How to choose a soil meter
By Grant, Inspection Tool Specialists. Reviewed November 2026.
Three things decide which soil instrument you need: what you must measure (moisture, water potential, salinity, nutrients or respiration), whether you need a spot reading or a record over time, and the depth and number of points you sample. Answer those first.
Which instrument?
| Need | Instrument | Typical in our range |
|---|---|---|
| Soil moisture, quick spot checks | Soil moisture meter | PCE-SMM 1 soil moisture meter |
| Soil water tension for irrigation | Tensiometer or water potential meter | BST-15 portable tensiometer; BK-SWP2 water potential meter |
| Moisture, temperature and salinity together | Multi-parameter soil meter | BSM series multi-parameter soil meter; SMTS-3P recorder |
| Soil nutrients and pH | Soil nutrient tester | BK-Y6A nutrient tester; BK-Y6AGP nutrient and heavy metal tester |
| Soil respiration research | Soil respiration meter | SRM-3051T soil respiration meter |
Sampling and records
Soil varies widely over short distances, so take several readings across a site, at the same depth each time, and average them. Keep the record of location, depth, date and conditions, and calibrate sensors as the manufacturer directs.
Price guide
As a guide to our current range, including VAT: tensiometers and soil moisture meters from about R4,700 to R9,900; water potential and multi-parameter meters from about R16,900 to R19,300; nutrient testers from about R27,300 to R42,200; recorders and respiration meters from about R33,400 to R84,000. Prices change, so check the product pages and confirm the probes and software each quote includes.
Questions we will ask you
Tell us what you need to measure, the crop or site, the depth and number of points, whether you need a spot reading or a record over time, the purpose (irrigation, agronomy or research), and the records you must keep. With that we can recommend an instrument and provide pricing.