Looking to order TF-Pro with SmartStir kit, add the pH meter?

[VinylDelight]

Even though this test kit has a liquid ph test, they recommend the pH meter for an additional 17$. Now don't get me wrong, it might be better or more convenient or something, but is it actually necessary for a casual pool owner? I bought a house with a pool and it's crystal clear and beautiful. The prior owner told me what they did and it is, in all honesty, simple and low maintenance. She didn't even say she tested often and mentioned it as an afterthought.

Question 2:

We are currently out of the original grey Smart Stir that is included in the TF-Pro and TF-Pro Salt. For this reason, the grey Smart Stir has been temporarily removed from individual sale. We expect more Smart Stirs to be delivered in early September but do not have confirmation of an exact date. We will update this page with more information as we obtain it.


We now offer Taylor SpeedStir magnetic stirring devices as well as the Smart Stirs. The Taylor SpeedStir is a comparable device to the Smart Stir. It fits in the TF-Pro case where the Smart Stir would belong, works with all TFTestkits cylinders, and mixes tests automatically with the press of a button.


If you prefer to receive a Taylor SpeedStir, select the option above and you will save $12 on your kit. Otherwise your Smart Stir will be shipped to you, free of charge, when it arrives.

I have no idea which stirrer is better, although I did some reading here and definitely am sold on getting the stirrer. Which should I get? I am able to wait for the out of stock one since they will ship it free.

Thanks for reading.

 

[HermanTX]

No need to get the pH meter right now. Suggest you get a higher grade pH meter such as Aspera 60 from Amazon if you think you ever need it. No need to spend the $17 now.

Either smart stirrer is good. Definitly that is a good investment which is why they started to include it in the Pro kit. Most of us who bought just the TF 100 kit as that was the only option didn’t have a speed stirrer. I bought the Taylor speed stirrer on Amazon After about a year of hand stirring.
Both speed stirrers should fit in the Pro kit - if it saves you $12 I would take the discount item to have it from the beginning.

 

[gingrbredman]

No need to get the pH meter right now. Suggest you get a higher grade pH meter such as Aspera 60 from Amazon if you think you ever need it.

I did not purchase the PH meter from TF Test Kits, an instead got the Apera PC60 and love it. If you keep it calibrated and stored properly, it is a very nice PH meter and as accurate as you need it to be.

That being said, there are a lot of users here who have reported good results from the TF Testkit PH meter. I might have been tempted to pick up the $17 meter when I was buying all my supplies there, and think that store has a great reputation for the products they sell, and have picked out a solid meter most people could use and trust. I used to do the PH water test and my meter at the same time to make sure they were in check, but have stopped recently as my PH meter has always been right there.

For the speed stir, I did what @HermanTX did, bought the Taylor off Amazon, but right away and can't imagine hand swirling a vile for my pool testing. What are we, savages lol?!?! I picked up a couple extra magnets too so each test gets its own, and never worry if I lose it or misplace it. Some like the "X" magnet, but the pill suits me just fine as well.

 

[DrewLG]

Even though this test kit has a liquid ph test, they recommend the pH meter for an additional 17$. Now don't get me wrong, it might be better or more convenient or something, but is it actually necessary for a casual pool owner?

It's only necessary if you can't distinguish the colors in the pH color comparator. The color-comparison test is easy and takes less than a minute, so if I were you I'd get the kit without the pH meter, try the color-comparison test for pH, and then only buy a pH meter if necessary.

And from personal experience, I wouldn't buy the most inexpensive Chinese meter you can find on Amazon. The $20-30 meters I've tried are slow to use, require frequent calibration, and are built so cheaply that the displays and buttons often malfunction. If a meter is going to be your only method of measuring pH, get a good one like the Apera that @gingrbredman mentioned.

I bought a house with a pool and it's crystal clear and beautiful. The prior owner told me what they did and it is, in all honesty, simple and low maintenance. She didn't even say she tested often and mentioned it as an afterthought.

Congratulations on the purchase. If you decide to follow the TFP maintenance method, you might discover that the pool can be even clearer.

I have no idea which stirrer is better, although I did some reading here and definitely am sold on getting the stirrer. Which should I get? I am able to wait for the out of stock one since they will ship it free.

The Smart Stir and Speed Stir work equally well. The biggest difference between them is the shape of the plastic case.

The only stirrer I would avoid is the BLUE Smart Stir, for the reasons mentioned on the tftestkits site. That one is good only if you KNOW that you won't use the built-in LED light.

 

[VinylDelight]

Thank you all for the fast, valuable replies. I went ahead and got the pro kit without waiting on the OOS stirrer. Here's to science.