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CRITICAL FLAW ALERT!
This meter exhibits a critical flaw—namely its inability to get consistent readings below 8% moisture content. This flaw renders the meter essentially unusable for a number of common applications, including for flooring installations and furniture making. We deducted one star from our overall rating to reflect this critical flaw.
This is a pin-style wood moisture meter that is reasonably simple to operate and offers an easy-to-read digital readout. This meter is intended to appeal to the budget-conscious user.
However, given the problems in getting readings at low MC, the tendency for supplied pins to bend or break rather easily, and the lack of important features, such as calibration check and data HOLD, we recommend avoiding this meter and looking for a better buy somewhere else.
Pros
- Fairly intuitive to operate
- Documentation in manual includes species and wood temperature correction tables
Cons
- Unable to consistently obtain readings below 8% MC
- Low readings, especially at or above 20% MC
- Supplied pins subject to bending and breaking
- No data HOLD function and no ability to verify calibration
Objective Evaluation – Overall Score 2.7 out of 5.0
Accuracy – 3.5 out of 5.0
This meter tends to read somewhat low when compared to ASTM D4442 oven dry standards, especially at or above 20% MC. Below 8% MC, our testing found that this meter is unable to consistently read the MC of wood samples.
Learn about our accuracy test procedures
Surface Moisture – 1.0 out of 5.0
Surface moisture caused this meter to post readings nearly 10% higher than the baseline. These surface moisture results indicate that operating this meter in high humidity environments where condensation may form on the surface could lead to questionable readings.
Learn about our surface moisture test procedures
Meter Temperature – 2.3 out of 5.0
Meter temperature had a significant effect on this meter’s MC readings.
A low meter temperature of 34.8° F in the presence of both low MC and high MC decreased the reading by 1% compared to the room temperature reading.
Similarly, a high meter temperature of 110° F in the presence of both low and high MC, decreased the reading by about 1% MC.
Learn about our meter temperature test procedures
Wood Temperature – 2.7 out of 5.0
Wood temperature affected this meter’s readings.
A low wood temperature of 33.6° F in the presence of low MC showed about a 1% increase in the reading when compared to the room temperature reading. In the presence of high MC, the reading increased by nearly 5%.
A high wood temperature of 110° F in the presence of both low and high MC showed about a 2% decrease in the reading when compared to the room temperature reading.
Learn about our wood temperature test procedures
Reading Repeatability – 3.0 out of 5.0
The readings of this meter were not entirely repeatable, showing some tendency to vary.
Learn about our repeatability testing procedures
Drift – 5.0 out of 5.0
Readings for this meter showed no tendency to drift after 3 seconds.
Cable Interference – N/A
This meter does not offer cabled accessories so the cable interference test could not be conducted.
Learn about our cable interference and drift testing procedures
Subjective Evaluation – Overall Score 2.7 out of 5.0
Ease of Use – 2.8 out of 5.0
This meter is fairly intuitive to use but does require consulting the manual to know which of the three scales (A, B, C) to use for various species of wood. Battery installation requires removal of several screws.
Quality – 3.7 out of 5.0
Meter casing is made of solid plastic that is unlikely to break during normal usage, even though it has a low quality appearance. The supplied pins do not stand up well to normal use and are subject to bending and breaking.
Comfort – 2.0 out of 5.0
This meter’s box-like shape lacks a comfortable, ergonomic design. No carrying case is included, although an optional cordura nylon case is available from the manufacturer.
Versatility – 1.0 out of 5.0
Pin-style mode only. Must adjust for species of wood using the table provided in the manual. Requires reading the LCD display upside down when pins are inserted into wood.
Range – 5.0 out of 5.0
Manual indicates that this meter is capable of measuring moisture across the range of moisture levels, from 5% to above wood saturation level, at least in theory. In practice, our testing found that obtaining reading below about 8% MC was problematic.
Features – 1.7 out of 5.0
Readings precise to the nearest 1%. Includes low battery indicator. No data HOLD function. No calibration check by user, and cannot be recalibrated by the manufacturer.
Customer Service – 3.0 out of 5.0
Standard one-year warranty. Manual available online. Service center for repairs is available, but manufacturer does not recommend sending in for repairs outside warranty because the cost is likely to exceed the cost of the meter. Telephone and email response time tends to be slower than average.
Our review is based on Moisture Meter Experts independent evaluation of the meter, which was purchased by Moisture Meter Experts or provided free of charge by the manufacturer. By purchasing this meter through the links above, Moisture Meter Experts may be compensated either by your purchase directly from Moisture Meter Experts or from commissions from an affiliate. View our Review Procedures section to learn more about our proprietary evaluation procedure and expertise in the field of moisture meters.