People spend around 90 percent of their lives indoors. In modern society, we need to be aware of our indoor air quality, especially in our homes. Thankfully, there are plenty of easy ways to check and even enhance, just how hospitable the air you breathe is.
Check out our analysis of some top products in the air quality monitor market, and how to act upon their information.
Best Indoor Air Quality Monitors
To be competitive in the market, nearly all of the listed air quality monitors perform a certain “bare minimum” of services for customers. These include monitoring the most common air measurements — temperature, humidity, particulate matter (PM 2.5), and volatile organic compounds (VOC) — as well as allowing users access to their data via smartphone apps.
Below are the individual differences that each air quality monitors offer which separate them from their competitors.
uHoo – $299
uHoo’s primary selling point is the advanced technical reporting it offers its users. On top of the typical measurements listed, this device will report statistics regarding the building’s air pressure, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and ozone. This allows users maximum data to help prioritize which aspects of their home and lifestyle need improvement.
The data — reported to the user through the app — is broken down into everyday language and color coded to avoid any confusion about what is truly happening in the home. Advanced data can be found by selecting each measurement in the app.
Additionally, the data can be graphed according to the time period. By the hour, day, week, or month — all can be charted and reported to the user.
uHoo, like the rest of the indoor air quality monitors on the list, does not have any means of purifying the air itself, but rather acts as a whistleblower to negative pollutants.
Foobot – $199
For a drastic reduction in price, Foobot handles the reporting of the four most common qualities in a home’s air.
Foobot also offers the same app benefits as uHoo — user reporting, charts, and graphs — as well as a few additional points of data. Foobot can measure the air quality of the outdoor air around your home and outside your door, and compare it to that within the home. Each air pollutants measurements are updated in real time, and certain events or environmental conditions can be flagged once it is established that they are associated with a rise in contaminants. From this data, Foobot will send each user personalized suggestions on how to remedy their air pollution concerns.
Foobot also rates each environment according to their Indoor Air Quality Score, which is a combination of each home’s individual measured results. This score compresses all the device’s information into one number, so users can have a holistic indication how their home is doing.
One of Foobot’s primary selling points is the device’s ability to pair and collaborate with other air purification and home automation systems. Once linked, Foobot can activate a purifier or smart ventilation system when it detects certain contaminant levels have risen too high.
Awair – $179
The Awair brand offers three different types of air quality monitoring systems.
The original Awair monitoring system boasts arguably the sleekest design of any on this list. Resting horizontally, the air quality monitor is constructed with North American walnut timber. It is also crafted with toxin-free natural materials. The face of the monitor presents digital feedback and data to the user in addition to the analysis provided through the product’s app.
The information analyzed by the product is five contaminants, labeled as temperature, humidity, dust, chemicals, and CO2. Each contaminant’s presence is measured and shown to the user with a color-coded 0-100 rating system. This way, you can see which specific contaminant poses the biggest threat to your air quality.
The Awair Baby is a device specifically designed to function in a kid’s room or nursery. The timber shell is replaced with a muted-color copolymer to better match the decor.
Both devices can also be set to a preference. If the user is more concerned with sleeping better, controlling allergies, or being more productive, Awairs can highlight data related to those issues specifically.
The Awair Glow device is a smaller and more compact version of the original Awair. It gives users the same measurement basics. Plug the Glow into a wall outlet and it acts similarly to a night-light. An exterior outlet is built into the device. You can pair your other home automation devices, such as a humidifier, to the Glow by plugging them into the exterior outlet. When the lights go off, the Glow earns its name, as a light at the top of the device shines softly to let you know it is still performing.
Improvements over time, averages, and home automation device pairing are all available through Awair products as well.
Netatmo Healthy Home Coach – $99
The Netatmo line of indoor air quality monitors covers four basic measurements: temperature, humidity, the general category of air quality, and noise.
While the product does have the lowest price on this list, the catch is that it does not offer whole-house measurements. Each Healthy Home Coach analyzes one specific room for data. You can pair multiple together and have their statistics combined or compared with ease.
These options are good for those who want to just analyze the data in specific areas of the house. If you’re worried about a child’s room or the basement, these are good options. But if you’re looking to get the best result for your entire out of one device, other products might be the answer.
Don’t Just Monitor — Purify
If you’re looking to improve the air quality in your home and not just measure it, contact us today to see how we can best fit your home to the living standards you deserve.
