Awair
Awair Element
$299
Released 2019
Best Air Quality Monitors · head-to-head
Awair Element vs Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor is cheaper at $69.99. Every spec and price links to its source.
Amazon
Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor
$69.99Cheaper
Released 2021
Which is better: the Awair Element or Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor?
On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor is the cheaper at $69.99.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices verified at capture; live price may differ.
Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Awair Element | Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $299 | $69.99 |
| Brand | Awair | Amazon |
| Released | 2019 | 2021 |
| Pm25 sensor | Yes | Yes |
| CO₂ sensor | Yes | No |
| Voc sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Radon sensor | No | No |
| Display screen | LED dot-matrix display (5-dot AQI score + numeric readout) | No screen - LED color indicator only |
| App connectivity | Yes | Yes |
| Power | AC plug-in (100-240 V, 5 V/2 A adapter) | Micro USB plug-in (5 W) |
| Release year | 2019 | 2021 |
Sources — Awair Element: getawair.com (verified 2026-06-20). Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor: amazon.com (verified 2026-06-20).
What's the difference between the Awair Element and Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (3 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
- CO₂ sensor: Awair Element true vs Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor false
- Display screen: Awair Element LED dot-matrix display (5-dot AQI score + numeric readout) vs Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor No screen - LED color indicator only
- Power: Awair Element AC plug-in (100-240 V, 5 V/2 A adapter) vs Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor Micro USB plug-in (5 W)
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Awair Element
Two whitelisted hands-on testers cover the exact Awair Element: TechHive (2020) and Reviewed/USA Today (2024). Both recommend it as an accurate, user-friendly value pick with strong smart-home integration and helpful in-app tips. Both flag the weak on-device readout; Reviewed additionally notes it needs constant power (no battery) and lacks radon detection. Neither published measured accuracy numbers, so 'accurate' rests on qualitative comparison to reference instruments only. All six draft quotes verified as literal substrings; both sources survived intact. (2 sourced reviews, 2 lab-tested.)
Praised: Accurate real-time readings; temperature and humidity matched a reference thermometer and hygrometer; Comprehensive, user-friendly companion app delivering deeper insights and readings; Integrates with multiple smart-home platforms (Alexa, Google Home, etc.).
Flagged: Poor on-device readout — white-on-white LEDs hard to read / no real screen display; Requires constant USB power, no battery option; No radon detection, unlike pricier alternatives.
Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor
Three whitelisted hands-on testers—Tom's Guide, Reviewed, and TechHive—agree Amazon's ~$70 monitor is an inexpensive, easy-to-set-up tracker with no screen that lives entirely inside the cluttered Alexa app. None ran reference-grade accuracy benchmarks; all judgments are observational. TechHive panned its unfinished software in 2022; Reviewed and Tom's Guide warmed up once Alexa Routines matured. (3 sourced reviews.)
Praised: Quick, painless setup and fast (~7 min) calibration; Responsive and seemingly accurate at detecting pollutants (cooking, painting, chemicals, cologne triggered alerts); Inexpensive at roughly $70.
Flagged: No onboard display; data is buried in the cluttered Alexa app; Must stay plugged in via micro-USB — no battery or wireless option; Software felt rushed/unfinished, with limited Alexa answers and no Routines at launch.