Luster Leaf 1810 Rapitest Mini Soil Moisture Meter
- Luster Leaf #1810 Mini Moisture Meter
- LUSTER LEAF INC
Product Description
Instantly tells when water is needed. Helps prevent overwatering. No batteries required…. More >>
Luster Leaf 1810 Rapitest Mini Soil Moisture Meter
The first one of these meters I owned seemed accurate and reliable. I bought two more for convenience and have had a much less satisfactory experience. They both gave wildly inconsistent readings, rendering them essentially useless. They are particularly ineffective in soils with a high content of coarse material. A friend who also raises moisture sensitive succulents independently came to the same conclusions.
This has a 1-4 scale. When I brought this home I tested a plant I had not watered in a week, it read 2. I tested the plant next to it that I had watered earlier the same day, it read 2. I stuck it in a glass of water, it read 3.
According to the directions I should have watered all of the above. If followed the directions my plants would all die of over watering in no time.
I bought this product a long time ago and it never seemed accurate. Recently, I bought another one and used it for a variety of plants. In a nutshell, it doesn’t seem accurate at all. In fact, if I dip the stem at various depth in pure water, I get a reading that it’s about “half dry.” My experience with the other meter was similar. I think this is a case of fool me once, shame on you…. fool me twice, shame on you. The one other interviewer of this product seems to have had the same experience. It appears to me at the least there might be poor quality control. I hope someone comes out with a decent meter of this type. If you know of one, I would like to hear about it and I would gladly pay more money for something that actually worked well and was rugged.
I saw many negative reviews so I must report I have had a different experience. I tend to use potting mix or loamy soils so I don’t know if that is a factor. However in meter seems to report put water as maximum as I expect. With soils I known to be completely dry is reports as dry. In one section where I have peas it quickly reports as being on the dry side as I would expect as they are heavy water users when making pods.
I would certainly test against known conditions to make sure the unit is working but it certainly has made is much easier for me to quickly gage water.
I have purchased two of these meters and they both broke after using them a few times. I am using them on trees with mulch around them and you can barely put any pressure on them before they snap. I would also gladly pay more money for one that was hardy. Also if you press too hard the readings become inaccurate because the wires inside pull out before you notice that they are broke. I would not buy any more of this particular brand. They need to make one that is stronger.