Our verdict:
The Blueair Blue Pure 211+ blew us away with its air cleaning capabilities; our thorough testing showed performance levels not normally seen at this price point.
The lack of auto-mode and app support might put some people off, but you can’t go wrong with the 211+ for large spaces in your home. Some consumers might prefer a pure HEPA and activated charcoal filter vs the HEPASilent™ that the Blueair uses, but just know this choice will mean having to pay upwards of $600 for an alternative to the power of Blue Pure 211+.
Blueair has long been one of the top names in the air purifier business. For over two decades, the Swedish company has been designing and building award-winning purifiers to provide the same clean, fresh air inside the home as you might find in the pristine Swedish countryside.
Thanks to their flagship HEPASilent technology, Blueair has developed a range of ultra-efficient purifiers. By combining a traditional HEPA + Activated Charcoal filter with an electrostatically charging chamber, the filter can easily capture charged pollutants as they pass through the unit. This enhanced performance allows the user to operate the purifier on lower fan speeds, creating a quieter environment while saving energy bills.
With Blueair’s range of purifiers already gaining an excellent reputation, we decided to see how the Blue Pure 211+ measured up. This purifier fits into the design-conscious, easy-to-use, and somewhat budget-friendly Blue Pure products offered by Blueair, with the 211+ designed for use in larger rooms up to 540 sq. ft.
| Why You Can Trust This Review As with all our reviews here at HouseFresh, we bought the Pure 211+ with our own money to avoid biases. That is why you can be sure we will provide an unbiased account of this purifier’s features and performance, whether fantastic or flawed, to see if it truly lives up to the accolades and is worth spending your hard-earned cash on. Remaining unbiased is one of the reasons why we prefer to purchase every air purifier we test with our own money, the other reason is that we like to test them all performing the same task under the same conditions. We did this with the Pure 211+ too, putting it to the test following the HouseFresh 3-Stage Testing Process: Stage 1. I lit an incense stick inside our 705 cubit ft. testing room, allowing it to release pollutants in the air until it was fully consumed. I then used a Purple Air Indoor air quality sensor to record how fast the 211+ cleaned the air when running at its highest speed. Stage 2. I plugged in the Pure 211+ through an electricity usage monitor to record actual energy consumption levels at the air purifier’s lowest and highest speeds. Stage 3. I used a sound level meter to record noise levels from the Pure 211+ when running at its top and bottom speeds. Once we had all this data in hand, we proceeded to take photos, record videos and write our thoughts on the Blueair Blue Pure 211+. You might think this is not a big deal. But, if you pay attention to most other reviews out there, the people writing them are basically paraphrasing the manufacturer’s marketing materials without any real-life experience of what it’s like to use the air purifier in realistic scenarios. That is a no-no for us. |
Okay, now that the intro is out of the way, let me tell you everything I learned about the Blueair Blue Pure 211+ throughout all these tests.
TL;DR The Low Down on the Blueair Blue Pure 211+
The Blueair Blue Pure 211+ blew me away with its air cleaning capabilities. Our air cleaning test showed performance levels not normally seen at this price point.
— Danny Ashton, Founder & Senior Writer
Don’t want to read the full review? Here are the main pointers from our performance test of this unit.
What We Really Like:
👍 Excellent CADR rating, especially when considering the price.
👍 Tests back up impressive spec, making light work of our particulate pollutant test.
👍 Super simple to set up.
👍 Customizable design thanks to the interchangeable fabric pre-filter.
👍 Pre-filters can be cleaned by vacuuming or popping in the wash for a deep clean.
What We Think Could Be Better:
👎 Lack of additional features such as an air sensor, timer, or app makes it feel more basic.
👎 Not the quietest purifier on the market.
👎 Blueair filter replacements are fairly costly.
Clean Up To 540 sq. ft. with 350 CFM
Currently retailing for $299.99, the Blue Pure 211+ appears to offer excellent value for a purifier boasting a CADR rating of 350. Alternative purifiers with a similar rating, such as the Alen BreatheSmart 75i or Coway Airmega 400, cost twice as much, so seeing how it compares in our real-world tests will be interesting.
| HouseFresh Rating: | ★★★★☆ |
|---|---|
| Time to clean our test room: | 18 minutes |
| Air purifier technology: | HEPASilent™ Technology (electrostatic filtration with HEPA) and Activated Charcoal Filter |
| Recommended room size: | 540 sq. ft. |
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | 350 CFM |
| Dimensions (in inches / in cm): | 20H x 13W x 13D inches (51H x 33W x 33D cm) |
| Weight (in pounds / in kg): | 12.5 lbs (5.67 kg) |
| Noise level (low – high): | 31 – 56 dB |
| Filter life: | 6 – 8 months |
| Warranty: | 1 year (can be extended to 2 years by creating a Blueair account and registering the unit within 60 days of purchase) |
| Estimated energy consumption: | $64.12 per year |
A Pop of Color With Intercheangeable Pre-Filters
Blueair is certainly not afraid to embrace bold design. In a world of mundane, white, rectangular appliances, they introduce much-welcomed color and texture to their products.
Upon delivery of the 211+, we found a compact yet securely packed box, with all the components and instructions well presented inside.
With everything unpacked, we opened the purifier by pressing the two release buttons on either side and lifted the top off to slot in the HEPA filter. The last step was to pull the pre-filter over the outer grill like you would slide a sock up your foot.
The fabric pre-filter doesn’t just capture large particles, but captures the imagination at first glance. Coming in a range of customizable colors, you choose a style to best suit your decor or switch it up with various interchangeable covers.
When it comes to the design of the Blue Pure 211+, one can see Scandi influences. Wherever you look, you are met with clean, sharp lines and a focus on modernity. My favorite thing about the design of the 211+ is the air outlet grill, which features a unique honeycomb pattern that is pleasant to the eye.
We see a stark difference in design when comparing Blueair’s range to some of its competitors. Although a fantastic purifier in its own right, the IQAir Healthpro Plus resembles a copy machine from the 1990s, while the Blue Pure 211+ embraces a modern aesthetic that doesn’t sit awkwardly in the home, but can complement your style and decor.
At just over half a meter tall and 33 cm deep and wide, this purifier won’t eat up much of your valuable living space whilst still packing a mighty punch for a smaller machine.
| One negative we found when we were setting up the Blue Pure 211+ came when maneuvering the unit. The instructions state when moving the purifier, to take hold of the machine by the top, however, there are no handles or obvious points where to grip the air purifier. Without castor wheels either, this makes the unit more challenging to move around the home and is the first time we’ve encountered a discrepancy between the instruction manual and how the product is used in the real world. |
One-Button Design Without Complicated Settings
The controls for operating the Blue Pure 211+ could not be more straightforward. There is one button located on the front of the purifier which turns it on and cycles through the three fan speeds, before turning it off again.
While the one-button design allows you to operate the air purifier without complicated or cluttered controls and settings.
While the fuss-free controls will appeal to many, the lack of additional features and controls really highlights the limitations of this purifier. Where alternative manufacturers have introduced timers, air quality indicators, and auto settings, the Blue Plus 211+ has none. Even the Blueair app is reserved for their flagship models, which doesn’t include the 211+. The only additional flourish we see is when the power button glows yellow after 5 months to indicate it’s almost time to change your filter and turns red a month later.
If an auto-mode is something that you think is going to come in useful, then you will have to upgrade to the newer but very similarly powered 211+ Auto version which is $40 more.
Three-Stage Filtration System
The Blue Pure 211+ comes equipped with a trio of particle-busting filters. With a fabric pre-filter that fits to the outer body of the machine and the HEPASilent filter, which combines HEPA and Activated Charcoal, that slots inside.
If you’ve researched air purifiers, you will undoubtedly have come across the term ‘HEPA filter.’ Standing for High-Efficiency Particulate Air filter, this has become the benchmark for air purification, as it guarantees the filter will remove at least 99.97% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns in size. Here is how it works:
While HEPA is good enough for most manufacturers, Blueair has developed a supercharged version called HEPASilent.
The difference-maker between regular HEPA and HEPASilent filters is introducing an electrostatic charge, which works similarly to an Ionizer. HEPASilent kills 99% of germs/viruses/bacteria and attaches negative ions to particles, attracting them to the positively charged fibers within the HEPA filter.
The benefits of this process are measurable in the amount of particulate matter that is removed from the air. HEPASilent filters can capture 99.97% of particles as small as 0.1 micron, meaning far fewer pollutants pass through the Blue Pure 211+. While also allows the air purifier to run more efficiently, operating on slower fan speeds to reduce energy consumption and noise pollution without compromising on quality.
Built into the HEPASilent filter is also a sheet of activated carbon to tackle VOCs such as chemical fumes, smoke and even foul odors. Plus, a washable, mesh pre-filter captures larger particles before they enter the purifier, extending the lifespan of your HEPASilent filter.
Check out how easy it is to get your filters up and running below.
| ⚠️ When installing your filters, remember to remove the plastic sealed bag they are delivered in before inserting them into your Blueair Blue Pure 211+. |
The Blueair Blue Pure 211+ Cleared Our Test Room in 18 Minutes
We performed our three stage test on the Blueair Blue Pure 211+ and were pleasantly surprised by this unit’s performance, especially in the air cleaning section of the test.
The air cleaning stage of the test is straightforward: we set the Blue Pure 211+ up in our home lab (705 cubic ft.) and used incense sticks to fill the room with both particulate matter and VOC pollutants. We then used our trusted PurpleAir indoor sensor to measure PM1.0ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3, and PM10.0 ug/m3 levels while the 211+ was running at full speed. This allowed us to assess how fast this particular air purifier can clean pollutants from the air in a real-life situation.
This is what we found:
- We fired up the 211+ on its highest setting at 09:45hs, where our sensor showed PM10.0 levels at 3054ug/m3 and PM2.5 had reached 2108ug/m3
- The level of pollutants in the air rapidly decreased, reaching a reading of 0ug/m3 across all three sized particles by 10:03hs
- It took the Blueair Blue Pure 211+ 18 minutes to purify the air in our test room completely
Air Cleaning Performance Compared to Other Air Purifiers
The rapid rate at which the Blue Pure 211+ eradicated pollutants is impressive. Outperforming other purifiers with similar specs such as the Alen BreatheSmart 75i which took 24 minutes and the Levoit Core 400s which took 33 minutes and even pipping the IQAir Healthpro Plus at 25 minutes. All while costing a fraction of the price of its competitors.
Noise Levels Test Results
When measuring the volume of noise the unit produces, at its lowest speed, it creates 31dB. This is very quiet but not quite as low as other units we’ve tested, that manage to fall into the whisper or pink noise decibel range.
With the fans set to full speed, the reading reached 56dB; this is around the average we’ve found throughout our tests and is comparable to your AC unit. Take a listen for yourself below to get a better idea:
The Cost to Run the Blueair Blue Pure 211+: $192.54 Per Year
As energy prices soar worldwide, it is now more important than ever to consider the operating cost of appliances you run at home. While we believe you can’t put a price on breathing quality air, we understand that purse strings are tightening. So to help you factor a new air purifier into your budget, we’ve done the math and figured out how much the Blue Pure 211+ could cost you in the long run.
1. Electricity costs = $52.56
When running this air purifier on the highest speed setting, we recorded 55.5 watts of energy being used. By using the Department of Energy’s appliance energy calculator, we know this will set you back $52.56 per year, if used at this setting 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Of course, unless you live inside a chimney, you will unlikely have to utilize the highest setting on your purifier around the clock. The good news is that we recorded only 16.7 watts being used on the lowest setting, which you are most likely to use for most of the time. At this speed, your annual costs come down to $17.87 per year, even when used continuously.
2. Filter costs = $139.98
As HEPA filters get clogged with debris over time, to keep your Blue Pure 211+ running at its optimum, you will need to replace them to allow air changes to take place efficiently periodically. Another key consideration when purchasing an air purifier should be how often and how costly replacing the filter will be.
The filters that Blueair produces for their Blue Pure 211+ model cost $69.99 and will last for 6-8 months. This is relatively expensive, however not an uncommon price when compared with other air purifiers in its class, with filter replacements costing the same amount for the Alen BreatheSmart 45i and $129.00 for the Coway Airmega 400 (which last for 12 months).
To save money on filter replacements, you can try the generic alternatives available on Amazon for the cheaper price of $45.99. These also have a lifespan of 6 months, and customer reviews generally indicate the performance matches the official Blueair product.
Bottom Line
The Blue Pure 211+ performed excellently in our real-world tests, clearing a mid-sized space of all particular matter within 18 minutes, outperforming some of the industry-leading air purifiers in the process, such as the IQAir Healthpro Plus.
While this performance speaks for itself, the design deserves special mention. The sleek, modern aesthetic would appeal to many people and thanks to its customizable design will sit comfortably in any home.
Where I feel the Blue Pure 211+ lets itself down is through its lack of features. While many people will like the simplicity of this unit, when comparing it to the Alen BreatheSmart 75i or Levoit Core 600S which performed as well in our tests, they offer a great deal more in functionality, provide detailed feedback to its user and come with all the bells and whistles you expect from a premium product.
There’s no denying this unit is a brilliantly performing product for a very reasonable price. So, if you’re seeking an easy-to-use air purifier that does the job with minimal fuss, look no further than the Blue Pure 211+.
SOURCES
We used the Department of Energy’s appliance energy calculator to calculate the yearly electricity costs associated with running the Blue Pure 211+ for 24hs a day for 365 days. We chose to run this calculation utilizing the US average utility rate, which is $0.12/kWh as of February 1st, 2023.
Last update on 2023-03-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API