Plumbing Picks is reader-supported. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Quick answer from a licensed plumber: For results you can act on, the Tap Score Advanced lab test: a mail-in kit analyzed by certified labs, covering metals, bacteria, nitrates and hardness. For a DIY screen of a well, the Safe Home Ultimate 14-in-1 kit (bacteria, lead and strips). For a DIY lead screen that its maker says detects 5 ppb, Watersafe. For bacteria only, the Safe Home bacteria test. The EPA says to test a private well every year for coliform, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH.
Our pick for most homes: the Tap Score Advanced home water test (certified lab). Check the Tap Score Advanced test on Amazon
A water test is the first step before buying any water treatment, and the one that keeps you from buying the wrong system. There are two kinds: a certified lab test, where you mail a sample and get measured numbers, and a do-it-yourself kit that screens with strips and color-change vials. This page compares both, using the kit makers’ own pages and instructions and the EPA’s well-testing advice. Each linked kit was sold by the kit maker’s own Amazon store.
Only need hardness for sizing a softener? Our water hardness test kit guide covers that with simpler drop and strip kits.
Water Test Kits Compared
| Kit | Type | What it covers (maker) | Time to result (maker) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tap Score Advanced | Certified lab, mail-in | 116 analytes (Amazon listing) | 5 business days after the lab receives it |
| Safe Home Ultimate 14-in-1 | DIY, with optional lab kit | 14 parameters incl. coliform and lead | Strips in minutes; bacteria up to 72 hours |
| Watersafe WS-425 | DIY screening | 9 parameters incl. lead and bacteria | Lead 8 minutes; bacteria 48 hours |
| Safe Home Bacteria | DIY, coliform only | Coliform incl. E. coli | 6 to 72 hours |
Figures from the Tap Score, Safe Home and Watersafe pages and instructions, and the Tap Score Amazon listing. Each linked kit was in stock on October 7, 2026, sold by its maker’s Amazon store: SimpleLab (Tap Score), EnviroTestKits (Safe Home) and Silver Lake Research (Watersafe).
What the EPA Says to Test a Well For
- Every year: total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH.
- Right away: after any repair to the well system, after flooding or nearby construction, or when the odor, color or taste of the water changes.
- By situation: pH, lead and copper where plumbing or service lines contain lead; iron, copper and manganese for stained fixtures; nitrate, nitrite, pesticides and coliform near intensive farming; hydrogen sulfide and metals for a bad taste or smell.
- Where: a laboratory certified for drinking water. Your local health department may test a private well for free.
Lab Test or DIY Kit?
Use a DIY kit to screen and to recheck. Use a certified lab when the result will decide a purchase, a health question or a home sale. Watersafe’s own instructions say its kit is a screening test that cannot certify water as safe or unsafe. Plumber’s note: a positive DIY result for bacteria or lead is a reason to send a lab sample, not to buy equipment yet.
From Test Result to Treatment
- Coliform bacteria: talk to your health department, then see our well water treatment picks.
- Iron or manganese: our iron filter picks.
- Hardness: our water softener picks.
- Lead or other contaminants at the tap: our NSF certified filter guide explains which certification covers which contaminant.
Tap Score Advanced Home Water Test (Well or City)
Mail-in kit analyzed by certified labs, per Tap Score · Amazon listing: 116 analytes including metals, coliform and E. coli bacteria, nitrates, pH, hardness and alkalinity · sampling materials and prepaid return label · results 5 business days after the lab receives the sample · kit shelf life 12 months
If you want an answer you can act on, a certified lab is the standard. The EPA says to use laboratories certified for drinking water testing. Tap Score’s Amazon listing describes its network as EPA/NELAC/ISO and state-certified labs; its own site lists accreditations ranging from ISO to NELAC/ELAP and state programs. The Amazon listing for this kit counts 116 analytes, including heavy metals, coliform and E. coli bacteria, nitrates, pH, hardness and alkalinity, and says the report comes back in 5 business days once the lab has the sample.
Tap Score’s own site sells separate Advanced Well (114 analytes) and Advanced City (111 analytes) versions; the Amazon kit is labeled for well or city water, and we could not match its 116 to either panel, so check the analyte list in the listing images if one contaminant matters to you. The kit includes sampling materials, instructions and a prepaid return label, and the listing says it has a 12-month shelf life. Plumber’s note: this is the test to run before you buy a softener, iron filter or UV system, because it gives you numbers, not color matches.
- Certified lab analysis, per Tap Score
- Broad panel: metals, bacteria, nitrates, hardness
- Report with treatment guidance, per the listing
- Prepaid return shipping included
- Not instant: about a week once the lab has it
- Analyte count differs between Amazon (116) and Tap Score’s site (111 city, 114 well)
- Kit expires 12 months after purchase
Verdict: The test to buy before spending money on water treatment, or after a DIY kit shows a problem.
Safe Home Ultimate 14-in-1 Drinking Water Test Kit
DIY: 14 parameters including total coliform bacteria and lead · 27 testing mechanisms, 302 total tests · includes 12-in-1 strips, a bacteria test and a lead test · optional mail-in sample kit for the lab Safe Home calls EPA-certified (lab fee extra) · city or well water
Safe Home’s Ultimate kit is three tests in one box: multiple 12-in-1 test strips, a bacteria test and a lead test. Safe Home says it covers 14 parameters, including total coliform bacteria and lead, with 27 testing mechanisms and 302 total tests. It is sold for any drinking water supply, city or well.
The box also contains a second kit to mail a sample to what Safe Home calls its EPA-certified lab, which carries an extra lab fee when you register it. That gives you a path to a lab result without buying a second kit if the DIY tests show a problem.
- Bacteria and lead tests in the same box
- Strips for repeat checks over time
- Optional lab mail-in kit included
- Sold for city or well water, per Safe Home
- Strips are a screen, not a lab number
- Lab analysis is a separate fee, per Safe Home
- Bacteria test takes up to 72 hours, per Safe Home
Verdict: The DIY kit to screen a well for bacteria, lead and the basics before deciding on a lab test.
Watersafe Drinking Water Test Kit (WS-425)
DIY screening for nine parameters: lead, bacteria, copper, iron, nitrate/nitrite, pH, hardness and chlorine · lead detected at 5 ppb and bacteria at 1 bacteria/mL, per Silver Lake Research · bacteria vial incubates 48 hours at 70 to 90°F (purple negative, yellow positive) · store at 50 to 86°F
Watersafe’s kit, made by Silver Lake Research, screens for nine parameters, from lead and bacteria to iron, copper, nitrates and chlorine. Silver Lake says its technology detects lead at 5 ppb and bacteria at 1 bacteria per milliliter. The lead test uses a strip in a vial for 8 minutes; the bacteria vial sits upright in a warm spot, 70 to 90°F, for 48 hours and turns yellow for a positive result.
The Amazon listing and Silver Lake’s page call the results lab-accurate, but the instructions state the limit: Watersafe is a screening test that gives approximate results and cannot be used to certify water as safe or unsafe. Plumber’s note: treat a positive as a reason to call a certified lab, not as the final answer.
- Lead screen down to 5 ppb, per the maker
- Bacteria, nitrate and metals in one kit
- Clear color results
- For tap or well water, per Silver Lake
- One-time tests, not repeatable strips
- Bacteria result takes 48 hours
- A screening test only, per Silver Lake
Verdict: The DIY pick if lead is your main worry, in an older house or on a well.
Safe Home DIY Bacteria in Water Test Kit
Presence/absence test for coliform bacteria · detects over 50 species including E. coli, down to 1 organism · fill to 25 mL after running the cold tap about 5 minutes · incubate at 70 to 105°F · positive as fast as 6 hours, up to 72 hours
After a flood, a well repair, or a new UV system, the question is usually just: is there coliform in the water? Safe Home’s single test is a quick screen for that. It is a presence-or-absence test for coliform bacteria, and Safe Home says it detects over 50 species, including E. coli, down to one organism.
The instructions say to run the cold tap for about five minutes, fill the vial to the 25 mL mark, and keep it between 70 and 105°F. A positive can show in as little as 6 hours; low bacteria counts or cooler temperatures can take up to 72 hours. Safe Home’s instructions say the kit is for screening purposes only and that results do not guarantee the safety of the water. The EPA says to test right away when a well has been repaired or the water changes, and to use a certified lab; this kit is a first check, not that lab test.
- Detects down to 1 organism, per Safe Home
- Results as fast as 6 hours
- Simple presence/absence answer
- Sterilized before sale to avoid false positives, per Safe Home
- Tests coliform only
- Can take up to 72 hours to confirm
- Not a certified lab result
Verdict: The quick check after a well repair, a flood or a new treatment system.
#ad Buying for a shop? Amazon Business (opens in a new tab) accounts are free to create, with business-only prices and bulk quantity discounts.
I send an occasional note when a new guide goes up — repairs worth doing yourself, and the parts that actually last. No spam, no course funnel; written by a licensed Georgia plumber.
Before You Buy
- Decide what the test is for. A purchase or health decision needs a certified lab; routine checks can use a DIY kit.
- Well or city. Tap Score sells separate well and city panels on its site; DIY kits here are sold for both.
- Bacteria needs warmth and time. The Safe Home vial needs 70 to 105°F and the Watersafe vial 70 to 90°F, for up to 72 and 48 hours.
- Follow the sampling steps. Safe Home says to run the cold tap about five minutes before filling the bacteria vial.
- Mind the shelf life. Tap Score kits expire 12 months after purchase, per the listing.
FAQ
What should I test my well water for?
The EPA says to test a private well every year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH, and for other contaminants if you suspect them. It also lists extras by situation, like pH, lead and copper where plumbing or service lines contain lead, and iron and manganese for stained fixtures.
Are home water test kits accurate?
They are screening tests. Watersafe’s instructions say its kit cannot be used to certify water as safe or unsafe and gives approximate results, and Safe Home’s bacteria kit instructions say it is for screening purposes only. For a number you can act on, the EPA says to use a certified drinking water laboratory.
How often should I test my water?
For a private well, at least once a year, per the EPA, and right away after a repair to the well system, flooding or nearby construction, or if the water’s odor, color or taste changes. The EPA page we cite covers private wells. Plumber’s note: on city water, test when you move in, before you buy treatment, or if your plumbing or service line may contain lead.
Can my health department test my well for free?
Sometimes. The EPA says your local health department may provide private well testing for free, and it can point you to a state-certified lab.
Do I need a water test before buying a filter or softener?
Yes. Plumber’s note: the test tells you which equipment you need and what size. Hardness sets softener size, iron and manganese decide whether you need an iron filter, and coliform decides whether you need disinfection.
Why Trust Plumbing Picks
Plumbing Picks is written by a licensed Georgia journeyman plumber. Every spec here comes from the maker documents linked below, or from the Amazon listings we link; nothing comes from hands-on testing. On October 7, 2026, every linked listing was in stock and sold by Amazon.com, or by the maker’s own Amazon store where we say so. If you buy through a link we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nobody pays to be included here. More on who writes this and how we pick.
Sources
- Tap Score: Advanced Well Water Test, Advanced City Water Test
- Safe Home: DIY Ultimate Drinking Water Test Kit
- Safe Home: Bacteria in Water Test Kit, bacteria kit instructions
- Silver Lake Research: Watersafe Drinking Water Test Kit, Watersafe drinking water test instructions
- US EPA: Protect Your Home’s Water (private well testing)
- Amazon listings for each linked kit (linked above)
Bottom Line
Buy the Tap Score Advanced test before you spend money on treatment, or to confirm a DIY result. Buy the Safe Home Ultimate kit to screen a well for bacteria, lead and the basics, the Watersafe kit if lead is your main concern, and the Safe Home bacteria test for a quick coliform check after a repair. Test a well every year, and test right away when anything about the water or the well changes.