Ring Air Quality Monitor review: A basic, low-cost home safety add-on you probably want

Quick take

For $69.99, the Ring Air Quality Monitor tracks temperature, humidity, carbon monoxide, and PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller), then feeds the results into the Ring app installed on your phone. It measures fewer things than most of its competitors but isn’t a CO2 alarm. What redeems it is the PM2.5 sensor, which earns its keep the moment wildfire smoke hits your zip code, for less than a third of what an Airthings brand detector costs.

You will want to consider this if you already have Ring gear installed and would like to know more information about your indoor air quality. Otherwise, I would skip it if you want a CO2 or radon detector and the budget for those sensors. Plus, you can get Amazon’s own branded monitor, often for less and without the Ring app.

Ring Air Quality Monitor specifications: A peek at the core innards

What does the Ring Air Quality Monitor measure?

This air monitor measures four things specifically: temperature, humidity, carbon monoxide and particulate matter at 2.5 microns. That’s it, very basic. Ring does state plainly on their website that it does not measure and track carbon dioxide, radon or VOCs (volatile organic compound detectors).

The case for the Ring Air Quality Monitor sensors comes down to the PM2.5. Wildfire smoke, cooking, dust, and pollen all register as a fine particulate, and the EPA links it to respiratory and cardiovascular harm. Several more expensive monitors skip the PM2.5 altogether.

The $249.99 Airthings Wave Plus, for example, covers radon and VOCs and leaves the PM2.5 alone. I live in Oregon where wildfires and pollen are a regular annual problem, so being able to track the PM2.5 here is important to a lot of people.

It is not a CO alarm

The Ring Air Quality Monitor reads carbon monoxide, which is useful for catching the low levels of a home furnace or gas range in the kitchen. Ring does state that their monitor is no substitute for a carbon monoxide alarm, and it is not certified as a CO alarm or detector. There’s also no speaker in it. You get a status light and a push notification; that’s it.

Ring Air Quality Monitor design, setup, and connectivity

Setup is super easy to do. All you need to do is scan the QR code in the Ring app. Because it connects to Amazon’s “Sidewalk” platform, you do not need a base station or a hub. Amazon Sidewalk reaches more than 90% of the US population, so you never need to involve a WiFi password, and it does not depend on you having a home router. If you have already opted out of using Amazon’s Sidewalk, you will not be able to use this product.

As for getting readings, there is a 15-minute reporting interval, which could be annoying for some people. Temperature is reported on a 2°F swing and humidity on a 5% swing, with PM2.5 and CO showing in real time on the clock. This is great for tracking humidity across a day or watching smoke arrive, but not great if you accidentally scorched a pan on the stove and left the burner on, since there is a delay in reporting.

Physically, the device is fairly non-intrusive; it’s a small white square puck with a cord that plugs into the back. There isn’t a wall mount or a battery, so you need to have it near a power outlet. Operating range is 32°F to 104°F, so garages and attics are out of the question (not sure you would want it there to begin with). And you will want to see the status light: solid green for good air and solid yellow for poor air.

The Ring Air Quality Monitor comes with a 30-day trial of the Ring Protect Plan, otherwise there is no monthly subscription to use it.

Should you buy it?

Buy the Ring Air Quality Monitor if you already have a Ring system set up, want information on smoke and particulates, and would rather spend $70 than $250. Don’t buy it as a safety device, because it isn’t a CO alarm and it doesn’t test for radon. And if you want more details of what’s in your air, you need a more capable monitor, and you’ll pay three or four times as much.

If you like the Ring products and system, the company has a number of other sensors that you might be interested in. The Ring Air Quality Monitor gives you a lot of information for the price, and is a nice add-on to an existing Ring system.

How does it compare?

If you were to compare the Ring Air Quality Monitor to more full-blown, feature-rich sensor products, I’d say you are getting what you pay for, but there is one competitor that literally matches the Ring product feature-for-feature, and that is:

Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor — The Amazon-branded offering from the same house also runs about $69.99 but can be discounted often at times. The Amazon sensor measures VOCs on top of PM2.5, CO, temperature, and humidity, which gives it an advantage. Keep in mind that Amazon is the corporate parent of Ring. You get more sensors in their product, and it can often be found on sale at a lower price.

Airthings Wave Plus — If you want to step up in features and sensors, you’re going to have to pay for them. The Airthings Wave Plus is $249.99 with a radon sensor, CO2, VOCs, and battery power, though no PM2.5, and the View Plus is $329.99 including both. That’s a big jump in price, and radon isn’t optional in my opinion if you live in a high-radon region.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Is the Ring Air Quality Monitor a carbon monoxide alarm?

No. Ring states it is not a substitute for a CO alarm and is not certified as one. It has no speaker to sound an alarm either. You have to rely on push notifications and checking the app itself.

Does it measure radon or CO2?

No. Ring confirms it measures neither on their website.

Does it measure VOCs?

No.

Does it need Wi-Fi?

No. It connects over Amazon Sidewalk.

Can it be wall-mounted or run on batteries?

Ring lists no wall-mount option and no battery. It’s a plug-in device that requires a power outlet.

How often does it update?

PM2.5 and CO report every 15 minutes; temperature and humidity also push on temperature threshold changes.