The 9 Best Moisture Meters for House Plants and Gardens

Best Overall: XLUX Soil Moisture Meter

4.8

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For a reliable moisture meter that doesn’t require any upkeep or special care, this tool from XLUX is perfect. It measures the moisture in the soil continuously, displaying the results on a 1 to 10 analog scale. The needle moves from red (dry) through the green zone (moist) to blue (wet). You should only use it for an hour at a time to check soil rather than monitor it all of the time. This moisture meter doesn’t have any special features but is the best at doing exactly what it is designed to do: measure moisture.

The 7-inch probe is not made for extreme conditions, but this is rarely an issue since most plants that you will be monitoring aren’t made for extreme conditions, either. Just be sure to maintain a gentle touch when you first put it into the soil, or it may get damaged.

Best Budget: Dr. Meter Soil Moisture Meter 2-Pack

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For less money than some of the individually-sold moisture meters, this 2-pack from Dr. Meter is a budget-friendly garden tool that still provides a reliable reading. The water level is measured using a single probe and displayed from 1 to 10. The color-coding really helps make the entire process very simple and intuitive. 

While it doesn’t include any special features and only measures moisture, if you're looking for something simple that will get the job done, this meter is for you. Bonus: Because it comes in a 2-pack, you can test multiple plants at once (or keep a spare to use in case one gets lost).

Best Smart: North Smart Plant Tracker

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If you love modern garden design, the North Smart Plant Tracker will be a welcome addition to your gardening tools. This ultra-sleek tracker can be used to monitor water, light, fertilizer, and temperature. It can even be customized for each plant type to give a target range for each reading as it grows. Simply connect via Bluetooth to your smartphone and use the company’s app to keep track of your plant’s stats. You can track them over time and even look at trends as well as recommended changes.

Because it includes smart technology, this is not a great option for outdoor use, although it can be used outside if you want. It looks modern, so we're more likely to want it inside anyway to show off its cool look.

Best Digital Display: ECOWITT Soil Moisture Meter with LCD Display

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This moisture meter includes an intuitive digital display that will help keep your soil’s moisture levels right where they need to be. Simply put the probe into your soil and use the separate digital display unit to track moisture from up to 300 feet away. We especially like the flower pot icon, which provides a great visual representation of the moisture in the soil as a percentage of the overall pot.

The probe itself is not particularly long, just 3 inches, so this won’t work well for large plants whose roots go down into a deep pot. It’s a perfect choice for small plants, seedlings, and seeds, which are all sensitive to growing conditions. You will need two AA batteries (not included) to use this meter.

Best Outdoors: Kensizer Soil Tester

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This moisture meter does more than just monitor water. It also tests pH and light, using its two probes and light sensor to provide readings to the analog display. The probes are 7.9 inches, making the Kensizer Soil Tester a good option for larger outdoor plants that have bigger root structures and are often in larger planters or in-ground.

It is available with a small 2-inch display or a medium 2.8-inch display. This can help growers keep track of their testing even in larger garden beds or fields. It does have two probes, one to measure pH and one to measure moisture, so you will need to be careful when inserting it near sensitive roots.

Best for Monitoring: Mosser Lee Soil Master Moisture, Light, & pH Meter

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To test everything under the sun (actually, including the sun) in your garden, the Mosser Lee Soil Master Moisture, Light, & pH Meter is a great choice. It monitors water, sunlight, and pH to ensure that your growing conditions are ideal. The probes measure pH and moisture level within the soil, while a light sensor on the display unit measures sunlight in the environment. Simply toggle between the three options to get your reading.

While this isn’t the cheapest moisture meter available, this meter is a good value considering the many features that it includes. It does have two probes to measure pH and water separately, which increase its accuracy but are more likely to damage sensitive root structures than a single-probe moisture meter.

Best with Long Probe: TEKCOPLUS Long Soil Tester

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This moisture meter has a whopping 11.6-inch long probe to get deep into the soil for a highly accurate reading for outdoor spaces or large pots. It can measure moisture and pH. One of the best features is the dial face, which makes it easy to see the reading even when the probe is deep in the ground.

Like most long probe moisture meters, this is a more expensive option, so make sure that you need this kind of monitoring before investing in this larger garden tool.

Best for Kids: AM Conservation Group Ladybug Moisture Meter

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We recommend keeping things simple and fun for kids in the garden. This ladybug-shaped moisture meter displays its reading on a 1 to 10 scale. Kids can watch the dial move as they water their plants. It’s also available in a fun frog design and comes at a budget-friendly price. We always recommend garden items that won’t break the bank for kids, just in case they break the tool.

This moisture meter doesn’t include any special features, and the probe is not particularly long. But when gardening with kids, it's best to stay focused on making it a fun experience rather than having the best tools and results. This cute little moisture meter will surely be a fun addition to your garden.