The Tropical Fruit Forum

Tropical Fruit => Tropical Fruit Discussion => Topic started by: BonsaiBeast on December 09, 2020, 11:41:30 PM

Title: Best refractometer?
Post by: BonsaiBeast on December 09, 2020, 11:41:30 PM

What is the best option for me to buy? Are they all virtually the same?

Title: Re: Best refractometer?
Post by: Rannman on December 10, 2020, 04:57:54 AM

Price will decide which one is best for your needs. If money is no problem, you could spend hundreds, even thousands. If you want pretty much the same results with less expense, $50 should be fine.👍

Title: Re: Best refractometer?
Post by: fruitnut1944 on December 10, 2020, 10:11:59 AM

I've used one like this on fruit for 15 yrs. It's taught me a lot about how to grow sweeter fruit. Mainly by reducing watering.
https://www.amazon.com/Tiaoyeer-Refractometer-Handheld-Scale-Specific-1-000-1-130/dp/B07DL2NJYS/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=refractometer+brix&qid=1607612904&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFCNFM1MkJVRU9LM00mZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA5NDI2NjExWTVWSEtETkNQNDk0JmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA0MzcwMDUxUFc3SUVVS1laQUkmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl (https://www.amazon.com/Tiaoyeer-Refractometer-Handheld-Scale-Specific-1-000-1-130/dp/B07DL2NJYS/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=refractometer+brix&qid=1607612904&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFCNFM1MkJVRU9LM00mZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA5NDI2NjExWTVWSEtETkNQNDk0JmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA0MzcwMDUxUFc3SUVVS1laQUkmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl)

Title: Re: Best refractometer?
Post by: Oncorhynchus on December 10, 2020, 02:45:20 PM

I’ve never used one for brix but Vee Gee makes the best handheld I’ve used for salinity.  The cheaper ones seem to work well enough but less durable.

Title: Re: Best refractometer?
Post by: simon_grow on December 10, 2020, 05:19:02 PM

The one Fruitnut linked to is a good cheap refractometer for most growers needs and I can relate on how it has enabled me to grow sweeter fruit with less watering. Without the refractometer, I had to guess how sweet my fruit are but now I’m able to give objective numbers to verify a change in my gardening routine did in fact lead to sweeter fruit.

If you grow very sweet fruit, you may want to get a 0-32 Brix and a 30-60 Brix meter. Some fruit like certain varieties of mango, Cherimoya, Sapodilla and others can have Brix ranges out of the smaller range meters.

If you attend fruit tastings, digital refractometer make it easier for everyone to verify the Brix readings. I have thus Hanna HI 96801 which compensates for temp and has a range of 0-85% Brix
(https://i.postimg.cc/PNnK6H1s/201583-B8-B87-B-46-B5-AC84-4-CC79-CF0-B35-A.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/PNnK6H1s)
Simon