Fluoride is a naturally found mineral that seeps into well water when a well is situated on fluoride-rich soil or rocks. Municipal authorities also pump it into city water to promote teeth health.
However, too much fluoride leads to health complications, including bone fractures and arthritis. So, it’s imperative to keep an eye on its levels in your water.
To that end, laboratories offer professional and comprehensive water tests. There are also home test kits you can purchase online for both tap water and well water. In this guide, we’ll review the best test kits in both categories.
If you want the quick version, the Safe Home Premium Drinking Water Test Kit is the best option for tap water. On the other hand, our top recommendation for well water is the My Tap Score Essential Well Water Test Kit.
To explore other options, read on.
- The number of tested analytes: 50
- Turn-around time: 7-10 business days
- The number of tested analytes: 52
- Turn-around time: 5 business days
- The number of tested analytes: 1
- Turn-around time: 5 business days
- The number of tested analytes: 13
- Turn-around time: One minute
- The number of tested analytes: 14
- Turn-around time: One minute
Best Fluoride Water Testers
Safe Home Premium Drinking Water Test Kit
- The number of tested analytes: 50
- Turn-around time: 7-10 business days
- The most accurate fluoride test on the market
- Turn-around is only seven to ten business days
- Tests for 50 different analytes
- The package includes a DIY bacteria test
- Results come in color codes
- It doesn’t include solutions to fluoride problems
- Expensive
The Safe Home Premium test kit is a less comprehensive but equally accurate version of our favorite water test kit, Safe Home Ultimate. The Premium version is a smaller-scale kit better suited for fluoride and more affordable, which is why it’s at the top of our list.
The Safe Home tests are conducted by EPA-certified labs and scientists, so you can trust their accuracy, be it for fluoride or any other contaminant. Moreover, the turn-around for the results is only seven to ten business days, which makes it one of the quickest professional tests.
Besides fluoride, Safe Home Premium tests the water for 49 other parameters. These include:
- Heavy metals, including the most dangerous ones such as hexavalent chromium, copper, arsenic, lead, barium, and cadmium
- Minerals, referring to calcium, magnesium, manganese, potassium, sodium, and others
- Physical properties, meaning water hardness, turbidity, total dissolved solids, alkalinity, and so on
- Inorganic impurities, like nitrites, nitrates, chloride, sulfates, and of course, fluoride
Additionally, the package includes a free do-it-yourself bacteria kit. This kit helps you assess the levels of total coliform bacteria in your water.
The results come in color codes with a detailed guide on interpreting them. So, if the fluoride levels in your water are above the standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Safe Drinking Water Act (4 mg/L), you’ll know it.
That said, unlike My Tap Score labs, which is next on our list, the Safe Home results don’t advise customers about potential solutions to their fluoride problems.
Finally, some consider the Safe Home Premium test pricey, especially considering it only tests for 50 analytes.
My Tap Score Essential Well Water Test Kit
- The number of tested analytes: 52
- Turn-around time: 5 business days
- The most accurate well water test for fluoride
- Turn-around is only five days
- Tests for 51 other crucial well water parameters
- The package includes a DIY hydrogen sulfide kit
- Offers solutions for problematic contaminants
- Excellent online support
- Expensive
If you just dug a new well or are worried about your water quality, the best practice is to have your well water tested for contaminants like fluoride. In such cases, the My Tap Score Essential kit is an excellent help.
The turn-around time of My Tap Score tests is even better than the Safe Home ones. Once the lab receives your water samples, they’ll email you the water’s fluoride levels in only five business days.
In addition, the My Tap Score test has a slightly wider range than the Safe Home test. It tests the water for 51 analytes in addition to fluoride. These include:
- Properties: Alkalinity, conductivity, total dissolved solids, turbidity, and pH
- Bacteria: Total coliform bacteria, E. coli
- Fertilizers: Nitrites, nitrates
- Heavy metals, including aluminum, arsenic, barium, cadmium, copper, hexavalent chromium, lead, mercury, titanium, and uranium
- Non-metal organics: Hard water minerals such as calcium and magnesium, and other minerals such as potassium and fluoride
- Calculated parameters, referring to measurements like water hardness
Similar to Safe Home, the My Tap Score package also includes a DIY kit, but for hydrogen sulfide, a contaminant commonly found in well water that releases a stench reminiscent of rotten eggs.
The My Tap Score labs also send you a detailed report listing contaminant levels in your water, how they fare against EPA standards, and solutions for contaminants above EPA limits. In other words, if fluoride is a problem, the lab will let you know what to do next.
What’s more, My Tap Score has an immaculate online support system. So, if something confuses you in the report, you can immediately consult their support.
Like all professional water tests, the My Tap Score test is expensive, albeit more affordable than the Safe Home Premium kit.
My Tap Score Fluoride Water Test
- The number of tested analytes: 1
- Turn-around time: 5 business days
- The only fluoride-specific professional water test on the market
- Comprehensive testing process
- Turn-around is only five days
- The lab report suggests solutions (if applicable)
- Waiting five days to get results for just one analyte
- Expensive
As one of the most common drinking water contaminants, it’s surprising that more water testing labs don’t offer fluoride-specific tests. Fortunately, one of the most prominent labs, My Tap Score, does, making it the best choice if fluoride is your only concern.
Like the My Tap Score well test, the turn-around for the fluoride-only test is five business days. Although it may sound like a lot for just one analyte, the long turnaround time ensures a comprehensive testing process and accurate results.
Also, the lab compares the fluoride levels in your water to EPA standards. If there’s too much fluoride, the lab professionals recommend water treatment solutions to eliminate it.
The only real downside of the product is the price. You need to pay $65 to have your water tested for just one analyte.
Safe Home DIY City Water Test Kit
- The number of tested analytes: 13
- Turn-around time: One minute
- The best city water DIY kit for fluoride
- User-friendly
- Turn-around is only one minute
- Tests for twelve other parameters
- Features fifteen test strips for twelve parameters, including fluoride
- Manufactured by an EPA-certified lab
- Made in USA
- The manufacturer supports clean water initiatives
- Only one test strip for lead
- Not as accurate as professional tests
Safe Home labs don’t only offer professional testing but also industry-leading DIY kits. For example, their DIY City Water test kit is among the best in its category, and it’s the most accurate DIY kit for testing fluoride.
The working principle of DIY kits is simple, and the Safe Home one is no exception. The package features test strips for different contaminants, including fluoride, and a guide on color codes pertaining to contaminant levels.
You just dip the fluoride test strip into a glass of water (from the faucet you want to test). The strip will change its color in just under a minute. Then, you can compare the strip color with the color code guide and see if you have a fluoride problem.
The Safe Home DIY City Water Kit tests for twelve other parameters: total chlorine, free chlorine, water hardness, alkalinity, nitrate, nitrite, carbonate, iron, copper, calcium, pH, and lead. The package features fifteen test strips for each of these parameters, except for lead which only has one strip. One package will last you years for any contaminant other than lead.
You’ll also be happy to know that these test strips are manufactured in the United States by an EPA-certified lab.
Additionally, Safe Home donates to clean water initiatives worldwide, so a portion of your purchase will go to charity.
That being said, the readings from test strips are not as accurate as professional tests. So, we recommend sticking to lab tests unless you’re in a hurry or on a budget.
Safe Home DIY Well Water Test Kit
- The number of tested analytes: 14
- Turn-around time: One minute
- Price: $29.99
- The best DIY well water test strips on the market for testing fluoride
- Features a total coliform strip
- User-friendly
- The turn-around is only one minute
- Tests for fourteen parameters
- Twenty test strips for twelve parameters each
- Made in EPA-certified labs
- Made in USA
- The company donates to charity
- Only one test strip each for lead and coliform bacteria
- More expensive than the Safe Home DIY City Water Kit
- Not as accurate as professional test kits
If you rely on a well for your water supply and your only concern is fluoride, the Safe Home DIY City Water kit will suffice. However, coliform bacteria are a common problem in well water, so it may be a good idea to check for their presence alongside fluoride. With the Safe Home DIY Well Water Test Kit, you can kill two birds with one stone.
Otherwise, very little separates the Safe Home well water kit from the city water one.
The steps, for instance, are the same. You take the fluoride strip, dip it into a glass of water (from the faucet you want to test), wait for a minute, and compare the color you get against the color guide inside the package.
In addition to fluoride and coliform bacteria, the Safe Home well water kit tests for the same parameters: total chlorine, free chlorine, water hardness, alkalinity, nitrate, nitrite, carbonate, iron, copper, calcium, pH, and lead.
All the parameters except lead and coliform bacteria have twenty test strips – five more than the city water kit. However, there is only one test strip for lead and total coliform each.
Similar to the city water kit, these strips are made by EPA-certified scientists within the USA. Also, the company donates some of your purchase money to clean water initiatives.
Of course, including a coliform kit and five more strips for twelve parameters increases the price of the well water kit. More specifically, this product costs five dollars more than the city water one at $29.99.
The only downside of this DIY kit is that it’s unlikely to be as accurate as the pro My Tap Score kit.
Frequently Asked Questions
This section answers the most frequently asked questions regarding fluoride and water tester for this particular mineral.
Fluoride is a natural compound found in rocks, soil, and inevitably in water. That’s why it’s commonly found in water sources, whether you’re relying on tap or well water.
Additionally, research suggests that fluoride in drinking water benefits teeth health, especially among children, as it reduces tooth decay by 25%. So, municipal authorities nationwide pump it into community water supplies to promote teeth health.
Fluoride levels maintained by municipal authorities often range between 0.7 to 1.2 mg/L. As we established earlier, the Environmental Protection Agency sets the upper limit for fluoride in drinking water at 4 mg/L.
So, contrary to popular belief, municipal fluoridation of drinking water is safe.
Moreover, water suppliers subject tap water to a series of treatment methods before its distribution to citizens’ households, including reverse osmosis and distillation. Such methods remove the naturally-found fluoride from the water, so tap water doesn’t exceed EPA’s fluoride standards. Still, some people want to eliminate fluoride from their tap entirely.
The situation with well water is different. As well water treatment is the responsibility of the well owner, excessive fluoride could be present in private wells.
Besides promoting teeth health, fluoride has some adverse health effects:
More than 4 mg/L of fluoride in drinking water may cause bone problems such as arthritis in the long run.
More than 2 mg/L of fluoride in drinking water may cause dental fluorosis, also known as teeth discoloration and defects in tooth enamel.
Even in small doses, i.e., in doses approved by the EPA, fluoride could lead to thyroid dysfunction.
There are also claims regarding fluoride and the increased risk of cognitive dysfunction and ADHD in children. However, these claims are not scientifically supported.
Still, many Americans opt for removing fluoride from their water supply due to its already-established adverse effects.
Regardless of your supply (well or tap water) and potential contaminations, you should have your water thoroughly tested at least once a year for most common contaminants including fluoride.
If you rely on city water, Safe Home Premium is the best choice for testing fluoride. Our recommendation for households relying on well water is the My Tap Score Essential Well Water Test Kit.
Yes, My Tap Score has a fluoride-only professional water testing kit.
There are also fluoride meters, like the Extech FL700 Fluoride Meter, that you can find online. However, customers often question the accuracy of these devices, so we don’t recommend them.
If tests show excessive fluoride levels in your drinking water, you should stop consuming it and stick with drinking fluoride free bottled water, namely spring water, until you implement a solution.
You don’t need to worry about what solution to implement as we have many guides that can help you:
Effective Ways to Remove Fluoride from Water
5 Best Fluoride Water Filters
4 Water Filters That Remove Fluoride
If you don’t want to go into all that detail, check out the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher. It’s the best water treatment product for removing fluoride currently available.
Conclusion
Fluoride is a growing concern among Americans because it causes arthritis and thyroid dysfunction. So, it’s not uncommon for citizens to want to learn how much fluoride their water supply contains.
If you rely on tap water, Safe Home Premium will provide you with the most accurate fluoride readings in 7 to 10 business days.
If you’re a well owner, you should purchase the My Tap Score Essential Well Water Test Kit, as it’s the best fluoride test for well water.
If your only concern is fluoride, My Tap Score has an answer for that, too, thanks to My Tap Score Fluoride Water Test.
If you’re looking for an affordable DIY kit, whether you depend on tap or well water, Safe Home has the best DIY kits.
