VIVOSUN Soil Tester, 3-in-1 Plant Moisture Meter Light and PH Tester for Home, Garden, Lawn, Farm, Indoor and Outdoor Use, Promote Plants Healthy Growth

My overall rating is a five because it really will help in keeping my succulents and tropical plants alive. When used with a large palm tree houseplant recently purchased, the Vivosun tester had registered no light. This had prompted me to move the plant from a low light area to a brighter location. The instructions on package were minimal and focused on benefits of reading the moisture, light and ph of soil. My only concern was cleaning, which package states wipe clean after each use. If there is a case of a failing plant that needs extra care and nurturing, the question is on possible soil contamination that may unknowingly be spread to otherwise healthy plants by just wiping off soil tester and re using again. The soil tester does as described and my plan is to purchase a second purchase for outside garden use.

Vivosun soul tester works great!

I am very sorry to report that this meter isn't very useful for my needs (growing succulents outdoors in containers in the Bay Area). The problem is that the sensors read the same unless conditions are truly extreme. For example, the light meter does show a high reading for bright sunlight directly on the sensor. But it can't tell the difference between bright shade and deeper shade. The moisture meter - which was my reason for buying the item - registers in the red, "Very Dry" region unless the meter is placed in soaking wet soil. Then it does go all the way to "very wet". So, the moisture meter is probably useful for soil that is usually quite moist, to warn you if it dries out. But it's not useful for succulent growers. (Maybe if you haven't figured out yet why all your succulents die...) Finally, the pH meter seems to be entirely useless. It reads highly alkaline (above pH 7) unless placed in soil soaked in vinegar. But this is *not* a problem with this specific plant sensor. It is a problem with affordable plant sensors in general. I did a lot of research on the topic after I got a second Vivosun meter that performed as described above. Basically, you have to spend $50-$100 to get a sensor that will probably work. The really good ones start at around $320. Soil sensors, it turns out, are a huge business. They are a crucial component of up-to-date agriculture. They allow automation - and save water, reduce chemical use, etc. Goals everyone can cheer for. Those sensors, placed permanently in the ground at many locations on a farm, are part of multi thousand $$$ systems. The $300-$1500 handheld sensor is for the person who goes around checking on actual conditions. Less expensive systems exist for gardening, but again, they're designed to be incorporated into irrigation systems and so on. There are also at least 4 fundamentally different technologies used in soil sensors. (I'm ignoring the light meter here. Also, some technologies can measure both pH and moisture content like this meter - I think they're both measuring electrical potential between the two sensor prongs. But the more accurate and expensive tech only measures moisture. I guess they have a different sensor for pH, or more likely, it's not incorporated into automated irrigation systems.) The more accurate tech is cumbersome and has been developed largely for permanent installation in agricultural settings. There are a couple of in-between levels that are also marketed for agriculture; these are the types that appear in garden systems. Finally, the technology used in inexpensive moisture meters is no longer used in serious equipment. I don't really understand why a $10 moisture meter can't work a bit better, though. Some tinkering with the probe materials and adjustment of the sensor readout range might well make this type of meter work considerably better. Leaving out the other sensors would reduce costs and confusion. There is a big consumer market for moisture meters that get the right basic answer. Everyone with a houseplant could use something like that. Never mind the enthusiasts who fuss over tricky plants from succulents and cacti to marsh living carnivorous plants! So, for now, succulent growers should just avoid these devices. (There's no reason to imagine another brand is better.) It would be interesting to know if people whose plants need moist soil find this type of meter more useful. And Vivosun (one of the top companies in the indoor horticulture area) should go back to the lab. Plants in containers don't allow for the expensive, high-tech systems I referred to above. Each container needs a sensor of its own. So, users need many separate inexpensive small sensors. Given the money in some forms of indoor horticulture, it seems worthwhile to develop a moisture sensor that's still inexpensive, but two or three times as accurate as this one.

Very useful tool for gardeners of all skill levels.

Doesn't work at all. Immediately said my brand new blended soil was completely alkaline. I'll soak my garden bed and still only get a reading in the upper mid-range of "moist" whether I check topsoil or deep. I guess the light meter is the only thing that works.

Not sure yet measures my moisture accuracy but ph always says 7 no matter where you put it plus I left it for an hour

I learned that I needed one of these and started to do some shopping here on Amazon. Talk about OVERLOAD! If one isn't really knowledgeable because it's your first time needing one, it is OVERWHELMING trying to pick ONE that meets your needs, doesn't cost an arm and a leg and just isn't complicated. This is EXACTLY what you need if you are using soil. Works great, easy to read, accurate, easy to clean, seems durable enough, no problems there, not cheaply made. Everything I need, not complicated or expensive! If you're looking for that, this is a great find! I totally recommend it! If you need something for hydroponics or anything more complicated, this would not fit your needs!

Worth 10 bucks … I use it to check Moisture Mostly in my grow bags…also checks PH & Light. I’m a senior, it’s a little difficult to read, unless you squat down. But I use my phone to look at it and magnify it… no more guessing

This product worked great initially, but after a few months began to display corrosion on the rods before no-longer working. The product works, but unfortunately don't expect this to last longer than perhaps a season.

Foi útil paractestst o solo. Atendeu nossa necessidade.

Great little tool. I find no issues with this tester! Some people may order it and expect it to tell them everything about their soil.. keep in mind it’s just a tester, it’s not 100% accurate and it won’t tell you everything you need to know. You may still need to test run off for PH levels and rely on a lift test for water moisture. But overall, this soil tester gives you a great idea of what your soil PH is and how wet it is. For me it works great. I get home from work, have a peek at my soil tester that’s in my soil and it’s gives me a very quick idea of what’s going on inside of my pot. That’s what it’s used best for, a quick general idea. Thanks again Vivosun! 😁👍🏼

Good Product to measure Moisture. Other function accuracy is questionable

Ottimo prodotto