After testing seven different rain gauges, the Headwind Consumer Products Jumbo EZRead Rain Gauge was the clear winner. I loved how easy this rain gauge was to read, even from across the room. At 26 inches tall, it’s the largest and most accurate one we tested, which helped make it easy to read. 

The rain gauge has a handy funnel at the top, which helps collect water from unpredictable rain. The measurements are bright yellow and easy to read since they are so large. I also love that the tube has a 5-inch capacity to accommodate bigger rainstorms and a red floating marker so you can easily see the level of water.

We did have to mount it to the garden bed and use our cordless drill and hardware (just a few screws we had in our toolkit), but that just took a few minutes. If you want to avoid installation, our best budget pick is a good alternative. But after this one was mounted, it was very sturdy and I think would hold up well to wind and rainstorms.

It’s not the most stylish we tested (if you are going purely for aesthetics, check out our best decorative or best design instead), but I’d be happy to display it in my yard, and I don’t think it’s an eyesore. It’s also available in a variety of colors other than the green we tested. 

_{Type: Standard | Material: Plastic | Collection Capacity: 5 inches | Display: Manual | Installation: Mounted}

For an affordable and versatile pick, you can’t go wrong with the AcuRite Easy Read Rain Gauge. I love that it can be staked into dirt and placed almost anywhere; plus, the measurements are magnified to make them easy to read from a distance. Best of all, it’s less than $10, so even if you are not sure if you’ll use a rain gauge, it’s not a big investment.

I love that this rain gauge has smaller increments as well (our best overall only provides inch and half-inch), so you can get a more precise measurement—just keep in mind that those aren’t as easy to read as the inch measurements. It has a large stake below the measurements, so we were able to place it deep in the dirt in our garden bed. We felt like it was sturdy and wouldn’t blow over easily. 

If you’d rather mount it to a garden bed or other area, it has clear instructions on how to do so. Keep in mind, though, that you’ll have to use your own screws, as they aren’t included. But aside from searching for that hardware (and a drill), it should only take a few minutes to install, and you’ll have a very stable rain gauge that should stay put for a long time.

One drawback to this option is that the opening isn’t as big as our best overall, and we only recorded an inch of rain. Since it doesn’t have a funnel, it only captures water that comes straight down. But as long as the storm isn’t that windy, it should give a more accurate measurement. 

_{Type: Standard | Material: Acrylic | Collection Capacity: 5 inches | Display: Manual | Installation: Mount or stake in ground}

It’s hard for me to choose, but the AcuRite Wireless Digital Rain Gauge is one of my favorites we tested. I love the clear digital display that eliminates the need for guesswork or squinting to read the measurements. Also, the digital reader stays indoors and performs other helpful functions, like alerting you when it’s raining or possibly flooding. 

Aside from our best weather station (which performs more advanced options), this rain gauge is the only one with two parts: a plastic rain bucket that stays outside and can be placed right in the dirt (ground or a pot) or mounted. I worry that the rain bucket could fall over easily if not in a protected area, so if you live in a windy location, I recommend mounting it. 

The rain bucket can be placed as far as 100 feet from the digital reader. We had no issues with the wi-fi connection between the rain collector bucket and the digital reader. It does require two AA batteries to operate, but it comes with the screws if you want to mount it.

But my favorite feature is the self-emptying bucket. I tend to get a lot of mosquitoes in my backyard, and I love that this one doesn’t collect water for very long. The rain gauge just records the rainfall and dumps the water once the rain event has ended.

The digital reader saves storm totals, and you can view them over the current storm, 24-hour period, or the last week, so it’s fun to keep track. The features take a little bit of time to get the hang of, and I found the flood and rain alert settings especially hard to read (they are so small, and I wear reading glasses) and not loud enough to hear from far away. But overall, I love how easy it is to read the rain totals, and all of the features make it an excellent value. 

_{Type: Tipping bucket | Material: Plastic | Collection Capacity: 99.99 inches | Display: Digital | Installation: Freestanding or mounted}

Meet the newest decoration in my garden: the Winston Porter Lukats Frog Rain Gauge. Everyone in our testing lab was charmed by this freestanding rain gauge, which features two frogs sitting on a rock while holding an umbrella. The glass rain collection tube behind them gives it a functional purpose, and I also love that no installation is required.

As far as rain gauges go, though, this isn’t the most accurate or easy-to-read option. The black-inch measurements are larger than the others we tested, but the centimeter markings are hard to see, and everything is hard to read from far away. 

The collection tube is made of glass and wobbles if you shake the statue, and the whole thing weighs less than a pound, so it’s probably not best for windy areas. I plan on putting it inside my raised garden bed, where it should only tip over on the soft dirt and plants in the wind. 

I also recommend this rain gauge if you have kids who love to garden (or are looking for a gardening gift). My kids are excited to put this outside once the weather warms up. I think it will inspire them to head out after a rainstorm and see how much water our garden was able to drink.

_{Type: Standard | Materials: Polystone resin and glass | Collection Capacity: 5 inches | Display: Manual | Installation: Freestanding}

If you are an avid weather watcher or weather enthusiast, you’ll love the Ambient Weather Professional Smart Weather Station as much as I do. While testing, we loved the accurate rain gauge, and along with keeping track of the rainfall in our area, we could also use the map to monitor rainfall and the rainfall rate in other areas as well. 

Similar to our best digital option, the rain cup is self-emptying, so you don’t need to empty it to avoid standing water. Along with the rain cup, this home weather station has several other sensors that track weather events, including an ultrasonic wind sensor and a temperature sensor. I love that they can be mounted together or independently, allowing the user to pick the ideal location for each. 

All of these readings are available on the colorful screen that you can monitor indoors, plus there’s a compatible app you can use to access all of the readings. You can even control it through your smart home device and set up helpful weather alerts.

This option offers a lot of information and features (sunrise, sunset, temperature, dew point, way too many to list!), so I don’t recommend it if you just want a basic weather station or a basic rain gauge—setup can take a long time and we found the mounting instructions to be confusing. However, if you want a weather station that accurately tells you the rainfall in your area (and more!), this is a great option to consider.

_{Type: Tipping bucket | Material: Metal | Collection Capacity: Not listed | Display: LCD | Installation: Mounted}

I was excited to test the Arlmont & Co. Justin Plastic Rain Gauge due to its simple, modern design. The measurements were easy to see from far away (even without my reading glasses), and it has a red floating marker so you can easily see the water level. 

This option does require installation, but I was able to easily install it to the wooden raised garden bed with a cordless drill. Unlike many other mounted options we tested, the hardware (screws) were included, which was a big plus. I just had to screw the bracket on and slide the bin inside. I also love that the bin is easy to remove so you can easily empty or clean it.

Although it’s made of plastic, this rain gauge felt sturdy once installed, and shouldn’t blow over in a wind storm if it’s properly mounted. However, you will need to remove the water collection bin in the winter since it could freeze and crack. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that it doesn’t offer the most accurate results. The rain gauge is wide, but the opening is narrow, so I noticed a lot of the water just hit the sides but didn’t go inside. However, the reading wasn’t too far off the average, and it should give you an idea of how much rain fell (and whether you need to water your garden and lawn). 

_{Type: Standard | Material: Plastic | Collection Capacity: 5 inches | Display: Manual | Installation: Mounted}

The Pottery Barn Outdoor Rain Gauge is another great option if you are looking to add more decor to your garden or outdoor area. I love that it’s about 12 inches tall (including the stake), so it’s small enough to stake in a small pot or raised garden bed. Without the stake, it’s even smaller, so it doesn’t take up much room on a fence, post, or wall. 

Similar to our best decorative option, the glass tube is removable and easy to empty or clean. Since it’s made of glass, it is fragile—you’ll want to ensure you put it in a protected area. We tested it in our raised garden bed, and it felt stable in the dirt. However, we worry that it could be damaged in a windy storm if it’s mounted or staked in the ground. Pottery Barn also recommends not leaving the tube outside when it’s below freezing. 

Even though it’s small, it did capture more rain than larger options, surprisingly. However, the measurements can be hard to read, especially from far away. While it is more practical and effective than our best decorative option, it is one of the most expensive on the list (aside from our best weather station), but its stylish design is a big plus.

_{Type: Standard | Materials: glass, brass, and aluminum with a Nickel, Bronze Patina, or Brass finish | Collection Capacity: | Display: Manual | Installation: Mount or stake in ground}