5 Best Indoor Air Quality Monitors of 2024, Tested and Reviewed
The best monitors detect a range of indoor pollutants, and they also work with air purifiers and other smart devices
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Given morning allergy attacks and increasing environmental health concerns, it’s no wonder people are concerned about potential air quality problems in their homes. While an indoor air quality monitor can help keep tabs on some indoor air pollution, we found that these devices vary widely in what they actually measure.
CR examines monitors from brands like Airthings, Amazon, Awair, Inkbird, Qingping, and others. While these models all track general air quality metrics like temperature and humidity, only some monitor the level of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and fine particulates (PM2.5). You can learn more about what air quality monitors detect by reading below.
Best Indoor Air Quality Monitors
Our top-rated home air quality monitors are all capable of measuring carbon dioxide and PM2.5 levels, but only some display an overall air quality score.
How CR Tests Air Quality Monitors
To evaluate air quality monitors, we focus on four distinct tests. Our engineers judge how easy monitors are to use, the number of important air quality metrics they analyze, whether they display some kind of overall air quality score, and how useful their screens are for viewing air quality readings.
Our ease-of-use tests judge how well each monitor’s app works and whether it allows you to easily view historical data. We also do a simple test on the sensors on each monitor to make sure they detect particulate matter, VOCs, temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide. All of these results are compiled into an Overall Score for each model in our air quality monitor ratings. Note: Consumer Reports does not evaluate the accuracy of the sensors.
What Do Air Quality Monitors Detect?
Indoor air quality monitoring devices can detect a variety of pollutants. Typically, they also measure temperature and humidity. Here’s a quick rundown on common substances they may monitor.
- Carbon dioxide is useful to track in your home. High levels can cause mild symptoms of headaches and fatigue. Too much carbon dioxide also indicates that not enough fresh air is circulating.
- PM2.5 stands for particulate matter of various substances that are 2.5 microns or smaller in diameter. They can come from many sources, including truck traffic and wildfire smoke. When you breathe in these particulates, they can travel deep into your lungs and even enter your bloodstream, contributing to heart disease, asthma, low birth weight, and other health problems.
- PM10 stands for particulate matter that’s around 10 microns in diameter. It can consist of dust, pollen, and pollutants from construction sites or wildfires. These particulates can worsen respiratory diseases.
- VOCs are volatile organic compounds found in some mattresses, paints, household cleaners, building materials (such as new carpets), dry-cleaning agents, and more. Exposure to certain VOCs can cause headaches, nausea, kidney and liver damage, and potentially cancer.
Using Air Quality Monitors With Air Purifiers
Some smart air quality monitors can be automated to turn on or adjust smart air purifiers when the air quality deteriorates. You’ll need to either use a monitor and purifier from the same manufacturer (that offers that functionality) or connect the two products to a common smart home system such as Apple Home or Google Home. In the latter method, the next step is to open the apps and create an automation linking the two devices.
For more information on air purifiers, see our air purifier ratings on over 160 models and our comprehensive air purifier buying guide.
Are Air Quality Monitors Easy to Set Up?
These air quality monitors were tested in CR’s labs, but I also took home some of them to try out in a real-world setting. My biggest takeaway is that, like many smart home devices, they’re rather finicky to get up and running. It took me multiple attempts to complete the setup process on every air quality monitor I tried. And I couldn’t complete the setup on the uHoo without first emailing customer support. (Yes, the app instructed me to do this.)
You may find it easier—or harder—to set up your home air quality monitor. But it’s smart to set aside plenty of time and approach the process with patience.
