This Android camera accessory helped me spot a hidden electrical hazard just in time

## Summary
Close Home Tech Smartphones Mobile Accessories This Android camera accessory helped me spot a hidden electrical hazard just in time The Thermal Master P4 plugs into your Android phone and can help prevent disasters. ZDNET RECOMMENDS Thermal Master P4 thermal camera for Android A pro-grade, dual-lens thermal camera for Android smartphones with a great thermal range and high accuracy. details View at Amazon Thermal cameras are super useful Regular readers will know I'm a big fan of thermal cameras , whether it's the built-in ones on smartphones or the plug-in add-ons that turn your phone into a powerful heat-detecting device . Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET A thermal camera isn't just another gadget that'll languish at the bottom of your toolbox. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET The P4 stands out from many other smartphone thermal cameras because it features a dual-camera system, one thermal and one visible.

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This Android camera accessory helped me spot a hidden electrical hazard just in time
The Thermal Master P4 plugs into your Android phone and can help prevent disasters. Here's how.
Written by
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes,
Senior Contributing Editor
Senior Contributing Editor
April 1, 2026 at 7:49 a.m. PT
Thermal Master P4 thermal camera
4
/ 5
Very good
pros and cons
Pros
This camera delivers fantastic image quality.
It is highly accurate and offers many customization options.
The app is rock-solid and is a must-have for professionals.
Cons
The price is high.
There is no support for iPhone.
$450 at Amazon
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Picture the scene. You're called into a bustling commercial kitchen to investigate a "strange, plastic burning smell." The owners have already searched high and low but found nothing, so they bring you in for a second opinion. You conduct a thorough visual inspection, scanning every corner. Still nothing, yet the smell is unmistakable.
It's the kind of acrid smell that screams toxicity and danger. The smell is coming from under one of the counters, from a tight, awkward space that's nearly impossible to access without dismantling everything.
Also:
3 tiny gadgets I trust to block electrical surges, data-stealing software, and more
This is the situation I found myself in the other day. I crouched down, sniffed the air, and yeah, the acrid smell was definitely coming from near there somewhere. But I couldn't see or reach anything. And if I wanted to dig deeper, I'd have to start tearing apart the counter, which would take time and create a big disturbance.
That's when I pulled out my secret weapon. My
Thermal Master P4 thermal camera
for
Android smartphones
.
A quick scan, and, clear as day on the screen, I saw a glowing hotspot -- a plug just out of sight, blasting out heat. That plug was seriously overheating, and I was shocked it hadn't already failed. I was too caught up in the moment to snap a thermal image, but trust me, it was hot.
That plug was toast.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Problem detected. Disaster averted.
ZDNET RECOMMENDS
Thermal Master P4 thermal camera for Android
A pro-grade, dual-lens thermal camera for Android smartphones with a great thermal range and high accuracy.
details
View at Amazon
Thermal cameras are super useful
Regular readers will know
I'm a big fan of thermal cameras
, whether it's
the built-in ones on smartphones
or the
plug-in add-ons that turn your phone into a powerful heat-detecting device
.
Also:
The best $5 I've spent this year is on these breakaway USB-C connectors that overdeliver
Whenever someone asks me why I need a thermal camera, I'm ready to rattle off a dozen use cases that make it one of the most versatile tools you can own. Here's a quick list of some of the things that I've done with my thermal cameras this year:
Home maintenance
: Detect heat loss, insulation gaps, or air leaks around windows and doors.
Electrical troubleshooting
: Spot overheating circuits, faulty wiring, or overloaded breakers before they become really dangerous.
Automotive repairs
: Diagnose overheating engines, brakes, or other car components.
Search and rescue
: Locate pets or people in dark or hard-to-reach spaces, like the time I found a cat trapped in a derelict building.
Thermal cameras are also great for taking un

---

## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- Not everyone who can benefit from a thermal camera needs a $400 device.

### Areas for Consideration
- Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET Problem detected.
- Also: I cracked open cheap charging gadgets from Temu - and it was worse than I expected I own quite a few standalone thermal cameras, but there's one big problem: almost every time you need to use one, it needs charging.

### Implications
- When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.
- When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions.
- This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay.
- If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers thermal, camera, zdnet topics. Notable strengths include discussion of thermal. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 1645.