Affordable PH Meter Reccomendation

[TheMarkWhite]

Good morning!
I've searched through quite a few threads and all of them are a few years old. There is new and improved technology every year so I was hoping someone could help suggest an affordable PH meter. I will be brewing a Gose soon and want to ensure it is nice and sour before I hit the boil.

Can someone suggest an affordable PH meter? My wife has me on a budget of $40. I see plenty on amazon that claim to be accurate and have great reviews but wanted to come here for opinions and suggestions.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[JonM]

I think the consensus is that good, quality and accurate meters will be a little more than $100. (A cry now or cry later kind of thing.)

Maybe be extra nice and do extra stuff around the house and yard and ask really nicely to increase that budget.

 

[Horseflesh]

If my budget was $40 I would go without. Numbers you aren't sure of are worse than none at all.

I've been pleased with this one: https://www.hach.com/pocket-pro-ph-tester-with-replaceable-sensor/product?id=17990686211

Don't forget to budget for standards solutions too.

 

[isomerization]

I've been very happy with this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ENFOIQE/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Compared it to our expensive lab grade instrument and it's quite close over the range you need it at.

 

[isomerization]

Same brand, but this one is only good to 0.1 pH units, which isn't ideal but probably gets the job done.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ENFOHN8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[h22lude]

I think the consensus is that good, quality and accurate meters will be a little more than $100. (A cry now or cry later kind of thing.)

Maybe be extra nice and do extra stuff around the house and yard and ask really nicely to increase that budget.

I agree. For $40 you won't be getting a good quality meter. It may work ok but it also may not. You won't really know because typically the resolution isn't good on them. You want a .01 resolution. Most the cheaper ones are .1

The three big ones are MW-102, PHH-7011, and Pocket Pro+. All are just over $100 but well worth the money.

 

[Morrey]

There are several ph meters on Amazon that are around $15 give or take a few dollars. I bought one as I entered into the Gose arena. A meter is really nice to have when you kettle sour to know when to move to the boil phase.

For what it was worth, my $15 Amazon meter worked ok to get me where I wanted to boil. I didn't need to be laboratory specific but I did want to be close so I could repeat my procedure again.

Suddenly, the $15 meter displayed all 8888888888's. I took out the batteries and replaced them, no luck. Meter was dead in the water and I was out of the Amazon return period by a few days. I got two beers with the meter and fritzed on me.

I invested in a Hach Pocket Pro+ two years ago. Multiple sours later, the Hach is performing like a new unit. I take care of it, clean it carefully and I am rewarded with good service.

 

[hvjackson]

Don't buy a sh*tty pH meter. Just, don't.

 

[thedon986]

Same brand, but this one is only good to 0.1 pH units, which isn't ideal but probably gets the job done.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ENFOHN8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I have this meter and have used it for a Gose and one other subsequent brew. I love it and after a few weeks storage I went to calibrate it was still spot on.

 

[TheMarkWhite]

Thanks to everyone who's replied thus far.

Like I said, unfortunately I am on a budget. I feel as if a cheap meter is better than no meter at all, especially since I intend to kettle sour. I'd like an idea of what the PH is before I move onto the boil.

 

[Maylar]

I bought one of the cheap meters and it's a POS. Readings bounce all over the place and don't repeat twice in a row. Bit the bullet and got the Milwaukee, worlds better.

 

[Morrey]

Thanks to everyone who's replied thus far.

Like I said, unfortunately I am on a budget. I feel as if a cheap meter is better than no meter at all, especially since I intend to kettle sour. I'd like an idea of what the PH is before I move onto the boil.

I think you are wise to see the value in a ph meter especially considering you are going to be trying kettle sours. Good luck with your ph meter and your souring efforts. Have fun!

 

[h22lude]

Thanks to everyone who's replied thus far.

Like I said, unfortunately I am on a budget. I feel as if a cheap meter is better than no meter at all, especially since I intend to kettle sour. I'd like an idea of what the PH is before I move onto the boil.

I suggest not buying a cheap meter. Having a cheap pH meter is not always better than not having one. You may get a cheap one that works fine...or you may not. You will never know unless you have a good one to test it against. Personally, I'd wait to buy one until you have the money saved up. Instead of buying coffee, put that $3 into your pH meter fund.

A cheap pH meter that has .1 accuracy and resolution has an accuracy range of .29. If you want 5.3, it could read 5.20 to 5.49. The reason it can read up to 5.49 is the .1 resolution. The cheap pH meter will show 5.49 as 5.4.

 

[Morrey]

The cheap pH meter will show 5.49 as 5.4.

Brewers in the know realize the small difference you quoted makes a large impact in a sour beer. It doesn't sound like much but the difference in 3.3 and 3.2 as in the resolution parameters, makes a significant difference in the finished beer's souring level. And this is provided the meter is performing within the range it is rated for.

 

[h22lude]

Brewers in the know realize the small difference you quoted makes a large impact in a sour beer. It doesn't sound like much but the difference in 3.3 and 3.2 as in the resolution parameters, makes a significant difference in the finished beer's souring level. And this is provided the meter is performing within the range it is rated for.

Right, those parameters are when the meter is working 100%. The cheap meters don't always work 100%. I don't brew sours but even regular beer, a .29 difference can mean a lot especially if the pH is already on the low or high side.