Hygrometers measure the level of moisture in the air. They help you keep track of the humidity level in your home, which is useful if you are trying to reduce or prevent mould and damp.
They’re very useful gadgets to have whether you live in a damp home yourself or want to check that a property you are letting will be comfortable and healthy for your tenants.
Too much humidity can cause damage to furniture, encourage mould to grow and lead to health problems. Too little humidity can be a problem too, as dry air can lead to dry skin and chapped lips.
With a good indoor hygrometer you can check the relative humidity level to make sure it’s at a safe level, or check that your dehumidifier or humidifier is working properly. If you’re a cigar aficionado, you can place a small hygrometer inside your humidor to make sure that it has the correct humidity.
A healthy humidity level in the UK is about 50-55% relative humidity (RH). Several of the hygrometers reviewed here show a smiley face when the humidity is at this level.
The inexpensive home hygrometers reviewed below are rarely 100% accurate, but they should be accurate enough to make sure your home is neither too humid nor too dry.
Best Hygrometers in the UK
1. ThermoPro TP55 Digital Thermo-hygrometer
Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 2.4 cm
Measures humidity from: 10 to 99% RH
The ThermoPro TP55 is one of the most popular home hygrometers in the UK.
The large LCD screen is easy to read and displays a lot of information about both the humidity and temperature in your home. The screen also has an icon that shows if the humidity is too low, too high or ideal.
The screen is backlit to make it easy to read. The backlight stays on for a few seconds after the button is pressed, and then turns itself off to save energy.
This device can measure temperatures from -50 to +70 °C, with both Celsius and Fahrenheit modes. It can also measure humidity from 10 to 99% RH.
One useful feature is that it stores maximum and minimum humidity and temperature readings from the past 24 hours or all time.
This hygrometer is affordable, easy to use and very smartly designed. It has a big screen that shows all the humidity and temperature information you’re likely to need, making it our number 1 pick right now.
The only downside we could find is that some people find that the humidity readings aren’t always 100% accurate.
2. Inkbird Dc 3V Input Digital Hygrometer
Dimensions: 10.4 x 3.6 x 1.6 cm
Measures humidity from: 30 to 90% RH
This hygrometer from Inkbird is designed to be used in cigar humidor boxes. It’s very small and thin so it will easily fit inside a humidor, and displays both the temperature and relative humidity. As well as humidors, you can also use it in other small spaces such as guitar cases.
It offers the choice of showing the temperature in either Celsius or Fahrenheit. This hygrometer offers good value for money and is very small and compact. However, some people find that it isn’t always accurate.
The Inkbird Dc 3V Input Digital Hygrometer offers great value for money and is a good choice for a humidor or a guitar case. The accuracy can vary, so you might want to test it with a calibration kit or compare it to another hygrometer.
3. ETI Healthy Living Thermometer & Hygrometer
Dimensions: 13.4 x 10.6 x 2.6 cm
Measures humidity from: 10 to 99% RH
This hygrometer has a colour-coded display showing whether your home is too dry, too wet or at an ideal ‘comfort’ level. It measures the temperature in both Fahrenheit and Celsius and displays the relative humidity as a percentage.
There’s a digital display showing temperature and humidity levels, with a dial that clearly shows when the humidity is too high.
Some useful design features include the foldaway stand and a slot for attaching the hygrometer to a wall. There’s also a switch for changing between Fahrenheit and Celsius.
This product is straightforward and easy to use, and is generally very accurate. Some minor downsides are that it doesn’t show the time, and doesn’t automatically reset the minimum and maximum readings.
The ETI Healthy Living Thermometer & Hygrometer is a useful product that will give you a clear indication of whether or not your property is too damp. It lacks some useful features such as a clock, but the display is useful with its combination of a digital display and a dial.
4. Criacr Digital Hygrometer
Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.8 x 1.9 cm
Measures humidity from: 10 to 99% RH
Designed to stand or hang, Criacr’s digital hygrometer is suitable for indoor and outdoor usage, thanks to the strong wireless range of up to 328 feet.
It displays the temperature in either Fahrenheit or Celsius, and the data refreshes every 60 seconds.
This product is extremely easy to set up, and the crystal-clear LCD makes it easy to read. One downside is that the two AA batteries needed aren’t included.
This product is extremely accurate, and also provides excellent value for money for those who have more dynamic usage requirements, such as in camper vans or garages.
5. TFA 30.5026.01 Moxx Digital Thermo-Hygrometer
Dimensions: 5.7 x 1.3 x 6.9 cm
Measures humidity from: 20-99% RH
The TFA 30.5026.01 is a small digital thermometer and hygrometer which can be mounted on the wall or positioned on a table.
It measures temperatures from 0 to 50°C, with the option of showing the temperature in Fahrenheit as well as Celsius.
It’s powered by a CR2032 battery, which is included when you buy it. The battery should last at least six months before you need to replace it.
The LCD screen is clear, so you can read it from a few metres away. One nice feature is that it a smiley face icon appears when the humidity is at a healthy level.
The TFA 30.5026.01 is one of the best value hygrometers you can get for using in the home. It’s affordable and generally delivers great results, even if it’s not always 100% accurate.
How to Choose a Hygrometer
The best hygrometer for you depends on your particular needs. If you are after a hygrometer for a specific task, like putting in a musical instrument case, for example, you will need one that is small enough to fit inside without damaging the instrument.
If, though, you are looking for a hygrometer for a room, if it is too small it will be difficult to read correctly from a distance.
So, here are some considerations to make when looking for hygrometers.
Readability
Some analogue hygrometers are pretty difficult to read. If you need reading glasses, you’ll need to find them each time you want to monitor the humidity in your home. This can get a bit frustrating.
Digital hygrometers, on the other hand, are really easy to read for the most part. There are many that have simple displays that allow you to read them at a glance.
If you intend to use your hygrometer to monitor the humidity in an entire room, one of these simple-to-read digital ones may be the way to go. That way, you can see the readout clearly from anywhere in the room. Plus, the numbers displayed are highly accurate on most digital hygrometers too.
Size
We mentioned the size of hygrometers above, but this is really important. You can find incredibly small hygrometers designed to go in cigar boxes, for example.
You can also find ones for musical instrument cases that can be tucked away inside without the fear of damaging the instrument or the case.
If you’re buying a hygrometer for a specific task like the ones above, size really does matter. If you are buying one to monitor the humidity of your home, then the larger the screen or the display is, the better you’ll be able to read it from a distance.
Temperature readings
Some hygrometers available in the UK measure the temperature in Fahrenheit, some measure in Celsius, and most digital ones can be programmed to measure in both. Choose the hygrometer that suits the temperature readings that you are most comfortable with.
Accuracy
All of the hygrometers we mentioned above are really accurate, but some that are available are not accurate at all.
If you don’t choose one of the hygrometers from our list, try and find out about the accuracy of the one you intend to buy. Customer reviews are a great source of accuracy information.
Hygrometer FAQs
Are digital or analogue hygrometers more accurate?
Digital hygrometers are more accurate than analogue ones and can often track more information too.
There are some models that can even track temperature and humidity changes over very long periods of time. So, if accuracy is a massive concern, a good-quality digital hygrometer is the best way to go.
How do you know if a hygrometer is accurate?
To fine-tune a hygrometer to be as accurate as possible, you can dampen a towel, wrap the hygrometer in the towel, wait for 30 minutes and quickly read the meter. If it says 100% humidity, it is as accurate as possible. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to calibrate the meter.
Most analogue hygrometers can be adjusted with a knob. Most digital hygrometers can also be adjusted and should come with instructions on how to calibrate them. If you can’t calibrate your hygrometer, you can take note of the difference and remember it for future reference.
Where is the best place to put a hygrometer?
The best place to put a hygrometer in your home is in a common living area. It shouldn’t be near any windows or rooms that create excess humidity (like the bathroom or kitchen, for example). So, a living room or hallway are good places.
Conclusion
If we had to pick just one hygrometer for the home, it would be the ThermoPro TP55 Digital Thermo-hygrometer. It’s very highly rated by users who praise it for being well designed and easy to use and read, while remaining affordable and good value for money.
In The Wash is your guide to the best laundry and cleaning products, tips and tricks. Our mission is to solve the UK’s cleaning and laundry dilemmas!
