The cylindrical 100 is one of the smallest air purifiers in Coway’s Airmega line, second only to the even smaller Airmega 50.
But can this new model deliver enough clean air to be worth the $129.99 price tag? And is it louder or quieter than other popular small cylindrical units from Levoit, Philips, Winix and Xiaomi?
To answer these questions, I bought one with my own money so that I could test its air cleaning performance, sound generation, energy efficiency, yearly running costs, and day-to-day user experience.
The overall score for the Coway Airmega 100 incorporates first-hand data results from our battery of tests, as well as our ratings for customer service, brand transparency, and design & UX. Check out the full scorecard below to see the category breakdown.
Search for ‘Airmega 100’ to see where it ranks, based on its air cleaning performance and value for money. You can also filter results to easily compare models in the same price range.
The pros and cons of the Coway Airmega 100
A summary of our top-level findings after testing this air purifier, following our methodology.
“Overall, I’d say this is a good device from Coway in a small package with some cool features like the night light function.
The upfront cost is higher than what you’ll pay for models from Winix and Xiaomi, but it could potentially lead to long-term savings because it has some of the lowest running costs we’ve seen in small air purifiers.”
HouseFresh Founder
& Lead Tester
CONS
PROS
| Clean air delivery rate (CADR): | – Top speed PM1 CADR: 148 cfm – Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 118 cfm |
| Filter technology: | Bonded particle filter with a layer of carbon-impregnated fabric. |
| Recommended room size: | 177 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour) |
| Dimensions: | 8.6 x 8.6 x 15.5 in (22 x 22 x 39.5 cm) |
| Weight: | 6.6 lbs (3.0 kg) |
| Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away: | Sleep mode: 35.6 dBA Speed 1: 38.9 dBA Speed 2: 46.5 dBA Speed 3: 57.2 dBA |
| Electricity consumption in watts: | Standby: 0.3 watts Sleep mode: 3.5 watts Speed 1: 5.6 watts Speed 2: 9.5 watts Speed 3: 23.2 watts |
| Filter lifespan: | 6-12 months |
| Manufacturer’s warranty: | 2 years |
| Country of origin: | South Korea |
| Country of manufacture: | China |
Filtration technology
A small cylindrical filter with particle filtration and a layer of carbon-impregnated fabric.
The filter inside the Airmega 100 has three layers of filtration: a pre-filter mesh on the outside, a particle filter in the middle and a layer of carbon-impregnated fabric on the inside.
The carbon-impregnated fabric won’t be able to help with serious issues with odors and chemical gases – I really wish Coway would include activated carbon pellets instead.
Design, controls and features
A small cylindrical air purifier with similar dimensions to other popular small models.
The Airmega 100 draws dirty air all around its body and releases clear air through the top.
In terms of size, it has dimensions similar to those of the popular Winix A231 and the Xiaomi 4 Compact.
You get touchscreen buttons to adjust fan speeds, switch between light modes and set timers.
You don’t get app connectivity, but you do get an onboard particle sensor that unlocks auto mode.
It has an onboard sensor that measures the level of particle pollution in the air.
The air quality indicator light changes from blue (good) to green (moderate) to orange (unhealthy) to purple (very unhealthy).
You get a button at the top to switch between the air quality indicator light mode, the night light mode, or to turn off all lights – including the backlit control buttons at the top.
The LED light is easy to see from across the room and is a pretty cool addition to the design that makes it stand out from other cylindrical small air purifiers.
The night light mode emits a warm glow with a faint shade of orange, which isn’t powerful enough for reading but feels pretty relaxing on a side table.
Air cleaning performance
We tested the Coway Airmega 100 in our 728-cubic-ft test room, measuring how quickly it removed PM1 particles from the air after we filled the space with incense smoke.
When running at top speed, our PurpleAir Zen sensor shows that the 900 Series needed 40 minutes to reach PM1 zero. Based on the natural ventilation of our test room, we estimate a PM1 CADR of 148 cfm.
This makes the Airmega 100 powerful enough to provide five air changes per hour in small rooms up to 222 sq. ft.
When comparing to other small-size air purifiers, the Airmega 100 matches what we saw from the Winix A231 and the Levoit Vital 100S, but it’s less powerful than the PC fan-powered AirFanta 3Pro.
BUT, as I always say, air purifiers running at full power are usually too loud for everyday use, so we must account for noise levels – – especially with small units that you’re likely to place on top of your desk or maybe even your bedside table.
Sound levels
The sound levels of the Coway Airmega 100 range from 35.6 dBA to 57.2 dBA — which is louder than other small air purifiers like the Philips 900 Series.
I used our BAFX sound meter to measure how much sound the Coway 100 generates at each of its fan speeds at 3 ft away:
Reaching 57.2 dBA at top speed, the Coway 100 is not particularly quiet compared to other small air purifiers from Philips, Dyson and Blueair.
Running at speed 1, it hit 38.9 dBA and cleared our test room in 138 minutes. When set to speed 2, it completed the test in 50 mins at 46.5 dBA.
Long-term running costs
Running a Coway Airmega 100 will cost you $73.39 per year, combining energy and filter replacement costs.
We used our energy meter to record how much electricity the Coway 100 pulls at each fan speed and while on standby.
At top speed, the Airmega 100 draws 23.2 watts, so if you were to leave it running at top speed 24/7 for one year, it will add $35.87 to your energy bill, based on the latest energy prices in the U.S.
But electricity costs are not the only costs you need to budget for when buying an air purifier…
According to Coway, you need to change the filter in your Airmega 100 every 12 months. The OEM filter is available for $37.52, so you can expect to spend that much each year on filter replacements alone.
I added this to the energy costs and can tell you that you need to budget $73.39 each year to keep your Coway Airmega 100 running 24/7 in your home:
The only other small air purifier with lower running costs is the newer Blueair Blue Pure 511i Maz BUT bear in mind that it is more expensive upfront, with a list price of $139.99.
Bottom line: Should you get a Coway Airmega 100?
Overall, I’d say this is a good device from Coway in a small package with some cool features and decent air cleaning power.
Let me recap my findings:
- It offers good air cleaning performance at top speed, with test results on par with what we expect from small air purifiers. At 40 minutes, it matched the particle removal speed we saw from popular units like the Philips 900 Series and the Winix A231.
- It has very low yearly running costs, which is something we always see in air purifiers manufactured by Coway – that is, assuming that the carbon-impregnated filter doesn’t give up sooner than 12 months.
- It has an onboard particle sensor and you’ll be able to see air quality readings displayed in the form of a color-coded light on top of the device. However, it doesn’t come with app support.
- It is more expensive to buy than small cylindrical air purifiers from Winix and Xiaomi, but you will spend less in the long run thanks to its energy efficiency and low-cost filter replacements.
- It is noisier than other small models, with a top speed that reaches 57 dBA and a speed 2 that is louder than the 45 dBA limit we recommend for quiet performance.
Based on these notes, I’d say that if you’re looking for a good performing cylindrical air purifier with an onboard sensor and a light feature, then the Coway Airmega 100 might be just the thing.
However, bear in mind that its performance comes at a cost in the form of loud operation at top speed. I recommend setting it to speed 2, where it will generate around 46 decibels of noise while providing good air cleaning power, with an estimated PM1 CADR of 117 cfm that will be good enough to clean the air 5 times per hour in rooms up to 175.5 sq. ft. (or 16 m2).
And if space is not as tight, I recommend that you look for a mid-sized air purifier that will offer you A LOT more power at quiet fan speeds with the option of cranking up the power in moments when you need it. My top recommendations for mid-sized devices right now are the Coway Airmega Mighty2, the Levoit Vital 200S and the Winix 5510.
If you decide to get yourself a Coway Airmega 100, please use this link to help support the work we do at HouseFresh – – we will receive a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. We don’t run any ads and have no partnerships with air purifier brands, so we rely on those commissions to continue buying and testing air quality products.
And if you’re still unsure, you can try using our air purifier comparison tool to see how the Airmega 100 stacks up against units with similar prices:
If you have any questions about this air purifier or about Coway models in general, please drop them in the comments below, and I’ll get back to you personally as soon as I can.
