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Head-to-head · Best Air Quality Monitors

Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor – Know your air, Works with Alexa vs Awair Element

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Awair Element comes out ahead by a clear margin (3.3 vs 4.2). The gap is mostly about design-focused buyers — read the strengths below before deciding.

Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor – Know your air, Works with Alexa
Ranked #6 in Best Air Quality Monitors
Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor – Know your air, Works with Alexa
6 sources$69.99as of Aug 1

The Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor reads PM2.5, VOCs, CO, humidity, and temperature and rolls them into an indoor air quality score. PCMag called it 'fairly limited in terms of functionality' while noting it 'easily alerts you to pollutants and other gaseous impurities.' It ties into Alexa for notifications and voice control and charts air quality over time. It does not purify air, and it skips CO2 and radon, which some reviewers called significant limitations. Buyers who want basic air quality awareness rather than comprehensive purification are the fit.

Strengths
  • — Measures PM2.5, VOCs, CO, humidity, and temperature
  • — Provides hourly, daily, and weekly air quality graphs
  • — Indicator light shows current air quality at a glance
Watch-outs
  • — Does not purify the air
  • — Only measures PM2.5, not PM10 particles
  • — Does not measure CO2 or radon gases
$69.99 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →
Awair Element
Higher ratedRanked #4 in Best Air Quality Monitors
Awair Element
3 sources$254.99as of Jul 1

The Awair Element gets credit for elegant design and reliable performance as an air quality monitor. Trusted Review called it 'simple, reliable, and above all, elegant,' and CleanAir Community named it the 'best-looking' unit while noting good responsiveness to pollution sources. Sensor accuracy drew questions, particularly the CO2 sensor's stated ±75ppm or 10%, which reviewers considered less precise than the price suggests. Buyers who want a straightforward, visually appealing air quality monitor are the fit; anyone chasing maximum accuracy may want to consider alternatives.

Strengths
  • — Equipped with five built-in sensors measuring temperature, humidity, CO2, TVOCs, and PM2.5
  • — Provides accurate PM2.5 readings with ±13.68% deviation in testing
  • — Intuitive setup process with seamless Wi-Fi connectivity
Watch-outs
  • — CO2 sensor accuracy of ±75ppm or 10% (whichever is greater) considered subpar for its price point
  • — Some sensors have limited lifespan, with one user reporting a short-lived PM sensor
$254.99 · Check Price on AmazonFull review →

How they stack up

Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor – Know your air, Works with Alexa

The Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor provides basic air quality awareness with PM2.5, VOCs, CO, humidity, and temperature measurements, but it lacks CO2 and radon detection that other models like the Airthings 2960 View Plus offer. While it integrates well with Alexa, its limited sensor range makes it less comprehensive compared to the Atmotube PRO 2, which provides more detailed particle measurements and GPS tracking.

Awair Element

The Awair Element provides a visually appealing design and good PM2.5 accuracy, but its CO2 sensor accuracy of ±75ppm is significantly worse than the Qingping Gen 2's Sensirion SCD40 sensor, which offers ±(50 ppm + 5% of reading) accuracy. While it's easier to set up than the Atmotube PRO 2, which has calibration issues, the Awair Element's CO2 accuracy makes it less suitable for users needing precise carbon dioxide measurements.

Specs side-by-side

SpecAmazon Smart Air Quality Monitor – Know your air, Works with AlexaAwair Element
SensorsSensirion SEN44, Figaro TGS5141Temperature, humidity, CO2, VOCs, PM2.5
Connectivity2.4GHz Wi-Fi, BLE 4.2Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1
Power SourceMicro-USB (5W)AC 100/240V, 50/60Hz, 5V/2.0A external power adapter
Dimensions1.8 x 2.6 x 2.6 in6.1 x 3.3 x 1.8 in
Weight0.26 lb1.15 lb
AppAmazon Alexa appAwair Home App
MeasurementsPM2.5, VOCs, CO, humidity, temperatureTemperature, humidity, CO2, TVOCs, and PM2.5
Display—7-segment LED grid
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