good pH meter

I am looking to buy a good pH meter and was wondering what everyone is using. I don't think SWMBO will let me spend $200 so I need to find one that is both good quality and at a reasonable cost.(I know I can't have both, wishful thinking though)

This is going to be difficult. What is your definition of 'good'. To me it means accurate to 0.05 - 0.02, that the electrode lasts longer than a year and and most importantly that it is stable i.e. the reading doesn't drift 0.05 pH in 15 minutes. While pH meters at the low end of the price range have improved tremendously in the past few years the thing they still seem to lack is stability. This can be overcome to some extent by frequent calibration and by frequent here I mean before each reading if the readings are more than 15 minutes apart.


An approach might be to try to find a used instrument. I know of 2 professional brewers who were given good (Hach) instruments. As electrodes are much better WRT longevity (the one guy has been using his for 7 years) you will have some time left but eventually you will need to invest about $200 in a good electrode.

At the other end of the spectrum many brewers use the inexpensive Hanna pHep unit. It is reasonably accurate and the stability, while not great, is better than test strips by far.

I use this one and have been extremely satisfied with it.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003IKNJIE/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Check out the online hydroponics stores. Some of them give you the option to compare and contrast different models. It's really about the best meter you can get for your budget. It should also be waterproof. I typed "waterproof ph meter hydroponics" in google and got this: http://www.4hydroponics.com/growroom/items.asp?ItemNo=EcoTestrPH2 I like that it will float in your wort if dropped.

I've had good luck with these products from this supplier, all within your buget. As AJ mentioned, it's best to run through the calibration before each reading, 2 minutes of work using the fresh calibration packets opened that day... Look for 0.01 pH resolution in the meter you buy. Cool your sample to room temperature to extend the life of the probe.

pH meter & storage/cleaning solutions
http://www.eseasongear.com/hahi98waphtt.html
http://www.eseasongear.com/mimaelstso1x.html
http://www.eseasongear.com/mimaclsoph1x.html

Buffers @ $1/pouch
http://www.eseasongear.com/mimiph7box21.html
http://www.eseasongear.com/miph7bu3x.html

Recommend a wash bottle for distilled water like this one (also good for refractometer calibration and rinsing):
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/wash-bottle-500ml.html

Instuctional calibration video:

Thanks for the replies. I actually work in a lab and have used Hach meters but know that they are out of my price range. I was just wondering how precise most brewers were getting. I am using test strips now and I have trouble telling the difference in colors. I will have to look into those Hanna meters. Do they have temperature correction built in?

Hanna pHep 5 does have ATC.

That's what I use and enjoy it.

If you work in a lab you already knew the answer right? I work in calibration myself. You can always trust advice coming from AJ. As he and DSmith mention you can get reasonably good readings using the mid to upper end Hanna meters. Also for a small bump in a price, the Milwaukee meters are just a tad better I'd say.
I use this one which is just a bit over $100
http://www.eseasongear.com/mimwsmphme1.html

Properly "wet" storing the probes, and not using them in too warm of a sample both go a long way to extending their lives. With just about any PH probe you will eventually be looking at replacing the sensor, but they can last a good long time if cared for. If/How to replace the sensor is something you should consider as well

BWN said:

I actually work in a lab and have used Hach meters but know that they are out of my price range.

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Any possibility of working a deal with your employer? They must replace gear from time to time with the latest stuff.

I checked we have some old Fisher Scientific meters(which is what we currently use, excellent meter btw) but I can't figure out what is wrong with them. I tried putting new probes on them to see if they would work but they still don't. Probably the reason they are not being used. I work in a wastewater treatment plant so if I were to get one I would want to replace the probe anyways. I could probably justify buying a new probe if I got a meter like that for free though The Milwaukee and Hanna meters look pretty good but I see that you calibrate them to 7 and 4. I have always calibrated to 4 and 10 and checked with 7 and it seems like that would be a much more accurate calibration. I guess though if we are mostly looking for a range of around 5.2, 4 and 7 would make more sense.

Yep, really no reason to do a full range calibration for brewing applications. That is just another PH cal solution you would have to have on hand. You'll never be using the meter over 7.0 in brewing applications. Also calibrating in the tighter range of 4.0 and 7.0 will actually give you a more accurate calibration then doing the full range as the probe can be fine tuned over a smaller percentage of it's full range. It just wouldn't be useful over 7.0 without calibrating the top end.

Lots of calibration options for the Hana pHep5 (98128) - manual link below. As stated, the narrowest 2-point calibration is best and recalibrate before each measurment.

http://www.hannacan.com/PDF/manHI98127-8.pdf

I bought a Milwaukee SM101 and have been happy with it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009YH06Y/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

BWN said:

I guess though if we are mostly looking for a range of around 5.2, 4 and 7 would make more sense.

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The best accuracy is obtained half way between the pH's of the two buffers. Thus for 4 and 7 best accuracy will be for measurements of pH near 5.5. Just where we measure pH in brewing.