HATs are incredible add-ons to the Raspberry Pi that increase its functionality in a huge number of ways – from added sensors and inputs for fun projects, to practical applications in business and enterprise.
Here are our picks for the 10 best Raspberry Pi HATs:
Sense HAT: Space-faring sensor
Used in the Astro Pi devices up on the International Space Station, this cool Sense HAT (£32 / $40) has an 8×8 pixel display, environmental sensors, accelerometer, and a little joystick. There’s loads of great Raspberry Pi resources that use it as well.
See: Sense HAT Essentials
GFX HAT: Display and inputs
We really like the GFX HAT (£22 / $23) – not only is it a very nice display that is easy to program for, it also has a series of (capacitive touch) buttons. It’s amazing for practical projects or basically any Pi that’s turned on a lot
PoE HAT: Power over Ethernet
The Raspberry Pi is very popular in enterprise settings, and the PoE HAT (£18 / $20) allows for a more efficient way to add Pi boards to a system. With PXE boot and power from the Ethernet port, you can do a lot with a 3B+.
See also: Raspberry Pi PoE HAT review
Automation HAT: Automating everything
Want to connect your entire house up to a Raspberry Pi? You’ll have better luck with the Automation HAT (£29 / $31), which has just a ton of connections that you can use. And it all sits on top of a Pi!
See also: Home automation add-ons for Raspberry Pi
Picade X HAT: Totally awesome video games
Powering the almighty Picade is this amazing control Picade X HAT (£16 / $17) that’s purpose-built for Pi-powered arcade machines. It includes audio and inputs, along with other bits and pieces, and it’s the perfect heart for your arcade build.
See also: Picade Review
PaPiRus HAT: E-ink display
You can make anything look 20% classier with a PaPiRus HAT e-ink display (£41 / $54). Trust us, we’ve got the science to back it up. It’s very low-power, depending on usage, and looks great even in bright sunlight.
See also: PaPiRus Zero Medium review
The PaPiRus HAT
Unicorn HAT HD: High-def LEDs
The wonderful Unicorn HAT HD (£34 / $37) lets you create amazing multicoloured visuals, perfect for a disco or project that needs a dot-matrix display aesthetic. It fits in a lot of Pi cases as well.
See also: Unicorn HAT HD review
HiFiBerry DAC+ DSP: Powerful audio amplifier
This powerful HiFiBerry DAC + DSP (£60 / $78) includes a DSP (digital signal processor) which allows for full control of the way your audio is output from the Pi. The folks at HiFiBerry call it a ‘DAC on steroids’.
See also: HiFiBerry DAC+ ADC
TV HAT: Must-see TV
Tune into digital TV in Europe with this excellent TV HAT (£20 / $26) which then lets you stream the signal around your house. It’s the perfect complement to a Kodi box, and it sits nicely on top of a Pi Zero.
See also: Install Raspberry Pi TV HAT and use it with Kodi
Flick HAT: Gesture control
The Flick HAT (£20 / $26) can handle all of your gesture control needs, with 3D tracking that lets you control the Pi with some simple gestures even from a moderate distance (about 15 cm away).
See also: Flick HAT review – swipe gestures for Raspberry Pi
