Just like the food you eat and water you drink, the air you breathe affects both your short-term and long-term health. The best indoor air quality monitors like our top pick, the Airthings View Plus, assess the air quality by tracking various pollutants, including particulate matter like dust and soot and airborne chemicals like radon.
“An air quality monitor can visualize the invisible, helping you understand what’s in the air you’re breathing every day so that it’s not abstract or daunting,” says Airthings CEO Emma Tryti. Every air quality monitor detects a different combination of pollutants and environmental conditions; the best pollutants to detect depend on personal health preferences and the home itself. It’s also important to consider whether you want a stationary or portable device and the setup process. Below, we rounded up the best air quality monitors for every household.
Dimensions: 6.7 x 1.3 x 3.5 inches | Warranty: 5 years | Sensors: Radon, PM2.5, CO2, VOCs, temperature, air pressure and humidity
Pros:
Measures a wide variety of air quality factors
Can be wall-mounted or left free-standing
Minimalist design
Great for beginners
Cons:
Expensive
Limited customization
Airthings’ View Plus thoroughly assesses indoor air quality by monitoring seven environmental parameters, ranging from pollutants like PM2.5 to general conditions like temperature and humidity. It’s a pricey item, especially if you want to purchase monitors for multiple rooms, but it tracks significantly more data than average and fulfills most homeowners’ needs. Advanced data is available on Airthings’ mobile app, which, despite intermittent syncing issues, has a clear and intuitive layout. The threshold levels for what’s considered good, fair and poor can’t be adjusted, but the default ranges are standard. Tests show that the View Plus delivers accurate readings, too.
Best Value Indoor Air Quality Monitor
A Reasonably Priced Smoke Alarm With Integrated Air Quality Monitoring
Kidde Smart Smoke Detector And Indoor Air Quality Monitor
Dimensions: 5.6 x 1.9 inches | Warranty: 10 years | Sensors: Smoke, CO, TVOCs, temperature, humidity and mold risk
Pros:
Easy to use and install
Great for a new home or apartment
Cons:
Doesn’t measure particulate matter or CO2
Air quality information can only be accessed on an app
This device combines three home safety monitors into one. It detects smoke, carbon monoxide and several other factors associated with indoor air quality, all of which can be viewed on Kidde’s highly-rated app. While the free version of the app provides sufficient information, a premium version with added features requires a monthly or annual fee. It’s worth purchasing this air quality monitor in a two-pack because it’s cost-effective and lets users measure multiple rooms in the house. However, the item is sold individually as well.
Best Indoor Air Quality Monitor For Mold
An Effortless Way To Avoid Mold
Airthings Wave Mini
Dimensions: 3.1 x 1 inches | Warranty: 5 years | Sensors: VOCs, temperature, humidity and mold risk
Pros:
App provides long-term data to track improvement
Easy to set up
Sleek and compact design
Cons:
Doesn’t measure particulate matter or CO2
Less effective in extremely large rooms
No air quality monitor, including the Airthings Wave Mini, can confirm the presence of mold; a separate test kit is required for that. Instead, the Wave Mini alerts homeowners to high-risk conditions where mold is likely to grow, thwarting the issue before it arises. Airthings developed a formula called a “Mold Risk Indicator,” which is based on “the combination of temperature and humidity levels in an indoor space over time,” says Tryti. “It’s especially effective in bathrooms, basements, or crawl spaces where humidity levels are often highest.” The Wave Mini can be mounted to a wall or simply placed on a shelf in any room where mold is a concern.
Best Indoor Air Quality Monitor For Allergies
A Professional-Grade Monitor With Accurate Readouts
Temtop LKC-1000S+ 2nd Generation
Dimensions: 6.9 x 1.2 x 2.6 inches | Warranty: 1 year | Sensors: PM2.5, PM10, TVOCs, HCHO (formaldehyde), AQI, temperature and humidity
Pros:
Measures a wide variety of air quality factors
Easily portable
Can export data to computer
Cons:
Short battery life
Small display screen
This handheld monitor tracks an immense amount of data but is surprisingly easy to read, so it’s suitable for beginners and experts alike. A major reason why it’s worth purchasing for allergy-prone people is that it detects PM10 in addition to the more common PM2.5. PM10 accounts for larger particles and can include pollen, smoke and dust. “Maintaining optimal indoor air quality helps prevent health issues such as allergies and respiratory problems,” says Lāsma Puķina-Slava, the marketing content manager at Aranet, a company that manufactures home sensors.
Best Portable Indoor Air Quality Monitor
A Pocket-Sized Device That Can Travel Anywhere
Atmotube Pro Air Quality Monitor
Dimensions: 0.9 x 2 x 3.4 inches | Warranty: 1 year | Sensors: VOCs, PM1, PM2.5, PM10, temperature, humidity and barometric pressure
Pros:
Compact and lightweight
Works indoors and outdoors
Long battery life
Cons:
Expensive
Can only see data on mobile app
Doesn’t detect CO or CO2
Measuring just 3.4 inches long, the Atmotube PRO looks more like a flash drive than a high-end air quality monitor. Yet, despite its small size, it has 256 KB of onboard memory and can graph data over days and years. It’s easy to carry in a bag or clip to a backpack or belt loop since it comes with a carabiner. (You can even use it discreetly on public transportation.) Keep in mind that the item rates air quality based on Atmotube’s proprietary scale, “Air Quality Score,” rather than the standard air quality index.
Author of this piece Derek Rose is a regular contributor with extensive experience covering home, kitchen and lifestyle topics.
To gather expert insight, Rose spoke with Emma Tryti, CEO of the global tech company Airthings. Rose also interviewed Lāsma Puķina-Slava, the marketing content manager at Aranet.
How We Chose The Best Indoor Air Quality Monitors
To select the best indoor air quality monitors, we researched the top-rated options, compared their specifications and spoke with industry experts to learn about airborne pollutants.
We considered products from trusted brands like Airthings, Temtop, Kidde and more.
We noted what pollutants each air quality monitor could detect and researched the accuracy of their measurements.
We combed through countless customer reviews and only considered products with a minimum rating of four stars.
The final products on this list reflect in-depth research conducted by our writer and meticulous vetting by the editorial team.
What To Look For In The Best Indoor Air Quality Monitors
Purchasing an indoor air quality monitor may initially seem daunting. They are sophisticated, often expensive devices that track a wide range of seemingly invisible data. However, once you know what to look for, finding an option that fits your needs is easy.
Environmental Parameters Detected
Every air quality monitor detects a different combination of pollutants and environmental conditions. The best pollutants to detect depend on personal health preferences and the home itself. “Everyone’s indoor air environment is different,” says Tryti. For example, she notes that people living in large cities or areas prone to wildfires may deal with increased particulate matter. Furthermore, a person living in the mountains or an older home may want to keep a closer eye on radon levels. “The ‘most important’ pollutant is the one your home may be most prone to seeing elevated levels of over time,” she says.
Ease Of Use
Even the most accurate and advanced air quality monitor is useless if you can’t figure out how it works. Here are a few questions to consider before buying. Is the data displayed in an organized and accessible way? How easily can users adjust between viewing different pollutants? Is any customization available regarding alerts, ranges or graphs?
Bluetooth And WiFi Connectivity
Many indoor air quality monitors connect to Bluetooth or WiFi, making it easier to access alerts and measurements and integrate with smart devices. It’s also common for air quality monitor manufacturers to have a mobile app. In fact, some air quality monitors exclusively convey data through an app. The convenience of checking the air quality index from your phone, even when you’re out of the house, is often worth paying extra.
Stationary Vs. Portable
Some air quality monitors are designed to stay in a single room, while others are portable and can measure air quality in various areas. Stationary monitors are usually larger and have big, bright display screens that can be read from across the room; they can be wall-mounted or left freestanding on a shelf or side table. They are a great option if you prioritize simplicity and don’t mind reading the air levels in only one room. On the other hand, portable air quality monitors are more compact and have small screens. They provide more versatility but often require slightly more time and effort. There are cheap and expensive options available in both categories.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are Indoor Air Quality Monitors Worth It?
Indoor air quality monitors can improve a home’s comfort, health and safety. If a monitor is within your budget, it can improve your quality of life. “We spend more than 90% of our time indoors,” Tryti says, “so having an air quality monitor in your home should be viewed as a necessity for your health rather than a luxury—much like an everyday smoke detector. But that doesn’t mean air quality needs to be scary.” Indoor air quality monitors simply diagnose when conditions are ideal or not ideal, and it’s better to know when conditions aren’t right because there is often a simple solution.
What Do Air Quality Monitors Detect?
Air quality monitors detect a range of environmental conditions and airborne substances. The former includes temperature, humidity and air pressure. The latter covers particulate matter, VOCs, CO, CO2, HCHO, radon and more. Most indoor air quality monitors only detect a portion of these parameters rather than all of them. That’s usually not an issue, though. People prioritize different conditions depending on their health and home, so it’s generally easy to find an air quality monitor that suits your needs.
Where Is The Best Place To Put An Air Quality Monitor?
Placing an air quality monitor in certain areas of the home leads to more accurate measurements than others. “An ideal placement for an air quality monitor is within the human breathing zone,” says Puķina-Slava. “For instance, positioning the sensor on a nightstand at bed level is optimal in a bedroom. It is important to ensure that sensors have unobstructed access to free airflow, so avoid placing them on bookshelves squeezed between books.” She adds that it’s best to avoid “areas with rapidly changing environmental conditions,” like near a window or door, as it can throw off the measurements. Placement may also depend on the pollutants that an air quality monitor detects. Monitors that detect mold should be placed in damp areas, while ones that detect radon are best in basements.
Brooklinen is known for its comfortable luxury bedding, with a catalog that includes everything from soft linens and comforters to a down-alternative mattress topper. Most of the pillows in the brand’s lineup are made from down or down-alternative materials, but the Marlow Pillow stands out thanks to its comfortable blend of supportive and soft materials,…
The right bed skirt can elevate your bedding, creating a crisp, put-together look that extends all the way to the floor. But the best bed skirts feature quality construction that holds up through repeat washing, along with an element of style to suit your taste. Our top pick is the Pottery Barn Essential Linen Cotton…
With so many options available, it’s worth browsing the best Apple Watch bands to suit your style (and lifestyle). If you really want, you can switch up your device’s look and feel regularly. Perhaps you’re looking for something waterproof for swimming or sweatier sports, a subdued shade for business meetings or a leather strap for…
Whitening your teeth using an at-home product is a convenient and affordable alternative to going to the dentist’s office. According to dentists, the best teeth whitening kits are user-friendly and offer fast, professional-quality results, like our top pick the Ultradent Opalescence Go. These versions for home use come in many forms, including LED mouthpieces, strips…
My love for memory foam mattresses is contradictory. I like to feel so cradled that my body leaves an imprint, but buoyant enough that I can comfortably switch positions no fewer than 25 times per night. So when I heard about Saatva’s latest attempt to strike a balance between sinking in and staying reasonably afloat,…
You don’t need to have your finger on the pulse of running to be familiar with Hoka. While the brand got its start in 2009 designing plump, maximalist running shoes that bucked minimalist trends, Hoka shoes now come in many shapes, sizes and colors. Still, two models—the Clifton and Bondi—are praised for their comfort and…