Drop test kits are more accurate than strips.

You want a titration kit with reagents you add drop by drop, not strips you dip and compare to a color chart. Strips are fine for a quick “close enough” check, but they’re notoriously unreliable—especially if they’ve been stored in a hot garage or exposed to moisture. Alkalinity matters for pH stability, so worth getting right.

A good drop kit (like the Taylor K-2006 or equivalent) uses a DPD or FAS-DPD method for total alkalinity. You fill a tube, add a few drops of reagent, and count drops until the sample changes color. That count equals your alkalinity. It’s not hard, takes maybe two minutes, and the result is repeatable and accurate.

Common mistakes: using a dirty sample tube, not rinsing with pool water first, or not following the exact drop count protocol. Also, don’t test right after adding chemicals or heavy rain—let the water circulate for at least a few hours.

The strips aren’t useless, but if you’re asking about accuracy, the answer is drop kit. Spend the $30 and be done.

Your pool will thank you.