The hot water extractable boron (HWB) soil‐test procedure does not lend itself to rapid routine analysis. This study was conducted to evaluate boron (B) chelates in extracting soil B in comparison to the HWB soil‐test procedure. The following B chelates were examined as soil B extractants: mannitol, salicylic acid, 2‐hydroxyisobutyric acid, and sorbitol. Soil B chelate extractants were prepared in a buffered solution that contained IN ammonium acetate and 0.1M triethanolamine. For each respective chelate, chelate concentrations were evaluated at 0.05, 0.2, and 0.5M at a soil:extract ratio of 1:4, extract pH of 7.3, and a shake time of 15 minutes for extracting soil B. For only the sorbitol B extractant (0.2M), various soihextract ratios (1:2, 1:4, 1:6, and 1:10), extract pH (5.0, 7.3, and 8.8), and shake times (15, 30, 60, and 120 min) were examined. All soil B determinations were by ICP. Maximum amounts of B were extracted at a chelate concentration of 0.2M for all four chelates evaluated. Maximum amounts of B were extracted at pH 5.0, 1:6 soiL:extract ratio and a shake time of 120 min. Based on laboratory efficiency and instrument detection limits, a chelate concentration of 0.2M, 1:4 soil extract ratio, pH 7.3, with a shake time of 15 minutes was selected for standard operating procedures. Soil extractants were ranked in terms of amount of soil B extracted as follows: HWB>mannitol=sorbitol>salicylic acid>2‐hydroxyisobutyric acid. Quadratic regression equations explained 84 to 88% of the HWB variability when mannitol, salicylic acid, or sorbitol were used as the independent variable. Stepwise regression equations were developed that explained 90 to 92% of the HWB variability when soil pH in addition to chelate extractable B was entered into the equation. Based on chelate expense and ability to extract soil B, sorbitol would be suggested as a replacement for the HWB soil test procedure in determining available soil B.