Ikea's new air quality sensor is chic and affordable

Matt Wille June 4, 2021 Tech No one does functionality quite like Ikea. Alexander Hafemann/Photodisc/Getty Images

Ikea might be best known for its furniture, but lately the Swedish company has been pumping out an impressive lineup of affordable home electronics, too. Like this $55 Förnuftig air purifier that’s somehow not an eyesore.

This week Ikea is launching what might just be the most chill air quality sensor we’ve ever seen. The Vintrikning sensor is attuned enough to keep your lungs safe, and low-profile enough to keep it out on the table without ruining your apartment’s aesthetic.

The Vindriktning works by detecting fine particles (PM 2.5) — those less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter.

That’s 30 times smaller than a human hair.

To use the sensor, you just plug it in via USB-C cable and wait a few seconds. (The USB-C cable is sold separately.)

The front of the sensor then lights up one of three colors: green, yellow, or red. Green is what you’re aiming for.

Yellow means “OK”...

...and red is “not good.” That’s when you’ll want to shut the windows and turn on the chic air purifier you just bought.

$12 That's a low price to pay for some peace of mind. Ikea Shutterstock

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