There are a lot of things that can get in the way of a good night’s rest, but one of the most under-discussed is humidity. While we’ve all likely slept in rooms that were too hot to get any shut-eye and so frigid you found yourself shivering through the night, the effects of an overly wet or dry room are subtle, and may only be felt when you wake up.
A room with too little humidity will leave your nose and mouth feeling dry and dehydrated. Too humid, and you’re inviting the development of mold and other pathogens which can exacerbate problems like asthma. A humidifier and dehumidifier can be the solution to these respective problems, but you may want to first gauge just how humid or dry your room is. One of the best solutions is to invest in a hygrometer or humidity sensor. This will allow you to ensure you don’t overcorrect with a humidifier or dehumidifier.
Besides the bedroom, there are a few other places to you might want to place a hygrometer. If you have a greenhouse or just own a lot of plants, you’ll want to ensure they’re getting enough moisture outside of regular watering. The hygrometers on this list are all very small, making them a great option for a cigar humidor, too. Plus, if you have a pet reptile, you’ll need to ensure that they’re both warm and humid enough, and different reptiles have humidity needs that vary greatly based on their typical climate. All of the humidity sensors on our list have temperature displays as well, making them great for a reptile habitat.
We’ve rounded up the best hygrometers/thermometers below. They’re all compact, and many of them allow you to see highs and lows for humidity and temperature in the last 24 hours. These are the humidity sensors to get for your home, habitat or humidor.
1. AcuRite 00613 Digital Hygrometer & Indoor Thermometer
This compact option from AcuRite is easy to place anywhere in the house or take on the go if needed. It has a clip for mounting, and the clip can be locked in an outward position to double as a kickstand. Plus, the magnetic back gives it even more mounting options. It has a humidity and temperature display, including displays for daily lows and highs for both metrics. You can also toggle between Fahrenheit and Celcius.
Pros: Daily high and low temperature and humidity displays. Fahrenheit and Celcius are available. Easy to mount, hang or prop up.
Cons: No backlight, so it’ll be hard to see at night.
2. Govee Temperature Humidity Monitor
From smart doorbells to thermostats, the internet of things has made it easier than ever to simply check our phones and see how our homes and health are doing. Fortunately, that connectivity doesn’t have to come at a steep price, thanks to this temperature and humidity monitor. The device has a simple temperature and humidity display, but you can explore more metrics in the app and even get alerts. If you get multiple devices, you can easily check all of them in Govee’s iOS or Android app.
Pros: App compatibility including notifications. Compact and palm-sized.
Cons: Since it connects using Bluetooth instead of WiFi, you’ll need to be relatively close to it to get info.
3. Veanic 4-Pack Mini Digital Humidity Meters
These humidity monitors are the most compact option on this list, at under 2″ long and barely more than 1″ wide. Four monitors are included, making this a good option if you have multiple bedrooms, and it’s also a great option for cigar humidors and reptile habitats. Despite the small size of these units, they provide an easy to read humidity percentage and, in the upper corner, the temperature in Fahrenheit.
Pros: Super compact and easy to take on the go. Set of four included. Displays humidity and temperature.
Cons: Temperature display is only in Fahrenheit.