shopping for a pH meter

[twd000]

I have been researching the purchase of a pH meter. Mainly for getting mash temperature correct, with a bonus of supporting my gardening and swimming pool hobbies.

I have read the articles and threads here, which seemed very helpful, until I started reading reviews from actual users. It seems they are all over the map; some like the Milwaukee MW101 or 102, some claim they are crap. Some say the cheapo Hanna $35 pH meter is all you'll ever need. Some spent $500 on a lab-grade meter and can't get it calibrated. I'm sure there is a lot of user-error involved, plus it is difficult to reference to a known good sample reading, so some people may be reading near pH 5 with no idea they are off by a mile.

So what to do?

Buy the cheapest meter and treat it as disposable? Buy a lab-grade meter with replaceable probes and plan to buy a new probe every so often?

I have bought Omega equipment at my job and had a good experience with them - has anyone used this meter? http://www.omega.com/ppt/pptsc.asp?ref=PHH221_PHH222

Has anyone tried the iPhone meter? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008AXSA4C/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

kind of a cool gimmick but hasn't really caught on in popularity

please chime in with any advice!

 

[FightinIrish]

Litmus paper is pretty cheap. And you don't need to calibrate it.

 

[rajun50]

I bought the MW101 and I'm happy with it. I haven't had it long, however. Most of the bad reviews I saw were from 5 years ago, so they may have worked out the kinks since then. I like the slender probe because it fits in my 50ml Erlenmeyer flasks. It has been good about holding calibration, too. I don't know what else to say. So far, it works well.

 

[twd000]

Litmus paper is pretty cheap. And you don't need to calibrate it.

I was under the impression you could only use litmus paper on clear fluids like water. Are you able to judge the color change of the paper on a stout mash, where the wort is basically black?

 

[twd000]

I bought the MW101 and I'm happy with it. I haven't had it long, however. Most of the bad reviews I saw were from 5 years ago, so they may have worked out the kinks since then. I like the slender probe because it fits in my 50ml Erlenmeyer flasks. It has been good about holding calibration, too. I don't know what else to say. So far, it works well.

well that's good to hear

some of the bad reviews were people who had recently bought them, I don't see any longer term reliability feedback

I see two images under the Milwaukee MW101 - do you have this one?

or this one?

 

[FightinIrish]

I was under the impression you could only use litmus paper on clear fluids like water. Are you able to judge the color change of the paper on a stout mash, where the wort is basically black?[/QUOTE]

Litmus paper should work on stouts but I guess I don't know for a fact. I did an Irish red that turned out quite a bit darker than intended and I could read the litmus paper without any trouble.

 

[Wynne-R]

The picture of the green one is an SM101, discontinued a few years ago. Weird. I bought the MW101 off Amazon about a year ago but it was through Test Equipment Depot.

It works great. Half the time I check it the calibration is still good. It was a bit less than $100 with the buffers and the storage solution.

The complaints I’ve seen about cheap pH meters are on the all in one pocket design. Apparently they drift a lot.

 

[twd000]

Those of you with digital meters - have you had to replace the probe yet? The literature from Omega says they will decay within 6-12 months, even when stored properly. The idea of buying a new $50 probe for a $75 meter every year is not appealing

I like the idea of litmus paper - low tech!

 

[bob352]

I have had the MW102 for almost a year.
Works great. Original probe. No plans to replace.
Bob

 

[twd000]

well that's good to hear. What made you go with the MW102 over the MW 101? Auto temperature compensation? Is there a separate probe for the temperature reading?

 

[danb35]

Yes, the MW102 has a separate probe for temperature. I just picked one up on eBay for $45; we'll have to see how it works. Even if I need to replace the electrode I'm ahead of the price new, but of course it'd be nice if I didn't have to do that...

 

[bob352]

Yes, I wanted the auto temperature compensation.
I cool the sample first, to any temp below 80 F.

Yes, it has a separate stainless probe on a cable
the same length as the pH probe. Easy to use.

 

[twd000]

Ok sold me on the MW102. Do I need to buy the three bottles of solution as well? 4.01 7.01 and storage solution?

 

[ajdelange]

Has anyone tried the iPhone meter? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008AXSA4C/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

kind of a cool gimmick but hasn't really caught on in popularity

Yes, I have but got it from Hach (same hardware but with an electrode that contains an RTD so that temperature info is automatically entered). It is pretty neat. Gives a picture like the screenshot below and also will e-mail measurements with time tag, calibration data and lat/lon e.g.:

Reading from ODM PH sensor:

Time: 6/11/13, 9:41
pH: 7.43
Temperature: 14.3 ˚C
Coordinates: 45.0735,-72.2136
Location: Ogden
Comments: Pressure tank. Warming sample.
Ambient temp: 19.2 ˚C
Millivolts: -26
Calibrated: 6/11/13, 9:10


Sent from my iPhone

Most important of all and the major issue with the inexpensive electrodes is that this one is stable over hours (as opposed to minutes for some of the cheapies).

 

[ajdelange]

Those of you with digital meters - have you had to replace the probe yet? The literature from Omega says they will decay within 6-12 months, even when stored properly. The idea of buying a new $50 probe for a $75 meter every year is not appealing

Of course but I've gotten 3 years out of the more recent ones. They aren't $50 a pop though - more like $250 but they are really good electrodes. Stable and long lived.

I like the idea of litmus paper - low tech!

I'd like the idea too if:

1. I were not colorblind.
2. It didn't have a built in error of 0.3 or more pH in the brewing application.

 

[bob352]

Ok sold me on the MW102. Do I need to buy the three bottles of solution as well? 4.01 7.01 and storage solution?

Yes, those are the three to get. Not included with the meter.

I also got a cleaning solution that I rinse the probe in.
No idea if it is adding any value.

Bob