Best pH Meters

These pH meters are awesome and super handy to have if you make hot sauce regularly and are concerned about the pH level. A good pH meter should give a reading of 3.4 on your hot sauce to prevent the growth of bacteria. Most bacteria will grow around 6.5 to 7.5 so if you are producing an alkaline based hot sauce, you’ll want to find other ways to fight bacteria.

Poit Handheld pH Meter

I purchased this meter last year experimenting with controlling the acidity of my hot sauce but at the same time making sure that it will be safe for bottling. If you are making and bottling your own hot sauce a pH meter is a must have! Purchase here.

What I like

Very portable

I like that this unit is one piece and is very portable and easy to store. Although not many of the meters are large or cumbersome, this one is only the size of a large marker and has a clip on the backside so you can secure it to a pocket or belt.

Very easy to use

I am always eager to use a new toy before I read the instructions, but I always read them. In this case there isn’t much to know about using your meter. Instructions are short (5 steps) and easy to follow. This meter came pre calibrated and I used it within minutes of its arrival. Read here on how to use a pH meter.

Comes with a case

I didn’t see it listed anywhere the Poit meter was going to come with a case so I was very happy about that. It is a durable clear plastic case to keep the meter safe and keeps the size of the meter down.

Big digital screen

The digital screen produces large digits very easy to read. I prefer the digital screen over a needle reading with some more expensive meters or color matching with some pH papers. I didn’t have any problem reading the ¼” screen without my glasses.

Arrives fully calibrated

This meter arrives fully calibrated to begin testing immediately. Calibration of the meter is important, but I was pleased that I did not have to spend too much time setting the meter up initially. I used it shortly after I took it out of the package.

Comes with pH solution for future calibration

This meter comes three pH packets (pH 4.01, pH 6.86 and pH 9.18) to calibrate the meter in the future. Calibration is important so purchase addition pH solution if you think you will be doing a lot of testing.

Comes with batteries

Also don’t need to purchase additional batteries and are able to use the meter immediately. Some other meters require 9-volt batteries and may not be included. This meter was inexpensive enough where I will probably purchase another one once the batteries die.

Includes instructions with specifications

Every product should come with instructions and you should read them thoroughly. These instructions are short and concise, and it has a little specification section as well. If you are kind of nerdy like me, you will enjoy reading this kind of stuff. Don’t discard them after reading.

All equipment should include the specifications for the product. Learning how to read them is important for understanding what you might be looking for if you decide to purchase a more expensive or more advanced product.

Inexpensive

This meter and meter similar are very inexpensive and are definitely worth the price. Some believe that spending more money on a product makes it a higher quality. We are trying to achieve an accurate reading for the pH of our hot sauce and this meter is well within what scientific labs would require.

Accuracy of + 0.01pH

The Poit meter has an accuracy of + 0.01 and according to Westlab.com this is very accurate for research environments. See below for meters with a higher accuracy. I aim for a hot sauce to have a pH reading of 3.4 so accuracy is important to me.

Arrived in two days

Like many products on Amazon this arrived very quickly and as mentioned above was ready to use. These meters are in stock. Order a double package here.

What I don’t like

Non rechargeable batteries

No battery will last forever but I like being able to charge and re charge is a great option for any device. Batteries for this device are available but I think I would put money into the next level of meter or purchase a new meter (very inexpensive). Buy two and get a better deal.

Feels light weight

This particular product does not feel as durable and heavy as some of my other kitchen utensils. I have not dropped it or smashed it with a hammer, but I don’t think it would withstand the force of me jumping on it.

The pH level of a homemade hot sauce is important to prevent the growth of certain bacteria. Testing your sauce throughout the process is also important and these are great tools for the job.