Hygrometer Reviews: Boveda Butler v. Govee Wifi Thermometer/Hygrometer and Cigar Oasis Caliber 4R v. HygroSet II Round Digital Hygrometer
This is a review of four hygrometers I've been using for the past 6+ months to share pros/cons and recommendations. For the purposes of this review I used two wireless hygrometers and two "dumb" digital hygrometers. All hygrometers are in the same wineador (Audew 300).
Recommended Smart Hygrometer: Govee Wifi
Recommended Dumb Hygrometer: HygroSet II
Smart/Wireless Hygrometers: Boveda Butler v. Govee Wifi.
Winner: Govee Wifi.
With excellent data logging and a great app, this is a great choice for a smart Hygrometer if you’re looking for one without a display. Given the Butler is being sunset, this is the obvious choice. You can opt for the Bluetooth only versions, but I preferred the Wifi and Bluetooth version for extended access.
Govee Wifi
Amazon Link
Cost: $35.99 on Amazon at the time of writing.
Advertised accuracy: temperature ±0.5 F, humidity ±3%RH
Pros:
· Battery life – It uses 3x AAA batteries. Battery level is near full after 6 months of use on new batteries.
· App – The app is great. It gives a basic overview on the dashboard for temperature and humidity for quick reads. If you want to get into the details, it’s even more amazing: customizable “safe zones” and alerts if it goes outside of those zones, customizable calibration, optional refresh frequencies, data logging for years (exportable).
· Data logging – Some may not need this, but if you’re looking for next level data-logging this is for you.
· Accuracy – Was pretty accurate out of the box. Calibrated it with a Boveda calibration kit but only required a small adjustment. Consistently reads at same level as other calibrated hygrometers it is sitting near.
· Remote access – you can access your data from anywhere with this version (note that some other versions are Bluetooth only, this model has Wifi and Bluetooth).
Cons:
· Large footprint - This thing is 2.75” x 2.75” and 0.75” thick. It will take up more space than a traditional hygrometer.
· Display - It has no on-device display. The data is in the app.
Govee Wifi Conclusion: If you like data tracking and aren’t worry about a digital display, this is a great hygrometer as long as you can find space for it. It will be a go to for my humidors and is highly recommended for those looking for smart hygrometers.
Boveda Butler
Boveda Link
Cost: $39.99, MSRP, $26.99 at Fox Cigar (currently sold out). Comes with a calibration kit.
Advertised accuracy: humidity ±2.4%RH
Pros:
· Size – this thing is tiny, coming in at 2” x 1.25” x. 0.5” thick. You can stick it almost anywhere, even where most hygrometers won’t fit.
· Simple data logging – it logs data and presents it a nice clean presentation you can sort between hourly, daily, and monthly. From a data visualization perspective this is nice and clean.
Cons:
· Battery life – It takes 1x CR2032. It will give you a warning (25%) when the battery level is low, and if you don’t replace it, it will stop collecting data but won’t update the main landing page (ugh), so your dashboard will say it was updated 5 minutes ago with a humidity reading that could be days old if the device died. Battery was burned out after 5 months.
· Data logging – it logs data in a very high-level way. It does not log as detailed data of its readings and is not able to export. The high-level summaries are nice for quick read, but not if you want more nuanced data.
· Customization – The app has some customization, you can set temperature and humidity alerts (and even have the alerts based on an average to avoid a small spike from setting of an unnecessary alert - for example, taking it out of your humidor a few minutes), but otherwise it is limited in options.
· Accuracy – Although calibrated, I had issues with the accuracy of this hygrometer, even after a recalibration. It consistently read a few notches higher than the other hygrometers in the area after a little bit of time, leading me to some panic that was alleviated by sticking another hygrometer next to it. It seemed to perform better earlier in its battery life.
· Calibration – I prefer to be able to customize my calibration and see what it is. The Butler does it automatically after you place it in a Boveda calibration kit. You can get in to customize it yourself but it’s not as intuitive in the app.
· Bluetooth-Only – Unlike the Govee there’s no web interface to this, so you need to have a device in the vicinity of the humidor. If you’re walking into your room it’s not an issue, but if you want to check from another location (or even another area of your house) you’re mostly out of luck. It’s a “close use” device only.. again mostly. I say “mostly” because there is a workaround of sorts: If you have an extra device you no longer use you can keep that in range of the humidor, plugged in, and it was ping the device and update it. This then means that it will update the device on other apps (effectively your humidor to old phone link is doing the Wifi work the Govee has built in). I set this up for my test purposes and it worked, but not everyone has an extra phone laying around to use or wants to invest in that’ set up.
· It appears to have been sunset – according to Boveda’s website they no longer sell the device as of April 2021.
· Display - It has no on-device display. The data is in the app.
Butler Conclusion: This was a little hard to come by, but I was really attracted by the small footprint. In writing this review I discovered that Boveda is no longer selling these, so they likely are being sunset. I may continue to use it as a data logger, but the accuracy concerns and battery concerns make it a better secondary device than a primary device. The small footprint is a huge plus, however, and it could be a good data logging device where you couldn’t fit a Govee.I know there’s a lot of Cons on this list, but I still didn’t hate it overall.
Dumb Hygrometers: Cigar Oasis Caliber 4R v. HygroSet II
Winner: HygroSet II
I’ve been using the HygroSet for years, but wanted to put them to the test. Ultimately, they are a great humidor that is a nice drop-in for the analogs that come in most set ups. This is my go to for a cheap “dumb” hygrometer.
Cigar Oasis Caliber 4R
Amazon Link
Cost: $24.99 on Amazon at the time of writing.
Advertised accuracy: humidity ±1%RH
Pros:
· Size: It’s the same size as the throw-away digital hygrometers you get, and drop right in to most circle settings at 2.25” x 2.25” by about 0.75” thick.
· Battery life – Still running strong, no issues on it. It used 1x CR2032 battery.
· Calibration – Required minimal calibration out of the box.
· Aesthetics – Despite my decision on the display, it still is overall the nicest looking hygrometer I have and would look nice in an outward-facing drawer in a wineador (my eventual intent).
· Accuracy – Was close out of the box and required minimal calibration with the kit. Has consistently read with other hygrometers in its same area.
Cons:
· Thickness – Not horrible, but this is thicker than some of the smaller puck hygrometers out there at 0.75”.
· Display – I bought this device because I liked the display of it initially with the digital gauge reading like an analog and temperature below it. After using it for a while, I’ve decided I actually don’t like that. Maybe it’s just me, but it’s easier to read a digital set of numbers.
4R Conclusion: I still like this hygrometer, but I’ve found that I just like the digital display of numbers better than the line. Still, it’s the best looking hygrometer I have and will likely stay in my wineador outward-facing. No accuracy issues and that’s its #1 thing to do.
HygroSet II
Amazon Link
Cost: $23.99 at CI, typically I’ve found it for under $20 on Amazon, but it appears to be currently out of stock.
Advertised accuracy: temperature ±1 F, humidity ±2.4%RH
Pros:
· Size – Similar to the 4R, this is drop-in for the throw away analog hygrometers, usually taking up less space. The thickness is great as well, with the device coming in at 2” x 2” x 0.5” thick.
· Battery life – It takes 1x LR44 battery. Having used these for years, they sip battery life. Eventually you’ll have to replace it, but not for a long time.
· Display: No frills about it, this tells you the temperature and the humidity in two digital numbers.
· Accuracy – These usually come great out of the box, but even so can be adjusted if needed after a calibration kit. They tend to hold calibration well. Although they are not the most easy to calibrate, they are very accurate and maintain readings similar to other calibrated hygrometers around them.
Cons:
· Aesthetics – This is a utilitarian workhorse hygrometer. It’s not that pretty but it gets the job done effectively.
· Calibration – They aren’t that hard to calibrate once you get the hang of them, but it’s a little less comforting to adjust than the 4R and you sometimes aren’t sure what you’ve done. It’s a bare bones adjustment and works, but you may sometimes doubt yourself. Having an analog adjustment on a digital device is less than ideal.
HygroSet Conclusion: I’ve been using these for years, and I was pleased to find that in my testing I ended up liking them and finding they were consistently accurate as well. They have a small footprint, good accuracy and battery life, and are cheap. They’re not the prettiest, but get the job done effectively.
If anyone has any other hygrometers they’d suggest reviewing/testing I’d be interested in looking into them!
