Rain gauges allow people to measure rain without having to go outside. Knowing how much rainfall you’re getting every day, week, month, or season lets you know whether to water your garden or prepare for bad weather. Finding the correct gauge for your needs may seem daunting at first.
We’ve selected eight for our best rain gauges list this year. Our first four recommendations offer the most accurate precipitation measurements, although there’s one clear winner that we strongly recommend for accuracy. But it’s not cheap, so if you’re looking for a rain gauge at a more affordable price, the last four are some of the best-reviewed by owners on Amazon. They might not have the precise readings of the more expensive models, but they still work well for general applications.
Our Top Picks
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Digital Rain Gauges
Digital rain gauges funnel rain into a tipping bucket inside the gauge. Once the buckets reach a certain level, they tip over and release their contents. Some, like the WeatherFlow Tempest, use haptics to detect raindrops and calculate rainfall from that data.
Digital rain gauges accurately measure rainfall, but if there is heavy rainfall, the buckets may overflow before filling up, causing inaccurate measurements. Also, if you’re taking measurements for an official purpose (NOAA, CoCoRAHS, NWS storm spotting), a digital rain gauge should not be used and is often prohibited due to these inaccuracy issues. But for most of us, a digital rain gauge will be more than sufficient even with the inaccuracy.
Analog Rain Gauges
Analog rain gauges are the traditional devices used to measure rainfall. Some funnel water into a measuring tube, like the TROPO Precipitation Gauge, while others, like the OutdoorHome Rain Gauge above, are open at the top to allow rain to collect. These gauges are usually placed on a post and are frequently found in gardening and home improvement stores. They are also the preferred method of collecting data for scientific applications.
Rain gauges allow people to measure rain without having to go outside. Knowing how much rainfall you’re getting every day, week, month, or season lets you know whether to water your garden or prepare for bad weather. Finding the correct gauge for your needs may seem daunting at first.
Best Rain Gauges
Considering the Climalytic TROPO? Purchase from Cirrusly Weather using code “TWSESAVES10” to save!
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The Best Budget Rain Gauges
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How to Choose the Best Rain Gauge
Rain gauges are essential tools for farmers, gardeners, and weather enthusiasts to measure rainfall. Many different types are available, but you should know some things before purchasing.
Rain gauges should measure rainfall accurately. They should also be easy to use and maintain. You must consider how much money you want to spend. While you don’t have to pay much for an accurate rain gauge, expect to spend around $25-50 USD, and on the higher end of that if you’re using it in a scientific application.
Installation
Rain gauges should be placed two to five feet on the side or fence posts. Placing them above the post ensures that rain hitting the post doesn’t splash back into the gauge. You should use a level to ensure that the mouth of the gauge is also level. A crooked gauge will give inaccurate readings!
Be sure to position the gauge away from obstructions that could block precipitation, like tall buildings or trees. Ideally, it should be placed twice the distance away from the height of the nearest obstacle. No worries if you can’t do this. Just put the gauge in the most open area of your property for the best results.
Accuracy
Rain gauges must measure rainfall accurately; a gauge’s size affects how much water it can hold. Typically, most gauges can measure about four to five inches of rain before needing to be emptied, but some gauges, like the Stratus Precision Rain Gauge, can hold nearly a foot of rain. Generally, you want a gauge with a wide funnel, which helps maintain accuracy in windy conditions.
Gauge markings also affect accuracy. Cheap gauges may be marked to the tenth of an inch, but official measurements are taken to a hundredth of an inch.
Construction and Durability
Most of our gauges have lasted several seasons, even the cheaper ones. The cheapest models are usually the shortest-lasting ones, though. However, if you’re willing to spend more money, you’ll be rewarded with a longer-lasting gauge.
Measuring Capacity
Rain gauges should be purchased with a minimum capacity of four inches. A digital model may offer unlimited capacity. However, a professional analog gauge such as the Stratus Precision has a maximum capacity of 11 inches.
Ease of Use
Digital rain gauges are much easier to use than analog ones. But you still need to know how to operate them properly.