Topic: The Best Air Quality Monitors of 2023, Tested and Reviewed (Read 34 times)
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Topic: The Best Air Quality Monitors of 2023, Tested and Reviewed (Read 34 times)
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There were a few things I really liked about the Airthings View Plus. The first is its battery life. While you can plug this air quality monitor into the wall using a USB-C cord, it can also be powered via six AA batteries (which are included). When I received this air quality monitor in the mail about three weeks ago, I set it up (including the online app) and turned it on, but did not plug it in using the USB-C wall charger. It’s still going strong. I’m assuming the battery will eventually give out, but if you’re looking for something that doesn’t need to be plugged in to work, this is a great option.
Like the Airwair Element, the app for the Airthings air quality monitor provides detailed information on the exact levels of its various measurements. The actual device, however, only shows you two of the measurements at a time (you can customize this to show the ones you are the most interested in). To see whether your overall air quality is good, you can either press the hidden button in between the two dots above the display screen or wave your hand in front of the device. A small black dot at the top of the screen means something about your current air quality is off, something it took me over two weeks to notice.
While I appreciate the extent of the potential customization with this device, I found that I preferred the Awair’s display, which shows you everything at a glance from across the room, over having to interact with the device or app every single time I wondered if it was time to open the windows. And, while the inclusion of the radon detection will undoubtedly be useful for individuals with a basement, my sense is that the PM 1 measurement is unlikely to get much use, as it closely mirrors the PM 2.5 reading.
It’s worth noting that during testing, the Airthings air monitor was the least reactive to changes in the PM 2.5 level (altered by lighting matches in a closed space over and over), taking nearly five minutes to register a change in air quality.
If your main air quality concern is smoke related, then the Temtop M10 Air Quality Monitor has got you covered. It provides you not only with a PM 2.5 measurement, but also with an AQI (air quality index) measurement. So if you know that your PM 2.5 levels bounce around a fair amount during the day—perhaps when you’re cooking—and you just want to know what your average air quality is, you can switch to this setting instead. It also measures VOCs and formaldehyde, specifically (which is a type of VOC).
That’s it. There’s no app. No overall air quality assessment. No CO2 levels. No humidity monitor.
During testing, the Temtop M10 Air Quality Monitor had a tendency to jump around quite a bit, skyrocketing from 2 PM 2.5 to 101 PM 2.5 (the highest levels reached) before settling back down. While the results it’s giving were close enough to accurate for most people’s purposes—alerting you to when it’s time to open or close the windows, for instance—it is visually distracting to look at, and may be perceived as stressful by some individuals.
Let’s say you wake up one morning at your favorite off-grid campsite. You look outside your campervan and things look a little yellow. Is that a trick of the morning light? Or haze from a wildfire settling in? Rather than walk outside the campervan and take a few deep breaths—sending all that PM 2.5 straight in your lungs—to see if you can sniff out how bad the smoke is, you turn on your Temtop Air Quality Monitor Professional and get the answer in seconds.
During testing, it registered the change in PM 2.5 levels smoothly, steadily climbing as I lit match after match, and then falling slowly once I stopped.
If you are going to be outside but not fully off-grid and you’d just rather not bother with another gadget in your arsenal, then I’ve got good news: You don’t need an air quality monitor. Both AirNow and IQAir provide real-time information about PM 2.5 (AirNow also records ozone).
If you have to choose one (and you really don’t), then I’d go with IQAir simply because they have more monitors (many of which are run on a volunteer basis if you are so inclined) in the areas of the country most prone to wildfire. If you’re near a city, it typically doesn’t make much difference, but when you’re far afield but closer to a wildfire than you’d like, it can provide a more accurate reading.
Air quality monitors do work, but not all provide the same amount of information. For instance, relatively few air quality monitors check for important issues to homeowners like mold and radon. Research the air quality issues you are most likely to encounter in your dwelling before making a purchase decision.
The best way to monitor indoor air quality is with an air quality monitor.
Most air quality monitors cannot detect mold. If you suspect you have a mold issue in your home, it’s best to contact an indoor air quality professional certified by the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA). They will be able to tell you if you have a mold issue in your home, and what remediation is reco*mended for the type of mold you have.
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Safe, unpolluted air is essential for not only your long-term health, but also to ensure you are at the top of your game during your next outdoor adventure. Air quality monitors also pair well with one of the best home weather stations. If the air in your hunting cabin or sprinter van is starting to seem stale, smelly, or just plain off, then it’s time to invest in one of the best air monitors:
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