Which is the Best Weather Station in the UK for Me to Buy?
People from right across the UK ask us every day: "Which is the best weather station for home use?" Our simple guide below will help you narrow down to the right choice for you.
Things to consider:
- What information you would like the weather station to provide?
- Accuracy & robustness required.
- Would you like to be able to view your weather station data when you're away from home via a smartphone app/website?
- Is the look of the main indoor unit important to you (it might be the first thing you look at each morning).
- Do you live in a stone building or have other significant solid structures between where you would like to place an external sensor and the main indoor unit? This could mean some lower-end wireless weather stations would struggle to communicate between units.
- And of course – your budget to buy a weather station will have a bearing on which is best for you.
Helpful links
Weather station with mobile app
Weather station with outdoor sensor
Weather station with rain gauge
Home Weather Stations – Lots of useful features and will look great in your home.
Enthusiast Weather Stations – Highly accurate, with more options for upgrading as your needs change.
Professional Quality Weather Stations – For when your business or research depends on accurate weather tracking & forecasting.
Types of Weather Stations
Complete Weather Stations
Complete weather stations include all the features of forecasters (see below), often have many upgrade options and come with one or more external units to measure:
- Wind speed & direction
- Humidity
- Rain levels.
The display screen on the main indoor unit will usually show more detail than a forecaster and include:
- Wind-chill
- Heat index
- Dew-point
- Alarms for various weather extremes.
Almost all of the complete weather stations people buy from us now are wireless weather stations. Many will connect to a PC/Mac, or directly to the Internet for recording, analysis and display of your data automatically and viewing on your smartphone or tablet, so you can keep an eye on the weather at home no matter where you are. Many can be upgraded either at time of purchase or as/when you need them with other sensors for temperature/humidity/UV/soil moisture/leaf wetness etc.
Basic Weather Stations (Weather Forecasters/Weather Clocks)
Basic weather stations generally comprise a main unit with large display screen and an external temperature sensor that can be placed outdoors or in a different room (e.g. a nursery). The display screen will usually show:
- Current temperature near the main unit, plus near the external sensor (if included).
- Weather forecast – usually with the help of easy-to-read icons to indicate rain/sunny/cloudy etc
- Time and date – some feature atomic clocks that automatically adjust for daylight saving.
Some display:
- Humidity, moon phase, barometric pressure, weather warning, ice alert
- Include an alarm clock
- Can be upgraded with additional external temperature/humidity sensors
- Project the time & outdoor temperature onto your wall or ceiling
- Can be wall mounted, or used table-standing.
They do not include a rain gauge, wind vane, or anemometer, so cannot display actual rain levels, or wind speed & direction. Modern digital forecasters are designed to look great in your home – there are a wide range of styles, from sleek and subtle – to colourful and fun.
Browse our range of Basic weather stations.
For those looking for something more decorative, we also sell a wide range of traditional weather instruments.
Weather Station Reviews
You'll notice that the are many home weather station reviews on our site. To read them, simply click below the blue stars whenever you see them on a product page.
Your Budget
At all levels some products are more expensive that others and it is always the case that the more you spend the better it gets in terms of performance, accuracy, functionality and quality. It might be that this is a great gadget with a purpose, the first step into what might be a new and exciting hobby, or you or the recipient are a weather geek!
Needing to find the best weather station for your school? Check out 'Which Weather Station for My School?'
Need Some Advice on the Best Weather Station for You?
Tell us what's important to you, your budget, and we'll be able to recommend the best one for you.
Click on the webchat tab on the bottom of your screen, call 01243 558280, or fill in our Contact Form.
