Jeppesen’s Deluxe tester (1) is the best of the tube-type designs. GATS jar (2) easily detects water in the gas and pulls a larger sample when necessary. Sporty’s economy model (3) has a too-flexible plastic probe. Cup type (4) from ASA, Spruce and Sporty’s is the best compromise between size, durability and ease of use. ASA’s tube-type (5) is shorter and has an improved probe.

There are lots of excuses for not sumping the tanks before every flight, none of them good. A snowy or wet ramp makes it a miserable job for the pilot of a low-wing airplane, but the usual reason for not sampling fuel is the X$#@^% tester is missing again. So buy several. Or buy one good one and keep track of it.

Admittedly, fuel samplers are about as exciting as socks for Christmas but if you don’t have one and you don’t use it religiously, we would bet even money that you’ll be treated to a dirt sandwich off the end of the runway some day. And that’s if everything goes…