Water is at constant risk of contamination with bacteria, viruses, allergens, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and herbicides. Whether you’re using water for drinking, bathing, swimming, showering, or laundry, you run the risk of coming into contact with contaminants. For this reason, water quality is an important concern for millions of people.
However, it’s possible to test the quality and purity of the water that you use. Water testing kits are readily available, allowing homeowners to check whether your water is highly contaminated or not. There are numerous test kits available at varying prices, helping people to change their water quality for the better.
In this article, we’re going to teach you all you need to know before you buy a water testing kit. We’ll review our top five water test kits currently available, provide a buyer’s guide for you to read, and answer some frequently asked questions.
Contents
Best Water Test Kit Reviews
1.
Top Pick
The HomeForest Water Quality Tester is easy to use, reliable, and accurate.
This advanced digital ppm meter pen utilizes advanced microprocessor technology, combining a TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) meter with an EC (Electrical Conductivity) meter, and a Temperature meter all in the same ergonomically designed pen.
You can use this pen for all manner of water quality testing, hydroponics, pool, and colloidal silver, water treatment, and water purification applications. You can also use this HomeForest product to test your tap water, distilled water, filtered water, well water, bottled water, refrigerated water, and any other water sources in and around your home. With auto-lock functions, backlit LCD, and auto-off in two minutes, this product will stand the test of time as a durable and reliable water testing device.
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2.
BUDGET PICK
Hard water can ruin our clothes, cause build-up on our appliances, and dry out our hair and skin. Although this product is relatively cheap, it’s still a high-quality item, and it gives homeowners an efficient way to detect water hardness.
In most cases, hardness in water is caused by magnesium and calcium ions. However, there are other trivalent and divalent metals that have similar effects, but they are hardly ever found in high enough concentrations to cause harm.
Water hardness leads to an increase in soap consumption in laundries and adds scale to boilers. Therefore, it helps to eliminate it as soon as possible. These easy to use testing stips by Hach use a color scheme to indicate whether or not there are levels of hardness in your water. Simply dip the strip into a glass os water, and match it to the color chart to obtain your results.
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3.
PREMIUM PICK
This product can detect over 170 contaminants in any water source that you want to test. Professionally manufactured using EPA methodology, the makers of this test kit have almost 30 years of experience in the water testing industry. Using this wealth of experience, they created the ‘Bang for the Buck’ test to detect whether or not the water that you drink is free of contaminants.
This particular test kit can find traces of volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, and inorganic chemicals. Additionally, it includes a self-test for pathogenic bacteria, including E-Coli and Total Coliform.
All you have to do us fill up some bottles from your water source and send them to the lab along with the test kit, the results will be with you within six business days. Many reviewers are delighted with this product, praising the accuracy of the results and the professionalism of the lab team.
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4.
The Test Assured Complete Water Analysis Test Kit is an excellent product for those looking to test all aspects of their home drinking water. This premium-product offers ten different water testing kits, providing quick and accurate results, without the need for lab testing.
All tests are calibrated to the EPA guidelines for water quality, and this product is made in the USA to ensure high standards of quality. The manufacturer offers a full refund to all customers that are not 100% satisfied with this Test Assured product.
In just ten minutes, you can test for lead, pesticides, bacteria, iron, nitrates, nitrites, chlorine, copper, alkalinity, pH levels, and water hardness. Furthermore, this test works efficiently with tap water, well water, residential drinking water, spring water, and groundwater sources.
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5.
The WaterSafe is ideal for health-conscious consumers that want to test the quality of their drinking water. It’s designed to test for contaminants quickly and efficiently. With the ability to detect pH levels, pesticides, bacteria, copper, iron, lead, chlorine, and many other common water contaminants.
This water test kit is straightforward to use and affordable, making it an essential item for homes that source their water from private wells. This is a trusted product, with millions of sales worldwide since it was released in 2003. It’s able to detect odorless and colorless chemicals and only takes ten minutes to deliver results.
Because of its affordable pricing, this model is popular with school science projects across the USA. Perhaps this is because it’s so simple, children of elementary age could use it. This is an all-round excellent well water testing product, which offers superb value for money.
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Buyers Guide:
What to Consider Before Purchasing a Water Testing Kit:
Contaminants
The most important thing to consider is the type of contaminants that the water test kit can identify. There are hundreds of products that will test for a massive selection of impurities, while others can only verify one or two. As a general rule, the more expensive products can detect multiple contaminants in your water supply.
Water Source
Next, you’ll need to consider the water source that you are planning on testing. Do you use a faucet from a well or the pool? Or do you use public water? Some test kits are specifically designed for a single source of water; others are suitable for multiple options, so always check the product before buying.
Testing Procedure
Finally, it’s worth researching the testing procedure on each water test kit that you consider purchasing. Will you be happy to wait weeks for a lab test to return to you? Or do you want immediate results? The water testing kits that you can use at home offer fast solutions to any water crisis that you may be facing.
Now that you know what points to research before buying, you may be thinking, what to these kits test for? You can find multiple options on the market, testing for the presence of:
These are just a few of the contaminants; there are many more. That said, no matter which test kit you purchase, it depends on the location of your house and where your water comes from as to how many contaminants may be present in your water supply. Another crucial element is that water test results often reflect the different things that go on within your geographical area.
Well Warning
If you have a private well, you must test the water annually for any microorganisms that may be present. Alternatively, test for elemental impurities once every 2-3 years. However, if a natural disaster occurs, you should test your well water immediately after it has passed.
Benefits of Using a Water Test Kit
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Home Water Test Kits Accurate?
The majority of home water testing kits will provide accurate results. However, we recommend that you read product reviews and see what other people think before you finalize a purchase. Many of the inexpensive products only test for specific contaminants, so make sure the one that you buy will check for the contaminants that concern you the most.
How Much Does It Cost to Have My Well Water Tested?
Typically, a home water testing kit will cost between $10-$30. However, you can find larger kits that test for more impurities and contaminants for around $50-$150. Make sure you shop around until you are confident with a particular product.
Final Verdict
For an excellent all-round water testing product, try the HomeForest 3 in 1 TDS Meter. This item is affordable, multifunctional, and easy to use. It tests for a wide range of contaminants and can be used to test water from multiple sources.
For a premium product, that works with a professional science laboratory to provide you with world-class results, we recommend the ‘Bang for the Buck’ water testing kit. This product will help to identify over 170 contaminants, ensuring that you and your family can make changes to eliminate any bacteria, metals, viruses, or pesticides.
For a budget option, to test for hardness in your water supply, we recommend the Hach 2745250 Total Hardness Test Strips. Whatever water test kit you choose, we wish you look in identifying and eliminating any harmful contaminants from your water supply.