Even with built-in filters, it can be hard to tell if your home water is safe to drink. Filters can’t get out all bacteria or minerals and just visually inspecting the water won’t help you. Moreover, a lot of recent water contamination scares in the US have made people particularly conscious of the safety of their water. This is with good reason too, water pollutants can cause all kinds of illnesses and diseases.
So, to keep yourself safe and healthy, sometimes the best option is to check your water using a water testing kit. These kits are designed to identify the mineral composition of your water and identify any other undesirable substances. Even if your city gives local updates about water quality, it’s always possible that your water line has problems. Water testing kits take away all the guesswork so you know exactly what is going into your body.
There are a lot of water tester kits out there which can make your decision difficult. So today we are going to talk about the best water filters out there and how you can use them to make sure your drinking water is safe.
Best Water Tester Kits for Personal Safety.
Table of Contents
Best Water Test Kit – Comparison
| Picture | Product Name | Weight | Special Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Test Assured Drinking Water | 1.6 ounces | 10 Minute Testing | Check Latest Price |
 | Hach Hardness Tests Strips | 0.64 ounces | Contains 50 Strips | Check Latest Price |
 | Health Metric Heavy Metal | 0.64 ounces | 2 Minute Testing | Check Latest Price |
 | WaterSafe Well Water Testing | 2.4 ounces | 10 Minute Testing | Check Latest Price |
 | HM Digital Water Testing | 0.16 ounces | 1 ppm Resolution | Check Latest Price |
 | Baldwin Meadows 10-In-1 | 3.2 ounces | 10 Parameters | Check Latest Price |
 | JNW Drinking Water Test | 3.04 ounces | 125 Strips MEGA Pack | Check Latest Price |
 | First Alert Water Test Kit | 3.36 ounces | 10 Minutes to Get Results | Check Latest Price |
 | HoneForest Water Quality | 1.6 ounces | Premium Quality Titanium Alloy Probe | Check Latest Price |
 | WaterSafe Water Test Kit | 0.48 ounces | Easy to Use | Check Latest Price |
Best Water Test Kit – Reviews
1. Test Assured Drinking Water Test Kit
First up on our list is the drinking water testing kit from Test Assured a company that specializes in water testing kits, devices, and accessories. The Test Assured contains 10 separate tests that check your water for lead, bacteria, pesticides, iron, alkalinity, pH level, chlorine, nitrates, copper, and nitrates. Basically, anything you can be worried about the Test Assured can identify it.
Best of all the Test Assured can be performed right in your own home, nos special lab equipment required. It comes with all the strips, tubes, and eyedroppers you need ad you don’t have to mail samples in to get results. A single test takes only 10 minutes to complete. All components are made in the USA and certified for quality and accuracy. Benchmark measurements are calibrated to EPA standards so you know exactly if your water quality fits environmental standards for health.
Even better, the Test Assured is very affordable and the manufacturers offer a money-back guarantee. So if you are not satisfied you can return it for your full purchase price. Each of the 10 tests is accurate, though some users report false-negative results with the chlorine and bacteria strips specifically. Several users also note that Test Assured has great customer service, which is always a plus.
What We Like:
- Very affordable
- 10 different tests that check for a battery of substances
- Easy to use; tests take around 10 minutes on average
- Great customer service
- Money-back guarantee
What We Didn’t Like:
- Some stirps can give false-negatives
- Quality control seems hit or miss
- Instructions are a bit difficult
2. Hach Hardness Tests Strips
One of the most common contaminants in tap water is calcium. Calcium build in water can coat your pipes which can cause problems with your plumbing and give your water a funky taste. Hack Hardness Test Strips are designed specifically to test for calcium deposits in your water and let you know if they are above a safe amount. One of the better features of these strips is how affordable they are. A single set costs just under $1 and contains 50 strips, good for 50 individual tests.
Hardness in water is usually caused by magnesium and calcium ions to those are the ones that the Hach strips test for. While other minerals can cause water hardness, these are usually not in large enough quantities to detect in potable water you’d find from the tap. The strips test for ion concentrations and turn a specific color depending on the concentrations; green for lower concentration sup to orange for high concentrations.
The only downside of the Hach is how limited they are. They only test for water hardness so they can’t be used to check alkalinity, pH, nitrate, or bacteria. Otherwise, they do what they are designed to do just fine. All strips are tested for accuracy and it has several positive user reviews that claim it is easy to use and accurate. The only downside is that it can sometimes be difficult to read the colors, especially when the strip is on the edge between two colors marked on the bottle.
What We Like:
- Easy to use and simple
- Accurate
- Affordable
- Simple and straightforward to read
- Only requires strips, nothing else
What We Didn’t Like:
- Can sometimes be hard to distinguish different colors
- Strips only last 2 years
- Only tests for hardness
3. Health Metric Heavy Metal Water Tester Kit
Heavy metals are one of the most dangerous water contaminants. Heavy metal poisoning manifests several symptoms and is slow-acting, so it can be extremely hard to catch if you do not know what you are looking for. The Health Metric Home Water Testing Kit is designed specifically to test for concentrations of heavy metals in your water, such as iron, lead, mercury, and copper. The simple-to-use testing kit takes about 15 minutes to get results and does not require any extra equipment. All components are made in the USA and tested to ensure accuracy and precision. Further, all testing benchmarks meet standards set by the EPA.
Testing water is easy. Just collect a sample in the included vial, choose the appropriate testing strip, and place it in the water sample. The strips can detect even low-level concentrations of heavy metals and change color to immediately identify you which metals are in your water. The strips are designed by a tea that has over 30 years of experience in the water testing industry so you know they are high-quality.
The one downside is the lack of other tests. These strips only test for heavy metals, and not for bacteria, alkalines, pH, or nitrates. It also only comes with 1 lead test, which is strange considering that lead is one of the more dangerous kinds of heavy metals. Otherwise, the strips are easy to use, accurate, and affordable. Make sure you buy from a legitimate vendor too, as some people report getting fakes or incomplete packages.
What We Like:
- Tests for 4 heavy metals
- Simple to use and can be done at home
- Accurate for low to med concentrations
- Designed by water testing experts
What We Didn’t Like:
- Only tests for heavy metals
- Only contains 1 lead test strip
- Quality control can be hit or miss
4. WaterSafe Well Water Testing Kit
Well water systems are usually isolated from public water lines, so they won’t be as affected by contamination in public lines but it can hard to clear contaminant they pick up. WaterSafe designed this water testing kit for well water systems and tests for over 10 of the most common contaminants, including lead, chlorine, and pesticides. All tests are made to match EPA standards and the entire package is very affordable. Individual tests take around 10 minutes to complete and do not require any extra equipment.
Having a test designed specifically for well water is nice as things can leach into your well water system without your knowledge. The one downside is the bacteria test, which can take up to 2 days to complete as it has to wait for a culture to form. The other tests all take around 10 minutes though.
WaterSAfe is also a reputable brand and has sold millions of water testing kits since 2003. Their tests are reliable and are manufactured with the guidance of experts in the water testing industry.
What We Like:
- Designed to test well water
- Affordable
- Takes around 10 minutes to test
- Easy to read results
- Well known and reputable brand
What We Didn’t Like:
- Only contains 1 strip for each test
- Bacteria test can take up to 2 days
- Quality control seems hit or miss
5. HM Digital Water Testing Device
Up next is this unique digital water testing device from HM. The best part of the HM is that you no longer have to deal with strips. It has a built-in thermometer, an LED display, and an advanced microprocessor that determines the composition of your water by measuring the resistance of a small electric current. Just take a small sample of your water, insert the tooltip and you can read the results directly on the LED screen. It also comes with a belt clip and carrying case.
The HM measures the amount of salt, metals, and minerals in the water to within a 2% range of accuracy. It can be used to test drinking water, pools, aquariums, and more. Unfortunately, it only tests for general PPM measurements and cannot give you specific data on the water composition. This means you will have to look up elsewhere whether your water meets certain standards for safety. It does, however, have a useful built-in thermometer so you can check water temperature while testing its composition.
Although the HM is a useful water testing device that does not require strips, it is not the best quality tool out there. This is somewhat to be expected considering how inexpensive it is, but it may be a problem if you need to make very precise water measurements. On the scale it is designed for, it’s very accurate though.
What We Like:
- The digital device requires no strips
- Microprocessor takes measurements
- Built-in thermometer
- Easy to read display
What We Didn’t Like:
- Not incredibly accurate
- Quality control seems hit or miss
6. Baldwin Meadows 10-In-1 Water Test Kit
Sitting at sixth is this water testing kit from Baldwin Meadows. The Baldwin Meadows kit tests for 10 different water contaminants including hardness, copper, chlorine, pH, alkalinity, lead, iron, nitrates, nitrites, and bacteria. This reliable test is easy to perform. Just gather a sample of water in the testing vial, choose the correct strip, and the test will be completed in just under 10 minutes. Like most commercial water testing kits, the benchmark levels are set to EPA health standards for water quality.
A single canister holds over 100 strips so you can perform over 100 different tests before you have to buy more. Each test is sensitive and measures to within 5 ppm, well within error levels for water testing kits. It is specially designed to detect low levels of heavy metals and fluoride as those compounds can be hard to detect with water testing kits. Baldwin Meadows also offers a souped-up water testing kit that comes with 14 different tests which includes stirps for mercury lead, and sulfates.
The Baldwin Meadows is probably most effective for testing water hardness levels, and some reviewers note that it has problems with the copper and lead tests, which is a shame because those are two important heavy metals to check for. Unfortunately, the quality control seems hit or miss as many reviewers report that their kits came missing some strips or just straight up do not work. In the cases where the kit works, user reviews are very positive.
What We Like:
- 10 different tests
- 100 strips per bottle
- Very affordable
- Test for most major pollutants
- Designed for city water use
- Tests for fluoride as well
What We Didn’t Like:
- Lead and copper tests are a bit shaky
- Quality control seems hit or miss
- Poor customer suppor
7. JNW Drinking Water Test Strips
Branding itself as the ultimate home testing kit, the JNW Drinking Water Test Strips tests for over 10 common drinking water contaminants including lead, iron, fluoride, copper, hardness, and more. This testing kit is extremely to use and can be performed in the comfort of your home, no need to buy extra equipment or send in test results to a lab. All you have to do is collect a sample of water, dip the strip of your choosing, and then compare the color to the included chart. The purchase also comes with a downloadable ebook that explains what results mean and tells you EPA health guidelines for drinking water.
The JNW comes with 125 strips which mean 125 individual tests. Each strip is accurate and a test can be completed in just under 10 minutes. It’s great for home use and is simple enough to use in science classes to teach students about water quality and health. Now you can test your water and have no doubts about what is going in your body.
A few things though. Some users report the strips have gone bad by the time they open them, which is indicated by the strips turning brown. Some users also report that strips are missing when they open the package. You also need to make sure you a buying from the legitimate manufacturer or else the strips can be bogus.
What We Like:
- 10 different tests
- 125 testing strips
- 2-year shelf life
- EPA standard calibrated
- Comes with ebook explaining measurements and standards
What We Didn’t Like:
- Quality control is hit or miss
- Metal tests are not as precise as they could be
- A lot of bogus copies out there
8. First Alert Water Test Kit
Make sure to get the first alert on your water quality with the First Alert Water Test Kit, This kit includes everything needed to test your drinking water, plastic tubes, sample strips, and an eyedrop dropper. The First Alert contains 8 different contaminant tests. 8 is a bit less than some other kits out there but considering how affordable the First Alert is, it’s a good deal. Each test is calibrated to EPA standards and it can be performed in the comfort of your home, no mailing in samples or extra equipment to buy.
The First Alert is simple to use. All you have to do is collect the water sample, drip in the right strip and wait 10 minutes. Compare your results with the included chart and you know exactly what your water quality it. Along with the basic mineral tests, the First Alert also tests for contaminants that cause all kinds of health problems including developmental disorders, neurological disease, and cancer.
The First Alert is also designed for testing well water, though it also works just fine on city water. Unfortunately, there are some quality control issues. Several users report missing stips or unresponsive strips. However, when the package is complete, users report that the strips work well.
What We Like:
- 8 different tests
- Extremely easy to use
- Designed specifically for well water
- EPA standards
- Very affordable
What We Didn’t Like:
- Quality control issues
- Metal detecting strips could be better
- No warranty of money-back guarantee
9. HoneForest Water Quality Tester
Up next is this neat digital water testing device from HoneForest. The HoneForest does away with annoying strips. Just get a water sample, dip the sensor tip in the water, and the results get displayed on the LED screen The accurate and reliable sensor measures concentrations as low as 1 ppm and the pen also has a built-in thermometer to gauge the temperature. The HoneForest can be used to test your drinking water, aquarium, pool, and well water system. You can use the HoneForest to check if your reverse osmosis systems are working, whether your filter needs to be replaced, and test the nutrient levels of your water systems.
The best part of the HoneForest is that it does away with pesky testing strips that can go bad and expire. The titanium alloy microprocessor in the tip measures electrical resistance in the water to calculate water composition. It turns on at just the touch of a button and you can change the measurement mode by holding down the mode button. The device turns off after two minutes to conserve battery as well. The battery is a standard button CR2032 battery that can be replaced when it runs out.
The HoneForest is a useful sensor and is reliable enough, but it won’t; be able to get the precise measurements that some strip tests can give. There are no colored panels so you have to check your water composition based on the numbers.
What We Like:
- No strips
- Titanium alloy probe is sturdy and reliable
- Long-lasting battery
- Generous 3-year warranty
What We Didn’t Like:
- The sensor is inaccurate if not cleaned
- Not incredibly precise
- Only measures mineral content
10. WaterSafe Water Test Kit for Lead
Lead is one of the most dangerous water contaminants, which is why you want your water testing kit to test for heavy metals. The WaterSafe is designed specifically to test for lead and can tell you if lead concentration is outside of safe limits. The test can be performed right in the comfort of your home and does not require any samples to be sent to a lab for testing. Each testing strip is calibrated to EPA standards so you can make sure your water composition is within national standards.
You can buy packs of 1, 2, or 3, all for very cheap. This is a good price as some water testing kits can be expensive. All you need to do is fill a cup of water, insert the strip, wait ten minutes, and the strip changes color. Unfortunately, there do seem to be some issues. Some users report that the package came with missing strips r that the strips give a false-negative.
What We Like:
- Tests specifically for heavy metals and lead
- Very affordable
- Available in packs of 1, 2, and 3
- Easy to use
What We Didn’t Like:
- Quality control issues
- Missing strips are a possibility
- False negatives
Conclusions
Water contamination is a big deal, so make sure you check your drinking water to make sure it is safe. A good water testing kit can check for all kinds of contaminants and will let you know if they are in unsafe parameters. Best of all, home water testing kits are extremely easy to use and don’t require any special technical know-how. Water testing kits are especially useful for those who have a well water system that is separate from the city lines.