Even from our earliest days, we were obsessed with knowing the environmental characteristics of our environment – especially the rain. To get information about the rain, we need to use rain gauges. In this buying guide, we will explore the ten best wireless rain gauges that come with low battery indicators, are self-emptying, display the results on a separate LCD screen, update measurements after every few seconds and also come with flood warnings to help us evacuate in time. Which of these rain gauges beats the others? We will have a look at each rain gauge and bring out all the features present to help you make a judgment as to which rain gauge best suits your unique needs. In addition, we will include details about which rain gauge best suits the needs of those buying on a tight budget.
Alternatively, just skip to the best wireless rain gauge on Amazon.
Table of Contents
Best Wireless Rain Gauge Comparison Table
List of the 10 Best Wireless Rain Gauges
1. 724-1415BL-INT La Crosse Technology Wireless Rain Station with Temperature and Humidity
This is a popular wireless rain station from the manufacturer, La Crosse. This wireless rain station is comprised of three components. There is the TX1415H-Bv3 temperature/humidity sensor, the wireless rain gauge and the display unit. The wireless rain gauge, as the name suggests, operates without any wires at all. It uses 2 AA batteries to provide power to it. It can measure rain from 0 to 393.6 inches. It can communicate with the display unit from a range of up to 330 feet. It is self-emptying so you do not need to worry about removing water from it after a rainstorm. The TX1415H-Bv3 temperature/humidity sensor is used to measure both temperature and humidity. It can measure temperatures in the range 40 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This wide operating range means that it can work throughout the year. It can measure outdoor humidity from a range of 10 to 99% Relative Humidity. It also uses 2 AA batteries to provide power to it.
The display unit comes with a host of features. It allows you to choose from the following languages: English, Spanish or French. It has an auto dimming feature. In this feature, you program the device to auto dim. It has a sensor signal strength feature. This shows the intensity of the signal that is being received from the sensor. It has a backlit display which allows you to see the readings in the dark. It has the sensor search feature. All you do is press and hold the plus button. This allows you to add sensors to the display device. It has a low battery indicator. This allows for you to purchase new batteries before the batteries in your devices run out. There is an animated flower icon. This icon shows the number of days with or without rainfall. A wilting flower indicates that there have been several days without rainfall. The opposite is true. It allows for you to set the date and time to suit your preferences. This device has a few drawbacks. Insects such as spiders can interfere with the operation of the rain gauge. In addition, the rolling 24 hour tracking feature seems to be a problem to some customers. Due to all these factors, we have chosen this as the best wireless rain gauge.
2. AcuRite 00899 Wireless Rain Gauge with Self-Emptying Collector
This is a wireless rain gauge from the manufacturer, AcuRite. This is a minimalistic looking wireless rain gauge. It will definitely be a stylish accessory to your garden. This product comes with a host of features. The display unit is able to display the rainfall measurement in inches or millimeters. This allows for you to use the units that you are most comfortable with using. It shows the rainfall totals for the current precipitation that is occurring on that day, the previous day, as well as the last seven days. This allows for you to select a day from the past week and see exactly how much rainfall was received on that day. It also shows the totals, two which are re-settable. The display unit is able to give you a rainfall alarm. This is a very handy feature as you will be able to collect any items outside that should not be rained on. Examples include: laundry, woodwork projects that you would have left outside to dry as well as electronics equipment such as Bluetooth speakers that you may have left outdoors.
This product comes with a flood watch alarm. This alarm indicates when the conditions present could lead to flooding. This allows you to prepare to evacuate in time. The rain gauge is totally wireless which means that you do not need to worry about any wiring constraints. It is very easy to setup, and anyone, even people who are not DIY enthusiasts can set it up with ease. It updates inches of rain measurements every 16 seconds. This allows for you to get an accurate indication of the amount of rainfall present at any given period of time. It has a self-emptying rain collector. This automatically dumps the water in the collection cup, thus, eliminating the need for you to manually remove the water from the wireless rain gauge each time it rains. It uses the 433 MHz signal spectrum which is a rather long range radio wave and does not suffer from as much congestion as other radio frequency bands such as the 2.4GHz signal band. The manufacturer shows great pride and offers a 1 year limited warranty. This product has a few drawbacks. It can get filled with unwanted objects. In addition, there is no temperature sensor to give you an indication of the temperature present in the environment. Due to all these factors, we have chosen this as the best budget wireless rain gauge.
3. ECOWITT WH5360B High Precision Wireless Digital Rain Gauge
This is a modern looking wireless rain gauge and display unit from the manufacturer, ECOWITT. The wireless rain gauge comes in a stylish white and black finish. This makes it look like a very fashionable electronic accessory in your garden. The display is modern looking and will certainly blend in with your décor. The display unit uses the LCD technology and has very big, easy to read numbers and letters and has a built in table stand and backlight. This allows you to get the information from a quick glance no matter how dark the room is. It displays the rain date, rain events, the rainfall totals in the present hour, the last 24 hours, the last week, the last month, the last year, and the last two years. This allows you to get information about the amount of rainfall received in any month in the 24 months prior to the current date. It gives a graph display which allows you to gain a pictorial representation of the rainfall received. It allows you to change between millimeters and inches. This makes it easy for you to choose the measurement system that you are comfortable with. It has a programmable rain alarm. This allows you to receive a notification once it begins to rain. It also comes with a flood alert system which gives a notification when the parameters present may lead to flooding.
The indoor display unit has temperature and humidity sensors. These allow for you to get an idea of how hot, or humid your house currently is. The rain gauge is wireless. It can be operated from a range of up to 300 feet from the display unit. It measures the amount of precipitation received with a resolution of 0.01 inches. This allows for it to give very accurate readings. It is a self-emptying wireless rain gauge. This means that you do not need to worry about emptying the wireless gauge once it has finished raining. It comes with a funnel shaped container which captures as much precipitation as possible. It is very easy to install and setup. This product has a few drawbacks. The product uses AA batteries, but these are not included in the packaging. In addition, a few customers complained that the rain gauge is accurate in light rain but not in heavy rain.
4. AcuRite 01021M Color Weather Station
This is a digital weather station from the manufacturer, AcuRite. This weather station looks very modern and comes with a color display. It will definitely blend in with your indoor décor. This weather station comes with a color display, a lightning strike indicator and a wireless self-emptying rain gauge. The lightning strike indicator is wireless and transmits signals up to 330 feet away. This device is able to track lightning strikes up to 25 miles away. It gives an audible alarm when lighting is detected and estimates the distance to each lightning strike. This is a very important feature, especially if you live in rural or remote areas. You will be able to protect yourself against lightning strikes before it is too late. The wireless rain gauge can transmit signals from a distance of up to 100 feet. This allows you to get an indication of how much rainfall is present without going outside and getting wet. The rain gauge is self-emptying which means that you do not need to worry about emptying the container after it rains. The illuminated color display comes with a host of features. It comes with self-calibrating forecasting. This means that the weather station gets data from the outdoor sensor to give you the most accurate weather information for your precise location. It displays the rainfall, lighting strikes, temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, estimated distance to lightning as well as the date and time. It also gives the 12 – 24 hour weather forecast which allows you to dress appropriately. This device has a few drawbacks. It does not automatically update time. In addition, it does not display the indoor temperature.
5. 724-1710 La Crosse Technology Wireless Rain Gauge Weather Station with Thermometer
This is a weather station from the manufacturer, La Crosse Technology. This weather station comprises of an outdoor rain gauge, a temperature sensor and a display unit. The rain gauge is completely wireless. It uses 2 AA batteries for power and does not need any cords at all. It is able to collect up to 99.99 inches of water. You do not need to worry about the device having too much water. When the water exceeds the capacity of the device, the cups tilt and the water overflows. In addition, it is self-emptying so you do not need to worry about emptying the rain gauge soon after it stops precipitating. This device is weather proof. You do not need to worry about it being affected by the elements. It has a range of up to 300 feet in open air. This allows it communicate with the display unit seamlessly. The weather resistant temperature measuring sensor is the second component of the weather station. This device is able to measure temperatures in the range -40 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. It transmits fast and accurate outdoor data to your inside display. The durable plastic case is resistant to light, and moisture. It is a good idea though to protect it from direct exposure for long lasting performance and for better accuracy. It is completely wireless and uses 2 AA alkaline batteries.
The display unit is the last component of this weather station. It gives a rainfall history graph. This allows you to view the last 7 days, weeks or months on a graph. It gives you rainfall alerts. This alert goes off when the measured reading corresponds to, or exceeds the preset parameter. It has a clear, easy to read LCD display. It has indicators for a low battery as well as the signal strength. It also has a time alarm. The entire weather station operates on the relatively uncongested 915 MHz frequency band. This product has a few drawbacks. It does not come with any batteries. In addition, a few customers found the instruction manual to be incomplete as they could not find any calibration instructions.
6. NRG01-WW Rain Gauge for Netatmo Weather Station
This is a premium wireless rain gauge from the manufacturer, Netatmo. This wireless rain gauge comes in black and the modern design, makes it a very stylish piece of electronic equipment to put in your garden. It allows for you to extend your Netatmo Weather Station. This allows for you to take advantage of this devices capabilities to make your weather station even more powerful than it originally was. It is able to record the frequency of precipitation every 5 minutes. This allows for you to get an accurate reading of how much rain you have received. It comes with an accuracy of 0.04 in/h. This makes it a very reliable device as you are guaranteed of getting correct readings each time it rains. It comes with a resolution of 0.004 in. This means that the device is able to measure the precipitation that is incident in your area no matter how little the precipitation is.
This device comes with a mobile application. This mobile application is compatible with both Android and iOS devices. This allows for you to gain access to the data recorded by the wireless rain gauge. In addition, you can get smartphone alerts when it starts to rain and customize your alerts for information on cumulative quantities. You can also gain access to the data through the use of a PC or a Mac. This is made possible through the web application that is provided by this manufacturer. This web application is compatible with the following browsers: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and the Internet Explorer. The applications do not require you to pay any subscription fee and are available free of charge. They have no storage limits which means you can store as much data as you can. The wireless rain gauge is powered by 2 AAA batteries that are easy to find and replace when they eventually die out. The device allows for you to wirelessly connect to your indoor weather station module from a distance of up to 330 feet. The device is weather proof and can withstand harsh environments. The product has a few drawbacks. A lot of customers complained about poor service quality. The Netatmo Weather Station is not included which means you need to purchase it separately. In addition only one wireless rain gauge connects with the Netatmo Weather Station.
7. AcuRite Wireless Rain Gauge Collector
This is a minimalistic wireless rain gauge from the manufacturer, AcuRite. This device will definitely blend in with the outside décor. It is lightweight and weighs a mere 6.4 ounces. This means that you will not have any problems with mounting the device. It is weather proof. This means that it can be used in environments with a high degree of humidity, hot environments, cold environments and even dusty environments. It is compatible for use with AcuRite environment systems. These systems allow for you to monitor the amount of precipitation received from virtually anywhere through the use of internet connected devices such as smartphones, tablets, and even computers. It comes with an automatic self-emptying cup. This means that you do not need to worry about going outside and emptying the rain gauge after a rainstorm. It uses the 433 MHz wireless frequency band. This means that you do not need to worry about unreliable signals due to a congested frequency band. In addition, this allows the device to have a decent range of up to 100 feet. It is very easy to install and setup. All you need to do is to follow the very simple instructions present in the instruction manual. It allows for you to connect it to a smartHUB. This will allow you to monitor the sensor using your smartphone, computer or tablet. It uses 2 AA alkaline batteries which are very easy to find and install. This product has a few drawbacks. It has no battery level indication. In addition, a few customers complained that the device does not last very long.
8. AcuRite 01089M Rain Gauge with Thermometer & Humidity
This is a wireless rain gauge that comes with a humidity sensor and a beautiful display. These devices look very minimalistic and will easily blend in with your interior and exterior décor. The rain gauge records precipitation. It then transmits this signal to the display unit. This is done wirelessly, and the maximum distance between the gauge and the display unit is 330 feet. It sends signals every 16 seconds. It has the self-emptying feature. This feature allows for the wireless rain gauge to automatically dispose of the water present in the container after the precipitation has ended. This eliminates the need for you to go and manually remove the water from the rain gauge.
The easy to read LCD display unit has a host of features. It allows for you to measure the precipitation in either inches or milliliters. It allows you to view indoor and outdoor environmental temperature and humidity parameters. Trend arrows are present to show the directions in which the conditions are going. If the conditions are going up, they point upwards and the opposite is true. The digital display calculates the dew point and heat index to give you a true feel of outdoor conditions. It displays historical records for the previous day, current week, month, year and previous year. It has a programmable rain alarm. This alarm emits an audible alert when your preset rainfall amount is reached. This allows you to get an indication of whether or not a flood is imminent. It has the storm alert indicator. This alert warns you of incoming weather and allows you to prepare for it. It has a clock. This clock is able to automatically adjust for daylight saving time. This device has a few drawbacks. The quality inspection process could be better. In addition, the device does not come with any batteries.
9. La Crosse Technology 724-1409 Wireless Rain Station
This is a self-emptying wireless rain station from the manufacturer, La Crosse Technology. This product comes in a stylish black design which will blend in with both your interior and exterior décor. The display unit comes with a very big, easy to read LCD screen. This LCD screen displays the current reading, as well as the date and time. This makes it function exceptionally well as both a wireless rain station as well as a small digital clock. It is able to display the following rainfall readings: current rainfall, rainfall in the last hour, rainfall in the last 24 hours, rainfall in the last 7 days, rainfall in the past month, rainfall received in the last year, as well as the total rainfall received since the initial setup. This allows you to navigate to any date, and check how much rainfall was received in that period. It gives rainfall readings in both inches and millimeters. This allows you to choose the units that you find most suitable. It has a cylinder graph feature. It has a 24 hour customizable rain alert. This allows you to get a notification that it is raining. This gives you the opportunity to rush outside and take anything that should not be rained on.
The wireless rain gauge is self-emptying. This means that you do not need to worry about going outside to empty the rain gauge after it rains. It is able to transmit data from a range of up to 300 feet. It can measure rainfall that is received from a range of 0 – 393.6 inches. The product uses the 433 MHz frequency which is relatively uncongested. The indoor weather rain station display unit uses 2 AA alkaline batteries, and the outdoor wireless rain gauge also uses 2 AA alkaline batteries. These batteries are very easy to find and replace. In addition, the weather station comes with a low battery indicator which allows you to buy new batteries before the unit loses power. This product has a few drawbacks. A few customers complained about the accuracy of both the clock and the rain gauge. In addition, a few customers complained that the batteries would run out pretty quickly.
10. Oregon Scientific Wireless Rain Gauge Weather Station with Remote Sensor
This is a weather station that comes with a wireless rain gauge. This weather station looks rather minimalistic. It will easily blend in with both your home’s décor and with the outside environment. It is a complete weather station, which means that you do not need to worry about purchasing a separate weather station to use with the wireless rain gauge. The weather station comes with a main display unit. This main display unit comes with an easy to read LCD screen. This LCD screen comes with a 4 line display. This allows you to see the time, outdoor temperature, precipitation recorded that very day and the total amount of rainfall received. This weather station comes with two units – a temperature sensor and a wireless rain gauge. The wireless rain gauge is extremely accurate and has a resolution of 0.04 inches. This means that you will get an idea of the amount of precipitation recorded, no matter how little it was. You will not need to get wet for you to go outside and take a manual reading from the rain gauge as it wirelessly transmits the information to the weather station. It is able to transmit the information for a distance of up to 300 feet from the display unit.
The rain gauge is self-emptying. This feature allows for the device to empty itself of water without you needing to go and do any manual work. The temperature sensor present can also transmit the temperature parameters from a distance. It is able to communicate with the main display unit from a distance of up to 100 fee.t Both the temperature measuring unit and the wireless rain gauge are weather proof devices and can withstand harsh environments. The display unit records up to 10 days’ worth of data which allows you to navigate to any of the 10 days and get all the information that you need. It can also show the time and calendar date. This product has a few drawbacks. It is a bit pricey. In addition, a few customers complained about the quality of the product.
Best Wireless Rain Gauge Brands
The best wireless rain gauge brands are La Crosse Technology, AcuRiteand ECOWITT. La Crosse Technology makes durable devices that last for quite a long time. All the products from them that we reviewed are of a high quality, are minimalistic and have a decent operating range. AcuRite is another well-known brand in the wireless weather station industry. This manufacturer makes reliable devices, and all their products that we reviewed work very well. The ECOWITT device that we reviewed is very easy to install and setup, it comes with a host of features and it is very modern looking.
Best Wireless Rain Gauge
724-1415BL-INT La Crosse Technology Wireless Rain Station with Temperature and Humidity
This is the best wireless rain gauge. This device uses six easy to find AA batteries. It has a very decent wireless communication range between the display, the rain gauge and temperature/humidity sensor. It also has a low battery indicator which allows you to buy new batteries before your instruments shut down.
Here are the key features we liked about the wireless rain gauge:
- Self-emptying rain gauge
- Backlit display
- Auto dimming
- Low battery indicator
- Multilingual
Best Budget Wireless Rain Gauge
AcuRite 00899 Wireless Rain Gauge with Self-Emptying Collector,
This is a wireless rain gauge from AcuRite. The device is minimalistic looking and will definitely act as a stylish accessory to your garden. It comes with the ability to switch between inches and millimeters. It uses the 433 MHz signal spectrum which means that you are guaranteed of reliable communication.
Here are the key features we liked about the wireless rain gauge:
- Minimalistic looking
- 1 year limited warranty
- Updates measurements every 16 seconds
- Flood warnings
- Rainfall alert
How Much Do Wireless Rain Gauges Cost?
These are not very expensive devices. These devices are in the range 30 to 150 USD. The high end devices are around the 150 USD. These devices are usually made from very reputable manufacturers. They are usually highly accurate and have a good communication range. An example is the Oregon Scientific Wireless Rain Gauge Weather Station with Remote Sensor.
The low and mid-range devices cost anything from 30 to 100 USD. These devices come with all the features you would expect in a wireless rain gauge, but may lack advanced features such as humidity and temperature measurement. An example is the La Crosse Technology 724-1409 Wireless Rain Station.
Why Do You Need a Wireless Rain Gauge?
Accuracy
Technological devices are usually more accurate than their traditional counterparts. The wireless rain gauges are able to provide information about the amount of rainfall present, and most of these devices come with a very decent accuracy and resolution.
Convenience
Instead of having to go out during a rainstorm, you can simply go to the display panel and check to see how much rainfall you have received. This feature introduces convenience to you, the user of the wireless rain gauge.
Recording
The wireless rain gauges usually come with the recording feature. This allows you view records of the amount of rainfall received in the last day, month, or year.
What are the Different Types of Wireless Rain Gauges?
There are many types of wireless rain gauges. Here are a few of them:
Weighing Wireless Rain Gauges
These rain gauges have a container that is positioned on a scale and a data logger records the amount of rainfall. These are suitable for both low intensity and high intensity conditions.
Tipping Bucket Wireless Rain gauges
These have a funnel that captures and directs the rain to a pair of buckets below it. These buckets are balanced on a pivot and tip each time they reach capacity. Each time this occurs, the rain data is recorded by an onboard data logger. This type is suitable for recording rainfall over long periods of time.
Acoustic Wireless Rain Gauges
These measure the amount of rain by recording the number of drops that fall by using a piezoelectric sensor. These help to determine hail from rain. They are not ideal for measuring snow.
Factors to Consider When Buying a Wireless Rain Gauge
Rain Gauge Type
You need to consider how long you need to record the rainfall data for and how accurate you want the data to be. This will help guide you choose between weighing, tipping bucket and acoustic wireless rain gauges.
Range
You need to identify how far away from the house your field sensors will be. You also need to check whether there will be obstacles such as trees, etc. This will help you to choose the best rain gauge with the best range.
History
The wireless rain gauge displays are able to display data differently. Some only keep data for up to 7 days, some keep data for up to a few months back, and some keep data for up to two years back. Choose the wireless rain gauge that suits your needs.
Warranty
When purchasing any electronic or electromechanicaldevice it is best to consider the warranty offered by the manufacturer. The warranty gives a good indication of the manufacturer’s confidence in his or her product. As a general rule of the thumb, products with longer warranties are made from better materials and last much longer than similar products that have shorter warranties.
Additional Features
Do you want a wireless rain gauge system that can also detect the temperature and humidity? Or do you want one that can tell you when there is lighting nearby? The market is full of different types of wireless rain gauges that all come with different features.
What is a Wireless Rain Gauge?
A wireless rain gauge is an electromechanical device that is used to detect the amount of rainfall that is incident in an area and it sends this data wirelessly to a recording device.
How a Wireless Rain Gauge Works
Wireless rain gauges have various mechanisms that they can use for operation. These methods include weighing, using a tipping bucket mechanism and acoustics. For this explanation, we will give the basics of operation. Rainfall enters the wireless rain gauge. The amount of rainfall that is present is measured using the measuring mechanism e.g. a weight scale. After a pre-determined interval, the wireless rain gauge sends data indicating how much rainfall is present to a recorder. This recorder then displays the amount of rainfall present to the user. Some recorders allow the user to view records about the rainfall received up to 2 years prior to the current date.
Wireless Rain Gauge FAQs
What is the Typical Battery Life?
Some can last for up to one year. This depends on the efficiency of the rain gauge among other parameters.
Up to What Distance Can This Be Placed From the Recorder/Display?
Most wireless rain gauges can be placed up to 330 feet from the recorder/display.
Do They Use Electricity?
If you mean mains AC, then the answer is no. The wireless rain gauges use batteries.
Do They Show the Wind speed?
In most cases, no. Wireless rain gauges are designed and developed to show the amount of rainfall present.
Can it Freeze?
Most wireless rain gauges operate in the range -40 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This means you can probably leave the rain collector outdoor in winter. It won’t be able to measure the rainfall when frozen though.
Conclusion
In this article, we have explored the top 10 best wireless rain gauges. We have given a thorough analysis of each wireless rain gauge. We also included a comprehensive guide aimed at equipping you with the skills of identifying the best wireless rain gauge to suit your unique needs. In addition, we included a list of comprehensive FAQs for your convenience.
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