Best Wireless Weather Station
There are a large number of home weather data systems available on the market today for both the enthusiast and the newcomer, with a variety of approaches to data collection, analysis, and display. Prices of these systems naturally vary as well, from quite inexpensive to mid-range, as far as electronics go. The difficulty can be found in figuring out the best wireless weather station for your needs, budget, and circumstances. In the end, we feel that the Davis Vantage Vue 6250 is the Best Wireless Weather Station overall.
Last update on 2024-11-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
It is expensive, but it offers a great deal of functionality. Its display is outdated, but it feels like a scientific instrument, rather than a hobbyist’s toy. Please see here for a complete review of the Davis Vantage Vue 6250.
In this article, we will look at several Digital Weather Stations, consider the pros and cons of each, and how they compete in various categories and identify the best station for each category.
Best Wireless Weather Station for Types of Data Collected
The winner here for overall types of data collected is the Davis Vantage Vue 6250. It simply has the most measurements, sensors, and graphs with historical data. But with that said, one cannot ignore the unique features that the Netatmo Weather Station brings to the table.
Last update on 2024-11-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The ability to measure indoor CO2 and sound, as well as Amazon Alexa integration, are items that other weather stations simply do not do. Having it all relayed directly to your smartphone is most welcome in an industry otherwise relying on older technology. That said, the Netatmo needs to be tied in with additional sensors to get its full power.
Best Wireless Weather Station for Aesthetics
The Netatmo Weather Station is the clear winner in the aesthetics department, featuring two units that seamlessly blend in whether in the yard or house. There is no clunky separate handheld console that one must take care of, or clean. The problem with such consoles is that they also a liability to break, and sometimes the software is outdated or becomes difficult to read. By taking the ability to sync with your smartphone, there is less to worry about – whether that could be from malfunctioning, losing it, or accidentally damaging it.
Best Wireless Weather Station for Functionality
Overall functionality has to go to the Davis Vantage Vue 6250 as well. The Integrated Sensor Suite (ISS) is what gives this weather station the leg up over others in terms of functionality. Each weather station has a great console unit (besides the Netatmo, which syncs to your phone), but the ISS for Davis is unique.
The most important facet to any weather station is to have one that works: if it breaks or gives in from the elements, you no longer have one.
Last update on 2024-11-14 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The key to the Integrated Sensor Suite’s success is both the radiation shield and weatherproof cover, making sure it lasts quite a long time no matter what conditions it’s exposed to. The ability to view up to 50 unique graphs all on the console will let you truly become your own weather person.
Best Budget Wifi Weather Station
For those on a budget looking to dip their toes into Weather Monitoring, the La Crosse WS-9077U-IT Weather Channel Wireless Weather Station is a great choice.
While it is severely underpowered relative to some of the other weather stations on the market, it is great for those starting out, or for those who don’t need more than basic data.
Last update on 2024-11-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Best Wifi Digital Weather Station Details
Today we’ll be looking at four very popular weather stations and discussing the pros and cons of each, how they match up against each other and give each weather station a general score for each category. For further details on Indoor Outdoor Thermometers, see here.
Davis Instruments Vantage Vue 6250
- Collects current weather conditions, such as temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, dew point, rainfall quantity, and wind speed and direction
- Various other data such as moon phase and sunrise/sunset times are streamed to the display
- Includes weather station display and outdoor weather monitoring system
- With addition of WeatherLink software system, this data can be collected, analyzed, and worked with on a computer
- Powerful system for weather monitoring and data collection, but expensive
Check out this review of the Davis Vantage Vue 6250 to learn more!
La Crosse Technology WS-9077U-IT Wireless Forecast Station
- Very basic feature set
- Displays Weather Icon, Indoor/Outdoor Temp, Time, and Date
- Includes one Remote Sensor, capable of communicating over 300′
- Additional Remote Sensors available for multiple location data
- Self-Setting Atomic Clock
- Inexpensive Price
For a complete review of this weather station, please see our La Crosse Technology WS-9077U-IT Wireless Forecast Station review here.
Netatmo Weather Station
- Uses sensors to detect weather patterns, and data is sent directly to smartphone/computer application
- No display included
- Measures temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, indoor CO2 levels, and sound levels
- Can be expanded with an optional rain gauge and optional wind gauge
- Sleek design and modern look
For a complete review of the Netatmo Wireless Weather Station system, please see here.
AcuRite 01517 Pro Color Weather Station
- Includes an indoor color display, as well as an outdoor weather monitoring and data collection system
- Measures temperature data, wind speed, rain quantity, wind direction, and humidity
- Weather Ticker system streams real-time data from local sources to the screen
- Easy Setup and Mounting
- Medium price point, with several different display options available
For a complete review of the AcuRite 01517 Pro Color Weather Station, please see our product review here.
By the end of this article, you should have a general idea of which weather station is right for you or as a gift. Each of the stations has their positives and negatives, and we will attempt to touch on all of them in this article.
Each of these stations are all quite suitable weather stations depending on your preferences, information needs, and price range. Some provide much more information, while others keep it simple and down to the basics.
More experienced weather station aficionados may take interest in the more complex stations, and place value on things like historical data graphs and extra measurements.
Meanwhile, if you are just starting out and want a taste of what having a personal weather station is like, a simpler station might be for you. Let’s start to pinpoint some of the key differences between these popular weather stations.
Weather Station Comparison Categories
- Types of Data Collected
- Aesthetics
- Functionality
- Price
Types of Data Collected
Winner: Davis Vantage Vue 6250
When looking for a weather station, it’s important to figure out exactly what you are in need of in terms of measurements. Some weather stations are better than others in measuring historical data, some only include the basics like rainfall and temperature, while others are fancier and include a barometer and wind speed gauges.
The most measurement-intensive weather station of the lot is the Davis Vantage Vue 6250. Its self-contained measuring system includes reports on a multitude of conditions, of which include indoor and outdoor temperature, humidity, wind speed (anemometer) and its direction, rainfall, and current dew point.
One of the unique features is it also has a “this time yesterday” indicator, which helps you see changes and analyze them on a day to day basis. This helps identify trends in the weather and perhaps predict what is to come (although never an easy task, just ask your local weatherman).
It’s worth noting that this station is solar powered, while the lithium batteries provide a backup as needed – and the solar energy can be stored for additional use overnight before the batteries are activated. The Vantage Vue’s radiation shield makes for protection against the sun, and the weatherproof cover helps give it great durability in the elements.
The most feature intensive unit of the lot, we give the Davis Vantage Vue 6250 top marks for its basic features. Its great at measuring historical data as everything for over the last 25 hours, days, or months can be viewed right on the graph – with up to 50 unique graphs.
Should you wish to tie this data in with a computer, you’ll need to pick up the Davis Weatherlink USB Software System at an additional cost.
Runner-Up: AcuRite 01517
Next up is the AcuRite 01517. It measures temperature, humidity, wind speed, direction, and rain. While not as featured packed as the Vantage Vue, it has its own perks. One of them being its “14-day learning mode”. It makes use of AcuRite’s patented Self-Calibrating Forecasting Technology to adjust to your altitude based on barometric pressure change. This allows for more accurate future weather forecasts, which is certainly welcome.
Other than the optional Lightning Strike Gauge, there isn’t much extra needed to use the AcuRite 01517 system, which is a nice aspect to this unit.
Functionality
Winner: Davis Vantage Vue 6250
The overall functionality of the weather station is determined by how well it does what it says it does, the lifespan, and how easy it is to use. Is it practical? Does it serve its purpose well, especially regarding the cost in comparison to other weather stations?
The clear winner in the Functionality department is the Davis Vantage Vue, largely for the power of its weather collection system, and the total amount of detail it offers to weather data buffs. Combined with the WeatherLink software, you’ll have the most data possible at your fingertips.
While the display looks like something from the 1990s, it definitely has a “Science!” feel that the other stations on our list somewhat lack. And the display is reasonably intuitive, and sensible.
Runner-Up: Netatmo Wireless Weather Station
Not to be ignored in the functionality department compared to the others is the Netatmo Wireless Weather Station. The lack of a display is a smart decision, as tying the sensors directly into a smartphone saves money, and allows the cost of the unit to go directly into providing high-quality sensors.
And let’s face it: virtually everyone now has a smartphone or tablet somewhere. The upside to this is that it doesn’t rely on sometimes outdated technology to convey its important information – all information is relayed directly to your smartphone.
The benefits to relying on such technology as opposed to a weather station’s own systems (which are sometimes dated to the early 2000s or even ‘90s), is that information can be obtained instantly, wherever you are.
The simple fact that if you have a smartphone, it’s probably with you all the time, allows you to check on the local forecast wherever you are, whenever.
The added bonus is that it is compatible with Amazon Alexa (from an Amazon Echo), a smart system for your home which is based on voice interaction.
In the future, most weather stations will probably forgo syncing to their own inside device and instead rely on the cloud or smartphone/computer syncing. For now, this is a great start and a modern application of the technology.
That said, if you want to get the full functionality from your Netatmo Digital Weather Station, you’ll need to pick up both the Rain Gauge and the Wind Gauge, which are both somewhat costly, and bring the price much closer to the Davis Vantage Vue (without the Weatherlink Software).
Aesthetics
Winner: Netatmo Wireless Weather Station
When considering the Aesthetics of these weather stations, it’s hard to ignore the Netatmo. They wet Apple-style with their design, and it pays off strongly. When it comes down to it, both AcuRite and Davis actually look like weather stations, and the La Crosse could pass as just another home electronic device.
The Netatmo station feels more like a Smart Home Device, with very minimal-looking sensors, and a display tied to the smart phone/computer. The sensors are much more stylish than what is found on any of the other weather stations on the market, and are a good conversation piece — they are likely to get asked about by friends and neighbors, as there is no clear identifier as to what they do!
Runner Up: AcuRite 01517 Weather Station
The AcuRite 01517 has a sciencey-looking weather station sensor mounted on the outside of the house, and several attractive display options available for indoor use.
Between the Dark Display (our favorite) and the Full Color Display options, these systems have an attractive feel that is pretty compelling. It isn’t as tech-geeky as the Davis Vantage Vue, but it strikes a nice balance between a home electronics display piece and a technical weather station display.
Additionally, AcuRite offers a Smart Hub system that will tie your weather detection system to your smart phone, bridging the two and making it more like Netatmo’s offering.
Price
Winner: La Crosse Technologies WS-9077
Each weather station is fairly priced for the amount of features, functionality, and originality each brings to the table. If you’re looking for the basics, the La Crosse WS-9077 will provide that at a reasonable price, a price much lower than any other systems reviewed today.
The downside to this low price is a very limited data set that is collected and displayed. The display only shows basic weather data (e.g. “snow”, “rain”, etc.) and does not give any quantity or other aspects of the data.
Additionally, if you want to get even the basic data feeds from multiple locations, you’ll need to purchase more of the wireless sensors, which will start to run the price up toward the Netatmo System, or the AcuRite system. In some ways, the La Crosse system could be considered actually quite expensive, because it can be compared to a free weather app on a smart phone or computer.
Runner Up: AcuRite 01517 Digital Thermometer
The AcuRite 01517 system is quite a bit more than the basic La Crosse system, but it offers much more bang for the buck. With many more types of data collected, a better display, and a much better sensor system, it’s not hard to make the jump up to the AcuRite to get a decent home weather station.
We also like that there aren’t really a whole lot of additional items needed to get the AcuRite working to full capacity. AcuRite sells a lighting detection system that’s pretty cool, but that can be added on later. Additionally, AcuRite has released a Smart Hub weather app system that will tie into your AcuRite weather station, and function like the Netatmo System.
Conclusion
All of the weather stations on our list have their place. The bottom line is that the Davis Vantage Vue, coupled with the WeatherLink USB Software system, provides the most power to the weather enthusiast willing to pay the price. It is definitely the way to go for someone really interested in weather information and monitoring. To step down from that purchase, both the Netatmo System and the AcuRite 01517 have their places. If you like the idea of a sleek system and smart phone integration, then we would suggest the Netatmo; if you prefer to spend less to start out, go for the AcuRite.
And lastly, if you’re only looking for very basic weather data, or for a gift for someone who doesn’t like smart phones, and just wants simple weather, then the La Crosse weather station fits the bill.
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