Having a weather station at hand will allow you to anticipate the unpleasant surprises offered by capricious weather conditions. Since you will be using this weather station on a daily basis, it has to be easy to install, easy to control, and easy to update. As the current market is flooded with weather stations of all kinds, consumers find it extremely difficult to make an objective choice. If you too cannot find the model that best suits your needs, then you should identify the features that you need in your home weather station. In case, you are experiencing difficulties finding the best home weather station consumer reports, then you should definitely go through the list of top 6 home weather stations in the following section.
Reviews Of 6 Best Home Weather Stations
1. Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue Wireless Weather Station
With this product, you can get accurate and reliable details of weather conditions. This is a user-friendly unit, which you can use to check the weather conditions of the inside and outside of your house. If you want, you can use the product for educational purposes. The home weather station features an outdoor integrated sensor suite (ISS), which along with its console gives accurate and reliable readings. Setting up the ISS is easy and once it is set up, you can use it to send the data anywhere up to 1000 ft.
The ISS updates data every 2.5 seconds, which shows how accurate the data is going to be. The home weather station is capable of measuring indoor/outdoor temperature, wind speed & direction, humidity, rainfall, barometric pressure, and dew point. The console features a backlit LCD screen where you can view all the details. The unit is aesthetically appealing and packed with features, so you are going to love using it. The operation of this weather station is premised upon solar energy, so you are going to see energy being stored by it. The problem with this home weather station is that it doesn’t show accurate readings during rains.
2. AcuRite 01151M HD Weather Station Access for Remote Monitoring
AcuRite 01151M HD is one of the most versatile weather stations, which operates with Rachio smart sprinkler controller. When it comes to accuracy, there is no one that is better than this particular model. The unit measures outdoor temperature accurately, thanks to a dedicated outdoor weather sensor. Other advanced features of the unit include the AcuRite access point and a full-color High-definition screen. The unit measures a wide number of things with great accuracy such as temperature, wind speed and direction, rainfall, humidity and barometric pressure.
You will even receive alerts and notifications about severe weather approaching your city. The product can be controlled through Alexa voice-assistant, and you can connect up to seven devices with this home weather station, thanks to AcuRite access point. It runs on 5-minute intervals, which allows it to analyze the weather patterns a lot easier. The inclusion of backup batteries keeps the unit running for an extra 12 hours, in case there is a power outage in your region and you don’t have the whole house generator at home.
3. Davis Instruments 6152 Vantage Pro2 Wireless Weather Station
If you were looking for a professional-grade weather station, then Davis Instruments 6152 can make your search to an end. It is worth every penny you spent on it. This is one of the few weather stations, which comes with a cabled option, so if you are into wireless weather stations, then you will definitely like this model. The unit is well constructed and has unparalleled accuracy. It comes with internet connectivity, so you can transfer data from the station to your devices.
You can stream the data to Weatherlink Cloud by purchasing WeatherLink Live Hub, but make sure to connect the device to the internet. You can also add up to 8 sensor transmitters to this station. This product is meant to provide you with the most accurate readings. You will also find a separate anemometer in this station, whereas in many weather stations, it is combined with temperature, rain and humidity sensors. A separate anemometer allows you to mount it on a tower or roof for accurate wind readings.
4. La Crosse Technology C85845 Color Wireless Forecast Station
The next product on my list is La Crosse Technology C85845-1, which provides you with a number of details in a unique way. Featuring an adjustable backlight, this home weather station allows you to customize the alerts for temperature as well as humidity. The date and time are set up automatically. Also, daylight saving happens on its own. You will also like the dynamic forecast icons with the combination of tendency arrows. This home weather station also has the ability to indicate signal perception strength. You can also check the dew point and heat index, which is a great add-on feature.
5. Ambient Weather WS-2902A Smart Wi-Fi Weather Station With Remote Monitoring And Alerts
This highly advanced unit has the ability to monitor the weather of your home and backyard in the most accurate manner. The temperature along with other details can be easily watched on the big, bright LCD display. The weather station is proficient in measuring the wind speed, its direction, indoor and outdoor temperature, UV rays, humidity, barometric pressure, wind chill, dew point, and heat index.
Another excellent thing about this home weather station is its ability to connect to weather underground website along with Osprey streams, where you can see real-time data. The home weather station comes with Wi-Fi connectivity, so connecting your mobile phone and laptop won’t be a problem. You will even receive a text and email alerts about the weather details. It also displays timeline history, which you can access at your will.
You can even connect this unit to IFTTT and other devices such as rain gauges and blinds. If you want to hook it up with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, then that is also possible, as connecting to these voice assistants gives you the opportunity to know about the weather conditions using voice commands. The only room for improvement in this unit is the position of the LCD screen, which is not positioned in the right way.
6. Ambient Weather WS-2000 Smart Weather Station
Check out this weather station, which is again coming from the house of Ambient Weather. This product gives you accurate real-time data. The data is also transferred to the company’s official website to allow users to see the trends. You will also get text and email alerts about the weather conditions. The weather station supports eight extra thermos-hygrometer sensors. Moreover, you can watch minimum and maximum weather conditions with date & time stamp on its HD TFT display as well. There aren’t many home weather stations that are as good as Ambient Weather WS-2000.
How To Choose The Best Home Weather Station?
Depending on the following characteristics, you will have to define what your needs or wants are and keep them in mind by favoring one model over another.
The Objective
A weather station is intended to provide you with a weather report at a given time and at a given location, however, it can be used with different objectives. Some will need a device for the home that will never move and will give them the weather conditions of their present location, others will want forecasts for several days. Some people collect precise data as a hobby or scientific study. The question is first whether you need a mobile or static station.
Personal weather stations for the home - They are of course the most common type of weather stations. They are generally of a good size and have a base with integrated sensors and external probes.
Portable weather stations - This type of weather station is small and easy to use. They combine all the elements (console and sensors) in a single device and are perfect for outdoor use; fishing, hiking, hunting, and camping.
Data Type
The type of data recorded by the machine depends upon the number of sensors installed on it and the type of technology incorporated into it. Where low-cost models only display temperature and humidity, the high-end models offer a lot more such as wind speed and direction, UV rays, soil condition, heat intensity, dew point and more.
Connection Distances
The greater the maximum transmission distance between a probe and the base, the better. Weather stations with the wireless transmission have become the norm, but they also have certain flaws, mostly related to connection losses. Having the greatest possible transmission power/distance between the probes and the base is an important factor to take into account. Especially since these waves hardly pass thick walls. Choose a station with a transmission distance of at least 100 meters.
Operational Power
Most inexpensive weather stations operate on batteries, whether for the base or the probes. This has the advantage of making them independent of electricity sources and allows you to place the base wherever you want in the house, even far from an electrical outlet. However, you will have to recharge or change the batteries from time to time. Despite being so popular, batteries have the drawback of not lasting for too long, so look for a stable power supply.
Some home weather stations have probes, which operate on solar power as well, which often have a good power backup. However, it should be noted that the solar panels couldn’t fully support the electricity needs of the weather station or the probe, which must, in any case, be fitted with rechargeable cells or batteries. The solar cells will only relieve the batteries, or allow you to consume a little less electricity. Again, it's up to you to decide based on your needs and desires.
Price and warranty
The price ranges from a few hundred dollars to several thousand depending on the characteristics of the weather station. Once your budget is set, select the weather stations with the features that are really important to you. As far as warranties are concerned, most major brands of weather stations offer standard warranty periods. You should check with the company for more details regarding the warranty.
Information Display
Also, consider the size of the display. A station that has a large display to read important numbers is more pleasant and more easily searchable than a station that you have to have your nose on to see anything. Depending on the type of power supply, the display can be more or less effective. On some stations where the base is powered with a battery while other parts are operated on AC mains, the backlight is much less clear if you do not connect the base to the mains.
Conclusion
I hope this guide helps you reach closer to buying the best home weather station consumer reports. If all the products that I’ve reviewed excited you, then you must go through the section where ‘selection criteria’ was discussed. A tip for choosing the right home weather station is knowing what features you want to have in the product. Once you are clear about the criteria, you can easily make a purchase.