Which Airthings Model Should You Buy?
Wave Plus ($279): Best overall - monitors radon, CO2, VOCs, humidity, temp, and pressure. Perfect for comprehensive air quality tracking.
Wave Mini ($79): Best budget option - monitors mold risk (humidity + temp) but NO radon detection. Good starter device.
Corentium Home ($169): Best radon-only detector - simple, accurate, no subscription. Great if you only care about radon.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Wave Plus | Wave Mini | Corentium Home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $279 | $79 | $169 |
| Radon Detection | ✓ Yes | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Additional Sensors | CO2, VOCs, humidity, temp, pressure | Humidity, temp, mold risk | None (radon only) |
| Battery Life | 16 months | 16 months | 2 years |
| App Required | Yes (Bluetooth) | Yes (Bluetooth) | No (has LCD screen) |
| Best For | Whole-home air quality | Mold monitoring (not radon) | Dedicated radon testing |
Detailed Breakdown
Airthings Wave Plus
Complete home air quality monitor
What It Monitors:
- ✓ Radon (short-term and long-term averages)
- ✓ CO2 (carbon dioxide levels)
- ✓ VOCs (volatile organic compounds)
- ✓ Humidity (mold risk indicator)
- ✓ Temperature
- ✓ Air pressure
Key Features:
- • Wave gesture to see quick readings
- • Bluetooth app with graphs and alerts
- • 16-month battery life (replaceable)
- • Wall-mountable
- • Works offline (syncs when you open app)
- • 24-hour, weekly, and annual averages
Why Choose Wave Plus:
The Wave Plus is the Swiss Army knife of air quality monitors. If you want to track radon AND understand why your basement feels stuffy (CO2), why you get headaches upstairs (VOCs), or when mold risk is high (humidity), this is your device. It's more expensive but replaces 4-5 separate monitors.
Downsides:
- • Most expensive option ($249 vs $169 for radon-only)
- • Requires smartphone app (no built-in screen)
- • Battery replacement needed every 16 months (~$10)
Airthings Wave Mini
Mold risk monitor (NOT radon)
⚠️ CRITICAL: Wave Mini Does NOT Detect Radon
Despite the "Airthings Wave" name, the Mini only monitors temperature, humidity, and mold risk. If you need radon detection, you want the Wave Plus or Corentium Home—not the Mini.
What It Monitors:
- ✓ Humidity
- ✓ Temperature
- ✓ VOCs (volatile organic compounds)
- ✓ Mold risk indicator
- ✗ NO radon detection
Key Features:
- • Cheapest Airthings device ($79)
- • Same wave gesture interface
- • Same Bluetooth app
- • 16-month battery life
- • Tiny and discrete
Why Choose Wave Mini:
The Mini is perfect if you want to monitor mold risk in a bathroom, closet, or basement but don't need radon detection. It's also good as an ADDITIONAL device—buy a Wave Plus for your main living area (radon), then add Minis in other rooms to track mold risk.
Airthings Corentium Home
Dedicated radon detector with LCD screen
What It Monitors:
- ✓ Radon only (short-term and long-term)
- • No other sensors
- • Simple and focused
Key Features:
- • Built-in LCD screen (no app required)
- • Shows 1-day, 7-day, and long-term average
- • 2-year battery life (longest in lineup)
- • Completely standalone (no phone needed)
- • Most portable Airthings device
Why Choose Corentium Home:
The Corentium Home is perfect if you ONLY care about radon and don't want to mess with apps or Bluetooth. Just place it in your basement, glance at the screen occasionally, and you're done. It's also great for older adults who don't want smartphone-dependent devices.
Advantages Over Wave Plus:
- • $100 cheaper ($179 vs $279)
- • No app required (built-in screen)
- • Longer battery life (2 years vs 16 months)
- • Simpler to use (one-button interface)
- • More portable (smaller, lighter)
Which One Should You Buy?
Choose Wave Plus If:
- ✓ You want comprehensive air quality monitoring (radon + CO2 + VOCs + humidity)
- ✓ You're trying to troubleshoot multiple issues (stuffiness, headaches, mold)
- ✓ You like data and want detailed graphs in an app
- ✓ Budget isn't your primary concern ($279)
- ✓ You're comfortable using smartphone apps
Choose Wave Mini If:
- ✓ You DON'T need radon detection (mold risk only)
- ✓ You're adding extra monitors to supplement a Wave Plus
- ✓ You want the cheapest Airthings device ($79)
- ✓ You're monitoring a bathroom, closet, or storage area
- ✗ Do NOT buy if you need radon detection
Choose Corentium Home If:
- ✓ You ONLY care about radon (nothing else)
- ✓ You want a screen (no app required)
- ✓ You want the longest battery life (2 years)
- ✓ You don't want to deal with Bluetooth or smartphones
- ✓ You're buying for parents/grandparents who want simplicity
- ✓ You want to move it between rooms easily
Radon Detection Accuracy
Both the Wave Plus and Corentium Home use the same radon detection technology (alpha spectrometry), so accuracy is essentially identical.
Independent Lab Testing Results:
Note: Both devices meet EPA accuracy requirements for residential radon testing. For 100% certainty before mitigation, follow up with a professional lab test (costs $15-30).
Common Questions
Can I use Wave Mini for radon detection?
No. The Wave Mini does NOT detect radon despite the similar name. It only monitors temperature, humidity, VOCs, and mold risk. For radon, you need the Wave Plus ($279) or Corentium Home ($169).
Is Wave Plus worth $110 more than Corentium Home?
Depends on your needs. The extra $110 gets you CO2, VOC, and air pressure monitoring—essentially 4 additional sensors. If you want comprehensive air quality data, yes. If you ONLY care about radon, save your money and get the Corentium Home.
Do I need the Airthings app subscription?
No. The free Airthings app gives you full access to your data, graphs, and alerts. There IS a paid "Airthings for Business" subscription ($8/month) with advanced features, but it's only useful for commercial users managing multiple devices.
Which one has the longest battery life?
Corentium Home has the longest battery life at 2 years. Wave Plus and Wave Mini both last 16 months. All use standard AA batteries that are easy to replace (~$5-10).
Can I have multiple Airthings devices?
Yes! The app supports unlimited devices. A common setup: Wave Plus in the basement (comprehensive monitoring), Corentium Home on the main floor (radon check), and Wave Minis in bathrooms (mold risk). All sync to one app.
Our Recommendations
Most People:
Get the Wave Plus. The extra sensors help you understand WHY your basement feels bad, not just confirm radon levels.
Buy Wave Plus ($279) →Radon Only:
Get the Corentium Home. Save $110, get longer battery life, and enjoy the simplicity of a built-in screen.
Buy Corentium Home ($169) →Mold Risk:
Get the Wave Mini as an add-on device for bathrooms or closets. Not for radon detection.
Buy Wave Mini ($79) →All Airthings devices come with free shipping on Amazon and a 30-day return policy