Today, you might find the need to record a few conversations, business meetings, conferences and the like. One easy way to do this is to use a spy voice recorder which is a small device that you can use to record important audio while being discreet about it. The best spy voice recorder should have a long battery life, good memory capacity, and clear audio recording capabilities.
Below are a few of the best options in the market. If you are looking for something more specific, a detailed buyer’s guide is at the end.
Our overall pick is Hidden Voice Recorder as it easily fits into your palm.
We have also listed the best spy cameras and spy pens. Check them out.
Quick Summary: Top 3 Best Spy Voice Recorder of 2020
Our professional editors pick and rate these products specifically for each category and recommend the best product we can. We may receive a commission from affiliated links
Best Overall: Hidden Voice Recorder
This small device is a cool piece of tech that you can easily fit into the palm of your hand with its 65x25x12mm size.
This small device is a cool piece of tech that you can easily fit into the palm of your hand with its 65x25x12mm size.
The thin design of this voice recorder makes it easily unnoticeable.
Best Features: Hfuer Mini Voice Activated Recorder
This mini voice recorder is packed with a number of features.
This mini voice recorder is packed with a number of features.
Our Reviews
This small device is a cool piece of tech that you can easily fit into the palm of your hand with its 65x25x12mm size. It is a nifty device with an extra-long battery life capable of standing by for up to 200 days. When used for recording, you can also record up to 600 hours. However, inserting a large 32gb or 64gb memory card is advised to ensure that all your recordings are installed. Another way to maximize recording is to plug in the device via a standard USB cable to your desktop or laptop. (1)
This spy recorder is a good size for convenience because its dimensions make it very easy to hide in a pocket or just hold on to. The microphone spans the entire height of the unit so it is able to capture good sounds as long as this area is not covered. A point of convenience is the rope hole which allows users to attach a chain to make it easier to carry the device around.
Using this spy voice recorder is quite easy as well. There is a simple on and off button which automatically starts or stops recording. Unfortunately, there are no LED indicator lights to let users know if it is recording or not. But as long as you keep track of how you use it, the on/off recording is easy to manage.
Pros
Cons
The thin design of this voice recorder makes it easily unnoticeable. The thin design of the device allows users to easily slide the recorder into folders, envelopes, or keep it hidden in a number of other places. Its 1.65x0.7x0.35 inch dimensions put its size near to that of a paper clip. However, the small recorder is an effective spy gadget.
Its 110maH battery is capable of supporting up to 20 hours of recording time. Recorded files are automatically stored into this device’s built-in memory. Audio files are recorded at a 128 Kbps[ quality and stored in a WAV format to maximize this space. You can easily retrieve files by using a USB data cable to connect the recorder to a PC. It is compatible with either Windows or Mac systems. All files will also retain a timestamp to make it easier to identify when recordings were made.
The device relies on a small button that is placed right at the front of the unit. There is a small red dot on top of the button. However, this is not an LED indicator light. Using this spy voice recorder is simple with the one-touch operation. You just need to press the button to get it to start recording. The lack of an indicator light might be a problem for some people since there is no way to identify whether it is recording or not. But, without an LED light, you can also record better in secret. (2)
Pros
Cons
Product Reviews:
"I highly recommend this. We started to send our 1 and 2 year old daughters to a new sitter and noticed after a few weeks our 1 year old wasn't acting right. So we purchased this recorder and placed it inside my older daughter's hair bow. Thankfully we did because you can hear the sitter, as clear as day , both physically and emotionally abusing my 1 year old."
This mini voice recorder is packed with a number of features. Aside from its portable design, the device has a built-in memory of 32GB, long-lasting battery life, automatic time stamp system, segmented recording, noise reduction, and an AVR mode.
With its huge built-in storage, the device can easily store up to 2400 hours of recording stored as 32kbps files. These files are automatically saved with a timestamp of the date and specific time when the audio was recorded. Audio recordings on this device are also quite clear as it has the added pulse control noise reduction feature. The microphone on this unit is identified as being highly sensitive with a recording capability of more than 50 feet. However, audie more than 20ft away must be loud and clear in order to get a good recording.
This spy voice recorder also has an activated recording system that automatically starts recording when a sound is heard. Manually turning the recording on/off is done with the simple button that is placed at one end of the unit.
Pros
Cons
Product Reviews:
"This voice recorder is awesome! This is a really handy size. It works as expected. It's so easy to use! Just one button to start and stop recording, right there in front of you! The recording is clear with low noise. What’s surprise me most is its long battery life. I’ve use it for a week after fully charged. And it’s has a great amount of memory-32GB. I guess it can store many."
Things To Consider Before Buying a Spy Voice Recorder
A good spy gadget to have is a voice recorder. While we don’t recommend using it to record personal conversations, it can be a useful device to use during business meetings, conferences, class lectures and other activities where you might need to review discussions later on.
There are many types of voice recorders, with the spy voice recorders being merely a subset characterized by the compact and portable design which makes it easy to hide away from view. However, when choosing the best spy voice recorder, there are actually a lot of different options that are now available. While the ones above are some of the best, here are just a few things you need to know before buying a spy voice recorder.
The main point to consider before your purchase is the quality of the spy voice recorder. While you may not be able to distinguish between a good quality product from a low-quality gadget that easily, looking at the build and design are two of the things that you need to look at in terms of external appearance. Other things to consider are definitely the memory capacity and battery life of the device. Many spy voice recorders rely on the built-in memory.
However, there are a few that need a memory card put in. Whichever your option, getting a spy recorder with at least 8GB memory is one way to avoid having to constantly back up your files. On the other hand, long battery life is another must-have if you want to be able to record whenever.
Our Top Pick Again
This small device is a cool piece of tech that you can easily fit into the palm of your hand with its 65x25x12mm size. It is a nifty device with an extra long battery life capable of standing by for up to 200 days. When used for recording, you can also record up to 600 hours.
Resources
(1) USB cable – https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/understanding-usb-cable-types-one-use/
(2) LED – https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/led.htm
(2) LED – https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/led.htm
I’ve tried nanoREC Small Voice Recorder, it works but I might check the other two you’ve listed here so I can compare. Thank you for this list!