Tried and Tested: Air-Q Air Sensor on Mac and iPhone

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The air that surrounds us is polluted with contaminants depending on the residential area. In some cases, these also come from the items we have in our homes, for example, emissions from electronic devices or furniture. We often bring them in ourselves by cooking, lighting candles, or smoking. If we open our windows too rarely, there isn't enough oxygen (and too much carbon dioxide) in the room, or the humidity is too high. If we open them too often, nitrogen dioxide from street traffic or humidity from outside may enter the apartment.

All of this is only noticed through symptoms such as malaise or headaches, and one may also get sick more frequently. Only with an air sensor can it be determined what is really happening in the indoor air. Apple users have some options here. One of the best known are the devices from the Norwegian provider Airthings, for example the View Plus (starting from 270,21 €) with its E-Ink display. It has a well-functioning app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. But a German manufacturer is also playing along: Corant GmbH from Leipzig. With the Air-Q, they offer versatile hardware for indoor air measurement that can be highly customized.

Large number of different devices

First, the question arises as to which Air-Q to purchase. The number of available devices is large and ranges in price from 329 to 779 euros. The hardware itself is the same, but it is equipped with different numbers of sensors. These can also be retrofitted later, but the prices are sometimes steep. For example, anyone who wants to ensure that their air conditioner has no propane leak will pay an extra 599 euros for a C₃H₈ sensor. It is then plugged onto the circuit board itself. A professional VOC sensor, which is said to be suitable for industrial applications, costs as much as 1750 euros and can then be set to a specific VOC if you have a suitable sample and a cleanroom.

It is unfortunate that a whole range of Air-Q functions are only available to premium users who have a business subscription. This includes, for example, unlimited data storage and the maximum displayable data period. The "AI Air Assistant", which is supposed to explain measured values (better), is also only available to business customers, and the complete export of all data (as CSV) is also reserved for them. What exactly the package costs is not to be found on the website; you are supposed to "get in touch" for this.

Detecting Smoking

The hardware looks simple but robust. It can be easily opened to retrofit the aforementioned additional sensors, which should also be manageable for beginners. It is possible to operate several Air-Qs in different rooms. Unlike the Airthings View Plus, the Air-Q has no integrated display. There are only two rows of LEDs, one in green and one in blue. These are used to display the two index types "Health" and "Performance", which result from the current measured values. Since these are calculated quite conservatively – for example, a formaldehyde value increased by cooking is sufficient for health, and humidity that is too high for performance to lower the value – these are rarely seen at full positive deflection. The informational value is limited; you always have to look at the app or go online to find out more.

However, you can define different types of push notifications, which can be configured broadly and reliably arrive on the device (or in the email inbox), sometimes with a few minutes' delay. The so-called virtual sensors are worth seeing. These enable new application possibilities by combining physical sensors. For example, the Air-Q Pro (589 euros) we tested can also detect cigarette smoke by combining different sensors. Unfortunately, the sensor also sometimes triggers with candles (depending on the type).

Overlooking the Data Flood

Overall, with the variety of data – our Air-Q has 13 physical sensors – there is naturally the problem of letting the results drive you a bit "crazy". Depending on the weather, high humidity is normal and difficult to get out of the room. When cooking, PM values increase. Anyone who changes their bedding or cleans may stir up dust or generate VOCs. Even humans, when exhaling or wearing deodorant and cosmetics, do so. There are also so-called cross-sensitivities, which cause a sensor to trigger for things that are not actually related to the actual value. For example, we experienced that working with pineapple in the kitchen suddenly raised the formaldehyde value – something that even the manufacturer could not really explain.

Our tested Air-Q Pro also comes with a nitrogen dioxide sensor. The substance, which is produced during combustion processes (in the kitchen and especially in cars and trucks), should be avoided in breathing air as much as possible. (The limit value used by Air-Q is 40 µg/m³.) With nitrogen dioxide, one sometimes wonders where it comes from. Often, the substance seems to penetrate even through closed windows or ventilation systems – we detected a wide range of values in an inner-city apartment that was not directly on the street. Unfortunately, the Air-Q does not include a radon meter, but the manufacturer sells its device with an additional four sensors.

System automatically adjusts

The Air-Q is supposed to automatically readjust itself. It does so quite reliably if you give it time. On the first day, the values are not yet perfect, but after a week they should have settled down. We found that our Air-Q Pro tended to deliver slightly higher values for humidity and temperature than a View Plus placed next to it. However, it is possible to calibrate devices against each other if desired.

Neither the Air-Q app nor the web interface are really clear in their information display, especially regarding the data curves. Thus, one tends to check values regularly rather than follow them for days, especially since, as mentioned, the available data is limited in time for normal customers. The iOS app is not perfectly adapted to the interface of Face ID iPhones with a notch, so design elements are misplaced – but the manufacturer intends to improve this. For Mac itself, unlike the Airthings products, there is no dedicated app. So here you have to resort to the web interface, which operates differently and is sometimes more cumbersome. The possibility of accessing the iOS app via iPhone mirroring is unfortunately denied to EU users.

Conclusion: More Knowledge Can Help

The Air-Q offers users comprehensive knowledge about air quality. However, the large number of sensors also comes at a monetary price. You also have to be aware that there are cross-sensitivities, meaning values can influence each other. You should take the time to read what the measured values really mean – the app contains a lot of information on limit values, and there is also a small wiki in the web application. We were not yet able to try out the upcoming "AI Air Assistant", but it could simplify reading the data.

The question always remains what you do with the knowledge gained. The Air-Q can, for example, sensitize you to ventilate more or motivate you to buy an air purifier. You also learn that candles and fireplaces produce particles and that you should pay attention to how and what you fry when cooking (and always activate the extractor hood). The formaldehyde emitted by new furniture can also be detected, or the fact that there is too much carbon dioxide in the air, which makes working difficult (ventilation helps). VOCs are detected, but the values vary greatly (e.g., compared to an Airthings View Plus in the same room), as there are many different volatile organic compounds and sensors are "calibrated" differently here.

As mentioned, we found it annoying that functions such as exporting all data and recording for more than 90 days can only be unlocked for a business premium feature. Data should not be hidden behind a subscription offer; after all, it belongs to the users. As a product from Germany, you get adequate support for the Air-Q. The manufacturer also strives to regularly improve the air sensor with firmware updates. The app could be better adapted to Apple devices, and as reported, the Mac application is missing.

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