Do you want to know how much rain falls in your area or how much water collects in a container over time? Then you need a rain gauge, a device that measures rainfall. But not all rain gauges are the same. Some can tell you the intensity of the rain, some can show you the size of the raindrops, and some can do both. So, how do you choose the right rain gauge for your needs? We have done the research for you and compiled a list of the best rain gauges in 2024; our top pick is the AcuRite Rain Gauge, which is both easy to use and accurate. Let's take a look at the rest of the list!
Our Top Picks For Rain Gauge
The Best Rain Gauge
It measures up to 5 inches of rainwater. The numbers on the gauge are magnified by over 35% for an easy read. It has a durable, weather-resistant acrylic construction. It has easy-to-read white numbers and inch markings. The integrated hang hole is for easy mounting, or it can be stacked into the ground. Whether you are a gardener or have a basement that leaks when you get too much rain, the Magnifying rain gauge will help you determine if you need to water your garden or check for flooding.
Pros
- Comes with easy to read numbers
- Extremely long-lasting product
Cons
- Some customers claimed that it doesn’t give accurate reading sometimes
Most Accurate
Don’t rely on published rainfall reports measured miles from your home or garden. Accurately monitor your backyard rainfall with La Crosse’s Large Plastic Rain Gauge. This attractive weather-resistant 12-inch plastic gauge measures up to 5 inches of rain. Magnifying acrylic makes its high contrast white letters and markings on dark backgrounds easy to read, even from a distance. Designed to be mounted in a variety of locations, including fence posts, deck railing, or ground.
Pros
- The markings are easy to read
- Can be mounted in a variety of locations
Cons
- Some customers said that the plastic is cheap
Most Durable
It is accurate to 1/100th of an inch and easy to read. It was built to US Weather Bureau standards. Install the rain gauge on a post with its exclusive “Quick Connect” bracket, which lets you quickly remove the cylinder for easy measurement or cleaning. Constructed of heavy-duty, UV-resistant polycarbonate (no metal parts to rust), this high-quality rain gauge will stand up to years of rough weather and full sun without fading or corroding.
Pros
- Heat and frost resistance
- Even a light shower registers clearly in increments of 100ths of an inch
Cons
- Some customers said that it is not very durable
Easiest Installation
It is made of high-quality polycarbonate plastic that won’t crack, go yellow or get cloudy from long-term exposure to the elements. The sturdy Aussie-made construction ensures these rain gauges will be enjoyed for many years to come. It is a manual wireless rain gauge which means it is easy to use, but it is also easy to manage—no fiddling or adjusting for accuracy. Just check the rain collected against the scale, record results, empty, and prepare for the next rainfall.
Pros
- It doesn’t crack easily
- Even beginners can use it quite easily
- Very easy to install
Cons
- Some believe it mixes fractions and decimals
Most Modern
It measures rain precipitation with 0.1mm/0.01inch resolution, indoor temperature, and humidity with precision and accuracy. Allows you to monitor the rain condition in your backyard/garden/farm/land crop with 300FT/100M wireless transmission range. It displays rain rate, rain event, rainfall total of 1h/24h, daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly records; 24 monthly rain history, and the 730 days of rainfall records. The wireless funnel-shaped rain collector is self-emptying and easy to install. The wall-mountable display base station comes with a built-in tablet stand and backlight.
Pros
- Measures indoor temperature and humidity with history
- You don’t need any extra equipment as it is easy to install
- Gives customizable alerts for rain rate
Cons
- Some customers claimed that it is not accurate
Solar Powered Option
LeiDrail solar rain gauge uses fully upgraded solar panels, which can be used anywhere it will receive sunlight throughout the day. When fully charged, the solar garden light can provide 8 hours of illumination at night. It consists mainly of colorful metal with waterproof coated and durable solar panels, sturdy iron bars, and LED lights, not easy to rust. The replacement glass tube of the rain gauge outdoor has a double scale of 5in/12cm, convenient for reading the measurement data in inches and centimeters.
Pros
- Provides 8 hours of illumination at night
- The measurements are easy to read
Cons
- Some customers said that it is an unstable product
Most Stylish
The 31.5 Inch butterfly measure rainfall garden stakes decorative is made from high-grade rustproof metal, plastic tube, and plastic wings. Place them in your garden, yard, or anywhere you want; they will bring a more refreshing feel to nature. It measures the rainfall with a 5-inch capacity. It has a large plastic tube, and it is easy to read in both inches and centimeters. Moreover, it is safer than glass. A water rain gauge is a great gift for friends and family. It is durable, waterproof, and rustproof. It is widely used in gardens, the backyard, patio, planter pots, and so on.
Pros
- It glows in the dark for better visibility
- Extremely aesthetic and pretty
- The high-quality material is rust-proof
Cons
- Some customers complained that the product is very flimsy
Buying Guide: Rain Gauge
There are lots of rain gauges available online, but one should pay heed while buying the best rain gauge. This is because you don’t want your hair to buy a second-class rain gauge that gives you false measurements. Furthermore, many things need to be taken into consideration while buying the best rain gauge. For this purpose, we have created this guide which will make it easier for you to choose the best rain gauge. We have taken many things into account to make the purchase of the best rain gauge easy for you.
What Are the Key Considerations While Buying the Best Rain Gauge?
Durability
The rain gauge should be long-lasting and durable. The rain gauge is placed outdoors, so it should not be a fragile product. It should be strong enough to fight the extreme weather as well. So, durability is the foremost thing that needs to be taken into consideration while buying a rain gauge.
Easy to install
The rain gauge should be easy to install. It should come with a manual guide where the buyer is introduced to the product and its installation process as well. If the company is providing you with the easy installation of the rain gauge, then you should go for it.
Heat and frost-resistant
The rain gauge must be heat and frost-resistant. The rain gauge is used to measure the rainfall, so it should be resistant to water. As it is used mainly under sunlight hence, it should be resistant to heat as well. You should buy a product that guards itself against frost and heat.
Easy to read
People love things that are easy to use. If the rain gauge is easy to use and its numbers are displayed clearly, then it will be loved by the customers as it would ease down their tasks. So, you should look at whether the numbers are easily readable, and if they are, you should buy that rain gauge.
Economical
The rain gauge must be in the economical range. You are willing to buy a product for rainfall measuring, but it shouldn’t disturb your budget as well. There are many economical yet sturdy rain gauges available in the market, so you should go for them instead of wasting your huge amount of money on any highly-priced rain gauge.
Which Features to Look For in the Best Rain Gauge?
Accuracy
The rain gauge must be highly accurate. Nobody wants to buy a product that is not accurate and doesn’t perform its job well. The rain gauges in our list are highly accurate and provide precise measurements as many customers have given positive reviews about the accuracy of these products.
Measuring capacity
The measuring capacity means a lot when it comes to the features of the rain gauge. The rain gauge should be able to measure a decent amount of rain with ease. Most of the rain gauges mentioned here measure up to 5 inches of rain.
Accessories
The rain gauge should come with accessories like screws. This eases the task of mounting the gauge. You shouldn’t buy a rain gauge if it doesn’t come with its accessories. This is so because this would make the installation process difficult for the buyer.
Rustproof
As the rain gauge has to fight extreme weather conditions hence it does tend to rust sometimes. The foremost feature that you should be looking at in a rain gauge is that it should be rust-proof so that the body of the gauge does its job in the best way possible.
What Are the Different Types of Rain Gauges?
Standard rain gauge
The recording of rainfall using the standard or funnel rain gauge is generally done manually. These gauges work by catching the falling rain in a funnel-shaped collector that is attached to a measuring tube. The diameter of the collector is 10 times that of the tube; thus, the rain gauge works by magnifying the liquid by a factor of 10.
Tipping bucket rain gauge
The operation of a tipping bucket rain gauge is quite different from the standard gauge. The receiving funnel leads to one of two small buckets. The filling of one bucket occurs at one-hundredth of an inch. The result is a “tipping” of the liquid into the outer shell of the gauge, triggering the second bucket to take its place. The process then repeats itself, allowing for precise measurement of rainfall intensity and amount. This gauge has become standard for wireless weather stations.
Weighing rain gauge
The universal weighing rain gauge is optimal for climatology use. This is because of a vacuum that accounts for the effects of wind, allowing more rain to enter the gauge. These gauges are very precise in measuring rainfall intensity as the weighing mechanism at the bottom of the collector can be used to measure depth and time simultaneously. The recording is carried out much in the same way as the older versions of the tipping bucket gauges.
What Is the Price Range of the Best Rain Gauge?
Expensive
The expensive best rain gauges range from $80-$144.
Mid-range
The mid-range rain gauges range from $30-$80.
Cheap
The cheap rain gauges range from $4-$30.
People Also Asked
What rain gauge size should I buy?
It determines the repeatability and also the accuracy of a rain gauge. The larger the opening, the lower the statistical error in measurements in real-world applications. Always choose the largest size that your budget allows.
What is rain gauge accuracy?
Suppose a rain gauge has 1% accuracy listed on its datasheet. In that case, it should mean that for all rain rates within its measuring range, light to heavy rains, the maximum difference between the real amount of rain that flows through its funnel and what is recorded by it will be within 1% (1% less or 1% more).
What is the graduated cylinder rain gauge?
It is highly reliable, but one must get wet in the rain to read off rain information in real-time. If one can wait until it stops raining and has the patience, time, and persistence to manually read off rain accumulations, this type of rain gauge can be the most accurate and reliable. Error from evaporation loss in warm climates can be an issue if rain accumulations are recorded only once per day.
