6 Best Home Weather Stations to Buy in 2022
Get real-time forecasts from right outside your door.
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Need to know if rain is going to, well, rain on your parade? There's an app for that — but that little weather prediction tool can only tell you so much about the environment around you. For the most detailed information right at your fingertips, there's another powerful tool you can add to your space: A home weather station.
Personal weather stations are handy gadgets for giving you an up-to-the-minute snapshot of what's happening right outside your door — not wherever your local weather station is. Most use strategically placed sensors posted outside your home to capture readings, and may display everything from the outdoor temperature and humidity level to wind speeds and rainfall amounts. Though powerful, these gadgets are rather small. All are compact enough to sit on a tabletop, though you may choose to mount yours on a wall for easier viewing.
How we test weather stations
The Good Housekeeping Institute regularly tests home weather stations with a range of functionality at both high and low price points. In tests, we evaluate everything from ease of setup — including placing sensors and programming local information like date and time — to accuracy. For weeks, we track both the time and the weather, comparing time against the U.S. atomic clock and meticulously recording the humidity and temperature in our lab using humidity and temperature meters, then comparing that to the temperature and humidity readings on the weather stations. We also look at durability (does the unit survive three-foot drops? Do they sensors hold up to driving rain?) and extra features, like comfort level indicators and additional sensors.
So how do you separate the best from the mediocre? And does price always equate to quality? Here, we've rounded up the standouts based on top Lab tested brands, highly reviewed models, and industry expertise. These picks are based on our comprehensive knowledge from testing, as well as supplemental road tests and reviewing newer versions of tried and tested favorites:
Netatmo Netatmo Indoor/Outdoor Weather Station
Pros
- Comes with two sensors
- Smart home compatability
Cons
- Cumbersome setup
This smart system communicates with a compatible app or personal assistants like Alexa or Siri. It comes with two cylindrical towers (read: sensors), so you can place one indoors and one out. Though setup can be cumbersome at first, the app is intuitive and easy to use, plus offers detailed updates on indoor and outdoor temp, humidity, and air pressure.
Meade Wireless Personal Weather Station
Pros
- Easy to read
- Monitors up to three locations
Cons
- Basic functionality
A no-frills weather station that uses simple, over-sized icons to display outdoor temperature, humidity, and rainfall in up to three locations. Basic, yes, but sufficient for quick daily weather checks.
Davis Instruments 6250 Vantage Vue Wireless Weather Station
Pros
- Real-time data
- Durable sensor
Cons
- Complicated display
Though the most expensive by far, this weather station has just about anything an amateur meteorologist could ask for in a personal device. It displays indoor and outdoor temperature, as well as humidity, barometric pressure, wind speed, wind direction, rainfall, and more. You'll always get the most accurate, up-to-date information, too—the device updates every 2.5 seconds.
AcuRite 02077 Color Weather Station Forecaster
Pros
- Highly personalized forecasts
- Variety of readings
Cons
- Small text
The colored LCD display on this weather station pulls data from a sensor in your yard (up to 330 feet away!) to provide personal 12 to 24-hour weather forecasts specific to your exact location. It includes plenty of information for the novice, including indoor/outdoor temperature and humidity, moon phases, barometric pressure with weather trend indicator, time, and date.
La Crosse Technology C85845-1 Color Wireless Forecast Station
Pros
- Easy to read
- Compact
Cons
- Limited weather readings
A compact, attractive device that has large numbers and forecast icons, so you can easily get your weather at a glance. Remote sensors add to the convenience, while moon phase displays and auto-updated time and date are nice extras. If there's any downside, it's that true enthusiasts may miss more detailed weather readings, like ice alerts and barometric pressure.
Amazon Echo Show 5
Pros
- All-in-one
- No additional sensors
Cons
- Weather not targeted to right outside
Echo Show is Amazon's digital display for Alexa, a voice-activated assistant. It addition to visual weather forecasts based on AccuWeather data, it provides information about your calendar and traffic, plus can play music, control the lights in your home, and even order takeout. The device is convenience at its best, as it doesn't require any additional sensors and is great for delivering updates while you're running around the house.
How to find the best weather station for you
If you're ready to become your family's dedicated meteorologist, there are a few things you need to know when shopping:
Accuracy: By far the most important feature, but the hardest to measure. Consult product spec sheets for information on the machine's margin of error, guides like ours that rely on rigorous real-time tests, and user reviews.
Power source: Most weather stations are wireless, relying on battery or solar power to keep them running. Before selecting a model, consider how much sun your home gets. If you're covered by a tree canopy or regularly experience dreary, rainy days, a battery-powered model will be more reliable.
Connectivity: Some home weather stations can connect to the internet, which has a two-fold bonus. In many cases, this not only allows you to access weather data when away from home, but it also allows you to share data with crowd-sourced weather services and meteorologists.
Smart home capability: If you already own a personal assistant device, like Amazon Alexa or Google Home, look for a home weather station that's compatible with these devices for seamless integration.
Display: Some screens are more intuitive and easier to read. In our tests, we rate forecast icons for visibility.
Features: Some models even have extra bells and whistles, like a preprogrammed alarm that sounds when the temperature dips below a certain level and forecasts based on barometric pressure readings or data from the National Weather Service. In some cases, you can even monitor conditions inside your home by placing sensors in various rooms — a great tool for measuring humidity and temperature in places like a wet basement or a drafty attic.
Brigitt is a writer, editor and craft stylist with nearly 15 years of experience. She specializes in lifestyle topics, including home, health, parenting, beauty, style, food, entertaining, travel and weddings. She has written for Glamour, People, Good Housekeeping, Women's Health, Real Simple, Martha Stewart, Apartment Therapy, The Spruce, and more.
Rachel Rothman was the chief technologist and executive technical director of the Good Housekeeping Institute for over 15 years, overseeing testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. She also managed GH's research division and the analysis of applicants for the GH Seal and all other testing emblems.
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