Alen air purifiers are highly regarded for their impressive design, build quality and performance. This Texas-based manufacturer has developed an excellent reputation by being at the forefront of the industry for over 15 years.
Alen is also known for its above-average prices, and the BreatheSmart 75i, with a price tag of $749, is undoubtedly high-end.
This leaves many consumers wondering if it’s worth spending the extra money and what they can expect in return if they invest in the BreatheSmart 75i.
From testing Alen’s BreatheSmart 45i and Flex models firsthand, we know that they deliver on quality and, on paper at least, the 75i certainly seems to tick a lot of boxes too.
Unpacking this unit, you’ll find a medical-grade H13 HEPA filter, a colossal room size suitability of 1,300 sq. ft. and an array of smart features to boot. But to really see if it warrants the premium price tag, we decided to purchase the 75i for ourselves and see how well it performs in our real-world tests.
The lowdown on the Alen BreatheSmart 75i
“The Alen BreatheSmart 75i is on the expensive side of air purifiers, but it’s worth the high price ticket. Air cleaning performance is excellent and it comes with a large activated charcoal filter, which is crucial for people who are trying to tackle smells and smoke.”
— Danny Ashton, Founder & Senior Writer
Looking for the lowdown on the Alen BreatheSmart 75i? Here are my key findings from our hands-on review.
The BreatheSmart 75i is Alen’s most powerful air purifier, with an Energy Star-certified CADR of 330 CFM for smoke, 335 CFM for dust and 403 CFM for pollen. However, this performance comes at a cost, with the unit currently retailing for $748.99.
Other options with a similar CADR include the Levoit Everest Air (360 CFM), which costs $499.99, the Blueair Blue Pure 211+ (350 CFM), which will set you back $311.36 and the IQAir Healthpro Plus (300 CFM) that retails for $899.99. With various options available at different price points, it will be interesting to see how the 75i measures up.
What we really like
What we think could be better
| HouseFresh rating: | ★★★★☆ |
| Time to clean our 728 cubic feet test room (with the device running at top speed): | 24 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | True HEPA H13 filters with activated carbon pellets + Ionizer technology |
| Recommended room size (4.8 air changes per hour): | 512 sq. ft. |
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | Dust: 335.3 CFM Smoke: 330.5 CFM Pollen: 403.4 CFM |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 27H x 18.5W x 11.5D inches (68.58H x 46.99W x 29.21D cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 27 lbs (12.2 kg) |
| Filter life: | 12 – 15 months |
| Noise level in decibels (as reported by the manufacturer): | 24 – 49dB |
| Electricity consumption in watts (as reported by the manufacturer): | Lowest fan speed: 1.8 watts Highest fan speed: 45 watts |
| Estimated running cost (electricity consumption + official filter replacement): | $147.72 per year |
| Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM): | $2.23 |
| Manufacturer’s warranty: | Lifetime (with product registration & active filter subscription) |
| Country of manufacture: | China |
Slick design with simple controls
The BreatheSmart 75i may be a large unit, but it won’t look out of place thanks to its clean aesthetic.
The first thing to mention is that the BreatheSmart 75i is a bit of a beast.
It uses large fans and filters, so it naturally has a larger footprint than the average unit. Just to show you the sheer size of the 75i, we took a photo of it next to the Wirecutter’s darling: the Coway Mighty AP-1512HH. See how much bigger the Alen 75i is in comparison:
But where other large purifiers, like the IQAir Healthpro Plus, have resigned themselves to the aesthetic of a 90s printer, the 75i looks pretty sleek and sophisticated.
You can pick from a range of colors to best suit your home, but I think it looks great with its glossy white facade and grey trim.
Lined up against other purifiers we’ve tested, the 75i doesn’t struggle to blend into its surroundings without dominating the room.
Alen also made sure to make their control panel look classy.
From the control panel, you can cycle through the four fan speeds, set a timer for 2, 4 or 12 hours, lock the settings and receive a warning when your filter is approaching the end of its lifespan.
The touchscreen controls are easy to understand and boast a little flair through the color-coded air quality display that relays particle readings to the user
One of my favorite features on the 75i is its Auto mode, which is highly responsive at recognizing changing pollutant levels and automatically adjusting the fan speed to tackle particle build-ups before slowing back down to conserve energy.
You’ll also find an ionizer, which can be used to charge particles and improve effectiveness or disabled to reduce the risk of any ozone at the user’s discretion, although the 75i has been found to produce less than 0.001 PPM of ozone with the ionizer engaged, so shouldn’t be an issue.
Alen has also developed an app to remotely control your air purifier and provide updates on filter life and air quality readings to your mobile device. However, Alen still has some bugs to iron out, as my 75i mysteriously disconnected from the app numerous times.
H13 HEPA filters to tackle the tiniest particles
Alen offers an excellent primary filter as standard, and you can tailor carbon quantities to suit your needs.
How well an air purifier performs often depends on the filters it boasts. Alen has addressed this by opting for an ultra-effective medical-grade H13 HEPA. This filter can capture 99.9% of particles as small as 0.1 microns, meaning allergens, smoke and bacteria particles will be removed with impressive efficiency.
One thing I love to see when reviewing filters is a third-party test to prove that they match what is advertised. Especially in the wake of Levoit removing all traces of HEPA branding following a complaint to the BBB.
The good news is that Alen had their filters independently tested and even shared LMS Technologies’ microbiology report for any concerned consumer to read.
It’s a shame that Alen doesn’t include any activated carbon in their standard ‘Pure’ filter, but they do offer a range of upgraded filters with varying carbon amounts to tackle VOCs and odor.
If you’re looking to buy an Alen 75i to help you tackle VOCs and smells, you get two options:
- The Fresh filter, which includes a colossal 3.6 lbs of pelleted carbon.
- The Odor filter, which combines carbon with an odor neutralizer to tackle persistent pongs from cooking, pets or musty mold.
Remember, all new filters will come in a plastic wrapper. Be sure to remove this before installing any filter into your unit.
You can see the price difference between these three filters in the table below:
The Alen BreatheSmart 75i cleared our test room in 24 minutes
We recorded rapid particle removal fueled by the 75i’s powerful fans and filters
Like all air purifiers featured on HouseFresh, the Alen BreatheSmart 75i underwent our air cleaning performance test. This is where we fill our 728 cubic foot home lab with incense smoke and time how long it takes for a purifier to remove all traces of PM1.0ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM10.0 ug/m3 particles, using our highly accurate PurplAair Touch air sensor.
The 75i performed as expected, clearing the room in 24 minutes.
The graph shows a sharp rise as our simulated pollution contaminates the room. Once the room was filled with smoke, I turned on the BreatheSmart 75i to its highest setting (around 15.35hs) and left the room, measuring PM1 levels remotely using the software we have built to tap into the PurpleAir API.
Air cleaning performance results compared
As mentioned above, with the purifier set to its highest speed setting, we saw the Alen BreatheSmart 75i clear the space of all pollutants in just 24 minutes.
This time puts the 75i just outside the top 10 air purifiers we’ve tested to date, falling marginally behind similarly powered units such as Blueair’s Blue Pure 211+ (18 mins), yet besting one of the most technical units on the market in the IQAir Healthpro Plus (25 mins).
Noise levels results compared
We know that the noisier the air purifier, the less likely you will want to use it regularly. That is why we care about how much noise the devices generate, especially when running at top speed.
According to Alen, the BreatheSmart 75i generated 24 dB at its lowest level and 49 dB at top speed — here is how it compares to other units we have tested:
These are incredibly low volumes for such a powerful unit, ranging from the sound of a whisper to the hum of a refrigerator. Compared to other units, we see that the 75i is one of the quietest units we’ve tested to date, so you have nothing to worry about if you’re a light sleeper or easily distracted.
Of course, sound is a highly subjective topic, so we made sure to record the test, allowing you to hear the 75i for yourself.
The cost to run an Alen BreatheSmart 75i: $147.72 per year
1. Electricity costs = $48.72 per year
With energy prices on the rise, it’s essential to consider the running costs of any new electrical appliance. By connecting the 75i to our wattage monitor, I was able to see how much energy this unit draws when used on its various speed settings.
According to Alen, the 75i draws between 1.8 watts and 45 watts. I used the calculator from the U.S. Department of Energy to calculate how much running this purifier at its top speed 24/7/365 would add to your annual bill: $48.72
That said, it’s worth mentioning that you’re unlikely to use the air purifier at top speed 24/7 in this way, so you can expect to see even lower charges with ordinary use.
2. Filter costs = $99.00 per year
As the Alen purifier uses HEPA and carbon filters, over time, they will become saturated with pollutants, lose efficiency and eventually need replacing.
The good news is that Alen’s filters last for age, with a lifespan between 12 and 15 months, even when used around the clock.
The bad news is that Alen’s filters aren’t exactly cheap. The standard Pure filter costs $99; if you’re looking for protection from VOCs, the Fresh filter increases to $129 and the Odor filter $139. Other brands like Blueair and Levoit have filters available for between 50 and 70 bucks, but it’s worth pointing out that they will only last half the time, so costs may even out overall.
- PURE HEPA AIR FILTER: Breathe cleaner air with the Alen Air Purifier’s high-quality HEPA filter. This advanced filter captures allergens, dust, mold, and germs, promoting a healthier and safer environment for you and your loved ones
- MEDICAL-GRADE H13 TRUE HEPA FILTER: Discover the exceptional power of our medical-grade H13 True HEPA filter within your home. Our filter captures 99.9% of airborne particles as small as 0.1 micron, this technology provides clean and fresh air throughout your space. Take control of your indoor air quality and create a safe haven for your family
Remember that Alen filters offer amazing protection from even the smallest particles, which is a worthy investment. Plus, with an active filter subscription, you’ll get a lifetime warranty on your purifier for added peace of mind.
Savvy shoppers may have noticed that generic filters are widely available online. We recently tested a generic filter for the BreatheSmart 45i and saw an almost identical particle removal rate. They can considerably reduce filter replacement costs, so it may be worth considering if you’re not too bothered about the lifetime warranty.
- PERFECT COMPATIBILITY: Our 75i True HEPA filter replacement is compatible with 75i Air Cleaner Purifier, for models B7-Fresh, B7-MP-Pet, and B7-Pure.
- TRUE HEPA FILTRATION: The 75i True HEPA Filter Replacement effectively filters up to 99.97% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns, including dust, pet dander, smoke, and more small particles. Breathe in cleaner, fresher air with every use.
Bottom line
Smart features, sophisticated design and speedy air cleaning make the 75i a triple threat.
Yes, it may be large, and yes, it may be expensive, but the BreatheSmart 75i is a solid option for those looking for a powerful air purifier to help deal with odors and VOCs.
That said, there are cheaper air purifiers, such as the Levoit Everest Air ($499.99) or the Smart Air Blast Mini ($599), that manage to clear pollutants faster during our air cleaning test A LOT faster than the 75i. However, if you are looking for an air purifier to help tackle gases or odors, then the 75i has an edge over the competition as you can buy the 75i Fresh Filter, which comes with 3.6 lbs of activated carbon.
SOURCES
We calculated yearly costs associated with running the Alen BreatheSmart 75i for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, using the appliance energy calculator from the U.S. Department of Energy.
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