Smart Sensor AS530 Infrared Thermometer In-depth Review

Sold under the Sovarcate brand umbrella and bundled with a meat thermometer, the Smart Sensor AS530 may seem good on the surface. However, our tests have shown that — for the price — this IR sensor isn’t all that good, after all. Its accuracy is among the lowest of all infrared thermometers we’ve tested. The total performance score of the AS530 amounted to a failing score.

We’re also not quite happy about the usability of the thermometer. It notably lacks extra measurement modes, such as averaging, which could make it useful outside of the kitchen, like in the garage.

See our full test report here for more details.

Key Specs

Where to Buy Price at publication $20.07

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Compared to Other Infrared Thermometers

4.8 Performance

Our benchmark gives the Smart Sensor AS530 a failing mark in the performance section. Although it got a passable total score on the hot test with cooking oil (6.17 out of 10), the thermometer got a failing total score on the cold test with ice, with a total score of 2.65 due to its high inaccuracy.

Combining the two tests' total scores, the Smart Sensor has a performance score of 4.8 — lower than our passing threshold of 5.0 out of 10.

You can see the detailed breakdowns below.

8.6 Design

The Smart Sensor AS530’s compactness and light weight make it easy to store and use one-handed. The build is solid, with a textured handle for a secure grip and well-constructed parts. Its laser emitter is exceptionally bright and provides a single-dot pattern, allowing easy tracking even in well-lit environments. The backlit LCD display panel is decent, with a bright backlight for reading in dark conditions, although the viewing angle is limited.

Overall, the build quality is great for the price. Besides the LCD panel's bad viewing angle, we have a few complaints.

5.8 Usability

The Smart Sensor AS530 has received positive feedback from our reviewer with regard to handling. It has an easy-to-grip handle featuring textured indents and a satisfying click trigger. The textured handle allows the thermometer to be easily used, even with wet hands.

However, the device lacks additional measurement modes such as emissivity, average mode, min mode, max mode, calibration, and alarm mode. However, it does come with a speaker that emits a loud beep when transitioning to HOLD mode after completing a scan session.