I suppose the question should be rephrased 'accurate enough for what?' I've found a button compass great for getting myself fixed on a roadmap or in a unfamiliar nieghborhood. If you need to know where ' thataway' is they're fine: better than all the sunshadow sticks and fondling trees for moss tricks we're supposed to remember along with our name and address every morning. The thermometer is questionable. I like to see the mercury in a tube. Even tiny ones give a dramatic visual template of relative temperature. If it's huddled at the bottom shivering I know I should be huddled up somewhere too.