Best Overall
XLUX Soil Moisture Meter
- This moisture meter is simple, reliable, and easy to use.
This moisture meter is simple, reliable, and easy to use.
- You can damage the meter if you try to use it in hard soil or liquid.
You can damage the meter if you try to use it in hard soil or liquid.
The Xlux moisture meter is one of the most widely used meters by gardeners. It’s reliable, accurate, and provides instant results after inserting it into the soil. It has a large and easy-to-read color-coded dial that indicates whether the soil is dry (red), moist (green), or wet (blue). The single-probe design helps prevent root damage when testing the soil, and the probe is sturdy and easy to push into the soil for measurement.
Since the meter is sensitive, it’s best only to use in standard soil. Trying to force the probe into hard or rocky soil could break it. Like other meters, you never want to submerge the meter in liquid. This meter is not designed to be left in the soil; you’ll want to be sure to leave the probe in the soil for no more than an hour, and wipe it clean after.
Product Details: | Type: Analog | Indoor/Outdoor Use: Both | Power: None | Probe Length: 7 inches
Key Terms to Know
- Soil pH: Soil pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a soil; the pH of the soil can have a significant effect on the health of plants.
- Smart vs. Analog Devices: Smart moisture meters connect via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to a hub and often measure multiple factors; analog devices show simple readings after being inserted into the soil.
Best Budget
Hathdia Soil Moisture Meter
- This simple moisture meter is easy to use.
This simple moisture meter is easy to use.
- The readings are less precise than a digital meter.
The readings are less precise than a digital meter.
This simple and reliable moisture meter from Hathdia is ready to use out of the box and is easy for beginners. There are no batteries or settings to worry about—simply insert the probe into the soil to the level of the plant roots. The indicator will show an immediate reading on the 1-through-10 scale, ranging from “Dry” to “Moist” to “Wet.” Each of these sections is color coded, making it easy to read moisture levels at a glance.
Once you use the probe, you’ll want to remove it from the soil and wipe it clean. As with other probes, you never want to submerge the probe in liquid or try to insert it into hard or rocky soil. This will permanently damage the probe and prevent it from giving accurate readings.
Product Details: Type: Analog | Indoor/Outdoor Use: Both | Power: None | Probe Length: 7.6 inches
Best Splurge
ECOWITT Soil Moisture Meter with LCD Display
- This sturdy and accurate meter connects to an LCD display console and Wi-Fi so you can check soil moisture whenever you want.
This sturdy and accurate meter connects to an LCD display console and Wi-Fi so you can check soil moisture whenever you want.
- The probe on this meter is shorter than others on our list.
The probe on this meter is shorter than others on our list.
The Ecowitt Soil Moisture Tester is a great option if you want a dependable moisture meter you can leave in the ground for continual monitoring. As a bonus, it has a number of tech features, such as a wireless display console and Wi-Fi, to easily keep track of moisture levels.
The probe updates the console every 70 seconds, ensuring that you have an incredibly accurate and up-to-date reading. It has a 300-foot wireless transmission to the display console, so you can easily check soil moisture levels throughout the day. This is especially convenient if you’re using the meter outside and want to keep an eye on water levels without having to leave your home. The only downside is that the probe is a bit shorter than the standard.
You can also purchase a Wi-Fi Gateway that gives you access to the soil moisture data in real time from anywhere in the world. It has handy graphs that show the previous day’s, week’s, and month’s readings so you can better track your watering habits.
Product Details: | Type: Digital | Indoor/Outdoor Use: Both | Power: AA batteries | Probe Length: 5.31 inches
Best Long Probe
XLUX Long Probe Soil Moisture Meter
- This Xlux moisture meter features all the dependability of the original, with an extra long probe to help you measure moisture in hard to reach spots.
This Xlux moisture meter features all the dependability of the original, with an extra long probe to help you measure moisture in hard to reach spots.
- The longer probe is more flexible and should be used gently.
The longer probe is more flexible and should be used gently.
At over a foot long, the Xlux long probe is the best moisture meter for gardeners who need a longer probe; for example, those who have a lot of plants in large pots. Maintaining the right level of moisture for plants in tall pots can be incredibly difficult. Soil moisture is often a guessing game when caring for large potted plants, especially if the pot has no drainage holes. The soil may be bone dry on top, but waterlogged near the bottom of the pot.
Along with the long probe, this meter has the easy-to-read display and accuracy of the original Xlux. However, the longer probe is more flexible and fragile so it should be used gently. Don’t insert it into hard soil or let it hit the bottom of the pot, and make sure you store it safely so the probe isn’t damaged.
Product Details: | Type: Analog | Indoor/Outdoor Use: Both | Power: None | Probe Length: 12.2 inches
Best Smart
LINKSTYLE AFRA Smart Bluetooth Soil Moisture Meter for Indoor Plants
- The meter precisely tracks soil moisture levels, humidity, and temperature.
The meter precisely tracks soil moisture levels, humidity, and temperature.
- There aren’t any readings on the meter itself.
There aren’t any readings on the meter itself.
This sleek and smart meter is the best moisture meter for someone who wants all the bells and whistles and connects via bluetooth to a wireless hub and app. The Linkstyle is a stylish soil moisture meter with a white, modern look that easily blends into decor.
Through the app, you can receive personalized alerts on your smartphone about any changes in soil conditions; the app also has a soil moisture logging feature so you can see trends and keep track of your watering history. It’s perfect for monitoring your plants while on vacation or during busy times, and it can even remind you to water your plants. Keep in mind that you’ll need to use the app to access your readings; there aren’t any displays on the meter.
The meter tracks air temperature and humidity levels, offering a comprehensive picture of the environmental conditions of your plants. If you have multiple house plants you would like to water, you can purchase multiple meters that can all connect to one hub. Unlike many other probes, these can be left in the soil.
Product Details: | Type: Digital | Indoor/Outdoor Use: Indoor | Power: Battery | Probe Length: Not listed
Best Digital
Yinmik Digital Soil Moisture Meter
- This meter also measures electrical conductivity, which indicates the level of fertilizer within the soil.
This meter also measures electrical conductivity, which indicates the level of fertilizer within the soil.
- This meter may be better suited for more experienced gardeners.
This meter may be better suited for more experienced gardeners.
Digital displays can make it easier to read a meter’s reading, plus provide additional measurements. This digital moisture meter measures not only the moisture levels of your soil, but also the temperature and electrical conductivity, or EC. Measuring the EC levels in your soil is useful as it detects the amount of salt in the soil, which indicates the level of fertilizer. It’s a great tool to have for experienced gardeners or those growing bulk crops to ensure you are not over- or under-fertilizing your plants.
The four-pronged meter has an easy-to-read digital display, but understanding how to accurately test for EC may take some research and experience. This meter may be a bit too complicated for a hobby gardener who wants an easy-to-use moisture meter, but could provide valuable information for more experienced gardeners.
Product Details: | Type: Digital | Indoor/Outdoor Use: Both | Power: Battery | Probe Length: Not listed
Best for pH
Sonkir 3-in-1 Soil Moisture/Light/pH Tester
- This meter measures moisture, pH, and light levels.
This meter measures moisture, pH, and light levels.
- It can be difficult to read the display due to the small print.
It can be difficult to read the display due to the small print.
The Sonkir meter measures three important factors for plant health: water, soil pH, and light. Soil pH is an important factor in plant health, but one that is often overlooked by beginner gardeners. Every plant has a pH range that it prefers—incorrect soil pH can lead to unhappy plants. For example, azaleas love acidic soil, but lilacs prefer more alkaline soils. Though it is fairly easy to amend soil to make it more acidic or more alkaline, first you need to know the baseline soil pH.
To use the meter, simply toggle the button between the three modes to measure each factor. Carefully insert the probe into the soil, being careful to avoid rocks, and then wait for a few minutes while it takes the reading. The results will show in the top display. Due to all three factors being measured in the same small display, the type is a bit small and difficult to read.
Product Details: | Type: Analog | Indoor/Outdoor Use: Both | Power: None | Probe Length: 7.9 inches