The 7 Best Water Testing Kits of 2023

Best Overall

Safe Home Ultimate Drinking Water Test Kit

4.7

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If you have concerns about what may be present in your tap water, this test has you covered. Not only does it screen for the primary contaminants found in drinking water, such as arsenic, lead, coliform bacteria, and chlorine, it gets sent out to a professional lab to ensure accurate results. The instructions are easy to read, and tests can be knocked out in one afternoon. The shipping fee to mail out your sample to the lab is included with the purchase.

Safe Home is an EPA-certified drinking water lab and offers a quick turnaround on results in as little as a week. The kit is a little more expensive than some of the other tests that made the list, but if you have real concerns about your water, you can’t beat the quality of the screening offered. The lab will even provide you with suggestions for filters and other items to improve the safety of your tap water.

Price at time of publish: $400

_{Approved Use: Drinking water | Tests For: 200 Contaminants (6 inorganic substances, 12 physical properties, 32 toxic metals, 20 semi-volatile organic compounds, and 130 volatile organic compounds | Time Until Results: Under 10 days}

Best Budget

Varify 17-in-1 Complete Water Test Kit

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If you need results faster than a lab can promise, you can still get good results with simple home kits. The top tested color-coded-results test is from Varify Premium Drinking Water. This kit helps makes testing your water a less-expensive endeavor, with 100 test strips in one bottle. The test screens for 17 common contaminants including Mercury, lead, fluoride, copper, sulfate, zinc, hydrogen sulfide, chlorine, and nitrates. In addition, it will provide readouts on your water hardness, total alkalinity, and pH. The bacteria test looks for multiple types, including those commonly associated with water contamination and E. coli.

The metals and common contaminants test takes a mere 15 minutes, with the bacteria test showing the best results after it is sitting out for 48 hours. Keep in mind that color-coded tests can be hard to read, compared to some other options, but aside from that one drawback, we think this test is a great budget-friendly choice.

Price at time of publish: $30

_{Approved Use: Drinking Water | Tests For: Heavy Metals, Bacteria, Alkalinity, Water Hardness, pH | Time Until Results: 15 minutes for metals, 48 hours for bacteria}

Best for Homes

Tap Score Advanced City Water Test

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If you primarily use a city water system, this test is designed with you in mind. It screens for more than 100 different contaminants that are common in city water. Like the Safe Home kit, you mail in your results to a network of EPA-certified laboratories, and you should have your results in about five days. The results are quantified, showing you exactly how much of one or more of the contaminants might be present in your drinking water.

The analysis also comes with objective advice on how to take care of any water issue noticed during your screen. The manufacturer is not affiliated with a water treatment company but will offer you advice on how best to use your water to help keep your family safe.

Price at time of Publish: $265

_{Approved Use: Drinking, Cooking, Bathing, Laundry | Tests For: Over 100 Contaminants | Time Until Results: Within 5 Days}

Best for Heavy Metals

Health Metric Heavy Metals Test Kit

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Lead in water is still a concern for many across the continental U.S. In small amounts you can not see it, smell it, or taste it, making it a silent danger. Other metals, such as mercury and copper, also find their way into freshwater systems, and can be equally hard to distinguish once they hit your tap. The Health Metric Heavy Metals Test is an easy way to rule out the possibility of heavy metals in your drinking water.

The kit tests for lead, mercury, copper, and iron and is completed in a mere 15 minutes. While there is a lead test included in the test kit, you can test for the other three metals twice and receive quality results. The lead test offers a simple pass/fail display, making results deciphering a breeze. The EPA limit of 15 ppb in drinking water will trigger the pass/fail mechanism of the test. For those who love instant results, the Health Metric Heavy Metals test can offer you peace of mind in a 15-minute window and allow you to take the next steps of having a more in-depth analysis done if you do end up failing the lead test.

Price at time of Publish: $34

_{Approved Use: Drinking | Tests For: Lead, Copper, Mercury, and Iron | Time Until Results: 15 Minutes}

Best for Hard Water

JNW Direct Water Hardness Test Strips

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Water quality matters when it comes to the life of your hard-working dishwashers and hot water heaters. Hard water can diminish the output these appliances are capable of, reducing their lives and costing you money. The JNW Direct Water Total Hardness Strips are an easy way to know in minutes if you have hard water.

The kit comes with 150 strips, so you can easily do multiple tests, which adds value to the already affordable price. It only takes five minutes to see results and understanding them is as easy as matching the color of your strip to the convenient color-coded key. While it is not as accurate as a kit sent to a lab, it can give you an idea and starting place if you identify that you have hard water.

Price at time of publish: $15

_{Approved Use: Dishwater, Hot Water Heater | Tests For: Hardness | Time Until Ready: 5 minutes or less}

Best for Wells

Health Metric Well Water Test Kit

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If you are on well water, the EPA does not regulate its contents. Bacteria, nitrites, nitrates, and hydrogen sulfide can easily affect your water quality. The Health Metric Well Water Test kit covers all the bases to ensure that your water meets standards. It screens for multiple bacteria types, nitrites, nitrates, manganese, and hydrogen sulfide, and provides insight into the alkalinity and water hardness.

The kit is easy to use and boasts laboratory-grade results that you do not have to wait for. In as little as five minutes, you will be able to have an improved outlook on your water health.

Price at time of publish: $35

_{Approved Use: Well Water for Drinking | Tests For: Bacteria, Nitrites, Nitrates, Manganese, Hydrogen Sulfide, Alkalinity, Total hardness, and pH | Time Until Results: 5 Minutes}