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

Arrived without damages, and it works!

Bad ass

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.

Easy to read and use

I purchased this as part of a bundle, needing to add a thermostat to my Vivosun heat mat. From the moment I looked at the packaging, I knew I was in trouble. The packaging is shoddy and I recently bought a pair of pruning shears with similar packaging that fell out of their packaging in the shipping box. Multiple misspellings on the back such as "Cladium" and "Ferms". I immediately tested the moisture in my Spathiphyllum which I knew I just watered with distilled water and it tested "Wet", then I watched the arm slowly swing to "Moist", which pretty much confirmed my suspicions about this "device", but next I tested the pH meter. All my plants tested ~7 (the default for the device), which is odd because some of them are potted in pure peat, so then I ran some experiments. Our tap water is about a 9 and clearly vinegar is not "6". The measurement of 6-7 doesn't vary much no matter what you do. Ironically, the light sensor appears to be accurate, which is funny because that's precisely the thing I don't need - save your money and download a free light testing app instead. Strong carnival prize vibes coming off this thing. Will be returning.

Not very accurate and really did not find it very helpful .

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!

Easy to use fairly accurate.. pretty much invested in the whole VIVOSUN lineup