Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?
How clean is the air you’re breathing? At one time or another, your home has probably been the unwilling host of microscopic pollutants. The best air quality monitors will constantly measure the types of irritants in your air, log the readings, and even kick on your air purifier to combat your home’s microbial pests.
Two common types of indoor air pollutants are fine particles and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Fine particles are invisible irritants no larger than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, but they can cause serious issues for those with respiratory conditions. VOCs are invisible vapors and gases that are often the byproduct of burning fuel products, like gasoline and wood-burning stoves. While the best air purifiers on the market will work wonders to combat these invisible irritants, one thing most purifiers lack is the ability to locate and analyze the pollutants flying around your home. That’s the job of an air quality monitor.
Check out our picks for the best air quality monitors for 2023.
Temtop M10 Air Quality Monitor
Airthings Wave Plus
Awair Element Indoor Air Quality Monitor
Govee Smart Air Quality Monitor
Temtop M10 Air Quality Monitor
Pros
- Built-in alarm
- Large, easy-to-read display
- Portable
Cons
- Battery lasts just six hours
The M10 uses a blend of laser-measuring technology and pollutant-balancing algorithms to scan the air nearby for fine particles, HCHO (formaldehyde), and VOCs produced by common household cleaners, paints, and various fuel-burning appliances. When the M10 detects a surplus of any harmful pollutant, an onboard alarm will sound, letting you know it’s time to crack a window or to change the filter in your HVAC system.
We’re big into portable and unobtrusive designs, which is one of our favorite things about the M10. Running off a rechargeable 2,200 mAh battery, the monitor is designed for easy grab-and-go analytics. Take a reading of your house’s indoor air, the inside of your car, or even the great outdoors. The meter boasts just one power button, and the Temptop M10 will last up to 6 hours on a single charge.
Temtop M10 Air Quality Monitor
Airthings Wave Plus
Pros
- Measures a wide variety of pollutants
- Color-coded readings
- Useful smartphone app
Cons
- Air particulate count not displayed
Radon is an odorless natural gas that can be found in most homes, albeit at manageable levels. However, long-term exposure to radon can lead to serious respiratory issues, including lung cancer. Radon is not to be taken lightly, and that’s where the Airthings Wave Plus comes in.
This smart monitor does a deep scan of your home’s air for not just radon, but temperature, humidity, C02, VOCs, as well as overall air pressure, a category that no other monitor on this list is capable of detecting. Once the Wave is powered, using it is as simple as literally waving your hand in front of the meter for color-coded air quality readings. Green is all-good, yellow is a warning, and red means there are dangerous levels of radon or other airborne toxins in proximity. It takes about a week for the monitor to get properly acclimated to your home’s environment.
Download the Wave app (iOS and Android) to receive the most up-to-date readings on your mobile device, but do be aware that the Airthings Wave Plus uses Bluetooth to sync data to your phone, not Wi-Fi. This means you’ll need to be inside your house (or very close to it) to collect the latest air quality readings.
Eve Home
Pros
- Minimalist design
- Detailed reports via smartphone app
- Rates air quality on simple five-star scale
Cons
- Limited measurements
If minimalism is what you seek, the Eve Home is your best bet. Sleek and portable, the Eve is also powered by one of the strongest rechargeable batteries on our list. Expect up to 6 weeks on a single charge. When the battery is low, just connect any standard USB cable to your Eve. Even your old iPhone wire will do.
The Eve Home monitors for overall air quality, temperature, and humidity and stores its collected data into detailed hour, day, week, month, and year graphs that you can access through the Eve app (iOS and Android). The actual monitor will rate the air on a 5-star scale. Keeping above 3 stars is what you want to shoot for. And, speaking of Home, the Eve is also compatible with Apple HomeKit.
Once you’ve added Eve to your Apple smart home, the monitor can automatically trigger purifiers and other web-connected air-filtering appliances when air-in-proximity is too contaminated.
Awair Element Indoor Air Quality Monitor
Pros
- Sleek aesthetic
- Alexa and Google Home support
- Tracks five air quality categories
Cons
- Setup can be frustrating
This is one of our favorite monitors in our breakdown, just based on aesthetics alone. The Awair Element measures only 6 inches wide and 3 inches tall, making it an easy addition to any part of your home or workspace.
The Element tracks and reports on five key air categories: Fine particles, VOCs, temperature, humidity, and Co2. Readings for each category are displayed on the monitor and stored in the Awair app (iOS and Android), along with tips and advice on how to mitigate your stuffy air. Add even more control over your air with Alexa and Google Home. Awair senses a drop in air quality and immediately directs thermostats and purifiers to circulate air throughout your home via a web-based communication system.
Some consumers note that the Awair Element may not pair with your Wi-Fi on the first try. Unfortunately, technical hurdles are often unavoidable, and connection failures are a common issue. That said, only a small fraction of consumer reviews reported this problem, so the chances of it happening to you are relatively small. And there’s a simple solution: disconnect your monitor, reconnect it, and re-install your Wi-Fi to get it connected fully.
Awair Element Indoor Air Quality Monitor
Govee Smart Air Quality Monitor
Pros
- Sleek design
- Large, intuitive display
- Versatile smartphone app
- Affordable price
Cons
- Can’t measure some key airborne pollutants
- Wired connection
The Govee Smart Air Quality Monitor is a good-looking device that packs in a ton of features despite its $60 price tag. Featuring a large display and the ability to read the temperature, humidity, and airborne particulate counts, this no-frills device is a great option if you don’t need anything other than the basics.
One of the coolest features of this Govee device is its color-coded readouts. Beyond giving you exact numbers for your pollutant levels, you’ll find a colored bar running through the middle of the screen that changes based on your air quality. So if you notice a bar that’s not green, you might want to open a few windows.
Toss in a useful smartphone app and a straightforward setup process, and you’ve got a compelling gadget that’s perfect for entry-level shoppers.
Govee Smart Air Quality Monitor
Editors’ Recommendations
-
For Earth Day 2023, Recycle the Old and Go Green with eufy Security -
Mother’s Day deal knocks $260 off the Dyson Corrale -
Woot! has an Amazon Echo Dot for $8 right now -
The best DIY home security systems -
The Roll’s Royce of smart wireless meat thermometers is $30 off
Michael Bizzaco has been writing about and working with consumer tech for well over a decade, writing about everything from A/V components and smart home devices to encryption software, cloud backup platforms, search engine tools, and more. He has written for Digital Trends for over three years, covering entertainment content, A/V, and smart home devices.
This Philips Hue starter kit is 50% for a limited time
If you want to add some color to your home theater, bedroom or office, a smart lightbulb is the simplest way to do it. Philips has carved itself out as the go-to smart bulb with its line of Philips Hue bulbs. Right now the Philips Hue A19 White and Color four-pack of bulbs is only $100 — that’s 50% off. If you want to save $100 on this awesome pack of smart bulbs, act fast.
Why you should buy the Philips Hue A19 White and Color smart bulb starter kit
It’s the Philips Hue White Ambiance smart bulb starter kit that sits on top of our list of the best smart light bulbs, but all of its benefits and features can also be found in the Philips Hue A19 White and Color smart bulb starter kit. Instead of just changing from warm white to cool white, the four 75-watt smart bulbs included in this starter kit also have access to 16 million colors. They’re also very easy to install — there’s no need for any special wiring or to hire an electrician, as you can just replace the bulbs around your home with those that are included in this starter kit.
This height-adjustable electric standing desk is 49% off at Amazon
Great standing desk deals aren’t as commonplace as we’d like them to be, so we’re excited to see a big discount on a Furmax Electric Height Adjustable Standing Desk at Amazon. Usually priced at $250, it’s down to $140. That already sounds pretty sweet but you also get an additional 5% off by applying a coupon directly available on the site. Bringing the price down further to $133, this is a fantastic deal on a versatile standing desk. You’ll need to be quick as stock is likely to be limited.
Why you should buy the Furmax Electric Height Adjustable Standing Desk
The best standing desks are a good addition to your home office setup as research has taught us all that standing is better than sitting down all the time. The Furmax Electric Height Adjustable Standing Desk makes it easy to do while looking attractive at home. Rather than relying on a regular standing desk that needs complex adjustments, the Furmax Electric Height Adjustable Standing Desk’s height can be controlled using buttons. It can adjust quickly and accurately to your preset comfortable height so you’re always in control. A digital control panel means you can always check the height via the LED display with two presets possible to save at any time.
Amazon is having a big sale on Vitamix blender’s for Mother’s Day
Every kitchen should have a blender. They are remarkably versatile, and even though most people use them as a go-to for making shakes, frappes, smoothies, and other delicious beverages, they have so much more to offer. For example, you can slice or chop veggies and fruits, or even use some blenders to grind coffee. That’s why if you’re on the hunt for some great blender deals, well, we can’t fault you, it’s definitely a good choice. And some of the better options on the market include Vitamix models, so you’re probably seeking out some excellent Vitamix blender deals too. We have discovered a few that are worth calling out separately, thanks to Amazon, as it’s having a big Vitamix blender sale, ahead of Mother’s Day. You can save up to $100 on select models, right now, and we’ve rounded up the best options below. Go ahead and check them out, you know you want to.
Vitamix Explorian 48-ounce Pro-Grade Blender — $290, was $350
Amazon’s Vitamix blender sale is on. With variable speed controls, the beloved pulse feature, and hardened stainless steel blades, this Explorian professional-grade blender from Vitamix is ready to grind, chop, slice, mince, or slush whatever you need it to, like a killer Halloween recipe maybe — when the times comes, of course, no one is suggesting you make Halloween blender recipes in April. But if you really wanted to, with the Vitamix Explorian, you certainly could. The 48-ounce blending cup is big enough to hold medium batches for most families. It’s also self-cleaning, so all you have to do is add some warm water, put a drop of dish soap, and let it go for 30 to 60 seconds. It also comes in three color variations, including a snazzy bright red.
