Well I swung by Samurai yesterday... They sure didn't have all that stuff in that catalog and slim pickins for pH meters. I opted for this one, the pH1;
http://www.fishersci.com/ecomm...
The resolution is only 0.1 pH unit but I don't think I need any better than that. I calibrated it and then checked my tap water; it was 8.5, just about what the city says it should be after they happily contaminate it.
The downside is that the meter is integral with the probe so if the probe goes out the whole thing is done for (probe not replaceable). So it is important to keep it clean and free of contamination and stored in special solution.
I guess time will tell about how durable it is. The specs. indicate that battery life is expected to be 100 hours. It uses 4 LR44 batteries, easily accessible at the top of the meter. And for nerds, there is a clip so you can attach it to a pocket.
You can probably find this meter or something similar at any well stocked hydroponic shop. They also had a combination meter that measures TDS (Total Dissolved Solids). It is an indirect way of determining the level of fertilizer in solution.
