pH Meter Recommendations - Extech & Milwaukee Brands

[mspieg]

Hi,
sorry if this has been covered here before, but I was wondering if anyone could recommend a reliable, digital accurate pH Meter for under $500 or so ? Cheesemaking.com has one for $399, anyone here using it? http://www.cheesemaking.com/PH-Meter_1.html

thanks!

[Boofer]

If you SEARCH on pH meters, you'll find a lot of discussion about them.

A lot of folks here use an Extech Exstik PH100 or PH110.

-Boofer-

[mspieg]

Thanks Boofer, I'll try searching the forums again, and check out the Exstik.

[Caseus]

I'm using Milwaukee MW102.  It works fine in liquid, but because of the design of the probe, it doesn't work too well for a finished cheese.  It has a liquid-filled bulb electrode. 

It's a handheld portable with two probes, one for measuring the pH and the other for temperature.  It has ATC (automatic temperature correction).   It is easy to calibrate using 7.01 and 4.01 pH buffer solutions.  I haven't actually timed it, but it seems like it takes about a half minute to get a reading.  Sometimes I get a slightly different reading, as much as .1 different, if I take two readings in a row.  A big drawback for me is that the temperature is displayed only in Celcius.  It doesn't have a Fahrenheit read out.

There are probes made specifically for dairy.  Milwaukee makes one.  One of these days I'll get around to calling the manufacturer to see if their dairy probe will work with the MW102 meter. 

Bottom line, I'm not necessarily recommending this meter, just providing information about it. 

[Boofer]

Thanks Boofer, I'll try searching the forums again, and check out the Exstik.

You did see my links in my previous response, right? Flat electrode so you can measure liquid or finished cheese.

-Boofer-

[Caseus]

I confirmed with Milwaukee Instruments that the Cheese / Dairy probe MA920B/1 will work with the MW102 meter.   It's a single reference open junction probe with a conical tip. 

It is kind of pricey at $93 at the link I posted above, but I did see one other place with a slightly lower price.  Here is a link to the PDF data sheet.

Has anyone had experience with this probe?