What is the best hygrometer?
While diminished humidity during winter can be an inconvenience for us, it can be fatal for reptiles.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the best reptile hygrometers for maintaining humidity levels.
We tried to vary our picks as much as possible to suit different needs. Let’s see!
Best Hygrometer
 | REPTI ZOO Hygrometer |
| View On AmazonView On Chewy |
 | Small Reptile Hygrometer |
| View On AmazonView On Chewy |
 | Zoo Med Hygrometer |
| View On AmazonView On Chewy |
Hygrometers are necessary for a range of reptiles:
- Skinks and lizards (the pic above is from a local zoo)
- Geckos and snakes
- Turtles and tortoises
You may also need them for keeping different types of amphibians like frogs and salamanders as well, and they are useful for incubating fertilized chicken eggs.
Being cold-blooded, reptiles, amphibians, and other ectotherms can’t hold their body’s temperature at a certain level. Instead, they depend on the surrounding environment.
That’s why giving them the right setup is crucial.
Here’s a round-up of our top picks for the best digital thermometer hygrometer, with much more info below.
In each of the following reviews, I’ll dive deeper into each product to find out about the accuracy, suitable setup, range, etc. I’ll also highlight any downside that can impact your experience.
1. REPTI ZOO Reptile Terrarium Thermometer Hygrometer
Specs:
- Temperature range: 14℉ to 122℉
- Humidity range: 20% to 99%
- Accuracy:+/-2℉
- Response time: 5 seconds
This REPTI ZOO Hygrometer is one of the best-selling models – probably because it’s so small and simple!
It’s only 2.5 inches from bottom to top and is easily stuck to the glass or plastic side of your enclosure with a suction cup.
It comes with two batteries (BONUS!) which should last up to a year, and it also comes with a 12-month quality guarantee.
The downsides are that it’s not waterproof so intense condensation can cause problems. Also, some people have found that it simply fails to work at all pretty quickly.
However, the majority of buyers have found it to be accurate, easy to read, and all-around easy to use.
Pros:
- Very cheap
- Easy install and take up little space
- Easy to read digital display
Cons:
- Some units faulty (as with any product really)
- Not waterproof
2. Jlenoveg Thermometer Humidity Gauge – Smallest
Specs:
- Humidity range: 20% to 90%
- Temperature range: 14 to 122 °F
Got a feisty reptile?
The Jlenoveg thermo-hygrometer should be your best bet in that case.
Unlike the previous product, this device has a screen and a sensor in one compact gadget.
When it comes to mounting, Jlenoveg gives you two options:
- First, you can use the adhesive pad placed on the front of the device to mount it on your tank’s wall
- Second, you can use the built-in hook to hang it over the tank’s edge
Luckily, both ways are sturdy enough. The sticky pad, in particular, seems to be the favorite of many.
An Amazon customer says that it can support the full weight of his young ball python!
Generally, most users are happy with the quality and clarity of the screen.
However, I wish Jlenoveg had placed a backlight to make it easier to read the values in poor lighting conditions. This can’t be viewed as a major flaw, though.
Pros:
- Small, convenient construction
- Easy mounting
- The sticky pad can support heavy loads
Cons:
- The screen would’ve been clearer with a backlight
3. Zoo Med Reptile Thermometer – Best Wired
Specs:
- Humidity range: N/A
- Temperature range: -10 to 122 °F
I can’t say how much I love Zoo Med products.
Being primarily specialized in reptiles, they produce basking lamps, UV lights, gauges, and pretty much everything you’ll need for your terrarium.
Their humidity gauge comes as a small device with a digital display. Unlike the two previous models, this device picks up the temperature and humidity via 2 separate wired sensors.
The temperature sensor comes as a steel probe that can be submerged underwater or pushed under the substrate.
The humidity probe, on the other hand, features small openings from which the air can be analyzed. Naturally, such a design isn’t waterproof by any means.
To facilitate the setup, Zoo Med ships two suction cups that can hold the two probes in place.
The device itself has a small recess to hang it next to your turtle tank (or whatever pet you have), probably over a screw or another suction cup.
Pros:
- Easy mounting with the shipped suction cups
- High accuracy
- Waterproof temperature probe
Cons:
- The screen would’ve been clearer with a backlight
4. Exo Terra Digital Reptile Hygrometer
All of the previous hygrometers featured on this list detect the temperature as a side benefit.
While this can be convenient, it’ll also make the device unnecessarily large for folks who already own a thermometer. If this applies to you, consider this hygrometer from Exo Terra.
The readout unit measures 0.8 x 5 x 7.8 inches (including the gauge cord).
It shows nothing but the RH percentage. It can be mounted with the shipped hook & loop fastener. And if you own a tank made by Exo Terra, you can also slide the hygrometer in the dedicated recess.
The reading is picked with a wired probe that goes into the terrarium. The shipment includes a small suction cup that holds the wire to the terrarium’s wall.
This hygrometer records the minimum and maximum humidity values via its built-in memory. You can easily flip through these values by the small button placed at the front.
Pros:
- Compact construction
- Simple value readout
- Fits perfectly with Exo Terra tanks
Cons:
- Quite pricey, especially as it doesn’t measure temperature
5. Cheap Hygrometer And Thermometer
Specs:
- Humidity range: 20% to 95%
- Temperature range: 14 to 122 °F (main unit), -13 to 122 °F (remote sensor)
How about a hygrometer that works for you and your reptile at the same time?
If you order this hygrometer, you’ll receive two devices:
- The first one features a large blue display that shows the clock, temperature, humidity, and weather forecast
- The second device is a small solid remote that has nothing but a sensor
Obviously, the remote should be placed inside your reptile enclosure, while the screen remains outside.
On the screen, you’ll find 2 humidity readings. The “inside” reading denotes the humidity at the screen’s position. While the “outside” reading relates to your reptile’s tank.
Reading these values couldn’t be easier thanks to the convenient blue backlight.
Since the remote was originally built to be placed outdoors, it features an IP44 waterproof construction.
The only thing I don’t like about it is the large sensor size. Leaving it exposed can invite your reptiles to shred it into pieces. That’s why I’d only recommend it for fairly peaceful species.
Pros:
- Built-in alarm function
- Features a convenient blue screen backlight
- High accuracy
Cons:
- The internal sensor is too large
Analog Vs Digital
Recently, many terrarium owners have been opting for digital hygrometers because they are easy to setup and they’re cheap.
They tend to maintain accurate calibration over a long period of time, which is ideal for beginners.
On the negative side, dependence on batteries opens the way for occasional inaccuracies.
That’s where the analog devices shine.
They pick up the humidity directly without power. But they still need frequent calibration to ensure accuracy.
Recently, brands have been equipping their digital hygrometers with built-in memories. This way, they can record the maximum and minimum humidity to know if they stray off when you’re not there.
Clearly, this feature can never be seen in an analog device.
There are many options to buy multiple hygrometers in a pack. Having two set up in a tank is a good backup in case one fails or is working incorrectly.
Wireless Vs Wired
If you decide on a digital hygrometer, you’ll be left to choose from 2 operation methods: wireless and wired.
Wireless hygrometers suit minimal setups. All you have to do is stick the device on the wall.
But as you might imagine, this may not be that accurate. It won’t be enough if you want to pinpoint your testing area.
Wired devices can readily provide this. You can fix their probes in whatever place you want. Some models equip these probes with a waterproof build, which makes them much more versatile.
Reptile Thermometer
Choosing the best hygrometer depends majorly on your setup and needs.
The Repti Zoo Hygrometer is our top pick because it gives you both the temperature and humidity readings. It’s easy to install and it’s nice and small.
The Jlenoveg Reptile Thermo-Hygrometer is another good option that’s small. I like that it can easily attach to the terrarium’s wall via its sticky pad.
Lastly, if you want to opt for the good old wires, consider the Zoo Med Digital Humidity Gauge. It comes with small suction cups to instantly fix the wires where you want.
You may decide to get a hygrometer in addition to a reptile thermostat, and you will also need heat lamps and a turtle tank water heater.
Finding an accurate hygrometer can be quite hard. I’ve had a couple of cheap models that I just don’t feel comfortable using anymore and am looking for something better.
Hey Greg, totally agree. More often than not it’s best to spend more upfront and have the product last a lot longer rather than replacing them more frequently. And of course, we need these devices to be accurate for the health of our pets!
Do the cheap hygrometers last long?
They should last a couple of years at least! As with anything, the higher quality models will on average last longer.