Pimoroni
Pimoroni Rainbow HAT
Best all-in-one board for Raspberry Pi hobbyists and interactive project builders.
The Pimoroni Rainbow HAT is a versatile add-on board for Raspberry Pi, designed for both Android Things and Raspbian development. It offers a rich set of integrated components, including seven multicolor LEDs, four 14-segment alphanumeric displays, three capacitive touch buttons, and a BMP280 temperature and pressure sensor. This HAT is ideal for creating interactive projects like weather stations, clocks, or mood lights, and provides an excellent platform for learning about various Raspberry Pi communication protocols such as SPI, I2C, GPIO, and PWM.
$31.19
Owner Satisfaction
4.6
/ 5
Category Rank
407
/ 1543
#407 in Development Boards
Price vs Category Average
-64%
Below average
Onboard LEDs
7102
/ x APA multicolour LEDs
Who it's for
- Students and hobbyists seeking an all-in-one prototyping solution
- Developers who value well-documented and accessible coding libraries
- Visual learners needing instant feedback for their programming projects
Who should skip it
- Makers planning to stack multiple hardware modules simultaneously
- Users requiring complex text or graphical data visualization
- Engineers working in environments prone to electrical interference
Performance breakdown
Peripheral Density
Packed with sensors and displays for maximum project versatility.
Learning Utility
An ideal sandbox for mastering essential Raspberry Pi communication protocols.
Build Quality
Robust construction that withstands frequent prototyping and hardware experimentation.
Software Compatibility
Strong support for Raspbian and MicroPython ensures a smooth development experience.
Expansion Potential
Breakout pins offer a reliable path for scaling up complex builds.
User Interaction
Capacitive buttons and alphanumeric displays provide intuitive, tactile feedback.
Key Specs
Onboard LEDs
7x APA102 multicolour LEDs
Displays
4x 14-segment alphanumeric displays
Display Driver
HT16K33
Touch Buttons
3x capacitive
Touch Driver
Atmel QT1070
Sensor
BMP280 temperature and pressure sensor
Audio
Piezo buzzer
Interfaces
SPI, I2C, GPIO, PWM
Features
- Seven multicolor LEDs for visual feedback
- Four alphanumeric displays for information output
- Three capacitive touch buttons for user interaction
- Onboard temperature and pressure sensor
- Piezo buzzer for audio alerts
- Breakout pins for easy expansion
- Ideal for Android Things and Raspbian projects
- Showcases Raspberry Pi communication protocols
What customers say
The Pimoroni Rainbow HAT is highly favored for its exceptional integration and ease of use. Users consistently praise the all-in-one design, which combines vibrant RGB LEDs, a clear display, touch buttons, and a buzzer onto one compact board. This consolidation greatly simplifies project setup, eliminating complex wiring. The excellent, well-documented Python software support makes getting started very accessible for all skill levels. While the initial cost is higher than separate parts, the convenience and robust build quality deliver strong overall value. The visual appeal of the LED effects is a significant bonus for status indicators and interactive builds. This HAT is viewed as a high quality, functional tool that makes Raspberry Pi projects colorful and engaging.
Know before you buy
The Rainbow HAT uses the standard Raspberry Pi HAT form factor and is compatible with any Raspberry Pi model featuring the 40-pin GPIO header, including the Pi 4, 3, 2, B+, and Zero.
No, the Rainbow HAT comes fully assembled. You can simply plug it directly onto your Raspberry Pi's GPIO header and begin coding immediately.
Yes, while it was originally designed with Android Things in mind, it is fully compatible with Raspbian and supports MicroPython, making it a versatile tool for various Linux-based projects.
The board includes a BMP280 sensor for measuring temperature and barometric pressure, three capacitive touch buttons for user input, and a piezo buzzer for audio feedback.
Yes, the board features breakout pins for Servo, I2C, SPI, and UART interfaces, allowing you to easily expand your project with extra sensors or actuators.
The four 14-segment displays are driven by an HT16K33 chip and are perfect for showing real-time data like clock times, sensor readings, or short text messages.
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