Our friends in the UK have visited us almost since the beginning. Unfortunately, most weather stations we recommend in the States are unavailable or very expensive, thanks to international shipping. We recently sat down and researched the best home weather stations in the UK and found several home weather stations that ship free.
You can find brands like Ambient Weather and Davis Instruments in the UK, but some models look similar to stations on sale in the States. As you’ll see below, Ambient Weather (and other brands) licence stations from Ecowitt. For example, the Ambient Weather WS-2000 is the same as the Ecowitt HP2551 weather station, except at the moment, Ecowitt doesn’t offer any smart home functionality.
The HP2553 is Ecowitt's top-of-the-line weather station, and it shows.
This Tempest look-alike doesn't have all its features, but is significantly cheaper.
If the HP2553 is too expensive, consider the HP2551 instead.
Best Home Weather Stations in the UK and Europe
After much research, including comparing stations to their counterparts (or competitors) in the States, we’ve come up with this list of the best home weather stations in the UK.
ECOWITT HP2553 Wi-Fi Weather Station
The HP2553 is Ecowitt's top-of-the-line weather station, and it shows.
The Ecowitt HP2553 is the company’s high-end weather station (and sold as the Ambient Weather WS-5000 in the US). Our tests of the American version of this weather station were stellar. With practically nothing different — save for the lack of smart home support — we had no reservations about making this our top pick.
The HP2553 features a redesigned sensor suite from previous models and an ultrasonic anemometer, drastically reducing the number of moving parts. This should extend its useable life as the traditional anemometer requires ongoing maintenance to ensure trouble-free use. The sensors are more accurate in our tests than in previous Ecowitt stations, and you can add additional sensors, including air quality, soil moisture, water temperature, and lightning. The brilliant colour, easy-to-read LCD console looks great just about anywhere.
The company’s made it easy to share your data publicly through Weather Underground, Ecowitt.net, and many other networks, which is a nice touch and view station data from the Ecowitt app.
Ecowitt Wittboy Weather Station
This Tempest look-alike doesn't have all its features, but is significantly cheaper.
The Wittboy is Ecowitt's latest Wi-Fi weather station, and it's aimed at those outside of the U.S. who might not want to pay the extra duties to import in the WeatherFlow Tempest. It doesn't have lightning detection or smart home capabilities (that we can tell), but it does pretty much everything else the Tempest does.
The outdoor sensor contains a haptic rainfall sensor, light and UV sensors, an ultrasonic wind speed sensor, and temperature and humidity sensors. Ecowitt also includes its Wi-Fi hub, which allows you to send your data to Weather Underground. The Wittboy is new, so we're hesitant to give it our full-throated endorsement, but it's worth considering.
ECOWITT HP2551 Wi-Fi Weather Station
If the HP2553 is too expensive, consider the HP2551 instead.
The Ecowitt HP2551 isn’t sold in the US under the Ambient Weather brand, but its feature set is similar to the Ambient Weather WS-2000. While you won’t get the accuracy of the HP2553, it is significantly cheaper and measures everything its more expensive sibling does. The nice console you get with the HP2553 is paired with Ecowitt’s base instrument suite.
The Netatmo was the first smart home weather station (really!).
Unlike most home weather stations in the U.S., there aren't many options for those looking to integrate their home weather station with the smart home elsewhere. However, French technology company Netatmo's popular weather station provides one alternative if you want just that. We tested the Netatmo weather station several years ago, loved the app, and were pleasantly surprised with its accuracy.
The only negative to Netatmo's weather station is everything is sold separately. The package above includes the base station and two temperature/humidity sensors. You'll still need the optional rain gauge and sonic anemometer to complete the station, which costs more. However, it may be worth it if you are looking for a way to use weather data to control your smart home.
Ecowitt HP3500 Wi-Fi Weather Station
The HP3500B is Ecowitt's entry level Wi-Fi compatible weather station, but it isn't expandable.
The Ecowitt HP3500B is the company’s cheapest weather station that doesn’t require PC software to share your weather data online. The console isn’t as flashy as the HP2551 but is still readable from a reasonable distance and can display graphs on its screen, something the cheaper WS2320 cannot do.
You do lose the capability to add additional sensors, which may be a reason to opt for any of the above three models if expandability is a concern. But the savings make the HP3500B a contender if you want to save money.
Ecowitt WS3901 Wi-Fi Weather Station
The WS3900 is very similar to the AcuRite Notos, but with a much better console.
The Ecowitt WS3901 is similar to the AcuRite Notos in the feature set (measuring only temperature and wind). This is one way to save if you don't need rainfall readings. The console is also bright and readable, which we rarely see on weather stations this cheap.
Another bonus? It connects to Wi-Fi and ecowitt.net to enable the sharing of your data just about anywhere.
- Inexpensive
- No rainfall readings
If you prefer an "all-in-one" sensor suite (especially with limited space), opt for the Ecowitt WS2910. It includes the same sensor suite as the HP2551, but has a more basic console. You also lose the capability to expand. However, the WS2910 still features the Wi-Fi connectivity of more expensive Ecowitt weather stations.
- VERSATILE MEASUREMENTS: The 5-in-1 outdoor sensor precisely measures temperature, humidity, wind, air pressure & precipitation - ideal for all weather observers & hobby meteorologists
- HIGH-RESOLUTION COLOR DISPLAY: The 5.7-inch color display allows for quick and easy reading of the current weather data - with color-coded areas for a clear display
- WIFI & DATA SHARING: Thanks to the WiFi function, the weather data can be easily shared with apps such asWeather UndergroundorWeather Cloud
- FORECAST & ALARM FUNCTIONS: The weather station calculates a weather forecast for the next 12 hours. The station also allows you to program individual alarms, e.g. for extreme temperatures
- ADDITIONAL BENEFITS: With room climate indicator for an optimal room climate, display of the moon phases & alarm function with snooze function - more than just a weather instrument
- VERSATILE MEASUREMENTS: The 5-in-1 outdoor sensor precisely measures temperature, humidity, wind, air pressure & precipitation - ideal for all weather observers & hobby meteorologists
- HIGH-RESOLUTION COLOR DISPLAY: The 5.7-inch color display allows for quick and easy reading of the current weather data - with color-coded areas for a clear display
- WIFI & DATA SHARING: Thanks to the WiFi function, the weather data can be easily shared with apps such asWeather UndergroundorWeather Cloud
- FORECAST & ALARM FUNCTIONS: The weather station calculates a weather forecast for the next 12 hours. The station also allows you to program individual alarms, e.g. for extreme temperatures
- ADDITIONAL BENEFITS: With room climate indicator for an optimal room climate, display of the moon phases & alarm function with snooze function - more than just a weather instrument
Wrapping Up
Again, we’d like to thank our UK readers for visiting us. We hope this list of the best home weather stations in the UK helps you make the right decision. Of course, you can always contact us if you have any questions. We’d be happy to help you find the perfect home weather station.
