Clocks with temperature and weather
Almost every clock we sell does something more than tell the time. Most add indoor and outdoor temperature, many add humidity, a barometric forecast or a wireless outdoor sensor, and the radio controlled models set themselves from the national time signal and never need adjusting.
Browse the full range below, or narrow it down: wall clocks for indoor and outdoor walls, radio controlled clocks that set themselves, projection clocks that throw the time onto a ceiling, and weather clocks that combine timekeeping with a forecast.
Clocks that show the temperature
This is what most people are looking for when they come to us for a clock, and it is worth understanding the distinction before you choose. Some clocks measure the temperature where they are hanging. Others receive it from a separate wireless sensor you place outside.
A clock with a built-in thermometer gives you the temperature of that room, or of the sheltered spot where the clock hangs. The Bresser round digital alarm clock with indoor temperature and the TFA splashproof bathroom and kitchen clock with timer and temperature work this way. So do the outdoor-rated analogue clocks: the Bickerton indoor and outdoor wall clock with thermometer at 30cm and the Cheltenham outdoor wall clock at 58cm.
A clock with a wireless outdoor sensor gives you the real outside temperature while you stand indoors, which is the more useful arrangement most of the year. The Technoline WS 9767 and WS9140 are the two we sell most of, and the TFA Ratio wireless min and max thermometer with clock adds recorded highs and lows so you can see how cold it actually got overnight.
Large digital clocks
If the reason you are buying is that you cannot read the clock you have, size and contrast are the only specifications that matter. The large digital clock with date and day offers a selectable analogue or digital display, and the extra-large digital clock with day, date and alarms is the biggest display in the range — the one to choose for a large kitchen, a workshop, or where eyesight is the deciding factor.
The Bresser Jumbo LCD wall clock in black and the white version take the same approach on a wall rather than a shelf, with day and date alongside the time and radio-controlled accuracy.
Clocks that set themselves
A radio controlled clock receives the MSF time signal broadcast from Anthorn in Cumbria and corrects itself continuously, including the two annual clock changes. You set it once — arguably not even that — and it stays accurate for the life of the batteries.
It is a small thing that turns out to matter, particularly for a clock in an awkward position or one belonging to someone who would rather not be resetting it twice a year. The Yarnton radio controlled wall clock is the traditional analogue option, and the Technoline WT486 dual alarm clock with FM radio is the bedside version. See radio controlled clocks for the full selection and for advice on reception.
Projection and bedside clocks
A projection clock throws the time onto the ceiling or a wall, so you can read it without lifting your head or reaching for a phone. The Technoline WT549 projection alarm clock adds indoor and outdoor temperature and a weather forecast to the projected display. See projection clocks for more on brightness, focus and ceiling height.
Weather clocks
A weather clock is a clock built around a forecast display, usually with a wireless outdoor sensor, a pressure-based forecast icon and often humidity as well. The TechnoLine WS8117 weather clock is a good example of the format. The wider weather clock range covers everything from a £10 bedside unit to a colour display with barometric pressure graphing.
Traditional and specialist clocks
Not every clock here is electronic. The banjo barometers with clock are the most traditional pieces in the range, combining a barometer, thermometer and clock in a solid wooden case — available in oak, walnut and mahogany at 60cm. See the banjo barometer range for more.
The FCC cast brass bulkhead tide clock is a specialist instrument rather than a timepiece. It runs on a 12 hour 25 minute lunar cycle to indicate the state of the tide, and it is a genuine marine-quality casting rather than a decorative one — bought mainly by people who go out on the water and want the tide state at a glance.
The Herbs indoor and outdoor wall clock is the decorative end of the range, designed for a garden wall, porch or conservatory.
Choosing where it will hang
Outdoor-rated clocks are built to cope with damp and temperature swings, but none of them benefit from driving rain or full afternoon sun. A porch, a covered patio, a sheltered garden wall or a north-facing aspect will keep the face looking right for years longer. Where the clock includes a thermometer, direct sunlight on the face will also push the temperature reading well above the true air temperature.
Indoors, the two things that catch people out are viewing distance and battery access. Measure the distance you will normally read the clock from before choosing a size, and check how the back opens if it is going somewhere you will need a ladder to reach.
Related ranges
For clocks combined with full weather measurement, see home weather stations. For barometers on their own, see the barometer range. For thermometers and humidity instruments, see hygrometers. If you are buying as a present, weather gifts and gadget gifts is a good place to start.