Electronic Test Kit Advice Needed

[farmall.dude]

I imagine this has been asked a time or two, and I'm sorry for asking again. But, I didn't find a search function for the forums to research old threads.

I've been looking at (affordable) electronic test kits because I'm color blind, especially to reds and greens. Using test strips is frustrating, because I can't tell where the colors match up. I don't want to spend half a year's salary or get a kit that tests 10,000 different things I couldn't care less about. But, I don't want a device that gives inconsistent or inaccurate results either. So, I'm asking the experts out there that have been using these devices, which one in your opinion gives the most accurate results and costs $200 give or take, less is better. One that won't break as soon as the warranty period is over, and replacement reagents/chemicals won't cost more than the device (like inkjet printers ) Would you buy the one you have again?

Thanks in advance,
Bruce

 

[mknauss]

There are no electronic test kits available to the residential market that are fully acceptable.

Can you tell when a sample changes color? Pink to clear, green to red, etc?

 

[farmall.dude]

There are no electronic test kits available to the residential market that are fully acceptable.

Can you tell when a sample changes color? Pink to clear, green to red, etc?

Thanks mknauss. I can see the big changes, it's the subtle difference between that are the problem. Like pH for example. I read it as needing a little Acid, my wife reads it as needing a little Soda. Chlorine levels are hard for me to judge too (shades of green on my strips).

By not fully acceptable, what does that mean? Are the readings so far off it becomes useless?

 

[tim5055]

By not fully acceptable, what does that mean? Are the readings so far off it becomes useless?

By not providing results that can be proven to be accurate and repeatable over time.

Your test strips are an example, we find them useless for testing pool water because they can be so inaccurate.

 

[DorsalSpine]

A FAS/DPD test for chlorine goes from a pink solution to a clear solution. If you can see that you are good to go. There are electronic testers that you calibrate against a known solution for PH. They are relatively inexpensive. That would get the big two tests out of the way for you.

 

[PoolNewb2020]

I'm color blind as well, although I understand there are different levels and color spectrum for this so it may not apply to you, but I also had trouble reading test strips and had to have my wife double check me.
But I have no trouble with the TF100 test kit because most test you just need to observe change in color, not the exact color match. Only the PH test gives me trouble from time to time when the color is in between the scales.

Here are some vidoes from TF100 test kits, can you see the color change?
Free chlorine test:

TA test

Calcium Hardness test: