Someone recently loaned me their Bushnell 800 Compact to try, and I really liked it. I see that Cabelas sells them for $269, although I suspect you could find one cheaper elsewhere. My concerns are portability and common batteries, like AA or AAA. I would not buy one that requires me to carry special photo batteries or lithium batteries because I like battery compatibility with other gadgets when out in the woods.
Beware of maximum distance claims, at least on this Bushnell. Expect much less than rated claims, especially for non-reflective distances. Don't try to push the envelope, or you may be disapointed. The Bushnell I tried is cataloged for 800 yards non-reflective, and I was getting good readings only out to about 475 non-reflective. I also found that clutter really affected readings, even in the distance mode.