As a greenhorn grower in hydroponics, you might not be familiar with pH checking of the plant nutrient or soil. The factors that are common to you are mainly lighting and ventilation.
Nonetheless, the pH is a factor that directly affects the growth of the plants, and so you should have a hydroponic pH test kit handy. As an expert grower using hydroponic system, you should acquaint yourself with the usefulness of the pH meter both in your field and in other areas.
PH test kit for soil or liquid nutrientis also essential for beer brewers and artificial pond lovers to test the quality of nutrients present. Since there are various types of pH meters and modelsused for checking soil and water quality, getting one will be difficult.
In this article, we have provided the best pH meters for hydroponics. The selected modelswork great to show the actual pH value and nutrient quality when used in cultured hydroponics plants.

Contents
Reviews of the Top 5 Best pH Meter for Hydroponics
1. KoolaMo Digital PH Meter 0.01 PH
KoolaMo Digital PH Meter helps to know the correct pH value in your hydroponics system. It ensures that the water has the best pH balance and is safe for all kinds of plants and species of flowers.
The tester has a delicate electrode sensor with high sensitivity to detect certain pH levels in the solution. This hydroponic pH test kitcomes with an elaborate manual to enable you to read and interpret the readings.
The manual comes in handy when trying to get the best, accurate, and stable reading of the solution. The calibration of this tool is straight forward as you can perform this task using a one-press button with buffer powder.
This calibration works great due to the auto temperature compensation feature of the hydroponic pH kit. This feature helps the meter to adjust to water temperatures and quality to deliver accurate pH levels.
You don’t have to bother about checking the temperature of the liquid or solution as the pH meter has an automatic temperature testing feature. The kit has a built-in ATC that helps you take the pH reading of any solution irrespective of the temperature.
This statement implies that you can check the pH of a hydroponics solution that has a temperature range of 0-80°C (32°F -176°F). This model is versatile and works great for various testing situations. The exciting part is that it is also the best cheap pH meter you can get for your hydroponics systems.
It’s not just for hydroponics systems only, but also a PH meter for home or lab testing. It can test the water quality of swimming pools, artificial fish ponds or aquariums, Ro systems, and Spa. It guarantees a wide range of usage, giving out accurate results always.
Despite the auto-calibration tag, this hydroponic pH test kitneeds recalibration before use. It requires calibration using distilled water to give accurate results. Additionally, the calibration is for one-time use, which entails that it requires frequent calibrations for the usage, which is very tiring.
- High quality and very durable
- A reliable and quick reading
- Measures and displays simultaneously through LCD
- User friendly, just remove the cap, insert, turn on and read
- Pocket-sized, very portable
- It is not auto-calibrated
- Requires frequent calibrations for usage in different conditions
- Seems to read inaccurately constantly
- Makes pH testing harder
2. Bluelab Combo Meter Plus
If you are looking for an efficient hydroponic ph test kit to determine the pH value in your indoor garden, you should consider the Blue Lab Combo Plus. This model which has a dimension measuring at 8.7 x 4.7 x 3 inches can fit perfectly into the palm of your hand. Thanks to its slim cables, you can also perform tests at any location, which makes it look like the best pH meter for hydroponics.
Well, this meter offers three separate readings of detailed information. Apart from it work great to check soil, you can use this product to check for the nutrient, and temperature levels of the plant root zone area.
The best part is that first-timers will find this Meter plus model easy to use. The reason is that it has a good readable backlit display that ensures a quick read in any environment. After purchase, if you feel confused while using this model, you can use its provided owner’s manual to guide you.
However, considering other best pH meter for hydroponics on our list, this model is quite on the expensive side. Also, the cable is too long for indoor use. It also requires extra care and maintenance.
Overall, if you are ignore these minor issues mentioned above, it stands as the best PH meter due it impressive features.
- Palm-sized, easy to move around
- Has a bold and well-lit display for easy reading
- Offers readings for three different factors – pH, nutrient and temperature level
- Company supplies the unit with a manual
- You will have to spend extra cash on batteries
- Costs more than most types of pH meters on the market
- It requires regular care and maintenance
3. Dr. Meter 0.01 Resolution High Accuracy Pocket Size PH Meter
Dr. Meter 0.01 Resolution High Accuracy Pocket Size PH Meter features a one-touch calibration button for easy calibration. This button helps you calibrate the test kit in three-point calibration methods and other simple procedures.
This hydroponics pH test kitautomatically detects the calibration fluid and supplies the pH reading of the solution very fast. It helps you get the testing job done in a flash with readily available pH values. It doesn’t reduce the accuracy of the solution because of its temperature as it comes with a feature that prevents it.
The automatic temperature compensation ATC feature helps the meter to solve problems caused by temperature fluctuations. The change in temperature of the liquid or solution cannot affect the reading of the meter, making the values more accurate.
Dr. Meter 0.01 Pocket Size PH Meter is among the few test kits with the first response and premium accuracy feature.The package keeps you updated on the condition of your solution. Considering this feature, this makes it one of the best pH meters for hydroponicson the market.
The Dr. meter tester kit has an exquisite design that combines a high-quality algorithm chip and a high accuracy electrode to provide inch-perfect values. This model offers great benefits to the grower very quickly to help in decision makings that will benefit the plants.
It is the best choice for testing the quality of the solution. Dr. Meter 0.01 Resolution High Accuracy Pocket Size PH Meter got you covered on all testing conditions. With features that make exact pH values readily available with too notch precision, this tool is suitable for all occasions. You can use this hydroponics pH kitfor household and teaching purposes.
The only let down of this fantastic water quality test kit is that it’s difficult to set up. The settings and part of the calibration may give you a hard time to set up.
Considering its sleek pointed mouth, it is the best ph pen for hydroponics testing as it can penetrate deep down into the liquid nutrients.
- Solidly built and designed for long-lasting use
- Versatile use which includes for pools, aquarium, Spa, food, wine, and hydroponics
- Doubles as a thermometer for temperature testing
- Features highly exact values with an inch-perfect precision
- Quite pricey
- Difficult setup procedures
4. Pancellent Water Quality Test Meter Pancellent TDS PH
This model looks more like a felt tip marker, which makes most users regard as a pH pen for hydroponics. This pH meter measures 7.9 x 4.3 x 1.6 inches and weighs 3.2 ounces, which makes it is comfortable to carry on your palm or pocket.
But don’t underrate this product because of its small size. Apart from taking readings in a hydroponic garden, you can use it to check the pH level of drinking water, food, photographic fluid, and other materials.
Professional and amateur growers can work with this hydroponic ph test kit because of its easy to use features. For example, there’s no need to use a screwdriver to calibrate this tool. Instead, it has an auto feature that handles this task nicely, and it offers auto on/off function.
This model deserves our list of the best pH meter for hydroponics due to the accurate results it provides when used for testing. The best part is that it gives readings within five seconds of carrying out the tests. If you are looking for the best cheap pH meter, you should consider this model as it cost less than $30.
However, after prolonged uses, the unit offers poor readings. It also has fragile parts that cannot withstand rigorous usage.
- It provides precise results quickly
- Auto on/ off functions makes it easy to us
- Quite affordable, perfect for indoor gardening
- Parts tend to break easily
- Loses accuracy within a short period
5. Sonkir Soil PH Meter
Sonkir Soil pH Meter is a universal soil water and light tester. It is handy in finding out the quantity of soil moisture, pH value, and level of sunlight in the soil. It works great for soil testing and any other media might yield unreliable results. The kit works well when moistened, which means the user will need to water the plant before using this pH meter.
The kit comes with advanced double-needle technology for detecting various parameters. This technology enhances the speedy and accurate detection of pH values. Aside hydroponic system, if you’re looking for the best soil ph meterto check soil acidity, and alkalinity, consider this model.
It gives you accurate information about your growth medium to enable you to carry out necessary actions for optimum plant growth. It features a secure usage protocol and set up to help eliminate the challenges of most pH test kits.
Sonkir soil pH meter functions without the help of batteries or electricity, enabling a more comfortable function procedure. All you need to do is to insert into the soil at a four-inch depth to commence the testing procedure. Then, toggle the switch of this ppm and pH tester for moisture, pH, and sunlight testing.
The exquisite design pH meter is suitable for both outdoor and indoor use. Since it is portable and very light, you can use Sonkir soil Ph meter to test for the three parameters in outdoor gardens, vegetable farms, and lawns.
One of the major demerits of this tool is the inability to use it in a strict hydroponics system as it is a soul pH test kit. You cannot determine the pH of the solution with this tool. However, it helps you to control the pH value in your soil and ascertain if your plants are getting enough sunshine.
- It doesn’t need batteries to work
- It’s effortless to use
- Accurate and reliable soil pH values
- Doesn’t detect pH of solution in hydroponics systems
- Needles are fragile and may break in the soil
Wrap Up
Getting the best pH meter for hydroponics may present some challenges if you’re a beginner in the field. However, the good news is that we have done all the research for you and have come up with an easy read review. The models listed above are portable, durable, and offers high accuracy. Our top pick is the Dr. Meter 0.01 Pocket Size PH Meter for its dual-purpose function and high accuracy pH values. It also features an ATC function, which means that the temperature of the growing medium doesn’t affect the pH readings.