The Ambient Weather brand has been around for a long time. Initially a great place to find deals on various weather instruments, it now sells its own branded weather instruments and gadgets. That move has paid off: their stations have become a ‘cult favorite’ among weather enthusiasts, thanks to a great mix of functionality and price. While our international readers may recognize some of these as Ecowitt weather stations, they offer some functionality that Ecowitt does not.
Ambient weather stations often have features that other weather stations don’t at the same price point, and the company has fully embraced smart home technology. Every internet-connected Ambient Weather station supports Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT. And the accuracy is surprisingly good for the price. So which one should you buy? Keep reading.
Ambient Weather Station Comparisons
We often get asked which Ambient weather station a reader should pick. Below, we’ve compared Ambient Weather’s most popular models to compare their differences and offer our recommendations.
WS-2000 vs. WS-2902
We think that those debating between the WS-2000 and WS-2902 will want to consider their budget first. The WS-2902 is an excellent station for the price. However, the WS-2000 console allows you to add and view additional sensors and is certainly better quality. If you want to observe the weather casually, then the WS-2902 is fine. However, if you think you might have other uses for your Ambient weather station down the road, then the WS-2000 is the better long-term choice.
Our Recommendation
While both stations perform well, we recommend the WS-1553-IP instead. It is cheaper than the WS-2000 and offers expandability that the WS-2902 doesn’t. However, it does not have a console.
Who should buy the WS-2902?
The Ambient Weather WS-2902 is an excellent entry-level weather station and is one of our top choices for casual weather observers. In our tests, the WS-2902 performed nearly as well as the Davis Vantage Vue for a fraction of the price. Add the internet connectivity of this station, not something you often see in entry-level stations, and it’s a real bargain, in our opinion.
Who should buy the WS-2000?
The Ambient Weather WS-2000 uses the same sensor suite as the WS-2902. However, the WS-2000 swaps out the LCD console for the much better console found in the WS-5000. This allows the WS-2000 to support the vast array of optional sensors that Ambient Weather provides, but at a much more affordable price.
WS-2902 vs. WS-5000
The WS-2902 and the WS-5000 are aimed at two different types of consumers. The WS-2902 is an entry-level Ambient weather station. The WS-5000 is intended for weather enthusiasts and those looking for better accuracy. If you’re deciding between these two and can afford them, opt for the WS-5000 instead.
The WS-5000’s expandability is a big plus for us. And with a ton of additional sensors available, the WS-5000 is more suited for specific applications, such as agriculture. However, it’s also one of the most expensive weather stations on the market, and we don’t feel comfortable recommending the WS-5000 unless you have the budget for it.
Our Recommendation
We’d go with the WS-5000-IP3 here, which is cheaper than the WS-5000 unless you absolutely need a console. Doing so will save you about $100.
WS-2000 vs. WS-5000
While the WS-2000 and WS-5000 share the same console, the WS-5000 introduces an updated (and we’d argue more accurate) sensor suite. This makes the WS-5000 our preferred Ambient weather station for pro-level users looking for alternatives to Davis weather stations.
This said, if you’re looking for true pro-grade accuracy, we’d still recommend a weather station like the Davis Vantage Vue, and especially the Davis Vantage Pro2. Even without decent smart home connectivity, Davis still is the most accurate personal weather station on the market.
Our Recommendation
We’d recommend the WS-5000 (after all, it is our Best Home Weather Station for 2025!
Who should buy the WS-2000?
The Ambient Weather WS-2000 uses the same sensor suite as the WS-2902. However, it swaps out the LCD console for the much better console found in the WS-5000. This allows the WS-2000 to support Ambient Weather’s vast array of optional sensors at a much more affordable price.
Who should buy the WS-5000?
The Ambient Weather WS-5000 is the company’s latest model and includes a new sensor suite. The rain gauge is separate from the rest of the sensor suite for more optimal placement, and Ambient has replaced the traditional cup-and-vane anemometer with sonic technology. Our tests found this station incredibly accurate, although the high price is a significant barrier for most shoppers.
Popular Weather Station Mounting Options
Wrapping Up
Ambient Weather stations are outstanding and often surprised us with how accurate they were, which is hard to find in lower-priced weather stations. Plus, they’re future-ready with smart home capabilities that few other manufacturers offer, giving them an advantage in a competitive market.
No matter which one you choose, you’ll be backed up by excellent customer service. In all our experiences with their support team, our customer service representative handled questions and issues promptly. This is one area where the industry could improve, and Ambient Weather is doing it correctly.
