Soil Meter

I don't have a Ph.D. in chemistry, like some of the other raters, (wish I did) but I do have a B.S. or two, or something like that - I forget. Anyway, the pH meter worked fine for me - right out of the box. In addition to the electronic pH meter, I also ordered pH test strips and tested both with a dilute solution of vinegar and water then baking soda and water. The meter and test strips agree with each other, so for all practical purposes the meter is ball-park calibrated. What people should realize when ordering inexpensive Chinese made products is that the construction and quality control can vary greatly on identical products. You are buying it because it is cheap not good, right? So don't risk buying junk if you are going to be using it every day or for professional work. Also, the little green scotch-brite buffing pad is for removing the thin layer of Aluminum oxide that forms on the probe shaft. I am guessing that the meter is measuring the degree of galvanic action between the probe tip and shaft when immersed in an electrolytic medium, so it must be kept oxide free and clean for the best meter reading. My unit did not lock up as other raters have indicated; it must have something to do with the quality control that I mentioned earlier. I guess I just lucked out with my meter.

Item listing says eligible return period is 30 days and that's not the truth. I've followed the directions, cleaned the probes and added 2 cups of soil + cups of water to a sample. I amended my soil with sodium hydroxide and tested it with strips which show a ph of 8.3 and the meter has never read anything but 7.0. I guess I'll just have to eat the $18. Its the principal of it that's aggravating, if it says I can return it within 30 days why can't I?

There were lots of negative reviews, so I was a bit unsure whether to buy this. The description said that this was a new improved version so I decided to take a chance.My first tests with this meter showed exactly the problem everyone was complaining about. The meter eventually settles to 7.0 on every test. Bummer!Reasoning tells me that the Engineers who designed this must have believed that it works, so what am I doing wrong. After some playing around with the meter I finally understood the problem. There are two things that are needed to get a good reading. The first is that the shaft of the probe must be freshly cleaned. That doesn't mean that you have to clean it before each measurement, only that you have to clean it at the beginning of each session working with it. The second requirement, and this is the big one, is that the soil must be sufficiently wet to make good contact with the probe.The test procedure that I am using now is to insert the probe into the flower pot that I am testing and then slowly pour some RO water into the pot until I get a reading.other than 7.0. Most potting soil is intentionally at a pH below 7.0 so that isn't much of a problem.Okay, so it works. So why did I only give it three stars? Well there are two reasons. The first is that it requires me to water a plant that I don't necessarily want to water in order to get a pH reading. Not a big deal, but not ideal. The second reason, and a more significant on is that the prove is too fat to be useful in small flower pots. In a big pot, no problem. In a 2.5 inch (6.35cm) pot the probe is just too disruptive of the plant's roots.I am reluctant to use the probe on anything smaller than four inches (10cm).When all is taken into account, it does what the manufacturer claims and is suitable for many uses. It just isn't very good for small house plants.

After reading the reviews I was afraid to order it! Way too many 1's and 2's compared to most products. I went out on a limb and ordered. If it didn't work, I'd just use Amazon's amazing return policy!As soon as it came I tested it - I read the directions carefully and then used it ... Oh No, it always reads 7.0!!! Well this is a 4 star review, so please read on. Beside the instructions on how to buff the rod to get an accurate reading and making sure you are testing in moist soil, it says to wait up to a minute for the reading ... well I thought that I was giving it about a minute, but I think it was more like 15 - 30 seconds, because when I actually tried it and timed it, at around 20 - 30 seconds it started to count down a bit and then settled at 6.5 after a minute. I tried it in another area and got 6.4, and in another area 6.5 again!I'm rating it a 4 just because it seems like you should be able to get a reading a bit more quickly, but it does seem to give a correct readying if you just wait the amount of time required.

I’ve tried several PH meters. Some from Amazon, some from eBay, some from big big stores- and this one seems accurate and in line with the common green meter I show in my pictures. The yellow one worked for one day and is now trash. I got this orange Rapid Test meter for $13.20 on Amazon sold by Amazon and I feel that it’s giving me similar results to my green meters that you’ll find at the big box stores (I have 3 of them just to see if they worked and they do) except this Rapid Test one is digital and has a faster reading. The picture with the reading of 4.9 is from my blueberries that I’ve added sulfur over months and the reading with 7.0 is from a pepper plant where I haven’t modified the ph. Works for me so far. If it breaks down in a week or a month- I promise I’ll update my review. I’m all about praising something that works- and if it doesn’t- well- let’s log that too.

I got my meter today. UPS dropped it off. I Just got it out of the package and it looks great. I obviously needed a meter to buy it in the first place. Anyway, I used the meter for the first time and for not having a meter for the first two weeks of growth it seems as if I was doing something right. This meter is so easy to use and so user friendly. I got it just in time. I do not have to worry about my plants now. Thanks Amazon.