Get a liquid test kit.

The five-way drop test is more accurate than strips for the money. Strips are fine for a quick check if you just shocked the pool and want to know if chlorine is still high, but they fade, expire, and get thrown off by humidity. A liquid kit from Taylor or LaMotte costs about the same as a year’s worth of strips and never lies to you.

Testing effectively means testing at the same time of day (afternoon sun burns off chlorine), dipping below the surface (not skimming the top), and reading immediately. Most people overthink it. If your water is clear and you test twice a week, you’re already ahead of 90% of pool owners.

A liquid kit is not complicated. It is the right tool.