I finally purchased and am using a pH meter! What most convinced me to get one is Ms. Caldwell's video on her website
https://gianacliscaldwell.com/2017/01/21/ph-and-acid-in-cheesemaking/Then I read this forum board, hemmed and hawed over which one to get, read the forum board again, etc. etc. and finally settled on the Extech Exstik 110.
I started playing around with it and first off noticed the temperature sensor was very slow, sometimes not coming to temperature at all (while comparing to dairy thermometer which is frequently calibrated to a lab quality mercury thermometer). And some of the pH measurements seemed a little hooey. I remember a forum post where someone else had a similar problem, contacted Extech and eventually had it replaced with a new one...so I thought that was the next step for me. But I kept working with it and now I think it is OK. I think the problems were due to me not cleaning it often enough, and, more importantly, swirling the gadget around in the liquid that is being measured! Prior to this I was gingerly putting the probe into the liquid and leaving it in place, much as you might a thermometer. Swirling it around really seems to kick the sensors into gear for some reason. The thermometer is still slower than the pH reading, but it does now correspond to my other thermometers. And the pH readings are very consistent now. So I think the meter is OK?
I did an official test with a quick mozz recipe. It was a new experience for me, to set up not just the cheese making equipment, but in addition, the pH "support system"
What seems to work best is having the 4 and 7 buffer solutions, rinsing solution/distilled water, warm soapy water in small containers near the sink where I can also briefly rinse the electrode under tap water during the cleanings. First calibrating at 7, rinse, calibrate at 4, rinse...take reading at 7 to make sure it is correct, rinse, take reading at 4, rinse, take reading of milk, wash, rinse, etc. Oh and I read somewhere to keep the electrode wet during the cheese make when not in use, so I was keeping it in the rinsing solution/distilled water in between readings. Anyway, I was taking so many measurements this first time around I ended up recalibrating it several times. But I was getting very consistent results so I think I'm getting accurate readings.
It is a new routine to add to the cheese making one! As someone who wrote into this forum previously expressed, you can get so caught up in the pH measurement routine that you can completely miss the timing on the cheese recipe, LOL, especially when doing something so fast like a quick mozzarella. Hopefully with more use it will quickly become habit.
Anyway, if anyone reading this with experience with pH meters, thinks something may be off with my pH meter based on what I've written here, I'd appreciate any input. And, for more info, I will be posting the pH results of this mozz make soon in the Pasta Filata board.
I am really excited about having a new way to evaluate my cheese makes, and really hoping it will lead to improvement of my future cheeses!