As the weather gets colder, we here at The Weather Station Experts turn our attention to our reviews over the past year. Recently there has been an explosion in the number of home weather stations available, with multiple new models released in 2023 and 2024. While we’ll be upfront with you here right now and say there’s quite a bit of shuffling, so our list will look a lot different than past years.
There are a few reasons for this, which we’ve detailed below in our 2025 Weather Station Buyers Guide.
We’ve archived our 2023-2024 ratings here.
Interested in learning about our testing process? This blog post explains it.
Table of Contents
- Changes to our Weighting
- Changes to Scores and Stations Recommended
- Watch the video
- Our 2025 Weather Station Buyers Guide
Changes to our Weighting
Part of this has to do with changes to our weighting. In last year’s update, we placed more weight on value, and there was 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 more expensive stations are again seeing 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. Most stations are now generally user-friendly, so we are lessening the weight of that category a bit for 2025.
Our changes are described in more detail in the video below, which we did in whiteboard format to make it just a bit more interesting to watch.
Why are you changing the weighting?
This might seem like an effort on our end to create some 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 for years were too subjective. While some scores have changed dramatically, there is reason behind those changes, which we detail below.
Changes to Scores and Stations Recommended
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 seen an uptick in reports of customer service issues in getting support, which is a concern. As a result, these stations have lower durability scores from last year. We think it makes sense to roll support quality ratings into durability, 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 of the reasons it has returned (as well as 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 to begin with (needs to measure temperature, humidity, wind, and rainfall). We had it in for several years because there were so few options, that’s no longer the case, so it’s time for the Notos to move to the thermometers list because it is essentially a glorified thermometer.
Watch the video
Our 2025 Weather Station Buyers Guide
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.
The Best of the Best
1. Best Home Weather Station of 2025 – Ambient Weather WS-5000-IP3
| 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
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 had pulled the WS-5000 from our recommendations due to its far too high price with a console that isn’t anything special in late 2022. But options are now available for a console-less version, which puts the price in the same ballpark as the Tempest and no haptic rain gauge.
2. Tempest Weather System
| 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
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 lightning detection that’s unparalleled. But we can’t go without mentioning the haptic rain gauge, which while better in our second test in 2024 versus 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
| 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 probably would have been on our 2024 list had I been able to get my hands on a sensor, which I wasn’t able to 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 their 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 just 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 it elsewhere. However, with Davis stations, they use RF instead of Wi-Fi, so some central station is 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
| 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 in our decision to rethink its durability rating. Not helping is the apparent customer service issues that we’ve also seen way too many of regarding Ambient Weather products (the same company owns Kestrel). And with scores so close together among top weather stations, it made a massive difference.
6. Ambient Weather WS-1553-IP
| 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
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 themselves 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 of the reasons why its durability score fell considerably when you compare it to the WS-2902 and WS-2000 which 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. Not having fan aspiration or UV and light sensors that can be found in cheaper weather stations did 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
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, which I’m trying to confirm, because that makes no sense at all.
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 any more recent weather stations released by Ambient Weather and WeatherFlow. I had high hopes that the acquisition by AEM would mean some kind of new weather station model, but that seems like it won’t happen any time 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. To be honest, while we love ours, if we had the money at the time we would have opted for the Vantage Pro2 instead. That said, we got eight years out of our Vue before it needed its first major overhaul, two times the lifespan of most Ambient Weather stations.
Just Missed The List
10. Ambient Weather WS-1965
| Accuracy (25%) | Value (25%) | Durability (20%) | Feature Set (20%) | Ease of Use (20%) | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/5 | 5/5 | 45 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 83/100 |
MSRP: $136.99
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Last year’s score: N/A (New)
The Ambient Weather WS-1965 rounds out the top 10 best home weather stations of 2025. While it is new to our list, that’s not entirely accurate. We unofficially added it in 2024 after a review, but this station replaced the WS-1900 the year prior, with the only addition being internet connectivity.
We found the sensor suite used in the WS-1553-IP above to provide more accurate readings overall, and the WS-1965’s console is not intuitive and oddly laid out.
11. AcuRite Iris
| Accuracy (25%) | Value (25%) | Durability (20%) | Feature Set (20%) | Ease of Use (20%) | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 | 80/100 |
MSRP: ~$150
Last year’s score: 75 (+5)
You might wonder why we rank the Iris ahead of the Atlas, but let’s explain. The Iris is an easy-to-use weather station with average durability and is generally a good value overall. However, every AcuRite model seems to have something it doesn’t do well, and with the Iris that’s wind readings. The score change here was due to an adjustment upward in the accuracy rating (3 to 3.5) based on more data.
Also Tested – Currently Not Recommended
12. AcuRite Atlas
| Accuracy (25%) | Value (25%) | Durability (20%) | Feature Set (20%) | Ease of Use (20%) | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 78/100 |
MSRP: $269.99
Last year’s score: 78 (+0)
You’d think the Atlas would do better as a “higher-end” station. However, the rain gauge here is horribly inaccurate, and early models suffered from interference, making the optional lightning detector useless. While the latter was fixed in a recall of affected units, the rain gauge issue appears to be a design flaw.
AcuRite’s failure to produce a true pro-grade station may have been the reason why the Atlas Elite never saw the light of day, which was intended to compete with the Vantage Pro2. A shame, because the My AcuRite app is one of our favorites.
13. Netatmo Weather Station
| Accuracy (25%) | Value (25%) | Durability (20%) | Feature Set (20%) | Ease of Use (20%) | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3/5 | 3.5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 73/100 |
MSRP: $360
Last year’s score: 67 (+6)
We had considered retiring the Netatmo Weather Station this year, as it is unclear whether Netatmo is actively developing the product anymore. When its weather station debuted a decade ago, its smart home connectivity was groundbreaking, even though the accuracy was somewhat questionable.
These days, Netatmo’s once revolutionary feature set is commonplace, and its issues, namely accuracy and an annoying modular nature (the weather station itself only measures temperature and humidity, wind and rain are optional) don’t make sense anymore.
Unless you’re in Europe and this is the only smart home-compatible option available in your country (it shouldn’t, Ecowitt weather stations should be available to you), we’d skip it in favor of models much higher up on our list. The change in score here was primarily due to the change in our weighting.
Hi Ed! Nice write up on the different weather stations. I currently have a Davis VP2 6152 and will be upgrading as a few parts are beginning to fail and in the long run, it’s probably more cost effective to upgrade. I’m now able to afford a new unit with the additional sensors, unlike 10 years ago when I got my current station, so I think that is the path I will go. Thank you for the info on the new console. I’m still deciding on whether or not I will get the new console or just use my old one.
Quick question. Have you ever done any write-ups on Bloomsky? They have an interesting product similar to the Tempest. Just curious if you have or not.
Thank you!!
Chris
I like the WS-5000, but it only lasts a few months in our marine environment. Iāve had 3 in the last 2 years. Iāll likely be trying the Davis Vantage Pro2 next.
TBH, they’re all made out of plastic. Curious: what is failing? The entire station or just certain parts. That’s definitely something to add in here. I’m over 150 miles inland so I don’t have the salt to deal with š
hi, im thinking of geting the ws 5000, dose any one know if this can forcarst wether better than the davis
paul
hear is a exampal,
larst week we had rain all day, but it only forcarst rain about 4 hours later ,.when the rain stopped ,it was STILL forcasting rain..
to day most of the uk have got rain, but the davis is still showing broken cloud,…prob not forcast rain for hours later…
its a totol joke…if you are thinking of getting a davis vantage pro 2, DONT,…you will be wasting your money…..
hi, im thinking of geting the ws 5000, dose any one know if this can forcarst wether better than the davis
paul
…today its been raining all day,…the davis never forcarst rain, and is STILL forcasting broken cloulds,….ive had enough of this expensiv paper waight,….its now going in the rubbish bin,….dont buy a davis vantage pro 2….
ive just discoverd that davis has now a new concil called a 6313 that will work with vu and vantag pro 2…..
I have a Tempest and it seems like itās accuracy is lower on high wind days. Iām on a hill and winds can get really high. Iāve just re-installed a Davis Vantage Pro-2 and will be doing comparisons of the two. On rainfall accuracy, the Tempest varies. If the wind is low, Tempest is very accurate. If I have a lot of wind during the rain, accuracy suffers. Tech support with Tempest has been very good. They recalibrated the rain sensor and it helped.
That’s helpful. Thank you!
No, thank you, we updated this page to reflect your questions! I should have included these initially, as relevant information was missing. We also have a new station here that we’ll be testing this spring as well as a retest of some of the older stations, so it’s a good time to do that!
Could you quantify the accuracy of the various stations? What’s the difference between a 5/5 and 3.5/5? How inaccurate is the WS-2902 for temp/wind/rainfall, etc? Are we talking 2% error or 50% error? I checked the more detailed reviews for the products, but this information doesn’t seem to be there either. Anything more quantitative here would be appreciated, especially for the WS-2902 and the the WS-5000. Thanks!
Hi Craig –
Sorry for the delay on the reply here. As for the ratings, with a good portion of stations you’ll have readings +/-2F of the actual reading in the shade, which is a pretty standard MOE for home weather stations. None of the stations we tested were outside of this range. Now, there is wide differences in non-optimal conditions. I would take a lower rating to mean there’s issues in non-optimal conditions, i.e. direct sunlight, high winds, etc. Does this help?
Thanks, Ed! How about rainfall and wind speed measurements? About what accuracy could I expect for the WS-2902 and the the WS-5000?
On rainfall, at least in my tests, the WS-5000 seemed to do the best, pretty close to the Davis Vantage Vue, which also performs well – generally within a few hundredths of an inch. The smaller funnel of the WS-2902 will cause some undercount. Niether is way off, on other non-AW stations, we found the AcuRite Atlas to most significantly undercount, and the Netatmo to overcount, often by a .1″.. which we found unacceptable.. that’s a big error.
On winds, I can’t unfortunately give you accurate guidance as we don’t have an installation location where accurate wind readings are possible. But if it means anything, we did have both installed at the same location, and the wind readings were often quite similar, although the sonic anemometer is obviously going to be more sensitive to changes in speed by design. Sorry š