MR60 Pro is the lower-priced pick among the three pin-capable meters here, and FLIR lists its MR02 pin probe in the box.
Brand pages: see all Tramex products or the FLIR range.
Frequently asked questions
What type of moisture meter is most accurate?
It depends on the material. A pin meter gives a percent moisture content in wood at a known depth, and a pinless meter is best at comparing one area with another across drywall, plaster and tile. For most water damage work you use a pinless meter to find the wet area and a pin reading to confirm wood.
What is a normal moisture reading in a house?
There is no single number. Drywall, wood and concrete read on different scales, and a normal reading is what the same material reads in a dry, unaffected room. Our moisture meter readings chart lists typical ranges by material.
Can moisture meters give false readings?
They can. Dense material and metal behind a surface can raise a pinless reading, and conductive coatings or treated wood can affect a pin reading. A dry reference reading and a second method help rule it out.
Will mold show up on a moisture meter?
No. A meter reads moisture, not mold. A high reading shows a wet material that can support mold growth, but only inspection and testing can tell you whether mold is present.
Which moisture meter is best for drywall?
A pinless meter is the usual choice for drywall because it scans fast and leaves the surface alone. Take a reading on a dry piece of the same drywall first, and read wet spots against it. See our best moisture meters guide for more picks.
How do you use a pin moisture meter?
Set the material group or wood species, push the pins in so they sit firmly in the material, read the display and repeat at several spots. Most makers say to line the pins up with the grain, not across it, but follow your meter's manual. Test at more than one depth where the meter allows it.
Carry the right meter for the job
Related guides
- Best Moisture Meters for Water Damage, Drywall and Building Inspection
- Moisture Meter Readings Chart: Normal Levels for Drywall, Wood and Concrete
- How to Test Concrete Moisture Before Flooring: Meter, RH Probes and Calcium Chloride
- Thermal Imaging for Home Inspection: What a Camera Finds and Which One to Buy
