Determining moisture content is critical for success in woodworking. Woodcraft’s, pinned or non-invasive meters provide moisture content in many materials. With the MMD4E moisture meter, use the pin sensors to find the moisture content in your wood or drywall. This will help you know if you need to dry the existing materials or replace with brand new ones. Quickly determine what level of remediation is needed to keep your family safe with the MMD4E moisture meter by General Tools!

Moisture meters are among a woodworker’s best friends. This handy device measures the moisture content in wood, so you’re able to determine if it’s stable enough for you to use it. This way you’ll know if your lumber is too wet or dry to use for specific home improvement, building, or other woodworking projects! Or, you can use one to detect possible sources of moisture damage in your home, such as from leaks or floods.

Wood Moisture Meter. Determining the moisture content in wood flooring is crucial to doing a quality job. If the wood has too much moisture, the floor that fit so well when first installed may eventually show cracks, cupping or buckling, and that could mean costly callbacks for the installer.

Moisture meters come in two types: pin and pinless. A pin moisture meter measures the moisture content of wood by using two metal pins inserted into the wood. A pinless moisture meter uses a sensor pad placed flat against a board to measure, so there’s no insertion involved. We’ll discuss the pros and cons of each later on in this article.

Here are some of our favorite best moisture meters for wood to share with you!

Best Moisture Meters for Wood Reviews

Best Moisture Meters for Wood	Rate	Price
General Tools MMD7NP Moisture Meter, Pinless [Editor’s Pick]	4.9/5	$
General Tools MMD4E Moisture Meter, Pin Type, Digital LCD	4.8/5	$
Proster Digital Wood Moisture Meter Handheld LCD	4.6/5	$
Dr.meter MD918 Pinless Wood Moisture Meter	4.9/5	$$
Sam-Pro Tools Dual Moisture Meter	4.2/5	$
Dr.meter MD812 Wood Moisture Reader	3.8/5	$
General Tools MMH800 4-In-1 Combo Moisture Meter	4.6/5	$$

General Tools MMD7NP Moisture Meter, Pinless, LCD with Tricolor Bar Graph [Editor’s Pick]

The General Tools MMD7NP is a simple to use, simple to read pinless moisture meter. Simply scan the meter over drywall or wood to detect moisture that might catalyze mold growth or otherwise damage the material. Also, use this meter to accurately detect places where flooding or leaks may have occurred in your home or shop.

Features:

The MMD7NP contains an easy-to-read 2-inch, a diagonally-lit LCD display that shows you the percentage of moisture in a given area. A tricolor bar graph also indicates the level of wetness or dryness in your wood or drywall. The pinless feature of this meter scans large areas quickly to effectively find moisture. Additionally, it does not leave any pin holes in your material that pin meters do.

Measurements:

This small meter measures 1.1 x 3 x 6.5 inches and weighs 4 oz.

The moisture detection tool has a 3/4 in. maximum sensing depth and is +4/-4% accurate on wood.

Additional Features:

This tool auto-calibrates and runs on a 9V battery. The moisture meter features a HOLD button to keep the meter at the level of moisture, an auto power-off function, an out-of-range alarm, and low battery indication. The MMD7NP also comes with a one-year warranty.

Overall:

The MMD7NP moisture meter is a great tool for anyone, whether you’re a DIY enthusiast, a woodworker, a building inspector, or a contractor! The pinless feature doesn’t harm your walls or any finished wood surface, leaving it as clean as when you last left it. Additionally, the LCD screen is easy-to-read, and the tricolor meter gives you a quick visual to see where the moisture level is at.

Sometimes the LCD display can be hard to read at an angle or in bright light. This can make it difficult to get an accurate reading. Lastly, the auto power off function might function a little too quickly for you.

Overall, however, this is a good, budget-friendly meter perfect for use with almost any project!

General Tools MMD4E Moisture Meter, Pin Type, Digital LCD

The General Tools MMD4E pin-type moisture meter comes in an ergonomic design to fit in one hand. The easy-to-read LCD indicates how much moisture is apparent in wood through two metal pins at the top of the tool. This essential tool helps you to not only find water damage in your home but also helps determine which lumber you should buy for your woodworking projects.

Features:

The MMD4E moisture meter comes with two stainless steel pins. Simply insert these into your wood or drywall, and the tool will find the moisture level. The LCD screen indicates the moisture content as a percentage. There is both a low and high-level indicator so you can see the moisture content at a glance.

Measurements:

The MMD4E measures 5.5 x 9.1 x 1.4 inches, and it weighs 6.4 oz.

Additional Features:

This meter also has an Auto Power Off feature to save power!

Overall:

The MMD4E is another excellent choice for a moisture meter. Its ergonomic design allows you to use it in one hand, giving you the ease to brace the wood or yourself. The moisture meter has a wide and precise measuring range. The clear display presents an accurate and precise reading, so you’re sure to have the correct measurement every time. It works for all sorts of materials including wood, drywall, and subflooring.

With a pin-type meter, however, you might need to wriggle or adjust the pins in order to find a consistent reading. It won’t necessarily always find a reading the first time. This meter may also require testing several areas to verify the accuracy of your readings.

Proster Digital Wood Moisture Meter Handheld LCD

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly moisture meter packed with features, you’ll want to look at the Proster Digital Wood moisture meter. Specifically designed for wood and wood-based products, this pin-type moisture meter is sure to provide you with accurate readings.

Features:

The damp moisture reader gathers information on moisture content in wood, paper, drywall, cardboard, and other wood-based products. Its LCD display clearly shows the moisture content, and it also shows if you’re holding a reading on pause.

The Proster meter’s memory contains information on four wood groups with calibrations for over 50 tree species.

Measurements:

The Proster meter measures 5.9 x 3.2 x 1.6 inches and weighs 8.2 ounces. It runs on a 9V battery.

This meter has a range of 0 – 99.9% moisture content and is accurate by + 0.5 / – 0.5% of the shown reading.

Additional Features:

Some other features include an auto Power Off setting (that is triggered after 15 minutes), impact-proof housing, and a built-in battery check and low battery display setting.

Packaging:

The packaging includes the meter, a protective cap, and a carrying case.

Overall:

This digital moisture meter is an excellent addition to your toolkit. It’s an inexpensive, durable meter that measures moisture in wood, drywall, and other materials and also has calibration settings for over 50 species of wood. Its LCD screen shows you a measurement that’s accurate to within + 0.5 /- 0.5% of the shown percentage. Lastly, a Power Off setting consumes less battery life over time.

As with other pin meters, you might need to probe your materials a few times to get a consistent reading. You also might encounter

Wood Moisture Meter General Tools