A couple of weeks ago, I received another monitor from a brand that I’d been meaning to try for a long time. This time, it was Temtop, a brand that I’ve been interested in quite a lot over the years, as I often see its monitors mentioned in discussions on the best air quality monitors. While its range of hand-held particle counters appears to be the ‘flagship’ product line, it also has an extensive range of consumer-orientated household air quality monitors. In today’s review, I will look at the monitor atop this range of monitors, the Temtop M10+.
This is quite an interesting monitor for a couple of reasons. Firstly, while it relies on Sensirion sensors for CO2, VOCs, temperature, and humidity, it uses an in-house sensor for PM. I’m always interested in companies that make or design their own sensors, and that was what interested me so much about the IQAir AirVisual Pro. If you’re not already aware, the vast majority of air quality monitors on the market use sensors from one of a few companies (such as the Sensirion sensors used in this monitor for CO2 and VOCs). Therefore, seeing a monitor with a unique sensor is quite rare but always interesting.
Secondly, the Temtop M10+ has an incredible battery life of 60 days (as claimed by Temtop). While I’m sure there are some caveats to this – such as decreasing the measurement frequency significantly – it seems Temtop has taken a note from Aranet’s book and created a device with exceptional battery life. While I will validate the battery life and its reading frequency and interval changes, this is an impressive battery life regardless of the specifics.
Of course, these are just two aspects of this air quality monitor that stand out to me. However, there’s a lot to look at here, and I’m very excited to finally give this device a try! If you’re interested in exactly how this device performs, please read on! If you have any questions after reading the review, please feel free to ask in the comment section below – I always try my best to address questions and comments. With that said, let’s get started!
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Which Temtop Monitor Should I Pick?
You can view the image above in full detail here.
Temtop has quite a few monitors in its range. I wanted to call it the ‘M’ range, but there are also ‘P’ monitors. Hence, I think it’s best to call it the ’10’ range of monitors. From the most basic and affordable P10 monitor to the M10+, there appear to be four monitors that comprise the range. There is also a 100 range, but these monitors appear to use a larger screen with more detailed information as their selling point, making them quite different from the 10 range. So, what exactly differentiates the monitors in the 10 range?
The image above does a less-than-ideal job of explaining the differences, as I wish it also showed MSRP and either ascended or descended in lineup position instead of using seemingly random sorting. The P10 is the most basic and affordable monitor, and it only monitors PM2.5 (AQI is based on PM, so I don’t count this as an additional measurement). For the price, this may not be a big issue, but I am surprised by the omission of temperature and relative humidity sensors, which are used in almost every air quality monitor on the market. Furthermore, laser particle sensor accuracy varies based on relative humidity, and the lack of such a sensor means there is no compensation going on within this monitor.
Above this, the more expensive M10 adds a VOC and HCHO sensor to the PM2.5 sensor. Notably, it also adds the ability to export data and calibrate the sensor (presumable the VOC and HCHO sensors). I believe these two monitors are nearly identical in exterior design and size. While the PM2.5 sensor is from Temtop, the VOC sensor in this and the models we will discuss soon are from Sensirion, while the HCHO sensor is from Dart Sensors.
Left: Temtop M10+. Right: Temtop M10i
With the next model in the lineup, we see the introduction of connectivity. The M10i follows the same form factor as the two previous models and even has the same sensor arrangement as the M10, but it also adds WiFi connectivity and supports the iOS and Android apps. While the device is functionally the same as the M10 if you use it standalone, the advantage of viewing historical data and seeing data trends via an app is a big advantage for many users (including myself).
Confusingly, the M10+ is not included in the above image, but it appears to sit above the M10i. I say this because it adds a CO2 sensor (albeit in lieu of the HCHO sensor), an E-ink display, vastly better battery life, and a temperature and humidity sensor. Overall, it feels like the most complete package out of this series of monitors, and it also has some design improvements, such as the E-ink screen. While some users may be upset by the removal of the HCHO sensor, I personally would prefer a separate (and certified) sensor for such a dangerous gas.
While there are many other monitors from Temtop, this is the extent of the semi-portable indoor air quality range, as the other monitors are far larger or come in a handheld shape. Personally, I see a couple of ‘sweet spots’ within this range – namely, the M10 and M10+. The M10 is significantly more comprehensive than the P10, and I think it’s worth saving a bit more to jump to the M10 over the P10. While I also like the M10i, I think it’s much the same situation – I believe most people should jump to the M10+ as it’s a more well-rounded monitor due to its inclusion of a carbon dioxide sensor.
Accuracy & Sensor
The most important aspect of any air quality monitor is its accuracy, which directly relates to the sensor. Unfortunately, reviewers most often overlook this area, and it’s also the most difficult aspect to quantify. This section will be somewhat technical, but I will do my best to explain it concisely and understandably. If you have any further questions or want clarification, please feel free to ask in the comments form.
The Temtop M10+ (along with the other Temtop monitors) uses a custom-made Temtop laser particle sensor for PM2.5. This is my first time using this sensor, and up until this point, I’ve had no idea how it compares to more common sensors such as the Plantower PMS5003 (used in PurpleAir and AirGradient monitors) and the Sensirion SPS30 (used in CO2 Click monitors). However, after testing it for a few weeks, I have a picture of how it performs.
The other sensors in the monitor are all from Sensirion. Namely, the SCD41 is used for carbon dioxide and the SGP40 for VOCs. These are both commonly used sensors and trustworthy – with some caveats that will be discussed soon. However, if you want to continue your own research on the performance of this monitor, please look for studies and articles mentioning these sensors. I will discuss the sensors in more detail in a minute, but first, I want to look at the measurement intervals, which are almost as important.
Since this is a primarily battery-powered monitor, I was interested in the measurement intervals. I found the CO2 to update every five seconds (and these seem like real updates, not interpolations that other monitors use to seem like they are taking more frequent readings than they are). The PM and VOC sensors seem far slower, and the PM sensor takes a reading very infrequently (I gave up trying to time it after it took over 15 minutes to update). With that said, when the monitor is powered, the PM2.5 readings will update every few seconds. Temperature and RH readings update frequently in both situations.
One interesting point to note is that pressing the button on the top of the monitor to scroll through pollutants appears to manually force a reading when on battery. That is to say, if I scroll through AQI, CO2, and VOCs and land back on the PM2.5, it refreshes the reading, and the monitor will provide an update after a few seconds. The same appears to go for VOCs and CO2, but the latter readings update frequently enough that this doesn’t matter anyway. Either way, I am happy there is a way to force the device to take a reading quickly.
With that out of the way, let’s examine the monitor’s accuracy. Let’s start by examining the performance of the Temtop-made PM2.5 sensor. Some people may be surprised at the omission of a PM10 reading, but it makes sense when you consider that most low-cost sensors interpolate PM10 readings based on PM2.5 count, which leads to most PM10 readings on lower-cost air quality monitors being completely inaccurate.
Since information on the PM2.5 sensor is hard to find, I had to rely on the stated specifications (shown above) and some of my own testing. Now, it’s worth noting that my own testing is far from scientific, and it’s really just an overview of how the sensor might perform. With that said, I had some interesting findings.
Above, I compared the PM2.5 readings from the AirGradient ONE and the Temtop M10+ over a couple of days. When I first set the monitors up, I expected the AirGradient monitor to report more particles than the Temtop monitor as the sensor it uses (the PMS5003) is known to significantly overreport particle counts when smoke is the primary source of pollution (as it was in my case). However, it was the complete opposite! This led me to worry a bit, because I know the AirGradient results to be already too high.
I decided to correct the AirGradient data using the EPA formula for PurpleAir monitors (which rely on the same sensor), and the results are shown below. As you can see, the Temtop monitor recorded similar trends but appears to overreport PM2.5. Again, this is far from scientific, but the EPA formula has been extensively studied, and when it comes to smoke particles, it should, in theory, improve accuracy on monitors with the PMS5003. To see the Temtop overreporting when being compared to the raw AirGradient data means it’s likely overreporting PM2.5 concentrations significantly.
While it’s hard to draw conclusions without access to reference equipment, which costs tens of thousands of dollars, I would bet that the Temtop M10+ (and likely other monitors in the Temtop range if they use the same sensor) overreport PM2.5 concentrations as do many monitors in this price range. With that said, it’s still a handy tool for picking up trends, and out-of-the-box, it will show readings similar to other popular monitors like those from PurpleAir – just keep in mind that the readings are likely a bit higher than the actual concentrations.
Unsurprisingly, the Temtop performs well when it comes to carbon dioxide. The SCD41 is a tried-and-tested sensor, and while it does have a few caveats compared to transmissive NDIR sensors such as the SenseAir Sunrise (found in the Aranet4 Home) and the SCD30, it’s still a good sensor. If you want to learn more, I’ve discussed some of these issues in this post.
However, I still wanted to compare the readings to an Aranet4 Home to ensure the monitor was accurate and performed well. While the graphs below aren’t particularly detailed (I can only export data from the Temtop monitor with a one-hour resolution, which is far from ideal), you can see that the readings from each monitor closely follow one another. While there are some differences in the readings, these appear to be systematic and are likely thrown off slightly due to an autocalibration from the SCD41.
That is a point worth mentioning – while the CO2 readings from this sensor can be very accurate, you will want to ensure the device is calibrated correctly. You can manually calibrate the sensor through the app, but autocalibration will occur every week. This isn’t an issue if the device is regularly exposed to ambient air or left in empty rooms. However, if the monitor is placed somewhere where the concentration never drops to around 400 ppm, this can lead to the readings quickly becoming inaccurate. Since the monitor is portable, this can be easily offset by leaving the monitor outdoors for an hour or so every week.
Another thing to note regarding the CO2 sensor: since the SCD41 does not have an altitude sensor built-in, the readings from this sensor will lose accuracy at higher altitudes. While this shouldn’t be problematic for most users, anyone living in an area significantly above sea level may encounter issues. Please refer to this post for a first-hand example of what I mean. Overall, this is a good sensor, and it performs well on the Temtop M10+.
The Temtop M10+ has some quirks when it comes to the most basic sensors, temperature and relative humidity (which are measured by a combined sensor). Temtop admits in its manual that, when charging, the accuracy of the temperature may be off by around half a degree Celsius. However, I found the inaccuracy when charging far higher than this. I recently purchased a Traceable 4040 Hygrometer with very accurate temperature readings, which can be used as an imperfect baseline for temperature and RH (variance with this monitor is still ± 5% for RH). Let’s look at temperature first, which my Traceable lab certificate showed is within 0.1 degree accuracy at 25 degrees Celsius.
As you can see, when charging at 25 degrees Celsius, the Temtop monitor records a very significant two degrees Celsius higher. This image isn’t unique, either, as I noticed the Temtop always read higher temperatures than both my Traceable monitor and my other air quality monitors when it was being charged. This surprised me as it looks like the temperature probe of the M10+ is attached to the outer vent, and the device is quite large, meaning I wouldn’t have expected it to be greatly impacted by the heat it emits.
As for relative humidity, it’s far more difficult to know for certain. Even pricey relative humidity monitors can have a large variance in readings (the Traceable monitor is ± 5%, as mentioned earlier). With that said, my lab test for the monitor showed results within ± 1% at 50% RH (this accuracy will decrease as RH increases), and I was surprised to see regular 5-10% differences in the readings between these two monitors – again when the Temtop monitor was charging. While I would trust the Traceable monitor more in this regard, and I have a gut feeling that the Temtop monitor is not very accurate on these two metrics when charging, these numbers are within the specifications of each monitor (± 5% for the Traceable and ± 3% for the Temtop – which in itself, seems optimistic compared to a dedicated monitor such as this, but I can’t say for sure).
On the battery, the temperature performance improved, and it almost always stayed within one degree Celsius of my Traceable monitor, more often than not within 0.5 degrees of the actual temperature. This was a massive improvement, and I find it surprising that simply charging could have such a big impact. Interestingly, RH accuracy also appears to be significantly better on battery. I’m not sure what causes this, but both readings are far more trustworthy on battery. It is also worth noting that both of these parameters can be offset in the app if you notice a systematic error.
Is this a big deal? Probably not. However, unless you don’t care about these readings, you should not just keep the monitor plugged in as you would with other monitors. This is a bit disappointing as I prefer to keep mind plugged in as it means I get more frequent PM readings than on battery. The most important thing is that you’re aware of this issue as it led to me questioning the monitor for a good while!
Design
At first glance, the design of this monitor reminds me a lot of the Aranet4 Home. However, this is not a bad thing at all – quite the contrary, in fact. The Temtop M10+ has a square front with rounded corners and a large display. Out of all of the air quality monitors I’ve tried, this display is on the larger side, and I prefer it to devices such as the Airthings View Plus, which is quite a large monitor but displays barely any information at any given time.
The monitor is around 81x81x31mm (I say around, as I had slightly higher readings for length and width as in the image below), meaning it’s quite small and easily holdable. It also only weighs around 170 grams, meaning it weighs basically the same as a standard iPhone model (non-plus, non-pro) and is lighter than any larger or more ‘premium’ smartphone.
While I wouldn’t call the device pocketable, it is portable enough that you could easily fit it into a large handbag or backpack alongside your other daily essentials. As this device definitely isn’t intended to be used portably in the same way as an Aranet4 (which is to be kept in your pocket or handbag and be referred to frequently), I don’t mind this extra size, and I view it as a positive as it allows the screen to be larger.
The device’s build quality is great and feels like a quality product. It is still quite light at around 170 grams (about the same as a standard iPhone 14/15/16), meaning that it’s easy to carry, but at this weight, it thankfully doesn’t compromise on quality. I am disappointed that the device has no obvious screws, meaning that if you ever do dissemble the device, you will likely damage it aesthetically, but this is likely a ‘me’ problem. I think most customers will prefer the high-quality build to the ability to open the monitor, especially as most of the components are not easily replaceable.
The device has an internal battery that lasts for up to 60 days (at the cost of decreasing the reading frequency significantly, as mentioned in the accuracy section), which means it is the perfect monitor for frequently moving around your home or office to test the air quality in different areas. While many other monitors have internal batteries, they are often restricted by a 4 – 12-hour battery life. Thankfully, that isn’t the case with this monitor!
While I am a fan of the device’s build quality, I do have one key issue with the display. Don’t get me wrong – I like the inclusion of E-ink, and the screen technology is great. However, for some reason, Temtop chose to show only one key metric on the screen at any given time – despite such a large screen! You can always see the time, temperature, relative humidity and a few status symbols. Unfortunately, you must scroll through PM2.5, AQI, CO2 and VOCs by pressing the single button on top of the device.
Please excuse my imperfect Paint skills; I don’t see why a UI like the one I’ve shown above couldn’t have been used. The large box could show overall AQI, while the three boxes on the left could show PM2.5, CO2 and VOCs. This could be done over a firmware update.
This bothers me because it means I can’t get all of the information I desire at a glance. It also seems like something that could have been easily overcome, as the device has a massive screen! While I can understand that perhaps they didn’t want to overwhelm the user with too many readings at once, there should at least be an option within the app to choose to show all pollutant information at any given time. I had a similar issue with the Airthings View Plus, but at least that monitor had a small screen and a (poor) excuse not to show more information at once. This monitor, though, could easily add more readings to its very large display.
I don’t think this is a deal breaker, but it does frustrate me. That said, the monitor will stay on whatever screen you set it to, meaning that if you care primarily about the carbon dioxide concentration, you can set the monitor to display CO2. It won’t time out and revert to the default PM2.5 screen. You can also set it to auto-scroll through the different displays in the app, but this still won’t give you all the information you want at a quick glance. These are silver linings, however, and mean that while I wouldn’t say I like the implementation, I can work around it.
Moving on, I already mentioned that there is a button on the top of the device, and this is the primary way you interact with it. This button will scroll through the different pollutant metrics and, since it’s quite important, is thankfully large and easy to press, even if you are trying to locate it in low light. There is also a (much smaller) button on the back, enabling Bluetooth to sync data to your smartphone. It’s important to note that Bluetooth is not on by default, likely to conserve battery life.
Turning the device around, you will find some regulatory information as well as a QR code and serial number. More interestingly, you will also find the USB Type-C charging port (which every device should have in 2024. Looking at you, PurpleAir and Amazon). Above this, you will find a large vent behind which you can see the PM, CO2 temperature and relative humidity sensors. As with all air quality monitors, this means that you need to be very careful not to get the monitor wet as it will damage the device.
From a design perspective, I don’t think there’s much more to discuss. Overall, I like the design of this monitor and it’s easily one of my preferred monitors in this regard. While I wish the screen layout was better designed (especially as you need to press the Bluetooth button whenever you want to connect and view data from your phone), the other design aspects are well thought-out, and I appreciate the build quality.
Actually, there is one more quick thing to note: the sound! This monitor is silent, and I can barely hear it when I put my ear up to the monitor. Even if you place this device on your bedside stand, you shouldn’t hear it. In my apartment, even with noise testing gear, I couldn’t pick up a difference between my ambient apartment noise and this monitor only a few centimetres away.
Connectivity & App
Since the Temtop M10+ is at the top of the ’10’ range of Temtop indoor air quality monitors, it also features connectivity via Bluetooth to an iOS or Android app. In order to conserve battery life (even when it’s plugged in), the monitor won’t automatically sync data to the app. Instead, you will need to open the app and then press the button on the back of the monitor before the data is sent to the monitor. This isn’t an issue in my mind, but it does mean you can’t simply open the app and view data, and you will need to physically have the monitor to view any data.
Once connected, the monitor will quickly sync with the app, and it appears to be able to retain at least a few days of data in local storage. This is fantastic, as it means even if I only sync the monitor with the app every few days, I won’t be losing data. I haven’t yet been able to test the limits of the internal storage, but as long as you connect your monitor every few days, you’ll be able to view all of the historical data in the app.
In the app, you can view all of the pollutant data, which is colour-coded to represent the quality of your air. While I wish the thresholds were adjustable (for example, some users consider 800ppm of CO2 in their home very high, whereas the Temtop monitor will only change at 1000ppm), I appreciate this colour-coding and the coloured dots to give a quick overview of the air quality.
When you tap on a pollutant, you can view historical data in a graph. While the app’s graphing functionality is quite simple, the ability to export data to a spreadsheet is also present, and, from my experience, it is a straightforward process. I consider the ability to export data almost essential for most monitors, and I love how it’s implemented into this app so well. Since the graphing within the app is quite simple, you will likely find yourself wanting to export data for any more in-depth analysis.
Surprisingly, the settings menu is my favourite aspect of this app. Despite Temtop clearly going for a minimal and what I would call ‘approachable’ design throughout the monitor and app, there are some quite powerful settings here. At the most basic level, you can change what the monitor display shows (and set it to auto-loop readings), change the temperature unit and time system, and toggle between the 2012 and 2024 EPA guidelines for AQI (2024 being stricter).
At a more advanced level, you can also calibrate the CO2 sensor and set offsets for the PM, temperature, and relative humidity values. Since I found this monitor to read incorrect temperatures, but in a systematic way, I appreciate this offset functionality and think it is a fantastic inclusion. Many monitors overlook this, and I am glad to see it included here – more so since this monitor seems to read incorrect temperature readings out of the box.
You can also enable or disable audible alarms on the device, but frankly, I found these to be very annoying. You can’t adjust when the alarms go off, and you also can’t adjust if it’s a one-time beep when the threshold is reached or if it will keep beeping until the concentration decreases below the threshold. By default, it’s the latter, and this can’t be changed. One night, I went to sleep, and the CO2 level rose, so the alarm kept repeating itself until I got fed up enough that it’s now permanently disabled on my monitor.
Overall, the app is certainly simple, and I can tell it’s designed not to feel overwhelming to new users. That said, it also holds some advanced functionality as well as all of the functions I deem essential. While, again, I wish there was an option here to adjust the device’s display layout, I know the device’s display has also been designed in such a way that a hardware update would probably be needed for any substantial changes.
Connectivity is also good, and I appreciate the fast sync times and the fact that the device holds some data locally, so you don’t need to remember to sync it every day. While I do wish the device’s Bluetooth could be set to always-on (at least when the device is plugged in), this isn’t a big limitation, and it’s mostly overcome due to the factors mentioned above.
Competition & Pricing
The Temtop M10+ retails for $129.99 on the Temtop website and sits at the top of this range of monitors. The other monitors, beginning with the P10, start at $59.99 (although it seems to be on sale for $10 less frequently), and the other monitors fill the range between these two in terms of capabilities and price. As I mentioned in the comparison section, I think the two ‘sweet spots’ in this lineup are the M10 ($69.99) and the M10+.
However, while it’s easy to look at these monitors in isolation, it’s much more useful to compare them to other monitors already on the market. While I would consider most of this range of monitors ‘affordable’, the M10+ almost perfectly hits the beginning of the price range where I consider the current best indoor air quality monitor offerings to be – namely, the Qingping Air Quality Monitor Gen 2 and the AirGradient ONE (disclaimer, I do now work with AirGradient but did not when I published my review). At this price, there begins to be some very stiff competition.
Let’s have a look at the air quality monitors I generally recommend – both at the price of the M10+ and a bit lower and higher. This will give a much better picture of where this monitor stands. I’ve also included the monitor below the M10+ in the overall lineup for the sake of comparison.
| Monitor | Price | Parameters Measured | Connectivity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temtop M10+ | $129.99 | PM2.5, CO2, VOCs, Temperature, RH | App/Bluetooth |
| Temtop M10i | $89.99 | PM2.5, CO2, VOCs, HCHO | App/WiFi |
| Qingping AQM (Gen 2) | $149.99 | PM2.5, PM10, CO2, VOCs, Temperature, RH | App/WiFi |
| Qingping AQM Lite | $89.99 | PM2.5, PM10, CO2, Temperature, RH | App/WiFi |
| AirGradient ONE | $138 (DIY)/$195 | PM1.0, PM2.5, PM10, CO2, VOCs, NOx, Temperature, RH | Web Dashboard/WiFi |
If I’m completely honest, I find it hard to recommend anything in a similar price range to the Qingping Air Quality Monitor Gen 2 because I consider this to be a near-perfect indoor air quality monitor. While the AirGradient Monitor is great for enthusiasts and those who can make use of Home Assistant or open-source hardware, the Qingping is such a well-rounded monitor for the general user.
With that said, the Temtop M10+ does, of course, have some advantages. For one, the battery life on this monitor trounces anything else on this list and if you want something that’s semi-portable, the M10+ is by far the best option here. On top of that, it is easier to use and cheaper than the AirGradient monitors and, I would argue, less overwhelming to use than the Qingping Air Quality Monitor.
While I think anyone looking in this price range should consider all of the monitors above (and I’m sure there are some I don’t even know about yet!), my general outlook is something like this: the Qingping is the best all-round monitor, the AirGradient is best for enthusiasts, and the Temtop is the best for anyone looking for a semi-portable monitor. It’s also the easiest to use, and I think many people will appreciate that aspect.
To be honest, I’m mostly happy to see a lot of competition in this price range. While these monitors aren’t exactly cheap, they are on the ‘affordable’ end of indoor air quality monitoring, and they offer much of the capability of more expensive monitors – in some cases, even surpassing them!
Conclusion
After using the Temtop M10+ for a few weeks, I can see why many people have requested that I review these products. The M10+ (and I’m sure the other monitors in this range) is built well, has high-quality sensors inside, and has good connectivity. Overall, it’s a very well-rounded monitor that doesn’t exhibit any major flaws or weaknesses and is also very user-friendly.
My biggest gripe with this monitor is the inaccuracy of the temperature and RH sensor (when it’s charging). Since manual offsets are supported in the app, I could forgive this if the sensor was exhibiting systematic errors. However, it consistently reads higher than my other monitors, and I haven’t found any means to these differences or any way to offset them. Of course, this issue only exists when the device is being charged, but I wish I could keep it plugged in 24/7 for more frequent PM measurements.
That said, the other sensors performed well, and from my findings, I would trust the readings from this monitor with the exception mentioned above – and it’s important to remember that the PM sensor does overreport. To be fair, it’s also hard to tell if the temperature issue is limited to me or is more widespread – without further information, it’s hard to know for sure. Furthermore, I could account for this in my head once I knew the monitor always read 1-2 degrees too high.
The monitor’s connectivity is great, and the app has all of the functions that I consider essential. I am also a big fan of the battery life, although I wish I could adjust the reading frequency to balance my preferences between reading frequency and battery life. I would gladly have seven days of battery life and far more frequency readings. Either way, the app is already solid, and the battery life is appreciated.
The Temtop M10+’s build quality is also top-notch, and it feels like a very premium monitor. While this is relatively minor in the scheme of things, when combined with this monitor’s good connectivity and accuracy, it makes for a well-rounded device. If you’re looking for a semi-portable air quality monitor in this price range, make sure to check out the Temtop M10+!
Temtop M10+ FAQ
What is the Temtop M10+ air quality monitor?
The Temtop M10+ is a semi-portable indoor air quality monitor that measures PM2.5, CO2, VOCs, temperature, and humidity. It features a custom-built PM2.5 sensor and uses Sensirion sensors for CO2, VOCs, and temperature/humidity measurements. The device has a 60-day battery life and an E-ink display.
How does the Temtop M10+ differ from other monitors in the Temtop 10 range?
The M10+ is the most advanced monitor in the 10 range. It includes a CO2 sensor, an E-ink display, and a long battery life of up to 60 days. Unlike the lower models, it does not have an HCHO sensor but includes a temperature and humidity sensor for more comprehensive air quality monitoring.
What is the battery life of the Temtop M10+?
The Temtop M10+ has an impressive battery life of up to 60 days, which is achieved by reducing the frequency of measurements. This feature makes it one of the longest-lasting air quality monitors in its class.
Can the Temtop M10+ export data for further analysis?
Yes, the M10+ allows users to export data to a spreadsheet, making it easy for further analysis. The app also supports viewing historical data and trends, though its graphing functionality is simple.
How is the display of the Temtop M10+ designed?
The M10+ has a large E-ink display, but it only shows one key pollutant at a time (PM2.5, CO2, or VOCs). Users must scroll through these metrics manually or set the display to auto-loop through them. Unfortunately, all the data cannot be displayed at once.
Is the Temtop M10+ portable?
While not pocket-sized, the M10+ is relatively small (81x81x31mm) and lightweight (170g). It is portable enough to be carried in a handbag or backpack, making it ideal for moving around your home or office to test air quality in different areas.
What connectivity options are available with the Temtop M10+?
The Temtop M10+ connects via Bluetooth to an iOS or Android app. Data is stored locally on the device until you press the sync button, and the monitor holds a few days’ worth of data, which can then be uploaded to the app.
Can I customize the thresholds for air quality alerts on the Temtop M10+?
No, the app does not allow users to customize the thresholds for air quality alerts. The alarms are set to go off when preset thresholds are reached, and they continue beeping until the pollutant levels drop below these limits.
How does the Temtop M10+ compare to other air quality monitors on the market?
The Temtop M10+ offers great battery life and a simple interface, making it user-friendly and semi-portable. It competes with other monitors like the Qingping Air Quality Monitor Gen 2 and AirGradient ONE, which are known for their advanced features and affordability. The M10+ is best suited for those looking for a long-lasting, portable option that covers essential indoor air pollutants.
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Temtop M10+ Review - Comprehensive Air Quality Monitor
The Temtop M10+ is a comprehensive air quality monitor that monitors PM2.5, CO2, VOCs, temperature and relative humidity. In this review I test it and see how it compares to other air quality monitors on the market.
Product Brand: Temtop
4
Pros
- Great battery life
- High-quality & accurate sensors (except the temperature & RH sensor)
- Good build quality
- App support
- E-Ink screen
Cons
- Poor temperature & RH accuracy when charging
- Screen only displays one pollutant at a time
- Drops the HCHO sensor from cheaper models
Thanks for reviewing the M10+. I’ve used Temtop monitors in the past (the M2000c) and they seemed reliable, but I liked the size and battery life of this one, and your endorsement convinced me that it was worth trying it out.
Having used it for a couple days, I must say I’m baffled by some of the results, which don’t seem like what you got at all.
PM2.5 readings seem to fluctuate between much lower than I expected and outrageously high (eg, 999, which should be an error. CO2 readings seem a bit implausible when moving between different environments such as transport and different buildings, as a full train carriage shouldn’t have a CO2 of 750 and an empty train platform a CO2 of 2500. My suspicion is that the CO2 isn’t updating frequently enough, at least not when running on battery. The data export at the end of the day seems to show an hourly CO2 reading, which would be nearly useless for my purposes. In your review you mention frequent CO2 updates, so I’m wondering if maybe there is a hidden setting, or did I just get a dud device.
You also mention some functionality that appears to be either missing or very well hidden, such as setting offsets for temp and PM. Though I doubt I’ll be using this, it still seemed odd that it was missing.
Thanks again for your review.
Hi @OddLion, thank you for joining! I’m sorry that the M10+ hasn’t turned out to be very good though, especially as you partially bought it due to my review. I feel really bad about I hope you’re able to figure out what the issue is!
This seems like it can’t be anything other than a faulty sensor (or something inside the sensor). I’ve never seen anything close to 999 on my monitor, and if it’s that high you would notice very, very quickly! I would recommend reaching out to them to see if a replacement is possible. If you want to try something first, it could be worth trying to blow some compressed air through the vents at the back of the device to see if it helps.
This also seems very odd and is completely different to what I experienced with the device (which I found to give similar readings to my Aranet4). It also uses the SCD4x sensor which is a well-trusted sensor that performs well. I would guess that it’s miscalibrated, but that doesn’t explain the high readings on the train platform. Out of curiosity, how soon did you take the reading after getting off the train?
I’ve been using the device a bit more, and I have a feeling it only takes a real measurement every minute (or less frequently) and the ‘readings’ in between are only updates that trend in the direction of the previous readings. This would make it seem like the device is updating frequently, but it’s actually only taking a real reading every minute (for example, perhaps it’s less frequent), and this could explain the incorrect readings you are seeing. This is just a theory I have at the moment, but I’ve seen this on devices like the Vitalight Mini CO2 Detector.
With this said, even if this is the case, I would have expected to pick up on it in my testing… I will reach out to Temtop, because we need to know the answer to these questions.
This is also very surprising… this is the M10+, right?
I’ll do my best to help, and again, I’m very sorry your device hasn’t turned out as you expected (and as I experienced with my device). I’ll reach out to Temtop in regards to this to see if we can get to the bottom of this!
Hi @Ethan, and thanks for your long reply. There’s no need for you to feel bad, and I am of course not blaming you for your positive review. The M10+ design and possibly algorithm is most likely the cause of these glitches, unless it is a faulty unit in which case it is just bad luck.
I had a very interesting exchange with Temtop this morning about this, and it seems likely that the erratic readings are due to what they are calling “intelligent monitoring” - here is their reply:
If plugged in, it is real-time monitoring. If unplugged, it is intelligent monitoring. When the environment changes, the sampling interval is short. When the environment is stable, the sampling interval is long.
Of course this doesn’t explain the 5000 CO2 and 999.9 PM2.5 readings, but possibly their algorithm freaks out when the device is moved from one environment to another (eg, a train carriage to the platform). Still, I can see no reason why it would read 700 for many minutes inside a crowded train unless it is not updating, something they didn’t seem willing to acknowledge (at least not yet).
I may have to return it, but in any case hopefully this rather poorly controlled experiment will reveal something about how the device is functioning. I suspect they have programmed it to maximise battery life, but they should definitely be transparent and ideally allow the user to control such things. A firmware update that allowed the end user to set the frequency of refresh wouldn’t be hard, but I somehow doubt they will listen to me - maybe you would have better luck?
Thanks again for your reply, and I will certainly update you with any futher information I get (I have asked for more details).
This is very interesting, and perhaps worrying. I’ve actually also asked about this ‘intelligent monitoring’ (on another monitor), but I’m unsure how it works. If it’s not taking regular PM readings, how can the device tell the environment is changing? This could be based on any of the other readings (CO2, temp, RH, etc), but there are also situations where those don’t change but PM does. This seems like it could be quite a flaw with the device. I had just assumed the measurement intervals were very long when on battery.
I agree. Even if their ‘intelligent’ algorithm is flawed, it shouldn’t lead to such high readings. I have two Temtop monitors currently (the M10+ and the S1+) and neither have ever shown such extreme concentrations, so I feel like this is still a hardware issue.
Again, I totally agree with this. Transparency is key, and I wish there was an option (that the user could change) to change reading frequency. Personally, I wouldn’t mind if the battery life is only 12 hours, as long as I can get regular readings. This shouldn’t be hard to change, so I don’t see why it isn’t user adjustable. I will definitely make this suggestion to their team!