Water quality test kits help identify any contaminants in your tap. I put a few picks to the test, allowing me to see what was floating around in my water.
Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Why Trust Us? I've been told plenty of times that I need to drink more water by doctors, family, and friends. My only problem, though, is that I don't always trust what comes out of the tap. I live in New York City, where, like every other metropolis in the country, drinking water is tested to meet federal and state safety standards. Still, after moving to an older building a few years ago, I wasn't certain if the pipes were rusted and tainting what came out of my tap. To alleviate my concern, I decided to look into home water quality test kits for absolute certainty. In addition to drinking water safety, I was also curious about whether my water was hard or soft. I have curly hair and dry skin, and softer water tends to be better for both of those things. After doing some initial research, I chose more than a dozen home water quality testing kits to try. I got to work, filling vials and containers, using paper testing strips, and reading charts to get to the bottom of whether I was consuming unsafe levels of contaminants. I also consulted with Gerald Joseph McAdams Kauffman, Jr., Ph.D., the Director of Water Resources at University of Delaware, for more information and to gain some perspective as I started on my own personal water quality journey. The Best Home Water Quality Test Kits Best Overall: Best Budget: Most Detailed: Best for Specific Contaminants: Best Premium: What to Consider There are two types of test kits—and one is more accurate. There are two types of home water quality test kits you can buy, and the level of accuracy depends on the kind of kit you invest in. The first is essentially a DIY rapid at-home test with paper testing strips to dip into your water and compare results to an included color chart. The other option is a send-away kit, which requires bottling a sample of your tap water and shipping it to a lab for more in-depth…