10 Best

Soil Meters

of June 2023

  1. 7.9 Reviews
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    8.9 popularity
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  2. Product Highlights
    • 🌱[upgraded single-probe desing] with more durable single probe, it can help you gain a complete understanding of your plants, and reducing damage when you plug the soil tester into plant roots soil.
    • 🌱 [plant moisture meter testing range] light meter for plants range: (low-, low, low+, nor-,nor, nor+,hgh, hgh-,hgh+) plant moisture meter range: (dry+, dry, nor, wet, wet+). soil ph tester range: 3.5-6.5(low), 7.0(neutral), 7.5-9.0(alkaline). you can also use it as a soil thermometer to measure the temperature of the soil.
    • No worry 30 days refund and 100% replace new 365 days warranty guarantee.
    • 🌱[4 in 1 soil moisture meter guarantee] we upgraded soil meter with a larger display for easy reading of values for you. you only needs one to measure soil moisture, ph, temperature, and light conditions. suitable for people of different ages in the family. guarantee - 100% replace new for the damaged item! if you ever feel your soil meter isn’t functioning properly, yo...
    • 👌[3 steps use moisture meter for house plants] 1. simply insert the soil tester probe into the soil to a depth of 4 inches or more. 2. switch function keys to moisture, sunlight, or ph. 3. read measured levels of the soil. (avoid blocking the light sensor.)
    • 🌻[4 in 1 soil moisture meter + soil ph meter +light meter + soil temperature meter+battery] when you need the soil meter? 🌱if you're a garden enthusiast and would like to know more about your plants need to thrive. 🌱 when your plants grow slowly. 🌱when the plants looks unhealthy.
  3. Product Highlights
    • The accuracy you’d expect from a soil tester. when your plants experience slow growth, it’s time to test your soil. due to the double-needle detection technology, our soil moisture meter defines if you sustain the right moisture level for your plants. the unit also shows the of your ph soil and the level of sunlight your plants get, so you could make adjustments using o...
    • Applicable both indoors and outdoors. does your indoor gardenia plant fail to bloom? has your monstera never grown since you brought it home from the garden center? is your flowerbed fading and doesn’t look as vibrant as your neighbor’s garden? does your lawn look like a brown carpet? do veggies in your greenhouse look like tiny wrinkled creates? it’s time to run a soil...
    • One device, three functions. if you’re a garden enthusiast and would like to be in the know of what your plants need to thrive, this soil ph meter is a must for you. no more around or relying on your green thumb. with this in-ground ph, moisture and light soil tester you’ll find out whether your plants need water or not. you’ll also measure the ph of your soil and the s...
    • No special skills required. this plant moisture meter solves a myriad of gardening questions in one appliance. no batteries are required, you just put the sensor probe into the soil for around 2-4 inches and use the switch to either measure moisture, light, or ph levels. that’s all you’ve got to do from your side. getting a quick soil profile has never been easier.
    • Quick results for quick actions. if you are into gardening, you know that every hour counts. if you can’t afford to take soil samples and to wait for a full report for 3-5 days to take actions towards fading plants, make use of this light, moisture, and soil ph meter. using this soil probe unit, you’ll get the soil profile in around 10 minutes so you could bring your ve...
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A Guide to Purchasing a Soil Meter

Yehudah Posnick

Whether you have a lawn, garden, or just some potted plants in your home, it’s a good idea to monitor their growing conditions on a regular basis. You’ll of course want to make sure that you water your plants sufficiently. Too much water can be as injurious as too little water. And if you’re dealing with houseplants, you may forget whether you watered the plants recently. Also, the pH level of your soil is important: certain plants need slightly alkaline soil, while others need slightly acidic soil. An accurate soil meter is a neat device that can help you keep track of all of these variables, for healthy, robust plants.

We’ll examine the products in the Best Reviews Guide’s list of the best soil meters. Many of them are capable of taking readings of moisture and pH without any batteries, while some have a battery-powered LCD readout that you can see even in poor lighting conditions. And most of them are small and portable so that you can make measurements in several areas of your lawn or yard, or check your potted plants one by one. Let’s examine the options!

FAQ

What types of soil meters are there?

People use soil meters for measuring the amount of moisture in the soil, or for measuring the pH of the soil, the amount of light the plant receives, and soil temperature. All of these pieces of data should be matched to the variety of plants that you’re growing.

How does a soil meter measure moisture levels without using electricity?

Many of the soil meters are able to measure temperature, pH, and moisture levels without any batteries. Well, a thermometer also works without batteries, so that’s not so unusual. But, to measure moisture, a soil meter has a probe made of two metals that act like the plus and minus terminals of a battery. When you put the probe into moist soil, a current develops between the two metals, making the needle on the probe move. The more it moves, the more moisture the soil contains. This is also the reason why you shouldn’t place the soil meter probe in water or any other liquid, or leave it in the soil for too long. It will “use up” the property of the two metals to create a current when placed in a conducting liquid.

Types of Soil Meters

You can find soil meters that can measure up to four different parameters:

  • Moisture: These will tell you if the soil is dry, moist, or wet. It’s intended for plants that are sensitive to over- or under-watering. An example is the Gouevn Soil Moisture Meter. You insert the probe about 3-5 inches into the soil, to the level of the plant’s roots. It gives a reading practically as soon as you insert the probe. It comes with a list of 200 plants, and which moisture level is ideal for each plant.

Gouevn Soil Moisture Meter with a list of plants

  • Moisture and pH level: You can also find soil meters that measure two parameters: moisture level and the pH of the soil. Some plants grow best in acidic conditions, while others need soil to be slightly alkaline. An example is the Kensizer Soil Tester.

Kensizer Soil Tester

  • Moisture, pH, and Light: There are also soil meters that measure moisture, pH, and light, such as the Vivosun Soil Tester. It has a switch to allow you to toggle between the different parameters.

Vivosun Soil Tester

  • Moisture, pH, Light, and Temperature: You can also find soil meters that measure temperature as well. An example is the Vodeson 4-in-1 Soil Moisture Meter. It gives you readings in as little as 10 seconds. It requires 4 “AAA” batteries. But it also has an LCD screen that you can read even when the lighting is weak. (It comes with 20 colored plastic plant labels.)

Vodeson 4-in-1 Soil Moisture Meter

What reviewers say

Here are some impressions of customers regarding their choice of soil meter:

  • Don’t leave it in the soil forever: As we mentioned above, don’t leave the soil meter in the ground too long. The metals in the probe act like a mild battery, creating a current when put in contact with moisture. Leaving the probe in the soil would be like short-circuiting a battery: it will “use up” all of its potential energy more quickly.

  • Testing the meter: Some people try to test the moisture meter by putting the unit in water. The manufacturers explicitly say not to do this! Instead, place the probe in dry peat moss or potting soil, and take a reading. Then add some water to the soil, and check for a difference. That will verify if the meter is indeed working properly.

  • Helps to know if the soil is really dry: A person who was growing cactus was always wondering if they needed watering, especially when the soil seems to be dry. The soil meter helped verify that the cactus indeed had water near its roots.

Important Features

Here are some tips and important features to look for when selecting a soil meter:

  • Helps you diagnose plant problems: If your lawn has brown spots, a good soil meter can help you diagnose the problem. You can easily check a few spots on your lawn, measuring light, pH, water, or temperature. That can help you pinpoint what’s causing the problem.

  • Take an average of the readings: It’s recommended to take a number of readings, and then average the results. This is especially true when assessing the watering of a lawn, or around a tree.

  • Time to get a readout: Take note of how long your soil meter needs to be in the soil to get an accurate reading. Some can give a reading in seconds, while others require leaving the probe in the soil for 5-10 minutes.

  • Avoid corrosion: For the soil meter to work properly, it’s important that the metal remains clean. You shouldn’t touch the probe with your fingers, because the oils on your skin can interfere with the meter’s functioning. Also, you should clean the probe after every use. And the manufacturers warn not to leave the probe in the soil for too long. It can cause the metal probe to corrode, also interfering with its ability to do an accurate reading.

  • Care when inserting the probe: The makers of these soil meters recommend being careful when inserting the probe into the soil. Make sure that the ground isn’t too hard. If it is, you should wet the soil first, wait for a half-hour, and then insert the probe. Also, make sure that you don’t hit any rocks when inserting the probe.

Final Verdict

We went through some of the properties of soil meters, and their ability to measure moisture, pH, temperature, and even light, depending on the product. One thing is for sure: it can help take away a lot of the guesswork when taking care of potted plants or a lawn! You’ll know exactly what your plants need–whether it’s water, light, or a more acidic or alkaline soil–in a matter of minutes!

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