Review: M5Stack K131 AirQ – All in One Portable Air Quality Monitor

The M5Stack K131 AirQ is an all-in-one air quality monitor designed for easy and comprehensive monitoring of your environment. It is a portable air quality monitor and an ideal companion for those who want to track their exposure to environmental pollutants.

Characteristics

Pros:

Multi-sensor: It goes beyond basic temperature and humidity readings, offering detailed readings on PM1.0,PM2.5, PM4, PM10 particles, VOCs, NO2, and CO2 concentration. This gives you a holistic view of your air quality.
E-ink display: The easy-to-read e-ink display provides clear visuals of the monitored metrics, even in low light conditions. Even in a power outage, the last screen will still be visible.
Versatile mounting: LEGO mounting holes, magnets, and detachable hanging ears offer various installation options for different environments.

Cons:

Limited cloud support: While the AirQ can upload data to M5Stack’s EZDATA cloud platform, integrating with other platforms might require additional programming knowledge.
Data storage: The 8Mb of Flash Memory is rather limited.
Low-power design: The 450mAh battery is rather limited but the low-power design functionality allows users to monitor for few hours without a charger some pollutants.

Technical Specifications

Particulate Sensor (Sensirion SEN55)
CO2 Photoacoustic NDIR Sensor
NOx Sensor
TVOC Sensor
Dual Temperature and Humidity Sensor
Barometric Pressure
e-ink display 1.54-inch
USB-C
WiFi 2.4 GHz
Li-Ion Battery 450mAh
Arduino Enabled
Magnetic mount

Overall

The M5Stack K131 AirQ is a compelling option for those seeking a user-friendly and portable air quality monitoring solution. With its versatility and low-power design, it caters to a wide range of users, from homeowners to researchers and DIY enthusiasts. If you’re looking for a small and portable air quality monitor, the lack of extensive logging features might not be a dealbreaker. However, if you need data storage or prefer broader cloud compatibility, you might want to consider other options.

The monitor can measure gases, but in order to enable the measurements of VOCs and NO2, external power is needed because these sensors consume more energy due to the heating elements that present on the sensors.

Although the K131 AirQ uses the typical WiFi setup process from the ESP32 boards in order to connect it to the local router, thanks to the small display and QR code that generates, it makes the setup process super easy, easier than I have ever experienced (and I have tried a hundred of air quality monitors so far). Data syncs automatically to the EZDATA cloud platform when you are in the local network. This is my device https://airq.m5stack.com/24587C53C52C

Battery levels are hard to understand if you don’t have an electronic background as they use voltage values (e.g. 3.37V) as an indicator and not a percentage. It is recommended to use an external power source.

All sensors come from Sensirion which I have tested multiply times in this website. For the CO2 check out this post.

The LEGO like mounting holes, magnets, and four detachable mounting ears offer versatile installation options. This flexibility allows for secure mounting in various settings, including homes, schools, and facilities, enabling long-term online air quality monitoring.

While the monitor is preconfigured to automatically upload data to M5’s EZDATA cloud platform, providing convenient remote access and data management, users can also download data locally. To do this, power off the device, insert a USB drive while holding the Boot button, and release it once the device powers on.

My Thoughts

It has been a while since I was looking for a low-cost air quality monitor that I can use as a personal air quality exposure tracker that combines PM2.5, CO2, and temperature/humidity measurements in a small package that I can carry with me everywhere.

The e-ink display is all you need; there’s no need for smartphone pairing or Wi-Fi. However, the device’s limited data storage capacity is a significant drawback. This could be addressed through a firmware update (given the Arduino-based design) or by adding external storage like a USB-C drive or microSD card. Such an upgrade would ensure that users can retain their monitoring data over extended periods, facilitating in-depth analysis and research.

The reason the VOCs and NOx have a 0.00, nan, or “Need long time measure” is because these sensors require external power as they are more energy demanding. That is the reason I recommend a small external power bank.

The M5Stack K131 AirQ, while equipped with magnets for convenient mounting, is not designed to withstand the vibrations and jolts associated with bike rides. Its magnetic strength is optimized for static surfaces like refrigerators or metal cabinets, where the device can remain securely fixed without the risk of dislodging.

The Verdict

If you’re looking for a simple and informative way to track your air quality (indoors/outdoors), the M5Stack K131 AirQ is a strong contender. However, if you need advanced data tracking capabilities, you might consider a different monitor with more powerful software integration which I am not aware of any that combines the same tech specifications in that price point.