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Getting The Job Done Right
What exactly is an air quality monitor?
Why do you need one?
…And what makes the best air quality monitor standout? Did you know that the air in our homes and place of work is polluted with a wide range of particles, including dust, smoke, pet dander, pollen, and other allergens. Over time, Inhaling these can have a negative impact on our health, especially if you suffer from allergies or severe asthma.
In fact, WHO points out that 4.3 million people die every year from the exposure to household air pollution. And in 2012, Harvard researchers found that long-term exposure to fine particles in air results in high rates of hospitalization for heart attack, diabetes, pneumonia, and stroke. You don’t want to be part of these statistics. So, how do you help the situation?
You need to know the kind of pollutants lurking in the air in your home, so you can take proper mitigating measures. And that’s where an Air Quality Monitor comes in handy. Air Quality Monitors are digitally connected devices designed to constantly monitor the quality of air in your space. They are equipped with sensors that detect and monitor various types of pollution, allowing you to track the information on your smartphone, PC, or Tablet.
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There is a vast selection of air quality monitors on the market today, and their performance levels and accuracy can greatly vary. Hence, it can be an uphill task choosing the best air quality monitor for your needs. In that light, we present you a comprehensive guide to help you choose the best indoor quality monitor from the numerous options available to you. Let’s dive in.
#1
Footbot Air Quality Monitor tops our list of best air quality monitors, thanks to its unmatched ease of use as well as great user reviews and feedback. This air quality monitor is designed to provide both real-time details and historical variations of VOCs, CO2, PM2.5, temperature, and humidity.
It is worth noting, however, that Footbot is not equipped with an actual CO2 sensor. So, how is it able to provide CO2 measurements? It calculates and approximates for CO2 based on the VOC readings. In light of the fact that this device is designed for domestic use, the accuracy is satisfactory.
One of the best things about the Footbot is that it will provide you with an indoor air quality score. It displays those scores together with the thresholds from WHO and the EPA in the Companion App. In that way, you can tell exactly where you are from the threat levels. Another remarkable thing about this air quality monitor is that it can work well with other smart home devices such IFTTT, ecobee, LUX, nest, Honeywell, and Amazon’s Echo.
Perhaps the only shortcoming of Footbot Air Quality monitor is that it takes about 6 days to adapt to an environment. And this undermines its portability. Nonetheless, it is a great device if you’re planning to use it only at home. You need just a few minutes to set it up and get it running.
#2
Awair Glow is an amazing entry-level air quality monitor that also serves as a smart plug. This means you can plug in a humidifier, dehumidifier, or air conditioner and actually schedule it with the device’ app. How awesome is that!?
You know what’s the significance of this? The device syncs with Awair’s air quality standards. Hence, if the humidity falls below 30%, for instance, you can command the app to start the humidifier at that point. Awair Glow air quality monitor boasts a tastefully-designed, user-friendly app.
The app offers useful and valuable information such as:
Another remarkable thing about the Awair Glow is that it allows you to choose your preferred air quality from General, Sleep, Productivity, Baby, and Allergy. That means you can optimize your air quality according to your needs. It is also worth noting that this device is compatible with Amazon Echo and Google Home. And the pleasant built-in night bulb can’t go unmentioned.
#3
Awair air quality monitor uses the same amazing app as the Awair Glow and provides the same readings.
It also delivers valuable tips for improving the quality of air in your home. In addition, the device will also give you information on the level of dust in the air. And that makes it the best choice for an air quality monitor if you are seriously allergic to dust. Awair air quality monitor features a simple LED display. The colored LED on the display shows your Aware score.
The white LED, on the other hand, is for the score and the levels of every measurement. Another great thing about this monitor is that it comes in several colors, including green, brown, and pink. So you can get one that matches your home decor. One of the notable shortcomings of the Awair monitor is that it is not compatible with HomeKit, Amazon, Google Home, and Nest.
#4
Are you struggling with a respiratory condition and don’t care about other readings apart from particle count? Then you might want to consider investing in Dylos DC1100 Pro Air Quality Monitor as it is dedicated to counting particles.
The Dylos DC1100 is actually a laser particle counter. And it can see particles in two size ranges:
This air quality monitor boasts real-time bar graphs. What’s more, it has a 30-day history log. It makes it easier for you to understand when to run an air purifier, as well as the most appropriate settings to use. To sum it up, the Dylos DC100 Pro air quality monitor doesn’t have a sophisticated design like other monitors in its class. But it is a worthy buy if you suffer from a respiratory condition like asthma and other air quality readings are not much of your concern.
#5
Are you working on a very tight budget but still want to get a reliable air quality monitor? Then you might want to look at what Elgato Eve Room air quality monitor has to offer.
The Eve Room is one of the cheapest, yet most energy-efficient air quality monitors you can find on the market today. It is equipped with a HomeKit-enabled indoor sensor, which monitors your indoor temperature, air quality, and humidity.
This compact, unsophisticated device is designed to provide you with visual information on your air quality through graphs and other readings. It allows you to choose different categories on which you want to monitor the air quality in your environment.
In light of the fact that it is HomeKit-integrated, Elgato Eve Room air quality monitor can be used with heaters, humidifiers, or any other HomeKit-enabled devices you have in your home. The device can operate between 32 and 130 degrees Fahrenheit. It is worth noting, however, that you need an iPhone or iPad with at least iOS 10.3 to operate this HomeKit-enabled air quality monitor.
#6
If you are so much into portable air quality monitors, the Acer Indoor air quality monitor is another great option for you.
The battery-powered, small, light-weight device connects through Bluetooth. That means you can use it in virtually any area. The way the monitor presents its readings is exceptional. Namely, it uses 5 colored LED indicators to show the current air quality status. What’s more, it conveys real-time air quality data via its app. You know what this means?
You can monitor the quality of air in your home from virtually anywhere. You don’t need to be at home. The Acer indoor air quality monitor is compatible with various smart home devices, including IFTTT and Amazon Alexa. Acer’s air quality results are reliable, thanks to the fact that its measurement methods are based on the international AQI standards. So, if you’re looking for an air quality monitor that you can carry anywhere, this could your best bet.
#7
If you are looking to monitor virtually every aspect of the environment in your home, including rain and wind, then you might want to consider investing in Netatmo Weather Station. A fully-featured weather station, the device encompasses an indoor module and an outdoor module.
With the outdoor module, you can measure temperature and humidity. The module allows you to also download air quality settings from a nearby weather station. The indoor module is designed to monitor your comfort and informs you on when you should air out your home to minimize the pollution levels. You know how the device does this?
Netatmo weather station measures air quality, CO2 levels, humidity, and temperature. What’s more, it is equipped with a sound meter that detects the noise levels in your space. And all of this data is recorded and stored in the cloud. You can access it anytime you want on your PC, phone, or tablet. It is also worth noting that besides the two modules, you can add up to 3 extra indoor modules, a wind gauge, and a rain gauge.
#8
Look for an air quality monitor that doesn’t require you to have a smartphone in order to view the readings?
Then AirVisual Node Air Quality Monitor would be a perfect choice for you. This air quality monitor comes with a built-in 5-inch display screen. The screen is always on so you can check your air quality readings at a glance. If you suffer from asthma, lung cancer, COPD, or high blood pressure, it advisable to choose this air quality monitor.
This is in light of the fact that it is designed according to medical-grade standards. The AirVisual Node has the capability to detect virtually everything including bacteria, PM2.5, CO2, temperature, and humidity. It can also convey real-time alerts to your smartphone or tablet. It is also imperative that you understand the air quality outside your home.
The AirVisual Node comes in handy in this case as well. It provides comprehensive data on six major pollutants for at least 8,000 areas in over 35 countries.The device compares indoor readings with outdoor data from a nearby official weather station. In this way, it helps you know when you should go outside, stay inside, or ventilate.
When it comes to purchasing an air quality monitor, there are several features to look out for, which will be able to give the best information on the overall quality of air in your environment. In that light, let’s looks at the most important factors to consider when shopping for the best air quality monitor:
Before you purchase an air quality monitor, it is imperative that you decide what functionality you want the device to have. Air quality monitors are largely used to detect and monitor Carbon Monoxide (CO), Carbon Dioxide (CO2), and Particulate Matter (PM).
However, you can also get air quality monitors that can detect noise levels (dB) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). It is worth noting that these units are usually more expensive to buy. Therefore, if you are only concerned with healthy levels of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide in your home, you can just invest in a simple air quality monitor. But if any member of your family has an allergy or other respiratorys conditions, you might want to consider investing in a model that has the capability to detect small particles and VOCs.
Besides monitoring carbon dioxide and VOCs, a good air quality monitor should also be able to measure PM levels. You should realize that PM levels play a crucial role in determining the overall indoor air quality in an environment.
So, it is imperative that you buy an air quality monitor that has the capability to measures size of particulate matter. Otherwise, you might not get accurate readings from your device.
The best air quality monitor should be equipped with temperature and humidity sensors. You should realize that high humidity levels can cause mold as well as increased levels of mold spores in the air.
These impurities are associated with nose and throat irritation, sore eyes, as well as coughing and wheezing in asthmatic individuals. So, it is advisable to invest in a monitor that can detect these impurities in the air in your home.
It is imperative that you properly understand and interpret the results from the sensors in your air quality monitor. You know what this means? You need an air quality monitor with a good interface and app, which can translate the air quality readings and present them in a way that is easy for you to read and understand.
In fact, a good air quality monitor should send warnings, in the form of alerts to an app, text or email. In that way, you will always be up to date on how polluted the air is in your environment. Besides being able to display the reading on the device itself, the air quality monitor should also have data logging capabilities. And what’s the significance of that?
You will be able to track long-term trends. Moreover, the best air quality monitor should be able to determine air cleanliness based on a relative measure. Namely, the device should understand when the air is really clean, instead of just indicating the changes in the air quality.
Generally, a good air quality monitor should have an easy to read LCD screen. You want to look at the screen and be able to actually determine the quality of the air without having to refer to an app or computer.
Air quality is an element of our day-to-day lives. We cannot survive without good air. However, we are always exposed to pollutants regardless of where we live or work. These pollutants have been associated with serious health complications and detrimental environmental issues.
And to stay safe from these problems, you need to invest in a good air quality monitor. This will help you know and understand the kind of pollutants present in your home so you can take the appropriate measures. But choosing the right air quality monitor can be a challenge. Fortunately, this guide makes things easier for you.
These 8 indoor air quality monitors have proven to be among the best in identifying problems in your air, address the problems accordingly, and ultimately keep your family safe and healthier. You can choose one that suits your specific needs.
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