Counterfeit Rain Gauges

Counterfeit floating rain gauges have started showing up online. Some of them even use my photos, product descriptions, and occasionally my trademarked name to make them look authentic. At first glance they can look pretty convincing, but there are a couple easy ways to spot a fake.

The biggest giveaway is the outer collection sleeve. The Original Floating Rain Gauge® is made from solid copper. If the outer sleeve is plastic — especially thin molded plastic — it’s not one of mine. Another clue is price. If it seems unbelievably cheap, there’s usually a reason.

A lot of these imitation gauges are made to look good in online photos but aren’t really built for long-term outdoor use. Plastic containers can fade, warp, crack, or split in freezing weather, and the internal foam parts often break down pretty quickly in sun and rain.

I’ve been making the Original Floating Rain Gauge® since 1999 and still support it with replacement parts and customer service. My goal has always been to make something useful, durable, and fun to have out in the garden — not something disposable that lasts a season or two.

That said, there are plenty of simple, inexpensive rain gauges out there from honest companies that work perfectly well. If my gauges are outside your budget, I’d genuinely encourage you to buy from a reputable brand or garden retailer rather than a knockoff pretending to be the real thing.

Counterfeiting is more than just annoying; it's harmful. It hurts the people who are trying to bring you genuine, quality products and supports sketchy companies that may exploit human rights, labor laws and environmental regulations. 

If you've already been tricked by these knock-offs, do everyone a favor. Leave an honest review. Call them out for scamming you. It's not just about venting; it's about helping others steer clear of the same trap. So, next time you're shopping online and something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Help keep the market clean and creative!