The Best Digital Pool Water Testers for 2020

Finding the best digital pool water tester shouldn’t be a tough process. It might seem that way due to the baffling number of options. But you just need someone to offer some guidance through the process.

I intend to fill this role by covering all the relevant topics about these useful products. These include going over types, benefits, vital buying factors, and much more. I’ll even provide 10 product reviews of my favorites on today’s market.

After reading this info, you shouldn’t have any obstacles picking out a model. It’ll be much easier to know what type or feature meshes with your situation. In fact, I’d go as far as stating you should soon become an expert on all things about pool water testers.

Best Digital Pool Water Tester Reviews of 2020

This section will contain 10 product reviews of some top-tier pool water testers. Each review will provide an insight into what a buyer should look for and want in these devices. It’ll also help you get some of the more involved topics coming up later in this article.

1. LaMotte 2056 ColorQ Pro 7 Digital Pool Water Test Kit

Our first product is easily one of the most advanced pool testing kits available. It has gained this status because of its ability to offer extensive amounts of testing. You see, this model can provide accurate results concerning seven different elements inside your pool’s water.

These include testing free chlorine, bromine, pH, alkalinity, total chlorine, calcium hardness, and cyanuric acid. As a result, a pool owner who uses this test kit should have no problems keeping up with their pool’s water quality.

I was also quite pleased that this model came equipped with water-resistant housing. This aspect ensures the reader’s durability and should keep it usable for a long time. It’s always nice when you can buy something capable of being a long term investment.

The included carrying case was another nice touch. It made a huge difference when I had to transport this device from storage to the pool area. After all, it makes sure everything needed for the process is in one manageable container.

You have to be intrigued by this Lamotte colorq pro’s performance quality, as well. It’s capable of providing accurate and quick results. These results are then displayed on a photometer, which makes them really easy to read. This aspect is essential for someone who has poor eyesight like me.

The overall using process was another standout trait for me. It was a straightforward process, and I didn’t find myself struggling to follow the product’s directions. Honestly, this outcome is somewhat unusual because I tend to be terrible at these tasks.

2. Aqua Chek Trutest Digital Reader

Any pool and spa owner would benefit from having this model in their lives. This product is a very effective test strip reader capable of offering test results in 15 seconds. In fact, you’ll be able to get free chlorine, bromine, pH, and total alkalinity readings without issue.

I was also a massive fan of how these results were displayed on a large LCD screen. As with the previous product, this screen was easy to read and perfect for a person like me. It’s just such a joy when a brand like Aqua Chek makes things easy for pool owners with bad eyesight.

You should find the product’s lightweight design to be another appealing trait. This aspect makes operating the device extremely easy and stress-free. Plus, the device happens to be hand-held, which is always a positive aspect.

I wouldn’t advise sleeping on this product coming with 25 TruTest strips, either. This feature ensures a pool owner won’t have to buy them separately. It’s an excellent addition because I always feel a little uncomfortable buying these kinds of things separate from the main product.

The product’s affordable price tag was a welcomed trait, as well. It never hurts to feel like you’re getting a bargain when buying a device like this one. I can confidently say this is exactly how I felt when using the Aqua Check Trutest Digital Reader for the first time.

3. pHin Smart Water Care Monitor

If you’re looking for the most advanced model possible, pHin Smart Water Care Monitor would be a perfect option. This model comes with an app located on your smartphone, which will send alerts whenever the chemicals need to be adjusted.

It’s a feature that’ll make managing your pool’s maintenance much easier than it ever was previously. After all, you have every piece of relevant info right in the palm of your hand. It doesn’t get much simpler than this when it comes to these products.

This aspect sounds impressive, right? Well, it’s only the beginning. This model also has an unmatched versatility with it being capable of working in all water types. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a saltwater pool or a chlorine-based pool; this product will get the job done.

I was also impressed with the product’s incredible work ethic. You see, this device has built-in intelligence that will sample your water’s chemical levels 1000 times per week. It will then use these samples to create suggestions based on the results.

You’re going to love this product coming with pHin’s monitoring service, as well. This service will provide a large amount of useful additional data about your water quality. For instance, it’ll offer water history charts, multiple test options, and chemical dosing directions. Plus, it’s entirely free for the first year.

4. eSeasonGear SALT-3050 Digital Salt Water Pool Tester

eSeasonGear’s SALT-s050 Digital Salt Water Pool Tester is a perfect option for anyone looking to know their saltwater pool’s conditions. This product comes with many features that will make your life much easier as a saltwater pool owner.

One of these features is the product’s automatic temperature compensation feature. This aspect will accurately calculate the water’s temperature without issue. You won’t even need to calibrate it, either, as it’s ready for use right out the package.

The device’s waterproof abilities is another impressive feature. It allows you to dip the product into the water without it receiving any damage. As you can imagine, this aspect is a pretty convenient one for a pool water tester.

You can also benefit from its versatility, as it’s not only a saltwater pool tester. It can be used in koi fish ponds, too, and accurately calculate temperature.Honestly, it’s always nice to buy a product capable of working in more than one situation.

This product’s simple to use design was worth mentioning, as well. Many people raved about how easy this device was to use compared to their previous models. As for my experience, I felt myself feeling the same way thanks to its large LCD display and detailed directions.

Its hold function wasn’t anything to sneeze at, either. This feature allows you to hold a particular reading to ensure there’s enough time for writing it down. It’s an overlooked feature that gets rid of a potential hassle, which hampers similar devices.

5. Solaxx MET01A SafeDip Digital Test Meter

One of the more convenient options on this list comes from Solaxx. The product earned this title because it can work in both salt pools and chlorine pools. In both situations, this digital test should more than meet a person’s expectations by providing accurate results.

You should also love how natural this product is to calibrate. This process can be done using either tap or distilled water and takes only a few seconds. After the calibration, it will offer accurate readings of your pool’s pH, free chlorine, salt, total dissolved solids (TDS), ORP, and temperature levels.

The results will then be displayed on its impressive LCD screen, which everyone should be capable of reading without much problem. I was rather intrigued by the product’s portable design, as well.

This feature ensures moving and storing the device won’t be an issue. In fact, it’s a hand-held device, which makes everything more convenient when it comes to digital water testers. These types of products are much less of a burden than bulkier options.

I found the product’s built-in sample cup to be a nice extra touch offered by Solaxx. It’s just another thing you don’t have to worry about during the testing process. This feature shows Solaxx was trying to cover every base possible when creating the product.

6. TEKCOPLUS Digital Salt Checker Tester Meter

TEKCOPLUS Digital Salt Checker Tester Meter is another digital test kit made for saltwater pools. This particular one comes with several top-tier features that I found myself adoring. These aspects make it quite an effective and affordable piece of equipment.

One of them is the product’s ability to measure multiple values. This device will provide info on your water’s salt levels, temperature, and TDS. Due to this, you’ll have no problems keeping track of these values to ensure your pool remains balanced.

It’s also worth mentioning that these results have proven to be accurate. After all, inaccurate results won’t be too useful to a pool owner. But thankfully, every buyer I’ve come across seems more than happy with the product in this regard.

The product’s waterproof housing and dust-tight design were two other appealing features. Both of them might not seem like a huge deal, but they’ll help keep the product working correctly. It’ll ensure this product doesn’t just crap out after a month.

As with a prior option, this model comes with a hold function to add another useful aspect. This function will make the process of writing down the results much easier and practical. You’ll no longer have to try and remember the readings, which is great for a forgetful person like me.

7. HM Digital TDS-EZ Water Quality TDS Tester

If you’re looking for a TDS tester, this HM digital pool water tester should do the trick. It’s a simple, affordable model capable of efficiently tracking what dissolved solids are present in your pool’s water.

The tracking process only requires a single press of a button. From there, the device will inform you about the pool water’s overall quality. Sounds easy enough, right? Well, it is, and this simple using process isn’t the only great feature.

You should also love that this model comes with an automatic shut-off function. This aspect will ensure the product converses battery life by shutting down after 10 minutes of non-usage. Due to this, the device’s batteries will last a lot longer than with other models.

The product’s housing design was another standout trait for me. It features a cool translucent blue housing that provides a little style. Who says a water tester can’t offer a little bit of fun? It also helps that this design is considered durable.

But none of these features represent my favorite. This status goes to the product’s low price tag, which is the cheapest on our entire list. Bargain buyers’ ears should be perking up based on the great features and the product’s low cost.

I should also mention it has a few other features that we’ve discussed at length in earlier reviews. These include an easy to read LCD screen, hold function, and a compact design. Each of these should make a pool owner’s water testing experience more manageable.

8. PoolLab 1.0 Pool Water Photometer

PoolLab’s 1.0 Pool Water Photometer happens to be one of the most extensive pool testers on our list. You see, this model can test 11 water quality parameters. These

include bromine, pH, alkalinity, cyanuric acid, and seven other valuable variables.

As a result, it offers an unprecedented amount of data about your water’s quality. A pool owner looking to ensure their pool water remains in the best condition possible should consider investing in this model.

Those 11 tests aren’t its only impressive feature, either. You should also find the product’s use of Bluetooth intriguing because it allows the device to connect with your smartphone. This process happens through an app where you can manage the test results.

The app will also suggest dosage suggestions based on those results to further ensure your pool’s water remains in top shape. It doesn’t hurt that the device has six easy to use buttons, which control the entire process. These buttons end up making everything so much easier when using this water tester.

You should love that this model comes with a reagents starter pack included, as well. This starter pack will ensure you don’t have to buy them separately. It’s an overlooked issue that tends to haunt my impression of other similar water testers on today’s market.

9. LaMotte ColorQ Pro 11 Digital Liquid Pool & Spa Water Testing Kit

The best thing about this automatic pool chemical tester is a person only needs to use five drops of a reagent to get the desired results. In fact, you’ll get these results without even having to look at color matching or chats.

This model’s capable of offering this useful ability because it’s made from the latest technology available. As a result, the results provided by this model happen to be a tier above what most others can offer.

You should also find the device’s easy push-button control to make using it a breeze. This should make the entire water testing process much less involved. Plus, it comes with detailed directions that received a lot of praise in this electronic pool water tester’s reviews.

I find it necessary to mention this product’s ability to offer 11 water quality tests, as well. This number might seem a bit overdone, but the info provided by each one will be vital to ensure your pool remains balanced.

The device’s automatic shut-off function was another amazing feature. It even works better than the prior models that offered this aspect because it shuts off after five minutes. This smaller window will ensure your batteries reach the absolute peak of their longevity.

But even with all these great features, the product isn’t without its faults. This particular model’s flaws are its costly price tag and packaging. Both of these areas were serious setbacks when doing my product research.

10. Solaxx Salt Dip 2-in-1 Salt Water Electronic Pool Water Tester

Our last product comes from a brand, which has been previously featured on this list. As with their prior option, this model is everything a person could want in a saltwater pool tester. It comes with a wide range of features that are usable in keeping your pool in tip-top shape.

My personal favorite one happens to be its overall versatility. This product can be used to test ponds, spas, pools, and aquariums without issues. In each of these situations, it will offer useful results within seconds.

These results will be easy to find on the product’s large LED display. As for what it measures, this product measures both water temperature and salt content. It’ll make sure any pool owner who buys it remains on top of both these values for a long time.

You can also count on this product to remain usable for many years. It features a rugged, waterproof housing, which oozes durability. I couldn’t find a single person who had their model crap out earlier than expected.

The built-in sample cup was another appealing feature to me. It’s just a nice inclusion to make everything go smoothly. Along the same lines, this product’s ability to save readings until a new test is complete happens to be a useful quality for obvious reasons.

What to Look for When Buying a Digital Pool Water Tester

Certain factors play a huge role in parting top-tier digital pool water testers from subpar ones. This section will talk about those them to ensure a buyer can have a better handle on what to look for when choosing theirs.

Testing Features

A person looking to have a well balanced and clear pool needs to make sure the chemical levels stay in the ideal ranges. Having a grasp of the following ranges will help ensure your pool is always in good shape:

• pH: 7.2 – 7.6
• Alkalinity: 80 – 120 ppm
• Free available chlorine: 1- 3 ppm
• Calcium hardness: 180 – 220 ppm
• Bromine: 3-5 ppm
• Cyanuric Acid: 30 – 50 ppm

As a result, you’re going to need a device capable of reading these levels. This situation is where a top-tier pool water test kit comes in handy. These products will offer much more accurate results than what you’d find with other testing methods, such as test strips.

It’s also worth noting that their readings will be easy to understand and more detailed because they can test most of these vital values. Here’s a little bit of info about these testing features to show why they’re so crucial.

A digital water tester being capable of offering a pH test is vital because it’s the only effective way to keep an ideal pH range (7.2 – 7.6). If the pool water gets below this range, it becomes acidic. Water above this range might not allow sanitizers to work effectively.

You’re going to want a water tester with Alkalinity test abilities, as well. This test will measure the water’s ability to prevent pH changes. Due to this, a pool owner can remain aware of their pool water’s quality at all times.

The free chlorine test is another one that’s always included in the best digital pool test kit. If you didn’t realize, free chlorine happens to be your pool’s primary sanitizer. This test ensures the chlorine is always at proper levels to work effectively. Otherwise, the chlorine could cause skin irritation or make the pool water have a repulsive smell.

The cyanuric acid test is an essential feature because it measures the level of conditioners and stabilizers inside your pool. CYA is often embedded into the chlorine, which a digital tester should have no problem registering. You must stay aware and keep this element in the proper range.

If you don’t, the chlorine’s disinfecting ability becomes non-existent. CYA also will manage the damage those pesky sun rays have on the chlorine’s effectiveness. It’s just another way to ensure everything in your pool water is working correctly.

The last testing feature to know is a calcium hardness test. This exam will show how soft or hard the water is inside your pool. Pool water with high calcium levels might indicate that scale could form on your pool’s interior, heating elements, or pool pump.

High calcium levels can cause issues for people inside the pool, as well. Skin irritation and sore eyes are common side effects. If the swimming pool has low calcium levels, it might cause your pool’s metal surfaces to wear down and corrode.

Ease of Use

Many pool owners are just people who want to keep their pool care and maintenance expenses low. One effective way of achieving this goal is by testing their pool water by themselves. This action makes it crucial to invest in a tester that’s easy to read and use.

Before choosing a model, I’d suggest making sure the test directions, manuals, and other needed items are included. This action will ensure using the device won’t be a tricky process. Taking a look at other buyers’ experiences won’t be a bad idea, either.

Accuracy of Results

You’re going to want a digital water test capable of providing accurate results. After all, what’s the point of getting a defective one. It’s just a waste of money and time on your part. You should avoid this outcome by sticking with trusted and top-tier brands.

I’d also advise asking other pool owners about their own testers. These discussions should provide some much-needed insight into what ones are effective. You’ll get a handle on what ones aren’t reliable, as well. Sometimes, a negative review will end up being much more impactful than a positive one.

If this sounds like too much work, you could trust my picks above and choose one of them. Each of those models has proven to be effective digital pool water testers. In fact, you’ll find very few people who have a bad thing to say about any of the options in our product review section.

Digital Readout

I’d recommend making sure your chosen model has a useful digital readout. Some brands like making things a little too tricky when it comes to this feature. You can avoid this issue by doing some serious product research into it beforehand.

Once you obtain a model with a top-tier digital readout, testing your pool will be much more accurate and easy. It’s a convenience aspect that many people assume won’t be an issue. But you’d be surprised how many low-tier brands manage to make it painful.

Durability

Your chosen digital water tester should be durable. One way to ensure this quality is by getting a device with waterproof skills. This ability will help the tester deal with any wear and tear that comes from doing their jobs.

If you don’t take it into account, you’ll be investing in a new tester every few months. This outcome just isn’t a smart idea or financially responsible. You’d be much better off spending a bit more upfront for a durable and well-designed model.

Other Important Factors to Consider

Those key features aren’t the only things capable of affecting your final choice. You should also have a grasp of what makes these devices tick and other background topics. This section will cover those subjects to ensure you’re totally prepared for what lies ahead.

What is a digital pool water tester?

Digital pool water testers have become a popular device among pool owners for a simple reason; these products are accurate and fast. These two traits are something older testing methods didn’t offer, which made them a hassle to use.

But these digital options changed the entire game by being very precise and prompt. Their striking results come from them being easy to use with many useful features. These include waterproof housing, LCD display, memory function, and doesn’t require color matching like older methods.

As a result, reading the results from a digital water tester is a piece of cake. The process of how these devices work is a bit more tricky. We’ll dive more into this topic in the next section, but basically, these products use electrodes to measure chemical levels in the water.

However, these devices do come with a downside. These testers tend to be much more costly than earlier methods. But this issue is a necessary evil because the results offered by these devices are unmatched by anything else.

The easy using process offered by these devices doesn’t hurt, either. After all, pool care is a rather involved thing, which isn’t an easy task to do. Regular pool testing happens to be a part of this procedure, as it’s a necessity to stop certain issues from occurring.

Therefore, digital pool testers become a must to ensure this process becomes as easy as possible. It makes sure a pool owner will no longer have to rely on things like test strips to keep their pool water clear.

How does it work?

As I stated above, most digital water testers use electrodes via metallic probes and inner software to assess your pool’s water. These devices will measure many elements, including pH, sanitizer levels, and total dissolved solids (TDS).

You’ll also find some devices are capable of measuring other vital factors like calcium hardness and total alkalinity. These results will help ensure those chemicals inside your pool’s water stay at their proper levels.

Otherwise, an imbalance of these chemicals could cause algae to grow. This issue would make it necessary for a pool owner to use some effective algaecide. Honestly, it’s a huge hassle and ends up being a complete bother.

I should also mention that these elements do change at distinct rates, some will be faster, and others will be slower. This variation makes it vital to test your pool’s water at varying rates. I suggest the following when dealing with these distinct factors:

• Daily: chlorine and pH
• Weekly: alkalinity
• Monthly: stabilizer levels and calcium hardness

If you keep up with the testing, I would imagine keeping your pool balance won’t be much of an issue. These devices really do make testing a much less involved event. You instead get every piece of info precisely and quickly.

What are the different types of digital pool water testers?

Many types of digital pool testers exist on today’s market. I’m going to cover the four most common, digital meters, photometric scanners, digital strip readers, and water testing apps. These talks should provide a better idea of what type fits your needs the best.

Digital Meters

Our first type is called digital meters. These devices rely on internal software and metallic probes to measure elements inside your pool water. Digital meters tend to be the most common and popular option among pool owners.

You can expect one of these products to measure a pool’s pH, TDS, and sanitizer levels. The best ones will also measure CH and TA to help keep a pool owner fully aware of what’s going on with their pool water.

Photometric Scanners

Photometric scanners use internal software and a spectra-photometer to offer precise readings. This process consists of a person inserting some pool water and a tablet or liquid reagents into the device. From there, its scanner will do the rest.

As a result, these devices will be able to test your pool for many water balance elements. It’ll also offer an advised amount of chemicals to add when it knows an adjustment is needed. Sounds pretty cool and useful, right?

Digital Strip Readers

Digital strip readers work much like a photometric scanner. But the one key difference is these devices work by first dipping a test strip into your pool. You then place this strip into the reader to get your desired results.

Water Testing Apps

This entire process has become even more simplified by the existence of water testing apps. These apps allow a person to use their smartphone to test and balance a pool’s water. How is this possible?

Well, a person would take a photo of their test strip, and the app would provide a reading. You should also know that water balance adjustment suggestion apps do exist, as well. It’s just a simple matter of entering your test results, and suggestions will appear.

Why do you need a digital pool test kit?

Knowing why these devices are needed comes down to grasping what came before them. You see, there used to be only two ways of testing your pool water by yourself. Pool owners could either use a liquid pool testing kit or pool test strips.

Liquid test kits were considered your best option because they offered more accurate results. It also didn’t hurt that these products come in an expert version. These models would be made of glass rather than a plastic material and would offer a broader range of matching colors.

But people still felt uneasy using these devices for a simple reason. These products offered a color rather than a number, which isn’t what pool owners are really looking for when doing these tests.

Digital water testers are capable of proving that number those pool owners always wanted. As a result, it’s just a more effective and practical way of keeping your pool balanced. These two reasons alone should be enough to convey why a person would want one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our FAQ section will work exactly how a reader would expect. It’ll answer any questions our buying guide didn’t cover thoroughly. You should then have everything needed to make a proper choice about what digital water tester to buy.

What are the most trusted digital pool water tester brands?

Each brand named in our product review section has become a trusted one among pool owners. They’ve gained this status through their ability to offer great products and client support. Anyone looking to buy a digital pool tester would be more than happy with their respective services.

Do pool test kits go bad?

A pool owner will have to pay close attention to how they store these devices. You see, the regents and test stripes can go bad. If they last more than a single season, it’s essential to realize they’re likely to expire in 1 year.

How do I test the quality of my pool water?

It will change from product to product. You’ll have to consult the device’s manual and see its exact method. If you’re worried about the using process being complicated, I’d suggest reading these directions before buying.

These directions usually can be found in the product’s ad description or on the brand’s website. Once you read them, it should make it rather clear whether the process meshes with your needs.

Where to buy?

I’d suggest using Amazon.com to buy your new digital pool tester. Their selection and prices tend to be much better than what their rivals offer. This combo makes them a natural choice for being the best digital pool tester seller around.

Conclusion

Everyone should now be fully prepared to choose the best digital pool water tester for their situation. It’s just a simple exercise of applying everything within this article in your search. From there, picking the right model should be a piece of cake.

But a question or two still might pop up during this process. If this happens, please let me know by leaving a post in the comment section. I’d love to help make this buying experience as smooth as possible. Thanks for reading!

John Wilbert

Hi, I am John Wilbert. I used to work as a pool cleaning officer at Havard, and I understand all the problems that swimming pools encounter every day. So I want to share my experience to help you use the pool safely and cleanly.