I bought this test to get a good idea of the pH of the water that gets piped into my home, as well as to test the bottled water I purchase from local grocery stores. And since I've had desires to manipulate the pH of the water I use (I add a small amount of ascorbic acid to a gallon of tap water to make it more acidic, then use it as a hair rinse. And sometimes, I add "pH drops" to my bottled water to make it slightly more alkaline.) - I bought this test to make sure I get the water's pH to a desired level. I have been quite satisfied with the performance and the general accuracy of this test.
As I just pointed out elsewhere on this site - the bottle of testing solution is quite small - about a third of an ounce (the exact quantity isn't listed on the bottle - but comparing it to a 1 ounce bottle, it appears to be somewhere around this size). However, this little bottle will yield you MANY tests - in my estimation, it will yield well over 100 tests. The way this test is run is as follows: you measure out 3 ounces of the water you want to test, then add two drops of solution to this 3-ounce sample of water. Stir the sample well; the sample will change to a color that is indicative of its pH. Compare the color of the sample to the "Color Chart" that is provided - the number on the chart that appears below the color that the sample most closely matches is its approximate pH.
This test works well as long as there aren't too many dissolved substances in the water: if the water sample is too saturated with dissolved solids, the test will not work. That said - from my experience, the test works well for tap water, bottled spring water, bottled distilled water (although you may be shocked at how acidic distilled water that's been sitting in a plastic jug can become!); and the above-mentioned waters with a small amount of a pH-altering substance added. Most likely, you can also use this testing solution to test the pH of water that is the product of your home filtration system.
I'm so satisfied with this product that I could have given it 5 stars: the only reason I didn't is that this test doesn't yield a precise, numerical pH. You can't use this test and say with certainty, "the water has a pH of 4.5"; rather, with this test, you're more apt to say, "the pH of the water is AROUND 4.5", or "the pH of the water is somewhere between 7 and 8." You really have to rely on your own eyes to "estimate" the approximate pH (colorblind people may have problems with this test). If you're absolutely in need of a definite, precise reading with a very low margin-of-error - or if you have high expectations about being able to say with certainty, "This water has a pH of 7.2" - you're likely better served in purchasing a pH meter. But if you only need a good approximation - this test is just fine. Get more detail about
Alkazone Ph Test Drops for Water ph with Color Chart.
