A couple of months ago, when I received the Model X outdoor air quality monitor from CO2 Click, I also received two other monitors – the non-connected Model F CO2 monitor and the Model G indoor air quality monitor. In the past, I also reviewed the Model C connected CO2 monitor, meaning I’ve now tried four monitors from this rather interesting air quality monitor company.
So, what makes this brand so interesting? Well, it’s partly that the monitors are handmade using 3D-printed parts and air quality sensors from well-known brands. However, to me, the use of high-quality components makes the brand so interesting. For example, this Model G has a Sensirion SPS30 particle sensor (optionally a far pricier Piera IPS-7100) and an optional Sensirion SCD30 dual-beam NDIR sensor. While these components are significantly pricier than many alternatives, they also have various benefits.
After recently reviewing the Model X, which also comes with a Sensirion SPS30, I was impressed with the accuracy of the sensor. While there are many conflicting studies out there (I list some here) that debate whether the SPS30 or the more common Plantower sensors found in the likes of PurpleAir and AirGradient are more accurate, I found the SPS30 to perform very well – out of the box, it’s seemingly more accurate than the PurpleAir monitors. While the EPA correction largely removes these errors, it seems that the SPS30 performs well out of the box.
Another example of these high-quality components is the use of the Sensirion SCD30 dual-beam NDIR sensor. While we often consider devices such as the Aranet4 Home (with a Senseair Sunrise) to be the gold standard of accuracy for consumer-grade CO2 monitors, the SCD30 is a dual-beam sensor, which should mean it drifts less over time and stays accurate for longer.
If this is all sounding a bit too technical, I’m sorry! I guess I’ve become somewhat of an air quality nerd over the past few years. Anyway, I will explain all of these details in more depth soon. For now, suffice it to say that I’m particularly interested in this monitor because it offers high-quality sensors that aren’t often found in other devices in this price range. While it means this monitor is a bit pricier, the better components may be worth it. Let’s see!
Before finally diving into the review, I want to note that the Model G is available in various configurations. My model has the SPS30 particle sensor and the optional SCD30 CO2 sensor. However, this monitor is also available with a Piera IPS-7100 (which I don’t recommend for reasons I will discuss soon) and without a CO2 sensor. If you don’t know what to pick, don’t worry! I’ll discuss everything you need to know in the next section.
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Sensors & Accuracy
By default, the CO2 Click Model G is equipped with an SPS30 particle sensor and nothing else. This is interesting because the SPS30 doesn’t have an integrated temperature or relative humidity sensor, meaning you get a device that solely measures particulate matter. For $100 CAD extra, you can ‘upgrade’ to the Piera IPS-7100. This is a massive cost increase, but this sensor demands a far higher price for reasons I will discuss soon. For $70 CAD, you can also add the SCD30 CO2 sensor, and this is the configuration I recommend as it also adds temperature and relative humidity sensing.
Before moving on, let’s discuss the Piera IPS-7100, why it adds so much to the cost, and why I don’t recommend it. At the simplest level, the SPS30 (and nearly all other low-cost particle sensors) only directly measure PM2.5 particles. Even if they also ‘measure’ other sizes like PM1, PM5 and PM10, these are only interpolated readings taken from PM2.5 readings. While these sensors can often provide good PM1 estimations, they frequently perform very poorly regarding smaller particles like PM0.3 and PM10. On the other hand, the IPS-7100 directly measures particles from PM0.1 to PM10. This explains the far higher price this sensor demands.
So, why do I recommend against it? Well, I don’t think it’s worth the extra $100 at the moment, as some studies have shown the SPS30 (and Plantower sensors) to perform better (study #1 | Study #2). I know that Piera is working on better performance, and this sensor will likely be better in the future, but for now, I don’t think it’s worth it. There are also some other advantages to the Piera sensor, but for the price difference and considering the lower performance than the SPS30, I recommend getting the Sensirion sensor.
So, how about the SCD30 carbon dioxide sensor? Well, this is an upgrade that I recommend. Adding a carbon dioxide sensor (and temperature and relative humidity) to the device makes it far more useful. I consider a CO2 sensor mandatory for any indoor air quality monitor I use. This is also a high-quality CO2 sensor, so if you can afford it, I highly recommend adding this to your configuration.
For now, however, let’s revisit the PM sensor. About one month ago, I ran tests comparing the Model X (which also uses an SPS30), the Model G, and some PurpleAir monitors to see how they performed. I was quite surprised to find that compared to the PurpleAir monitors (with the EPA-correction algorithm, which they require to be accurate when measuring smoke pollution), the two CO2 Click monitors performed very well. Below is a graph showing the two SPS30 monitors vs three PurpleAir monitors.
As you can see from this graph, all five monitors recorded very similar concentrations, with the SPS30 recording higher peaks than the PurpleAir monitors. However, it’s hard to tell which is more accurate without access to a reference-grade sensor. Hence, the key takeaway is that all of these monitors perform well and can be trusted to provide accurate PM2.5 insights.
This more zoomed-in graph shows that the SPS30 does provide a significantly higher peak reading, but otherwise very consistent readings with the PurpleAir devices (again, these are corrected as PurpleAir monitors tend to overreport out of the box significantly). I was pleased to see these results and trust both the Model X and Model G to provide accurate PM2.5 concentration measurements.
It’s also worth noting that the SPS30 is the only low-cost sensor module currently holding an MCERTs certificate (for 0-75μg/m3). This means that within that range of PM2.5 concentrations, we can expect this sensor to perform very well, and it compares to many pricier alternatives that aren’t targeted at consumers. While the certification doesn’t hold at higher concentrations, I would argue that these concentrations are less important.
Overall, the PM2.5 accuracy of the SPS30 and, therefore, the CO2 Click Model G is good. While PM10 accuracy is lower (as it’s interpolated from PM2.5 readings), this is the case with almost all low-cost sensors, and it’s the reason I don’t recommend putting much trust into these readings. If you want to learn more about this, please read the accuracy section on my AirBeam 3 review.
Now, let’s take a look at the accuracy of the CO2 sensor used in the Model G. The good news here is that this sensor is one of the best on the market. Generally, Senseair and Sensirion are the most trusted brands for consumer-grade carbon dioxide sensors and the SCD30 is the top-of-the-line sensor from the latter. For comparison, I chose to compare it to the top-of-the-line sensor from the competition – the Senseair Sunrise in the Aranet4 Home, which is generally considered the most accurate consumer-grade CO2 monitor on the market.
Above is a graph showing my findings (please ignore the second 12:00 – 00:00 section. I was staying at a hotel and left with the keycard, meaning the Model G had no electricity during this time). As you can see, both monitors provide very similar readings, and I was impressed with the performance (but also not really because I have known this sensor was accurate since I tested the Model C).
To show more detail, I zoomed into a 24-hour period to show the differences more clearly. Besides the different interval and sampling times (which explain the ‘square’ look of the Model G line), you can see the monitors provide very similar readings, with no differences of more than 50 ppm, which is less than the ±(30 ppm + 3% of reading) stated accuracy of both sensors. Overall, I would consider this an accurate CO2 sensor!
Now, I do have a few caveats to mention. Firstly, while the SCD30 and Sunrise sensors are comparable, they have different strengths. The Sunrise draws significantly less power, which makes it great for battery-powered devices. On the other hand, the SCD30 is a dual-beam NDIR sensor, meaning, in theory, it shouldn’t need to be calibrated as frequently as it has a second ‘reference’ beam. In reality, however, I don’t know how much of a difference this makes.
Something I’ve discovered recently, and that applies to many carbon dioxide monitors and sensors (yes, I will now need to go back and update a LOT of my articles!), is that atmospheric pressure can cause massive deviations in CO2 readings. While some sensors, like the Sunrise, account for these differences, the SCD30 (and most other sensors) don’t. What does this mean? Well, if you live at a lower altitude, nothing. However, this sensor will significantly underreport Co2 concentrations if you live at high altitudes. You can read more here.
So, let’s get back to the original question. Is the CO2 Click Model G accurate? Yes. Concerning particles and carbon dioxide, this monitor is accurate in its standard configuration (SPS30 and SCD30). However, it is worth noting that it isn’t particularly accurate for PM10 – but then again, no low-cost monitor really is. Furthermore, I would recommend against the $100 update to the Piera IPS-7100, at least for now.
Design
The CO2 Click Model G is a 3D-printed air quality monitor that, similarly to the Model C, feels solid and has a good build quality. Since it is 3D-printed and assembled by hand, there may be some minor imperfections around the case (I have a few on my monitor). However, across all of the monitors I have from CO2 Click, I’ve never had any major issues or any that have impacted more than the look of the device. With that said, it’s important to keep this in mind.
The Model G is rectangular and has a small E-ink screen on the top face. This screen shows the date, time, PM2.5, PM10, and CO2 concentrations alongside a few status symbols (WiFi, local storage, battery, etc.). While the screen is small, it doesn’t feel cluttered, and because it’s E-ink, it’s viewable from many different angles. Even outside of E-ink screens’ advantages (like low power consumption), I’m a fan of these displays on air quality monitors.
The device is otherwise quite simple. The only other features worthy of note are a USB Type-C port on the bottom for charging, vents for airflow on the left and right of the device, and a scroll wheel that also acts as a button on the right-hand side of the device. With this scroll wheel, you can turn on the device’s WiFi hotspot, calibrate the CO2 sensor, and more.
While the scroll wheel is an intuitive way to control the device in theory (and it’s great when it works), I find that it’s often unresponsive or gets caught, meaning that I need to release it and press it again. This isn’t a big deal and only takes a second to remedy, but I wish it were a bit smoother and more responsive so that interacting with the device is both easier and less frustrating. That said, I appreciate having some options on the device itself rather than needing the dashboard for everything.
Besides this scroll wheel, there are two other buttons – one on the bottom of the device and one on the side next to the wheel. The button on the bottom of the device allows you to restart the device with one press, and I haven’t been able to find a use for the second button, so I believe it may be related to flashing firmware on the device.
While the device is relatively small for an air quality monitor, it’s surprisingly heavy and could be much smaller if it weren’t for the SPS30, which easily takes up half of the internal room on the device. This size is because both the transmissive NDIR SCD30 and SPS30 are large sensors, meaning they take up a significant amount of space inside the device because of their lasers (which need to be placed a certain distance apart to take accurate readings).
Of course, all air quality monitors need to balance this, and I appreciate the Model G’s compact form factor. While I wouldn’t really consider it pocketable, it’s very easy to put in a handbag or backpack if you want to take it with you to do some air quality analysis on the go. That said, the battery life is less than four hours, so it’s not ideal as a portable monitor like the Amtotube Pro.
The internal battery is, however, handy for a couple of reasons. Not only does it mean that you can take the device out with you when you want (just make sure to turn it off when you aren’t taking readings), but it also means that it will continue to take readings if you have a power cut. Combined with the device’s internal storage, this means you can keep collecting data through all but the longest power cuts.
The Model G uses standard screws, and taking it apart is very easy. While this shouldn’t be a worry in the shorter term, it does mean that if you ever have a failed sensor, replacing it should be easy enough. I appreciate having this option, as needing to purchase a new device when one sensor fails is a waste of money and resources. Luckily, since the SPS30 and SCD30 have an estimated lifespan of over ten years, this shouldn’t be an issue!
Overall, the CO2 Click Model G is a simple device when it comes to design. While there are monitors out there that look better or that have better designs for portability, I appreciate the compact form factor of this device, as I don’t need to worry much when I take it out with me. My only real gripe is the scroll wheel, which I think could be improved to be more responsive (and not sometimes get stuck).
Connectivity
The CO2 Click Model G supports WiFi and can connect to a cloud dashboard for further data analysis and functionality. To set up WiFi, you will need to enable the hotspot mode on the device and connect to it with another WiFi-enabled device (I usually use my phone, as I find it easiest). The setup process was painless, and I managed to connect to my local WiFi on the first attempt. However, it’s important to note that you will need a 2.4GHz network, as 5GHz networks aren’t supported.
What I appreciate the most about the CO2 Click Model G’s connectivity is that it continues to record even when disconnected. This is because the device has a good amount of internal storage (I haven’t been able to test it yet, but it always retains the data recorded when offline with lots of storage to spare), meaning that even if it’s disconnected temporarily, it can retroactively upload the data to the web portal. This, combined with the internal battery, ensures the device can be semi-portable and that it can survive short power cuts without losing data.
So, how is the portal? Well, I now have quite a few devices on my CO2 Click portal, and it’s a dashboard that I’ve come to appreciate. While it is quite simple and doesn’t offer some advanced functionality, it has all the essential features. Although I said in my recent Model X review that I felt some features were lacking, these are actually present in the Model G, and I think the Model G with the dashboard is a more complete experience than the Model X.
Anyway, back to the dashboard! On the home screen, you will see a quick overview of the pollutants this monitor measures. In my case, I can see PM1.0, PM2.5, PM4.0, PM10, CO2, temperature and relative humidity. However, this will depend on the configuration you purchase, so you may have more or fewer parameters shown on the dashboard. One extra stat that I like to see is RBA – re-breathed air (percentage). This stat will tell you the percentage of air you’re breathing that others have exhaled. Of course, this assumes you’re in a shared space, but it’s an interesting stat to see.
To see longer-term trends and analyse the data further, you can click on the graph icon to show a graph of the different parameters over the past one, five, 12, 24, 48 and 168 hours. Handily, you can also export this data making it super easy to do in-depth analysis with your spreadsheet program of choice. If you’re not an Excel whiz (I am not), you can throw this data into an AI like ChatGPT to get a quick graph showing your air quality trends.
The best part about the dashboard is that it retains 48 months of data, meaning that you should never run into missing or hard-to-access data. I love how much data is stored on the dashboard, and this implementation is far better than companies like PurpleAir, which require you to use an API to access data more than a few days old (if you’re looking at 10-minute intervals or raw data).
In addition to viewing the data, the dashboard will also allow you to calibrate your CO2 sensor, update the firmware, and change a range of settings. Some of these settings include creating offsets and setting the data measurement interval and uploading intervals. While I haven’t had a need to touch most of these settings yet, I appreciate having them, and I believe manual offsets should be available on all air quality monitors.
That’s really it when it comes to the dashboard. As I said at the start of this section, it’s a very simple dashboard, but it covers what I consider essential. I would love to see some more features added (such as the ability to show data from multiple monitors overlayed so I could compare outdoor and indoor concentrations), but I don’t think they’re essential as I can do these tasks by downloading the data and analysing it myself.
Pricing & Competition
Of course, the Model G doesn’t exist in isolation, and there are many other monitors available on the market. With this in mind, let’s see how the Model G compares to other monitors that you can currently find. To do that, we first need to discuss the pricing of the Model G, especially as it can vary quite greatly depending on your configuration. Here are the current possible configurations:
- SPS30 Only – $219 CAD
- SPS30 + SCD30 – $289 CAD
- IPS-7100 Only – $319 CAD
- IPS-7100 + SCD30 – $389 CAD
As you can see, the price almost doubles depending on configuration. I’ve highlighted my top choice, and at the time of writing, the monitor is just over $200 USD. While pricey, the sensors are good. It’s important to note that CO2 Cick is a small business, so the sensors are likely purchased at full retail value as opposed to being discounted due to large order volumes.
Of course, if you are interested in a particle-only counter, you can opt for the SPS30-only model instead, which will save you $70 CAD. That said, I think a CO2 sensor is almost essential if you plan to use the device inside as intended. This does increase the price of the monitor, but that is expected.
There are so many other options available for this price, and you can find a particle and CO2 monitor for as cheap as $80. In the $100-$200 range, there are other fantastic choices, such as the Qingping Air Quality Monitor Gen 2 and the AirGradient ONE (I must disclose that I now work with AirGradient). While both of these monitors are cheaper and offer some significant advantages, I also see a few benefits with the Model G.
One of these benefits is the ecosystem of devices that now exist under the CO2 Click brand. Whether you want a dedicated CO2 monitor, outdoor air quality monitors, simple indoor air quality monitors or comprehensive air quality monitors, CO2 Click now has them. The best part? All of these devices can be added to and used on the same dashboard. With, of course, the exception of the monitors that don’t support connectivity.
This ecosystem makes these monitors particularly interesting to me, as I now have three devices that all connect to the same dashboard. On top of this, I also appreciate the use of high-quality components in the CO2 Click, and I would say they’re some of the best available. This particular combination of sensors can’t currently be found in any other monitor to me knowledge.
So yes, the Model G is more expensive than other monitors on the market, and some of them offer significant advantages. However, I also see strengths with the Model G that make it very well suited to some use cases. One is if you want multiple monitors set up in different locations around your home or office. Another is if you’re just looking for the best components in this price range.
Conclusion
Overall, I’ve enjoyed my time with the Model G and will continue using it and its CO2 Click siblings for a long time. However, recommending the device is a bit more difficult. Don’t get me wrong – I like this device a lot, and it’s among my favourites due to the quality of the sensors (and the out-of-the-box accuracy), but I think that’s the target audience of this monitor – it’s for people who want the best performance.
Since the monitor is more pricey than competitors that feature the same set of sensors (or sometimes even more), not everyone will be interested. If you ‘max out’ this monitor, it comes in at $389 CAD – almost $300 USD. This puts it in the highest tier of consumer-grade monitors regarding price and places it alongside the Airthings View Plus and AirVisual Pro. Of course, you can get the ‘better’ configuration for $289 CAD (which I would recommend for most people), but it’s still pricey.
For someone like me, I would absolutely take this monitor over either the Airthings or AirVisual monitor because I’ve found it to be more accurate, and it’s also backed by more research (at least regarding the sensor modules themselves). However, for many people, I think the more user-friendly aspects of the aforementioned two monitors will be a larger draw than better accuracy. Therefore, I see this as more of an enthusiast-level air quality monitor.
Personally, I really appreciate having a monitor that puts quality components first (not that others don’t, but none do to this degree in this price range), and I think it’s a great thing. However, I think it may also be quite niche and attract users more like myself. While I’m unsure how difficult it is to create a new skew, I think this device with a lower-cost PM and CO2 sensor would do very well.
If you have any questions left after reading this review, please feel free to drop by the forum and ask. I always do my best to respond to all questions!
- Configurable for your needs
- Accurate and high-quality sensors
- WiFi connectivity
- Internal battery and memory
- Compact form factor
- Expensive
- Control wheel can be finicky
- Short battery life
Model G FAQ
What Does the Model G Monitor?
It measures PM1 – PM10, and optionally, it will also monitor CO2, temperature, and relative humidity.
What Sensors Does the Model G Use?
It uses either the SPS30 or Piera IPS-7100 and the SCD30.
Is the Model G Accurate?
Yes. In fact, the Model G excels when it comes to accuracy. However, the SPS30 configuration is better for accuracy.
What Alternatives Are There to the Model G?
In a lower price bracket, the Qingping Air Monitor Gen 2 and AirGradient ONE are worth looking at. In the higher price bracket, the Airthings View Plus and PurpleAir Zen are worth looking at.
What Is the Best Configuration for the Model G?
I recommend the SPS30 and SCD30 model.
Have Questions or Comments?
Join the discussion on the BreatheSafeAir Community Forum. Ask any questions you have about air quality or adjacent topics and get quick answers!
CO2 Click Model G Review - A Comprehensive Look
The CO2 Click Model G is an indoor air quality monitor that features high quality components that are the best in its price range.
Product Brand: CO2 Click
4
Pros
- Configurable for your needs
- Accurate and high-quality sensors
- WiFi connectivity
- Internal battery and memory
- Compact form factor
Cons
- Expensive
- Control wheel can be finnicky
- Short battery life