This paper critically reviews the most common sampling methods currently used to monitor aerosols. It is widely accepted that aerosol particles may have significant effects on human health but there is a variety of processes that emit aerosols into both the workplace atmosphere and the ambient environment. For this reason, aerosol sampling is now being carried out worldwide in both the workplace and ambient environments using a variety of different aerosol samplers that make use of a wide range of mechanisms. In examining the methods for collecting representative aerosol samples using either a collecting or sensing medium, this paper also introduces a new aerosol sampler that has been developed at the University of Bradford in the UK.