- Luster Leaf Rapitest Soil Test Kit
- 4 individual color comparators for pH, N,P,K
- Final assembly done in the USA
- Innovative and inexpensive soil test kit features an easy-to-use capsule system and color comparators
- Contains tests for ph, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels; 40 tests in total
- Also has a chart of pH and NPK levels for more than 100 plants
- Simple, fast, and accurate results; no experience required to perform tests
- Includes complete instructions for adjusting soil conditions
It’s vital to know the existing pH, Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P) and Potash (K) levels in garden soil. The rapitest Soil Test Kit continues to be the standard for home soil testing. The kit includes all components needed to for (40) tests: (10) each for pH, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potash. The patented color comparator system allows for easy color comparisons versus a typical printed color chart. Extensive, yet simple, instructions are included along with recommendations for over 400 plants. Test results allow the gardener the amend and fertilize appropriately, ensuring the best possible results
By Rock Diesel
I see other reviews on here talking about "send your soil in to a lab" or other alternatives to this product. Fact is, if you were willing to spend the money to send your soil to a lab, you probably wouldn't be buying this. Probably like you, I bought this because it's cheap and it'll give you a basic idea of what's going on in your garden. Here's how it works:
You get 4 vials, one for soil pH, and one each for Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K). Essentially, you place the directed amount of soil/water mixture into each vial, and add the contents of the corresponding color-coded capsule. The capsules look like pills, the type you can pull apart and the contents spill out. After you empty the capsule into the vial, you place the rubber cap on the vial, shake and let it sit for the specified amount of time. All the quantities and times are clearly listed in the manual. Each vial has a color chart that is near your soil sample window which allows you to compare the color to the chart. This is how you know where your soil stands as far as pH, N, P and K.
I've seen some reviews on here saying it's "impossible" to empty the capsules into the vials because they're too small. True, they're small but if you twist them and carefully pull them apart over the vial it's really pretty easy. If you're elderly or have trouble holding your hands still (or you're just spastic), it might be a task for you but it's still doable. It's really not very difficult.
I've tested my soil maybe 10 times using this product, and it's never let me down. It doesn't give you an exact number or anything, but any time I've shown low on something, I amended the soil and a few days later it tested fine and the plants looked healthier.
It's not extremely precise, but it's reliable and it will definitely tell you if there is something dangerously askew in your garden. My suggestion to the guy that only uses the lab is that either he got a defective one, or he's not cleaning them properly after each use.
You should clean them with water thoroughly after each use and don't mix them up. You don't want to use the pH vial for the K test, or any other variant. Keep them clean, follow the directions and don't mix and match.
My only complaint is that the vials can be knocked over easily as they have an oddly poor center of gravity. Once the cap is on, who cares. But, when you're filling them or trying to empty the capsule into them, it's pretty easy to knock them over and that's just a big bag of bollox.
Anyhow, to sum up, for the money, this product can really, really help. If you're looking for something more precise then spend some more money or send to a lab like the other guy said. If you just want to make sure everything is generally good in your garden, this will probably suit you just fine.
Hope this helps
You get 4 vials, one for soil pH, and one each for Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K). Essentially, you place the directed amount of soil/water mixture into each vial, and add the contents of the corresponding color-coded capsule. The capsules look like pills, the type you can pull apart and the contents spill out. After you empty the capsule into the vial, you place the rubber cap on the vial, shake and let it sit for the specified amount of time. All the quantities and times are clearly listed in the manual. Each vial has a color chart that is near your soil sample window which allows you to compare the color to the chart. This is how you know where your soil stands as far as pH, N, P and K.
I've seen some reviews on here saying it's "impossible" to empty the capsules into the vials because they're too small. True, they're small but if you twist them and carefully pull them apart over the vial it's really pretty easy. If you're elderly or have trouble holding your hands still (or you're just spastic), it might be a task for you but it's still doable. It's really not very difficult.
I've tested my soil maybe 10 times using this product, and it's never let me down. It doesn't give you an exact number or anything, but any time I've shown low on something, I amended the soil and a few days later it tested fine and the plants looked healthier.
It's not extremely precise, but it's reliable and it will definitely tell you if there is something dangerously askew in your garden. My suggestion to the guy that only uses the lab is that either he got a defective one, or he's not cleaning them properly after each use.
You should clean them with water thoroughly after each use and don't mix them up. You don't want to use the pH vial for the K test, or any other variant. Keep them clean, follow the directions and don't mix and match.
My only complaint is that the vials can be knocked over easily as they have an oddly poor center of gravity. Once the cap is on, who cares. But, when you're filling them or trying to empty the capsule into them, it's pretty easy to knock them over and that's just a big bag of bollox.
Anyhow, to sum up, for the money, this product can really, really help. If you're looking for something more precise then spend some more money or send to a lab like the other guy said. If you just want to make sure everything is generally good in your garden, this will probably suit you just fine.
Hope this helps
By Amazon Customer
I've been using these tests consistently and successfully for four years after I had one year of very low production in my vegetable garden. The test showed that first year, after two seasons of not amending my soil and thus suffering some crop failure, was that my soil was depleted of essential nutrients for plant growth and needed to be amended.[...]
DUH on me.
So, I amended the soil based on the test results and the amounts recommended to get my soil's levels back to "Sufficient" and guess what? Great harvests!
I've been testing and amending my soil every spring before planting the year's vegetable garden and have had nothing but great success. Just to give you a gauge, success (to me) means 200+ lbs of tomatoes from four plants.
Which might make you think that I love this product without condition, but that's not necessarily so.
Pros:
The readings are easy enough to get by following the instructions on the package.
Just mix your soil with water in the amounts described, add the water mixture to the test containers with the corresponding capsule [...]
It's inexpensive.
The test kit has 80 tests included, that's 20 per test (pH, N, P, K) and, if you have four vegetable beds going like I do, that's 5 seasons' worth of testing.
The amendments are fairly simple to calculate.
There are calculations included in the package that let you easily figure out the amount of amendments you need to add to bring your soil from its current state to the "Sufficient" state given the size of your growing space. It involves some math, but since I'm fairly Math Challenged and managed to figure it out, I'm confident that any person of reasonable intelligence can do it, too.
Cons:
Ordering refills for the capsules is lame.
You have to use the order sheet included to order new capsule refills for the tests and send them a check for your order like in the old school days of Scholastic book orders and such. There's no online ordering available. I am going to try ordering over the phone, but that's still a massive pain in the ass, so it'd be an extreme bonus if they decided to offer these through Amazon or another online outlet like a shopping cart on the LusterLeaf site.
The amendments they recommend are not natural or organic.
When I first used this test I was all hopped up to add amendments to my soil to "make it right" but found that the amendments they recommend (Muriate of Potash, Aluminum Sulfate, etc) are total organic no-nos. I had to do some hunting around on the old internet to figure out the organic alternatives to the amendments they recommended. Not a huge deal, but it did take extra work.
[...]
All in all, I've had good results with these tests and recommend them highly for their simplicity and availability.
DUH on me.
So, I amended the soil based on the test results and the amounts recommended to get my soil's levels back to "Sufficient" and guess what? Great harvests!
I've been testing and amending my soil every spring before planting the year's vegetable garden and have had nothing but great success. Just to give you a gauge, success (to me) means 200+ lbs of tomatoes from four plants.
Which might make you think that I love this product without condition, but that's not necessarily so.
Pros:
The readings are easy enough to get by following the instructions on the package.
Just mix your soil with water in the amounts described, add the water mixture to the test containers with the corresponding capsule [...]
It's inexpensive.
The test kit has 80 tests included, that's 20 per test (pH, N, P, K) and, if you have four vegetable beds going like I do, that's 5 seasons' worth of testing.
The amendments are fairly simple to calculate.
There are calculations included in the package that let you easily figure out the amount of amendments you need to add to bring your soil from its current state to the "Sufficient" state given the size of your growing space. It involves some math, but since I'm fairly Math Challenged and managed to figure it out, I'm confident that any person of reasonable intelligence can do it, too.
Cons:
Ordering refills for the capsules is lame.
You have to use the order sheet included to order new capsule refills for the tests and send them a check for your order like in the old school days of Scholastic book orders and such. There's no online ordering available. I am going to try ordering over the phone, but that's still a massive pain in the ass, so it'd be an extreme bonus if they decided to offer these through Amazon or another online outlet like a shopping cart on the LusterLeaf site.
The amendments they recommend are not natural or organic.
When I first used this test I was all hopped up to add amendments to my soil to "make it right" but found that the amendments they recommend (Muriate of Potash, Aluminum Sulfate, etc) are total organic no-nos. I had to do some hunting around on the old internet to figure out the organic alternatives to the amendments they recommended. Not a huge deal, but it did take extra work.
[...]
All in all, I've had good results with these tests and recommend them highly for their simplicity and availability.
By Charles L. Packer
I just finished my initial test using this kit. I recommend it. I read the reviews prior to making my decision to purchase it. I suspect that I am better than most in filtering the subjective from reviews. Despite what many reviewers found less than acceptable with this product, there were many reviews that seem to indicate that this testing product performed well and accurately--especially as compared to easy to use, multi-function meters. The main complaint seem to be to difficulty in extracting the testing powder from the capsules. While I suspected that this was more a matter of people being accustomed to easy to use products--probably the reason for the dominance of said multimeter, probe testers, nevertheless, I was a bit anxious when I arrived at this point. It proved to be easy--just hold the capsule upright, the overlaying end on top, gently loosen the halves by slightly twisting back-and-forth, then remove the top portion of the capsule and dump the contents into the testing chamber. One recommendation: while the instructions say to use distilled or bottled water, I suggest using only distilled water. Bottled water varies greatly. You don't want to be testing the properties of the water--that is, you want to "control" your test. One last point (plus one editorial comment) is that you want to allow a few minutes for the tests to stabilize; and regardless of the lack of "refills"--or the price of said, you probably should ask yourself if the price is still warranted. I suspect the answer will be, yes. Oh, and my wife thinks the colors are pretty--there's your subjective comment.
By Ali
Most negative reviews say that pH and N test results are not good, where PH is always neutral and Nitrogen is always depleted, some have actually said that they tried even adding vinegar and pH would still be 7 and such. It is a cheap kit so I bought one, I tested my soil and guess what, I got pH neutral and N depleted, actually N test chamber was very clear without any color like fresh water.
So I done another test, only adding a few drops of lemon juice to the pH test chamber, and a solution of uria (48-0-0) to the N test chamber instead of soil water, and after some good shaking, the pH was yellow and the N was purpule, I have attached a picture and you can see for yourself.
When this test kit tells you the pH is neutral it really is, and when it tells you have no nitrogen you really don't, and you better be spraying a whole lot of it till you get it to "adequate" level.
So I done another test, only adding a few drops of lemon juice to the pH test chamber, and a solution of uria (48-0-0) to the N test chamber instead of soil water, and after some good shaking, the pH was yellow and the N was purpule, I have attached a picture and you can see for yourself.
When this test kit tells you the pH is neutral it really is, and when it tells you have no nitrogen you really don't, and you better be spraying a whole lot of it till you get it to "adequate" level.
By Margaret E. Pensado
I followed the easy instructions to find that my soil is void of nitrates, extremely low in phosporus and okay in potash and slightly acidic. With this knowledge I now know what the soil needs and why nothing wants to grow. With this knowledge and knowing what the cure is, I hope to finally have grass......
I found that if I cut the tip off of the capsules (just a nip at the tip) that the chemical you mix with the water for the test does not spill everywhere. Trying to twist the capsule did not work for me....just cut the tip ande pour. You will learn so much!
I found that if I cut the tip off of the capsules (just a nip at the tip) that the chemical you mix with the water for the test does not spill everywhere. Trying to twist the capsule did not work for me....just cut the tip ande pour. You will learn so much!
By Ryan D. Wilke
1) Yes, the capsule life can be extended by ensuring you re-seal the ziplock-style bag they come in. Moisture in the air will shorten the capsule life. Close each bag as soon as you remove the capsule you plan to use. Do not allow any moisture to get into the bag, such as with wet fingers.
2) The test capsules do have a shelf-life. I replace my capsules every two years. Replacement capsules are available from the manufacturer. Here is a link to the order form:
[...]%20files/Capsule%20order%20form.pdf
3) If you are a bit shaky, use a small funnel to transfer the capsule material to the test chamber easier.
By following the above points, you should be able to use your test kit for a long time with good results.
Happy Planting! -- Ryan
2) The test capsules do have a shelf-life. I replace my capsules every two years. Replacement capsules are available from the manufacturer. Here is a link to the order form:
[...]%20files/Capsule%20order%20form.pdf
3) If you are a bit shaky, use a small funnel to transfer the capsule material to the test chamber easier.
By following the above points, you should be able to use your test kit for a long time with good results.
Happy Planting! -- Ryan
By Woody
I am Master Gardener and I must admit I broke the Cardinal rule of gardening, I never test my ground. Even when the MG program offered it to me for free when I graduated, I could not be bothered. I thought I could adjust my garden when I needed it myself without any help from a test kit. Until I moved, this house has a wonderful piece of property that I use for my vegetable garden and for the first three years everything was perfect, until this year. Nothing wants to grow, so I broke down and bought this item, low an behold I have a problem, nothing major but my phosphorous is completely depleted and that is the explanation for the way my veggies are growing. I found out what must be done and I did it and everything is turning around..
Good sound product I recommend it to the gardener that thinks he/she knows it all, (but we really don't.)
Good sound product I recommend it to the gardener that thinks he/she knows it all, (but we really don't.)
By S. C. Kubilius
We had origanally called our extension agent to have soil testing done for us. They recommended an over the counter kit as they are less costly and accurate in its determination of soil acidity as well as nitrogen, phorphorus and potash content. We purchaced the Luster Leaf 1601 Rapitest Soil Test Kit and followed directions. Our soil PH was exactly neutral, very little or no nitrogen, substanual phosphorus, and substantal potash. All were determined by color change comparison. We were suspicious of the nitrogen test. We are avid organic gardeners an felt that we had kept adequate nitrogen in the garden soil. As a control test we took a sample of a brand named potting soil which had added nutrients and found all were substanial in the mix which confirmed the results from the garden. We will most certainly purchace this product again when needed.
By Rashaun
This is a pretty decent product. I purchased it to help diagnose the lawn of my new house. The kit is pretty simple its like I was a child again with a mini lab kit. I had a problem taking the first capsule apart, which holds the testing solution. I pulled them apart as carefully as possible but it flew everywhere! Instead of pulling twisting it works soooo much better. Let the test kit sit overnight to allow everything to settle to get clear results.
Just make sure you follow the directions, this is science!!!!!
Just make sure you follow the directions, this is science!!!!!
By LanieH
Order arrived quickly and well packaged! The test kits were easy to use and the additional information included with the product really came in handy. We wanted to ensure that our soil in the garden was where it needed to be and this kit confirmed that for us. Will buy it again once the tests have ran out.
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