The best soil testers, compared.
Top pick: Fillord 6-in-1 rechargeable tester Best value: Sonkir MS02 3-in-1 meter – Multi-reading meter at about £9.99 with the next large sample: 4.0 from 45,448 reviews, moisture, pH and light, no batteries. Updated October 2026.
A soil tester is a handheld probe you push into compost or garden soil for a quick moisture reading, and often pH, light or temperature. In the UK you buy one mainly so you do not overwater houseplants, or for a hint before you lime a bed. It does not replace a kit or a laboratory sample when the decision is lime, blueberries or nutrients. You recognise a suitable meter by the job. Watering a pot needs moisture only. Liming a border, or planting blueberries, needs a pH result you can defend. Phosphate, potash and magnesium need a laboratory, not a fertility needle. Avoid dry, hard, gravelly or frozen soil, and do not dip the tip in water or liquid feed. A long probe suits a deep pot. Forcing a short probe into dry clay bends it. Analogue meters need no batteries. Several digital meters need AAA cells that are not in the box. Do not leave a metal tip in the pot. How those jobs split is in the [soil tester buying guide](/hub/garden-supplies/soil-tester/sub/soil-tester-buying-guide).
A soil tester is a handheld probe you push into compost or garden soil for a quick moisture reading, and often pH, light or temperature.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What do you need to know?
Fillord’s rechargeable 6-in-1 lists moisture, pH, temperature, light, fertility and ambient humidity at about £19.99, with a built-in lithium pack, USB charge and auto-off after five minutes. Seller text prints tolerances such as pH ±0.5 and moisture ±10%; those figures were not verified here. The star line is 5.0 from four ratings, with three UK-tagged reviews that praise indoor pots and outdoor beds and credit it with stopping overwatering; one tip is to shade the screen in direct sun. Product dimensions on the listing look implausibly small for a probe meter, so treat size as uncertain. A perfect score from four reviews does not outrank the XLUX moisture evidence.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You prefer USB charging over loose AAA cells and accept a tiny review sample.
Less suitable: You want tens of thousands of reviews, or a moisture-only dial without a lithium pack.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the battery included?
Yes. The technical block says one lithium polymer battery is required and included. The listing says it charges by USB.
Are the printed tolerances a lab result?
No. pH ±0.5, light ±50 lux and moisture ±10% are seller text on the listing. This comparison did not calibrate the meter.
How many reviews support the 5.0 score?
The listing says 5.0 from 4 reviews. Three of the reviews in the UK notes are tagged United Kingdom.
TOWODE’s 6-in-1 prints ranges on the listing — pH 3.9–9, moisture 0–99%, fertility to 3000 μS/cm — at about £18.99, with a screen that rotates up to 90 degrees. Insert 7–15 cm, wait five seconds, and use two AAA cells; whether they arrive in the box is not confirmed in the UK notes. The star line is 4.7 from only ten ratings, and the UK notes hold one review that calls it easy with good info and states no fault. Printed ranges look precise; they were not checked here against a buffer. Treat the high star figure as a small sample, not as proof it outranks meters with tens of thousands of reviews.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You like a rotating screen and printed ranges, and you will verify readings before liming.
Less suitable: You need a large UK review sample before you trust the purchase.
Specifications
Common questions
What ranges does the listing print?
pH 3.9–9, moisture 0–99%, fertility 0–3000 μS/cm, soil temperature −9 °C to 50 °C, light 0–100000 lux, and air humidity 0–99%.
Where should you not use it?
The listing says not in pure water or liquid fertiliser, and not in gravel, frozen ground or concrete. Do not leave the probes buried.
How large is the review sample?
The star line is 4.7 from 10 reviews. The UK notes contain one United Kingdom review.
Across 65,286 amazon.co.uk ratings at 4.4, the XLUX meter is a moisture-only dial with no batteries and a single probe, listed at about £9.99. Fifty UK-tagged reviews say it shows wet compost under a dry surface and stops people overwatering houseplants; one owner used it on about 60 roses in hot weather. The listing warns not to leave the tip in soil for more than five minutes or it corrodes, and it does not read pH. At least one UK review reports failure after about six months of careful use, so treat longevity as mixed. For weekly wet-or-dry checks on pots and borders it has the strongest moisture sample in this set, not because it is a laboratory tool.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a simple wet-or-dry check for houseplants or outdoor pots and you do not need a pH figure.
Less suitable: You are about to lime a bed, plant blueberries, or buy a meter mainly for a pH reading.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this XLUX meter read pH?
No. The listing describes a moisture dial only, with three zones and ten scales.
Does it need batteries?
No. The listing says no batteries are required and the reading is immediate.
Can it stay in the pot?
No. The listing says not to leave it in the soil for more than 5 minutes, because the metal tip corrodes.
YAMRON’s 4-in-1 digital meter lists moisture, pH, temperature and sunlight at about £19.99, with 4.3 from 215 reviews. Insert about 10 cm, wait ten seconds, and fit four AAA cells that are not in the box; UK reviews also say remove the red protective cap or the sensor stays dead. Owners like the moisture channel for indoor and outdoor watering in hot weather, and one used the pH mode on tomatoes and cucumbers. Others call the pH inaccurate against vinegar, water or dearer meters, and one recycled a unit after every channel looked wrong. It is a mid-priced screen meter for people who want temperature and light beside moisture, not a calibrated pH instrument.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a backlit multi-meter for watering and you will buy AAA cells before first use.
Less suitable: You need laboratory-grade pH, or you refuse any meter that ships without batteries.
Specifications
Common questions
Are batteries in the box?
No. The listing says four AAA 1.5 V batteries are not included.
How deep does the probe go?
The listing says about 10 cm, then wait 10 seconds.
Can it test liquid feed?
No. The listing says it cannot be used directly to test any liquid.
Model GX-pS01EU is the dearest meter in this set at about £39.99: a 6-in-1 for moisture, pH, EC, temperature, sunlight and air humidity, with four AAA alkaline cells included and a 380 g body. The listing asks you to cover two small holes at the lowest probe line and wait ten seconds, and not to force dry hard soil. The star line is 4.1 from 165 reviews, but only one UK-tagged review is among the UK notes; that owner says it works so far and prefers it to a dearer Bluelab they disliked. There is no brand line on the listing. Pay for the included batteries and the heavier build only if you want those six channels; the British review evidence is thin next to XLUX or Sonkir.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want batteries in the box and a heavier 6-in-1, and you accept a thin UK review sample.
Less suitable: You want proven British review volume, or a simple moisture dial under about £10.
Specifications
Common questions
Which brand is printed?
The listing has no brand line. The manufacturer is JiNan Jixin Electronic Co., Ltd and the model is GX-pS01EU.
Are batteries included?
Yes. The bullet and the technical block say four AAA alkaline batteries are included.
How many UK reviews are noted?
The star line says 165 reviews. One review in the UK notes is tagged United Kingdom.
The YAMRON 7-in-1 adds fertility, TDS and EC wording to moisture, pH, temperature and light at about £26.99, with 4.1 from 109 reviews. Four AAA cells are still not included. UK reviewers who fitted batteries like the clear readout and quick moisture checks next to irrigation, and some used it for months without calling it exact. The same sample complains that moisture sticks between about 5% and 95%, including out of the soil, and that pH and EC disagree with other devices. One bullet mentions water-quality TDS while another bans liquids, so do not dip it. Extra channels raise the price; they do not turn fertility into an NPK report.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already accept a digital multi-meter and want extra on-screen channels for curiosity, not for fertiliser maths.
Less suitable: You only need wet-or-dry, or you plan to dose fertiliser from the fertility or EC line.
Specifications
Common questions
Are the batteries included?
No. The listing says it is powered by four AAA batteries, which are not included.
Can this meter test water?
One bullet mentions TDS and EC of water quality. Another says the tester must not be used directly to measure liquids. Treat that as a conflict on the listing.
What if the soil is very dry?
The listing says not to force the probe. Moisten the spot and wait 10 minutes before measuring.
The Sonkir MS02 is an analogue 3-in-1 for moisture, pH and light at about £9.99, with 4.0 from 45,448 reviews and no batteries. UK buyers often keep it for watering after buying it for pH, and praise builds when the moisture needle moves. The same sample is blunt about the pH channel: readings that barely change between ericaceous and alkaline compost, a needle stuck on dry soil until you water first, and a flimsy case. Insert about 2–4 inches (about 5–10 cm) per the listing, and wipe the probes. One unit in the UK texts stopped working properly after about six weeks. It is the best-value multi-reading meter in this set on price and sample size, not a claim that the pH needle matches a kit or a laboratory.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a cheap 3-in-1 mainly for moisture, and you will treat the pH needle as a rough hint only.
Less suitable: You need a defensible pH before liming, or a moisture-only tool with a much larger trusted sample.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Sonkir MS02 need batteries?
No. The listing says no batteries are needed. You insert the probe about 2–4 inches and switch mode.
Why might the needle stay still?
The listing says that if the soil is too dry the indicator will not move, and that you should water before testing.
Can it test the pH of water?
No. The listing says it cannot test the pH of any other liquid.
Soonkoda’s analogue 3-in-1 switches between moisture, fertility and pH at about £6.99, the lowest price in this comparison, with an English manual in the box. Stars are 4.0 from 76 reviews; only two UK-tagged texts are in the notes. One owner found it useful on large outdoor pots in hot weather. The other reported a probe detaching on first use, with thin internal wires exposed and no reading afterwards, and called the build cheap. Dry soil may leave the needle stuck until you wet the spot. Cheap fertility wording is not a nutrient laboratory result, and the failure report matters more than the price.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You will risk the cheapest 3-in-1 for a quick moisture hint and return it if the probe fails.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a proven build, or a fertility figure they can act on.
Specifications
Common questions
What does the fertility scale show?
The listing describes a needle: weak to the left, suitable in the middle, excess to the right. It is not a laboratory NPK report.
What if the soil is dry?
The listing says you need to wet soil that is too dry, or the needle may not move.
What failed in the UK reviews?
Two UK reviews are in the notes. One found it useful for large pots. The other had a probe detach and expose broken wires on first use.
QWORK sells two moisture-only meters with 40 cm single probes for about £13.42, aimed at deep pots and beds. The dial uses three zones and ten scales, and no battery is named. The listing is 4.0 from 55 reviews; four UK-tagged texts are in the UK notes. Praise covers the twin pack and quick checks if you wipe and remove the tip. Criticism is sharper: probes bend in dry or firm soil, and one pack arrived with only one working meter. It is the long-probe option in this set, not a pH tool, and you should keep the packaging until both dials move.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need a long moisture probe for tall pots or deep containers and you will test both units on arrival.
Less suitable: Hard, dry clay you refuse to moisten first, or any job that needs a pH figure.
Specifications
Common questions
How long is the probe?
The listing says 16 inches, which is 40 cm, and that the pack contains two meters.
Does it read pH?
No. The bullets describe a moisture dial with three zones and ten scales.
What went wrong in UK reviews?
Four UK reviews are in the notes. They mention probes that bend in dry or firm soil, and one pack in which only one meter worked.
LAIYORA is another battery-free 3-in-1 for moisture, pH and light at about £7.79, with a dual-needle claim and a 2–4 inch insert depth. The star line is 3.5 from seven ratings, the weakest headline score in this set, and the UK notes hold one review that calls a wet-soil result spot on. That is not enough evidence to rank it above Sonkir or XLUX. Avoid dipping it in water, as the listing says. Buy it only if you accept a tiny sample and want the same job class as Sonkir for a pound or two less; otherwise the larger review piles are safer.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the cheapest-looking 3-in-1 shape and will judge it yourself against a known wet pot.
Less suitable: Shoppers who need a large UK review sample before they trust a meter.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it need batteries?
No. The listing says no batteries are needed.
Can you put it in water?
The listing says to avoid direct water use.
How many UK reviews are noted?
The star line is 3.5 from 7 reviews. The notes contain one United Kingdom review, which praises a wet-soil result.
Ten amazon.co.uk listings were scored from the shelf prices, star lines and UK review notes on those pages, dated 19 October 2026. The page score is the listing star figure times 20. There is no laboratory test, and no meter was checked against a buffer. Badges use only listings with at least 100 reviews. The top pick is the highest star figure in that group. Best value is the multi-reading meter at the same shelf price with the next large sample. The weights below sum to 100. They describe how this page weighs the buying criteria. They are not a second laboratory grade.
Review evidence
35%Star rating on amazon.co.uk, turned into the page score by multiplying by 20, read with the review count. Badges use only listings with at least 100 reviews. A 5.0 from four ratings scores 100 on that arithmetic and is still a small sample.
Job fit
25%Moisture only is the job for watering a pot. A pH channel is a hint unless you will use a kit or a laboratory before lime or blueberries. A fertility, EC or TDS line is not nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
Probe and limits
20%Depth, a warning against dry, hard, gravelly or frozen ground, and a ban on liquids. Do not leave a metal tip in the pot. Forcing a short probe into dry clay bends it.
Power
10%Analogue meters need no batteries. Several digital listings need AAA cells that are not in the box. A sealed lithium pack is electrical waste, not a loose cell.
Shelf price
10%The amazon.co.uk shelf price against the channels you will actually use. The lowest price does not win this block when a UK review reports a probe that failed on first use.
Choose the job before the number of modes. Watering a pot needs moisture. Lime, blueberries and nutrients need a result you can defend, which for phosphate, potash and magnesium means a laboratory. A fertility needle is not that result. A 5.0 from four ratings can move. A large moisture sample is stronger evidence, and it is still not a calibration. The ten rows are amazon.co.uk listings dated 19 October 2026.
A soil tester is a handheld probe for a quick moisture reading in a pot or a bed, and often a second figure for pH, light, temperature or what the listing calls fertility. UK shoppers are mostly trying not to overwater houseplants. Others want a hint before they lime a border or plant blueberries. A chemical kit or a laboratory sample is the check when the decision is lime, blueberries or nutrients. Nothing in this comparison was calibrated against a buffer.
The RHS says not to trust a pH test within three months of lime, fertiliser or organic matter. One needle reading, especially one that barely moves between composts, is not a reason to lime a whole border. Blueberries want a much more acid result than a general bed.
Listings say that if the soil is too dry the indicator may not move, and that you should moisten the spot first. A still needle is not a result of fine. Forcing the probe into dry clay bends it or pulls the pin out of the body.
A fertility, EC or TDS line is not nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Comparing two brands’ moisture percentages as if they shared a scale is the same kind of mistake. Nutrients, when the decision is expensive, belong in a laboratory sample.
Start with what you will do next. If the risk is overwatering a houseplant, you need moisture only: dry, moist and wet. You do not need a pH scale, a light mode or a fertility word on the screen. If the next step is lime, or blueberries, rhododendrons or camellias on chalk or unknown ground, you need a pH method you can defend. The RHS puts neutral at pH 7 and pH 6.5 as the best general-purpose garden value, blueberries at pH 4.5–5.5, and chalky soils at about pH 7.1–8.0.
Match the probe to the ground you actually have. Listings warn against dry, hard, gravelly or frozen soil, and against water and liquid feed. A long probe, about 40 cm in one pack here, suits a deep pot. A short probe is for ordinary pots if you insert it, read it and take it out. Do not leave a metal tip buried. One moisture listing limits that to five minutes because the tip corrodes. If the needle stays still, moisten the spot and wait rather than forcing the pin. Then check power.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a wet-or-dry check for pots and you do not need a pH figure. The XLUX moisture meter is about £9.99, with no batteries and 4.4 from 65,286 amazon.co.uk reviews. The listing says not to leave the tip in soil for more than five minutes. It does not read pH.
You want moisture, pH and light on one battery-free meter, and you will treat the pH needle as a rough hint. The Sonkir MS02 is about £9.99, with 4.0 from 45,448 reviews. Dry soil can leave the needle stuck until you moisten the spot.
You need a long moisture probe for tall pots or deep containers, and you will test both units on arrival. The QWORK pair is about £13.42, with 40 cm probes and 4.0 from 55 reviews. Probes can bend in dry or firm soil, and there is no pH channel.
The top pick is the XLUX soil moisture meter at about £9.99. Among listings with at least 100 reviews it has the highest star line: 4.4 from 65,286 amazon.co.uk reviews. It reads moisture only, needs no batteries, and the listing says not to leave the tip in soil for more than five minutes. It does not read pH. At least one UK review reports failure after about six months. The best value is the Sonkir MS02 at about £9.99, a battery-free 3-in-1 for moisture, pH and light, with 4.0 from 45,448 reviews. UK reviews often keep it for watering and treat the pH needle as unreliable. That is not a claim that the pH scale matches a kit or a laboratory.
Sonkir MS02 3-in-1 meter
Multi-reading meter at about £9.99 with the next large sample: 4.0 from 45,448 reviews, moisture, pH and light, no batteries.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources for this comparison. Prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk listings in this set, captured 19 October 2026. Page updated 22 October 2026.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Lee Burkhill (Garden Ninja) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are from the amazon.co.uk listings. This is not a laboratory test.
