Review on 🌱 REOTEMP Garden Moisture Meter with 15 Inch Stem: Perfect Tool for Soil, Plant, Farm, and Lawn Moisture Testing by Reginald Hamilton

I bought this meter specifically for its rugged sensor and housing and was not disappointed. The probe's shaft and tip are made of steel, apparently stainless steel, and are attached to the electronics housing with heavy nuts on threads cut into the shaft itself. The case is made of very thick aluminum and while not waterproof, it is impervious to dirt and dust. The sensitivity setting was easy to use and to do the initial calibration at 100% water immersion. I'll calibrate it in the ground later, but have already noticed that the ground in the yard is unexpectedly wet as we had little rain last month. The wet ground the probe found confirmed the readings. The length of the shaft allows for easy use by tilting without having to lower yourself to the ground. In the beginning there were a few minor problems. Just as I was about to pull the protective tab to activate the battery, I noticed a rattling noise, most likely the battery. When I opened the case, I found that the battery had fallen out of its holder, probably due to the packaging falling. I put it back in. Luckily the counter wasn't damaged. After closing the case I discovered the second problem: the potentiometer shaft was moving away from the adjustment hole and it was impossible to get at it. I found that the bracket holding the potentiometer was only secured with a small rivet, which allowed the bracket to rotate easily. Two spaced rivets would solve this problem. My solution was to put a drop of cyanoacrylate glue (Crazy Glue) under the bracket after he put it back on. A NOTICE. If you use glue, wait an hour before putting the case back together so you don't glue the box together as you will need to replace the battery. Another note: as long as there is no conductive material between the stem and the tip, the battery will see an open circuit and last a long time. If dirt or other conductive material is left on the tip, current will flow until it dries, reducing battery life.