Water analysis kits (Bausch and Lomb SpectroKits TM, Ecologic test kits, and CHEMetrics test kits) were evaluated by comparison with standard analytical methods. Results of analyses with water analysis kits were highly correlated with concentrations of standard solutions. In replicate analyses of pond water, kits gave results that often differed from, and usually were less precise than, standard methods. When large series of water samples were analyzed, values from kits and standard methods were highly correlated (r > 0.85; P < 0.01), but regression intercepts seldom were 0 and slopes seldom were 1.0. Thus, water analysis kits are not suitable when high accuracy and precison are necessary, but kits are sufficiently reliable in many applications.