Soil moisture meters are invaluable tools for a wide range of applications from home gardens to farms and professional research. Because of the varied applications, soil moisture sensors come in various styles, including models that offer advanced features like WIFI, telemetry uploads, data storage and more.
To help you find the best soil moisture sensor for your application, our scientists have compiled a list of seven outstanding soil moisture meters across different categories.
Why is Soil Moisture Important?
While plants need water to grow, they don’t need too much or too little. When soils become waterlogged, problems like root rot and oxygen deprivation can occur. Should soil moisture become scarce, plants will wilt, lose leaves then eventually die. Soil moisture sensors offer a dependable way for homeowners, farmers, or agribusinesses to monitor plant or crop soil moisture to optimise soil moisture.
Seven of the Best Soil Moisture Meters in Australia
Instrument Choice Scientists searched for the best soil moisture meters in Australia and awarded winners across seven categories - from budget-friendly devices to professional sensors (and everything in between).
The Best Budget Soil Moisture Meter in Australia - Analogue
In a nutshell: The ICZD06 remains the most popular analogue soil moisture meter year-on-year. Its popularity is due to ease of use, affordability, durability and its 30cm long measuring probe capable of taking measurements at varying depths.
Soil Moisture Scale: Moisture levels are displayed from one (1) – eight (8) degrees. (One means ultra-dry, and eight means saturated).
Also Measures: pH.
Applications: Home gardens, classroom experiments and agricultural fieldwork.
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The Best Budget Soil Moisture Meter in Australia- Digital
In a nutshell: Functional, feature-rich, yet affordable. These attributes make the PMS-714 the winner for the best budget level digital soil moisture. Features include:
- clear digital display
- data hold function
- minimum and maximum data retention
- 20cm long probe; and
- the PMS-714’s IP65 rating – which means extra durability.
Soil Moisture Scale: Measures soil moisture from zero to 50%.
Also Measures: N/A.
Applications: Ideal for home use, farming, education, landscaping and more.
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The Best Bluetooth Soil Moisture Meter in Australia
In a nutshell: The MPKit is a portable soil moisture sensor that enables fast sampling of Volumetric Soil Water Content (VSW%). Includes an Android phone with the ICT International MPKit app preinstalled.
To take a measurement, simply insert the sensor into the soil, and the moisture measurement result will wirelessly appear on the android device. Data is saved as a CSV file for export to your computer for further analysis.
Soil Moisture Scale: 0 to 100 VSW% (Volumetric Soil Water %).
Also Measures: N/A.
Applications: Ideal for monitoring the soil moisture content of sports fields, mine sites, irrigated crops and landfills.
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The Best Smart Telemetry Soil Moisture Meter in Australia
In a nutshell: The CropX Vertex wins 'Best Smart Soil Moisture Sensor' thanks to it's advanced features, such as telemetry data uploads.
This unit while providing rich data insights with advanced in field sensor measurement, is one of the easier units to install. With a patent pending spiral design and built in installation rod slots.
Data is uploaded onto CropX's platform to provide advanced metrics relating to irrigation management, disease control, and nutrient monitoring cross crops types or irrigation method.
Soil Moisture Scale: 0-60% VWC at 20cm, 40cm and 66cm depths. (Alongside (EC))
Also Measures: Temperature, and Salinity (EC).
Applications: The CropX Vertex is suitable for anyone that needs to monitor soil conditions 24/7. Perfect for the agricultural professional or station owner with remote properties.
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The Best Datalogging Soil Moisture Meter in Australia
In a nutshell: Straightforward and portable, the reliable and robust ML3 ThetaKit tops the list for best data logging soil moisture meter. We love the ML3’s ability to capture and store soil moisture data using a single button press.
This device can save up to 1,500 soil moisture readings, each with a location ID attached. Collected soil moisture readings can be downloaded to a computer for further analysis.
Soil Moisture Scale: 0 to 100% soil water content.
Also Measures: Temperature.
Applications: The IC-ML3 is ideal for sports turf professionals, groundskeepers, irrigation management and research.
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The Best Long Probe Soil Moisture Meter in Australia
In a nutshell: The IC-M-350 is our choice of the best soil moisture meter that features an extra-long probe – in this case, an impressive 76.2cm!
This unit is rated the best long probe soil moisture meter thanks to its accuracy, ease of use and rugged construction. The probe is constructed using aircraft-grade stainless steel, and the display is housed within a weatherproof cast aluminium enclosure.
Soil Moisture Scale: 0-100%.
Also Measures: N/A.
Applications: This soil moisture sensor is recommended for anyone who wants a top-of-the-line soil moisture meter. It’s commonly used by:
- Hobby and professional farmers
- Research and education purposes
- Golf course landscapers; and
- Irrigation consultants.
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The Best Professional Soil Moisture Meter in Australia
In a nutshell: The IC-RD1200 is a specialised TDR digital soil moisture measurement sensor and reader designed and recommended for professional use. This model offers a straightforward method of measuring a range of critical soil quality parameters.
Soil Moisture Scale: 0 to 100% with 0.1% resolution.
Also Measures: Temperature, permittivity, conductivity, and pore water EC.
Applications: Professional and straightforward to use, the IC-RD1200 is ideal for:
- Soil scientists
- Environmental scientists
- Researchers
- Farmers; and
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Irrigation consultants.
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Conclusion
Soil moisture meters are critical tools for many applications and industries, as well as for home use. Soil moisture meters come in diverse shapes, sizes and specifications to address a variety of challenges.
Don’t see a soil moisture meter that suits your needs in this list? After some advice or assistance finding the best soil moisture sensor that suits your application? Speak with an Instrument Choice Scientist! Call 1300 737 871 or email scientists@instrumentchoice.com.au.
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