I’ve used a ton of Hanna’s and hm’s over the years. Don’t buy them.
The blue lab is great if you got the money…
My personal favorite is the apera. Lasted years so far, better than the hanna/hm and similar, replaceable probes, standard batteries… can’t really go wrong. I have their EC pen too.
Thank you,should I consider investing in a EC Meter from Apera too?
I’m in the market for a new ph pen as well, typically my Bluelab’s last two years…
I was looking at the one @Pigeonman mentioned as it’s comparable but has a replaceable probe… Bluelab forces you to drop another $80. Their motto is “if it dries… it dies”. Well, they ship the fucking things dry. And god forbid you forget to fill the cap one week…
The ec pen however seems to be just fine.
I’d find it difficult to go past the blue lab ec truncheon, my original mk1 is still working, idk exactly how old but circa 12/14 years, i bought a spare last year thinking my one can’t last much longer but it’s still working fine.
I see, working with Coco and mineral ferts It Is a good idea to get a proper EC Meter too
@Star_Dog
Yes absolutely imo it’s essential, i use the run off as my guide to ec so I’d feel lost without it.
Some will say read the plants and I’d agree with to an extent but checking the run off gives you forewarning of problems before they show in the plant.
This is totally me. 
This is also me
Then again it turns out that my empathy has always been strong with the green quiet ones… or animals.
I gave my dog a kiss and had a panic attack for no reason until later that day I nuzzled the same spot on him and felt a lump… turned out it was the start of cancer and my intuition caught it right as it was starting! He was “only” 9 at the time and from that point onwards I let my intuition (empathy powers) read his needs for the rest of his days.
He passed away in his sleep 9 years later at 18 years 3 months old teaching me to trust my instincts. 
I see,I am readings the meters a lot,I rely more on them because I am not educated in plant biology and stuff
Has anyone tried this yet?
Personally, I would never be without this ever again.
I left it out for several weeks and it still works great after 3 years.
I was going through a PH probe every 6 mo. to a year.
A bit pricey but seems to pay off in the long run for me anyhow.
I have purchased many ph pens and most of them cheap ones that never worked really well.
I highly recommend Bluelab pen.
I have owned one for 2 years and is one of the best purchase’s I have made for my grow room.
I am going to not recommend nothing in particular. BUT… here comes the but…
I’m working on sport centre, with pools, jacuzzi… etc. for almost ten years I was at charge of the maintemant and the water quality.
In all these years I worked with many, many hand ph meters and colorimeters (ADWA, HANNA, PRIMELAB, others that don’t remember…) and continuous mettering systems, from 30€ to 3000€ and my conclusion is that a good cheap one is “better.”
Let me explain:
As someone has mentioned earlier, the pH probe must be changed with the age. Depending on how you clean it, if you let it dry, type of contaminants in water, etc… the range is from 6 months to a year, or two.
With many Hanna meters… the HI98107, HI98127, HI98128, HI98103, hi98190 … after some time it refused to calibrate. It identifies the 4.01 solution as 7, the 7 as 10… and not able to calibrate. Nor one point calibration nor two points. The replaceable electrode for the hi98127/8 cost like a cheap pH meter.
With other brands, more or less the same.
The continuous mettering systems that we have, have to change electrode about 6 months.
The differences in the measurements between the VERY GOOD, the GOOD, the UGLY, and the laboratory was minimal, the max was about half point. And… no one give the same as the neighbour. Having four at hand and measuring at the same time, all calibrated, and no one gives the same exact value as the other (Hanna, adwa, colorimeter, constant metering…etc). Very small differences (0,1-0,2 at max)
The calibration liquids are not cheap also, nor the storage solution.
So… with this in mind, I will go for a cheap but good one. When the 200€ one crack… it hurts but by that time, I could buy almost 8 of the cheaper ones, and in total get many more working time from the cheap.
Also, be in mind that the hand meters are that… and sometimes they fall off hands…
I don’t count the constant measurement and distribution system -that we must have by law- and the pH meter, Chloro meter, pumps etc… are from 3000€ up. (And the probe must be replaced every 6 months anyway).
We make around 9 measurements each day with the hand meter - some day more-some a pair less. Not much, but the water are filtered and relatively clean.
So… I will go for the cheap-good
PD: Sorry for any mistakes - I’m spanish
@PAFH99 - You raise some good points. Great contribution.
And well spoken enough for translation, considering that it’s not your first language. 
Thanks! Gracias! Grazas!.
I bought this blue lab in the summer and it is honestly one of the best investments in my grow. I have had every pen imaginable but having the probe on a 6’ cord is a game changer when you run DWC buckets.
thanx for that very informative experience-based post. this is the kind of information i like to have, and in an attempt to help out, i am going to share this article on ph meters, how they work, and an explanation of why you have to replace the electrodes. i like to know the why of things i use or possess. and i must be high because the amount of s’s in that word caused me to giggle a bit.
Thanks to everyone for stepping in and lending me your input. It was all very helpful and ultimately I decided to go with the Apera pH60-Z and the Blue Lab Truncheon.
I’ve been enjoying them both so far until just now while preparing a feed, I had the Apera clipped on the side of my jug getting my read and I go to rinse my measuring supplies and I hear a “bloop” sound and look over and the pen is gone, BUT THE FUCKING CLIP/CAP IS STILL ON THE SIDE OF THE JUG! The entire body of the Apera pH60-Z is now submerged in a dark brown mix, with the entire electronic component housing flooded.
I mean for fucks sake, who cares if the damn thing is water proof under so many meters if the damn housing can fall apart without any human intervention.
I sent them an email and left a message. I will call tomorrow and hopefully they will replace it. I have never in my life experienced anything like this in all my growing life.
I know everyone uses that clip for the same thing, dont even lie, bro! How do you have a name like Apera and that is allowed to happen? It dropped out of the top as easily if not easier than removing the storage cap that guards the electrode.
Just dropped my blue lab. Smashed the probe, had it for 5 years and it was solid but its time for a new one. Do i just stick with the old expensive one that i know or venture onwards. Anyone using the ac infinity ph pen? I like the idea of replaceable probe
I grabbed a Ph pen and a ppm/ec pen when I did my first bubble bucket. The ppm prn needs nothing and still works perfectly. The ph pen needed special fluid to store it, recalibration, etc.
Huge pain.
I got a pack of booklets of the little paper tests and couldnt be happier. Cheap and easy, will never buy a Ph pen again. It’s one thing if you have a real facility and you continuosly monitor reses and all that, but for a small time home hobbyist I would suggest the little paper or dropper tests.
