12 Zigbee Temperature Sensors Tested: One Costs $4.60, Another $19.99
Testing 12 different Zigbee temperature/humidity sensors
I bought 12 best-selling Zigbee temperature and humidity sensors from AliExpress, covering Aqara, Sonoff, Tuya, Thirdreality, Zemismart, and Moes. I calibrated a Xiaomi Miaomiaoce MHO-C401 against a state-certified butcher's thermometer and tested all sensors under identical conditions with Zigbee2MQTT. The results reveal big differences in accuracy, reporting intervals, and build quality—even among sensors with identical specs on paper.
To get an accurate base for benchmarks, I decided to calibrate it against a lab-certified thermometer at a friend’s butcher shop, as weirdly as that sounds.
- kadoban
Do _not_ get the Aqara ones. The things will not stay connected for shit.
I have a couple of the Tuya ones and I'm pleased with them. The humidity accuracy is questionable, but it's fine.
I also have an airgradient (not zigbee, uses wifi) for high accuracy the one place I care about that. Works great in Home Assistant with esphome.
- cyberax
Hah. I did something similar a while ago, but I also did full saturated salt solution humidity calibration. It's very simple to do: get several different salts, create a saturated solution in a sealed container, and observe the humidity there.
The best sensor in my tests was CentraLite 3310-G. It was the only one actually precise to 1% of RH and 0.1C They are also pretty robust and long-lasting.