Any links to online stores should be assumed to be affiliates. The company or PR agency provides all or most review samples. They have no control over my content, and I provide my honest opinion.

This is a quick review of the new SwitchBot Meter Plus, which is an upgraded version of the smaller SwitchBot Meter.

If you are familiar with the other SwitchBot sensors, there is nothing particularly new here. I am very fond of these little sensors, I think they are superb value for money, and I like the historical data. All of them get an easy recommendation from me.

Specification

  • Display:  3-inch clear LCD
  • Connectivity: BLE 4.2 or above, communication range up to 120 m (roughly 394 ft)
  • Size: 79mm×64.5mm×(17.5mm Thin end,21.6mm Thick end)
  • Weight: 64g
  • Display angle: 2°,42°,65°
  • Mode: ºC/ºF
  • Resolution: 0.1°C/0.1°F, 1%RH
  • Power supply: AAA*2 Alkaline
  • Battery Life – 1 year

Measuring Ranges & Accuracy

  • Measuring Range: -20 to 80 ℃ (-4 to 176 ℉) , 0 to 99 %RH
  • Typical Temperature Accuracy: -20 to 0 ℃ (-4 to 32.0 ℉) [±0.4℃ / 0.7℉] 0 to 65 ℃ (32 to 149 ℉) [±0.2℃ / 0.4℉] 65 to 80 ℃ (149 to 176 ℉) [±0.3℃ / 0.5℉]
  • Typical Humidity Accuracy: 10 to 90 %RH (±2 %) 0 to 10 % and 90 to 99 %RH: (±4 %)

Differences

The large display is the most obvious difference, but there are quite a few other subtle changes with some new features.

As well as the below features, the Meter Plus has a new kickstand which allows you to place it at an angle. Or there is a 3M backed metal plate that allows you to mount it to a wall.

As for pricing, the Meter Plus has an RRP of £22, while the meter is £17.

New Features

Comfort Indicator

Our visual emoji help you understand humidity immediately and gives a more simple way to know when your environment needs to be humidified or de-humidified.

Temperature Reading Switch

Temperature can be displayed in either Fahrenheit & Celsius by simply pressing the button on the back. 

High Accuracy with Quick Refresh Rates

With the advanced Swiss-made sensor, temperature and humidity readings are accurate to 0.4°F and +3%RH. And data is able to be refreshed every 4 seconds to keep you updated with the latest environment changes.

The older SwitchBot Meter was accurate to 0.7°F and +4%RH.

Set Up

The set up process is basically the same as the other Switchbot devices. Pull the tab out of the batteries, hold the button on the back until the Bluetooth logo flashes and wait for it to pair.

Then if you want to enable cloud services, you need to pair it up with a hub via the settings button, cloud services, then the toggle to enable it and select the hub you want to use.

Homey

Just like the SwitchBot Indoor/Outdoor Thermo-Hygrometer, if you want to pair this up within Homey, you need to select Temperature & Humidity (not the BLE one), and this should identify any new devices.

Performance

The data in the app is the same as the older meter, but you don’t get the additional features the indoor/outdoor sensor has, which is:

  • Dew Point
  • Absolute Humidity
  • Vapour Pressure Deficit

I have been using the Meter Plus for the past two weeks, and I like the ability to see the history of the temperature as it gives me a better understanding of the trends.

With the comfort level settings, this will adjust how the little comfort level indicator will respond. I haven’t adjusted these, and I don’t really pay that much attention to the indicator.

Currently, I am only using Switchbot for these sensors, but within the automation tab, you can easily create scenes that will trigger actions for the various Switchbot devices. This could be switching on the humidifier or using the Switchbot Bot to switch on an air conditioner or a fan.

Price and Alternative Options

The SwitchBot Meter Plus has an RRP of £22, and the meter is £17

The new Indoor Outdoor Hygrometer Thermometer lacks a display but tracks more things and is more accurate, and it is also cheaper at £15.

There are quite a lot of no-name brands doing smart thermometer hygrometers with a display, but most of these cost more and have worse reviews.

Most of the competing options are based on the uya Smart/ Smart Life App.

This option is affordable but doesn’t have very good reviews and requires USB power.

This option has some positive reviews, but it has been reported that the batteries last a few weeks at best, which is something I could not cope with.

For Hygrometer Thermometer sensors without a display, you have better options:

The TP-Link Tapo T310 is around £20 and is useful if you are an existing Tapo user.

The Govee WiFi Room Thermometer Hygrometer seems to be a popular option for people wanting to use a sensor for a humidor/greenhouse/vivarium.

I am also a fan of the Aqara Temperature and Humidity sensor as I have a large number of Aqara devices.

Overall

I have grown fond of the SwitchBot ecosystem. In particular, I think the range of three temperature/humidity sensors is superb.

The main selling point for me is that they are cheap. With a price range of £15-22 they are some of the cheapest options on the market.

You are best to pair them up with a hub, but even these are relatively cheap. The new SwitchBot Hub 2, might be a little bit expensive, but it has a built-in display with a thermometer hygrometer which helps justify the cost. Alternatively, the older Hub Mini can be bought for £30.

Considering they are so cheap, I think the quality of data you get within the app is superb.

I use all these products as general room sensors, so I don’t need anything ultra-accurate, however, for other niche applications, the Indoor-Outdoor Hygrometer Thermometer is much more accurate.

I prefer the Indoor Outdoor Hygrometer Thermometer because it is a lot cheaper, more accurate, and IP65 rated, so you have the flexibility to use it anywhere.

However, I like this SwitchBot Meter Plus for my office and bedroom as it allows me to view the temperature without going into the app.

SwitchBot Meter Plus Review Rating

Summary

I have grown fond of the SwitchBot ecosystem. In particular, I think the range of three temperature/humidity sensors is superb.

I prefer the Indoor Outdoor Hygrometer Thermometer because it is a lot cheaper, more accurate, and IP65 rated, so you have the flexibility to use it anywhere.

However, I like this SwitchBot Meter Plus for my office and bedroom as it allows me to view the temperature without going into the app.

Overall
95%
95%
  • Overall - 95%
    95%

Pros

  • £5 price difference is worth it vs the normal Meter for the increased display size and more accurate readings

Cons

  • Indoor Outdoor Hygrometer Thermometer is cheaper/more accurate/tracks more things

Last update on 2024-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *