4 Best Air Quality Monitors for Home

Indoor air can be surprisingly dirty, especially if you reside next to an industrial area or major roadways. From floating particulates to gases, the air around is full of pollutants. And if not checked on time, these can lead to serious health risks. Air Quality Monitors are the perfect answer in times like these. As suggestive of their name, these devices monitor the air around them and inform you of harmful pollutants.

However, buying an air quality monitor is only half the bridge crossed. It doesn’t clean the air, and you’ll need to buy an air purifier to complete the circle. That said, if you are unsure about investing in a premium air purifier directly and want to learn about the air quality beforehand, here are some great air quality monitors you can buy.

So without further ado, let’s get started. Shall we? But before that,

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1. Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor

Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor

Buy

If your smart home has Amazon Alexa-connected devices, then the Amazon Smart air quality monitor will fit perfectly in mix. It’s affordable, and the small form factor means you can place it anywhere. The good thing is that, even if you do not have an Alexa device, you will get an alert of poor air quality on your phone. For now, this small Amazon air quality monitor can monitor VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and PM2.5 particulates. And the indicator at the front displays the air quality.

Since this Amazon product integrates with Alexa, you can control it and get details using voice commands. If the Air Quality Index goes down in your house, a connected smart speaker will announce it. Also, you can view all the details in a neat graph in your Alexa app. While the graph is pretty comprehensive, the device doesn’t measure Radon and Carbon Monoxide in the air. You won’t see details of the PM10 particulate matter concentration either.

It’s a small device with an air vent at the front to detect the quality. As per the folks at PC Mag, it does a pretty good job of measuring the air quality, especially for its price. They tested it against a Dyson TP07 and the devices offered similar readings when the air quality changed. But of course, the Amazon device is a little slow to register the changes.

For the price, it does a decent job and lets you keep a tab on the air quality, especially if you have an Alexa-connected house.

2. Eve Room Air Quality Monitor

Eve Room Air Quality Monitor

Buy

The Eve Room indoor air quality monitor is almost in the same price bracket, and yet it brings a valuable feature to the table — an E-Ink display. The display ensures that you can read the air quality index, temperature, and humidity levels right from the screen. It’s a simple air quality monitor and can just monitor the air for VOC. Interestingly, it supports Apple HomeKit integration, and you can ask Siri for air quality.

That said, it has a limited number of sensors and can only measure the VOCs in the air. The air quality is described in the form of stars. So if you see fewer white stars on the monitor, you know that the air quality is degrading. At the same time, the companion app gives you a comprehensive idea of the air quality inside. On the downside, it can’t measure PM2.5, PM10, Radon, and CO2 levels inside your house. In short, it’s a basic air quality monitor.

Interestingly, it’s a cordless device and runs on a battery. Once charged, this device can run up to 6 weeks, giving you the liberty to place it in the location of your choice. At the same time, the companion app lets you create a few smart rules. For example, you can set it to run a scene when the air quality decreases.

It works as intended and shows the degrading air quality, especially if your house has high VOC levels. For those unaware, paints, old furniture, air fresheners, and even devices like printers and copiers can emit VOC. It’s quick to detect the change in air quality, and the stars on the screen will alert you of the same.

While the setup process is easy, some settings and features are divided between the HomeKit app and the Eve Home app, which robs the seamless experience.

3. Temtop M10 Air Quality Monitor

Temtop M10 Air Quality Monitor

Buy

The Temtop M10 is a step above the one above and can monitor the air for Formaldehyde, apart from VOCs and fine particulates. Like the one above, it bundles a neat screen on the front and displays the Air Quality Index (AQI) inside your home. Interestingly, it uses a laser sensor to scan the air for Formaldehyde.

If you must know, the rate of Formaldehyde in the indoor air goes up if you burn fuel in places with poor air circulation. Other sources of Formaldehyde include wood products and building materials. And prolonged exposure may cause difficulty in breathing.

The good thing about this air quality monitor is that it sounds an alarm when it detects any pollutant. So yeah, you do not have to scan the numbers on your phone, and that’s a plus. At the same time, the sleek LED indicator at the front will let you of changing air quality.

While the M10 supports an app, it’s a tad difficult to set it up, and several users have pointed this out in their reviews. That said, it allows you to check historical data. Plus, you can even download data for further research.

It bundles a rechargeable battery, and the 2,200 mAh battery gives enough power to run for 6 hours. However, if you want it to stay on at all times, you’ll have to plug it into a power source.

The Temtop M10 is a good buy if you want to monitor the air for VOCs and dangerous gases. However, this compact air quality monitor lacks humidity and temperature indicator.

4. Airthings 2930 Wave Plus

Airthings 2930 Wave Plus

Buy

Airthings 2930 Wave Plus brings several vital features to the table, which are otherwise absent in other air quality monitors. For one, it bundles 6 sensors and can measure Radon, VOCs, and Carbon Dioxide in the air. This is apart from the standard temperature and humidity sensors. And guess what? It also supports Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT. Unfortunately, it doesn’t support Apple Homekit.

It’s a small puck-shaped device and is wall-mountable. Like the ones above, it’s a cordless device and runs on AA batteries. There’s a sleek LED indicator on the face of the device, and a green light indicates clean impurity-free air.

The companion app gives you a detailed analysis of the air quality. You can also check the history. And for now, you can go back a year to check the air quality index. Like its counterparts above, it’s a simple Bluetooth device. Thankfully, the connection is pretty stable, and you will be able to see the new data on your phone or connected device.

Interestingly, this device needs around a week to ten days to calibrate before it provides you with an accurate picture. It works as intended and shows a similar AQI to other portable air quality monitors.

It’s more expensive than the ones above. But it’s your best option if you want a complete picture of the air inside your house.

Breathe Clean Air

Harmful gases in the air can cause a series of health-related risks. For instance, Formaldehyde causes difficulty in breathing, while long-term exposure to Radon leads to lung complications. And an air quality monitor helps you understand the air around you.

So if the monitor often throws out disturbing readings, the next best step is to invest in an air purifier.