If you look at a digital gauge angllady2 suggests check to see if the calibration dial that is usually on the front moves easily the one I started with does move very easily and the snakes keep re-calibrating it them selves the additional cost and lower accuracy I don't believe it to be worth the effort. Why people are so anti analogue I don't know. The analogue one I mentioned is spec'd at +/- 3% the digital one (I paid 55$ for the one I bought first) is specked at 8% It makes no real difference but I dropped an extra 45$ for a digital one that is not as accurate as the analogue one. Save you money buy cheap thermometers and a calibrate able humidity gauge and invest in a good t-stat.