Thank you for stopping by. I truly hope that you were able to get something from this review and comparison. If for any reason you would not be interested in purchasing the DC 1100 Pro, based on this video... PLEASE leave a comment as to why, because I have been talking to Roger about this 1100 Pro that does not show numbers the way - every other monitor I have tested (having to do calculations to show numbers every other monitor shows), so Roger needs to see other people saying the same thing I am. Roger feels that there is nothing wrong with the way the DC 1100 Pro registers air quality, and it is me only (Roger Says) that has anything bad to say about the device. So, it will help greatly if others agree with my comments (but only if you agree ;) ) in the video about the DC 1100 Pro, and leave their thoughts here, so Roger can see that it is not just me that feels this way. There are tons of air quality charts on the internet, that show ranges for good to very bad air quality, based on ug/m3, ppm, ppb, etc., but I have found no charts that give information on a device that displays particles per cubic foot as an indication of air quality, which renders the DC 1100 Pro useless for anyone who is used to seeing numbers based upon ug/m3 readings - without of course doing the calculations as in the video, and I believe that anyone concerned about air quality, should not have to do calculations to get numbers that represent their air quality, when most all other monitors on the market give those number without having to constantly do math, but that is just my opinion LOL. Thanks again for stopping by, and if you have any questions at all. or would like to see me use the new testing case for something specific, please don't hesitate to ask, and I will do my best to create a video testing your concerns.
As for this issue of units, I agree with you completely. Even Dylos gives you the size of the particulates in micrometers, so this is extra confusing. Besides, there are only three countries in the world that haven't adopted the metric system yet. I like to call them the Big Three: Liberia, Myanmar (previously known as Burma), and the US. And then, even the US customary units are defined in metric values, and metric is used in the scientific community. Some Americans say that there are two kinds of countries: those that use the metric system and those that landed on the Moon.. except that NASA also used the metric system to put people on the Moon.
@@Piotrek7654321 Yes, you are right - Confusion is the key here for sure. I am sure that the Dylos would be a very good device to have - if only.... ug/m3 is what all monitors I have seen and tested, use to get their readings, but for some reason - Dylos decided to use particles per cubic foot? hmmm (are they rebelling?)... The biggest reason I don't understand this, is because there are no charts to find online (I spent hours searching), that can back up the readings the Dylos gives, so no way of knowing - they are even accurate (accept of course the chart on the device itself) - which I believe leads to the confusion that I have seen from other people who have reviewed this device. One channel I watched, eventually gave up on air quality monitors all together because of their paranoia caused by the Dylos. ...And then for Dylos to create another device that actually seems to use the ug/m3 metrics, makes this even more confusing (and that is because the Dylos didn't agree with any of my other monitors)... My question at this point is... Why would anyone want to spend nearly 300.00 on a device that is just going to cause confusion as well as paranoia, and the paranoia would come due to not being able to get their air quality to acceptable levels (according to the Dylos Monitor), when referencing all other charts for air quality. ...Oh, I forgot... As long as you do the calculations, it comes close sometimes, and far away other times to those charts - weird. So yes, thank you for not only the agreement, but also for your reasoning and why they may have done it this way. In the end, a device that causes confusion, is kinda pointless to own or trust, but just my thoughts.
Ok, for my 2 cents (as a non-expert but someone who has now spent a few years listening to air quality scientists and engineers) the strength of the Dylos is that is counts particles per volume rather than mass per volume. For air quality testing this gives more granularity. For lay people interested in air quality the Dylos may be overkill - a unit that reads in micrograms per cubic meter is probably easier to read and easier to compare (eg. With official outdoor air quality data). When first asked for expert opinions on this topic one of the points made was to get a unit that counted particles rather than particle mass-I hadn’t realised the distinction before it was pointed out. The Dylos was recommended as well as another unit costing many thousands of dollars…I wound up buying the Ali-express model that you have (for budget reasons) and feel it’s pretty good for most of my needs.
@@thoughtsofawho5944 Thank you for your comment - it is much appreciated, and I agree, the ug/m3 is what is common in air quality monitor readings, so it would make more sense for Dylos to create a monitor with the most common method of readings/calculations. The Hotkrem is a very accurate monitor, but unfortunately their quality control is not what it should be, and why I am now having allot of people telling me that they are getting non-working monitors or their monitor only works for a few days and dies. I would love to get my hands on a detective Hotkrem device so I can figure out what may be causing so many of them to be defective in the first place, as I believe it would be a simple fix, but then again, who wants to buy a product and then have to fix it out of the box?...
I have heard that in programming some meters will remove peaks/valleys and average values out to give flattened numbers. The second to second comparison of freeze frames may make those meters seem less accurate because they are doing 10 second averages or more. Also when diving into particulate material metering and other sensors they have a shelf life. I found a modular sensor which sells new sensors because they are only NIST traceability certified for 2 years. They even require maintenance to clean out the sensors with compressed air. However a DIY route is considerably cheaper. You seem quite handy and it is great to show people how easy it can be to open something up to fix or look at it. There are many different DIY sensors people could make with a raspberry pi or esp32 board. Then you can pick the sensor and test them against these other Amazon devices.
Yes, I looked into and contacted Achim at AirGradient, and after a 45 minute online meeting with Achim, he was excited about sending me a monitor for testing, review, and tear-down - but for a reason not completely know to me - AirGradient changed their mind about sending me their monitor for review...
I wanted to know about AirGradient too...😊 Maybe you could buy one. The kit is not so much expensive. If they changed their mind, maybe they know the limits of their product. It would be nice to know the truth...🙄 Why don't you put the links to buy the tested products in this video? Thanks.
The Dylos cloud version was the farthest away from the source of the bad air. Was there anything in the chamber to circulate the air? That might make it easier to ensure each monitor is exposed to similar concentrations.
No there was nothing. I am wondering now that you said that, if they made a mistake.... Roger told me they created their monitor completely open inside, with no small box sensors like you see in most every monitor (because he said - that the light scattering boxes that you see in most monitors are not reliable...), so they decided to keep everything (the laser and light catcher completely open and exposed) to the complete inside of the case. I am wondering if that was a mistake, I have thought of trying to create a tunnel (or chamber as you put it) around the sensor to see if that helps, but keep forgetting to try it. I suppose it would be the same as taking a light scattering sensor apart, and eliminating the tunnel that the particulates gets sucked into to get registered, and expose the laser, and light catcher (photoelectric eye) to an empty box, hoping it will catch random particles as they flew by lol..... I hope that made sense ;).. I definitely see what you are trying to say, and I am thinking (now that you put it that way), that that is probably why the Dylos is not very good at registering particulates. Thanks for your comment and thoughts, - they are much appreciated Zombull73 👍👍
@@Zombull73 Thank you Zombull, and you are very welcome, and glad that I could help in keeping you from possibly buying a dud... The AirKnight - perfect, but I have a video I am about to upload on another monitor, and I talk a bit about a conversation with Jim at AirKnight, and they are dong some pretty amazing things with the AirKnight, and in development of a new AirKnight 2.0 that is going to be amazing, so stay tuned for that video, as I think you will be very excited to hear what AirKnight is doing... Have a Happy New Year, and may all that you dream of, come to fruition... 👍
@@gregsullivan7408 The new case I am building will have a circulation fan to more effectively circulate the air within the case so that all monitors get a more averaged air flow around them. Once I start using the new case, I may have to re-visit the Dylos Monitors, and see if better circulation results in better readings.
I can't wait for you to "fully" review as many of the PM2.5 meters on the market. I personally like the HOTKREM, but I do not use the Temperature or humidity sensor, as it is inaccurate (like most of these units).
I would love to test/review all the PM 2.5 meters on the market as well, and I will test and review them as I am able to get them, as it is fun to compare the monitors, and see how different one can be from another. I agree also about the Hotkrem temp and humidity sensors, they were the worst of all my monitors in accuracy...
@@Outside-In. I noticed that my Hotkrem temperature reading is accurate as far as it seems, but only when turning it on after a longer downtime. Then, the sensor is quickly heated by like 2 °C simply from the device operating.
@@Piotrek7654321 Yes Piotrek, that makes sense because after a long downtime, the temp is going to be more accurate when turning on as there are no heat sources that have had the chance to heat up causing the temp sensor to register it, and why after being on for awhile, the heated sensors next to the temperature sensor is affecting the temperature reading. I think the AirKnight has the better setup, as the temperature sensor is located in the back of the unit exposed to the surrounding air, which is why (I believe) allows it to not be affected by the other sensors in the unit. I wish other companies would place their temp sensors more strategically like AirKnight did. However, out of all the sensors, I do believe that the HotKrem had the worst temp readings of all - even though the sensor is exposed to the surrounding air of the device, so it could be that the sensor they use, is just simply not the best... Am not sure - just a thought.
Heather, I just thought that I would update you on the fact that Jim from AirKnight got in contact with me a few days ago, and told me that they took my recommendations/suggestions, and are working/developing a new and improved AirKnight - with - get this - 11 sensor readings, and one of them is my most favorite I have been looking for in a monitor, and that is CO... My AirKnight has been working beautifully for temp and humidity, so you may have just gotten a defective unit. AirKnight is also updating the 9 in 1 too not use the TVOC/HCHO muli-sensor that is currently in the AirKnight, but they are instead installing a separate VOC sensor, and a separate HCHO sensor, and that is exciting because I don't like monitors that use the dreaded TVOC/HCHO mulit-use sensors as they are less accurate than dedicated sensors.
Thanks Rhandrey for your question and comment. If you are looking or needing only PM readings, I would go with the HotKrem monitor. If you search for HotKrem on Amazon, you will find that HotKrem makes a number of different monitors, so you do have a choice with HotKrem. I also like the AirKnight the best, simply because the screen is so easy to read across a room, and the accuracy may be a little off from others, but not enough to discount it for safety. Pin Point accuracy comes at an expensive cost, but these less expensive devices are not so pin point, but they are definitely close enough to know that a window needs to be opened, or that there is a problem that needs attention asap. Thanks again for your comment and question, and I hope this has helped. If you have any further questions, please ask and I will do my best to answer your concerns.
No it will not shorten the life of a sensor to leave it on all the time. Actually a sensor will go bad from not being used as quickly as it will using it, so you might as well use it as much as you can while you can. Most sensors have a shelf life of about 2 years, and some claim up to 10 years, but that is subjective. After a couple of years, a sensor will loose it's ability to register correctly, so it is a good idea to calibrate a monitor at least every three months or so - depending on how much you use it. The more you use a monitor, the more it should be calibrated, but probably not more than once a week, and more than likely, if you use a monitor 24/7, it should probably be calibrated once every two weeks.
Thank you so much for your efforts! I need to buy an air quality monitor, because sometimes my work has metal shop fumes, so it's great to see which ones work! Can you also put some links to the units you're testing? The only ones I could find are dylos and the knightair. For example, I can't find the hoefun and smart sensor edit: I would love to see what kinds of things these meters can detect. Can they see superglue, or welding gasses, or CO2, or ammonia, or whatever. You could also test to see if the air purifier will pull those gasses out of the air. Then you could provide detection on an issue, and then also a possible mitigation for that issue.
Thanks John for the questions. I am in the process of building a new case for more thorough testing of monitors. I have run into a few issues while building the case, so it is taking me longer than I had anticipated to complete the task. This is a bigger case and also hopefully (my goal anyhow) will be to be able to create a vacuum in the case for better testing, and also better lighting. I am excited to start using the case for future testing. I am hoping to have everything complete by the end of next week so that I can get to testing a couple monitors that I have just received in the mail. And Yes, TVOC sensors can detect things like superglue, welding gases etc., and also gases such as ammonia, and many other gases, but the only problem with it is that there is no way at all of knowing what gasses it is detecting (because TVOC sensors also detect odors and gases that are not harmful to humans), so the only way to know possibly is if a person is using said gas and the TVOC sensor goes nuts, but that in my opinion if quite useless, and why a specific detector for specific gasses is needed. I am getting a new meter that detects specific gases, and am looking forward to using it. It is great to get these ideas from you, as that will help me to know exactly what people want to see, and the kind of test's to preform, so any ideas of what you want to see me test, please ask and I will do my best to create those test's. I now have a few ideas because of your recent comments, so thank you for that John, and I look forward to putting those ideas to work. As far as the air purifier, I have already had a couple ideas for testing to see if gases can be pulled from the air with an air purifier, and why the reason for the new improved case, so that I can create a vacuum so nothing escapes the case that could possibly throw off the results of the testing...
Great info! I have some concerns about air quality in my home, especially the PM 2.5 levels. Being on a budget, I'm considering getting the Hotkrem and a $39.99 version of the Temptop (this model actually has the best reviews on Amazon). Do you think this is a reasonable choice? Eventually, I may get the AirKnight, IQ Air, or other model to test for VOCs, etc. Thanks for the work you!
Thank you Hope for the comment and question. The Hotkrem in my videos, I can recommend. The 39.99 version of TemTop, I am not sure about, as I cannot recommend anything that I have not personally tested. If you are talking about the Hotkrem that is the TemTop variant, that may be in fact a good choice, but like I say, I can't absolutely recommend anything that I haven't tested. The AirKnight, I can recommend as that has all the readings you would need in one unit, except of course CO (Carbon Monoxide). The AirKnight along with the Smart Sensor CO Handheld meter, would be a great choice, but then again, the cost would be a bit more than your first choices. I hope I have been able to answer your questions.
@@Outside-In. Thanks! Here is the $39.99 model that I was referring to: Temtop Air Quality Monitor, Indoor Thermometer Portable AQI PM2.5, Temperature, Humidity Detector for Home, Office or School, Air Quality Tester, Battery Powered, Magnetic Suction As you read the description, it actually has a more sensitive PM 2.5 sensor than the handheld model that you reviewed. It might be an interesting test!
@@HopePatreon-qx1dr Thanks Hope for the info, but unfortunately, there is no link to the monitor your talking about. TH-cam sometimes deletes links that people include in comments, so if you could give me the title of the listing, and if it is on Amazon or another platform, I would be able to see the device you are speaking of. Thanks.
Ok Hope, I think I got it... Sorry but I think I misunderstood you. I thought you were talking about a TemTop alternative, but after looking some more, I found on Amazon the TemTop 39.99 monitor you are referring to. Now that I know which monitor you are talking about, I am wondering why you would want to get both the Hotkrem and the 39.99 TemTop, as they both give the same information. Out of the two, I would choose the Hotkrem, because the TemTop has PM 2.5 and AQI. The Hotkrem has PM 2.5, PM 10 and PM1.0, as well as AQI, so the Hotkrem gives more information. You could get the Hotkrem, and then just use the other 40.00 to get the Smart Sensor CO handheld meter, and that would be a great combination, as CO is THE MOST important sensor anyone could have in their home. Again, I do apologize for misunderstanding your question, but hopefully I have been able to answer your concerns.
@@Outside-In. No worries, thank you for the thoughtful reply. My thinking in getting both monitors is to have a backup on which I could verify the results of the other monitor. To be honest, I'm not sure that I can trust any one monitor. With two, I can use one as a backup to verify the results. While I agree that CO2 is so important, my main concern right now is PM 2.5. I have a wood stove, and have recently been doing research on the negative effects, and want to be able to get accurate measurements in different rooms, with the windows open/closed., etc.
In the next video can you also please compare the IQ Air air visual pro to some of these? I did a comparison of it using a friends device vs my AliExpress one and it consistently showed 50% higher readings for PM2.5 under 3-4 different environments. It may have a more sensitive sensor, I'm not sure. So now im confused as to which one to believe.
Thank you Vishad for the question. I have contacted IQ Air, and asked if they would send me their monitor for review and testing, they said they would contact me, but I have not heard anything from them yet. I would love to test and review the IQ Air, but unfortunately I can't afford to make the purchase at this time. I would assume that the IQ Air is much more sensitive and faster to respond, and why also it is a much more expensive device. The more accurate a monitor is, the more expensive it is as well. When you buy a monitor that is less expensive, there are trade offs to doing so - such as slower reaction time, and not as sensitive. All we need is a general idea of air quality in our environment, and not pin point accuracy. If you want pin point accuracy, it can cost in the thousands of dollars. A 50.00 monitor is not going to be as precise as one that costs 400.00 or more. Hope this helps
Hi, i watched your videos, very good job! 👍 I didn’t know that humidifiers create particles in the air! I am suffering from severe dry eye syndrome, atopic conjunctivitis also, and I have my ultrasonic humidifier open most of the day! That creates particles as I see! What can I do? I am thinking of buying a good air purifier, levoit core 300s, and also a budget device for measuring particles and Hcho, Tvoc. Is temtop m10 accurate enough?
If you don't want to get rid of your ultrasonic humidifier, you could use eye drops, but that is not addressing the issue of course - just a thought... The Levoit Core 300s is what I use, and it has worked great for the year that I have owned it. I use it 24/7 on low in my space, and have had no issues. The minerals in water (used in your humidifier) is what causes the particulates in the air, and the higher mineral content in the water used, creates more particulates (white dust) in the air. Distilled water is the best to use in humidifiers as it creates virtually no particulates, but still may produce particulates dependent on how pure the distilled water is. The best practice is to use distilled water in your humidifier though. Even though humidifiers create particulates in the air, the particulates are weighted down by the moisture content that is in the air because of the higher humidity, causing the particulates to not stay airborne, but sink to the ground, but then after the particulates dry out, regular walking around can re-introduce the particulates into the air, which is yet another reason to just go ahead and use distilled water in your humidifier. The TemTop M10 gives a fake reading for TVOC as it does not have a legitimate VOC sensor inside. I didn't know that when first reviewed the M10. TVOC in my opinion is not something that I really recommend that people be concerned about, as there are more than 10,000 VOC's in our environment, and most of those are nothing more than odors. In other words, simply taking a shower can and will cause a TVOC reading to go very high, and cause undue stress and paranoia, so why I don't use or recommend anyone pay attention to a TVOC reading. The M10 is great for particulates, and CO2, but don't pay too much attention to the TVOC reading as it is not legitimate, but also TVOC is not that important to know anyway. From my experience, the M10 is about as low budget as you want to go for accuracy. Also remember that we do not need scientific or pin-point accuracy for personal in-home use, just a close approximation to know when to open a window to let some fresh air in. HCHO is not that important to know either unless of course you are storing Formaldehyde in your home. HCHO is in everything around us, it is in the trees, plants, clothing, furniture, plastics, paper, shoes, books, pens, pencils etc., etc., and every time we disturb objects in our home, we cause the HCHO levels to rise, and sometimes significantly, and can cause also undue stress and paranoia which is why (in my opinion) HCHO is also another reading we shouldn't need to be constantly reminded of, since there is very little we can do to avoid it. The TemTop M10+ is an update to the M10 with a legitimate VOC sensor inside, but they removed the HCHO sensor, but again TVOC and HCHO in my opinion is not necessary anyway. The M10 is great for PM and CO2. Some people want to know particulates lower than the most common PM2.5 size, but why?, we are not running a clinical lab, and living in the real world we can never get away from those smaller particulates, so why even pay attention to them?. Taking a walk through the woods on a warm summer day for exercise or enjoyment would be ruined if we are paranoid over particulates that are everywhere from PM10 or higher to PM 0.01 or smaller. Enjoy life, don't be afraid of it. The only reason for knowing supper small particulates is if you are working in a sterile environment for product contamination purposes, and most of us do not work in that type of environment. At home we are never ever going to be able to get rid of all particulates even if we open a window. Living in a sterile environment has it's very damaging draw backs as well, and why I believe that living in a retirement home for people is what causes them to not live very long, and now I will explain what I mean.... If we lived in a sterile environment, it would only take about a week for our bodies to become weaker from not being exposed to the environment outside. If we stayed in the sterile environment for a month or so, our bodes would become very week for fighting off diseases, colds, etc., and after returning to the outside world after a month or more of being in the sterile environment, we would very very easily catch the first harmful particulate that entered our body, and our body loosing strength, would probably cause serious sickness, and more than likely death. You can think of it like this... Many people go to the gym to work out their bodies, and after a few years, they build incredible muscle tone and could easily carry more than 100 pounds across a room, but if they decide to quit one day going to the gym, it would only take a few days for the body to begin to weaken, and after a month with no gym exercise at all, it would become difficult to pick up 60 pounds and carry across the same room. The longer they didn't exercise, the weaker their body would become. The same thing happens if we shut ourselves up in our homes from particulates, VOC, HCHO etc., and create a clinical environment - hoping to extend our lives, but when one day we decide to start living again, we go outside, and would probably not survive a month from our immune system weakening to the point of not being able to survive a simple walk in the back yard, or, and especially going to town to be with friends and family. The best we can do is to have a monitor that will give us a good idea of when we need to open a window, but then again, we already have a monitor built into our own bodies and mind.... How many times growing up did mom or dad say - hey son could you open the window and get some fresh air in here?. ...That was because their internal monitor started sounding an alarm that the air was becoming stale... You see, way back then before monitors were a thing, people would from time to time open a window because they sensed the air around them polluting their space, and knew it was time to ventilate. I only use a monitor if something is going on that I don't understand, and need to try and pin-point the problem, but once that problem has been found, I put the monitors away again. Becoming dependent on monitors to tell me when the air is bad - is a bad thing, and that is because I would loose the ability to detect bad air on my own, so why it is not at all good practice to rely solely on a monitor to tell me when the air is bad, as I for one, want to keep my cognitive abilities, and not loose them by letting a piece of technology do my thinking for me. I love technology, but when we begin to let that technology run our lives, we loose eventually the ability to run our own lives... - Just a thought. Sorry for being so long-winded, but do hope this has helped.
Thank you MH for the comment and subscribe - much appreciated. I am finishing up a new air quality video by request right this minute, and should be up a little later this evening. Happy you are liking the videos 👍
Thanks for the comment - much appreciated. I am in the process of building a new tank for better testing, and hopefully will have it finished soon and back to testing.
Sir, I watched many videos of you Just a quick question from you If price is not important for you , assuming you wanna buy best one which shows accurate AQI, then which one you will buy?❤
Out of all that I have tested and reviewed, and if you need to know all information possible, - I would go with the AirKnight, and also the "Smart Sensor" CO handheld meter. In my opinion - the two most important detectors a person needs are: CO2 and CO meters, and for those, I would choose the "Smart Sensor" CO handheld meter, and the "TemTop" C10 monitor. Thank you for your question - much appreciated, I hope this helps.
I would have to say that I like the AirKnight the best. It has the best screen for readability for Particles, VOC's and CO2, and definitely close enough in readings to trust. I contacted IQ Air, and asked if they would be interested in sending me their monitor for review (Indoor/Outdoor), and they sounded excited, took my name and number, but I haven't heard back from them in over a week, so don't think they really want to send me one, and maybe it is because I am too honest?? - you think? LOL. I really like the IQ Air and would love to test it, but if I can't get it, I can't test it to recommend it. I would just buy it, but I don't have that kind of finance right now - my truck has to go into the shop for repair, and I have to say that comes first ;)...
I have the HOTKREM, and love it!!! I "had" the air Knight, and it was grossly inaccurate, I wanted to throw it in the trash!! I couldn't trust "any" of the sensors...
@@heatherphilips9227 The Hotkrem is a good monitor. It is unfortunate that the AirKnight is not calibrate-able like most monitors with TVOC and CO2 sensors.
HI, @Outside-In. @Outside-In do yo u have any advice on PM and VOC monitor that also have phone notification? such as if PM is more than 5, they will alert me so I can turn on my air purifier or open up to window. The reason I am asking is because the pollution is caused by my neighbour sometime late at night and I can't always catch it. :( it is affecting my son's room and bathroom . :(. many thanks. god bless
Hello Catherine, and thanks for the question. I am not sure about that phone notification. I will have to look into that and get back with you. I will report back here on your comment when I can find out something for you. Thanks again, and God bless you as well...
I like the idea of a "fish tank" setup! That way finally you don't have to breathe in most of the bad air. ;) What you could do to improve this setup is to add some fans inside to help equally distribute the particulates across the entire space. This isn't a problem when the air purifier is running, but it is a problem when you introduce some pollution source and the air close to the source is of worse quality. This would make the comparison fairer to the devices furthest away from the pollution source. Also, it'd be good to run the fan for a while and only then compare the results (once the air composition is fairly equally distributed). I would like to see a comparison of some real-world values like 10, 25, 100 μg/m³. Of course, we still face the problem of how to actually know with high confidence what the actual pollution is, since we only have imperfect devices at our disposal, I guess that would require obtaining some absolute values or dealing with measurement uncertainty, but that is perhaps outside of our amateur scope. Also, notice that some of the air quality monitors have a hard-coded minimum value like 5 μg/m³ below which they'll never display. BTW, your system looks like Windows 7, I wouldn't advise connecting it to the Internet as it's long out of support. I'd advise either upgrading to Windows 10 (but that one is only supported till 2025!) or switching to a supported Linux distribution.
Thank you Piotrek for your thoughts and suggestions. I like the idea of a fan inside to circulate the air more evenly among the devices, and that is something I will look into implementing, just have to figure out the best placement of the fan for maximized efficiency - if you have any suggestions on placement, as I am thinking - mounted on top lid facing down like a ceiling fan, but am not sure, as it would need to be in the middle, as I already have a fan in the middle to use for exhausting contaminants. Maybe a fan in one of the corners facing toward the furthest corner (diagonal corner), creating a wrap around effect of the air inside the case?... Windows 7 is my favorite operating system, and I do not like automatic anything in later versions of windows, and why I have chosen to not upgrade. A lot of the software that I pay for, have now stopped working with 7, so am constantly looking for alternatives. It is a shame that companies have stopped support for such an incredible operating system, which means that they have lost my business, and from others as well that continue to use 7. I have 10, but have been hesitant about installing it, but if the internet stops working with 7, then I may have no choice, but until then, I am very happy with 7, and plan to continue to use it until I can't. Thanks so much however for your insight - it is much appreciated.
@@Outside-In. Let me start by saying that I don't have much experience in this area either and fluid mechanics are an insanely hard topic even for today's physicists. :) Notice that dispersion differs even depending on the source - the mist from the humidifier that generates heavier air falls to the bottom of the tank, while the smoke from the match experiences updraft (probably because it heats up the air and warmer air travels to the top). That said, I think that a fan between the top and the bottom on the right side of the tank (where the sources of the pollution are) facing the left side would do its job - whether we test response time (where spreading the pollution as fast as possible is most important) or measurement accuracy (where we want to keep the air quality level with very little variation). Perhaps some HVAC or other specialist could add something here. As for the operating system topic, I specifically didn't say to stop using it, there are legitimate use-cases where some old software doesn't support any newer system. But if you do that, the best practice is to air gap such a system meaning that you don't ever connect it to the Internet so that there are very few ways in which your system could be hacked. Then again, if it has to absolutely be connected to the Internet, preferably don't connect it to your home network, possibly run it in a virtual machine, and never ever login into any important services on it, don't enter any passwords or credit card info on it - if you do, those credentials should be considered exposed and should be changed.
@@Outside-In. To add to the OS topic, it's not certain that bad things will happen, but it's like eating undercooked food or food with mold on it - most of the time you'll be fine, sometimes you'll get a stomachache, you may also get a parasite and there's also a chance that you'll consume a deadly neurotoxin. You do hurt your chances - and in case something happens, you lose your money or something, you won't claim them from your insurer or bank, because they'll prove to you that you didn't keep good security practices (this will depend on other factors like the contract you signed and so on).
@@Piotrek7654321 I was thinking of putting the fan in the middle back of case, and projecting the air toward the front of the case wall, so it could bounce off the wall creating a wrap around effect, but also your suggestion is great as well on the right side blowing toward the left side (same principal I suppose), and I will have to try that. After doing some research, I found that there are a lot of people that have had that very question, about how to place a fan to get the best circulation in their home. I was thinking of doing a video that will show how to place a fan in a room to get the best circulation using my case to represent a room in the home - and using smoke as a representation of the air as of course - we can't see air, and thought that that would make for in interesting scientific test. I also started thinking that maybe placing a fan about 12 or so inches away from a wall in the home (or in this case - my case, a couple inches away), and turn the fan to direct the blow toward that wall to eliminate the possibility of a vortex that would normally happen from across the room disrupting the circulation - if that made sense. Then again, the force from a typical fan would most likely not be enough to cause said vortex that would conflict with the circulation process. I hope I am making sense lol... My mind gets a little complicated some times. LOL - I love thinking about how to resolve problems, and yes, sometimes, my mind can make things a little more complicated then they need to be when trying to figure the best way to accomplish something... ...But then again, that is why it is so exciting figuring things out - 😀
@@Piotrek7654321 Yes, I understand you were not being negative, just concerned, and I truly appreciate that. I don't have a network, and I don't save critical information on just any website I go to. I am also very careful about what sites I visit as well, as a matter of fact - I NEVER follow a link within an email - no way for sure, even if I am using Linux, as it is just not a good habit to get into. I am always thinking of safety. I have safety in place always, and also never download a file to install without first scanning it for issues. I spent most of my life building, repairing, and troubleshooting computers, so I guess that is why I can be a little skeptical when surfing the web. I don't trust any operating system that is going to hijack my computer just to do an update, as that is the most common repair I have done with computer systems over the years. Even after I would turn off automatic updates on someone's system and ask them to not turn it back on, there would be a friend that would come to their house, turn them back on, and within a few days - they would call me again to restore their system from a crash. The only customers who never called me back, was the ones who took my advice and left automatic updates off, and the only reason for calling me back, was to install new hardware. I have not used auto updates for nearly 20 years, and while others are forever taking their systems to the computer doctor, I have not ever had an issue, but then again, I guess my paranoia has saved me from making huge mistakes, or maybe I am just lucky - not sure. I can only go by my experiences. Sorry to be so long-winded.
The only air quality meter in this test that measures below 1 micron is the Dylos. In 90% of PM in our air is 1 micron and below. So it looks like the Dylos wins by default.
The only response I could have to this - is that yes, the Dylos "says" it register below 1 micron, but also does the Hotkrem (down to .03 micron)... BUT here is the big deal about the "below 1 micron"... I have done extensive research (hours of it) on "below 1 micron", and the scientific community has NOT come to any conclusive decision as of yet, and that is because there has not been enough data collected at this point, to even know IF "below 1 micron", is harmful to humans, - not too mention, how much would be harmful if it turned out to be dangerous. So my take is that "below 1 micron", is way up in the air (so to speak), as to how harmful, if at all it is to us. Scientists are just now getting enough data on 1 micron, to determine to impact on humans, and they are just scratching the surface on "below 1 micron", so to take these readings seriously (at this point), is ridiculous and futile, and also causing allot of undue stress and anxiety. Our bodies - from childhood, get their strength from sickness, and as we grow older (getting sickness), our bodies become stronger and stronger over time. If we stop our bodies from having the ability to receive those "below 1 micron" particulates (that builds strength in our system), then the body would become week over time, and eventually we would die from NOT being able to fight off disease. ...And this is why the scientific community has not come to a conclusion as of yet, and simply that is because - we need particulates (good and bad) in our system to survive, and without the strength that these smaller particulates that enter out system, (causing sickness) - provide..., our survival will be extremely compromised, so why more research needs to be done before making any respectable OR responsible decision on their harm or well-being to our bodies.
I don't think you understand what a "PM2.5" measurement actually means - it means the total mass of all particles, per unit volume, that are 2.5 microns OR LESS in size. If you are making the assumption that if a monitor can't produce a "PM" reading less than 2.5, that is a completely invalid assumption. Even the Dylos can't go lower than PM2.5 - yes - it can DETECT particles as small as 0.5 microns, but I'd wager that all or most of the cheaper units can too. The reason NONE of these units (including the Dylos) are capable of producing PM measurements less than 2.5 is that the lower threshold of particle size detection would have to be appreciably smaller than 0.5 microns, in order to give meaningful measurements. Just a bit of supporting evidence: look at the specs of this cheap DIY type monitor - it can detect particles as small as 0.3 microns: core-electronics.com.au/gravity-pm2-5-air-quality-sensor.html
@@Outside-In. Thank you for your video. These air quality monitors don't instill a ton of confidence. With regards to below 1 micron particles being harmful. I really don't see any reason to think they wouldn't be. I've heard of studies that find that smaller particles make their way into your blood. How harmful that is I don't know. In third world countries especially air quality has a huge impact on overall health and longevity. There is a nice presentation I watched recently you can find by searching "Pawel-Misztal Tamest" about the link between air pollution and mortality. They seem to think the smaller particles are important, but I'm not going to make myself anxious about it. With regards to your philosophy on strength and sickness. That sounds dubious or you've not explained enough. Many types of particulate are only bad. Asbestos come to mind. . It really matters what and how much. "Our body would become weak over time" sounds like immunity debt, which is something that seems to hold true for some but not all viruses. Why do you think this holds true for particles generally? "Our survival will be extremely compromised" sounds like a big leap. "More research needs to be done before making an respectable or responsible decision", doesn't make any sense because you are essentially making a decision. You are specifically taking a stance against filtering by claiming "our survival will be extremely comprised". I see no reason to believe excluding particles from my home air which are mostly dead skin, clothing fiber, pollen, and mites (and related waste) will cause any harm. Feel free to direct me towards research saying otherwise.
I must say this air quality monitor comparison is quite excellent
Thank you sir - much appreciated.
Thank you for stopping by. I truly hope that you were able to get something from this review and comparison. If for any reason you would not be interested in purchasing the DC 1100 Pro, based on this video... PLEASE leave a comment as to why, because I have been talking to Roger about this 1100 Pro that does not show numbers the way - every other monitor I have tested (having to do calculations to show numbers every other monitor shows), so Roger needs to see other people saying the same thing I am. Roger feels that there is nothing wrong with the way the DC 1100 Pro registers air quality, and it is me only (Roger Says) that has anything bad to say about the device. So, it will help greatly if others agree with my comments (but only if you agree ;) ) in the video about the DC 1100 Pro, and leave their thoughts here, so Roger can see that it is not just me that feels this way.
There are tons of air quality charts on the internet, that show ranges for good to very bad air quality, based on ug/m3, ppm, ppb, etc., but I have found no charts that give information on a device that displays particles per cubic foot as an indication of air quality, which renders the DC 1100 Pro useless for anyone who is used to seeing numbers based upon ug/m3 readings - without of course doing the calculations as in the video, and I believe that anyone concerned about air quality, should not have to do calculations to get numbers that represent their air quality, when most all other monitors on the market give those number without having to constantly do math, but that is just my opinion LOL.
Thanks again for stopping by, and if you have any questions at all. or would like to see me use the new testing case for something specific, please don't hesitate to ask, and I will do my best to create a video testing your concerns.
As for this issue of units, I agree with you completely. Even Dylos gives you the size of the particulates in micrometers, so this is extra confusing.
Besides, there are only three countries in the world that haven't adopted the metric system yet. I like to call them the Big Three: Liberia, Myanmar (previously known as Burma), and the US. And then, even the US customary units are defined in metric values, and metric is used in the scientific community.
Some Americans say that there are two kinds of countries: those that use the metric system and those that landed on the Moon.. except that NASA also used the metric system to put people on the Moon.
@@Piotrek7654321 Yes, you are right - Confusion is the key here for sure. I am sure that the Dylos would be a very good device to have - if only.... ug/m3 is what all monitors I have seen and tested, use to get their readings, but for some reason - Dylos decided to use particles per cubic foot? hmmm (are they rebelling?)... The biggest reason I don't understand this, is because there are no charts to find online (I spent hours searching), that can back up the readings the Dylos gives, so no way of knowing - they are even accurate (accept of course the chart on the device itself) - which I believe leads to the confusion that I have seen from other people who have reviewed this device. One channel I watched, eventually gave up on air quality monitors all together because of their paranoia caused by the Dylos.
...And then for Dylos to create another device that actually seems to use the ug/m3 metrics, makes this even more confusing (and that is because the Dylos didn't agree with any of my other monitors)... My question at this point is... Why would anyone want to spend nearly 300.00 on a device that is just going to cause confusion as well as paranoia, and the paranoia would come due to not being able to get their air quality to acceptable levels (according to the Dylos Monitor), when referencing all other charts for air quality. ...Oh, I forgot... As long as you do the calculations, it comes close sometimes, and far away other times to those charts - weird.
So yes, thank you for not only the agreement, but also for your reasoning and why they may have done it this way. In the end, a device that causes confusion, is kinda pointless to own or trust, but just my thoughts.
Ok, for my 2 cents (as a non-expert but someone who has now spent a few years listening to air quality scientists and engineers) the strength of the Dylos is that is counts particles per volume rather than mass per volume. For air quality testing this gives more granularity. For lay people interested in air quality the Dylos may be overkill - a unit that reads in micrograms per cubic meter is probably easier to read and easier to compare (eg. With official outdoor air quality data). When first asked for expert opinions on this topic one of the points made was to get a unit that counted particles rather than particle mass-I hadn’t realised the distinction before it was pointed out. The Dylos was recommended as well as another unit costing many thousands of dollars…I wound up buying the Ali-express model that you have (for budget reasons) and feel it’s pretty good for most of my needs.
@@thoughtsofawho5944 Thank you for your comment - it is much appreciated, and I agree, the ug/m3 is what is common in air quality monitor readings, so it would make more sense for Dylos to create a monitor with the most common method of readings/calculations. The Hotkrem is a very accurate monitor, but unfortunately their quality control is not what it should be, and why I am now having allot of people telling me that they are getting non-working monitors or their monitor only works for a few days and dies. I would love to get my hands on a detective Hotkrem device so I can figure out what may be causing so many of them to be defective in the first place, as I believe it would be a simple fix, but then again, who wants to buy a product and then have to fix it out of the box?...
I have heard that in programming some meters will remove peaks/valleys and average values out to give flattened numbers. The second to second comparison of freeze frames may make those meters seem less accurate because they are doing 10 second averages or more.
Also when diving into particulate material metering and other sensors they have a shelf life. I found a modular sensor which sells new sensors because they are only NIST traceability certified for 2 years. They even require maintenance to clean out the sensors with compressed air. However a DIY route is considerably cheaper.
You seem quite handy and it is great to show people how easy it can be to open something up to fix or look at it. There are many different DIY sensors people could make with a raspberry pi or esp32 board. Then you can pick the sensor and test them against these other Amazon devices.
Have you looked into the Airgradient sensor/open source project?
Yes, I looked into and contacted Achim at AirGradient, and after a 45 minute online meeting with Achim, he was excited about sending me a monitor for testing, review, and tear-down - but for a reason not completely know to me - AirGradient changed their mind about sending me their monitor for review...
@@Outside-In. oh thats unfortunate.
@@TheJttv Yes - I agree.
I wanted to know about AirGradient too...😊
Maybe you could buy one. The kit is not so much expensive.
If they changed their mind, maybe they know the limits of their product.
It would be nice to know the truth...🙄
Why don't you put the links to buy the tested products in this video?
Thanks.
The Dylos cloud version was the farthest away from the source of the bad air. Was there anything in the chamber to circulate the air? That might make it easier to ensure each monitor is exposed to similar concentrations.
No there was nothing. I am wondering now that you said that, if they made a mistake.... Roger told me they created their monitor completely open inside, with no small box sensors like you see in most every monitor (because he said - that the light scattering boxes that you see in most monitors are not reliable...), so they decided to keep everything (the laser and light catcher completely open and exposed) to the complete inside of the case. I am wondering if that was a mistake, I have thought of trying to create a tunnel (or chamber as you put it) around the sensor to see if that helps, but keep forgetting to try it. I suppose it would be the same as taking a light scattering sensor apart, and eliminating the tunnel that the particulates gets sucked into to get registered, and expose the laser, and light catcher (photoelectric eye) to an empty box, hoping it will catch random particles as they flew by lol..... I hope that made sense ;)..
I definitely see what you are trying to say, and I am thinking (now that you put it that way), that that is probably why the Dylos is not very good at registering particulates.
Thanks for your comment and thoughts, - they are much appreciated Zombull73 👍👍
@@Outside-In. Thanks for your work looking into these things. Probably saved me from buying a dud. (I've ordered the AirKnight.)
@@Zombull73 Thank you Zombull, and you are very welcome, and glad that I could help in keeping you from possibly buying a dud... The AirKnight - perfect, but I have a video I am about to upload on another monitor, and I talk a bit about a conversation with Jim at AirKnight, and they are dong some pretty amazing things with the AirKnight, and in development of a new AirKnight 2.0 that is going to be amazing, so stay tuned for that video, as I think you will be very excited to hear what AirKnight is doing... Have a Happy New Year, and may all that you dream of, come to fruition... 👍
Absolutely! Such a shame to go to all that trouble, and not use a circulator!!!
@@gregsullivan7408 The new case I am building will have a circulation fan to more effectively circulate the air within the case so that all monitors get a more averaged air flow around them. Once I start using the new case, I may have to re-visit the Dylos Monitors, and see if better circulation results in better readings.
I can't wait for you to "fully" review as many of the PM2.5 meters on the market. I personally like the HOTKREM, but I do not use the Temperature or humidity sensor, as it is inaccurate (like most of these units).
I would love to test/review all the PM 2.5 meters on the market as well, and I will test and review them as I am able to get them, as it is fun to compare the monitors, and see how different one can be from another.
I agree also about the Hotkrem temp and humidity sensors, they were the worst of all my monitors in accuracy...
@@Outside-In. I noticed that my Hotkrem temperature reading is accurate as far as it seems, but only when turning it on after a longer downtime. Then, the sensor is quickly heated by like 2 °C simply from the device operating.
@@Piotrek7654321 Yes Piotrek, that makes sense because after a long downtime, the temp is going to be more accurate when turning on as there are no heat sources that have had the chance to heat up causing the temp sensor to register it, and why after being on for awhile, the heated sensors next to the temperature sensor is affecting the temperature reading. I think the AirKnight has the better setup, as the temperature sensor is located in the back of the unit exposed to the surrounding air, which is why (I believe) allows it to not be affected by the other sensors in the unit. I wish other companies would place their temp sensors more strategically like AirKnight did. However, out of all the sensors, I do believe that the HotKrem had the worst temp readings of all - even though the sensor is exposed to the surrounding air of the device, so it could be that the sensor they use, is just simply not the best... Am not sure - just a thought.
Heather, I just thought that I would update you on the fact that Jim from AirKnight got in contact with me a few days ago, and told me that they took my recommendations/suggestions, and are working/developing a new and improved AirKnight - with - get this - 11 sensor readings, and one of them is my most favorite I have been looking for in a monitor, and that is CO... My AirKnight has been working beautifully for temp and humidity, so you may have just gotten a defective unit. AirKnight is also updating the 9 in 1 too not use the TVOC/HCHO muli-sensor that is currently in the AirKnight, but they are instead installing a separate VOC sensor, and a separate HCHO sensor, and that is exciting because I don't like monitors that use the dreaded TVOC/HCHO mulit-use sensors as they are less accurate than dedicated sensors.
Hi. Thanks for your nice review. Which sensor would you recommend the best for PM2,5, PM5 and PM 10?
Thanks Rhandrey for your question and comment. If you are looking or needing only PM readings, I would go with the HotKrem monitor. If you search for HotKrem on Amazon, you will find that HotKrem makes a number of different monitors, so you do have a choice with HotKrem. I also like the AirKnight the best, simply because the screen is so easy to read across a room, and the accuracy may be a little off from others, but not enough to discount it for safety. Pin Point accuracy comes at an expensive cost, but these less expensive devices are not so pin point, but they are definitely close enough to know that a window needs to be opened, or that there is a problem that needs attention asap.
Thanks again for your comment and question, and I hope this has helped. If you have any further questions, please ask and I will do my best to answer your concerns.
thanks for your message! Your videos are really great for checking out all the different monitors out there. @@Outside-In.
@@User-Tal1951 👍
Great video!! Are there any concerns with leaving these sensors on all the time? Will it shorten their life?
No it will not shorten the life of a sensor to leave it on all the time. Actually a sensor will go bad from not being used as quickly as it will using it, so you might as well use it as much as you can while you can. Most sensors have a shelf life of about 2 years, and some claim up to 10 years, but that is subjective. After a couple of years, a sensor will loose it's ability to register correctly, so it is a good idea to calibrate a monitor at least every three months or so - depending on how much you use it. The more you use a monitor, the more it should be calibrated, but probably not more than once a week, and more than likely, if you use a monitor 24/7, it should probably be calibrated once every two weeks.
Thank you so much for your efforts! I need to buy an air quality monitor, because sometimes my work has metal shop fumes, so it's great to see which ones work! Can you also put some links to the units you're testing? The only ones I could find are dylos and the knightair. For example, I can't find the hoefun and smart sensor
edit: I would love to see what kinds of things these meters can detect. Can they see superglue, or welding gasses, or CO2, or ammonia, or whatever. You could also test to see if the air purifier will pull those gasses out of the air. Then you could provide detection on an issue, and then also a possible mitigation for that issue.
Thanks John for the questions. I am in the process of building a new case for more thorough testing of monitors. I have run into a few issues while building the case, so it is taking me longer than I had anticipated to complete the task. This is a bigger case and also hopefully (my goal anyhow) will be to be able to create a vacuum in the case for better testing, and also better lighting. I am excited to start using the case for future testing. I am hoping to have everything complete by the end of next week so that I can get to testing a couple monitors that I have just received in the mail.
And Yes, TVOC sensors can detect things like superglue, welding gases etc., and also gases such as ammonia, and many other gases, but the only problem with it is that there is no way at all of knowing what gasses it is detecting (because TVOC sensors also detect odors and gases that are not harmful to humans), so the only way to know possibly is if a person is using said gas and the TVOC sensor goes nuts, but that in my opinion if quite useless, and why a specific detector for specific gasses is needed. I am getting a new meter that detects specific gases, and am looking forward to using it.
It is great to get these ideas from you, as that will help me to know exactly what people want to see, and the kind of test's to preform, so any ideas of what you want to see me test, please ask and I will do my best to create those test's. I now have a few ideas because of your recent comments, so thank you for that John, and I look forward to putting those ideas to work.
As far as the air purifier, I have already had a couple ideas for testing to see if gases can be pulled from the air with an air purifier, and why the reason for the new improved case, so that I can create a vacuum so nothing escapes the case that could possibly throw off the results of the testing...
Great info! I have some concerns about air quality in my home, especially the PM 2.5 levels. Being on a budget, I'm considering getting the Hotkrem and a $39.99 version of the Temptop (this model actually has the best reviews on Amazon). Do you think this is a reasonable choice?
Eventually, I may get the AirKnight, IQ Air, or other model to test for VOCs, etc. Thanks for the work you!
Thank you Hope for the comment and question. The Hotkrem in my videos, I can recommend. The 39.99 version of TemTop, I am not sure about, as I cannot recommend anything that I have not personally tested. If you are talking about the Hotkrem that is the TemTop variant, that may be in fact a good choice, but like I say, I can't absolutely recommend anything that I haven't tested.
The AirKnight, I can recommend as that has all the readings you would need in one unit, except of course CO (Carbon Monoxide). The AirKnight along with the Smart Sensor CO Handheld meter, would be a great choice, but then again, the cost would be a bit more than your first choices.
I hope I have been able to answer your questions.
@@Outside-In. Thanks! Here is the $39.99 model that I was referring to: Temtop Air Quality Monitor, Indoor Thermometer Portable AQI PM2.5, Temperature, Humidity Detector for Home, Office or School, Air Quality Tester, Battery Powered, Magnetic Suction
As you read the description, it actually has a more sensitive PM 2.5 sensor than the handheld model that you reviewed. It might be an interesting test!
@@HopePatreon-qx1dr Thanks Hope for the info, but unfortunately, there is no link to the monitor your talking about. TH-cam sometimes deletes links that people include in comments, so if you could give me the title of the listing, and if it is on Amazon or another platform, I would be able to see the device you are speaking of.
Thanks.
Ok Hope, I think I got it... Sorry but I think I misunderstood you. I thought you were talking about a TemTop alternative, but after looking some more, I found on Amazon the TemTop 39.99 monitor you are referring to. Now that I know which monitor you are talking about, I am wondering why you would want to get both the Hotkrem and the 39.99 TemTop, as they both give the same information. Out of the two, I would choose the Hotkrem, because the TemTop has PM 2.5 and AQI. The Hotkrem has PM 2.5, PM 10 and PM1.0, as well as AQI, so the Hotkrem gives more information.
You could get the Hotkrem, and then just use the other 40.00 to get the Smart Sensor CO handheld meter, and that would be a great combination, as CO is THE MOST important sensor anyone could have in their home.
Again, I do apologize for misunderstanding your question, but hopefully I have been able to answer your concerns.
@@Outside-In. No worries, thank you for the thoughtful reply. My thinking in getting both monitors is to have a backup on which I could verify the results of the other monitor. To be honest, I'm not sure that I can trust any one monitor. With two, I can use one as a backup to verify the results.
While I agree that CO2 is so important, my main concern right now is PM 2.5. I have a wood stove, and have recently been doing research on the negative effects, and want to be able to get accurate measurements in different rooms, with the windows open/closed., etc.
Being a homemade at home test tank, it worked out well.
Thank you buzz, I really am liking the test tank, and look forward to using it for other testing.
In the next video can you also please compare the IQ Air air visual pro to some of these? I did a comparison of it using a friends device vs my AliExpress one and it consistently showed 50% higher readings for PM2.5 under 3-4 different environments. It may have a more sensitive sensor, I'm not sure. So now im confused as to which one to believe.
Thank you Vishad for the question. I have contacted IQ Air, and asked if they would send me their monitor for review and testing, they said they would contact me, but I have not heard anything from them yet. I would love to test and review the IQ Air, but unfortunately I can't afford to make the purchase at this time.
I would assume that the IQ Air is much more sensitive and faster to respond, and why also it is a much more expensive device.
The more accurate a monitor is, the more expensive it is as well. When you buy a monitor that is less expensive, there are trade offs to doing so - such as slower reaction time, and not as sensitive. All we need is a general idea of air quality in our environment, and not pin point accuracy. If you want pin point accuracy, it can cost in the thousands of dollars. A 50.00 monitor is not going to be as precise as one that costs 400.00 or more. Hope this helps
Hi, i watched your videos, very good job! 👍 I didn’t know that humidifiers create particles in the air! I am suffering from severe dry eye syndrome, atopic conjunctivitis also, and I have my ultrasonic humidifier open most of the day! That creates particles as I see! What can I do? I am thinking of buying a good air purifier, levoit core 300s, and also a budget device for measuring particles and Hcho, Tvoc. Is temtop m10 accurate enough?
If you don't want to get rid of your ultrasonic humidifier, you could use eye drops, but that is not addressing the issue of course - just a thought...
The Levoit Core 300s is what I use, and it has worked great for the year that I have owned it. I use it 24/7 on low in my space, and have had no issues.
The minerals in water (used in your humidifier) is what causes the particulates in the air, and the higher mineral content in the water used, creates more particulates (white dust) in the air.
Distilled water is the best to use in humidifiers as it creates virtually no particulates, but still may produce particulates dependent on how pure the distilled water is. The best practice is to use distilled water in your humidifier though.
Even though humidifiers create particulates in the air, the particulates are weighted down by the moisture content that is in the air because of the higher humidity, causing the particulates to not stay airborne, but sink to the ground, but then after the particulates dry out, regular walking around can re-introduce the particulates into the air, which is yet another reason to just go ahead and use distilled water in your humidifier.
The TemTop M10 gives a fake reading for TVOC as it does not have a legitimate VOC sensor inside. I didn't know that when first reviewed the M10. TVOC in my opinion is not something that I really recommend that people be concerned about, as there are more than 10,000 VOC's in our environment, and most of those are nothing more than odors. In other words, simply taking a shower can and will cause a TVOC reading to go very high, and cause undue stress and paranoia, so why I don't use or recommend anyone pay attention to a TVOC reading.
The M10 is great for particulates, and CO2, but don't pay too much attention to the TVOC reading as it is not legitimate, but also TVOC is not that important to know anyway.
From my experience, the M10 is about as low budget as you want to go for accuracy. Also remember that we do not need scientific or pin-point accuracy for personal in-home use, just a close approximation to know when to open a window to let some fresh air in.
HCHO is not that important to know either unless of course you are storing Formaldehyde in your home. HCHO is in everything around us, it is in the trees, plants, clothing, furniture, plastics, paper, shoes, books, pens, pencils etc., etc., and every time we disturb objects in our home, we cause the HCHO levels to rise, and sometimes significantly, and can cause also undue stress and paranoia which is why (in my opinion) HCHO is also another reading we shouldn't need to be constantly reminded of, since there is very little we can do to avoid it.
The TemTop M10+ is an update to the M10 with a legitimate VOC sensor inside, but they removed the HCHO sensor, but again TVOC and HCHO in my opinion is not necessary anyway.
The M10 is great for PM and CO2. Some people want to know particulates lower than the most common PM2.5 size, but why?, we are not running a clinical lab, and living in the real world we can never get away from those smaller particulates, so why even pay attention to them?. Taking a walk through the woods on a warm summer day for exercise or enjoyment would be ruined if we are paranoid over particulates that are everywhere from PM10 or higher to PM 0.01 or smaller. Enjoy life, don't be afraid of it.
The only reason for knowing supper small particulates is if you are working in a sterile environment for product contamination purposes, and most of us do not work in that type of environment. At home we are never ever going to be able to get rid of all particulates even if we open a window. Living in a sterile environment has it's very damaging draw backs as well, and why I believe that living in a retirement home for people is what causes them to not live very long, and now I will explain what I mean....
If we lived in a sterile environment, it would only take about a week for our bodies to become weaker from not being exposed to the environment outside. If we stayed in the sterile environment for a month or so, our bodes would become very week for fighting off diseases, colds, etc., and after returning to the outside world after a month or more of being in the sterile environment, we would very very easily catch the first harmful particulate that entered our body, and our body loosing strength, would probably cause serious sickness, and more than likely death.
You can think of it like this... Many people go to the gym to work out their bodies, and after a few years, they build incredible muscle tone and could easily carry more than 100 pounds across a room, but if they decide to quit one day going to the gym, it would only take a few days for the body to begin to weaken, and after a month with no gym exercise at all, it would become difficult to pick up 60 pounds and carry across the same room. The longer they didn't exercise, the weaker their body would become.
The same thing happens if we shut ourselves up in our homes from particulates, VOC, HCHO etc., and create a clinical environment - hoping to extend our lives, but when one day we decide to start living again, we go outside, and would probably not survive a month from our immune system weakening to the point of not being able to survive a simple walk in the back yard, or, and especially going to town to be with friends and family.
The best we can do is to have a monitor that will give us a good idea of when we need to open a window, but then again, we already have a monitor built into our own bodies and mind.... How many times growing up did mom or dad say - hey son could you open the window and get some fresh air in here?. ...That was because their internal monitor started sounding an alarm that the air was becoming stale... You see, way back then before monitors were a thing, people would from time to time open a window because they sensed the air around them polluting their space, and knew it was time to ventilate.
I only use a monitor if something is going on that I don't understand, and need to try and pin-point the problem, but once that problem has been found, I put the monitors away again.
Becoming dependent on monitors to tell me when the air is bad - is a bad thing, and that is because I would loose the ability to detect bad air on my own, so why it is not at all good practice to rely solely on a monitor to tell me when the air is bad, as I for one, want to keep my cognitive abilities, and not loose them by letting a piece of technology do my thinking for me. I love technology, but when we begin to let that technology run our lives, we loose eventually the ability to run our own lives... - Just a thought.
Sorry for being so long-winded, but do hope this has helped.
@@Outside-In. Thank you so much for the detailed reply!
@@George-wf7vk 👍
Very interesting videos!! -just subscribed!
Thank you MH for the comment and subscribe - much appreciated. I am finishing up a new air quality video by request right this minute, and should be up a little later this evening. Happy you are liking the videos 👍
Awesome! I'll be sure to check it out!!@@Outside-In.
@@MH-it3se 👍
That tank is downright artistic
Thanks for the comment - much appreciated. I am in the process of building a new tank for better testing, and hopefully will have it finished soon and back to testing.
Sir, I watched many videos of you
Just a quick question from you
If price is not important for you , assuming you wanna buy best one which shows accurate AQI, then which one you will buy?❤
Out of all that I have tested and reviewed, and if you need to know all information possible, - I would go with the AirKnight, and also the "Smart Sensor" CO handheld meter.
In my opinion - the two most important detectors a person needs are: CO2 and CO meters, and for those, I would choose the "Smart Sensor" CO handheld meter, and the "TemTop" C10 monitor.
Thank you for your question - much appreciated, I hope this helps.
Thankyou for this!! @@Outside-In.
@@MH-it3se Thank you MH, and you are very welcome.
What's the best meter you've tested that monitors air particles, voc's, and CO2?
I would have to say that I like the AirKnight the best. It has the best screen for readability for Particles, VOC's and CO2, and definitely close enough in readings to trust. I contacted IQ Air, and asked if they would be interested in sending me their monitor for review (Indoor/Outdoor), and they sounded excited, took my name and number, but I haven't heard back from them in over a week, so don't think they really want to send me one, and maybe it is because I am too honest?? - you think? LOL.
I really like the IQ Air and would love to test it, but if I can't get it, I can't test it to recommend it. I would just buy it, but I don't have that kind of finance right now - my truck has to go into the shop for repair, and I have to say that comes first ;)...
I have the HOTKREM, and love it!!! I "had" the air Knight, and it was grossly inaccurate, I wanted to throw it in the trash!! I couldn't trust "any" of the sensors...
@@heatherphilips9227 The Hotkrem is a good monitor. It is unfortunate that the AirKnight is not calibrate-able like most monitors with TVOC and CO2 sensors.
HI,
@Outside-In.
@Outside-In
do yo u have any advice on PM and VOC monitor that also have phone notification? such as if PM is more than 5, they will alert me so I can turn on my air purifier or open up to window.
The reason I am asking is because the pollution is caused by my neighbour sometime late at night and I can't always catch it. :( it is affecting my son's room and bathroom . :(.
many thanks. god bless
Hello Catherine, and thanks for the question. I am not sure about that phone notification. I will have to look into that and get back with you.
I will report back here on your comment when I can find out something for you. Thanks again, and God bless you as well...
I like the idea of a "fish tank" setup! That way finally you don't have to breathe in most of the bad air. ;)
What you could do to improve this setup is to add some fans inside to help equally distribute the particulates across the entire space. This isn't a problem when the air purifier is running, but it is a problem when you introduce some pollution source and the air close to the source is of worse quality. This would make the comparison fairer to the devices furthest away from the pollution source. Also, it'd be good to run the fan for a while and only then compare the results (once the air composition is fairly equally distributed).
I would like to see a comparison of some real-world values like 10, 25, 100 μg/m³. Of course, we still face the problem of how to actually know with high confidence what the actual pollution is, since we only have imperfect devices at our disposal, I guess that would require obtaining some absolute values or dealing with measurement uncertainty, but that is perhaps outside of our amateur scope.
Also, notice that some of the air quality monitors have a hard-coded minimum value like 5 μg/m³ below which they'll never display.
BTW, your system looks like Windows 7, I wouldn't advise connecting it to the Internet as it's long out of support. I'd advise either upgrading to Windows 10 (but that one is only supported till 2025!) or switching to a supported Linux distribution.
Thank you Piotrek for your thoughts and suggestions. I like the idea of a fan inside to circulate the air more evenly among the devices, and that is something I will look into implementing, just have to figure out the best placement of the fan for maximized efficiency - if you have any suggestions on placement, as I am thinking - mounted on top lid facing down like a ceiling fan, but am not sure, as it would need to be in the middle, as I already have a fan in the middle to use for exhausting contaminants. Maybe a fan in one of the corners facing toward the furthest corner (diagonal corner), creating a wrap around effect of the air inside the case?...
Windows 7 is my favorite operating system, and I do not like automatic anything in later versions of windows, and why I have chosen to not upgrade. A lot of the software that I pay for, have now stopped working with 7, so am constantly looking for alternatives. It is a shame that companies have stopped support for such an incredible operating system, which means that they have lost my business, and from others as well that continue to use 7. I have 10, but have been hesitant about installing it, but if the internet stops working with 7, then I may have no choice, but until then, I am very happy with 7, and plan to continue to use it until I can't. Thanks so much however for your insight - it is much appreciated.
@@Outside-In. Let me start by saying that I don't have much experience in this area either and fluid mechanics are an insanely hard topic even for today's physicists. :) Notice that dispersion differs even depending on the source - the mist from the humidifier that generates heavier air falls to the bottom of the tank, while the smoke from the match experiences updraft (probably because it heats up the air and warmer air travels to the top). That said, I think that a fan between the top and the bottom on the right side of the tank (where the sources of the pollution are) facing the left side would do its job - whether we test response time (where spreading the pollution as fast as possible is most important) or measurement accuracy (where we want to keep the air quality level with very little variation). Perhaps some HVAC or other specialist could add something here.
As for the operating system topic, I specifically didn't say to stop using it, there are legitimate use-cases where some old software doesn't support any newer system. But if you do that, the best practice is to air gap such a system meaning that you don't ever connect it to the Internet so that there are very few ways in which your system could be hacked. Then again, if it has to absolutely be connected to the Internet, preferably don't connect it to your home network, possibly run it in a virtual machine, and never ever login into any important services on it, don't enter any passwords or credit card info on it - if you do, those credentials should be considered exposed and should be changed.
@@Outside-In. To add to the OS topic, it's not certain that bad things will happen, but it's like eating undercooked food or food with mold on it - most of the time you'll be fine, sometimes you'll get a stomachache, you may also get a parasite and there's also a chance that you'll consume a deadly neurotoxin.
You do hurt your chances - and in case something happens, you lose your money or something, you won't claim them from your insurer or bank, because they'll prove to you that you didn't keep good security practices (this will depend on other factors like the contract you signed and so on).
@@Piotrek7654321 I was thinking of putting the fan in the middle back of case, and projecting the air toward the front of the case wall, so it could bounce off the wall creating a wrap around effect, but also your suggestion is great as well on the right side blowing toward the left side (same principal I suppose), and I will have to try that. After doing some research, I found that there are a lot of people that have had that very question, about how to place a fan to get the best circulation in their home.
I was thinking of doing a video that will show how to place a fan in a room to get the best circulation using my case to represent a room in the home - and using smoke as a representation of the air as of course - we can't see air, and thought that that would make for in interesting scientific test.
I also started thinking that maybe placing a fan about 12 or so inches away from a wall in the home (or in this case - my case, a couple inches away), and turn the fan to direct the blow toward that wall to eliminate the possibility of a vortex that would normally happen from across the room disrupting the circulation - if that made sense. Then again, the force from a typical fan would most likely not be enough to cause said vortex that would conflict with the circulation process. I hope I am making sense lol... My mind gets a little complicated some times.
LOL - I love thinking about how to resolve problems, and yes, sometimes, my mind can make things a little more complicated then they need to be when trying to figure the best way to accomplish something... ...But then again, that is why it is so exciting figuring things out - 😀
@@Piotrek7654321 Yes, I understand you were not being negative, just concerned, and I truly appreciate that. I don't have a network, and I don't save critical information on just any website I go to. I am also very careful about what sites I visit as well, as a matter of fact - I NEVER follow a link within an email - no way for sure, even if I am using Linux, as it is just not a good habit to get into. I am always thinking of safety. I have safety in place always, and also never download a file to install without first scanning it for issues. I spent most of my life building, repairing, and troubleshooting computers, so I guess that is why I can be a little skeptical when surfing the web. I don't trust any operating system that is going to hijack my computer just to do an update, as that is the most common repair I have done with computer systems over the years. Even after I would turn off automatic updates on someone's system and ask them to not turn it back on, there would be a friend that would come to their house, turn them back on, and within a few days - they would call me again to restore their system from a crash. The only customers who never called me back, was the ones who took my advice and left automatic updates off, and the only reason for calling me back, was to install new hardware. I have not used auto updates for nearly 20 years, and while others are forever taking their systems to the computer doctor, I have not ever had an issue, but then again, I guess my paranoia has saved me from making huge mistakes, or maybe I am just lucky - not sure. I can only go by my experiences.
Sorry to be so long-winded.
The only air quality meter in this test that measures below 1 micron is the Dylos. In 90%
of PM in our air is 1 micron and below. So it looks like the Dylos wins by default.
The only response I could have to this - is that yes, the Dylos "says" it register below 1 micron, but also does the Hotkrem (down to .03 micron)... BUT here is the big deal about the "below 1 micron"...
I have done extensive research (hours of it) on "below 1 micron", and the scientific community has NOT come to any conclusive decision as of yet, and that is because there has not been enough data collected at this point, to even know IF "below 1 micron", is harmful to humans, - not too mention, how much would be harmful if it turned out to be dangerous. So my take is that "below 1 micron", is way up in the air (so to speak), as to how harmful, if at all it is to us.
Scientists are just now getting enough data on 1 micron, to determine to impact on humans, and they are just scratching the surface on "below 1 micron", so to take these readings seriously (at this point), is ridiculous and futile, and also causing allot of undue stress and anxiety.
Our bodies - from childhood, get their strength from sickness, and as we grow older (getting sickness), our bodies become stronger and stronger over time. If we stop our bodies from having the ability to receive those "below 1 micron" particulates (that builds strength in our system), then the body would become week over time, and eventually we would die from NOT being able to fight off disease. ...And this is why the scientific community has not come to a conclusion as of yet, and simply that is because - we need particulates (good and bad) in our system to survive, and without the strength that these smaller particulates that enter out system, (causing sickness) - provide..., our survival will be extremely compromised, so why more research needs to be done before making any respectable OR responsible decision on their harm or well-being to our bodies.
It nice to hear another explanation of the below 1 micron scare. I tend to agree with your logic on this. Thank you so much.@@Outside-In.
@@melodicman3032 👍
I don't think you understand what a "PM2.5" measurement actually means - it means the total mass of all particles, per unit volume, that are 2.5 microns OR LESS in size. If you are making the assumption that if a monitor can't produce a "PM" reading less than 2.5, that is a completely invalid assumption. Even the Dylos can't go lower than PM2.5 - yes - it can DETECT particles as small as 0.5 microns, but I'd wager that all or most of the cheaper units can too. The reason NONE of these units (including the Dylos) are capable of producing PM measurements less than 2.5 is that the lower threshold of particle size detection would have to be appreciably smaller than 0.5 microns, in order to give meaningful measurements. Just a bit of supporting evidence: look at the specs of this cheap DIY type monitor - it can detect particles as small as 0.3 microns: core-electronics.com.au/gravity-pm2-5-air-quality-sensor.html
@@Outside-In. Thank you for your video. These air quality monitors don't instill a ton of confidence.
With regards to below 1 micron particles being harmful. I really don't see any reason to think they wouldn't be. I've heard of studies that find that smaller particles make their way into your blood. How harmful that is I don't know. In third world countries especially air quality has a huge impact on overall health and longevity. There is a nice presentation I watched recently you can find by searching "Pawel-Misztal Tamest" about the link between air pollution and mortality. They seem to think the smaller particles are important, but I'm not going to make myself anxious about it.
With regards to your philosophy on strength and sickness. That sounds dubious or you've not explained enough. Many types of particulate are only bad. Asbestos come to mind. . It really matters what and how much. "Our body would become weak over time" sounds like immunity debt, which is something that seems to hold true for some but not all viruses. Why do you think this holds true for particles generally? "Our survival will be extremely compromised" sounds like a big leap. "More research needs to be done before making an respectable or responsible decision", doesn't make any sense because you are essentially making a decision. You are specifically taking a stance against filtering by claiming "our survival will be extremely comprised". I see no reason to believe excluding particles from my home air which are mostly dead skin, clothing fiber, pollen, and mites (and related waste) will cause any harm. Feel free to direct me towards research saying otherwise.
cool
Thanks. I look forward to doing more tests with this new case.
Olde dude making way too confusing.
Sorry about that, but they made it that way, and why I don't recommend it.