There’s no shortage of ways to monitor the weather inside and outside your house, but Netatmo goes a couple of steps further, letting you measure air quality and sound levels in addition to the usual humidity, temperature and barometric pressure. Now you can add up to three extra modules to gather data about the climate and air quality in additional rooms. Join me as I put one of these new modules to the test.

Netatmo’s lovely aluminum personal weather station has been available for the better part of a year — I gave it a favorable review on Mashable last September. It lets you monitor your climate data using Android and iOS devices, and permanently stores its data to the cloud so you can view it on any web browser. I measured its accuracy and I was impressed.

Here’s the family of Netatmo modules, with the new additional module on the left, the outdoor module in the middle and the indoor sensor that connects to Wi-Fi on the right.

This new add-on module is just as accurate as its two diminutive siblings. After a quick firmware update, my system of indoor and outdoor sensors was joined by its little brother. Unlike the larger indoor sensor that must be plugged into an outlet or computer via USB, the additional module is wireless.

The additional module measures temperature, humidity, and amount of CO2 in the air, but it can’t monitor sound levels like the indoor module can. Because monitoring sound levels can be useful and amusing, I miss that capability in this additional module.

This rear view shows the difference between the similarly sized outdoor module and additional module — notice the recessed hanger, allowing you to place the sensor on a wall outside.

Why do I miss monitoring sound levels? I was surprised at how useful knowing when variations in sound levels occurred at particular times can be, showing me interesting things about the way I live and work. For instance, I could determine when I was listening to music and how loud it was, when I was talking on the phone, and when the air-conditioning turned on and off. It’s not crucial information, but it’s just fun to know, which is pretty much the whole raison d’être of this cute little trio of weather sensors.

You can monitor Netatmo’s data from any web browser, or using an app on iOS or Android. All data is stored in the cloud, giving you a long view of air quality and climate indoors and out. On the left, you can see the outside module can measure temperature and humidity, the indoor module (“cockpit”) is the most versatile (measuring temp, humidity, pressure, CO2 and sound levels), and the additional module (named “great room”) monitors temp, humidity and CO2.

My only other gripe? The price of these suckers is too damn high. This additional module will set you back $79, and to use it, you must buy the Netatmo weather station’s indoor and outdoor modules for $179. That’s $258 for this little amusement. But for your money, you get high quality of workmanship, a beautiful yet simple design, and a system that works flawlessly and accurately.

If you’re into weather (and I must admit, I certainly am, running my own personal online weather station for more than 13 years), the Netatmo system and its additional modules might find a place in your home, especially if you’re well-heeled enough to afford it.

Images: Charlie White