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%Begin The 8 Best Home Weather Stations of 2022 by Lifewire Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Best Products > Smart Home 298 298 people found this article helpful
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lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on February 8, 2022 We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best
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Tweet Share Email Smart Home Audio Camera & Video Car Audio & Accessories Computer & Laptops Computer Components Gaming Gifts Networking Phones & Accessories Smart Home Software Tablets Toys & Games TVs Wearables We're bombarded with the weather on almost every screen we look at, from smartwatches and phones to computers (and even some smart fridges and bathroom scales). But if you want a truly personal look at the weather and a heads up when things are about to go south, a home weather station could be the answer.
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It'll give you a live feed of data from your backyard, which, if you are a farmer or live in a storm-prone area, can give you valuable time when bad weather is on the way. Even if you live where the weather is pretty steady, the amount of data you can collect with a home weather station is truly fascinating to look at, especially using the smart apps many of them can use. The Rundown Best Overall:
Ambient Weather WiFi Smart Weather Station at Amazon Jump to Review Best Budget:
La Crosse Technology Weather Station at Amazon Jump to Review Best 5-in-1:
AcuRite 01528 at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Farmers:
Davis Instruments Wireless Weather Station at Amazon Jump to Review Best 3-in-1:
AcuRite 00589 Pro Color at Amazon Jump to Review Best Splurge:
Davis Instruments 6153 Vantage Pro2 at Amazon Jump to Review Best Precision:
Logia 5-in-1 Wi-Fi Weather Station at Amazon Jump to Review Best Design:
Netatmo Weather Station at Amazon Jump to Review in this article Expand Our Picks What to Look For Why Trust Lifewire
Best Overall: Ambient Weather WS-2902 WiFi Smart Weather Station
3.7 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On EBay What We Like Multiple features Solid value Wi-Fi connectivity What We Don't Like Complicated setup Build quality Ambient Weather WS-2902A Osprey Review: Lots of Features for Less With its 10 sensors packed into a small, reasonably-priced package, the Ambient Weather WS-2902 is our best overall pick.
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It did everything well enough, making this model easy to pick as the one to get. It's not perfect, but we think its large sensor array will meet the needs of any weather enthusiast. You can get data on wind speed, wind direction, rainfall, outdoor temperature, outdoor humidity, solar radiation, and UV.
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Inside, you get indoor temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure. Crucially, that sensor data is not only available for display on the slightly rubbish LCD. Thanks to the Wi-Fi connectivity, it's available on nearly any device you own and is even compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant.
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We love the connectivity and accessibility here. The weather app collects weather data for analysis, and you can store the data for further analysis if that's your thing.
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Otherwise, the LCD will give you a solid picture of the weather around your home. Display: LCD Humidity: Yes Wind: Yes Rainfall: Yes Barometric Pressure: Yes Tested by Lifewire On paper, the Ambient Weather WS-2902A Osprey weather system seems like the perfect budget alternative to much pricier weather stations. Unfortunately, its interesting aesthetics do not translate to build quality, especially in terms of materials.
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The plastic feels very cheap and not very durable. We were concerned by the lack of apparent seals on the battery door and around other removable components—this creates the distinct possibility of moisture penetrating the interior of the sensor array.
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Fortunately, we did not encounter issues with this during our testing. Another concern is the placement of the solar panel.
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It is located in the center of the station and lies flat on top, which is not ideal for maximum efficiency of energy-gathering. The most glaring flaw in the base station is the loud beep it emits when you press any of the buttons.
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It is ridiculously loud and makes operating the station an annoying experience. The base station's display is somewhat disappointing. In our testing, we found the WS-2902A to be quite accurate, though perhaps not quite as reliable as more expensive systems.
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In addition to Wi-Fi, you can connect the WS-2902A to a smart hub. This range of compatible services is where the most potential practical use can be had from a weather station.
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— Andy Zahn, Product Tester Lifewire / Andy Zahn
Best Budget: La Crosse Technology C85845-INT Weather Station
Amazon View On Amazon View On EBay What We Like Easy setup Good value What We Don't Like Only takes basic measurements If simplicity is what you are after, the La Crosse Technology C85845V3 is aimed at you. You'll get indoor and outdoor temperatures, humidity, and animated forecast icons on the LCD screen, which is color-coded and large enough to easily read from across the room. The weather station doesn't have all the bells and whistles that others do, but it has automatic time correction, daylight saving time, alarms, and temperature zone alerts.
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In a nutshell, it's a basic device but has just enough data so you can easily plan your day around the weather. Display: LCD Humidity: Yes Wind: No Rainfall: No Barometric Pressure: No
Best 5-in-1: AcuRite 01528 Wireless Weather Station
View On Amazon View On Walmart What We Like 5-in-1 12- to 24-hour forecasting Setup is easy What We Don't Like Durability is questionable This 5-in-1 station will give you access to the outside temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, and rain. If you have a long day coming up, the station can provide a 24-hour forecast.
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Its LCD is easy to read from across the room, too. Display: LCD Humidity: Yes Wind: Yes Rainfall: Yes Barometric Pressure: No
Best for Farmers: Davis Instruments Vantage Vue 6250 Wireless Weather Station
4.2 Amazon View On Amazon View On EBay What We Like Great accuracy Awesome range Durable What We Don't Like No Wi-Fi Expensive Old-school design Davis Instruments Vantage Vue 6250 Review: Gold Standard Weather Sensors The Vantage View 6250 has near real-data transfer from the station to the LCD, so it will literally be live readings as you look at the display.
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The Vantage View could also be called the Vintage View based on its dated design and the fact the station does not hook up to the internet out of the box. Still, it's a solid unit with the looks of when products used to be more reliable (and less flashy).
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This weather station is also quite expensive compared to some of the competition. You're paying for quality, but less serious hobbyists may do better with less expensive hardware.
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Display: LCD Humidity: Yes Wind: Yes Rainfall: Yes Barometric Pressure: Yes Tested by Lifewire This weather station consists of a display console and integrated sensor suite (ISS), and they're both built with durability in mind more than aesthetics. The sensor suite does a good job of combining a large number of sensors into a relatively compact package. Built out of white and black plastic, it felt nice and solid during assembly and held up well under heavy wind and rain during our testing.
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The main issue with the sensor suite is that you typically don't want to measure temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, and rainfall all in the same location. The console looks old and feels clunky. It works well, but it really does seem like a relic from the past.
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While it displays all the information you need right out of the box, you can use the function buttons to dig down into additional information and charts. Davis boasts of extremely accurate sensor hardware, something we confirmed during our testing.
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— Jeremey Laukkonen, Product Tester Lifewire / Jeremy Laukkonen
Best 3-in-1: AcuRite 00589 Pro Color Weather Station
3.2 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Kohls.com What We Like Good value Setup is easy What We Don't Like Poor viewing angles Missing some key metrics AcuRite 00589 Review: An Affordable Way to Track Your Local Weather If you are weather-curious but budget-conscious, the AcuRite 00589 is one to consider. While its data is not as spot-on as the more expensive units on this list and it lacks a rain sensor, the model is far less expensive than many others.
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Unlike many more expensive weather stations, this unit uses standard AA batteries and doesn't have a solar panel to help keep them charged up. The display is slightly odd—it's claimed to be color but is actually a basic two-tone screen with a multicolored static background. The viewing angles are also poor, so you need to be looking at it straight on.
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Display: LCD Humidity: Yes Wind: Yes Rainfall: No Barometric Pressure: Yes Tested by Lifewire The Pro Color 00589 has a single sensor head that incorporates all of its outdoor sensors. This isn't ideal, as you typically don't want to take measurements like temperature and wind speed in the same location or elevation. Setting up the AcuRite Pro Color 00589 is just about as easy as it could possibly be.
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The display is a basic two-tone LCD with a multicolored static background. It's crisp and easy to read, even at a distance, with large numbers and icons providing all of the most vital information at a glance. The one issue is that the viewing angles are awful.
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This weather station includes an anemometer for wind, a temperature sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, and a humidity sensor. These sensors are all rated as being fairly accurate, and that was my experience.
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This unit doesn't have any way to measure wind direction or rainfall, so keep that in mind if those are measurements that you want to be able to keep track of. It also doesn't have any kind of connectivity beyond the wireless connection between the sensor unit and the display unit. — Jeremy Laukkonen, Product Tester Lifewire / Jeremy Laukkonen The 6 Best AA and AAA Rechargeable Batteries of 2022
Best Splurge: Davis Instruments 6153 Vantage Pro2
Amazon View On Amazon View On EBay What We Like Transmits up to 1,000 feet Expandable Good build quality What We Don't Like Optional subscription Archaic design Expensive If you know for sure you want an amazing weather station, then stop right here.
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Just click the link to buy the Davis Instruments 6153 Vantage Pro 2. Sure it's the most expensive, but you will get a weather station that can survive conditions you likely can't (200 mph winds, for example) and, based on its build quality, last longer than you, too. We don't love the fact that Davis Instruments charges for data to be sent to the internet, but if it's enough to say this is the best, then we'll say it again: This is the best weather station you can buy.
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Display: LED Humidity: Yes Wind: Yes Rainfall: Yes Barometric Pressure: Yes
Best Precision: Logia LOWSC510WB 5-in-1 Weather Station
Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Home Depot What We Like Setup is easy Bright display Accurate measurements What We Don't Like Setup instructions unclear This Logia 5-in-1 (wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, rainfall) weather station is a bit frustrating. So much of this unit is really good: very accurate data, and data is pushed to the cloud and then accessible via free iOS or Android apps.
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But the data is synced slower than some others on this list, and apparently getting Wi-Fi set up is more trouble than it should be. If you don't mind some potential troubleshooting, you'll be rewarded with accurate data on its display and whichever mobile device you want.
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Display: LCD Humidity: Yes Wind: Yes Rainfall: Yes Barometric Pressure: Yes The 9 Best Internet Service Providers of 2022
Best Design: Netatmo Weather Station
3.8 Amazon View On Amazon View On EBay What We Like Gorgeous design Superior accuracy Good software Expandability What We Don't Like Limited included instrumentation Pricey Slow app refreshes No display (requires an app) Netatmo Weather Station Review: A Well-Designed Weather Station For App-Lovers The Netatmo Weather Station reminds us of one of those products that does NOT look like any other in its category. So much so you can identify it from far away (like the Volkswagen Beetle, for example).
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So what's the summary on the Netatmo? You'll get accurate data and even data you don't get from other weather stations, but you have to use a separate device to view the data, as there's no included screen. And, to get what many would consider basic functions of rain and wind reports, you have to pay extra.
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Oh, and the data sometimes takes 10 minutes to sync. The Netatmo Personal Weather Station is a decent model with accurate readings, but, as is, it lacks the features and instruments to make a case for its rather exorbitant price tag—even though it does look great. Display: LCD Humidity: Yes Wind: No Rainfall: No Barometric Pressure: Yes Tested by Lifewire The system comprises two sleek cylinders with matte grey finishes, and, at first glance, the units resemble relatives of the first-generation Echo Plus.
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As is the case with other home weather stations, the Netatmo Personal Weather Station requires a minimal but somewhat tedious setup process. It's helpful to go ahead and download the Netatmo app before you physically set up the weather stations. The Netatmo app is definitely the standout feature with this personal weather station, allowing individuals to sift through basic indoor and outdoor data on the go.
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The thermometer, hygrometer, and barometer proved to be consistently accurate. On the flip side, it can be a bit problematic when attempting to understand real-time data at times. For example, rather than monitoring live outdoor readings, the app refreshes every few minutes to provide updated information.
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— Dallon Adams, Product Tester Lifewire / Dallon Adams Final Verdict If you want a basic, straightforward weather station, our experts say most people should buy the Ambient Weather WS-2902 (view at Amazon). Our testers found it has the right amount of sensors to satisfy all your weather station needs. We're really sure you'll be happy with it.
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If you want the best of the best, get the Davis Instruments 6153 Vantage Pro (view at Amazon). You'll be paying top dollar, but it's excellent.
What to Look for in a Home Weather Station
Durability
Because your weather monitor is intended to measure all sorts of conditions, you'll need an outdoor sensor that can stand up to even the snowiest storms.
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Look for one that has rugged features, like casing for protection from cyclic erosion or moisture. Also, check on the warranty, as some companies will reimburse you if the product doesn't live up to its promises.
Transmission Distance
The setup of your weather station can be crucial to its accuracy.
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Most importantly, it needs to sit within a certain distance of the display. Standard sensors usually work within 330 feet, but more premium models have a transmission distance of up to 1,000 feet away. It's important to keep transmission distance in mind when shopping for a weather station.
Another important consideration is that transmission distance is generally advertised in clear, line-of-sight conditions.
Another important consideration is that transmission distance is generally advertised in clear, line-of-sight conditions.
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If you get a weather station that can transmit 300 feet, you should plan to mount the outside sensors within a circle or roughly 200 feet. Also, bear in mind, some sensors should not be mounted in areas that receive direct sunlight, while still others require mounting in direct sunlight.
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Connectivity
Your outdoor sensor will connect to an indoor monitor that displays measurements in a standard setup. Some more advanced setups will also connect to your computer or mobile device, so you can view stats remotely.
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Still not impressed? Certain models are even integrated with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple Homekit so that you can ask your assistant for your local weather. Lifewire / Jeremy Laukkonen FAQ How difficult is installing a home weather station?
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This depends. Some weather stations barely need any installation at all.
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However, more complicated stations like the Davis Instruments 6153 have a variety of instrumentation and masts that require a more substantial amount of setup. Furthermore, mast-based sensors may require that you have permission from a specific property before installation.
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Does your home weather station need access to Wi-Fi? If you want to remotely access readouts from your weather station, you should ensure that it has a relatively clear and stable connection to your home network.
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This network connection isn't always necessary. Some home weather sensors have built-in LCD panels that can provide up-to-date information without the need for internet connectivity. Why should you have a weather station?
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If you live in an area that's prone to hazardous weather conditions, such as hurricanes or tornadoes, home weather stations can provide you with an advance warning far faster than a local weather forecast can, especially if you live in a more rural area.
Beyond providing a heads up against dangerous weather patterns, home weather stations can give you localized data on humidity and rainfall if you're an avid gardener. For others, monitoring the weather is a fun hobby.
Beyond providing a heads up against dangerous weather patterns, home weather stations can give you localized data on humidity and rainfall if you're an avid gardener. For others, monitoring the weather is a fun hobby.
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Measuring rainfall and wind direction can be a fascinating look into your local meteorology. You can even contribute that data to a number of crowd-sourced weather services like Weather Underground.
Why Trust Lifewire
Meredith Popolo is a Stockholm-based writer specializing in consumer technology designed to streamline users' lives, including home weather stations.
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Andy Zahn is a writer specializing in tech. He's reviewed cameras, weather stations, noise-canceling headphones, and more for Lifewire. Jeremy Laukkonen is a tech writer and the creator of a popular blog and video game startup.
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He is a consumer technology expert and reviewed some of the home weather stations on this list. Dallon Adams is a Portland, Oregon-based tech writer who specializes in consumer technology. He reviewed the Netatmo Weather Station on our list.
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Adam Doud has been writing in the technology space for almost a decade. When he's not hosting the Benefit of the Doud podcast, he's playing with the latest phones, tablets, and laptops. When not working, he's a cyclist, geocacher, and spends as much time outside as he can.
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How to Set Up a Personal Weather Station La Crosse Technology S88907 Review: An affordable weather station with an attractive display The 5 Best Hurricane Tracker Apps of 2022 AcuRite Pro Weather Station 01036M Review: Simple Setup, Robust Design AcuRite 00589 Review: An Affordable Way to Track Your Local Weather 6 Best Weather Apps For Your Phone in 2022 Davis Instruments Vantage Vue 6250 Review: Gold Standard Weather Sensors The 7 Best Emergency Alert Apps of 2022 Netatmo Weather Station Review: A Well-Designed Weather Station For App-Lovers The 11 Best Internet Radio Stations of 2022 Ambient Weather WS-1002-WIFI Observer Review: High quality, high price Ambient Weather WS-2902A Osprey Review: Lots of Features for Less The 8 Best Laptop Bags of 2022, Tested by Lifewire The 8 Best Storm Tracker Apps of 2022 The 5 Best Flood Apps of 2022 Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies
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