Previous Years
International Guides
Additional Guides
- Changes to Our Weighting
- Changes to Scores and Stations We Recommend
- A caveat
- Understanding our Ratings
- The Best of the Best
- The Contenders
- About Our Reviews
Changes to Our Weighting
We placed more weight on value in last year’s weather station buyers’ guide, and there was a good reason for it. Inflation was close to 10%; people were not doing well. However, the economy has proved incredibly resilient, and as people get caught back up, we’re noticing that more expensive stations are once again attracting interest.
But it’s a little different this time. People are choosy, and pricier stations with a lot of functionality are selling. People are also showing increasing interest in more high-tech home weather stations. Since most stations are now generally user-friendly, we are slightly reducing the emphasis on that category for 2025.
The video below describes our changes in more detail. We used a whiteboard format to make it more interesting to watch.
[aiovg_video id=”50508″]
Why are you changing the weighting?
This might seem like an effort to create drama (honestly, our list has been stale for the past few years), but I am actively trying to keep my personal biases out of these ratings, which have been too subjective for years. While some scores have changed dramatically, there is a reason behind those changes, which we detail below.
Changes to Scores and Stations We Recommend
We’ve made some changes to the value scores for Ambient Weather stations. We don’t have a specific category to rate support quality, but we’re aware of a definite increase in problems with WS-2902 and WS-2000 stations, often involving the sensor suite. We’ve noticed a rise in reports of customer service issues with getting support, which is concerning. As a result, these stations have lower durability scores than last year. Rolling support quality ratings into durability makes sense because both are equally important.
We are also changing our WS-5000 rating to base it on the console-less version, which debuted in the past year. Without the console, it’s a much better value, which is one reason it has returned (along with fixing a math error on our part; its score was too low!). We’re also saying goodbye to the WS-2902 and WS-2000 in favor of the WS-1553-IP, a station we admittedly missed even though it’s been out for four years!
The AcuRite Notos is being retired from our list, as it never met our basic requirements (it needs to measure temperature, humidity, wind, and rainfall). We had it in for several years because there were so few options, but that’s no longer true. It’s time for the Notos to move to the thermometer list because it is a glorified thermometer.
A caveat
Geopolitics could throw a massive wrench in our picks. The Trump administration is threatening tariffs on China, a source of parts for many home weather stations, and even where some, like the Wittboy, are manufactured. Should tariffs become a reality, we’ll need to revisit our picks. 25% of the score is value, which includes price.
October 2025 Update: While geopolitical concerns remain high, and some stations did increase in price, those increases were fairly uniform and did not affect our ratings. We have noted where price increases have occurred since our original roundup was published in late 2024. Note that while Davis stations have also increased, this is a result of Davis enforcing retail prices with resellers. The MSRP has not changed.
Below are ratings for all nine stations qualifying for our “best of” rankings. We’ve also made a video if you prefer to watch our review instead.
[aiovg_video id=”66518″]
Since this is the second year of our 100-point system, we’re doing things differently. We’re presenting the list with their scores and the movement up or down since last year’s ratings in top-10 format (although many are new, keep that in mind). There are more solid options than ever before, so our list will reflect that. Below each, we’ll explain why each may have risen or fallen in our recommendations.
Understanding our Ratings
Each category is judged on a five-point scale:
- 5 – Superior
- 4 – Few or very minor issues
- 3 – Minor issues
- 2 – Major issues
- 1 – Deficient
The Best of the Best
1. Best Home Weather Station of 2025 – Ambient Weather WS-5000-IP3
[aiovg_video id=”68246″]
| Accuracy (25%) | Value (25%) | Durability (20%) | Feature Set (20%) | Ease of Use (20%) | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.5/5 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | 96/100 |
MSRP: $351.99 at the time of review, now $399.99
Find the Best DealRead Our Review
Last year’s score: N/A (New)
We typically rate all stations individually first, so we don’t calculate the final scores until then. Imagine our surprise when we realized the WS-5000 had just leapfrogged everybody! We pulled the WS-5000 from our recommendations due to its far too high price, with a console that isn’t special in late 2022. However, options are now available for a console-less version, which puts the price in the same ballpark as the Tempest, but it lacks a haptic rain gauge.
2. Tempest Weather System
[aiovg_video id=”68260″]
| Accuracy (25%) | Value (25%) | Durability (20%) | Feature Set (20%) | Ease of Use (20%) | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/5 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 93/100 |
MSRP: $339.00 at the time of review, now $349.00
Find the Best DealRead Our Review
Last year’s score: 95 (-2)
The Tempest has gone from a Kickstarter project to a massive home weather station network in less than a decade. It’s simple to set up and use, and smart-home-ready with unparalleled lightning detection. But we can’t go without mentioning the haptic rain gauge, which, although better in our second test in 2024 compared to our original test four years earlier, is still not accurate enough in light rain. But with the station out now for four years, we’re starting to get a better idea of durability, and the internal battery seems to be one of its biggest issues, eventually requiring replacement.
3. (TIE) – Best Value Home Weather Station – Ecowitt Wittboy
[aiovg_video id=”68241″]
| Accuracy (25%) | Value (25%) | Durability (20%) | Feature Set (20%) | Ease of Use (20%) | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/5 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 92/100 |
MSRP: $199.99
Find the Best PriceRead Our Review
Last year’s score: N/A (New)
The Ecowitt Wittboy would probably have been on our 2024 list if I had been able to get my hands on a sensor, which I couldn’t do. However, it was released quite late in 2023, so maybe not. Well, after testing the sensor, I’m impressed. While the haptic rain gauge isn’t any better than the Tempest’s, the rest of the sensors are extremely accurate. And you’re getting a sonic anemometer, which we’re big fans of for its sensitivity.
3. (TIE) Davis Vantage Pro2 Plus
| Accuracy (25%) | Value (25%) | Durability (20%) | Feature Set (20%) | Ease of Use (20%) | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 92/100 |
MSRP: $1,275
Last year’s score: N/A (New – was not rated previously)
We’ll admit that we completely ignored the Vantage Pro2 Plus for years. The reason was the price. With a console that hadn’t been updated in 20 years and other pro-grade stations available, we didn’t find it a great value. With the WeatherFlow Console, that’s changed, and the Vantage Pro2 Plus is suddenly much more attractive.
I know it seems strange that we’ve added consoles here, and it made the station better when we’re suggesting you forgo them elsewhere. However, Davis stations use RF instead of Wi-Fi, so some central stations are necessary to receive data—this was standard 20 years ago when both the Vantage Vue and Pro2 were first released.
The Contenders
5. KestrelMet 6000
[aiovg_video id=”68247″]
| Accuracy (25%) | Value (25%) | Durability (20%) | Feature Set (20%) | Ease of Use (20%) | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/5 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | 91/100 |
MSRP: $999
Find the Best DealRead Our Review
Last year’s score: 95 (-4)
In our first draft of our 2025 rankings, the KestrelMet 6000 still held on to its top spot. However, over the past few months, we’ve received a few reports of reliability issues. This factored into our decision to rethink its durability rating. The apparent customer service issues are not helping, as we’ve seen way too many times with Ambient Weather products (the same company that owns Kestrel). And with scores so close together among top weather stations, the differences were massive.
6. Ambient Weather WS-1553-IP
[aiovg_video id=”68249″]
| Accuracy (25%) | Value (25%) | Durability (20%) | Feature Set (20%) | Ease of Use (20%) | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/5 | 5/5 | 3.5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 89/100 |
MSRP: $188.99 at the time of review, now $194.99
Last year’s score: N/A (New – Replaces WS-2902 and WS-2000)
This might be the biggest example of why Ambient Weather needs to look hard at its lineup and ask itself if so many models are necessary. We didn’t know this existed until it was bought over the Black Friday 2024 weekend. It’s been around for a half-decade, and we think this is a much better deal than buying the WS-2902 or WS-2000 since you’re getting expandability options for UNDER $200.
That said, the durability of the sensor found in these stations isn’t the best. We’re hearing an average lifespan of about 3-4 years, which is one reason why its durability score fell considerably when compared to the WS-2902 and WS-2000 that it replaced.
7. (TIE) Davis Vantage Pro2
| Accuracy (25%) | Value (25%) | Durability (20%) | Feature Set (20%) | Ease of Use (20%) | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/5 | 3.5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | 88/100 |
MSRP: $995
Find the Best DealRead Our Review
Last year’s score: 87 (+1)
The King of home weather stations makes another appearance on our list for the same reasons as the Vantage Pro2 Plus. The absence of fan aspiration, UV, and light sensors found in cheaper weather stations hurt the VP2 in the value category. However, with market-leading durability and accuracy, the entry price is justified.
7. (TIE) Ambient Weather WS-4000
| Accuracy (25%) | Value (25%) | Durability (20%) | Feature Set (20%) | Ease of Use (20%) | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/5 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 88/100 |
MSRP: $369.99 at the time of review, now $374.99
Last year’s score: N/A (New)
Oh, Ambient Weather. I am not sure what to say here other than buy the Wittboy unless this isn’t your first Ambient Weather station. It’s disappointing to see it so much more expensive, and that is why it scores significantly lower than the Wittboy, even though it’s the same sensor, mainly because you’re forced to take the console. Without the console, the scores may have been closer. I’ve heard anecdotally that Ambient Weather has no current plans for a console-less option, and I’m trying to confirm this because it makes no sense.
9. Davis Vantage Vue
| Accuracy (25%) | Value (25%) | Durability (20%) | Feature Set (20%) | Ease of Use (20%) | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | 85/100 |
MSRP: $695
Find the Best DealRead Our Review
Last year’s score: 84 (+1)
Even with the WeatherLink Console, which adds some expandability, the Davis Vantage Vue can no longer compete with the recent weather stations released by Ambient Weather and WeatherFlow. I had high hopes that the acquisition by AEM would mean a new weather station model, but it seems that won’t happen soon. It’s a shame, I’d like to see what Davis could do with modern technology and sensors.
However, the Vantage Vue’s durability, like the Vantage Pro 2, is market-leading. While we love ours, we would have opted for the Vantage Pro2 instead if we had the money. That said, we got eight years out of our Vue before it needed its first significant overhaul, which is twice the lifespan of most Ambient Weather stations.
About Our Reviews
We have experience with all the products and companies we recommend here on TWSE. Our review staff includes degreed meteorologists and scientists, some of whom have owned the products they review for several years. Our staff has reviewed home weather gadgets for over a decade on TWSE and elsewhere.
We’d love to hear what you think or if you have any suggestions. Leave a comment below.
So, let’s first explain what’s different about this year’s testing and ratings.