The wood moisture meters are used to measure the percentage of moisture in a given sample of wood.
Wood moisture information can be used to find if the wood is ready to use or not?
Is it wet or dry or the wood is needed for further tests. Wood and its products are very delicate to their moisture content.
Are you worried about the moisture content of your wood samples? Are you looking for the best moisture meters for wood to get the fine results?
Well, we are here to help you to reduce your tension with the new best moisture for wood, a smarter way to get moisture-free wood.
Buyer’s Guide
Every consumer should know about the most essential factors that will improve a purchasing decision and will allow him or her to buy the best product out in the market.
Therefore, the following are the 5 most important factors that you need to consider before purchasing the moisture meter for wood.
Usage
This sounds obvious, but by I don’t just mean the need to determine the type of wooden surface. You should also consider other factors as well.
For instance, what is the moisture level at your place? According to that, you can choose one; a pinless or pinned model.
Scale
Not all moisture meters are the same. Every moisture meter has its own range to test the level of moisture in the wood.
In general, it is available between 5-30% which is an ideal range that will ensure to provide you with the accurate data that you need.
Price
Of course, the price is an essential factor before buying anything.
The price differs for every unit according to the range level. You don’t have to sell your kidney to buy a moisture measure tool.
However, the higher the advanced features, the higher the price will be.
Pinless models will cost a bit more than the standard ones.
Also, the one capable of measuring a wider range of surfaces might cost a bit more.
Accessories
Some moisture meters have a room for improving the range of their function. There is a variety of accessories.
For instance, there are extension attachments available for pinned moisture meter that will improve the ability to attain a better reading.
However, it is not necessary to purchase an additional accessory. It totally depends on your requirements.
If you think you want to utilize them and make your tool advanced, then you should buy it.
Otherwise, most meters are equipped with the attachments.
Top 15 Moisture Meters Reviews for Wood
After having a deep insight into the factors needed to be considered before purchase you should have a clear knowledge of the best products that are currently available in the market.Here are the shortlisted 15 products that will satisfy you with their respective features.
1. General Tools MMD4E Moisture Meter
General Tools MMD4E is the best moisture meter for wood because it is ideal for you to measure the moisture content of wood, concrete drywall, and sub-flooring.
However, it is essential as a damaging water tool. It has an LCD for a fast and easy view. Due to its compact size, it can easily fit in your pocket.
This wood meter has a wide and precise measuring range of moisture detection.
All you have to do is, put the fine stainless-steel pins into the surface of the wood samples and get the precise result.
The best moisture meter for wood has a special auto power-off feature.
It can be used as a water leakage detector after the flood damage, or general water damages in your house.
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Pros:
- Lightweight body
- Crisp Display
- Precise results
Cons:
- High in price
2. Lignomat Mini Moisture Meter
This moisture meter has an LCD for a fast and easy view. The economic size of the meter fits in your pocket that you can carry anywhere. It is the best moisture meter for wood because of built-in calibration.
It measures from 6 to 45 percent. You can put the fine stainless-steel pins into the measuring depth 3/16″ and 7/16″ of the surface of wood samples and get the precise result.
It can be used as a water leakage detector for general water damages.
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Pros:
- User-Friendly
- Best battery timings
- Built-in calibration
Cons:
- Electrodes pin material is substandard
- Quality issues
3. Protimeter BLD5365 Moisture Meter
The Protimeter BLD5365 two working modes which make it the best moisture meter. It can work as a pinless moisture meter as well as a pin-type moisture meter.
Due to its good sturdy construction, your investment on it would prove to be worthy.
It has a large backlit display. It can non-invasive measurement which is up to ¾” about 20mm below the surface of wood samples.
Includes a wide range of accessory plugins within its package. It is the best both pin type and pins less moisture meter.
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Pros:
- Maximum material settings to work with
- Affordable
- Efficient
- Sturdy
Cons:
- Too much battery consumption
4. Delmhorst J-2000 Wood Moisture Meter
The Delmhorst J-2000 has a micro-controller circuit with a wide LCD. It can precisely measure 48 individual species with temperature in Celsius and Fahrenheit.
It is the best moisture meter for wood because it can measure moisture content over the range of 6 to 40 percent.
It has maximum averages up to 100 accumulated readings that are measured and is the professional moisture meter.
It’s much popular among woodworkers, small shops, and furniture manufacturers and widely used in most areas.
It gives you an industry-leading one-year warranty of parts and the whole package.
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Pros:
- Gives maximum accurate readings
- Best battery backup energy
- Durable Quality
Cons:
- High in price
5. Extech MO55 Moisture Meter
The Extech MO55 is a professional moisture meter as it can be used for a wide range of products like wood, wallboard, sheetrock, cardboard, concrete, plaster, and mortar.
It is a very efficient moisture meter as it can provide you with a visual reference for a low, medium, and high level of wood moisture in wood samples.
It is the best moisture meter for wood as its special feature is an audible alert Tone which beeps faster when moisture level increases.
It has both pin type and pins fewer measurement modes. It can be read moisture up to 1 inch below the surface of the wood sample.
The Extech MO55 has data hold function which freezes its reading on display, so you can easily analyze and read it.
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Pros:
- Smallest sized meter
- HD display result
- Highly accurate result
- Very effective
Cons:
- Poor battery timing.
- Low Quality
- Stops working after sometime
6. General Tools MMH800 Moisture Meter
It is the professionally best moisture meter for wood as it has both pin type and pins fewer modes to help you precisely measure moisture in the flat wood surface.
The General Tools MMH800 has intelligent dual pad sensors to find the rapid areas of moisture in the wooden surface.
It has a two-way display system, on the first type, it shows the moisture percentage and the second type it shows the ambient temperature plus relative humidity.
It is the 4 in 1 professional moisture meter. The MMH800 holds the moisture level readings for the later favorable view.
It gives high/medium/low audible alarm while measuring, which indicates the various moisture levels in the wood surface samples.
The 4 in 1 combo moisture meter’s package contain a 9V battery, lanyard, two sets of spare pins and a user manual.
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Pros:
- Clear alarm sound
- Easy to operate
- Smooth and soft grip
- Special 4 in 1 best quality
Cons:
- Problems with resetting
- Not accurate enough
- Quality compromised
7. Sam Pro Dual Moisture Meter
The Sam pro-Dual Moisture Meter can find hidden leakages in the wall and other surfaces.
It can help you to prevent further damage to your home with its digital detector that can measure moisture and temperature in over 100 Materials including wood, concrete, and drywall.
The new Sam Pro ensures you when firewood is ready for burning.
You have to Insert the steal sensor pins into the wood and see if its moisture content is low (5-11%), Medium (12-15%) or High (16-50%) then only your firewood is ready for burning.
By this professional moisture meter, you can check lumber and hardwood for building and woodworking.
You always make it sure that you are using good, dry wood for all your projects to avoid cracks, splits, warping.
It has a large and easy to the readable backlit LCD screen. It’s strong and ergonomically design helps you to easily insert it sharp pins into wooden materials.
It also has high, medium, low and screen holding features. This Sam Pro equipped with a durable nylon case, a set of replacement Probes, a 9V battery.
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Pros:
- The readable backlit LCD screen
- A durable nylon cases
Cons:
- Major battery issues
- Sometimes does not work
8. WELQUIC Stud Finder
The WELQUIC accurately traces hot wires, find nails, pipes, rebar and other metallic objects.
It finds wood studs with auto-calibration. It can find metal up to 76mm depth, voltage up to 76mm depth, wood and metal stud up to 38mm.
It has built-in features like a built-in backlit LCD screen, an audio and visual indication, a beep sound alarm for its optimal signal alert.
Experts made its design unique. It has very soft grips to provide you with a comfortable grip and better control for working.
It has a special auto-off feature, which makes it a professional and handy moisture meter for home inspectors.
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Pros:
- Audio indication
- Sharp digital LCD
- 3 in 1 with metallic pins
- Convenient to use
Cons:
- Minimum backup energy
- Calibration required
- Stud detection issues
9. Procter Digital Wood Moisture Meter
It is used for various materials like wood, firewood, wall, paper, cardboard humidity measuring.
It can measure moisture content on a wide range with high accuracy of about 0 to 99.9% accurately. It has a resolution of up to 0.1%. Its electrodes length is 10mm.
Furthermore, it can be used for a wide range of materials. Its memory contains almost four wood groups with high calibrations for almost 50 Species of Wood giving you an efficient result.
It has a data hold function which makes it convenient for you to read data and interpret it.
In its large LCD, its user feels relaxed to read the data. It has an auto power-off feature that conserves the battery energy when there is a low battery display its results. It has electrical resistance about 2x 10mm.
It has little Integrated electrode pins that operate on 0℃ to 40℃. Also, it has a maximum of 85% relative operating humidity.
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Pros:
- Robust design
- Works with 50 plus species of wood
- Wide LCD
Cons:
- Its electrodes material is not good
- Inconsistent
- Very inaccurate
10. NoCry Digital Moisture Meter
NoCry Digital Moisture Meter has a built-in sensor that measures and displays moisture, temperature, and relative humidity in your walls, floors, and ceilings to prevent the water damage to your home.
The moisture meter is adjustable for 100plus different materials.
Hardwood like teak, oak, and log, to mildew density woods like pine and mahogany and soft ones like plywood and cork. It can be used in construction materials like concrete, cement, and drywall.
It has the best auto-calibrates which automatically adjust with the optimum temperatures. It has the best LCD with two brightness settings which shows the moisture level, so it is convenient for you to read and interpret.
Also, it tells you the temperature in C˚and F˚and the active measurement mode and setting.
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Pros:
- Works with more than 100 materials
- Good display
- Dual Temperature reading
- Automatic calibration
Cons:
- Poor battery timing
- Low quality
- Cheap Material
11. EnnoLogic Moisture Meter
It is the best moisture meter for wood because it is a pin-type moisture meter with robust well-mounted pins.
It has a large backlit LCD which makes it easy to read even in the dark and hardly reachable places. It is a great small tool for you to carry anywhere in your pockets.
It is featured for seven material settings that can measure the moisture of firewood logs, carpet, sheetrock, cement, gypsum, mortar, bricks, and other materials.
You can get the maximum heat out from your firewood by making sure it’s moisture content 15-20%.
With the help of EnnoLogic moisture meter, you can detect softwood and hardwood lumber for woodworking purposes.
This will detect water in walls if a frozen pipe burst or mold in your house or industry.
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Pros:
- Robust well-mounted pins
- Large backlit LCD
- Sharm alarm for the alert
Cons:
- Expensive
- Only work for seven materials settings
12. High-quality Wood Moisture Meter
It is the best moisture meter for home inspectors. Its measure range is 0 to 80%. It has a 0.10% resolution and about ± 2% accuracy.
It has eight material type settings that can be applied to wood, perovskite, cement mortar, lime mortar, bricks, and other materials.
The best moisture meter for wood has an HD Digital LCD Display that clearly shows the measurement. You can use the data retention feature simply using the “hold” key.
It has a special protective test pin cover and a silicone outer casing that protect the probe and portable water moisture meter from dust and damage. Its energy supply includes 3 AAA batteries.
This shows the low battery by special indication. Also, an auto-off feature enables its automatically to shut down after 10 minutes.
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Pros:
- 3AAA batteries with large backup energy
- HD display screen results
- Data retention feature
Cons:
- Very Pricey
- Only work eight material type settings
- Quality issues
13. TyhoTech Wood Moisture Detector
It is the two pins digital moisture meter for wood. Its ergonomic design is fit for one hand to get an easy and better grip, it is perfect for the contractors, woodworkers, and homeowners to measure the moisture of woods, bamboos, papers.
It ranges from 0 to 99.9% with ±0.5% accuracy. It has a resolution of up to 0.1%. Its electrode length is about 10mm.
It can work for four special material settings like (1) teak, afrormosia, walnut, etc.; (2) is for white poplar, keruing, etc.; (3) is for lauan, ash, elm, etc.; (4) is for basswood, larch, pine, etc.
It has multi-function quality, which allows you to read the data for a long time, which is very convenient to read in the large LCD.
Its auto power-off function conserves the battery energy during low battery display. The TyhoTech has a 9V battery included in the package it has the small and handy size for an easy and comfortable grip.
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Pros:
- Multifunction
- Great Precision
- Long battery timing
- Conserves energy
Cons:
- Working only for 4 type material settings
- Startup issue at times
14. Dr.meter Digital Portable Moisture Tester
It is the best moisture meter for wood because it has a wide and precise measuring range of about 5% to 40% with 1% accuracy.
It has two spare integrated sensor pins for a replacement to keep your moisture tester a longer life. A 9v battery powers it.
It has a large LCD for easy to read the LCD’s display that is quick and easy viewing.
This moisture detector has an ergonomic size which fits in one hand. It is the best woodworking tool that measures the moisture content of wood to avoid buying waterlogged wood.
It is an ideal tool for locating moisture in carpets, sub-flooring woodworking, building construction, and agriculture industries. It is a wonderful machine.
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Pros:
- Ergonomic size
- Good quality 9V battery
- Great detector
Cons:
- Issues distinguishing between dry and wet wood
15. Eventer Wood Moisture Tester
Eventer Wood Moisture Tester has a perfect and convenient moisture sensor. It has two metal pins 10 mm long; its measurement range is 0 to 41%. its resolution is 0.1% with +/- 1% accuracy.
It is a professional moisture meter with a portable size which you can carry in your pockets.
It has some special features like low battery indication, auto power-off without operation after 10 minutes and the data hold function.
The easy to use a wood moisture meter which has two stainless steel pins that stick into the surface to assures the highest accuracy of your measured moisture readings.
It is essential for water damage tool. Its package contains 2 x AAA battery, a user manual.
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Pros:
- Maximum backup energy
- Good quality metallic stainless-steel pins
- Indicates low battery
- Auto power-off feature
Cons:
- Minimum settings for material work
- Pin reading is not reliable
Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate are wood moisture meters?
Moisture meters measure the moisture present in the wood. The accuracy depends on the quality of the moisture meter.
A standard moisture meter would not give you 100% results, but a good quality moisture meter will give you exact results.
How do you test for moisture in wood?
Generally, people test for moisture in wood by two methods.
- Oven dry testing method: in which you compare the wet and oven-dried wood weight.
- Wood moisture meters: in which you can use pin type and pin fewer moisture meters for measuring moisture in the wood.
How does wood moisture meter work?
- Pin-type meters: It uses two or more electrodes to measure a sample of wood moisture by using electrical resistance.
- Pin fewer meters: Pinless meters use a specialized scanning plate which passes an electromagnetic wave through a sample and creates a reading of the average moisture content in the scanning area.
What is the ideal moisture content of wood?
The ideal moisture content of wood is with RH values between 40% to 45%.
The temperature of the environment is between 70o to 75o Fahrenheit, and the equilibrium moisture content of the wood is 7 to 8 percent.
Wood shrinks as it dries and expands when it is wet.
What is moisture level acceptable in firewood?
The seasonal firewood has a moisture content below 20 percent. Mostly in winters, the moisture content is 66 percent, which is less than the green moisture content of oak’s wood that is about 75 to 80 percent.
The excellent seasonal firewood should have a moisture content less than 20 percent.
Can firewood be too dry?
The firewood can be too dry, but in rainy, winter and snowfall days, it is impossible because air contains more and more moisture content.
Firewood is good when it contains moisture below 20 percent. Dry firewood catches fire properly and gives good heat for cooking.
How do you know if the wood is dry enough to stain?
You can use a moisture meter that checks the moisture content of the wood to find out if the wood is dry enough for staining.
The wood can feel dry when you touch it, but it would be too wet to absorb the stain properly.
Do you need to know more about best moisture meter for wood?
Though, if you are still confused about which one is best to buy then in this case, our three Best moisture meters for wood options are:
- “NoCry Digital Moisture Meter for wood,” for low-budget.
- “Sam pro-Dual Moisture Meter for wood,” for a mid-range budget.
- ” General Tools MMH800 4-In-1 Combo Moisture Meter “, for high-pricing and quality choosers.
Conclusion
As we understand your struggle and problem of detecting moisture in the wood, especially when you are extracting wood for building material, firewood, and flooring.
These products are user-friendly, and their functions are very beneficial for moisture testing of hardwood, softwood and mildew wood.
These moisture meters can be handy to use, showing accurate results for Moisture Content, optimum RH and optimum temperature.
