Airthings Wave Enhance review: Powerful sensors in a compact device
Airthings Wave Enhance
Pros
- Looks good, discreet
- Captures lots of information
- LED indicator light for quick air-quality check
- Simple to use
- Excellent battery life
Cons
- No WiFi connectivity
- No screen
In my ongoing exploration of Airthings’ indoor air quality range, I’ve previously reviewed the View Plus, a feature-rich device for detailed air insights, and the Renew air purifier, Airthings’ first move into air quality improvement. The company’s range also includes the Wave Plus and Mini, compact options for air monitoring, adding to a growing ecosystem of indoor air quality solutions.
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Now, Airthings has launched the Wave Enhance, built to offer simple, real-time air tracking with long battery life and a surprise or two up its sleeve. This review takes a close look at how the Wave Enhance performs for everyday air quality checks, what sets it apart, how it fits within Airthings’ expanding ecosystem, and if it worth the $149.99 price tag (check price on Amazon).
Jump to
A minimalistic design choice
Lots of sensors
How to use
Data and insights
How it compares to other products
The verdict
Airthings Wave Enhance review: A minimalistic design choice
The Wave Enhance has a simple, minimalistic design that feels right for places like the bedroom or home office as the company suggests. These are spaces where air quality can have a big impact on sleep and focus.
The thing is lightweight and compact with a streamlined but smart design. Its 3.4 ounces in weight and 3.15 inches in diameter, make it easy to place almost anywhere without drawing much attention. Thumbs up from me – as far as aesthetics.
I also like that I can choose between laying it flat, standing it upright with the little fold-out stand, or even mounting it to the wall (with little stickers that can be found in the box). For best results, Airthings recommends placing it at about head height, roughly 40 to 70 inches off the floor, which works well in both a workspace or by the bed.
Airthings has kept the design sleek and simple, opting for an LED light in the center instead of a full display. While this keeps things minimalist, it’s a little less convenient if you want to know air quality without opening the app. A quick press on the touch-sensitive button illuminates the LED in green, yellow, or red, depending on current air quality, so you can get a basic status at a glance.
For detailed insights, you do need to fire up the Airthings app or head over to the web dashboard. This is where you can dive into the data, trends and insights. I guess the lack of a constant on-device readout is a necessary trade-off for better battery life.
In terms of look and feel, the Wave Enhance’s design choices reflect its purpose well. It’s compact, intuitive to interact with, and versatile in placement options, making it easy to set up in a variety of rooms. Once placed, it’s best left in one spot to allow the sensors to calibrate accurately.
Airthings Wave Enhance review: Lots of sensors
The Wave Enhance brings together an impressive suite of sensors to monitor indoor air quality and environmental conditions. It uses an NDIR sensor for CO₂, with a range of 400 to 5000 ppm and a metal-oxide sensor for VOCs, both sampling air quality every five minutes. Additionally, it includes solid-state sensors for temperature and humidity, an air pressure sensor with strong accuracy, and MEMS-based sensors for ambient noise and light, offering a well-rounded picture of indoor conditions. Each of these sensors plays a role in tracking factors that can affect comfort, sleep, and general well-being, and their reliability is supported by weekly and continuous self-calibration.
For connectivity, the Wave Enhance pairs with the Airthings app through Bluetooth, or it can connect via the Airthings SmartLink hub, enabling data access from a distance. In my setup, I found the Bluetooth connection seamless for nearby monitoring, while the SmartLink hub can expand its usability, especially if you want real-time remote monitoring. Smart home compatibility adds to its versatility, with integrations for Alexa and IFTTT, which is useful for those with connected home ecosystems.
The Wave Enhance runs on two AA batteries, providing 14 months of power on Bluetooth alone or up to 17 months with SmartLink hub connectivity. This is pretty good and it means you don’t really need to worry about replacing the battery or charging the device. I suppose – a step up from this would have been a rechargeable solution – but that would probably mean shorter battery life.
Here’s a look at its core technical specs:
Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
Air Quality Sensors | CO₂, VOCs, Humidity, Temperature, Air Pressure |
Other Sensors | Ambient Noise, Light |
Battery Life | Bluetooth LE: up to 14 months; Airthings SmartLink (hub-connected): up to 17 months |
Quick-Check Button | Capacitive touch button with glow light indicator |
Connectivity | Bluetooth LE, Airthings SmartLink (requires hub) |
App Compatibility | Airthings app for iOS and Android; web dashboard for in-depth data analysis |
App Requirements | Internet-connected smartphone with one of the 3 latest major versions of iOS or Android; Bluetooth 4.2 or later |
Operating Conditions | Temperature: 32 °F – 113 °F (0 °C – 45 °C); Humidity: 5% – 95% (non-condensing) |
Product Weight | 3.4 oz (98 g) (with batteries) |
Product Dimensions | Diameter: 3.15 in (80 mm); Thickness: 1.06 in (27 mm) |
Power | 2 AA alkaline batteries (included) |
CO₂ Sensor | NDIR technology; 5 min sampling interval; Range: 400–5000 ppm; Accuracy: ±50 ppm ±5%; Self-calibrating with automatic baseline algorithm |
VOC Sensor | Metal-oxide gas sensor; 5 min sampling interval; Range: 0 – 10,000 ppb; Self-calibrating based on cleanest air exposure |
Humidity Sensor | Solid-state; Sampling interval: 5 min; Accuracy: ±3.0 % RH |
Temperature Sensor | Solid-state; Sampling interval: 5 min; Accuracy: ±1 °F (±0.5 °C) |
Air Pressure Sensor | Absolute accuracy: ±30 Pa; Unit-to-unit accuracy: ±10 Pa; Operating range: 300 – 1250 hPa |
Noise Sensor | MEMS-based; Measures loudness in decibels (dBA); Sampling interval: 6 sec; Not a recording device |
Light Sensor | Photodiode-based; Measures light intensity in lux; Factory calibrated |
Package Contents | Wave Enhance monitor, 2 AA batteries (installed), Quick Start Guide, Regulatory Booklet, 2 strips of double-sided tape |
Airthings Wave Enhance review: How to use
Initial setup
The Wave Enhance setup process is straightforward and quick, especially if you already have other Airthings devices. Download the Airthings app from the App Store or Google Play, ensuring you choose the correct app, as there are a few with similar names. Since I already had the app for my View Plus, setup only took about 2–3 minutes as I simply added a new device to my account. The initial Bluetooth pairing was seamless, and the device was ready to start gathering data right away.
Oh, and make sure to pull the battery tab inside the monitor’s backplate. Otherwise it won’t work. That should probably go without saying.
Once connected, the Wave Enhance begins gathering air quality data immediately, though some sensors, particularly for CO₂ and VOCs, need a few days to fully calibrate. During this period, the readings might fluctuate a bit as the device adjusts, but it still provides functional data in the meantime. Placement options are versatile—whether you choose to set it on a table, stand it upright with the fold-out base, or mount it on a wall, it’s simple to find a suitable spot.
Airthings Wave Enhance review: Data and insights
Now we get to the most interesting section – the data. The good news is that you get lots of it. It’s worth noting, though, that Wave Enhance only has Bluetooth connectivity – so you need to sync the device with the app to access the latest readings. Which is a bit of a negative.
I wish it had WiFi connectivity, as well. That would allow you to check the latest readings even if you are not at home. Granted, you can link up the device to some other Airthings products, such as the View Plus. Which is what I did. This device then acts as an intermediary and sends the data in real-time through its wifi connection. I kept it one room away from the View Plus and it had no problems communicating.
As mentioned, the Wave Enhance captures comprehensive air quality metrics, from CO₂ and VOC levels to humidity, temperature, and air pressure. You even get information on ambient noise and light levels – so this is more than just an air quality monitor. There is also a section in the app which allows you to set up smartphone alerts when metrics exit healthy ranges.
Each of these measurements is available in the Airthings app, which provides a real-time snapshot along with historical trends that are easy to interpret.
Everything can be grouped in latest readings, 24 hour, 7 day and 1 month charts. This is helpful for seeing how your environment changes across different times of day or in response to specific activities.
There’s also a focus section which gives you a few options that will determine what type of insights you get. For example, if you choose “Productivity”, the most important data will be CO2 levels as high levels can lead to a reduction in productivity. This is useful both as an educational tool, and something to keep an eye on so that you know the environmental conditions are within a healthy range.
Sleep disruptors is also a useful focus feature. Switch this on and the main focus will be on factors which affect your nightly slumber. Anything from air pollutants to light and sound levels in your bedroom will be put under the magnifying glass between your typical hours of sleep.
Also, there’s a pollen section in the app. It’s worth noting that this doesn’t track pollen levels with built-in sensors. Instead, it downloads the data from the internet for your particular location.
Website dashboard
As with other Airthings air quality monitors, you can access all this data in the web dashboard as well. This provides a larger-scale view that’s great for digging deeper into patterns and details.
With smart home compatibility through Alexa and IFTTT, you also have options for automating alerts or actions based on air quality triggers, adding further value to the already extensive data offerings.
Airthings Wave Enhance review: How it compares to other products
Airthings has a few air quality products under its belt. And you might be wondering how these devices compare and which one is the right fit your your circumstances.
As compared to other devices, the advantage of Wave Enhance is that it provides info on ambient noise and light levels. But it misses out though on Particulate matter and Radon data. For those that want something more high spec – I suggestion going for View Plus. The benefit of that one is that you can plug it into an electricity outlet, it has wi-fi connectivity, and you get a display which shows in real-time the air quality in your home or office.
Here a snapshot that will help you decide.
Airthings Wave Enhance review: The verdict
The Wave Enhance by Airthings proves to be an effective, feature-rich air quality monitor for those looking to understand and optimize their indoor environment. Its compact design and extended battery life allow it to blend easily into any room, especially spaces where air quality impacts sleep, productivity, or general comfort. Despite its small size, it offers comprehensive data on CO₂, VOCs, temperature, humidity, air pressure, noise, and light—qualities that truly make it feel like a Swiss army knife for air monitoring.
| | Airthings Wave Enhance |  |
The Airthings app provides in-depth data that goes beyond the quick LED light feedback, allowing you to track trends, monitor specific environmental factors, and receive alerts if air quality dips below healthy levels. For sleep, the “Sleep Disruptors” feature offers unique insights into how noise, light, and air quality impact rest, while other focus modes like “Productivity” emphasize CO₂ levels—key for maintaining focus.
While I appreciate the Bluetooth connectivity, I do wish the device included WiFi for instant access to data from anywhere, as syncing requires proximity to the device. It would also be helpful to have a quick way to check air quality at a glance without needing to press the button or open the app.
Overall, the Wave Enhance offers dependable insights and a solid feature set for those serious about managing indoor air quality. At a typical price of $149.99, it’s an investment but provides good value for the range of data it collects and the extended battery life.
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