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Air-Q Review – The Most Comprehensive Air Quality Monitor

Since I reviewed the uHoo air quality monitor in 2020, I’ve been looking for another suitable all-in-one device that I can recommend for comprehensive air quality monitoring. While some devices, like the Airthings View Plus, are a good choice for some, they don’t quite have the same set of comprehensive sensors that interest me. Today, however, I finally get to review the Air-Q monitor – a comprehensive air quality monitor available in three different configurations.

I’ve heard a lot about these monitors over the years, and what drew me to them initially was simply the vast range of sensors they feature. While it’s true that many sensors do not mean better performance (or that they’re accurate), I’m always curious about these all-around monitors simply due to how many insights they can provide into your indoor air quality. Therefore, the Air-Q devices have always stood out to me, and I’ve been wanting to try one for a long time.

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Best User Experience
Qingping AQ Monitor

With a beautiful display, this is the best standlone indoor AQ monitor.

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AirGradient ONE

An indoor air quality monitor with great performance.

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PurpleAir Zen/Flex

With dual-PM sensors, this monitor emphasises accuracy.

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I’ve now been using the Air-Q Basic (the mid-tier monitor) for about one month, and over that time, I’ve formed quite a few thoughts on the device that I am excited to share today. I’ve tested this monitor all around the house, and I’ve also placed it next to other monitors, such as those from PurpleAir and AirGradient, for comparison. After all of this testing, I believe I’ve come to a good understanding of where the Air-Q monitors sit in comparison to other monitors on the market today.

So, without further ado, let’s jump into my full Air-Q review! If you read through this post and have questions remaining, please feel free to ask them in the comments form below this post. If you’ve tried the monitor yourself and have some thoughts to share, I would also love to hear from you, as the more experiences shared, the better!


This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please refer to my affiliate disclaimer. I was sent a product for review, but the article is not sponsored. All opinions expressed in this post are my honest thoughts. I only recommend products that I genuinely believe in.

Information on this blog is for informational purposes only. Readers are encouraged to confirm the information herein with other sources. Furthermore, this information is not intended to replace medical advice from professionals. This website assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information, and information is subject to change without notice. Devices mentioned on this website are not medical devices and do not guarantee protection.


Which Model Is For You?

Air Q Air Quality Monitor Variants

Air-Q has two product lines – the Air-Q and Air-Q Radon lines. As you can probably guess from the name, the radon line has monitors that feature radon sensors. On the other hand, the ‘original’ line features five basic sensors (CO2, VOCs, temperature, noise, and relative humidity), and every model adds more sensors. In total, the Light has five sensors, the Basic 10 and the Pro 13. It’s also worth noting that these devices can also be configured with extra sensors for gases such as methane, ammonia, and more.

Of course, each model also comes at a higher price point, making the decision of exactly which monitor to get quite a tough one. While I can’t make individual suggestions – as that will be based on your use case and situation – I do have a few thoughts on the lineup overall.

Firstly, I think the Air-Q Light is not a very appealing offer. While the selection of sensors is not bad, for the price, I would have expected at least a particulate matter sensor to be included. I also think this is an essential pollutant to monitor, and, as such, I believe the Air-Q Basic (the mid-tier monitor) is a much better option – even though it is costlier. I would have preferred it if the Light monitor had dropped the VOC sensor in place of a PM sensor and if the VOC sensor had been added for the second monitor tier instead.

The Air-Q Pro is also an interesting device as it has three extra sensors that might prove helpful to some. Ozone, formaldehyde and nitrogen dioxide are all dangerous pollutants; for some users, these extra sensors might justify the price. Personally, I don’t think it’s essential to opt for this as these extra sensors tend to be quite niche and less useful except for those who have specific problems with the pollutants in question. Furthermore, these pollutants are all tough to monitor with low-cost sensors, and I’m not sure exactly what sensors Air-Q uses for each pollutant.

Overall, I think the Air-Q monitor lineup is quite solid, and I always love having a choice. However, I do think that the Air-Q Light could be improved, and it would be a much more tempting offer if the lower-end device also had particulate matter sensors – especially considering the price that even the Light goes for. With that said, I think the Air-Q Basic is the sweet spot in this lineup, at least in terms of sensor range.


Sensors & Accuracy

Air Q Basic Plantower Sensor

As with all air quality monitors, the question we must first ask ourselves is, ‘Is this air quality monitor accurate?’ Unfortunately, this is never an easy question to answer. However, we can glean some insights by first looking at the sensors used within the monitor. Until receiving the monitor, I had no idea what sensors it uses, and I had to dismantle the device myself to get confirmation.

It’s worth noting that I have the Air-Q Basic, so I can see what components are used in this device and, presumably, in the Air-Q Light. However, I am still unsure exactly which sensors the Air-Q Pro adds in addition to the Basic’s selection, and I can’t comment on either their performance or accuracy for this reason. That said, it likely uses the same sensors for PM, CO2, VOCs, and CO found in the Basic and, in the case of CO2 and VOCs, in the Light. Here are the sensors my teardown revealed:

  • PM Sensor: Plantower (I am unsure which model, as there was no visible label). Considering its size and look, I think it’s a PMSA003.
  • CO2 Sensor: Cubic CM1107. This is a dual-beam NDIR sensor.
  • VOC Sensor: Sensirion SGP40
  • CO Sensor: Figaro 5141
  • Temperature & RH: I haven’t found out conclusively, but it is labelled 121R.

To be honest, at first glance, I was a bit disappointed with this arrangement of sensors. I had expected perhaps higher-quality sensors considering the price of all three of the Air-Q devices. That said, nothing here stood out as a poor performer, so I wasn’t too disappointed. It’s more just that I could find this same sensor configuration in a device half the price.

Plantower PM sensors are used in a wide range of monitors, from the PurpleAir Zen to the AirBeam 3. While there are some (arguably) better options in this sensor price range, the Plantower sensors have the advantage of being some of the most widely studied in the field, as they are included in very popular monitors such as those used by PurpleAir.

Cubic is another generally reputable brand, and I’ve encountered these sensors before in devices like the Airthings View Plus. Interestingly, this is a dual-beam NDIR sensor, meaning it should retain its accuracy even better than single-beam NDIR sensors such as those used in high-end CO2 monitors like the Aranet4 Home.

Air Q Basic Sensors

The Sensirion SGP40 is another widely used sensor and probably the most popular VOC sensor in the world. While it’s not a perfect sensor (for reasons we’ll discuss soon), it is a good choice for monitoring VOCs, and you should expect near-identical performance when it comes to VOCs between this device and many other air quality monitors on the market.

Finally, the carbon monoxide sensor is the Figaro 5141, the same as found within the Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor. From my research with that monitor, this is not a great CO sensor due to its lack of sensitivity. However, since this device should never replace a certified (and dedicated) CO monitor, some people will likely still appreciate a sensor that provides some insights into lower-level concentrations of the toxic gas.

With this brief overview out of the way, I did some more research and testing into each sensor to see exactly how the device performs. Let’s start with the particulate sensor, in this case, the Plantower PMSA003. Firstly, I need to make a disclaimer stating that my tests are far from scientific (a reference-grade monitor and much more thorough testing would be needed for that!) but, instead, are to give an indication as to how this monitor performs compared to other low-cost air quality monitors.

Air Q PM2.5 Readings

My first test, shown above, was to compare readings from the Air-Q Basic and an AirGradient ONE (with a Plantower PMS5003) over a few days in my kitchen. The large spikes were during cooking, and the objective of this comparison was to see if the PMSA003 performs similarly to the PMS5003. As expected, they provide very similar readings with an R-squared value of 0.85. I wanted to perform this test as the PMS5003 is a very well-studied sensor, and knowing that PMSA003 performs similarly allows me to know the same characteristics from the PMS5003 that likely apply to this sensor, too.

Numerous studies have found that the PMS5003 is generally a good low-cost sensor. However, it tends to significantly overstate PM2.5 concentrations at higher values while typically understating them at lower values. For this reason, algorithms such as the EPA correction (used by PurpleAir) are often used to improve accuracy. Speaking of PurpleAir, I also wanted to compare their Zen monitor to see if they picked up the same trends.

Air Q vs PurpleAir vs AirGradient

As you can see, all three monitors provided similar results, with the Air-Q monitor generally reading a bit low. However, as all four (the PurpleAir monitor has two sensors inside) sensors are fundamentally the same, we can see there is generally good precision. The takeaway here is that the Air-Q provides similar readings to other trusted consumer-grade monitors like the PurpleAir Zen which correlates well with reference instruments in most studies but likely understates PM2.5 concentrations at higher values. Overall, I would trust the readings from this monitor as much as my PurpleAir Zen or AirGradient ONE.

Moving on to carbon dioxide, I expected good things from the Air-Q Basic. Not only are carbon dioxide sensors generally much more accurate than particulate sensors at a consumer level, but nearly every NDIR sensor performs well, regardless of manufacturer. Since Cubic is a good manufacturer, I expected good performance here!

Air Q CO2 Accuracy

In this comparison, I compared readings to the SenseAir S88 inside my AirGradient ONE. I also ran some comparisons to the Aranet4 Home, and, as expected, those results were almost the same as the S88 since the sensors come from the same company. Furthermore, any differences in the data above look to be systematic and can be improved through calibration.

Since the monitor was in my kitchen for the duration of these tests, I didn’t get the chance to graph a comparison at higher concentrations. However, I can say that even at 4000ppm, I found the Air-Q Basic to provide very similar readings to my Aranet4 Home, and the devices were always within ± 150ppm of each other (which is quite good, considering the high concentration).

Air Q Basic CO2 sensor

The CM1107 sensor’s dual-beam aspect should mean that it drifts less over time. While I have yet to find a situation or monitor in which I appreciate this extra feature, it’s not a bad thing to have, and I always appreciate having features that can improve accuracy. With that said, you will probably want to calibrate the CO2 sensor every few months anyway.

That brings us to VOCs. The Air-Q Basic uses the SGP41 sensor from Sensirion, and this is one of the most common and trusted low-cost VOC sensors on the market. The sensor provides both an ‘absolute’ output and a relative reading on Sensirion’s 0-500 index. It’s essential to keep in mind, however, that VOC sensors have a lot of caveats, and any readings with this sensor should only be interpreted once you are aware of the flaws of such sensors. For more information, I recommend reading this post.

Of course, this is not an issue with the Air-Q monitors alone; instead, it applies to every low-cost air quality monitor currently on the market. Overall, the SGP41 is a good sensor, but you do need to be aware of its limitations and flaws to get the best information from it.

With that said, let’s move to the final pollutant sensor – at least on my device, the Air-Q Basic. That, of course, is the carbon monoxide (CO) sensor. The CO sensor in this device is from Figaro (TGS5141), and it appears to be the same one used in the Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor. In my review of the Amazon device, I wasn’t particularly impressed by this sensor as it has a baseline offset of ±10ppm.

Figaro CO Sensor Specs

This means that up to 10ppm, the sensor might not even record a change. While this might not seem like a big issue, indoor concentrations of CO should rarely go above 10ppm, and you will likely only see these concentrations if you are cooking or have other gas appliances like a gas heater. While there is no harm in having this sensor, it isn’t particularly sensitive, so you likely won’t notice many changes at low concentrations. It’s also important to emphasise that this device should not replace a dedicated CO monitor.

Finally, I also compared my Traceable hygrometer to see how reliable the temperature and relative humidity measurements from this monitor are. Overall, the monitor provided readings within 1°C every time I compared the two, and the relative humidity stayed within ± 5%. Considering that even dedicated hygrometers in this price range have a maximum accuracy of ± 3%, this is decent performance for an air quality monitor.

Overall, the sensors used in the Air-Q Light, Basic and Pro (at least the ones I was able to test) are good performers, with the exception of the CO sensor, which I am not much of a fan of. Outside of that, I think good sensor choices were made and they’re all accurate and comparable to other air quality monitors in a similar price range. Again, just keep in mind the limitations of low-cost VOC sensors – and not just in the Air-Q monitors!


Design

Air Q Basic Design

The Air-Q series of monitors has a unique design that manages to convey a surprising amount of information, considering the lack of a display. This information, as you likely can already tell from the images, is conveyed through two LED bars which run up either side of the device. I think this design is very cool, and I appreciate how the LED bars are fully customisable and can be set to show any two metrics of the user’s choice via the app.

These LEDs are visible on both sides of the device (back and front), meaning the device can be orientated in whichever way you prefer. On top of this, there are slots on the bottom (where the USB cable connects) to run the wire, meaning that this device truly can be orientated either way without any disadvantages. While this is a small touch, I appreciate this as there are some locations in my house where the device only looks good in one orientation or the other – usually as I want to try and hide the USB cable.

Speaking of the USB cable, a Type-C to Type-A braided cable is included. This cable is a good length, and this is important because you will want to use this cable. Why? Well, the bottom of the device is quite low to the ground, and the included cable has a 90-degree head, meaning the device can sit flush with whatever surface it is on. Without a 90-degree cable, you will not be able to place this monitor flat on a surface.

Air Q Basic Bottom 1

Interestingly, this device doesn’t have any other mounting options (such as a bracket to mount it on a wall), but this is far from a big deal; many other monitors are the same in this respect. Also interesting is that this monitor is super easy to disassemble (and you can see images of the internal components in the ‘Accuracy’ section above). This is likely due to the device needing to be custom assembled due to customer configurations, but it also means that the user can easily open the device if needed. That said, the device doesn’t exactly feature replaceable components (at least not easily) as everything is soldered down, and some sensors are embedded on the mainboard.

Air Q Basic Bottom

Also on the bottom of the device is a reset button, which can be used to reset the device in case of any issues, and a micro-SD card slot. My monitor came with a 32GB card included, and this will store a massive amount of data from this device. Since data can’t be exported from the web dashboard without a subscription (more on that in the next section), this micro-SD card is the only way to get data off the device for further analysis.

Around both sides of the device are large vents that run along the entire semi-circle that is the top of the device. This venting allows fresh air to both enter and exit the device, allowing it to measure the ambient air quality. While it’s hard to test for sure, I would believe that this extensive venting allows for the best airflow and, therefore, more accurate readings from the sensors within.

Air Q Basic Side

Whether you purchase the Air-Q Light, Air-Q Basic, or Air-Q Pro, all of the series will have the same outer shell. This means that, at a glance, the three devices are indistinguishable from one another, and the only way to see the difference is to see which sensor arrangement the device has.

Overall, I quite like the design of this air quality monitor. The shape makes it iconic, and despite the lack of a screen, enough information is conveyed through the LED design. It’s also worth mentioning that a lot of thought has gone into the design, as the LEDs can be disabled on a schedule, as can the PM sensor (which makes fan sounds). Therefore, this device can be well-suited even to a bedroom where dark conditions are desired at night.


Connectivity & App

All Air-Q monitors support WiFi, and once connected, you can access data from your monitor both through the Air-Q app and a web dashboard. The app is also extremely powerful, and it was, for me, the most exciting aspect of this monitor. However, I did have some difficulties getting the app set up, and these are worth discussing first.

Honestly, I spent a few days trying to get this monitor set up, and the onboarding process needs to be improved significantly. I’m still unsure what the issue was, but no matter how many times I tried to add the device (via the QR code, serial number, or any other way), I could not get my phone to recognise it. Frustratingly, the app would also randomly change back to German, which I couldn’t change without uninstalling and reinstalling the app (there is a language option, but not until after the device is added).

I got very frustrated and was only able to set up the monitor when I tried to set it up through the web portal instead. For whatever reason, this worked the first time, and I could then log into my account on the app to see the device already added. If the process worked as it should (scan the QR code, add the device, and you’re good to go), this would have been painless. Unfortunately, for some reason, I encountered issues every time I tried setting up the monitor through the app, and it’s something that Air-Q needs to improve.

That said, while the app is still rough around the edges, once it was set up, I was quickly impressed. While there’s no doubt that it’s a more ‘enthusiast’ level app, it’s extremely powerful, and there are so many options that I couldn’t help but look at with awe. While I worry that this might turn away some users who want an easy-to-use monitor, this is really an air quality enthusiast’s dream.

Before I get ahead of myself, let’s dive into what makes the app so special. From the home screen (evaluation), you will get two summaries – one for health and one for performance. The health index is probably what most people will use, and this shows a score from 0-100, which indicates the health impact of your current air quality. On the other hand, performance shows how much your air quality impacts your cognitive ability and is also a helpful stat – especially for people like me who work from home often.

Remember how I mentioned this app is fantastic for power users? Well, I was wondering exactly how these scores are calculated. At any given time, you can see the exact factors taken into account and the weight of each by simply tapping on the score. I love this kind of transparency! You can also see a graph of the score over the past three, six, 12, and 24 hours, and you can even export this (as an image) or set alarms based on scores.

You can also delve into the specific pollutant concentrations underneath the overall scores. Tapping on any of these will present you with a similar screen that has a graph, some export and graphing settings, and, helpfully, full descriptions of the limits, consequences, origin and even sensor hardware for that specific pollutant. This might be more information than is needed for most people (especially the sensor hardware screen), but again, I love this information.

Also, on a per-monitor basis, you can ask the AI ‘consultant’ about your results. This AI is based on ChatGPT 4.0 (at the time of writing), and by opening this tab, you can quickly analyse your indoor air quality. While I know some people aren’t big fans of AI, I think this is quite a cool implementation as it’s built into the app and can instantly be fed all of your air quality insights. At the moment, this consultant gives answers in a combination of Geman and English, and you can’t change it, meaning I needed to translate my feedback to understand.

Other than this, there is also an extensive settings menu – when I say extensive, I mean it! The menu is divided into categories such as Basic Settings, Sensors, Cloud Settings, Dashboard Settings, and more. Furthermore, many of these menus have more than 10 suboptions, allowing you to truly customise the device. While I can’t delve into every setting here, I will discuss a few key points.

Under Basic Settings, you can change the device’s LED behaviour, and you can change the LEDs on the left and right-hand side of the device to show any measurements taken by the device. Yes, any measurement! Under Cloud Settings, you can set up the device to also send data to the Air-Q Cloud for safekeeping and easy access. You can also edit network settings, and, handily, the device can even have multiple saved WiFi networks, and it will choose the network with the strongest signal at any given time.

Night Mode settings allow you to change how the device operates at night (which is adjustable) and even disable WiFi for this period if you would like. Again, very cool! If you find the PM sensor fan sound annoying, you can also disable it at night. Acoustic alarms, push notifications, email notifications, and smart (AI) alarms can all be set and adjusted under the Notifications menu.

My favourite menu, the Sensors menu, allows you to see the automatic calibration status of different sensors (in the case of the Basic, this applies only to the CO and noise sensors) and even allows you to disable automatic calibration entirely. You can also manually calibrate some of the device’s sensors in this menu, allowing you to add custom offsets. Interestingly, the CO2 sensor is not included in either of these sub-menus, and this seems like a bit of an oversight considering how in-depth the rest of the app is.

Other than these settings, there are also menus for functions such as updating the device, removing the monitor from your dashboard, and more. However, these are the menus you will likely never use or at least not frequently open. Overall, I’ve been very impressed with the functionality of this app, and I love how much control I have over the device. While it could admittedly use some polishing (I am using an iPhone 16 Pro Max), it’s a great app already.

Before moving on, it’s also worth noting that you can add multiple monitors to this app and access them all from the app’s home screen. All of the settings I just discussed are applied on a per-monitor basis, so even with multiple monitors, you can fully customise them all to your liking.

Air Q Web Dashboard

Interestingly, Air-Q also offers a web dashboard to which you can connect your monitor. Currently, this offers much the same functionality as the app, but it has some added features like data exporting (which can’t be done through the app but can be manually done by importing data from the included micro-SD card). At the moment, the web dashboard is entirely free, but there will be a premium plan in the future, and data exporting will be part of this plan. While I’m generally not a fan of paywalling important features, I don’t mind in this case, as data can still be manually exported if needed.

Overall, the Air-Q Basic offers good connectivity over WiFi, and I love the app and web dashboard. While there’s no denying that these are targeted at air quality ‘enthusiasts’, I think general consumers will also appreciate the simplicity of the health and performance indexes. While the app can feel overwhelming at first, once you get used to it, it is a good experience.

Air Q Home Assistant

Smarthome Integrations: All Air-Q devices support an extensive number of smart home platforms. In fact, I’ve never seen an air quality monitor with this much native support, and it’s very cool to see! The screenshot above shows the Air-Q sensors recognised on Home Assistant, but you can also use other platforms like Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Homey, and many more with this device.

While I can’t speak about the capabilities and support of the other integrations, I tried the device with both Home Assistant and Homey, and it worked very well with both. This is another aspect in which the Air-Q devices offer unparalleled customisation, and most users will be able to find their preferred smart home platform in this list of supported platforms.


Pricing and Competition

Air Q Variants Pricing

The Air-Q series are expensive monitors – even in the most basic configuration. Starting at 309 Euros, they are some of the priciest monitors that I’ve tested on this website so far. Even devices like the Airthings View Plus and AirVisual Pro only cost around $300 (USD). Of course, that’s not to mention that the Air-Q Pro costs 559 Euros!

However, while the price is instantly off-putting, I think it makes more sense the further you look into the monitor. Now, I’m not justifying the high price tag – that will be up to you – but this monitor is pretty unparalleled in what it offers. I say ‘pretty unparalleled’ because some other monitors have similar feature sets, but they usually achieve this through being open-source and supporting community implementations. On the other hand, Air-Q manages these things itself.

For example, this is the best monitor I’ve ever seen regarding the amount of smart home integrations it supports. Everything from Home Assistant to Google Assistant is supported, and the only notable exception I’ve noticed missing is Apple’s Home. With that said, there is also a range of integrations that I’ve never even heard of, like Fhem and Node-Red. This is all to say that the Air-Q series of devices are extremely comprehensive in what they offer.

The same goes for the sensor selection on these monitors. While I think the Air-Q Light is a bit lacking, the Air-Q Basic and Pro offer a fantastic range of sensors, and it’s even possible to go further with extra sensors of your choice. This comprehensive approach is also seen in other areas, like the application, where there is an almost overwhelming selection of menu options.

Therefore, while I do think this monitor is very pricey (in all configurations), and while I don’t think it’s for everyone, I can understand the pricing, and I don’t think it’s crazy. If you compare sensor-to-sensor with other comprehensive monitors like the uHoo or Airthings View Plus, it will come out more expensive. However, when you consider all of these other aspects, the Air-Q series of monitors becomes very unique and offers something that can’t currently be found in any other device.

To conclude this section, I don’t think the Air-Q monitors are for everyone. In fact, far from it! However, for people who want to take advantage of these advanced features, there are very few other options on the market. If you fall into this category, the Air-Q devices are a great choice and among your only options.


Conclusion

Air Q Basic

The Air-Q Light, Air-Q Basic, and Air-Q Pro are unique air quality monitors that offer a set of features currently very difficult to find in a single monitor. Not only do these monitors offer customisation options regarding the sensors and monitor parameters, but they support the widest range of smart home platforms I’ve seen in a monitor. Furthermore, they offer good options for those who want to delve deeper into their data with the most comprehensive exported spreadsheets I’ve seen.

However, the higher price tag of these monitors also means that they are quite niche. For the general consumer who wants an easy-to-use air quality monitor, these are not ideal, and you can get a good monitor for half the price. However, for power users, the Air-Q air quality monitors are a far more tempting prospect. While it will still be up to you to decide if the extra cost is worth it for the features this monitor brings, I hope this review has helped you form a final decision.

While there are many aspects of this device that I appreciate, there are also a few flaws, too. There is no denying that the app needs work (especially the setup process), and I wish the sensors could be improved a bit (I would love for a better CO sensor and the option to use Sensirion/SenseAir PM and CO2 modules). With that said, the overwhelming customisation options have swayed me. I’m far from the typical air quality monitor user, though.

If you are in the same boat as me and love a powerful air quality monitor that can be configured exactly how you want it, the Air-Q series is worth looking into. However, as I’ve already mentioned in the article, I would recommend looking at at least the Air-Q Basic to get a good picture of your indoor air quality. Without a PM2.5 sensor, I feel the Light device is a bit too lacking.

If you have any questions after reading this review, please don’t hesitate to let me know in the comments form below. I always do my best to reply to all questions, so I will get back to you as soon as possible. Otherwise, I would also love to hear from people who have tried the Air-Q monitors themselves. What did you think of them? Please let us know! Thank you for reading.

Pros:
  • Extensive sensor selection, especially in Basic and Pro models
  • Dual-beam NDIR CO2 sensor for better long-term accuracy
  • Highly customizable app with detailed insights and settings
  • Supports a wide range of smart home integrations, including Home Assistant
  • LED-based display provides at-a-glance insights with customization options
  • Includes a micro-SD card slot for offline data storage
  • Good airflow design for accurate readings
  • Easily disassembled for inspection
Cons:
  • Expensive compared to other air quality monitors
  • Light version lacks a PM2.5 sensor, making it less useful
  • App setup process can be frustrating and unreliable
  • CO sensor is not very sensitive, missing lower-level concentrations
  • Some sensors (e.g., VOC) have inherent accuracy limitations
  • Web dashboard data export will require a subscription in the future
  • No built-in screen for displaying data directly on the device

Air-Q FAQs

What makes the Air-Q different from other air quality monitors?

The Air-Q stands out due to its extensive sensor selection, high level of customization, and broad smart home integration. Unlike many competitors, it allows for additional sensor configurations and offers deep insights into air quality metrics via its advanced app and web dashboard.

Which Air-Q model should I choose?

The best model depends on your needs. The Air-Q Light lacks a particulate matter sensor, making it less ideal for comprehensive monitoring. The Air-Q Basic is the best balance between affordability and functionality, while the Air-Q Pro adds additional sensors for pollutants like ozone, formaldehyde, and nitrogen dioxide.

How accurate are the sensors in the Air-Q?

The Air-Q uses well-known sensor brands like Plantower for PM2.5, Cubic for CO2, and Sensirion for VOCs. While these are widely used and studied, some have known limitations (e.g., the CO sensor has low sensitivity). The monitor performs comparably to other consumer-grade devices.

Does the Air-Q require an internet connection to work?

No, the Air-Q stores data on a micro-SD card and can function offline. However, to access real-time data remotely or use smart home features, a WiFi connection is required.

Can I export my air quality data?

Yes, data can be manually exported from the micro-SD card. However, cloud-based data exporting will require a paid subscription in the future.

How does the Air-Q integrate with smart home platforms?

The Air-Q supports an impressive range of integrations, including Home Assistant, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Node-Red, Homey, and more. This makes it one of the most flexible air quality monitors for smart home automation.

Is the Air-Q difficult to set up?

The setup process can be frustrating. Some users experience issues with the app recognizing the device, requiring manual setup via the web portal instead. Once set up, the app is powerful but has a steep learning curve.

Does the Air-Q have a screen to display real-time readings?

No, the Air-Q does not have a built-in screen. Instead, it uses customizable LED bars to indicate air quality metrics and detailed data is available via the app or web dashboard.

Can I use the Air-Q as a standalone carbon monoxide (CO) monitor?

No, the CO sensor in the Air-Q is not a replacement for a certified CO detector. It provides general insights into CO levels but lacks the sensitivity required for critical safety applications.

Is the Air-Q worth the high price?

For enthusiasts, researchers, and smart home users, the Air-Q offers a level of depth and customization that few other monitors provide. However, casual users may find it overpriced compared to simpler air quality monitors like the Airthings View Plus or uHoo.

Air-Q Review - The Most Comprehensive Air Quality Monitor
Air Q Basic LEDs

Discover the Air-Q air quality monitor in my in-depth review. I explore its features, sensors, smart home integrations, and performance to see if it’s the right choice for you.

Product Brand: Air-Q

Editor's Rating:
3.5

Pros

  • Extensive sensor selection, especially in Basic and Pro models
  • Dual-beam NDIR CO2 sensor for improved accuracy over time
  • Highly customizable app with advanced analytics and settings
  • Wide range of smart home integrations, including Home Assistant
  • LED-based display for at-a-glance air quality insights
  • Micro-SD card for offline data storage and logging
  • Well-ventilated design for improved airflow and sensor accuracy
  • Easily disassembled for inspection and PM sensor cleaning

Cons

  • Expensive compared to other air quality monitors
  • Light version lacks a PM2.5 sensor, limiting its usefulness
  • App setup process can be frustrating and unreliable
  • CO sensor has low sensitivity and may miss small fluctuations
  • VOC sensor has known accuracy limitations
  • Web dashboard data export will require a paid subscription
  • No built-in screen for direct data display
  • Learning curve due to extensive customization options

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