Airthings View Plus Review – Impressive 7 Sensors Including Radon and Particulate Matter

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since right indoor air quality and use and review air purifier I have noticed a huge improvement in my hay fever and breathing.

With so many people suffering from allergies and breathing problems, I think air quality is an increasingly important area of ​​health for people.

I’ve reviewed the Airthings Wave Plus before, and recently Airthings introduced the View Plus, their most advanced indoor air quality monitor to date.

It has 7 sensors and covers pretty much everything you’d want from an IAQ monitor, with the only exception being carbon monoxide. Airthings is also the only company I know of that monitors for radon, one of the leading causes of lung cancer.

Specification

• sensor: Radon, Particulate Matter (PM_2.5), carbon dioxide (CO₂), temperature, humidity, chemicals in the air (VOC), air pressure
• exhibit: 2.9” 296128 pixel e-paper
• Visual Indicators: Red/yellow/green light-emitting indicator
• Long battery life: Up to 2 years (depending on sensor interval and WiFi router)
  • Optional operation on USB-C (runs on battery if removed)
• Supports wall mounting or placement on a table
• Wireless connections: WiFi or Airthings SmartLink (with hub)
  • Bluetooth for boarding and daily use configuration
• Hub Features: Enabled when connected to WiFi and USB-C cable plugged into device (not compatible with Wave Radon 1^stone Serial number: 2900xxxx)
• Applies to: IFTTT, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant

set up

Setup is simple. Just download the app, sign up, remove the tag from the battery, and begin the normal pairing process for most smart home devices.

Using AA batteries seems a bit outdated, it also uses six of them. Although they last for 2 years, so changing them shouldn’t be too annoying.

You can choose to use a USB-C cable, I think it would make more sense to use a rechargeable Li-Ion battery. Using USB, Airthings View Plus can act as a hub for other Airthings sensors.

In use – device display

The device display uses e-ink and the amount of data available is limited. I love using e-ink, it helps with battery life and doesn’t create any glare, but it’s better to have more information on the display than two variables at once.

In addition to the display, there are two sensors and an LED indicator. You can then wave your hand in front of the display to learn about the air quality.

Personally, I don’t use gestures too much and it seems to make more sense to set up push notifications on my phone

Apps and Network

The mobile app is fine. When you turn it on for the first time, the devices sync via Bluetooth, which takes about a second. I only have one sensor, but if you have more than one, it will list all available sensors.

Clicking on the sensor gives you the current air quality reading and air quality level. Then clicking on any reading gives you historical data.

As far as I’m concerned, the data and readings are somewhat predictable. I live in a coastal town with light to moderate traffic and no industrial pollution.

Thankfully, without radon, all air quality issues follow trends in human behavior. The CO2 levels in the office were high in the morning when I went to work and I was obviously breathing too much. Then, when I make lunch, PM2.5 levels consistently peak.

If my allergies and breathing problems are more severe, I can use this data to change my behavior or open windows when I know the air quality is low.

Clicking the web dashboard link gives you a slower interface, but you can see more useful data where you can see the specific times when poor air quality was detected (if you click on the graph). Alternatively, you can view it on the big screen by logging into your account on a PC.

The date range is as long as one year, so if you are proactive in improving your air quality, hopefully you will see air quality trends improve over time.

IFTTT

Using IFTTT, you can create smart home automations that proactively address poor air quality, or warn you of problems.

I had hoped that my Xiaomi Smart Air Purifier 4 Pro It can be activated automatically when poor air quality is detected. Sadly, Xiaomi Mijia doesn’t work directly with IFTTT, OpenHAB and HomeAssistant may have some workarounds. Alternatively, you can use an IFTTT-compatible smart plug and set Xiaomi’s schedule to 24/7.

If you have a Philips air purifier, you can automate the process. Philips doesn’t have any pre-built applets, but it’s very easy to create your own. I set up a simple applet to turn on the office air purifier when PM2.5 levels exceed 20 µg/m3.

Prices and Alternatives – Comparison of Airthings Equipment

Airthings View Plus £259 is the most comprehensive indoor air quality monitor Airthings offers.

They also have:

• Home: £159
  • Basic equipment for monitoring radon
• Radon: £169
  • No display, no WiFI to monitor radon, temperature and humidity
• Wave Plus: £199
  • Same as Wave Radon, but also monitors VOC, CO2 and pressure
• Wave Mini: £69
  • Small economical Wave device that does not monitor radon or carbon dioxide but warns of mold risks
• View pollution: £169
  • Has a display and WiFi, just like the Plus, doesn’t monitor pressure, carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds or radon
• Check out radon: £169
  • Monitors radon, but not VOC, CO2, pressure or particulate matter.

As such, View Plus is the most advanced yet.

As for competing brands, radon is not monitored.

The best option is the IQAir AirVisual Pro, around £250, which has a large colour display.

comprehensive

Airthings View Plus is an excellent indoor air quality monitor capable of monitoring all standard air quality risks monitored by other IAQ devices, plus radon. So this makes it the most comprehensive IAQ monitor for consumers that I know of.

It’s very expensive, but all indoor air quality monitors feel pretty expensive for what you’re getting. Because of the precise sensors required to make these devices, I think the cost is high.

Integration with IFTTT is useful because it allows you to automate the process of improving indoor air quality. However, it does make me wish there were other home automation systems that could use it. Being able to integrate it with Home Assistant will give you limitless automation options.

Overall, this is the best if you are serious about improving the air quality in your home.

Last updated on 2022-03-13 / Affiliate Links / Image from Amazon Product Advertising API