Suppose you’re a hobbyist or a professional whose daily activities highly depend on the weather. In that case, you’ll need a portable weather station that you can easily take with you out there.
The device will help you monitor various weather conditions and provide reliable, accurate info about the weather around you.
However, finding the best handheld weather station for you might not be easy as the market is flooded with multiple devices with varying features and costs.
The purpose of coming up with this post is to introduce you to the 8 most popular handheld weather stations you can find on the market today.
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Our top Pick
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Ambient Weather WM-4 Handheld Weather Station
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HOLDPEAK 866B Digital Anemometer
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Kestrel 3000 Pocket Wind Meter
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Ambient Weather WM-5 Handheld Weather Station
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Kestrel 3500 Pocket Weather Meter
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Proster Anemometer Portable Wind Speed Meter Gauge
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Ambient Weather WM-2 Handheld Weather Meter
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BTMETER BT-100 Handheld Anemometer Digital Wind Speed Meter
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Ambient WM-4 is one of the most popular handhelds – best weather stations on the market today, probably due to its affordable price tag. This is the ideal portable weather station for those interested in tracking wind speed and temperature conditions.
It features a wind turbine securely mounted on its body for instant wind readings. Keep in mind that this impeller can withstand wind speeds as high as 67 mph. It also comes with a temperature sensor for accurate air temperature and wind chill factor readings.
Another helpful feature of this weather station is its ability to record average and Max wind speed.
Because it offers you the temperature readings in both Celsius and Fahrenheit units, you can quickly determine which unit to use. It can also easily switch between wind measurement units—like knots, ft./min, m/s, km/h, and mph.
Above all, this device features an intuitive design that makes it super-easy to use. It has rugged, water-resistant construction for exceptional durability.
This device is super easy to use. I would say that this is one of the best handheld weather stations that Ambient has ever created. LOVED IT!
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HOLDPEAK 866B is another highly affordable pocket-size meter that allows you to keep track of wind speed, temperature, and wind chill factor. It provides you with all these readings on one LCD (with a backlight function for easy reading in low light conditions).
Unlike most other devices that fall in its price range, this device provides you with highly accurate, steady wind speed measurements. Mind you, it has a speed range of 0.3-30m/s and Accuracy: 0.1dgts.
What’s more, it provides you with fast measurements for quick analysis of critical environmental conditions. This means you’ll get to know a hurricane trend before you can go out to carry your favorite outdoor activity.
Like the above model, this meter also displays temperature in both Celsius and Fahrenheit. It shows wind in up to 5 unit options: knots, ft./min, km/h, m/s, and mph. And can also record the Max/Min/Average/Current of wind speed and temperature.
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The device does provide real-time data with almost 100% accuracy. However, the manual is a bit unclear—worth the money.
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Kestrel 3000 Pocket Wind Meter has a higher price tag than the two models above. But that’s for a good reason…it’s an advanced pocket weather meter designed to meet the needs of anyone who wants to receive the most accurate data on the current temperature, humidity, dew point, and wind speed.
The portable digital meter features a highly responsive temperature sensor plus a temperature-corrected humidity chamber, enabling you to accurately and quickly measure essential weather data.
Other essential weather readings provided by this meter include:
This high-end meter has a genuinely rugged design; it has been drop-tested and found to meet military standards. It also holds an IP67 waterproof rating and floats in water. Combine these two aspects, and there’s no off-road job this portable meter can’t handle!
The compact, portable design of Kestrel 3000 makes it extremely easy to take with you to all places. You can choose to put it in your vehicle, backpack, pocket, or any other convenient location.
Remember, this all-in-one anemometer, hygrometer, and thermometer unit are backed by a whopping 5-year warranty, which shows the manufacturer’s faith in its quality.
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It’s overall a good purchase. It has high accuracy. I like most about this device because it gives you the details of minimum, maximum, and average wind speed.
We discussed earlier that Ambient WM-5 acts as a bigger version of its brother WM-4. This station comes with a jackknife flip cover design which helps protect the screen and impeller. It also ensures that your body heat and moisture don’t interfere with the meter readings. This weather station will help you keep track of the wind speed, temperature, humidity, heat index, dew point, pressure, and attitude.
Like all the other weather meters from the Ambient brand, this model will offer you the most accurate and reliable readings for various weather conditions. It boasts of a Swiss-made precise barometer and Honeywell humidity sensor—both of which can be easily re-calibrated for the most accurate readings. The pocket weather station is powered by a battery that lasts for 4000 hours and can be replaced by the user.
Thanks to its tripod mounting fixture, keep in mind that you can mount this handheld weather station on a tripod if you want to. It comes with a rugged and water-resistant (up to 4”) design to withstand regular outdoor abuse and harsh weather elements.
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It’s overall a good purchase. It has high accuracy. I like most about this device because it gives you the details of minimum, maximum, and average wind speed.
If you’re looking for the perfect pocket weather meter for industrial hygiene, military, law enforcement, research, windsurfing, etc., you can’t go wrong with this Kestrel 3500 Pocket Weather Meter.
100% made in the USA, this kestrel weather meter provides you with constant, immediate updates of the changing weather conditions. It provides you with accurate readings of the current wind speed, dew point, relative humidity, temperature, and wet bulb temperature—all in one device. The device is soo easy to use that you only need a press of a button to obtain all the weather info you need.
This meter comes equipped with a high-contrast, sunlight-readable monochrome LCD, making it easy to read in broad daylight.
As it’s the case with all the other portable weather stations from Kestrel, this model comes with rugged construction to enable it to hold up to regular outdoor abuse. It has a sturdy protective cover for extra protection. What’s more, it has been drop tested for maximum durability. And it’s waterproof up to 3’/1M deep for 30 minutes.
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Even though the price is high, I recommend investing in this weather station. Well-designed and accurate handheld weather station ever. Loved It!
This particular weather meter fits the perfect definition of a portable, affordable, professional weather measuring instrument. The digital anemometer will help you keep track of the wind speed (measures speed up to 67mph) so that you can plan your outdoor activities better.
The station provides current wind speed reading and maximum and minimum records. The large, easy-to-read LCD with backlit makes it extremely easy for you to read the display data. Not to forget the intuitive control panel for user-friendliness.
This device is powered by a 9V6F22 battery (included) regarding the power source. The low battery indicator lets you know when to recharge the battery. And the auto-shutoff feature helps preserve as much battery power as possible when the device is idle.
The rubber cover surrounding this portable digital anemometer is anti-slip and prevents damage to the unit if you accidentally drop it. Storing and carrying this handheld weather station becomes easier with the included carry case.
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The battery is somewhat an issue in this device; otherwise, it can be perfect for any professional weather enthusiast. Good.
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Apart from the on and off switch, the weather station is one good product. Easy to handle and operate. You can invest in this.
Lastly, we have the BTMETER BT-100 Handheld Anemometer Digital Wind Speed Meter, a thoughtfully designed, durable handheld weather meter at a reasonable cost.
The device comes ready to help you track wind conditions when out there. When measuring speed, making this device is one of the most accurate mods you can get on the market today, thanks to its sensitive dual temp sensors.
The wind speed range of this meter is 0.67~67.1 mph. This means it has a higher wind speed range than most of its competition. This makes it the perfect model for storm chasers.
Unlike most models that take time to stabilize temperature readings, this device’s temperature sensor reacts excellently to temperature changes for more reliable temperature readings.
This weather station is designed using a low battery indicator on a bright LCD backlit screen. This allows you to read easily. It also comes with a tripod hole on the bottom so that you can fix it on your tripod for constant wind gauges.
Note that this unit is also water-resistant and floats in water. But don’t get this wrong: fully submerging the device in water isn’t recommended, else the unit will get damaged. It is a great backpacking weather station.
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Overall the cost of the weather station is worth the capability. It contains everything that a handheld weather station must-have. Satisfactory product.
As we said at the beginning of this post, choosing the right handheld weather station isn’t an easy task due to the multiple devices flooding the market right now.
However, you can make the process easier and faster by knowing what to look for in a portable weather unit.
Below, we outline the most crucial factors to help you pick the most suitable unit that matches your unique needs:
First things first: you should have a clear picture of what you intend to use the handheld weather station for.
This will help you find a weather meter that measures the weather conditions that affect your activity. For instance, if you’re a hunter or long-distance shooter, you’d want to ensure that you buy a unit that tracks wind speed and direction.
A typical unit will provide you with wind speed and temperature readings, so if this is all you need, you can get a basic, budget-friendly model.
If you want to get more details about the weather, however, (like barometric pressure, wind chill, humidity, dew point, etc.), then you should look for a fully-fledged handheld weather station.
Just ensure the weather station you buy reliably meets your specific weather measuring needs.
Once you identify a weather station that provides you with the weather data you need, your next step is to look at how accurately and reliably it delivers the data.
A unit that constantly updates you with weather data is preferable to one that takes forever to update its readings.
The perfect model should also have an error rating of less than ±3. If possible, look for a model that allows you to re-calibrate it for even more precise readings.
If unsure about the accuracy of the station you want to buy, quickly go through the previous user reviews. Trust me; this is the best place to find honest info regarding the reliability of any model you’re planning to buy!
Another vital thing to look for in a pocket weather meter is its build quality.
The most durable models are designed using durable plastic casing. Some also feature a rubber cover on top of the housing to cushion against breakages and damages in case of accidental drops.
Still, on durability, look for a model that comes with a certain level of water resistance to ensure it holds up to various outdoor conditions.
Overall, the benefit of investing in a quality unit is that it’ll be able to withstand most of the outdoor abuse and serve you for an exceptionally long period.
A handheld weather measuring device should also be elementary to use for you.
Look for a model with an intuitive control panel, with clearly labeled buttons, for easy navigation.
Also, ensure the model comes with a large LCD screen for easy reading of the recorded data. A unit with a backlit display is even better as it lets you see the weather data in low light conditions.
Other features that contribute to the ease of use of weather meters include low battery indicator, pen knife cover design, non-slip rubber cover (for easy handling), tripod mounting option, etc.
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The MAIN benefit of owning a pocket meter is that you can easily take it with you to any place you want.
It features a compact design that allows you to quickly stash it in your backpack or pocket for easy carry.
Besides the portability feature, a typical handheld weather station comes with a couple of electronic sensors to provide you with crucial info about the weather.
A typical model comes with an anemometer which helps provide you with reliable info about wind (i.e., you’ll know the direction and speed of wind)
Most models also incorporate additional sensors and features that provide you with air temperature, relative air pressure, weather forecast, dew point, and even compass calibration.
With all these features, there’s no single doubt that a handheld weather station will prove to be the most crucial device you can have beside you when carrying out your favorite outdoor activity.
Some of the activities in which the portable weather station has proven quite helpful: racing, hunting, long-distance shooting, fishing, storm chasing, backpacking, firefighting, sailing, windsurfing, hiking, HVAC professionals, agriculture, and even weather enthusiasts.
Below is our list of the top 8 portable weather stations you can purchase on the market today.
Wind speed, temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, and precipitation can all be measured with portable weather stations. During response efforts, these stations can be utilized to monitor weather conditions.
When weather changes are noticed, having a weather station on hand can help you and your loved ones stay safe. You will always be updated about the weather thanks to real-time data and warnings, which will help you stay safe.
Whether you’re a weather enthusiast or your daily activities entirely depend on the weather, you’ll find a handheld weather station quite a helpful tool.
The portable nature of this device allows you to easily carry it in your pocket, vehicle, backpack, or jacket and take it with you to any place you want. The basic models allow you to monitor crucial weather conditions like wind speed, temperature, and humidity. More advanced models provide you with even more weather data.
The best handheld weather stations also come with excellent build quality to withstand various forms of abuse outdoors.
We hope that our list of top 8 handheld weather stations above will help you easily choose the most suitable model for your unique weather tracking needs.