Customer Reviews

Luster Leaf 1601 Rapitest Soil Test Kit

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I just purchased this kit recently and tested my soil. I had tried an electronic one (a different brand) and I was not able to get a good reading - waste of $20. This kit worked great. It was simple to use and seems to be very accurate. I would have given it 5 stars except for the one comment the previous reviewer mentioned. You have to be very careful about empying the capsules into the tester. It's not the easiest thing to do, but not really that big a deal. I didn't really have a problem reading the results as long as you get it in the right light. For the price, a very goed product that I highly recommend.

The instructions are somewhat involved for this tester. However, it is far cheaper than sending 10 samples to a lab for processing. You do need to allow up to 24 hours for your samples to settle after mixing with water; "Rapid" is in comparison to sending the samples to a lab. The actual tests of the water samples is completed in 10 minutes. My only, rather minor, complaint is that the blue dye (Phosphorus test) tended to adhere to the plastic test capsule, requiring a bit of cleaning with toweling between each test.

This test showed that our soil was slightly acidic, but completely deficient in all three nutrients more than once. After amending appropriately and still having issues, I decided to send in soil samples to a soils lab. Their findings were much different than this test showed. Nitrogen was ok. The potassium levels were at an excessive level (nearing toxicity to plants) and the phosphorus levels were very high. The pH was also alkaline, not acidic. After getting the lab results I tried running this test kit again only to find I was getting the same wrong results that it had always given me. I recommend having a professional lab do your testing if you have any problems in your garden at least once a year. It will let you know exactly what's going on and give you correct information and recommendations on how to mitigate the problems.

There is a problem trying to remove the powder from the capsules, They 2 halves of the capsule stick together and if you pull too hard the powder goes all over the place. Also, the color differences are subtle sometimes.

1) Yes, the capsule life can be extended by ensuring you re-seal the ziplock-style bag they come in. Moisture in the air will shorten the capsule life. Close each bag as soon as you remove the capsule you plan to use. Do not allow any moisture to get into the bag, such as with wet fingers.

2) The test capsules do have a shelf-life. I replace my capsules every two years. Replacement capsules are available from the manufacturer. Here is a link to the order form:
http://www.lusterleaf.com/pdf%20files/Capsule%20order%20form.pdf

3) If you are a bit shaky, use a small funnel to transfer the capsule material to the test chamber easier.
By following the above points, you should be able to use your test kit for a long time with good results.

Happy Planting! -- Ryan

I followed the easy instructions to find that my soil is void of nitrates, extremely low in phosporus and okay in potash and slightly acidic. With this knowledge I now know what the soil needs and why nothing wants to grow. With this knowledge and knowing what the cure is, I hope to finally have grass......
I found that if I cut the tip off of the capsules (just a nip at the tip) that the chemical you mix with the water for the test does not spill everywhere. Trying to twist the capsule did not work for me....just cut the tip ande pour. You will learn so much!

I purchased this kit to get a better understanding of why some of my shrubs were not blooming on schedule or at all and after doing some research I had a feeling that their N, P, K, and pH were out of balance.

This kit came highly recommended at Amazon, so I went ahead and purchased it.

Suspicions confirmed! I need more N and P.

This kit is well-designed and easy to use. The pre-measured capsules are brilliant, making sure that you only put in exactly the right amount of reagent each time. My son and I spent an afternoon following the simple directions and pulled 3 different soil samples for testing. The instructions were clear, and the color windows made it easy to see exactly where the samples stood.

The only reasons I did not rate this a 5 star product were (1) The capsules can be a little tough for big fingers. You need to pull the capsules open to pour the contents in a little tube (2) The mixing chamber is also a small target to shoot for, making it hard to get all of the capsule powder into the sample (3) The testers themselves are easily knocked over - they are shaped like oversized dominos, and have a similar propensity to fall over.

But all that notwithstanding, for the price, the ease of use, and the quick results, I still recommend this product for the job.

Easy to use. Told me exactly what was wrong in the garden. I noticed the different within a week after following the instructions to correct the problem.

I just finished my initial test using this kit. I recommend it. I read the reviews prior to making my decision to purchase it. I suspect that I am better than most in filtering the subjective from reviews. Despite what many reviewers found less than acceptable with this product, there were many reviews that seem to indicate that this testing product performed well and accurately--especially as compared to easy to use, multi-function meters. The main complaint seem to be to difficulty in extracting the testing powder from the capsules. While I suspected that this was more a matter of people being accustomed to easy to use products--probably the reason for the dominance of said multimeter, probe testers, nevertheless, I was a bit anxious when I arrived at this point. It proved to be easy--just hold the capsule upright, the overlaying end on top, gently loosen the halves by slightly twisting back-and-forth, then remove the top portion of the capsule and dump the contents into the testing chamber. One recommendation: while the instructions say to use distilled or bottled water, I suggest using only distilled water. Bottled water varies greatly. You don't want to be testing the properties of the water--that is, you want to "control" your test. One last point (plus one editorial comment) is that you want to allow a few minutes for the tests to stabilize; and regardless of the lack of "refills"--or the price of said, you probably should ask yourself if the price is still warranted. I suspect the answer will be, yes. Oh, and my wife thinks the colors are pretty--there's your subjective comment.

It seems to work Great care must be taken in opening the capsules as they contain a very loose powder and the aim is to put them in a very small hole. I recommend doing it over a plate so spillage can be recovered.