BrixMeter

$149.95

The easiest way to test real fruit and vegetable quality.

SKU: Brixmeter Categories: , ,

Description

How do we determine fruit and vegetable quality objectively? How often have you tried an apple that looks great but turns out to be floury? When is the optimum time to pick fruit and vegetables to get maximum taste and nutritional value? The BrixMeter™ is a quick, easy to use tool that can give anyone objective information to help solve the above problems. The BrixMeter™ is a professional refractometer that measures the amount of dissolved solids in fruits, vegetables and grasses. This shows us the level of natural sugars (taste) and minerals (nutrient density) in a particular fruit, vegetable or grass. The higher the Brix reading, the better the taste and the higher the mineral content of the fruit, vegetable or grass. Testing organic produce might be a good place to start, but we have found that some organic products have a very low Brix reading. With this tool you are armed scientifically to pick the best quality produce.

Key Benefits

• Measures 0 – 32 % Brix with ±0.20 % accuracy.
• Measures 0.20 % increments in Brix so you can get a very accurate reading.
• Automatic temperate compensation (from 10 °C to 30 °C) so you don’t need to look up any table; just read directly from the meter to get results.
• In field calibration is easy as it can be adjusted with your fingers instead of using a fiddly screwdriver as is common for most units.
• Packed in a nice protective carry box so it is practical for use/carry in the field, and also contains a pipette and detailed instructions.
Also contains a durable hand held juice/sap extractor made from quality alloy and chrome plated (see image above). Easy to clean and use.
• Suitable for Farmers, Gardeners, Parents, Green Grocers and Teachers.
• Contains a list of ideal fruit, vegetable and grass Brix levels.

How it Works

Light enters the prism and depending the on the percentage of dissolved solids in the juice it will refract the light at a different angle. This angled light is projected to the eyepiece scale where the Brix concentration can be read. Each fruit, vegetable and grass has an ideal Brix reading for optimum taste and nutrients, and this can be read from the accompanying chart. If you are a farmer/gardener you can use this information to determine the ideal picking time or adjust fertiliser/water to help obtain an optimal reading.

How to Use

1. Lift the daylight plate and wipe the plate and prism with a clean cloth.
2. Use the juice extractor supplied to crush 2 – 3 drops of juice/sap under the daylight plate directly on the prism making sure there are no dry spots when the plate is closed and pressed lightly.
3. For hard fruits/vegetables like carrot please grate and then place in the extractor to get enough juice.
4. Point the front end of the BrixMeter™ in the direction of bright light and adjust the eyepiece until clear. Read the Brix level (light/dark boundary) and compare to the supplied chart.
5. Before measuring the next sample, clean the daylight plate and prism with a clean damp cloth. Store dry in the protective case.

Below video shows how to use the Brix Meter. Note: We recommend using the included extractor instead of a mortar and pestle.

How to Calibrate

Open the daylight plate and place 2 to 3 drops of distilled or deionised water (available in most supermarkets) on the prism. Close the daylight plate and press lightly so the water spreads over the entire surface of the prism and there are no air bubbles or dry spots and adjust the eyepiece until the numbers are clear. Wait about 30 seconds then adjust the top calibration screw with your fingers until the light/dark line is on the 0 Brix line. Tighten with the lower calibration screw. Recalibrate if the temperature changes by more than two degrees Celsius, or if a lot of samples are taken, after 30 minutes.

Warranty and Maintenance

This meter has a 2 year warranty to be free from any manufacturing defects from the date of purchase. Please email us if there are any problems. Do not wash or expose to water as moisture could penetrate into the prism assembly making the meter hard to read. Keep in a cool, dry environment inside the protective case when not in use. Do not scratch the optical surfaces or drop this unit as that may damage the prism.

List of Crops with Values

Alfalfa (Lucerne), Apples (regular varieties), Apples (sweet varieties), Apricots, Asparagus, Avocados, Bananas, Beets, Bell peppers (Capsicum), Blueberries, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cantaloupe, Casaba, Cauliflower, Celery, Cherries (sour varieties), Cherries (sweet varieties), Coconut, Corn stalks, Corn young, Cowpeas, Cucumbers, Endive, English peas, Escarole, Field peas, Grains, Grapes (regular varieties), Grapes (sweet varieties), Grapefruit, Green beans, Herbs (most), Honeydew, Hot Peppers (Chilli), Kiwi fruit, Kohlrabi, Kumquat, Lemons, Lettuce, Limes, Mangoes, Nectarines, Onions (regular varieties), Onions (sweet varieties), Onions (green), Oranges, Papayas, Parsley, Peaches, Peanuts, Pears, Pineapple, Plums, Potatoes, Raspberries, Rutabagas, Spinach, Sorghum, Squash, Strawberries, Sweet Corn, Sweet potato, Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Turnips, Watermelon.

Additional information

Weight 523 kg