Honeywell TE211W Atomic Clock with Wireless Thermometer

by Honeywell

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3.5 x 1.9 x 4.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000CFGC5K
• Item model number: TE211W
• Batteries: 6 AA batteries required.
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #148,909 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 1, 2004

Product Description

A precision time piece that maintains its accuracy by automatically synchronizing to the US Atomic Clock; register and displays indoors and outdoor temperature from up to three remote locations wirelessly.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Complete Hooey, September 5, 2006

By 

Erika Mitchell (E. Calais, VT USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Honeywell TE211W Atomic Clock with Wireless Thermometer (Electronics)

I purchased this thermometer and 2 additional sensors with the hopes of using the system to monitor high-low temperatures in my garden and in 2 unheated rooms in my house. I found that absolutely none of the features that I needed actually worked.

First of all, what they don't mention in the description is that the 100 foot range is only for clear line of sight. The sensors and main unit worked fine when they were all together on the kitchen table. But when I put the main unit by a window and the remote sensor 20 feet away across the driveway, there was no reception. I opened the window--still no reception. In order to get reception on the main unit, I also had to open the screen. Opening the window and the screen to get a temperature reading? Not acceptable! Needless to say, with several walls between the sensor in my unheated room and the main unit, there was no reception with that sensor either, despite being well within the 100 foot stated range. Thus, in my experience, there was about a 20 foot useable range, provided there was nothing but clear air in between, no glass, no window screens.

The main unit came with a free sensor. Although the sensor was supposed to be able to work on any of the 3 available channels, it only worked on channel 1. Of the other 2 sensors I purchased, one of them would only work on channel 1 or 2. When I had the 3 sensors lined up with the main unit on the kitchen table, I got temperature readings that differed by as much as 3 degrees, although the specifications for the sensors say they are supposed to have a "resolution" of .2 degrees F. Thus, the sensors hadn't received proper quality testing.

The main unit has a clock that theoretically checks in with the national standard clock signal and updates the time automatically. Despite putting my unit directly beside a window, it never found the national standard clock in a week. It also never found the signal when I set it outdoors for an hour.

The design of the main unit is lousy. In order to change the channel button, your hand wants to hold the unit steady with the palm while you stab at the channel button with your thumb. However, the entire top of the unit is the snooze/light button, which inteferes with the channel button if you happen to press it at the same time as you try to change channels. So then you need two hands to change channels, one to hold the unit steady, and one to press the button. But half the time I grasped the unit by the side so that I could press the front buttons, the battery case cover went flying off the back.

The battery covers for the remote sensors are a bit inconvenient to remove. They require a very small Phillips head screwdriver to loosen the 4 screws. I guess designing the batter covers like this was supposed to provide some weatherproofing. Inside the cover is an additional thin strip of rubber inlaid around the batter compartment. In one of my sensors, the rubber strip hadn't been seated properly.

And what's this about a pre-alarm in case of freezing? Apparently, (if everything is working as it should--ha!) the unit has an alarm in case of frost. But this is a pre-alarm, not a real frost alarm. If it gets cold out sometime during the night and the temperature goes below freezing, it will ring the alarm in the morning 15-90 minutes earlier than usual. Hunh? Maybe there are some climates where it only freezes every once in a while where such a feature might be useful. But I want to know if there is a frost, and I want the alarm to ring exactly when the frost happens--or better yet, when the temperature drops to 33 F. Too bad the designers didn't think of that one.

Thus, in my experience, this product was entirely a piece of junk. It didn't live up to the technical descriptions, and the quality control was abysmal. Honeywell should be ashamed to see their name on this product.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome gadget, yet infinitely useful!, May 18, 2006

By 

D. Yeager (Washington State) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Honeywell TE211W Atomic Clock with Wireless Thermometer (Electronics)

I bought one of these in Germany, although it's not labeled as a "Honeywell", it's the exact same item. Paid 20 Euro for it from a local store, so about $24 US.

The version I bought for that price had two remote sensors included, so a bit better deal (it appears) than what the Honeywell is.

I can't think of one thing this clock doesn't do, except radio. Updates time automatically, keeps track of record highs and lows (for each sensor) has a large button on top to light the display, has a pre-alarm (multiple time settings), two separate alarms (weekday and single event, both useable at same time) 12/24hr format, and Celsius or Fahrenheit displays.

The pre-alarm is a soft beep that you can set in 15 minute intervals prior to your main alarm going off...warns you that the main alarm is going off soon. Weekday alarm you set for say 8AM, once it goes off and you hit the button, it stays off until the next day, same time. The single event can be set/used while the weekday alarm is in use as well.

I've used it for over 4 months, and am extremely happy with it. One remote sensor outside on a window sill (getting rained on, snowed on, sun) one indoors, and the clock as the other sensor. No malfunctions, no complaints. Time is always right, temperature seems accurate.

Simply amazing functionality for the cost in my opinion!

Edit-April 2010

So having brought this item back to the US, it appears the time update feature works on ones made for the European market. Not really surprised of course, no different than DVD's.

Be careful getting it wet. I've seen recommendations to hang the sensor(s) from a North side eve on your house, and that seems to be sound advice. I tried mounting mine lower, but the water splashing off the ground managed to make its way into the battery compartment. Didn't stop it from working, but the batteries and contacts got a bit rusty.

Range seems to be quite good, even through multiple wood/dry walls.