DIGITEN DHTC-1011 Temperature and Humidity Controller Outlet Plug in Thermostat Humidistat Reptile Humidity Controller Greenhouse Thermostat Heating Cooling Humidifier Dehumidifier

What I tested and why

I put the DHTC-1011 to work in two places that expose its strengths and limitations right away: a seed-starting shelf enclosed in a mini greenhouse and a converted mini‑fridge used as a curing/cheese cave. Both spaces demand stable temperature and humidity, and both need a controller that can juggle two distinct jobs at once.

The controller’s headline promise is simple: two relays, one dedicated to temperature and one to humidity. Each relay can be set to either “heat” or “cool,” and “humidify” or “dehumidify.” That separation is the whole appeal here—you get coordinated control across two environmental variables without messing with wiring or complex programming.

Setup and interface

It’s plug-and-play in the best sense: two grounded outlets on the face, a combined temp/RH probe on a cable, and three buttons under a big backlit display. I mounted the controller where I could see it easily and ran the probe to the target spot (mid‑canopy in the greenhouse, mid‑shelf in the fridge). A quick pass through the manual had me setting:

• Temperature setpoint and mode (heat or cool)
• Humidity setpoint and mode (humidify or dehumidify)
• High/low alarms for both
• Compressor delay to protect cooling appliances
• Calibration offsets for temperature and RH
• Display in °F or °C

The menu structure is compact but logical. It’s not the kind of device you set without glancing at the manual, yet after one setup the muscle memory kicks in. The three-button interface is consistent, and the LCD is large and readable from across a room.

Tip: if your wall outlet is crowded, the body may block neighboring sockets. A short, heavy‑duty extension cord makes placement easier and reduces strain on the probe lead.

Performance in two real scenarios

• Greenhouse rack (heat and humidify): I paired the temperature relay with a small heat mat and the humidity relay with an ultrasonic humidifier. With the setpoints dialed in, the controller kept the enclosure steady, cycling devices with a sensible cadence. Plants appreciate stability, and I saw fewer condensation swings on the cover compared to using individual stand‑alone devices.

• Cheese/curing cave (cool and dehumidify): I switched the temperature relay to “cool” and plugged in the mini‑fridge. I enabled the compressor delay to avoid rapid short cycling, and set the humidity relay to “dehumidify” with a small Peltier unit. In this configuration, the controller held a tight band around the targets. Door openings and large humidity events (freshly washed cheeses) recovered without overshooting.

Across both use cases, the logic behaved predictably. The relays switch decisively, and there’s no mystery about which device is active—icons on the screen make that clear at a glance.

Accuracy and calibration

Out of the box, my unit was very close on temperature and a bit optimistic on humidity—common with combo probes. I verified against a reference thermometer and a salt‑test for RH, then used the built‑in calibration to nudge both into alignment. Once set, the offsets stuck and the readings tracked well over time.

A few practical notes that affect perceived accuracy:

• Keep the probe away from direct heater airflow or a humidifier’s mist stream.
• Let the system equilibrate after big changes before judging performance.
• Secure the cable where it enters enclosures; movement or pinched cable can cause intermittent readings.

If you’re managing sensitive species or aging conditions, calibration isn’t optional. The good news is the DHTC-1011 makes it easy, and the probe responds quickly to changes.

Alarms and fault handling

High/low alarms for both temperature and humidity are configurable, and there’s an audible beep if the probe faults (e.g., disconnected or damaged). The audible alert is loud enough to notice in a busy workspace. It’s reassuring in animal enclosures or unattended spaces, and in my tests it triggered correctly when I unplugged the probe mid‑run.

If you anticipate curious beaks, claws, or cables flexing frequently, add heat‑shrink or braided sleeve at the probe lead’s transition into the sensor. It’s cheap insurance for a vulnerable spot on any combined probe.

Power behavior and reliability

I tested brief and extended power interruptions by unplugging the controller and cycling the upstream breaker. Setpoints, modes, and calibration persisted, and the compressor delay behaved as intended after power returned. That delay is a must‑have when controlling refrigerators or window AC units, and it worked reliably here.

The relays switched cleanly with each cycle and did not chatter. I didn’t hear any buzz or see any erratic behavior under normal loads. As always, keep your connected devices within the controller’s rated current, and avoid daisy‑chaining high‑draw appliances.

The big trade-off: two relays, not four

The core limitation is structural: you get one outlet for temperature and one outlet for humidity. Each outlet can do one job at a time. That means you can heat or cool (not both) and humidify or dehumidify (not both). In many cases—greenhouse seed trays, a brooder, a curing chamber—this is entirely fine because spaces typically trend consistently in one direction and you need to push back the other way.

If you truly need four‑quadrant control (heat and cool, humidify and dehumidify) because your environment swings in both directions across seasons or across a 24‑hour cycle, you’ll either need a more complex controller or you’ll run multiple units. For most hobby and small professional setups, the simplicity here is a feature, not a bug.

Day-to-day usability

• The display is bright and legible, showing current temp/RH and which outputs are active.
• The three buttons are positive and don’t feel mushy.
• Switching between °F and °C is quick.
• Settings survive power loss in practice, which reduces the anxiety of outages.
• The unit is quiet; only the relay click reminds you it’s working.

The manual is brief. Plan on five minutes with it the first time—especially to understand compressor delay and calibration—then you’re set.

Where the DHTC-1011 fits best

• Greenhouses, tents, and propagation racks that need heat and added humidity
• Reptile and amphibian enclosures where precise, stable conditions matter
• Fermentation, curing, and cheese caves built from fridges or coolers
• Grow tents that trend warm and wet and need targeted correction
• Poultry brooders and small animal spaces with seasonal variation
• Storage niches for instruments, tobacco, or seed where humidity control is key

What could be better

• No Wi‑Fi or logging: You won’t get graphs or remote alerts. This is a local, hands‑on controller.
• Two outlets only: If you need both directions of control for both variables, you’ll outgrow this quickly.
• Probe robustness: I’d love a more rugged strain relief on the sensor head for tougher environments.
• Documentation: It’s adequate, but newcomers to compressor delay and calibration could use clearer examples.

Tips for best results

• Calibrate both temperature and humidity against a trusted reference before critical use.
• Set an appropriate compressor delay (3–5 minutes is a good starting point for fridges).
• Place the probe at “animal/plant level,” not at the ceiling or next to devices.
• Use cable management or protective sleeving if animals or fans can tug on the probe.
• Consider a short, heavy‑duty extension cord for more flexible mounting and to avoid blocking adjacent sockets.

Verdict

The DHTC-1011 does exactly what a small environmental controller should: it cleanly coordinates temperature and humidity with minimal fuss, protects compressors, and offers calibration and alarms that make it dependable in real spaces. In my greenhouse and curing cave tests, it held targets with a steady hand, recovered gracefully from disturbances, and kept its settings through power cycles.

I recommend it for users who need straightforward, two‑channel control without the complexity and cost of multi‑stage or networked systems. If your environment consistently needs just one side of each equation (heat or cool, humidify or dehumidify), this controller is a sensible, cost‑effective choice. If you require simultaneous heating and cooling, or both humidification and dehumidification available at the same time, budget for a more advanced unit or plan on running two controllers.