Ecowitt is a name that our readers outside of the US will know (more than those of us in America). However, their stations will look familiar: both it and Ambient Weather license station designs from Fine Offset. But there’s one notable exception, the Ecowitt Wittboy. Designed in-house and funded via a successful Kickstarter project (sound familiar?), Ecowitt’s free to sell this worldwide.
Yes, the Wittboy is very similar to the WeatherFlow Tempest (even down to the promotional videos — watch both on Amazon, and you’ll see what we mean :)), but not in price. The Tempest retails for $339, while the Wittboy is $90 cheaper. And for Black Friday, it’s an even better deal.
- The outdoor sensor contains a haptic rainfall sensor, light and UV sensors, an ultrasonic wind speed sensor, and both temperature and humidity sensors
- Connects to Weather Underground and WeatherCloud
- Includes Wi-Fi hub
Compatible with other Ecowitt sensors
We spotted a $40 coupon on Amazon that you can apply at checkout to bring the price down to $209, the cheapest it’s been since its launch last year. This sale is unadvertised, so it is unclear when the coupon may disappear.
Reviews of the Wittboy say it’s easy to set up and use, and the included hub can support up to eight indoor temperature sensors. We’ve also been told that Ambient Weather sensors in some cases will pair with the Ecowitt hub (do a Google search first, though).
Like the Tempest, the Wittboy uses haptics for the rain gauge. While we’re not completely sold on this just yet as a replacement for the traditional “tipping bucket” rain gauge, it’s far more durable. On average, you’ll have to replace that tipping bucket every 3-5 years to maintain accuracy. And since it has moving parts, there are also other opportunities for things to break.
We haven’t had a chance to personally test the Wittboy ourselves, but the reviews on Amazon from verified purchasers are good enough that we feel confident in recommending it. We are planning to review the Wittboy in the coming months, however.
The Tempest is on Sale, Too
The WeatherFlow Tempest is the weather station to buy if you own a smart home. The lightning detection capabilities are also the best we've seen. And you can use promo code TWSE23 for 10% off if you buy direct from WeatherFlow.
- Super quick setup
- Outstanding lightning detection
- Fairly accurate instrumentation
- Ready for the smart home
- Haptic rain sensor doesn’t measure rainfall accurately enough
- No expandability
- Price
The WeatherFlow Tempest isn’t on sale on Amazon yet, however, buying directly from WeatherFlow and using code ‘GIFT20‘ will save you 20%.
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