AcuRite 5" Capacity Easy-to-Read Magnifying Acrylic, Blue (00850A3) Rain Gauge

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars | 30,917 ratings

Price: 5.98

Last update: 09-22-2024


About this item

AcuRite rain gauge measures up to 5 inches of rainwater
Numbers are magnified by over 35% for simple, at-a-glance rainfall measurement viewing
Easy-to-read white numbers and inch markings
Durable, weather-resistant acrylic construction on this plastic rain gauge
Integrated hang hole for easy mounting or can be staked into the ground

Product information


Top reviews from the United States

Stan T Mann
5.0 out of 5 stars Simple to use and easy to read
Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2024
This rain gauge works great in our garden. It’s simple to use and easy to read. We just pushed it directly into the ground. We bring ours inside during the winter, so I cannot comment on its tolerance of the cold.

Regarding any accuracy concerns, the amount of rain collected by a rain gauge is related to the size of the opening in the top of the rain gauge. Just like one inch of rain in your coffee cup is less water than one inch of rain in your swimming pool, one inch of rain captured in a small rain gauge will have less water than one inch of rain captured in a larger rain gauge. You cannot pour one inch of water from your coffee cup into your swimming pool and expect the water in your swimming pool to be one inch deeper. A larger rain gauge can be just as accurate as a smaller rain gauge though they will contain different amounts of water.

This rain gauges is smaller at the bottom and larger at the top. Still, all the rain is captured through the larger opening in the top. If you pour one inch of water from a wide cup into another cup that is half as wide, the smaller cup will have two inches of water. It’s still the same one inch of water from the larger cup, but it fills more of the smaller cup. That is why this rain gauge has numbers that are farther apart at the bottom and get gradually closer together at the top.
Olga Batalov
5.0 out of 5 stars Inexpensive, durable and easy to read
Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2024
I was looking for an inexpensive replacement for the rain gauge that came with our property that eventually cracked and leaked. I settled on this one, which I placed in a sheltered spot. It is difficult with our mostly clay soil to get anything stuck into the ground, so this ended up in a large pot. It is bigger than I expected - not a bad thing. It is easy to read with large, bold numbers. We do not get freezing temperatures, so that was not a concern here. I bought a second one for when this one ultimately cracks, which it will eventually with our intense sunlight and heat. The first one has lasted for 2.5 years thus far.
Steve
4.0 out of 5 stars Different Dimensions Than Previous Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2024
This is my second purchase of this item -- to replace a 5 year old one that had turned yellow and cloudy. I mount my gauge on a fencepost and hoped the new one would fit just like the one it is replacing. The dimensions are different -- the new one is taller and the screw holes spacing is different. It's good to have a new, clean, easy-to-read gauge, but had to drill another hole in my vinyl fence post.
Shannon
5.0 out of 5 stars Great gauge for the money!
Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2024
I like how big the numbers are!Definitely makes it easier to read!Sturdy plastic but don’t hammer it into the ground or anything.I think it would shatter.
Bos Indicus
5.0 out of 5 stars Large, easy to mount, easy to read
Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2024
The above headline summarizes why we purchased this gauge.

If possible mount the gauge on a post where it's clear of garden shrubs and surrounding trees - you want the airflow above the gauge, hence rainfall, as even as possible without being influenced by swirls and eddies. Sticking the gauge into the soil doesn't achieve this - that's why you always see professional weather monitors mounted well above the ground.

A post height that lets you read the gauge at about your standing eye height, or remove the gauge to read it, is useful for people with bending / stooping challenges.

Removal of the gauge to empty it is fast and simple - provided you have the two mounting screws at exactly the right separation from each other. Ensure the post is vertical and the gauge is mounted vertically on it; if there's a lean, accuracy will be impaired.

Problems? None so far, although the 5 inch max capacity means that if you're receiving very high rainfall you'll need to measure and empty the gauge as needed.

Is the gauge accurate? We don't know, as we don't have any accurate way to check, but two factors would help accuracy:

1. The large size of the gauge means the 1/10th of an inch marks make it easy to reasonably accurately estimate rainfall between two marks, e.g. between 7/10ths and 8/10ths of an inch. This is impossible on a small gauge.
2. We notice that water does not seem to stick to the internal sides of the gauge; if rain falls into the gauge it all ends up at the bottom waiting to be measured.

Remember to read the water level at the bottom of the concave meniscus, not at the side where the water stretches up a little. If that's puzzling, a quick search online will give you useful info.

How long will the gauge last in south Texas heat and sunshine? Plastic doesn't tend to like either. Time will tell. Would we buy again? Based on experience so far, yes.
Amazoner
5.0 out of 5 stars Works well
Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2024
I like that I can easily read the rain gauge Through the window, even though it’s 6 feet away. And the measurements match a different rain gauge I also have.
KS
5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to read
Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2024
This is a sturdy rain gauge. It looks good and the markings are very clear. It collects rainwater accurately.
Colleen R. Wager
3.0 out of 5 stars Difficult to Read
Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2024
At first I thought that this would work but it's extremely difficult to read with the background that has been chosen. It is obviously outside but close enough to where it should be legible. It was past the return time so I did not return it.

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