pH Meter and pH Tester for Professional Use

A pH meter or tester is a handheld or benchtop instrument you use to take a manual reading whenever you need one — ideal for spot-checks in water, food, soil or lab samples. A pH monitor continuously displays the pH of a solution in real time, so you can see the current reading at a glance without taking a manual measurement — useful for aquariums, tanks and process lines. A pH controller goes a step further: it automatically triggers a dosing pump or valve to keep pH within a set range, without anyone needing to react to the reading. This page carries all four types — our Milwaukee MC-series (MC110, MC120 PRO, MC122 PRO, MC125 PRO, MC720 PRO, MC810 and MC811) covers monitors and controllers, while the pH51–pH600AQ and MW-series meters and testers cover handheld and benchtop instruments for one-off readings.

Not really — the two terms are used interchangeably across the industry and across this page. Both describe a handheld or benchtop device that gives you a manual pH reading; some manufacturers call their pen-style models "testers" and their instrument-style models "meters," but the underlying function is the same. Use whichever term feels natural — every product on this page is searchable either way.

Handheld and portable pH meters (like the Milwaukee pH51–pH600AQ and MW100 series) are built for field use, spot-checks and general testing where you need to move between samples. Benchtop meters (like the Milwaukee MW150, MW151, MW160 MAX and MW180 MAX) stay in one place — typically a lab or QC station — and offer higher accuracy, larger displays and more advanced calibration and data-logging features for repeated, precise testing.

Each sample type has a purpose-built option on this page. For water testing (drinking water, aquariums, pools, hydroponics), the Milwaukee pH51–pH58 range and pH600AQ pen are ideal. For food testing — including semi-solid or piercing applications such as meat and dairy — the Milwaukee MW102-FOOD PRO and GOnDO 9011S Food pH Meter are purpose-built with piercing electrodes. For soil testing, the Milwaukee MW101-SOIL PRO and Hanna GroLine HI981030 are designed to measure pH directly in the ground.

Most pH meters should be calibrated before each testing session, or at minimum weekly with regular use, using a 2- or 3-point calibration with fresh buffer solution — electrodes drift over time and with exposure to samples. We stock a Starter Solution Kit for pH Meters with everything you need to get started, including calibration buffers and storage solution.