The reviews are written after testing 23 different digital moisture meter for soil. It took us 75 hours to test all the variants. We also hired 3 experts, who have years of experience on these kinds of meters. They helped us learn more about the meter. In addition to tests, you can go through over buyer’s guide for more information. According to our tests, No products found. is the best soil moisture meter and runner up is Dr.meter Hygrometer.
Top Picks
Top 6 Soil Moisture Meter
1. Jellas 3-in-1 pH Meter – Editor’s Choice
No products found.
In order to have the best-looking garden, you must have correct knowledge of moisture, sunlight, and soil pH level. The Jellas 3-in-1 provides all three data at once. Hence, it has gained the top spot on our list. The good thing is that even with combination of 3 sensors it does not require a battery. In order to check the data all you need to do is toggle the switch between moist, light, and pH.
In addition to being a soil moisture sensor meter, it also shows the sunlight and pH level in the soil. The range of sunlight it measures is between 0-2000lux. And the soil pH range is 3.5-8pH.
- It can measure sunlight, moisture, and pH.
- Works with most of the gardening soils.
- Requires no battery.
- Highly Accurate.
- Very simple to use.
- Inexpensive.
- Not that we found.
Bottom Line
Looking at the kind of job it does, it is perfect for home gardening, lawn, etc. You will be able to take of your plant in a much better way. According to us, it is the best lawn moisture meter we tested.
2. Dr. Meter Hygrometer – Best For Accurate Reading
Dr. Meter has so many types of a meters. Out of all Dr.meter Hygrometer is one of the best moisture meters for soil. When we looked at it for the first time, it impressed us with its simplicity. The biggest advantage of having this variant is that it uses no battery or power source. All you have to do is insert it into the soil and take the reading.
One thing we loved about the meter is that it had a scale of 1-10 divided into three more sections dry, moist, and wet. If the scale tips to 10 it means the soil is wettest and 1 being the driest. This type of measurement is as simple as you get.
- Very simple to use.
- Highly accurate.
- Works with all kinds of soil.
- Requires no battery.
- Simple measurement scale.
- You cannot use it for soil pH level.
Bottom Line
Looking at the simplicity of the Dr.meter Hygrometer, we believe the meter is perfect for homeowners with garden, lawn or plants.
3. Indoor-Outdoor Meter- Best For Budget Conscious Users
Indoor-Outdoor Moisture Sensor Meter was another simplest looking meter that we tested. Similar to Dr. Meter, the Indoor-Outdoor Moisture Sensor Meter has 1-10 scale which is divided into three sections dry, wet, and moist. It also does not require a battery. Working with it is also simple. You insert it into the soil and take a reading.
It also uses the same 1-10 scale. The 10 is the highest number, and it means the soil is wet and 1 is dry. Overall the built quality is very good, and it can serve you for a quite long time. The stem is 8 inches long, and it’s quite strong. It can penetrate even the driest looking soil.
- Very easy to use.
- Take accurate reading.
- Requires no battery.
- Works with any kind of soil.
- Simple scale for measurement.
- Little price compared to its competitor.
Bottom Line
If you own a lawn or plant garden, Indoor-Outdoor Moisture Sensor Meter could be a useful digital moisture meter for you.
4. THZY – Best For Gardening
Garden is the area where you want to take care of the soil. You want to know exactly when you must water the soil. We were looking for a meter that works well for the garden soil, and we found THZY Soil Moisture Sensor Meter is best among all. We did test many good soil moisture meters, and the readings were also accurate. But one that bugged is the time the different variants took to get the reading.
As for the built is concerned it is made of molded plastic and stem is made of sturdy metal. However, it is not corrosion resistant, so you will have to clean it every time you use it. Also, make sure you do not leave the meter in the soil like the other best moisture meter requires no battery.
- Perfect far gardening.
- Provides fast and accurate readings.
- Inexpensive.
- Works with most of the gardening soil.
- The scale is easy to read.
- The stem is not corrosion resistant.
Bottom Line
If you are looking for meter that provides you with a fast and accurate reading, you must try THZY Meter. It is probably the best garden moisture meter for plants.
5. Covery 3 in 1 – Best For Multiple Purposes
The Covery 3 in 1 Soil Moisture Meters is another meter that we loved. It is 3 in 1 meter. Hence it can detect moisture, sunlight, and pH. By the looks of it is one of the most accurate meters that we had tested. Not just the moisture, its sunlight and soil pH sensor are also perfect. One thing that we loved is the scale. This is one of those tools you must have if you like to grow flowers.
However, the best part about it is the pH sensor. With separate stem for pH, it can give you the most accurate reading of soil pH level in the soil. It can measure the soil pH in the range of 3.5 to 8 pH. Its light sensor is also good with a range of 0-2000 lux.
- It can be used for measuring, light, pH, and moisture.
- Highly accurate.
- The stem is sturdy.
- Very easy to use.
- Inexpensive.
- The stem may corrode if left in the soil for a longer period.
Bottom Line
It does have a good light sensor, but if you want a good soil moisture sensor meter with accurate soil pH sensor, we suggest you get Covery 3 in 1 Soil Tester Moisture Meter for your flowers.
6. 3-in-1 with Light & PH Test Function – Best For Measuring pH
If you have a big garden, farm or lawn, you might probably want to use more than one meter. In order to use more, you need meters that are affordable. There is nothing fancy about the meter, but it does the work. Compared to other best plant moisture indicator, it is much cheaper.
The biggest reason for using this meter for outdoor plants, or garden is that you can use it to measure light, pH and Moisture.
- Very inexpensive.
- It can measure light, pH, and moisture.
- Works with wet soil.
- The scale is easy to read.
- Built quality is not that great.
Bottom Line
If you want to use more than one meter, and also want to use it measure sunlight, pH and moisture, you can use 3-in-1 Meter with Light & PH Test Function.
Buyer’s Guide – What To Consider?
To make a beautiful garden or lawn, having knowledge of moisture level is a must. In order to know about it, you require the right tool. During our research for finding the right soil moisture meters, we have learned how different factors affect it. These factors will help decide the right soil moisture sensor meter for your needs like potted plants, lawns etc. Let’s look at these factors one by one:
1. Accuracy
In terms of a digital moisture meter, you don’t require measurement to its smallest unit. It must be able to tell if the soil requires water or not. You want to learn if the soil is dry, moist, or wet. Most of the meter comes with a scale of 1-10, and the scale is divided into three sections dry, moist, and wet. So make sure while you are buying the soil moisture sensor meter, check how accurate it is. Most of the time 2-3 readings are required to get the accurate reading. So go for the soil moisture sensor meter that gives you fast readings. No products found. gives one of the most accurate reading.
2. Sensitivity
Sensitivity will be key if you require fast and accurate reading. Sensitivity depends on how good the sensor is. The stem of the meter is key here. You have to understand how at what depth stem detects right reading. And the way meter works is you insert it into the soil at different angle and location to get the most accurate reading. So if the sensor is sensitive enough you won’t have to change angle and location too much. Even at minimum depths, the meter will be able to provide to the right readings. Indoor-Outdoor Moisture Sensor Meter has one of the most sensitive sensor.
3. Other Sensors
In addition to measuring moisture, the moisture meter also measures light and pH level. Not all meter does that. You require a meter with two stems and light sensor. Such meters use different stem for measuring the pH. One thing that you have to make sure that scale is clear and shows the measurements correctly. With such devices, it is very easy to mix up different measurements.
If you want to measure the pH and sunlight with a meter, you can try using No products found.. It is one of the best combinations of digital moisture meter, pH and sunlight.
4. Ease of Use
With moisture meter, the only difficulty you can face is the stem not going into the soil. So whatever model you plan to buy you have to understand how much it can take. There are some sturdy soil moisture meters that can be used with some hard soil. But most of them require soft or wet soil.
Before buying check with the seller and read the user manual to learn more about the stem of the soil moisture sensor meter. However, one general rule of thumb that you must remember while using the moisture meter is that you never leave the moisture meter too long in the soil. Also always clean the stem after the use.
5. Design
As you will be using the meter in wet conditions, you want a device that can withstand those conditions. Most of the soil moisture meters are made out of molded plastic. The stem is either made out of steel or aluminum. Check the material of the meter you are looking to buy. Other than the materials we have described are not recommended for the meter.
How We Conduct The Tests?
For moisture meter, we had to do a lot of preparation regarding creating the right testing conditions. So, the first thing we did was to get 8 experts who have years of experience with a soil moisture sensor meter. They were able to provide us the valuable information on how the meters are used. We also learned about the parameters necessary for the soil moisture meter.
Once had enough knowledge to go on, we chose 23 different meters to our lab. The way we selected these meters was we determined the top-selling meters. For that we contacted the sellers, the helped us to identify the different variants. Also, we also made sure the brand manufacturing the meter is reputed.
Once we had different variants, we designed the tests on parameters like accuracy, ease of use, design, and sensitivity. For tests, we simulated the conditions where meter is used. We got all kinds of soils that are used of gardening, farming or for lawns. We made sure that each soil had samples with different moisture levels. Once we were ready with the conditions, we tested each model one by one and noted the results.
Beyond tests, we also wanted to listen to what the existing user of different models thought about it. Their views helped us to know how the meter performs after months or years of use. Also, there are some insight about a certain product that can be learned by testing, you need to have hands-on experience. Only the existing users have that. So we contacted them through seller and learned as much as possible. We also went through several reviews sites to see what the users are talking about the product.
After 75 hours of testing and customer feedback, we asked our team to score each model on three parameters ease of use, accuracy, and design. We calculated the overall score and selected the six soil moisture meters among all. Here is the scorecard:
| Product | Accuracy | Design | Senstivity | Overall | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jellas 3-in-1 | 97.6 | 97.3 | 97.8 | 97.6 | No products found. |
| Dr. Meter Hygrometer | 97.2 | 97.1 | 97.6 | 97.3 | CheckPrice |
| Indoor-Outdoor Moisture Meter | 97.4 | 96.5 | 96.9 | 96.9 | CheckPrice |
| THZY Soil Moisture Meter | 96.9 | 97.1 | 96.1 | 96.7 | CheckPrice |
| Covery 3 in 1 Soil Tester Moisture Meter | 95.8 | 96.1 | 96.3 | 96.1 | CheckPrice |
| 3-in-1 Moisture Meter | 96.1 | 95.4 | 95.7 | 95.7 | CheckPrice |
FAQs
1. Can you leave moisture meter in soil?
You cannot leave the meter in soil between the reading. Always cleans the meter once the reading is taken. Otherwise, meter will be damaged.
2. Are soil moisture meters accurate?
Yes, moisture meters are accurate. And they should be if you want the soil to have particular moisture. If your meter is not accurate you must get new one.
3. How does digital moisture meter work?
There are several types of a moisture meter, and the working of each type slightly differs. But the basic principle is same. The meter measures the electrical conductivity in soil. If the moisture in the soil is more, then electricity flows more easily.
4. What is the optimal soil moisture?
Anything in the range of 10-45 percent is considered to be optimal. But it can be higher if the reading is taken after watering.
5. How to use a soil moisture meter?
A soil moisture sensor meter is designed to measure conductivity in the soil, and a moisture reading is shown in percent. All you have to do is insert the sensor that goes into the soil and check the display for reading.
6. How does a moisture show reading?
The general unit used by the meter is MC%. However, it may vary from brand to brand and also the type of meter.
7. Can moisture meter be used for plant soils?
Yes, the meter can be used wherever you want to know the moisture of the soil.
8. Are there any multifunction moisture meter?
Yes, there are. We have few meters in our list, which are general 3 in 1. These meters not only measure moisture but sunlight as well as pH of the soil.
Final Thought
We have done all the test and offered you the six soil moisture meters. But it doesn’t mean you have to buy the cheapest one or the most expensive one. The type of variant you buy depends on your need. You identify for what purpose you want to use the soil moisture sensor meter. Depending on the purpose identify the meter that fulfills the job. Then use our buyer’s guide to narrow down the right meter. You can always get more information about the particular variant on the seller’s website.
Jellas 3-in-1 pH Meter- Editor's Choice
Summary
Looking at the kind of job it does, it is perfect for home gardening, lawn, etc. You will be able to take of your plant in a much better way. According to us, it is the best lawn moisture meter we tested.
I’ve really like this article. It helps me choose the one I am looking for.
Thanks, Adam for stoping by and giving your valuable feedback.It really motivates us.