Well Water Test Kit

This kit was actually really fun to use! I recommend having some paper/pencil handy before starting, as it is helpful to record your results. Some of the indicators/tests are only accurate if read within a short time frame, and I have a terrible memory, so I just recorded results as I went. All the tests were super easy to do, only used a small amount of well water, and gave fast results. The test for bacteria took a few days for final results because you have to let any potential bacteria grow. Luckily our results were negative for bacteria..but I wanted to confirm the validity of the test (just to make sure...) so I totally popped a dog turd into the container after I confirmed negative results from our well water. Sure enough, the next day...the test was positive for bacteria! I just wanted some confirmation that the test was actually doing what it is meant to, and didn't want to be drinking bad water!

Worked well

Easy to use. Most results are easy to interpret. BUT the total hardness color scale on the paper needs to be redone, colors that show up on the test strip for that one measurement are impossible to match accurately because the colors don’t match up at all.

A great product - Works as it should.

My state makes it very confusing to find a lab that will do tests for individuals, so I really needed this product. It did not end up being the decisive result I'd hoped for. While the tests are relatively easy to do (be sure to have disposable gloves handy for the test that involves cyanide), the results of a couple of them were difficult to interpret. The coliform test, which is the contaminant I was most concerned about, was thankfully unambiguous. However, the nitrate and nitrite test (see first two photos) was confusing. You're supposed to look for either white or shades of purple, but mine came out grey. I have no idea what that means. Similarly, the manganese test (last photo) was mostly yellow, indicating safe levels, but outside the viewing window, it had splotches of red-orange, indicating unsafe levels. Nothing in the instructions says anything about whether you're supposed to look only at the viewing window or what it means if there are splotches of different colors. The instructions in general are very bare-bones, with no guidance about what it means if your results aren't exactly like the colors displayed on the card. (I skipped the hydrogen sulfide test, since I didn't smell a rotten-eggs odor, and the 3-way test, since that had been done recently by our water treatment company.)

Did what I was hoping it would do

...to know what is in your water! I test all purchased water for bacteria and TDS quite regularly. My water dispenser appears to acquire bacteria, though the purchased water always comes back negative. If you are using water bottles especially plastic, bacteria can grow from one fill to the next. I now test my dispenser before every refill. I'm also on well-water and test it bi-annually for bacteria, minerals, TDS, hardness, ph and lead: the Home Metric kit has TWO tests per box for all these important factors to consider. It's a good deal! It's easy to use, FUN to run your own scientific experiments, and it provides peace of mind. Our bodies are more than 60% water, our brains and heart 73%, muscles and kidneys 79%...what are we pouring into our bodies???

It’s a great kit. The video is good though the QR code lead to a dead link. But YouTube search lead me to the right video. Only complaint is I’m surprised that a well water test kit doesn’t include and iron test