Taylor 9265 Magnetic Stirrer Speedstir Start-Up Pack w/ Stir Bar + Batteries

I recently switched to using a Taylor test kit that gives multiple measures of my pool chemicals, but it requires that you agitate the water as you add drops. The first time I did it, my wrist hurt for a day after from all of the rotations. This thing not only solves that issue but it reaches the end goal much faster and is so easy to use. The lighted base helps see the color change more easily too. Good quality and easy to store along with the test kit. A bit of a financial splurge, but well worth it. Testing is a breeze now. Highly recommend.

I tried to titrate the Taylor salt test using the swirling by hand method in the past. I never could get a consistent result. I attempted to purchase the Taylor stirrer last year but it was destroyed at the post office and it was the last one at the time. It became available again this year. I received it quickly, put the batteries in and commenced the test. Turned it on with the leds lit. 1 drop of chromate and it immediately turned yellow. The leds were helpful. It makes a very interesting swirl. Then,1 drop at a time of the nitrate. When I got to the final drop, it immediately completely turned salmon. No interpolation needed. What a difference. Highly recommend it. Draw back, the box needs to be stiffer to protect stirrer. However, the box was ugly but the product was unscathed. Batteries are tricky. The holder is stiff. I recommend placing the positive end of the batteries in first and pushing each second battery against the spring as you install each second battery. Worked perfectly. Very valuable tool.

This is making my Taylor drop tests much faster when I complete swimming pool tests. The "pill" or "bar" is a magnet encased in plastic and that is a little fiddly to get out of the test sample for cleaning and re-use, but it would be the same with any similar lab tester. It worked right out of the box and included 4 batteries.

I thought this would be a little on the flimsy side. It is not. It is pretty hefty. To insert the batteries, you must unscrew the back. When I first inserted the batteries, it did not work at all. I had to remove the back a second time and make sure the batteries were inserted securely. Then it worked. It is not too intuitive. There are two buttons. One button is for well lit situations, and the second button is for darker situations. There are six small LEDs in the base that light up when the second button is pushed. There are two options for turning the stirrer on: push the button for the stirrer only or push the button for the stirrer and the lit LEDs. I would think that one button would turn on the stirrer and the other would turn on the lit LEDs. Again, one button turns on the stirrer only. The other button turns on the stirrer plus the lit LEDs. The instructions say to turn the stirrer off with the same button you used to turn it on. That is, if you turn it on with the "stirrer on" button, turn it off with the "stirrer on" button. Likewise, if you turn it on with the "stirrer plus lite" button, turn it off with the "stirrer plus lite" button. However, I found that once the stirrer is on (with or without the light) using either button, then either button can turn it off. That is, if you turn it on with the "stirrer on" button, you can turn it off with the "stirrer plus lite" button and vice versa. I always had a hard time stirring the solutions by hand, this is a great and easy fix. It is much easier to add the solutions to the tube with the automatic stirrer until the color changes. The color changes immediately. No need to stop and shake by hand then continue adding drops.

I've been using my unit twice a week for six years. Batteries (four AA) last about 2 years. My only complaint (and thus the four stars) is the screw to open the battery door is awful. I don't seem to have any phillips screw driver that fits. Because of this I think the head might be slightly stripped which makes changing the batteries difficult. Last time I changed the batteries I didn't put back the screw. Instead I just have a rubber band holding the battery door in place.

I love this device! It makes testing my free chlorine and total alkalinity so much easier and more accurate. I did not like shaking after every drop and would often cheat and get less accurate readings.There are some other companies that make these stirrers but I'd get the Taylor for $10ish more. It fits nicely in the K2006C box and has the relevant waterline markings.My one complaint is the 4x AA batteries that arrived with the product did not work. But I have plenty of batteries here at home that work just fine. That small inconvenience isn't enough to take off a star since I love the product so much.

Doesn't work fresh out of the box. Ive used multiple sets of batteries too. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to use it before my return window closed so buyer beware...

I thought this magnetic stirrer was pricey but after using it all summer to mix pool chemicals, it's well worth it. It's a high quality product that allows me to quickly mix chemicals and do proper pool chemistry water testing with my Taylor kit. It has cut down the time it takes me to swirl vials and has been a great help during the summer months when I test sometimes multiple times a week. Highly recommend!Tip: If you need to reach the 25 mL mark, fill the water sample to the top and then tilt the vial until the top of the water touches the top left corner and the bottom right corner at the same time.