Are Cheap pH Testers Accurate?
When something is cheap, it suggests for many people something of poor quality. When considering pH testers, cheap can imply inaccuracy. This article investigates the relationship between price and accuracy after reviewing a random sample of popular pH testers.
What Are pH Meters
All pH testers perform the same function - they measure pH. However, competing models have different features and capabilities, like measuring range, resolution, calibration capability, and (you guessed it) accuracy.
The Truth About pH Tester Accuracy
Comparing accuracy is very important when assessing whether a pH tester is suitable for your needs. When the Instrument Choice team considered pH meters across a range of prices, we found - not surprisingly - as the accuracy level increases, generally, so does the price.
But we noticed something else.
Many cheap pH meters that have been best sellers for many years are not the most accurate devices but have notable attributes – like a reputable brand name, reliability, excellent ergonomic features or a rugged design (to name a few). We concluded that for pH meters, accuracy is relative – i.e., relative to your intended application.
Because the accuracy of pH meters can range anywhere from ±0.2 pH to ±0.001 pH, it’s important to know the right level of accuracy for you, and that depends on your reporting requirements. For instance, a pH meter with an accuracy of ±0.01 is required for most research projects. On the other hand, a pH meter with an accuracy of ±0.1 will be adequate for a variety of tasks, for example, in school labs or checking the pH of a swimming pool.
How Do You Know if Your PH Tester is Accurate?
That depends on the stage you’re at when purchasing your meter.
Before acquiring a meter, you learn about the accuracy of a pH tester by checking the product’s specifications.
After acquiring your pH tester, the only way to know whether it’s accurate is by using calibration buffer solutions to perform a pH calibration.
5 Things to Check When Purchasing a Cheap pH Tester
Having established the level of accuracy needed for your application, considering the factors listed below will help you zero in on the best product.
- Accuracy: As mentioned above, the specifications will express a device’s accuracy (i.e., the closeness of a measurement to a specific value), plus or minus a set amount. Simply make sure the product’s specified range is adequate for your projects.
- Calibration: Regular calibration will ensure that your meter will measure accurately over time, but different calibration standards exist. Instrument Choice recommends you consider pH meters that can perform at least a two-point calibration and calibrate to standards that shoulder your expected measurement range. For measurements covering a wide pH range or where more precise results are required, are you will need to consider additional calibration points.
- Resolution: Resolution refers to the smallest increment of measured pH value that the device can display. Having a finer resolution doesn’t change a device’s accuracy, but it may help to reduce any rounding errors.
- Range: Specifications will define and display a meter’s measurement range capability as the minimum and maximum values. Again, ask yourself whether the device’s capabilities meet your needs.
- Automatic Temperature Compensation (ATC): You won’t get automatic temperature compensation in a cheap pH tester, but if you do, and it meets the rest of your requirements, it may be a winner. Ambient temperature can affect the pH of a solution significantly. Without ATC, you will have to measure samples at a constant ambient temperature or manually calculate to compensate. If your pH tester has ATC, the adjusted measurement will display automatically, saving you time and perhaps money and certainly give you greater confidence in your results.
Cheap and Accurate pH Testers Under $150AU
Our scientists have suggested the five cheap pH testers below as examples of popular products suitable for different uses, each with differing and modest accuracy levels. The good news is, all can be purchased for less than $150AU!
Test Tube pH Pen
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Hand-Held PH Meter
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Waterproof Pocket pH Tester with 0.1 Resolution
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Checker Plus pH Tester
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pH20 pH Tester with ATC
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Conclusion
So, are cheap pH testers accurate? Yes, as accurate as you need for your intended tasks! While cheap pH meters are less accurate than professional or higher spec devices, they are still perfectly suited for many pH measuring tasks.
Need more information about the accuracy of cheap pH testers? Need a hand finding the best cheap pH tester for your application? Speak with an Instrument Choice Scientist! Call 1300 737 871 or email [email protected].
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