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

This magnified rain gauge is a fantastic tool for anyone who needs to quickly and easily check rainfall measurements. The magnified display lives up to its promise, making it visible even from a distance, which is incredibly convenient.Installation is a breeze thanks to its screw-on design, allowing for secure attachment to a fence or other suitable surface. It performs its primary function flawlessly, accurately measuring rainfall.The main drawback, particularly for those in hot climates like Texas, is its durability. The gauge tends to crack after approximately three years when exposed to the intense Texas heat. We’re overall pleased with the purchase, especially given its affordable price point and clear visibility.

Easy to read at distance, lasts a few yrs b4 the plastic starts getting cloudy. Very good for the price

Pros - large numbers for ease of reading, easy to install, the mouth to catch rain is bigger than most, inexpensiveCons - doesn't last long (about a year). However, we live in a hot climate, so they crack pretty easy.We purchased our first one a few years ago. When it cracked and leaked after about a year, we bought a different brand. Apparently, they all last about that long. We are back to buying this one because of the pros mentioned above.

Perfect to hang on my deck and see it from my house. I like the large size and the 1/10 increments. Well priced. They do eventually need to be replaced!

I know that I could put empty tin cans in the yard to measure rainfall, but that’s so cumbersome. First you have to find a tall straight-walled can, tall enough that the rain doesn’t splash out. Then you have to stick a ruler in the can to measure the depth of water. That’s not very accurate compared to this because in this rain gauge the smaller amounts are amplified by the tapered walls so a small amount of rainfall is magnified to be more easily read. And if it’s still raining, you don’t have to go out in the rain because if you place it where it can be seen from a window you can probably read the level with your bare eyes (if you have good eyes and it’s not too far away). Or, grab a pair of binoculars. Be sure to place the rain gauge in the open, away from interference by tree canopies. I measure the total rainfall for each weather event coming through, then reset the gauge – don’t forget to reset the gauge (pour the water out).I have always wanted a rain gauge and finally sat down to evaluate what was available. This one was priced attractively, looked like it would be easy to read from a distance (it is), and would probably last a few years. I was concerned that the plastic spike would easily break off, so I had planned to use two screws in a narrow piece of sharpened board driven into the ground so I could attach the gauge to the board and remove it easily to dump the water, but I never did that and the plastic spike hasn’t broken off yet. I do try to be careful when sticking it in the ground, however. My only complaint is that it measures only 5 inches, which may not be enough (see my experience below). But I can’t down rate it for that unusual situation, and it does everything else right. I bought this exactly one year ago and the plastic is still clear, but I assume ultraviolet light will eventually take its toll.This a great purchase. In fact, I’ve enjoyed having it so much that I plan to give out this rain gauge as Christmas presents. It’s always difficult to find a present which most people don’t have, but could use and would enjoy having. I think this will make a great, and fairly unusual gift. Thoughtful, yet inexpensive.The weatherman always reports how much rain fell at this airport, that airport, etc. But I know that the sky could fall at my brother's house just a few miles away, and we get not a drop. So I've always wanted to have a way to know exactly how much rain WE got. The only time I really, really wanted to know was during the deluge we got in South Carolina (remember the 1000+ year flood of Oct 2015?). Two measurements taken the first day, added together, totaled 6.5 inches. I dumped the water out just before going to bed, then woke up early the next morning to check the gauge. It had been raining heavily all night and I wanted to know exactly how much we got, but was astonished and disappointed to see that the water was flowing over the brim of the rain gauge while it was continuing to rain heavily. We were supposedly in an area that got some of the heaviest rainfall. We're on a hill so were in no danger of flooding, but sadly I'll never know the exact total amount of the rain we got at our house. I guess you could say the historic rainfall "broke" my rain gauge.

ACCURACY TESTED!This rain gauge is very easy to install anywhere... in ground, or as in my case zip-tied to a shepherd's hook feeding station.I decided to test this unit in the rain against another rain gauge with a digital read out. The digital read out is from a calibrated Acu-rite Atlas system.As you can see from the photos, they are a perfect match up. Just under 1/2 inch of rainfall as reflected on the station screen and the clearly visible plastic rain gauge collection version.Some people may try to hold a tape measure up to the rain gauge and think, incorrectly, that the metering is off. However, it's a non-linear visual meter of the rainfall. You'll notice the top of the gauge is wide and the bottom is narrower, for ease of reading the gauge this unit is non-linear.If it were a perfect cylinder with the same diameter at the top as the bottom, then yes it would have linear metering, and an inch would be an inch on the gauge. It has a taper so the rain metering is extended longer at the bottom and gets closer near the top of the collection system. So don't go putting your tape measure up to it and expect it to match up. A great lesson in surface area for those who enjoy doing math :)You can put it in the ground, but I wanted it up on a pole so I could look out the window and see the levels easily. Birds do perch on it and often leave a calling card, but for the price this is the best rain gauge I could fine and it's easy to read as well as accurate.I would definitely recommend this unit. You can put them in the shade and also in the open as rain fall will differ when there are trees or other obstructions to rainfall. This is the one for me! Excellent.

Love this item. Easy to read