Indoor air quality is often far worse than outdoor. Check the health of the air you’re breathing with our top picks for indoor air quality monitors.
I live near a pulp and paper mill in an area prone to forest fires, and I have a young family. So, like the nerd I am, I have the nearby air quality monitoring station bookmarked in my browser. I also have an air quality monitor in my office and the nursery and use these to inform how I heat, cool, and ventilate my home.
If you’re concerned about air quality in your home, an accurate air quality monitor is the way to go.
Below, you’ll find my picks for indoor air quality monitors, with tips for improving indoor air quality at home.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has studied indoor air quality monitors extensively and is quite scathing about their accuracy, especially over time.
A 2019 report strongly suggests that these low-cost sensors tend to become less effective at detecting VOCs after six months. Unlike with other products, I don’t recommend borrowing an older monitor. In fact…
Because indoor air quality monitors are limited in their usefulness, you don’t necessarily need to buy one at all! Instead, check outdoor air pollution levels through the EPA app and keep doors and windows closed on particularly bad days.
If air quality in your home seems worse than outside, open windows and doors on nice days. This will help any volatile organic compounds, cooking odors, and other air pollutants disperse.
When is an air quality monitor useful?
Indoor air quality monitors typically test for airborne particles and some volatile organic compounds in a localized area. They are a good idea if you have specific concerns throughout your home or in a particular room or area. They can be particularly useful if you’re considering upgrading heating and cooling systems and want to know how big of an issue indoor air quality is before you stump up lots of cash for renovations.
For me, an indoor air quality monitor was really helpful in confirming my suspicions about our gas furnace and the effects of cooking on indoor air quality. By using a monitor for many months, I could see the significant deterioration in air quality when the gas furnace kicked in, and when we forgot to use the range hood to vent while cooking.
Seeing the stark decline in air quality gave me the push I needed to upgrade to a heat pump and ditch gas entirely.
An air quality monitor can also alert you to issues with your air purifier or HVAC system, indicating a need to change the filters in these or your gas furnace. Air quality monitors can also indicate a need to clean the air ducts in your home. These can all make a big difference to indoor air quality.
How to choose the best air quality monitor
Pay attention to the range and sensitivity of monitors. They’re not all made equal, so be sure you’re getting a monitor that:
- Has a good reputation for detecting the kinds of indoor air pollutants you suspect are an issue in your home
- Can accurately measure smaller particulate matter that can enter the lungs (around PM2.5), or PM1 (strongly associated with cardiovascular disease).
Finally, even if your monitor tells you everything is normal but you still suspect something amiss with the air in your home, trust your gut. I offer a variety of ways to improve indoor air quality in the FAQs below.
Now, to the monitors!
The best indoor air quality monitors: our top picks
Airthings View Plus
Highlights: Made by a well-regarded company. Tests for radon, PM2.5, carbon dioxide, and more. WiFi connectivity, with easy to read display you can customize to your priorities.
- A simple display offers customizable readings and a quick assessment of overall air quality
- Incredibly easy to set up and use, using Bluetooth
- Connects to WiFi and has a handy app for on-the-go air quality checks
- IFTTT functionality – connects to Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
- Minimalist aesthetic – rounded edges and a matte white finish
- Has a calm grey/black display showing you select readings on the monitor itself
- Easy to stand up on a shelf or desk, or can be mounted to a wall
- Monitors radon, unlike most other monitors
- review here.
- Free shipping
- 1-year warranty and a 45-day money back guarantee
- We wish more data was available on the monitor without the need to consult the app or web dashboard
- Would like to see better instructions for accessing the USB-C cable
- Measures 17 by 9 by 3.3 cm (bigger than other monitors listed here)
LeafScore readers can take an additional 10% off their Airthings purchase using coupon code LEAFSCORE-10OFF.
The Airthings View Plus has seven sensors that test for:
- Radon
- PM2.5
- CO2
- Humidity
- Temperature
- Air pressure
- VOCs.
You can mount the very discreet monitor on a wall or on a table. I haven’t mounted mine as I often move it from room to room to assess air quality in different parts of my home.
This monitor is WiFi enabled and collects data on nearby outdoor air quality. You can plug it into a USB-C port to use it as a hub to bring additional monitors online. I found it very easy to set up and configure for daily use, and I love the dashboard when you log into the online portal.
The View Plus also offers a more informative on-device display than the Wave Plus. This display is very calm and pleasing and you can customize it to show the data most important to you. With the Wave Plus, you have to log into your smartphone app. to see the measurements.
The View Plus offers short- and long-term graphs of data, with more detail via the app. It also offers tips on improving indoor air quality.
My ViewPlus ran for almost two years using 6 AA batteries. I will note that it’s hard to get the batteries out to change them when the time comes. If you want your monitor to last even longer, you can power it through a USB-C port.
Note that there’s an initial calibration time of 7 days for VOCs and CO2.
We staff tested the Airthings View Plus – twice!
LeafScore team member, Dan Simms, tested the Airthings View Plus at his home in Long Island. Learn more about Dan’s experience in the YouTube video below.
Leaf Score Head of Research, Leigh Matthews, has also been using the Airthings View Plus for several years and offers her full AirThings View Plus review here.
Temtop M10 Air Quality Monitor
Highlights: Simple, affordable, accurate monitor without the fuss of WiFi, apps, and smart tech hookups.
- Simple to use, with a wide range of measurements
- Bright display that’s easy to understand
- Feels robust
- Doesn’t take up much space
- Very affordable
- 45-day return period and a limited one-year warranty
- Doesn’t offer outdoor air quality data
- Doesn’t connect to smart air filters or home ventilation systems
- VOC results are variable
The Temtop M10 Air Quality Monitor is a good bet for monitoring indoor particulate matter. It measures:
- PM2.5
- VOCs
- Formaldehyde (HCHO)
- Overall air quality index (AQI) based on the above.
Third-party testing suggests the Temtop M10 is generally accurate, with the exception of VOCs, which seem variable.
You can easily read the monitor, even from across a room. To operate the device, you push a single button to turn it on and cycle through readings.
The M10 isn’t WiFi enabled. This means you don’t have to worry about paying for tech you won’t use or that will be glitchy. However, it also means you can’t see readings on a smartphone app., or easily track air quality over time.
The reviews of this air quality monitor are, admittedly, mixed. Some users love it and some have found it faulty right out of the box. Temtop offers a 45-day return period and a limited one-year warranty, however.
Airthings Wave Plus
Highlights: Great-looking battery-powered air quality monitor that detects radon and hooks up with smart home devices.
- Looks great!
- Six measures, with excellent accuracy
- Touch-free color-coded indicators for overall air quality
- Connects to IFTTT smart home devices, Alexa, and Google Assistant
- Measures 12 cm by 3.5 cm and weighs around 220 grams
- Battery powered (can last up to 16 months!)
- Can be wall mounted.
- Doesn’t display as much data on the device as the ViewPlus
LeafScore readers can take an additional 10% off their Airthings purchase using coupon code LEAFSCORE-10OFF.
The Airthings Wave Plus is a slightly simpler version of the ViewPlus but still offers 6 sensors for monitoring of:
- Radon
- CO2
- TVOCs
- Temperature
- Humidity
- Air pressure.
This discreet, simple home air quality monitor won 2019 TIME Magazine invention of the year. It offers touch-free color-coded indicators for overall air quality but doesn’t have the same convenient display as the ViewPlus.
Instead, this battery operated, indoor air quality monitor offers comprehensive data via the free Airthings Wave app. on your smartphone. You can leverage the live data to set alerts, receive air quality measurements, give voice commands, and connect to a smart plug or smart product to control your thermostat, air purifier, or humidifier.
There’s a 7-day calibration period for radon measurement (and likely VOCs too).
We’ve worked with Airthings to get LeafScore readers an additional 10% off their purchases using coupon code LEAFSCORE-10OFF – make sure to use that if you end up buying!
Temtop M10i WiFi Air Quality Monitor
Highlights: The same benefits of the M10 but with WiFi connectivity and a smartphone app. to track readings over time and turn the monitor on and off remotely.
- Small and light – 200 g and 8 by 8 by 3 cm
- Rechargeable 2200mAh battery offers up to 6 hours of battery life
- Displays your local weather forecast
- Much more expensive than M10 without WiFi
The Temtop M10i WiFi Air Quality Monitor is a copycat of the M10 but with WiFi connectivity. This device requires a 2.4 GHz network and offers a straightforward app. for iOS and Android. It’s simple to connect to WiFi, after which you can use the app. to turn the monitor on and off, see current readings, and track data over time.
The Temtop M10i has a 3rd generation laser particle sensor with a maximum lifespan of 20,000 hours. This amounts to about two-and-a-quarter years (Temtop says 3 years for the PM2.5 sensor, which seems overly optimistic). The sensor plus ‘unique particle swarm optimization algorithm’ makes for a more accurate and stable particle measurement, according to Temtop.
The M10i costs up to $80 more than its basic counterpart, depending on where you buy it. Frankly, the additional features don’t seem worth the cost. (I’d go for the Airthings model instead.)
The Temtop M10i offers an air quality index (AQI) based on:
- Ozone
- Fine particulate matter
- Nitrogen dioxide
- Carbon monoxide
- Sulfur dioxide
- Total reduced sulfur compounds.
Davis Instruments AirLink
Highlights: A great choice for smaller particulate matter and to hook into robust weather and air quality stations across the US.
- Can be used indoors or outdoors
- A good choice for areas prone to smog, dust, pollen, and wildfire smoke
- Can measure much smaller particles (down to 1 micron!)
- Great reputation for accuracy and precision
- Can display weather station data
- Can send text and email alerts
- Stands up or can be wall mounted
- Outdoor cover included
- Can operate at temperatures of 14-140°F
- Doesn’t measure VOCs or CO2
- Lacks a visual display (use your smartphone to access data)
- Industrial design (not very attractive to some)
- Needs a power outlet
The AirLink is a great choice for an air quality monitor if your biggest concern is particulate matter down to 1 micron. Unlike most other monitors (the Dylos DC1100 excepted), the AirLink can measure this much smaller size of particle and can be used indoors and outdoors.
The makers of the AirLink, Davis Instruments, has a good reputation for its weather stations, and the AirLink itself appears to be precise and accurate. Your AirLink can also connect to Davis’ WeatherLink software, meaning it can display data from the company’s weather stations. The monitor can even send you real-time text and email alerts if your air quality changes dramatically.
Thankfully, it’s easy to register an account with AirLink and use Bluetooth to set up the monitor initially. The associated (free) app displays several measures of air quality for quick check-ins. These include:
- Current AQI score
- Previous hour’s AQI score
- Current weather
- PM10, PM2.5, and PM1
- Indoor temperature and humidity
- Sunrise and sunset times.
Dylos DC1100
Highlights: Great for folks wanting raw data, but offers no simple AQI and is very hard to use for the average user.
- Great for nerds
- Can detect particles down to 1 micron
- Uses a true laser particle counter
- Pro version available that detects particles as small as 0.5 microns
- Continuous and monitoring mode options
- Not great if you want a simple monitor with easy readouts
- Plug-in only (not portable)
- Chunky
- Have to plug into computer to access data
The Dylos DC1100 is an air quality nerd’s dream. It offers reams of raw data and up to 30 days of data history for analysis. The trouble is, you have to interpret all the data yourself, with no simple color coding or easy-to-read overall AQI.
The Dylos DC1100 uses a true laser particle counter and can count particles big and small (5 microns and above, and 1-5 microns). The DC1100 Pro has all the features of the standard DC1100 but can detect particles down to 0.5 micron.
You can choose between the DC1100’s continuous mode and a monitor mode, where the device continuously sample the air or samples it for a minute every hour, respectively.
You have to plug in this monitor though, and at 3 by 4.5 by 7 inches it’s quite chunky. It also has a serial port interface, so you have to plug it into a computer to access the data. The bonus, though, is that you can use a 9pin serial cable or USB-to-COM Port Adapter (not included) to connect the DC1100 to your PC or laptop. This captures the data to output a CSV file showing particle counts at different sizes for every minute of monitoring.
IQAir AirVisual Pro
Highlights: Easy to connect to WiFi, with a simple app, but a clunky device interface and at a high price for so little data.
- Clear readouts and straightforward app.
- Offers suggestions to improve air quality
- IFTTT to connect to IQAir filters
- Internal battery and data storage – great for traveling!
- Very expensive
- Very few measurements
- Hard to figure out the device interface itself
IQAir is one of my top picks for an air filter, but the company’s air quality monitor is just… okay. This monitor is very expensive and doesn’t offer much more than PM2.5 and carbon dioxide measures. For the price, it should have much more functionality and be easier to use.
This monitor connects easily to WiFi and has a straightforward app that offers suggestions on improving indoor air quality. The device itself, though, is rather unintuitive, making it unnecessarily difficult to figure out the interface.
The IQAir also offers data on temperature and humidity and can offer historic data tracking. This monitor also has If This, Then That (IFTTT) functionality, so you can set up alerts for high readings. The IFTTT tech also hooks into other smart tech in your home, such as any smart IQAir filters.
This monitor also has an internal battery and data storage, so you can take it while traveling. You can access your historic air quality data through the smartphone app. or via the company’s website.
Air quality FAQ
It’s important to keep an eye (nose?) on outdoor and indoor air quality. To monitor outdoor air quality in the US, use the Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow mobile app. This is free on iOS and Android, and you can search by zip code or place name to find a nearby air quality station in the US. These stations offer real-time data but don’t account for the conditions inside your home, nor any wind, valleys, or other factors that can alter air quality significantly.
Gas stoves, especially when used in kitchens with poor ventilation, can have a deleterious impact on indoor air quality. For more, see our post discussing the pros and cons of cooking with gas.
Once you’ve tested the air inside your home, you might decide you need an effective air purifier. This could be a central air system or just a single air purifier in one room, such as a nursery, kitchen, or poorly ventilated workshop or basement. A good quality air purifier can help filter some of the worst offending air pollutants, but the best approach is to limit the pollution in the first place.
To improve indoor air quality, consider eliminating or reducing the following sources of indoor air pollution:
Nasty old non-stick pans
Decrepit heating appliances
A gas stove
Candles
Tobacco smoke
Poorly stored paints, solvents, glues, and other chemicals
Old polyfoam mattresses or couches that are kicking up toxic dust
Harsh cleaning products
Perfumes and scented personal hygiene products
Scented room sprays
Carpets or rugs treated with toxic chemicals
Moldy or mildewy textiles, carpets, and furniture.
Removing or reducing as many of these potential indoor air pollutants is by far the best way to improve indoor air quality. You can see the impact of your efforts by using an air quality monitor as you make changes.
When you’re limited in ability to reduce pollution, running an air filter is often the next best option. Other ways to improve indoor air include regular vacuuming, installing an HVAC system, and even reducing clutter. That way, dirt and dander have fewer places to hide!
Finally, in addition to taking steps to improve your indoor air quality, you can improve overall air quality with a few smart lifestyle choices. These include choosing a green energy provider, minimizing flying and driving, using an EV, installing a smart thermostat, and putting pressure on companies to adopt greener manufacturing practices, among other things.
Great list. I love that you can now measure VOCs and formaldehyde now. But something that needs to be created and more consumers should be concerned about is mycotoxins. Air quality has become not only super important to me but vital for my recovery. This tends to be a blind spot for so many. It’s sad as it’s a rather common problem, many incompetent on topic, many suffering from it, diagnosis is hard as it looks like everything else, and can make someone very sick. Personally speaking, I went green before it became popular and it was because I just felt a tad off. All the green living in the world didn’t overcome the toxic mold hiding in our home. At first, my symptoms were mild. I just felt a little tired. Slowly but surely, I got sicker and sicker. 12 years later, I was bedridden. I see the article mentions moldy carpet but there’s soooo much to cover. Moldy carpet is a problem but active growing toxic mold in a HVAC, in a concealed wall, crawl space basement, attic, etc would be much higher concerns. Not only does it damage the integrity of the structure but it’s literally toxic to humans, animals and plants. But somehow, people are completely unaware or think “mold is everywhere.” Toxic mold is not everywhere and should be be acceptable to anyone. But sadly, it’s more common than one would think.