How to Choose a pH Meter
for Cheesemaking

What to look for when choosing

When selecting a pH meter, pay attention to the following parameters:

1. 1 What will you be measuring? Liquids only (milk, fermented products, whey) or also cheese curd and solid cheese? pH meters come with probes of different shapes and for different purposes — it's important to decide which one you need.
2. 2 Accuracy. For cheesemaking, high accuracy is essential. Look for a device with a tolerance of ±0.01.
3. 3 Automatic temperature compensation (ATC). This feature significantly simplifies your work. Without it, you'll need to manually correct readings using a reference table — and such meters tend to have larger errors.
4. 4 Automatic calibration. Some meters lack this feature entirely — make sure to check. Always choose a meter with automatic calibration.
5. 5 Replaceable electrode. Replaceable electrodes are very convenient: if the electrode fails, you can simply swap it out instead of buying a new device.
6. 6 Waterproof housing. Essential for a dairy environment — choose a model with moisture-resistant casing.

Three pH meters I can confidently recommend

ADWA AD130

±0.01 accuracy Replaceable electrode Waterproof

Comes with a temperature probe and a liquid probe. A cheese probe is available separately.

This is my favourite pH meter — it has replaceable electrodes and is the most versatile option for home cheesemaking.

Testo 205

±0.02 accuracy Replaceable electrode Waterproof

A solid professional device. Measures somewhat slower than the AD130.

I use this one when working in Switzerland. The electrode is quite small, which can give false readings on solid cheese — and it takes a while to stabilise the value.

Hanna HI99161 Foodcare

±0.02 accuracy Universal electrode Waterproof

Universal electrode — ideal for temperature measurement, liquids, and solid cheese alike.

I worked with this one in the United States. It measures slowly but the probe is truly universal — one electrode for everything.

What to order together with the meter

When purchasing a pH meter, ask your supplier to include the following solutions:

• Calibration buffer — pH 4.01
• Calibration buffer — pH 7.01
• Storage solution — pH 3.0
• Cleaning solution