Air Quality Monitors

Discover the best air quality monitors for your smart home.

If you’re health-conscious, you already know how vital clean air is. Breathing in pollutants can lead to numerous health problems and significantly reduce your quality of life.

Adding a high-quality air monitor to your smart home allows you to constantly monitor the air quality in your living space. When paired with Homey, you’ll always have the necessary information to take action and maintain a healthy environment.

How to choose a good air quality monitor

Different air quality monitors can detect various gasses and pollutants in your environment. While some sensors are nice, others are essential for preventing long-term health issues. With that in mind, here’s what you should consider when choosing an indoor air quality monitor.

Types of pollutants detected

Ensure the monitor can detect key pollutants such as particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and other harmful gasses. Choosing a sensor that monitors pollutants beyond these requires an analysis of your environment. Otherwise, you may spend money unnecessarily.

Accuracy and sensitivity

Look for a monitor with high accuracy and sensitivity to provide reliable data. Even a small change in readings can be crucial for individuals with pre-existing health conditions, allowing you to act accordingly.

Additional features

Some monitors have extra features such as humidity and temperature sensors, dew point and absolute humidity calculators, and noise detectors. These are not essential for monitoring the air quality of your living space but are a nice addition. As highlighted in our article, evaluate the added value and compare it to the price increase.

Price and value

Assess the monitor’s cost based on its features and accuracy. More expensive models often offer better accuracy and additional features, but budget-friendly options also provide good basic monitoring. Consider the price-to-features ratio outlined in our Best Buy Guide.

Brand	Model	Protocol	Temperature	Humidity	Pressure	CO2	CO	PM	VOC	Radon	Price
Air-Q	Basic	Wi-Fi									€419.00
AirGradient	ONE	Wi-Fi									€195.00
AirThings	View Plus	Wi-Fi									€210.00
Aqara	TVOC	Zigbee									€44.99
Aranet4	Home	Bluetooth									€169.00
Awair	Element	Wi-Fi									€209.00
Eurotronic	Air Quality Sensor	Z-Wave									€99.99
Frient	Air Quality Sensor	Zigbee									€57.95
IKEA	Vindstyrka	Zigbee									€39.99
MCO Home	A8-9	Z-Wave									€228.00
Netatmo	Weather Station	Wi-Fi									€189.99

The Air-Q Basic is a high-quality air monitor with specialized sensors to comprehensively assess indoor air quality. This model measures temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, air pressure, and particulate matter in sizes of 1.0, 2.5, and 10.0 microns.

It can also calculate its surroundings’ dew point and absolute humidity, giving you access to the total amount of water vapor in the air. This makes the Air-Q Basic highly suitable for greenhouses, gardens, closely monitored wine cellars and basements. It also helps people manage asthma and allergies.

Thanks to a clever algorithm, the Air-Q Basic can generate indexes and notify you whenever there are possible risks of mold or active pollutants or when the preset thresholds exceed any sensor. Additionally, the Air-Q Basic has a set of LEDs that act as visual indicators based on the current air quality, ranging from simple warning colors to full red alarm colors.

The Air-Q Basic is powered by a USB-C adapter, uses Wi-Fi to connect to your home network, and pairs with Homey. It’s a premium device and thus comes at a premium price, costing upwards of 400 euros. For really health-conscious individuals, Air-Q offers the Pro version, which measures Radon, ozone, oxygen levels, and much more.

If you're looking for an affordable all-in-one air quality monitor, the AirGradient ONE should be at the top of your list. This 9th-generation indoor monitor features dedicated sensors for CO2, particulate matter (PM), TVOCs, NOx, temperature, and humidity, and it can generate an overall air quality index.

Unlike most sensors that measure one or two sizes of particulate matter, the AirGradient ONE accurately measures PM at four different levels. Thanks to its powerful Plantower sensor, it can detect particulate matter as small as 0.3 microns, which is often considered the most dangerous size.

Besides PM, this device uses the well-known SenseAir S8 to measure CO2. This widely tested NDIR sensor allows the AirGradient ONE to provide near-industrial level accuracy. It also features premium Swiss-made Sensirion sensors to monitor TVOC, NOx, temperature, and humidity.

All measurements are displayed on a small AMOLED screen on the front of the device, which automatically cycles through various display modes for easy viewing of your air quality data. A large status LED strip on top of the sensor visually represents the AQI level.

The AirGradient ONE uses Wi-Fi to connect to your home network and pair with Homey, while maintaining a completely local connection. AirGradient is committed to keeping their sensors fully open-source and free from any cloud dependencies.

It’s also worth noting that AirGradient is an active advocate for clean air and an active participant in the fight against air pollution. By offering precise, accurate, and reliable air quality data, AirGradient urges people to contribute their data to the global air quality map, aiding in the collective effort to combat air pollution.

For outdoor air quality monitoring, AirGradient also offers the AirGradient OpenAir model, a weatherproof outdoor monitor with a similar set of high-quality sensors.

The AirThings View Plus is a beautiful and modern-looking air quality monitor. It displays data on a 2.9” e-paper display, allowing you to glance at the readings from any angle and distance quickly.

Looking at the View Plus’s screen, you would assume it only measures two air pollutants. This couldn’t be further from the truth, as the View Plus is a competent air quality monitor that measures Radon, carbon dioxide, particulate matter, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), air pressure, temperature, and humidity.

You rarely monitor Radon in a home environment. Still, long-term exposure to this radioactive gas is the top cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. The primary sources of Radon are rock and soil decay, building materials, and natural gas.

You can power the AirThings View Plus via USB-C or make it portable with six AA batteries and move it around your home. It integrates well with Homey, allowing you to create alarms with Flows for all its sensors. However, one drawback of View Plus is the inability to customize reading thresholds; alarms trigger only when measurements surpass preset limits.

Suppose you are looking for a simple air quality monitor. In that case, the Aqara TVOC is a budget-friendly option that you need to consider. Like most Aqara devices, the TVOC uses Zigbee to communicate with Homey Bridge or Homey Pro, enabling a completely local connection.

The Aqara TVOC measures temperature, humidity, and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC). The latter includes various gases that form a general index of overall air quality, including cooking gasses, fire and burning smoke, candle fumes, aerosol and formaldehyde sprays, and several others.

The temperature, humidity, and TVOC readings are displayed on a simple e-ink display, allowing you to check the current state from a distance. TVOC levels can be shown simply as a number in ppb (parts per billion) or as an index on a scale from 1-5, displayed neatly with leaves.

The TVOC air quality monitor uses two button-cell batteries with a lifespan of one year. Thanks to its magnetic back, it can be mounted on a metal surface or installed on a wall with a sticker. It integrates perfectly with Homey, allowing you to monitor the device’s air quality and current battery level.

The Aqara TVOC updates its readings at irregular intervals, which makes it unsuitable for users who need frequently updated real-time data.

The Aranet4 Home Air Quality Monitor measures essential air quality parameters: CO2 concentration, relative humidity, temperature, and atmospheric pressure. It primarily functions as a carbon dioxide-focused air quality sensor, enabling you to monitor the current level within your Homey Pro.

The Aranet4 utilizes a non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) sensor to measure CO2 levels. This CO2 reading method offers higher precision than regular electrochemical sensors, as it uniquely detects carbon dioxide without interference from other gasses. Furthermore, an NDIR sensor has a much longer lifespan and requires less recalibration than other sensors.

The Aranet4 runs on two AA batteries and boasts an excellent battery life of four years! The low-power e-ink display used to showcase the readings only bolsters its case as a long-life, battery-powered air quality monitor.

The Aranet4 Home uses Bluetooth to communicate with your Homey Pro, allowing you to create Flows based on the current temperature, humidity, air pressure, or carbon dioxide readings. You can also monitor the battery level in Homey.

The Aranet4 is priced higher than comparable models. Still, the investment could be worth it if you require a premium carbon dioxide sensor.

The Awair Element is one of the market’s most well-known and tested air quality monitors. It can measure carbon dioxide levels, TVOC, particulate matter 2.5, temperature, humidity, and current illuminance levels.

The Awair Element has a sleek and minimalistic touch. Its case blends seamlessly with any home decor. Data is displayed on an integrated LED matrix, adding a modern vibe while discreetly housing powerful air quality monitoring technology.

The Awair Element connects to your home network via Wi-Fi and seamlessly integrates with Homey Pro. All sensors are accessible through the app, allowing you to create Flows and alarms based on current readings. Additionally, the Element generates an aggregated air quality index based on all available data.

The Awair Element uses a wired USB-C adapter to power all sensors and its display. While it will certainly enhance the aesthetics of your living space, the display may be difficult to read unless you are very close to it.

The Eurotronic Air Quality is a German-made monitor that measures carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds, temperature, and humidity. It’s compatible with Homey Bridge and Homey Pro in Z-Wave and Zigbee variants.

The Eurotronic has a set of LEDs on its front, ranging from green to red, to indicate the current levels of CO2 and VOC. It uses a plug-in power supply and can be attached to a wall or ceiling or mounted with the included stand.

Once paired with Homey, all readings are transmitted as absolute values, allowing you to set your alarm thresholds. For instance, you can create a Flow that triggers a custom sound on a speaker when the CO2 reading exceeds 800 ppm.

The main drawback of the Eurotronic Air Quality Sensor is that it doesn’t utilize a dedicated carbon dioxide sensor but rather something called CO2eq. This method estimates CO2 levels based on the VOC sensor, commonly used in gyms and offices where exact values aren’t crucial. It may be good enough to tell you when to open a window, but not much beyond that.

Like the Aqara TVOC model, the Frient Air Quality Sensor is an excellent choice for monitoring total volatile organic compounds in your living space. It uses Zigbee to communicate with Homey Bridge and Homey Pro, allowing you to use the readings in Flows.

The Frient Air Quality monitor tracks temperature and humidity in addition to VOC, providing the user with a basic overview of the current ambient air quality. By default, it reports its values every 5 minutes, which is sufficient for most users.

Two AA batteries power the Frient Air Quality, which has an excellent two-year lifespan. Its battery level can be monitored in Homey, triggering a simple alarm when it requires replacement.

This device is one of the smallest air quality sensors on our list. It measures 7cm in length and width and is only 2.1cm thick. However, it has a higher price tag than other models solely measuring TVOC, resulting in a less favorable price-to-feature ratio.

The IKEA Vindstyrka is a nifty device at a very affordable price tag. It’s a great choice for monitoring indoor air quality. It measures temperature, humidity, volatile organic compounds (VOC), and even particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5), giving you the lowdown on your indoor environment.

Sensirion, a Swiss manufacturer known for producing very accurate air quality sensors, makes the main sensor used to measure particulate matter. The sensor constantly pushes its value to Homey to inform you about indoor air quality.

The Vindstyrka pairs with Homey Bridge and Homey Pro using Zigbee, acting as a router in a mesh network. It’s powered by a USB-C cable and adapter, eliminating the need for frequent battery changes.

All data is displayed on a well-designed LCD screen, so you can get a quick overview when passing by. The display could be of better quality and has limited viewing angles, somewhat remedied with the backlight behind it.

The IKEA Vindstyrka is an accurate air quality monitor that won’t break the bank. Even compared to currently existing ‘affordable’ options, it undercuts most of them significantly.

If you prefer adding Z-Wave devices to your smart home, consider the MCO Home A8-9 Monitor. This air quality monitor uses a 12V DC adapter for power and pairs with Homey Pro via Z-Wave. It also acts as a network router.

The MCO Home A8-9 is a multi-sensor measuring temperature, humidity, illuminance, smoke, PM2.5, CO2, VOC, and noise levels. Its PIR motion sensor can be used independently in Homey as a Flow trigger.

The A8-9 multi-sensor displays all data on a 3.5-inch TFT screen, organized in a table-like layout. Every measurement is always on the screen, so you don’t have to cycle through the menu. Unfortunately, the display is of mediocre quality. It has poor viewing angles, so you need to be very close to read it.

Homey presents all measurements as values and triggers alarms when they surpass preset thresholds. You can use these values to develop Advanced Flows or trigger a sound or light alarm. For example, you can set Homey to blink your LED strip in red when the PM2.5 value exceeds 10μg/m3, prompting you to react and air the place out.

The MCO Home A8-9 has a relatively high price tag. However, its comprehensive sensor set and Z-Wave communication method justify the cost. If you need this type of sensor, it is an excellent choice.

The Netatmo Weather Station is a premium air quality monitoring system consisting of two units: outdoor and indoor use. Both units feature sleek aluminum monobloc bodies, making them visually identical. The weatherproof outdoor unit can be mounted anywhere: on the patio, in the garden, or at your front gate.

The indoor unit monitors air quality in your living space, measuring temperature, humidity, CO2, and noise levels while generating an air quality index. The outdoor unit tracks outside temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure.

You can expand the Netatmo Weather Station’s capabilities by adding a smart rain gauge or anemometer. The rain gauge measures real-time rainfall at your home. At the same time, the anemometer provides wind information, including strength and gust direction. If you only need indoor monitoring, Netatmo also offers the Home Coach. This device measures temperature, humidity, and CO2 levels and provides an air quality index.

The Netatmo Weather Station connects to your home network via Wi-Fi and is fully compatible with Homey. Real-time updates allow you to create live alerts with Homey Flows, keeping you informed about your environment’s air quality.

There are no hidden subscription fees for using Netatmo’s Weather Station. However, it’s important to note that it does rely on its cloud service, which may be a drawback for some users.

Final thoughts

Investing in a reliable air quality monitor is crucial for effectively managing and monitoring indoor air quality. Depending on your specific requirements, you may prioritize certain features over others. While noise level monitoring might not be necessary, tracking CO2 and VOC levels is vital.

Regardless of the device you select from our Best Buy Guide, it will integrate seamlessly with Homey. With Homey, you can set up real-time alarms, alerts, and Advanced Flows, ensuring you are always aware of the quality of air you breathe.