Is a pH meter or pH paper better?
Depends on what it being used for. A pH meter is far more accurate than pH paper. A good pH meter is accurate to 0.01 pH units. The best pH paper is only accurate to about 0.2 pH units. On the other hand a pH meter needs to calibrated daily and takes a bit of skill to maintain and use whereas pH paper take little skill and needs no calibration. A good pH meter costs around $1000 and needs a new probe every 2-5 years depending on how well it has been taken care of at a cost of $250. As well as that it needs calibration buffers at a cost of $50-100 a year. pH paper is cheap it only costs $20 or so for a hundred tests. IF you are testing soil or swimmimng pool water then pH paper is fine. If you are working in a lab then you need a pH meter.
