Waggle Pet Temperature Monitor: A Personal Review

Disclaimer: We received a promotional sample of the Waggle device in order to test and provide an honest review. This review is the honest opinion of the author after using and evaluating the product.

Waggle doesn’t connect to wifi. Instead, it uses a direct connection to a cellular network (currently Verizon) to beam temperature, location, and other info to your phone.

What does this mean for you? It means that if you’re in a remote area outside Verizon service, your temperature monitor won’t work either. So, keep that in mind if you like boondocking or camping in national or state parks with spotty signal.

Waggle Pet Monitor: The Pros & Cons

Pros of Using a Waggle

EASY SET-UP AND USER FRIENDLY

Waggle is still one of the simplest solutions I’ve found. It’s essentially plug-and-play, and while it comes with a booklet, you probably won’t need it. Just download the app, plug in the device, and power it on using the single button.

The app walks you through the basic steps you’ll need to set up the unit and initiate service.

SMALLER UNIT WITH EASY INSTALLATION

The newest version of the Waggle pet monitor is smaller than the one I used in 2019. I like that it still comes in a mounting bracket you can easily adhere to any surface with the included sticky tape.

TAILOR ALERTS FOR YOUR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS

You can choose from a wide range of alerts, which now include geofencing. This is a new feature I really like. You can preset a range (say, half a mile) from the spot where you’re currently camping, and Waggle will notify you if the device (and therefore your rig) moves from that spot while you’re away.

Set your own temperature, humidity, and low battery thresholds. The app will suggest ranges, but you can also adjust them to your comfort level. I like to set the high-temperature alert at a low enough temp to give myself time to get back to my RV and let my dogs out well before any danger. I appreciate this level of flexibility.

CUSTOMIZE ALERT FREQUENCY

You can also select an alert frequency for different types of alarms. Available alerts include:

The addition of the “network” alert is handy, so you’re at least aware of when your monitor isn’t providing coverage. I haven’t seen this in action yet, but it sounds helpful. (Though not as helpful as universal coverage.)

RESPONSIVE CUSTOMER SERVICE SUPPORT

I contacted customer support about a minor setup issue, and they were responsive. I used the in-app chat functionality, but they also provide an easy-to-find phone number, which is nice (and increasingly rare).

CUSTOMIZABLE APP

The customizable app allows you to upload pet and RV photos that make the interface feel like yours.

There’s some extra stuff in here, like creating an AI avatar of your pet, that feels a little unnecessary for what I personally want from dog-related camping gear. But, if you’re the kind of person who would love to create a digital version of your pet and use their avatar to try out different “furstyles,” you’ll probably get a kick out of it.

Cons of Using a Waggle

I haven’t been able to test this pet monitor outside a major urban area with good cell coverage, so I have no idea whether my complaints about coverage with the original version have been resolved.

I’ll continue testing to see whether the monitor still uses deprioritized coverage. My guess is that it does, which might mean that you can’t always view the temperature of your RV in real time.

The device I currently use connects to a wifi network that I manage, which provides the peace of mind that comes from knowing I can check in wherever I’m camping. (Thanks, Starlink!) Using devices that are tied to a cellular network makes me nervous, because I’m often camping in places with unreliable signal.

MONTHLY FEE

The monthly fee is a serious drawback. At up to $349 retail, Waggle isn’t a low-priced device, and you’ll also need to pay a monthly fee indefinitely to get actual use from it.

I believe you can stop/start service, but you’d have to contact Customer Support, as I don’t see an easy in-app way to toggle coverage on and off.

Battery Life

Waggle’s battery life has gotten better since the first iteration I tried. When I unplugged this unit from the wall, it still had about 50% of its battery life left after 32 hours.

This is nice for those who boondock without an inverter and need a unit that can run on the battery for a few days.

Durability

While I haven’t been able to road-test it in my rig yet, the device looks and feels pretty durable. If the backing tape on the mounting bracket holds up like I think it will, I don’t expect the unit to move from its bracket, even on bumpy roads.

Subscription Details

As I mentioned above, the subscription fee is a significant drawback in my book. Monthly plans cost $24 for every month you want service.

Paying yearly will still cost you $16/month. That’s $200+ per year for a unit that isn’t cheap to begin with—and, to me, it’s only worth the money if it works nearly everywhere.

Find the most up-do-date pricing on the Waggle subscription page.

Overall Impressions of Waggle