Customer Reviews

Bond 9629 3-Way Garden Soil Meter (Moisture, Light, pH)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

pH: I'm a biochemistry major at UMaine and I've often used high-end pH meters, which require very sensitive electrodes. This just uses two metal prongs, but I've found it to be accurate enough for soil testing.

light: the light meter on mine must be broken or I'm not using it correctly - perhaps I need to use it in direct sunlight because it's not registering much under my UV grow lights. That said, light intensity is something that doesn't usually require a meter to figure out. You can usually get a good estimate just by looking or reading local forecasts for your region.

moisture: the key with these meters is that they have to pass an electric current between the electrodes (the prongs) and pure water or even tap water from the faucet doesn't usually contain enough ions to conduct a strong current. You would probably not get any reaction from one of these types of meters by placing the prongs under a source of running water. If you pour a cup of water and place the prongs in there, that will probably show up on the meter. However, what it really needs is the ions contained in the soil to propagate a strong current and therefore an accurate reading (just for fun, add salt to your cup of water and then see the needle max out - the salt forms ions in the water). I've been using this meter in soil tests and it very accurately reads the moisture level.

Works great. My only problem is that the meter doesn't face up, making it easier to read. Shipped on time.

this produt does a good job for what it was designed for the ph meter is not the greatest if u need presise ph measure this is not for u but moisture and light readings are very good

I bought it for the pH readings. I don't need help with light and moisture. Either mine was broken from the beginning or it just doesn't work. It gives me the same reading for everything. I was stumped for a long time as to why my garden went from very acidic to moderately alkaline. It really hadn't.

As some other reviewers have mentioned, the item that showed up at my doorstep has 2 prongs, not 1 as pictured. This means you need to apply a little more force to get it into drier or clayey soil, but for me it's no big deal.

I can't comment on the pH or light meter, as I don't use those features.

So far it's been accurate and responsive, and for less than $9 much cheaper than other moisture meters. On mine, the needle pegs all the way to the right when I put it in a glass of tap water.

Well built product. The light meter was an added plus. Much more economical than the one offered at the local garden store.

The unit has two probes that spread apart not one and one of them had the end come off the first time I used it.
I have now bought a higher priced unit that will last more than one time. Not worth the time and energy to contact seller, just chack it up to a cheap item.

Thank goodness for a good return policy at AMAZON for the product did not work well at all on the Ph setting. The light and moisture level seemed to work much better but the needle never oved from its restign position for Ph. Woudl not reccomend at all.

Let me start this review with saying this meter is under ten dollars. The Light meter and moisture meter seem to work good but the ph has got to be off by a point or more. I tested my soil a bunch of times and all it says about a 7.5 but then I used ph strips and I get about a 6-6.5. So Its off by a point or so. I would suggest that anyone who orders a cheap meter like this orders some test strips too.

I had pretty low expectations for this device, but it actually taught me a thing or two. The light sensor is by far the most useful feature. Using it I was able to place my plants at an optimal distance from the light sources for their needs, without having to guess. The pH sensor is nowhere near as precise as you would need for careful control of soil acidity, but I had some success in confirming that it actually worked. I tested it in a couple containers that I know have pH issues and it actually moved the pin to the red, while using it in healthy soil always had the pin in the green. Not scientific, but it might help you quickly figure out whats going on with the pH. Light setting is 7/10th of this products usefulness, and pH the left over 3/10th. I can't think of anyway that the moisture setting could help... it seemed like I to practically dip the thing in water to get any movement.