With the rapid development of China's industrial sectors, the concentration of PM2.5 has increased significantly. Haze weather does not only occur in winter; it also appears in summer. Consequently, many families purchasing air purifiers also choose to place a portable air quality detector, commonly known as a haze meter, in their homes. Since 2016, domestic haze meters have quietly become popular, with prices ranging from a few hundred to several thousand yuan. Some use infrared dust sensors, while others utilize laser dust sensor detection technology. Meanwhile, the accuracy of haze meter test results has become a common topic of concern.

According to feedback from consumers who purchased such haze meters, values read by different brands of meters can vary, which easily misleads people as to which detection value is correct. The Luftmy editor has learned that the reason for the differences in detection data among various haze meters is quite simple: it is because the PM2.5 sensor used in each meter is different.

Currently, from the perspective of measurement principles, a haze meter obtains and displays values through a PM2.5 sensor. However, some businesses on the market use large-particle dust sensors to impersonate PM2.5 sensors, which cannot detect small-diameter PM2.5 at all; even if they manage to measure it, the accuracy is extremely low. Therefore, for a relatively reliable haze meter, the accuracy of the PM2.5 sensor must be very high, accurate down to single digits.

Generally speaking, haze meters costing tens of yuan usually use infrared dust sensors. These sensors determine the concentration of dust particles in the air by irradiating particles with infrared light and measuring the resulting light scattering. They are low in price and accuracy; many manufacturers' infrared dust sensors often fail to obtain accurate concentration values, making it inevitable that many haze meters using these sensors are inaccurate. In this case, if you want to buy a haze meter with more precise values, you can choose one with a laser dust sensor. The accuracy of laser dust sensors is much higher, resulting in more precise PM2.5 data.