Are you aware that you can test the quality of the water you use right at home? The simple, accurate, and low-cost way to screen your home tap and well water for the presence of contaminants is by using a home water quality test kit.
The home water quality testing kit is for anyone to use without any experience or expert knowledge.
The kit helps test water from different water sources, such as wells, taps, municipal, and spring water.
What to consider when buying a home water quality test kit
- Contaminants it checks
A water testing kit is meant to test a wide variety of contaminants, so make sure you are aware of what contaminants the kit tests before buying.
- Types of the water test kit
There are three different types of the water test kit, which include
- Test strip
- Digital TDS meter
- Color disk
Test strip
The test strip is the most affordable and easy method to test water quality at home.
You only need to dip the test strip in the water, swirl it in the water, and wait for some minutes. Then, remove it from the water and shake it to remove excess water.
Wait for the kit to change color.
Compare the color with the color chart provided with the test kit.
The test kit is commonly used to test for lead, pesticides, bacteria, copper, arsenic, cysts, viruses, nitrates, nitrites, chlorine, fluoride, water hardness, PH, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and iron.
Best water test strips
| Name | Image | parameters | Buy here |
|---|---|---|---|
| JNW Direct Drinking Water Test Strips |  | lead, iron, fluoride, copper, pH, total hardness, total alkalinity, nitrite, nitrate & free chlorine | Amazon |
| Baldwin Meadows |  | Total Alkalinity, PH, Total Hardness, Iron, Copper, Lead, Nitrite, Nitrate, Residual Chlorine, Fluoride | Amazon |
| PRO-LAB Bacteria In Water Test Kit BA110 |  | bacteria | Amazon |
| Lamotte water monitoring kit |  | Dissolved oxygen, Biochemical oxygen demand, PH, Nitrates, Phosphates, Temperature change, Coliform bacteria, Turbidity | Amazon |
| Watersafe Drinking Water Test Kit |  | Coliform Bacteria, Iron, Copper, Lead, Pesticides, Nitrates, Nitrites, Chlorine, Hardness and pH | Amazon |
| Test assured Drinking Water Test Kit |  | Lead, Bacteria, Pesticide, Iron, Copper, Alkalinity, PH, Hardness, Chlorine, Nitrates and Nitrites | Amazon |
| ProLab WQ105 WTR Quality Test Kit |  | PH (acidity), Total alkalinity, Total chloride, Total hardness, Hydrogen sulfide, Iron, Copper, Nitrates, Nitrites, Iron Bacteria | Amazon |
| Safe Home STARTER |  | Alkalinity, Chloride, Chlorine (Free), Chlorine (Total), Copper, Hardness, Hexavalent Chromium, Iron, Lead, Mercury, Nitrate, Nitrite, Pesticides, PH, Phosphate, Silver, Sulfate, Total Coliform (includes E. coli), Total Dissolved Solids, Zinc | Amazon |
| Health metric Drinking water test kit |  | Lead, Coliform bacteria, copper, Nitrate, nitrite test, pH, alkalinity, hardness and chlorine | Amazon |
| ON4HOME 18-in-1 Drinking Water Test Kit |  | total hardness, pH, fluoride, lead, mercury, copper, nitrate, nitrite, residual chlorine, total chlorine, bromine, carbonate, total alkalinity, zinc, aluminum | Amazon |
| Med lab diagnostics |  | Lead, Fluoride, Iron, Copper, Mercury, Total Chlorine, Nitrite, Nitrate, pH, Total Alkalinity, Total Water Hardness, Aluminum, Sulfate, Bromine, Free Chlorine, and Cyanuric Acid | Amazon |
| Crystal water filter |  | Fluoride, Total Chlorine, Total Hardness, Lead, Iron, Copper, pH, Nitrite and Nitrate, Carbonate, Bromine, Cyanuric Acid, Total Alkalinity, Chloride and Ammonium | Amazon |
| Hach 2745050 |  | chlorine | Amazon |
| First Alert WT1 Drinking Water Test Kit |  | PH, hardness, bacteria, lead, pesticides, nitrates, nitrites, and chlorine. | Amazon |
| Mosser lee LabTech LT5015 |  | total chlorine, total hardness, iron, pH, total alkalinity, copper, iron bacteria, nitrates, nitrites, and hydrogen sulfide. The other kit is for testing lead, total coliform bacteria, and pesticides. | Amazon |
Digital TDS meter
The digital TDS meter is an accurate method to test water quality at home.
Most digital meters test total dissolved solids (TDS), PH, electricity conductivity (EC), and temperature.
The meter is easy to use you just switch it on, dip the probe in water, and stir water gently. Wait for the results to be displayed on the LCD screen.
Best TDS meter for drinking water
Color disk
The color disk is not common as most people say it is complicated to work on.
The color disk kit comes with powder chemical/reagent packed in a sachet or liquid packed in a small bottle, test tube, viewing box, and plastic disk with color printed on it.
How to use a disk
- Put the sample water in the test tube and add the reagent.
- Put the test tube with a mixture of water and reagent in the viewing box
- Wait for the water in the tube to change color.
- Rotate the viewing box until the color matches that of the water.
Then match with that of a disk
Best Hach color disc test kit
When choosing the water quality test kit, choose the type that is user-friendly and tests the most contaminants.
- Water source
There are different sources of water: taps, wells, springs, boreholes, ponds, and rainwater.
Make sure you know where the water test kit is suitable. Some are meant specifically for well water, others for tap water only.
- Testing procedure
The testing procedure of the water quality test kit can vary from one kit to another. Make sure you read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to get the right results.
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Luxy
Luxy is a content writer who enjoys writing about water filtration technologies. She knows that water is a crucial part of our lives and it is important to make sure that we are drinking clean and healthy water. She developed this site in an effort to educate readers on the fundamentals of water treatment at home, at work, and when traveling. Also, the importance of clean, healthy drinking water for people in his community. When she's not working, she likes to spend time with her family and listen to music.