Reviews

IQAir HealthPro Plus review

by
IQair Healthpro plus Corner

IQAir was founded in 1963 by Klaus and lifelong asthmatic Manfred Hammes to reduce indoor air pollution from coal smoke from ovens that people used in their homes at the time. All IQAir air purifiers are manufactured in Switzerland and southern Germany, which makes IQAir stand out against its competitors, who mainly produce devices in China.

The Hammes family still owns the company and is now a significant player in the air purifier markets across the U.S. and China. You can even watch Frank Hammes step into a smoke chamber with only the IQAir HealthPro Plus to protect him!

This particular model that I am reviewing is the IQAir HealthPro Plus 250, which is priced at $899 and is at the higher end of the budget for most home users. That is why I will try to uncover whether the HealthPro Plus is worth its significant price tag โ€” I donโ€™t want anybody to buy this expensive air purifier and then regret it.

As with all the air purifiers we review here at HouseFresh, we bought the IQAir HealthPro Plus with our money to test its performance, noise levels generated and electricity consumption. We don’t run ads on our site or accept freebies, so all our reviews are impartial, and we have no issues saying when a product sucks or doesn’t provide value. We do all this to compare different air purifiers side by side.

how we test
How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

In addition to running all these experiments in our test room, I have been using the unit in my home since 2022, so I can share my impressions of having an IQAir HealthPro Plus in real-life situations.

โ€‹

The lowdown on the IQAir Healthpro Plus

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
โ€œThe IQAir HealthPro plus is one of the best pure HEPA + Activated charcoal air purifiers on the market, BUT its outstanding performance doesnโ€™t come cheap. It costs much more electricity and filter costs, which might be overkill for many household use cases.โ€
โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer

$1,199.99 at IQAIR U.S. $1,199.99 at amazon

If you donโ€™t have time to read my full review, you can just go through my pros and cons for a quick snapshot of my findings:

CONS

It comes at a high price of $1,199.99 but you get a 10-year warranty.
You can also expect to spend $161.28 each year in electricity costs — we measured the HealthPro Plus pulling 145.2 watts at top speed.
I found the wheels were challenging to fit, and a quick search on Google showed me that I wasnโ€™t the only one.
This specific model has no app or auto-mode but if you want smartphone connectivity, you can get the HealthPro Plus XE.

PROS

The gas filter has 5 lbs of activated carbon but it’s still offers solid particle removal performance.
It comes with a large HyperHEPA filter to remove allergens such as pollen, dust and other particles from the air.
It comes with a 10-year warranty and the filters can last up to 4 years, when most units come with a 1-year warranty and filters that need to be replaced every 6-12 months.
It is manufactured in Germany and the performance of each unit is manually tested before itโ€™s delivered to your home.
It doesnโ€™t use an ionizer nor generates harmful byproducts such as ozone gas.

Before we jump into the stats, itโ€™s worth taking the time to talk a little about CADR and CFM. The team at IQAir is not a fan of CADR as they believe it is biased in favor of hybrid units (those that use ionizer and HEPA). You can read more about their argument on IQAir’s blog.

In simple terms, IQAir doesnโ€™t use any ionizer technology compared to others in this space (Blueair and Alen) due to health concerns and efficiency decreases from particle charging. While hybrid technology could clean the air quicker, if you have similar concerns about ozone or ionizers, you should look closely at something like the IQAir HealthPro Plus.

Clean air delivery rateย (CADR):โ€“ Top speed PM1 CADR: 213 cfm
โ€“ Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 86 cfm
Filter technology:HyperHEPA and V50-CELL with 5lbs of activated carbon + zeolite mix
Recommended room size:319 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:28H x 18W x 16D inches (71H x 38W x 41D cm)
Weight:35 lbs (15.88 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:Speed 1: 36.9 dB
Speed 2: 37.2 dB
Speed 3: 40.9 dB
Speed 4: 47.2 dB
Speed 5: 53.9 dB
Speed 6: 61.2 dB
Electricity consumption in watts:Standby mode: 1 watts
Speed 1: 16.5 watts
Speed 2: 32.7 watts
Speed 3: 47.3 watts
Speed 4: 69 watts
Speed 5: 94.3 watts
Speed 6: 145.2 watts
Filter lifespan:4 years
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:10 years
Country of origin:Switzerland
Country of manufacture:Germany

Okay, maybe it does look like an 80s printer

โ€œIs it a printer?โ€ That was the first thing my wife said when she saw it.

IQair Healthpro plus Corner

$1,199.99 at IQAIR U.S. $1,199.99 at amazon

The IQAir HealthPro Plus gives off office printer/copier vibes, but that might not be a bad thing if you are into vintage electronics.

Once I saw the IQAir HealthPro Plus box, I knew a huge unit was inside, and you would need two people to help move the box. The IQAir HealthPro Plus comes well packaged in a large box and includes a remote, wheels, and power cable packed separately.

IQAir Healthpro

Inside the box, you can also find a certificate of performance. 

IQAirโ€™s team in Switzerland ensures that every unit is tested before it goes out to you. As you can see from the certificate, my unit performed better than the published rate, with Speed 6 providing 494 m3/h vs 440 m3/h.

IQAir Healthpro Plus Certificate

As I mentioned above, inside the box, you will also find the wheels, which you must attach to your HealthPro Plus yourself. You just need to connect the wheels to the brackets at the bottom of the unit, so it should be a straightforward job, right?

IQAir Healthpro Plus Accessories

Unfortunately, it wasnโ€™t a straightforward job for me. 

Unlike most castor wheels, these didnโ€™t just click into place with the brackets. I could only make the wheels click into place by putting my entire body weight onto the unit. Throughout this process, I was very worried about the possibility of breaking the whole thing.

This was the only complication I encountered when using the IQAir HealthPro Plus. I hope I donโ€™t need to remove the wheels for whatever reason, as I worry they are now latched on super tightly and might break apart if I force them out. This is something that IQAir could improve in future versions.

Once the wheels were on, I could move the IQAir HealthPro Plus around the house to test its portability and closely inspect the unit.

IQair Healthpro Plus Living Room

The main case is a thick plastic shell housing each filter with a fan at the bottom that draws air through the pre-filter and into the other filters. 

Once I finished testing the air cleaning speed, electricity consumption and noise levels generated by the IQAir HealthPro Plus, I had to find a spot for it in my home as I was assigned to use this air purifier long-term to assess potential issues that could arise. 

IQAir Healthpro Plus Hallway logo

$1,199.99 at IQAIR U.S. $1,199.99 at amazon

Right now, I have the HealthPro Plus in my hallway, and while it did get a strange look from my wife the first morning I set it up, itโ€™s now a part of the house and doesnโ€™t get in the way. 

The positioning is great because it sits in the middle of the house, and it catches any cooking smells from the kitchen or the smoke from the wood burner in the TV room before they travel to the rest of the house.

Simple controls without smart functions

The buttons on the control panel at the top of the IQAir HealthPro Plus are easy to use, without unnecessary options or cryptic icons.

IQair Healthpro plus Controls

This reasonably simple system offers users the ability to increase fan speed with the touch of a button, and also check out the amount of time left in the filters before they need to be replaced. Itโ€™s a straightforward system compared to many more modern air purifiers with multiple screens and touch buttons.

IQAir Healthpro Plus Remote

I was a little disappointed the IQAir HealthPro Plus doesnโ€™t include a smart mode that would allow it to come on automatically when it senses pollutants in the air, but this is a technology that requires an onboard air quality sensor, and that isnโ€™t available on this model.

IQAir has launched a smart air purifier model that includes an in-built air quality sensor and app support: the Atem X. It doesnโ€™t come cheap at $1,399, but we are excited to test and review it before the end of this year. 

That being said, the controls on the IQAir HealthPro Plus do include a timer button to program a routine for the air purifier to switch itself off at night or when you leave the house, for example. However, you have to set this manually daily, setting hours for the air purifier to turn on and off. Not ideal by any stretch.

Another thing that would be nice to have is a child lock. My youngest loves buttons, so it is not uncommon to find him turning the IQAir HealthPro Plus on and off.

On the plus side, the IQAir HealthPro Plus comes with a remote control that is a portable version of the control panel embedded at the top of the unit.  

IQAir HealthPro Plus Remote

Itโ€™s a super simple remote, with buttons for all six fan speeds and to set the timer. I quickly stored it because I have small children who like to play with (and misplace) remote controls. I prefer to use the buttons on the control panel anyway.

Outstanding filter technology

A beast of an activated carbon filter with over 5 lbs of carbon and zeolite mix.

IQair Healthpro V5 Cell 01

IQAirโ€™s HyperHEPA filter is a beast.

The IQAir HealthPro Plus is heavy at 46Ibs, and I was worried about how much of that weight was wasted as part of the chassis. I was wrong.

This is not a large air purifier full of empty space. When I opened the top cover of the HealthPro Plus, I could see that the engineers at IQAir had used every inch to fill it with filters. This means that we will be getting a good amount of performance for the floor space it takes up.

The initial pre-filter stops large particles like pet dander and dust particles:

IQair Healthpro plus Pre filter

The air continues to be pulled into the fan, and as it passes through the V5-Cell, this next layer of filtration removes gas and odors:

IQair Healthpro plus Activated carbon front

Upon closer inspection, one can see the individual pellets of activated carbon inside the V5-Cell Filter:

IQAir Healthpro Plus V5 Cell Close Up

The V5-Cell filter is packed with over 5 lbs of activated carbon and KMn05 alumina, making it one of the most powerful air filters on the market to deal with odors and VOCs.

You can see here how it compares with the activated carbon filter on the Levoit EverestAir:

IQair Healthpro plus Activated carbon vs Levit EverestAir

Once the air passes through the V5-Cell filter, it reaches the last layer of filtration, where the air is finally pushed through the primary HyperHEPA filter.

IQair HealthPro Plus HEPA front

Using a high-grade filter like HyperHEPA adds to the device’s cost and means more energy is required to push enough air. But this is an excellent feature for those who want to ensure that only clean air is released from the device, such as those with serious health issues or in a hospital setting.

IQair HealthPro Plus HEPA side

The benefit of this layout is that only pre-cleaned air passes through the most expensive HyperHEPA filter, which can be found for around $200 (the pre-filter is half that price.)

According to IQAir, you must replace the pre-filter every 18 months. Still, you only have to replace the HyperHEPA every four years, which compares favorably to other high-end air purifiers.

You can see in the video below how the process for replacing the filters goes:

As the case with Levoit showed us, many manufacturers will say that a filter is HEPA grade but often do prove it with third-party lab reports. We have no worries about the IQAir HealthPro Plus as Interbasic Resources, Inc. did third-party testing on it and made the report available to the public.

IQAIR third party lab report filter efficiency

They compared the effectiveness of the HyperHEPA filters with other air cleaning technologies (synthetic HEPA, fan-powered electronic air cleaners and electronic air cleaners without a fan) across a range of different particles, from viruses to pollen. IQAirโ€™s HyperHEPA was able to sustain 99-100% removal efficiency.

That said, this is not a requirement for most consumers just looking to reduce the number of particles in the air, as standard synthetic filtered devices can eventually clean the air in the room with multiple passes through the filter.

The IQAir HealthPro Plus cleared our test room in 28 minutes

Considering the amount of carbon this air purifier uses, its particle removal is impressive.

$1,199.99 at IQAIR U.S. $1,199.99 at amazon

As I mentioned at the beginning of this review, we always test every air purifier performing the same job (cleaning the air from pollutants emitted by a powerful incense stick) under the same conditions in the same test room of 728 cubic feet and tracking PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 using two PurpleAir air quality sensors.

We do this because it allows us to compare different air purifiers like-for-like and calculate estimates of CADR even when manufacturers donโ€™t provide it, which is the case with IQAir. 

The IQAir HealthPro Plus took 28 minutes to return the room to a reading of zero PM1 when tracked using the PurpleAir indoor sensor and 28 minutes to achieve PM1 zero with our newer Purple Zen sensor.

From an air cleaning performance perspective, the IQAir HealthPro Plus performed as well as I expected, especially when we consider the high-grade HEPA and large amounts of activated carbon used. I can now understand why IQAir CEO Frank Hammes was so confident about using this air purifier as his primary air supply in this video, where he is locked in a smoke chamber.

The table below allows you to compare the performance of the IQAir HealthPro Plus against similarly priced or sized units, including the fastest air purifiers we have tested:

AIR PURIFIER MODELTIME TO REACH PM1 ZERO AT FULL SPEEDLIST PRICE
Smart Air Blast Mini MKII15 minutes$649.00
Levoit EverestAir16 minutes$499.99
Alen BreatheSmart 45i30 minutes$429.00
Winix 5500-223 minutes$249.99
Rabbit Air A324 minutes$749.95
Coway Airmega AP-1512hh Mighty26 minutes$229.99
IQAir HealthPro Plus28 minutes$1000.00
AirDoctor 300030 minutes$519.00
Austin Air HealthMate52 minutes$756.00

The HeathPro Plus completed our particle removal test 27 minutes faster than the Austin Air HealthMate when removing PM incense smoke pollutants inside our small 728 cubic feet test room.

Airflow test results

We also used our Testo 410i anemometer to measure directly from the air outlet how fast the airflow is at each fan speed when taken directly from the device.

We found that at speed one, airflow averaged 0.5 m/s, and at speed six, it achieved 3.65 m/s. It is worth mentioning that I measured the airflow one year after setting up the HealthPro Plus in my hallway to ensure it would perform at its best as the filters have been โ€˜broken intoโ€™.

You can see the sheer power of the IQAir HealthPro Plus by looking at how quickly the air sensor changes when put close to the airflow exit on this air purifier in the video below:

Noise levels test results

These are the results for each fan speed from 3ft away:

SpeedSound Level
136.9 dB
237.2 dB
340.9 dB
447.2 dB
553.9 dB
661.2 dB

Here is how the IQAir HealthPro Plus compares against units with a similar air-cleaning performance in regards to noise output:

AIR PURIFIER MODELSOUND LEVEL AT TOP SPEED (dB) TIME TO CLEAN OUR TEST ROOM
Coway Airmega AP-1512hh Mighty60.1 dB25 minutes
Austin Air HealthMate HM40061.5 dB37 minutes
Okaysou AirMax10L Pro55.6 dB44 minutes
Levoit Vital 200S57.7 dB18 minutes
IQAir Healthpro Plus61.2 dB26 minutes

If you are interested in hearing the noise to find out just how loud the IQAir Health Pro Plus is, then be sure to check out the video below, which shows noise levels generated by the unit as you move from the lowest to the highest speed levels:

The cost to run an IQAir HealthPro Plus: $421.47 per year

The powerful fan and high-quality filters donโ€™t come cheap.

A big unit like this does cost a lot more in the initial outlay, but another thing to consider is the extra costs for electricity and filters. 

1. Electricity costs = $221.47 per year

IQAir energy test

Rather than take the averages from the manufacturerโ€™s website, I tested the electricity usage for each different speed for this air purifier.

Fan speedEnergy consumed
116.5 watts
232.7 watts
347.3 watts
469 watts
594.3 watts
6145.2 watts

This air purifier will cost $221.47 per year at its highest fan speed, based on my calculations using the latest average electricity price per kWh reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and assuming you would run the HealthPro Plus 24/7.

Compared to other devices, the IQAir Healthpro is more power-hungry than many of the devices we have tested:

AIR PURIFIER MODELENERGY CONSUMPTION AT TOP SPEED (watts)TIME TO CLEAN OUR TEST ROOM
Coway Airmega AP-1512hh Mighty77.3 watts25 minutes
Austin Air HealthMate HM400147.6 watts37 minutes
Okaysou AirMax10L Pro58.05 watts44 minutes
Levoit Vital 200S44.55 watts18 minutes
IQAir Health Pro Plus145.5 watts26 minutes

2. Filter costs = $200 per year

Another area to consider is the costs associated with replacing the filters. 

  • The original IQAir pre-filter is available for $155.78. Remember, it needs to be changed every 18 months.
  • The genuine IQAir HyperHEPA costs $199.00, but it only needs to be replaced every four years.
  • IQAir’s V5-Cell Gas and Odor Control Filter lasts up to two years, and it costs $99 when writing this review.

The good news is that generic filters that fit the IQAir HealthPro Plus, with packages of all three, including V5 and HyperHEPA, come in at $249.95.

That said, IQAir does not build these filters, so their performance may differ, and they will likely not put these through the same lab tests to certify the HEPA grade.

While you would hopefully not have to change all the filters every year, you would expect to budget at least $200 per year for filter running costs on top of the unitโ€™s costs, which is at the highest level compared to other air purifiers we have reviewed.

Now, let’s compare the running costs of the HealthPro Plus against the costs we estimate for other units:

AIR PURIFIER MODELESTIMATED ELECTRICITY COST (per year) FILTER REPLACEMENT COST (per year)YEARLY MAINTENANCE COST
Coway Airmega AP-1512hh Mighty$83.64$39.99$123.63
Winix 5500-2$57.82$79.99$137.81
Levoit EverestAir$73.58$99.99 $173.57
Smart Air SA600$56.55$141.47$198.02
AirDoctor 3000$104.63 $178.00$282.63
Austin Air HealthMate$164.39$57.90$283.03
Smart Air Blast Mini MKII$136.29$236.99 $373.28
IQAir HealthPro Plus$221.47 $200.00$421.47

Bottom line: Is the IQAir HealthPro Plus worth it?

I had high expectations for the IQAir HealthPro Plus, and its performance in our real-world tests didnโ€™t disappoint.

Yes, it isnโ€™t cheap, but any level of performance of 250 CFM doesnโ€™t come cheap with comparable high-performance units such as the Blueair Classic 605 at $799.99 and the Alen BreatheSmart 75i at $749. These units can perform at this level for less money due to their hybrid use of an ionizer combined with a HEPA filter. 

IQAir Healthpro Plus Entrance

$1,199.99 at IQAIR U.S. $1,199.99 at amazon

IQAir is clear that they donโ€™t recommend ionizer technology, but I could understand situations where you would benefit from this extra power without the extra cost of a pure HEPA and activated charcoal system, such as cases when you are dealing with large amounts of smoke.

Whether you should get a unit like the IQAir HealthPro Plus depends on your position on using hybrid systems that utilize ionizers and your health issues. If you have any concerns about ionizers or specific health concerns, then the HealthPro Plus is currently the most powerful HEPA + Activated Charcoal air purifier on the market.

Suppose you donโ€™t want to get the odor and VOC filter. In that case, you can buy a version that has a more powerful HyperHEPA performance at $50 less, which is the IQAir HealthPro (no plus) and IQAir HealthPro Compact โ€” both of them might make more sense, depending on your specific use case.

SOURCES

We calculated yearly costs associated with running the IQAir HealthPro Plus for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year utilizing the latest average energy prices as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of $0.174/kWh as of April 2024.

Honeywell HPA060 review

by
Honeywell HPA060 Living Room

If youโ€™ve researched air purifiers, youโ€™ve most likely come across the name Honeywell. This big brand has earned its reputation as a trustworthy household name and prides itself on producing no-nonsense, powerful air purifiers and dehumidifiers.

Itโ€™s worth noting that, according to the manual, the HPA60 is not made directly by Honeywell. It turns out that the HPA060 comes out of a company called Kaz USA (part of Helen of Troy Limited), which licenses the Honeywell trademark. 

image1

Helen of Troy Limited made over two billion dollars in sales last year, so it is not a small company. However, it is still worth making consumers aware that this product is being sold under a license because the marketing materials donโ€™t make it clear that Honeywell International Inc does not manufacture this air purifier. 

We have a few Honeywell products in HouseFresh HQ, including the popular Honeywell HPA300 and the questionable Air Genius 5 HFD320. 

The Honeywell HPA060 is a smaller air purifier, which is a big market to be in. With popular units like the Levoit Core 300, Winix A231 and the Shark HP102, does the HPA060 stand tall next to the competition?

In this review, I will take you through the data we collected from using and testing the HPA060, look at its controls, features and functions, offer my opinions on the design and see how it compares to other air purifiers of similar size and CADR. 

The lowdown on the Honeywell HPA060

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
โ€œA solid, basic small air purifier from Honeywell but likely too underpowered for most use cases. I recommend our readers to spend a little extra for a device with at least 140 CFM.”
โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer
Honeywell HPA060 Shelf

PRICE on amazon PRICE on EBAY

With all the air purifiers to consider, you may not have time to read the full review. So, Iโ€™ve condensed it down to the main points from our performance test of this unit.

What we really like

Itโ€™s lightweight and easy to move between rooms, making it possible to keep the HPA060 on a ledge or shelf.
The controls are simple and straightforward thanks to its one-dial operation.
It is small enough to fit on a desk in your home office or on the countertop in your kitchen.
The filters are easy to replace.

What we think could be better

It is lacking in power to effectively clean the air even in the smallest of rooms โ€” it took 74 minutes to complete our air cleaning performance test, compared to the 39 minutes we saw with the Levoit Core 300S.
The pre-filters only last three months.
It doesnโ€™t offer any smart features (such as Auto Mode) or an on-board air quality sensor. 

The specifications

The HPA060 is a smaller unit, so its size and performance should match its price tag. This unit retails for around $100, which is ballpark for air purifiers of this size with no smart functions. The issue comes with the performance per $ spent, and with a CADR of just 61 CFM, it is a poor result for a Honeywell unit.

HouseFresh rating:โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†โ˜†โ˜†
Time to clean our 728 cubic feet test room (with the device running at top speed):74 minutes
Air purifier technology:Pre-filter, True HEPA filter and activated carbon sheet
Recommended room size (4.8 air changes per hour):75 sq. ft. (5 ACH)
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):Dust: 61 CFM
Smoke: 48 CFM
Pollen: 75 CFM
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):10.69 x 7.72 x 15.16 inches (27.15 x 19.61 x 38.51 cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):6.39 lbs (2.90 kg)
Filter life:B Genuine Pre-Filter: 3 months
H Certified True HEPA Filter: 12 months
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):Speed 1: 42.1 dB
Speed 2: 48.2 dB
Speed 3: 54.5 dB
Electricity consumption in watts (recorded with an electricity usage monitor):Standby mode: 0.01 watts
Speed 1: 11.44 watts
Speed 2: 16.13 watts
Speed 3: 21.21 watts
Estimated running cost (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):$98.34 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):$1.15
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:5-year limited warranty
Country of manufacture:China

PRICE on amazon PRICE on EBAY

It looks like a Honeywell

Theyโ€™re not straying from the path of design or operation โ€” thatโ€™s not a bad thing

Honeywell HPA060 Corner

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If you’re looking for a stylish air purifier to fit the aesthetic of your modern home, Honeywell isnโ€™t the usual choice. They like to stick to their black, oval-like design, but thatโ€™s because they keep their air purifiers with no-frills. 

Honeywell HPA060 Top

A smaller version of the HPA300 looks wise; the HPA060 is made of plastic with grill-like lines around the body. Thereโ€™s a handle on the pack so you can move it easily from room to room (itโ€™s also not heavy, weighing in at just over 6 lbs).

Honeywell HPA060 Back

The HPA060 is intended for those who donโ€™t have use for smart functions like an auto mode, AQI, sensors or app connectivity. The basic functionality means itโ€™s easy to use and not much can go wrong.

The controls sit nicely on the top of the unit, with the fan speed setting built into a dial instead of the usual button format. There are three fan speeds to choose from low, medium and high. There are also two filter check lights, one for the main particle filter and one for the pre-filter (Iโ€™ll get into the filters in a second).

Honeywell HPA060 Controls

When you place the HPA060 next to other units of similar size, like the Levoit Core 300, Winix A231(A230) and Coway Airmega 150, you can see that it has a different style than the others. It also doesnโ€™t take up much space, which is a big plus when running it in a small room.

Honeywell HPA060 Group

Something I donโ€™t understand about the design of the HPA060 is the position of the inlet panel. Why have they limited the airflow to a narrow section when they could have used the side area like the HPA300?

Narrow, but still HEPA

Honeywellโ€™s HEPA filters are ok, but the pre-filter is a letdown

Honeywell HPA060 Filters

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Because the inlet is located where it is, the filters must also be narrow. Inside is a True HEPA filter, which is highly effective at removing microscopic contaminants from your air down to 0.3 microns. But Honeywell has restricted itself by making it so narrow with minimal surface area.

Honeywell HPA060 HEPA Instructions

The HEPA filter in the HPA060 is sturdy and well-built, with a plastic shell to keep it rigid. Honeywell says that it should last around a year before it needs to be replaced, which is a plus as itโ€™s usually half that time in other units.

Honeywell HPA060 HEPA filter

The pre-filter that Honeywell has opted for in this unit doubles as an activated carbon filter and is a disappointment. 

It is basically a wafer-thin sheet that โ€œhelps capture large particles such as dust, lint, fibers and pet fur and helps to reduce VOCs & odors from cooking, smoke, bathrooms and pets,โ€ according to their marketing.

Honeywell HPA060 Activated carbon filter

This sheet may be able to capture large particles, but there is not enough activated carbon embedded in this filter to tackle VOCs and odors. 

You can see plenty of holes when you hold the pre-filter up to a light. And it only has a lifespan of 3 months, an extra cost that could have been avoided by installing a washable pre-filter instead.

Honeywell HPA060 Activated carbon see through

I promise Iโ€™m not being unnecessarily harsh here. I am pointing out all these issues with the filters because they will significantly impact how well the HPA060 will remove pollutants and odors from the air.

You can see how flimsy the filters in the HPA060 are just by looking at the results of the CADR test in the unitโ€™s AHAM Verifide Performance Verification Certificate:

HoneywellHPA060 2024 02 21

Once the filters are ready to be replaced, an indicator light on the control panel will illuminate. Changing either of the filters is painless, but it could get annoying when you have to do it every 3 months.

Hereโ€™s what you need to do:

  1. Switch off the unit and unplug it
  2. Remove the panel at the back of the unit
  3. The pre-filter is located on the inside of the back panel; remove and replace
  4. Pull the HEPA filter out and replace it with a new one
  5. Click the back panel back into place

See how simple it is with our filter replacement video:

Tip

When you purchase a new air purifier, itโ€™s common for the HEPA filter to be wrapped in plastic packaging inside the unit. Be sure to remove all of the packaging from the HEPA filter otherwise, it wonโ€™t be able to perform its duties effectively.

The Honeywell HPA060 cleared our test room in 74 minutes

A disappointing result from a Honeywell air purifier, even for a small unit

Honeywell HPA060 Testing

We donโ€™t just rely on manufacturer numbers. We test every unit we review in our HouseFresh home lab (a room at HQ) under the same conditions. Doing this allows us to compare results with other units and share our data with you.

how we test
How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

First, we measured the performance of the HPA060 by recording how long it took to remove incense smoke from our home lab using our indoor sensor from Purpleair. This provides us with updates on airborne PM1.0ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM10.0 ug/m3 particles in real-time.

Once Danny exported the data, he used Flourish to visualize it so you can clearly see how long it took in an easy-to-digest way:

It took around one hour and 15 minutes for the HPA060 to reduce PM1.0 levels down to zero. 

I would say that the combination of a weak fan and a subpar HEPA filter is not working out well for this unit. Even for a small air purifier, it doesnโ€™t possess the same kick as some of its rivals. 

Air cleaning speed compared

The Honeywell HPA060 cleared our room in 74 minutes, but how does that compare to other air purifiers in the same price range or with similar capabilities? Explore the chart below to find out:

When we put this unit next to others of the same size and cost, you can see how much the HPA060 falls behind. 

To continue my previous comparison, the Levoit Core 300 took 40 minutes to clear our room, and the Winix A231(A230) took 36 minutes. All in all, it seems to take the Honeywell HPA060 around 40 minutes longer to clean the air than small units from competitor brands.

Airflow test results

More powerful fans will result in faster and more effective air cleaning. That is why, as part of this test, Danny used the Testo 410i Anemometer to measure the fan speed levels directly from the air outlet of the device at each of the three fan speeds.

At its lowest fan speed, the HPA060 averaged 2.5 m/s. When moving to its second fan speed, it averaged 3.23 m/s. When reaching its highest fan speed, the HPA060 averaged 3.88 m/s.

Noise levels test results

Air purifiers make a sound; thereโ€™s no avoiding that, but some units make more noise than others. It can mean the difference between not being able to hear the TV and having to turn the air purifier off at night because you canโ€™t sleep with the noise.

For a smaller air purifier, the HPA060 isnโ€™t as quiet as some other units, but it also wonโ€™t make your room shake like youโ€™re watching Apocolypse Now. We measured it at its lowest fan speed, producing 42.1 dB of sound and 54.5 dB at its highest.

Sound level is subjective. The volume I choose to listen to Motorhead may not be the same level my neighbors wished I listened to Motorhead. Thatโ€™s why we made this video of the HPA060 running at all of its fan speeds so that you can get an idea of volume for yourself.

The cost to run a Honeywell HPA060: $98.34 per year

The HPA060 is an energy-efficient air purifier with costly filter replacements

1. Electricity costs = $32.35 per year

A cost you must consider when buying an air purifier is how much energy it uses. Itโ€™s recommended that you run your unit 24/7 in order to effectively clean the air in your home, but that also means pulling electricity non-stop. An air purifier that pulls a lot of power can become expensive pretty quickly.

This air purifier by Honeywell is a small unit, so it doesnโ€™t require too much energy to run. When Danny used his electricity monitor during the test, he measured the HPA060 pulling 11.4 watts at its lowest fan speed and 21.2 watts at its highest.

I used the latest average electricity price per kWh reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to calculate how much you would spend if you were to run the HPA060 all day, every day. The total cost would come to $35.33 per year in associated energy costs.

2. Filter costs = $65.99 per year

Another running cost you need to consider is the price of replacement filters AND how often they need to be replaced. If you donโ€™t buy new filters when the air purifier indicates it wonโ€™t work effectively.

Honeywellโ€™s certified true HEPA filters must be replaced every 12 months, and they cost $25.99:

Honeywell HRF-H1 HEPA Air Purifier Filter H, 1-Pack | For HPA050/150, HPA060 & HPA160 Series, Airborne Allergen Air Filter Targets Wildfire/Smoke, Pollen, Pet Dander, and Dust
Honeywell HRF-H1 HEPA Air Purifier Filter H, 1-Pack | For HPA050/150, HPA060 & HPA160 Series, Airborne Allergen Air Filter Targets Wildfire/Smoke, Pollen, Pet Dander, and Dust
  • AIR PURIFIER FILTER REPLACEMENT โ€“ This Honeywell HEPA Air Purifier H Filter helps capture up to 99.97% of the following molecules: pollen, pet dander, debris and smoke.
  • WORKS WITH HONEYWELL AIR PURIFIERS FOR HOME โ€“ These Honeywell HEPA Filters are designed exclusively to fit Honeywell HEPA Air Purifier models HPA050 150, HPA 060 160 and HHT055 155 Series.
  • EFFECTIVE AIR CLEANING & CIRCULATION โ€“ A Honeywell Air Purifier with a Honeywell Certified filter will filter and circulate air up to 4.8x an hour in stated room size. Replace HEPA Filters 1x per year. Pre-filters used with this filter are sold separately.
  • COMPATIBLE DOESNโ€™T MEAN COMPARABLE โ€“ For best performance, use only genuine Honeywell air purifier filters. Compatible air purifier filter replacements are not guaranteed to offer the same performance or efficiency.
  • A BRAND YOU CAN TRUST โ€“ Improve your air quality and neutralize unpleasant smells for a cleaner breathing experience year round with Honeywell air cleaners, purifiers and humidifiers.
$15.47 Amazon Prime
Buy on Amazon

When it comes to their B pre-filters, Honeywell recommends they should be replaced every three months. The cost of swapping out filters this often will rack up over time, especially considering an official B pre-filter costs nearly $10:

Honeywell Odor-Reducing Air Purifier Replacement Pre-Filter HRF-B1, 1 Count | Helps Reduce Household Odors and VOCs While Capturing Larger Airborne Particles
Honeywell Odor-Reducing Air Purifier Replacement Pre-Filter HRF-B1, 1 Count | Helps Reduce Household Odors and VOCs While Capturing Larger Airborne Particles
  • AIR PURIFIER FILTER REPLACEMENT – This Honeywell B+Pre-Filter helps capture larger impurities and reduces unpleasant smells and VOCs.* Includes 1 Carbon B+ Pre-Filter. Pre-filter should be changed every three months
  • WORKS WITH HONEYWELL AIR PURIFIERS FOR HOME – This air purifier filter works with these Honeywell models: HHT-055/HHT-155/HHT-080/HHT-081/HHT-085/HHT-090/HHT-100/HHT-145/HHT-149/HPA-050/HPA-150/HPA-245/HPA-249/HPA-248 Series, HPA060 Series, HPA160 Series
  • EFFECTIVE AIR CLEANING & CIRCULATION – A Honeywell Air Purifier with a Honeywell Certified filter will filter & circulate air up to 4.8x an hour in stated room size.** If you have pets or stale indoor air, air purifiers help deliver cleaner, fresher air
  • COMPATIBLE DOESN’T MEAN COMPARABLE – For best performance, use only genuine Honeywell air purifier filters. Compatible air purifier filter replacements are not guaranteed to offer the same performance or efficiency
  • A BRAND YOU CAN TRUST – Improve your air quality and neutralize unpleasant smells for a cleaner breathing experience year round with Honeywell air cleaners, purifiers and humidifiers
$9.49 Amazon Prime
Buy on Amazon

The good news is that you could save some money by buying non-genuine filters, but we havenโ€™t tested these, so we canโ€™t speak to their performance. You can find a 4-pack of generic HEPA filters and pre-filters for the HPA060 retailing at around $40:

Fette Filter - Filter H with Pre-Filter for Model HPA-050 HPA-060 HPA-061 HPA-150 HPA-160 HHT-055 HHT-155 (QTY4) Part # HRF-H1 HRF-H2 HRF-B1 HRF-B2 H (4+4)
Fette Filter – Filter H with Pre-Filter for Model HPA-050 HPA-060 HPA-061 HPA-150 HPA-160 HHT-055 HHT-155 (QTY4) Part # HRF-H1 HRF-H2 HRF-B1 HRF-B2 H (4+4)
  • Includes 4 (four) Premium Filter & 4 (four) Pre Filter Replacement for Select Tower Air Purifer Models.
  • Compatiable with Filter H Filter B+ Part Number HRF-H1 HRF-H2 HRF-B1 HRF-B2 (Check for Your Model Below)
  • Compatiable with Tower Air Purifer Model HPA-050 HPA-060 HPA-061 HPA-150 HPA-160 HHT-055 HHT-155
  • Replacement Filter is able to remove all of airborne particles from the air that passes through the filter.
  • Easy to Install No Tools Requried. We recommend to change your filters every 4 months to maintain your machine at optimal performance.
Buy on Amazon

Bottom line

If you are looking for a small but powerful air purifier, there are better air purifiers out there than the Honeywell HPA060.

With so many great small air purifiers on the market, Honeywell hasnโ€™t hit the mark with the HPA060. 

It is relatively small and light, which makes it easy to move from room to room. It is easy to use, thanks to its one-dial control. It looks different in black and doesnโ€™t follow the โ€œwhite boxโ€ aesthetic. But the performance isn’t there when it comes to cleaning the air.

Honeywell HPA060 Fireplace

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With a CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate) of 75 CFM for pollen, the HPA060 doesnโ€™t match up to the CADR you can get with the Levoit Core 300 (145 CFM) or the Winix A231โ€™s (149 CFM).

If youโ€™re looking for an air purifier for a small room, you can find higher-performing units with additional features at the same price or for a few extra dollars.

SOURCES

We calculated yearly costs associated with running Honeywell HPA060 for 24 hours a day for 365 days utilizing the U.S. average utility rate of $0.174/kWh as of May 2024.

Honeywell Air Genius 5 HFD320 review

by
Honeywell Air Genius 5 HFD320 Corner

Honeywell has been a trusted brand worldwide for a long while, and itโ€™s easy to see why. They use their extensive engineering knowledge to design a variety of consumer products, including high-performance air purifiers.

We reviewed the Honeywell HPA300 two years ago and were impressed with its performance but not so happy with its running costs. With the Air Genius range, Honeywell has done something a little different by using a permanent/washable particle filter instead of one you need to replace periodically. 

But does this filter stand up next to tried and tested HEPA technology? Has Honeywell given this the same power weโ€™ve seen in previous models? Is it any good? 

I will answer all these questions as I take you through every aspect of the Air Genius 5.

how we test
How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

The lowdown on the Honeywell Air Genius 5 HFD320

Danny Ashton HouseFresh

โ€œA washable filter seems like the perfect solution to avoid paying for costly filter replacements, but the technology is just not there yet. 

A high initial price and poor particle removal performance make it hard to recommend the Honeywell Air Genius 5.โ€

โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer
Honeywell Air Genius 5 HFD320 Room

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Donโ€™t have time to read my full review? Donโ€™t worry, Iโ€™m not offended. Check out my concise list of what I liked about the Air Genius 5 and what I think could be better.

What we really like

It is easy to operate.
The washable filter means lower running costs in the long term.
It is quiet, even when running at high fan speeds.

What we think could be better

Lousy air cleaning performance.
No auto mode.
Lack of on-board air quality sensors.
The lifespan of its pre-filter is short (only three months).

The specs

Weโ€™ve come to expect more from air purifiers over $250, and this unit doesnโ€™t hit the mark for performance or smart features.

HouseFresh rating:โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†โ˜†โ˜†
Time to clean our 728 cubic feet test room (with the device running at top speed):93 minutes
Air purifier technology:True HEPA Filter K
Recommended room size (4.8 air changes per hour):250 sq. ft.
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):Dust: 160 CFM
Smoke: 161 CFM
Pollen: 170 CFM
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):9.97 x 9.92 x 26.81 inches (25.3 x 25.2 x 68 cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):13.05 lbs (5.91 kg)
Filter life:Pre-filter: 3 months
ifDยฎ particle filter: washable 
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):Speed 1: 41.8 dB
Speed 2: 44.8 dB
Speed 3: 45.9 dB
Electricity consumption in watts (recorded with an electricity usage monitor):Standby mode: 0 watts
Speed 1: 26.11 watts
Speed 2: 27.2 watts
Speed 3: 28.83 watts
Speed 4: 30.75 watts
Speed 5: 35.12 watts
Estimated running cost (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):$111.57 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):$1.22
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:5 years
Country of manufacture:China

Typical tower air purifier 

It may not be groundbreaking, but Honeywell has designed clear, easy-to-use controls and a light feature.

Animation Honeywell Air Genius 5 HFD320

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Honeywell has an aesthetic they tend not to deviate from, which means you know what youโ€™re gonna get when it comes to design. With its glossy black casing and large vented grill, the Air Genius 5 sticks to this trendโ€ฆbut in a tower format.

Honeywell Air Genius 5 HFD320 Top

Donโ€™t get me wrong, in the air purifier world, itโ€™s no Elephant Man, but itโ€™s also no [insert current attractive celebrity] either. 

I feel that itโ€™s time for Honeywell to take design into the new era, especially now that other manufacturers are releasing air purifiers with innovative and modern designs like the Airmega 150 from Coway and Levoitโ€™s EverestAir.

But all is not lost, as Honeywell has added a little flare to the Air Genius 5 in the form of a blue accent light on the bottom of the unit.

Honeywell Air Genius 5 HFD320 Bottom

This blue hue matches the color of the control buttons and gives the unit a futuristic look.

Honeywell Air Genius 5 HFD320 Control panel

There are not a lot of buttons on the Air Genius 5, but they make use of the space by making them large and descriptive. Instead of โ€˜fan speed,โ€™ it says โ€˜cleaning levelโ€™ where you can choose from [1] Sleep to [5] Max. There is also a timer you can set in 2-hour increments from 2 to 12 hours, turn on the oscillation and a button to illuminate the accent light.

Honeywell Air Genius 5 HFD320 Buttons

Honeywell has also added something Iโ€™d like to see more ofโ€ฆ a filter status gauge. This gives you an idea of how full of particles your filter is so you know when itโ€™s time to clean it.

I really appreciated the quick access guide that comes with the Air Genius 5 to remind the user of what each of the modes does, as well as instructions to reset the filter replacement warning light.

Honeywell Air Genius 5 HFD320 Guide

In my view, the Air Genius 5 is lacking in smart functions. There is no auto mode, no sensors and no AQI (Air Quality Indicator). If you want/need your air purifier with extra features, you can upgrade to the Air Genius 6. But I wouldnโ€™t recommend that as there are plenty of more powerful and cheaper units available. 

Check out the TaoTronics TT-AP003, the Winix 5500-2 or the Levoit Core 300S for better performance for a fraction of the price.

Honeywell Air Genius 5 HFD320 Comparison

Washable particle filter

It makes environmental sense to use a permanent filter, but the ifDยฎ filter in this unit doesnโ€™t show much promise.

Honeywell Air Genius 5 HFD320 Unit HEPA

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Honeywell has opted for something a little different for the Air Genius range. Instead of using HEPA filters that need replacing periodically, theyโ€™ve installed a permanent, washable particle filter they call the ifDยฎ. 

Honeywell Air Genius 5 HFD320 HEPA filter

ifDยฎ (intense field dielectric) technology has been described as โ€œlight-years ahead of anything else out there.โ€ Instead of using fibers to capture particles like in HEPA, these types of filters contain thin electrode sheets to generate electrical fields. When pollutants pass through, they become electrically charged, forcing them to be drawn to the filter’s surfaces.

Honeywell Air Genius 5 HFD320 Air filter

As well as the ifDยฎ filter, the Air Genius 5 has a separate โ€˜K Pre-Filterโ€™ to trap larger particles like dust and dander. Honeywell claims this filter can also remove VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and โ€œodors from cooking, smoke, bathrooms and pets.โ€

In order to effectively remove odors and VOCs from the air, you need a substantial amount of activated carbon. The K Pre-Filter In this unit is a thin slice of material with little hope of removing odors and gasses. Sorry, Honeywell, thatโ€™s a poor effort.

Honeywell Air Genius 5 HFD320 Activated carbon filter

When prompted by the filter check lights, youโ€™ll need to remove the filter before you can wash it. Removing the filter is the easy part:

  1. Unplug your air purifier
  2. Detach the back panel
  3. Remove the filters
  4. Wash, leave to dry completely and put them back the same way

Hereโ€™s a quick video to show you how easy it is to remove and re-insert the filter.

Full washing instructions are printed on the side of the air purifier.

Honeywell Air Genius 5 HFD320 Replacement instructions

Tip

Filters are often wrapped in plastic and placed into the air purifier when bought new from the store. Always remember to remove all packaging from the filter before switching on your unit.

If you donโ€™t remove this packaging, the filter will not operate correctly, and youโ€™ll probably start to detect a burning smell coming from your new air purifier.

The Honeywell Air Genius 5 HFD320 cleared our test room in 93 minutes

Our air cleaning speed test showed subpar performance from a trusted brand.

The Honeywell Air Genius HFD320 was sent to the AHMA VERIFIDE program, which puts the device through a series of tests to see how well it performs at removing dust, pollen and smoke. Public results are available at the EnergyStar directory. 

image1

The dust CADR of 161 CFM would make me expect that it would be a little quicker than the Winix A230 (36 minutes) or the Taotronics AP 005 (36 minutes) as they have similar CADR scores. Based on this CADR rating, we would expect a result of around 36 minutes, give or take three minutes.

In order to get accurate data, we test every unit we review under the same conditions. We light an incense stick inside our 728 cubic ft. test room and use our trusted PurpleAir sensor to measure the levels of PM1.0, PM2.5, PM10 and VOCs while the air purifier is working at its highest fan speed. This allows us to see how quickly the device can clear smoke pollutants from the air in the room.

Honeywell Air Genius 5 HFD320 Air cleaning test

At its highest fan speed, the Air Genius 5 cleared our home lab of incense smoke in 93 minutes. This was a disappointing result, not only for an air purifier of this size and cost but also for a Honeywell unit, which prides itself on cleaning performance. 

I am also surprised that the AHAM CADR score is so far off from the results we found in our in-house test. I tested this device again and got the same results, which were far from what we would expect based on the reported CADR from AHAM. Itโ€™s a little worrying as AHAM is the gold standard when evaluating air cleaners’ performance, but it shows us the importance of our in-house experiments. 

Air cleaning performance results, compared

When you compare this performance to other air purifiers similar in size or cost, you see how this unit falls short. 

Two air purifiers that spring to mind are the Levoit Core 300S and the Winix A231(A230). These units are over half the size, cost a lot less $$$ to buy, have more features like an auto mode, AQI and app connectivity (Core 300S only) and cleared our home lab of contaminants over 70 minutes faster than the Air Genius 5.

Other units that surpass the Air Genius 5 on performance to consider are the Winix 5500-2, Levoit Vital 200S, TaoTronics TT-AP003, Blueair Blue Pure 311, the list goes on.

Noise levels results, compared

I need to mention one positive that the Air Genius 5 has over many other units on the market: it is VERY quiet. 

When you compare this to some of the other units weโ€™ve tested, the Honeywell shows that you can be a larger unit and still make the same sound as a ninja on a mission.

As you cycle through its fan speeds, the noise created is barely noticeable. At its highest fan speed, the Air Genius 5 produces 46dB (comparable to a refrigerator running), and at its lowest, it only makes 42dB (comparable to light rainfall).

Sound is subjective, so hereโ€™s a video of me cycling through its five fan speeds so you can hear its output for yourself.

The cost to run a Honeywell Air Genius 5 HFD320: $111.57 per year

You save money not replacing the particle filter, but the pre-filter only lasts three months.

1. Electricity costs = $53.57 per year

Unfortunately, the costs of clean air donโ€™t stop at the initial purchase of an air purifier. You need to run this electrical device, and that means energy costs. With the cost of energy continually on the rise, it pays to know a unit’s running costs (pun intended).

On paper, the Air Genius 5 comes across as a highly energy-efficient air purifier that should cost less than $60 a year to run. But, as weโ€™ve seen from our performance tests, this is because itโ€™s not exactly working as hard as other units out there.

2. Filter costs = $58 per year

Another consideration to factor into your budget is how much it costs to replace the filters when needed. This is where I usually talk about how HEPA filters need replacing periodically because of how they work, but the Air Genius 5 doesnโ€™t use a HEPA filter.

Having a washable filter may require more effort than simply ordering a new one, but you save a heck of an amount of money over time. That would be true for the AG5 if the pre-filters lasted longer than 3 months.

Why have a washable particle filter but not a washable pre-filter? 

At around $30 for a pack of two genuine Honeywell pre-filters, replacing them is the biggest expense here.

Honeywell HRF-K2 Household Odor & Gas Reducing Pre-filter (Filter K) - 2 Pcs - For Air Purifier
Honeywell HRF-K2 Household Odor & Gas Reducing Pre-filter (Filter K) – 2 Pcs – For Air Purifier
$25.30
Buy on Amazon

You can opt to buy unofficial filters from other brands at a cheaper price, but I canโ€™t testify to how effective they are.

CoreCarbon 4-Pack Exact Fitment Carbon Pre-Filter Designed to Fit Honeywell | Air Genius 3, 4, 5, 6 Purifier - Models HFD300, HFD310, HFD314, HFD320, HD320, HFD323CV1, HFD323-TGT, HFD324, HFD360B
CoreCarbon 4-Pack Exact Fitment Carbon Pre-Filter Designed to Fit Honeywell | Air Genius 3, 4, 5, 6 Purifier – Models HFD300, HFD310, HFD314, HFD320, HD320, HFD323CV1, HFD323-TGT, HFD324, HFD360B
  • NOTICE ***** PRE-FILTERS ARE DESIGNED TO BE LARGER THAN AND PROPERLY COVER THE HEPA FILTER. NOT TO COVER THE HOUSING GRILL. NO AIR WILL BYPASS THE PRE-FILTER. REFERENCE IMAGE #2
  • DESIGNED TO FIT: Honeywell* Air Genius 3, 4, 5, 6 Air Purifier – Models HFD300, HFD310, HFD314, HFD320, HD320, HFD323CV1, HFD323-TGT, HFD324, HFD360B
  • NO SCISSORS REQUIRED: Pre-Cut for Exact Fitment 5-3/4″ x 20-5/8″
  • MADE IN USA: High Grade Powdered Activated Carbon for Superior Performance, Odor Reduction, Includes Resealable Bag To Maintain Carbon Freshness
  • PERFORMACE: Proper balance of Air Flow and Performance
$17.49
Buy on Amazon

Bottom line

This is a poor-performing air purifier considering its price, I suggest you look elsewhere.

Honeywell has a strong position in the air purifier world. Their products are trusted and held in high regard amongst consumers. So, why have they let this one out into the wild?

There are some redeeming features on the Air Genius 5. It doesnโ€™t look ugly, the controls are easy to use and it is seriously quiet, but none of these can outweigh the sheer lack of performance compared to its price tag. 

Honeywell Air Genius 5 HFD320 Room

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Iโ€™ve never been this negative about an air purifier before, it’s probably because Iโ€™m so disappointed. I would expect this type of performance from a cheap mini-unit, not a tower unit from one of the best brands in the game.

Do yourself a favor, forget all about the Air Genius 5 and check out the long list of better air purifiers that weโ€™ve tested and reviewed, like the Winix 5500-2, Levoit Vital 200S, TaoTronics TT-AP003, Blueair Blue Pure 311.

SOURCES

We calculated yearly costs associated with running the Honeywell Air Genius 5 HFD320 24 hours a day, 365 days per year utilizing the latest average energy prices as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of $0.174/kWh as of May 2024.

Winix A231 (Zero Compact) review

by
Winix A231 Corner

Winix is a South Korean company that has been producing air quality devices since 1973. We have previously tested and reviewed the Winix 5300-2 and 5500-2 with good results, so we know Winix knows how to produce air purifiers with excellent performance at affordable prices.

The Winix A230 comes in all black, and the A231 โ€” the device we are reviewing โ€” is white and grey. Besides the color, the Winix A230 and A231 have all the same features and functions. This same device is known as the Winix Zero Compact in Europe.

The Winix A231 is aimed at those with smaller spaces of up to 230 square feet and is a much smaller device than the popular Winix 5500-2.

All Winix devices are sent for independent CADR testing as part of AHAM/ANSI AC-1-2002, to see how well the device can remove dust, smoke and pollen. After years of testing air purifiers, I recommend you always choose a device with an AHAM CADR lab result, as this will help you get an adequately powered air purifier to keep your room clean.

All Winix devices use PlasmaWave, a bi-polar ionization technology that can improve particle removal performance beyond HEPA filtration alone. One big thing I like about Winix is that their Plasmawave technology is optional and easily switched off. I wish more air purifiers with an ionizer would offer this.

As with all the reviews we perform here at HouseFresh, we bought the Winix A230 with our own money and have no relationship with Winix. We aim to share the results of our hands-on testing, including a performance test, sound levels, long-term costs and energy usage.

When writing this review, the Winix A231 was $81.22, and the all-black A230 was $78.99 โ€” this is even cheaper than the popular Levoit Core 300, and the Winix device has a better Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR). 

I am excited to see if Winix can offer their usual high cleaning performance in an air purifier that can be found regularly for less than $99.

The lowdown on the Winix A231

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
โ€œThe Winix A231 is an impressive small air purifier that does a good job considering its low cost.

While I would still recommend that most people choose a bigger air purifier, for those needing a smaller device, this is at the top of my list of recommendations.โ€
โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer
Winix A231 Living room

Some people just want to know the key findings without reading the entire review, so I distilled the review down to the seven most important things to be aware of with the Winix A230/A231.

What we really like

It was five (5!) minutes quicker at cleaning our test room of PM1 particles than the Levoit Core 300.
Small design that doesnโ€™t take up too much space.
Auto-mode means it can add value in cases where there are occasional issues with air quality, like a kitchen.
Fair pricing from Winix for genuine filters, some of the cheapest on the market.
Generic filters bring filter costs down to $15 per year.

What we think could be better

No settings memory, so if the device loses power, it will go to default (with PlasmaWave enabled.
It is a small air purifier, so it will struggle to clear the air in spaces larger than 219 sq. ft.

Clean air delivery rateย (CADR):โ€“ Top speed PM1 CADR: 148 cfm
โ€“ Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 67 cfm
โ€“ AHAM PM2.5 CADR: 154 cfm (dust)
Filter technology:Fine mesh pre-filter, True HEPA filter, activated carbon filter, PlasmaWave technology
Recommended room size:222 sq. ft.ย (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:9.5D x 9.5W x 14.6H inches (24.13D x 24.13W x 37H cm)
Weight:7.1 lbs (3.2 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:Speed 1: 35.2 dB
Speed 2: 48.3 dBย 
Speed 3: 57.9 dB
Electricity consumption in watts:Standby mode: 0.06 watts
Speed 1: 35.4 watts
Speed 2: 37.7 watts
Speed 3: 45.6 watts
Filter lifespan:12 months
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:2 years
Country of origin:South Korea
Country of manufacture:Thailand

A small air purifier that takes little space

The Winix A231 is light, bright and easy to the eye

Winix A231 Side table

This small device takes up very little space in the home and could easily be used in smaller rooms like a bedroom or office. It’s a good-looking device with a flared design that makes it stand out from the standard white cylindrical designs of other manufacturers. 

Winix A231 Front top

In terms of size and weight, the Winix A231/Zero Compact is similar to the Levoit Core 300 โ€” small and easy to move around. But similar โ‰  the same: the A231 comes with a flared design that makes it a little shorter than the Core 300. That being said, both units have a similar floor footprint.

Levoit Core 300 VS Winix A231

The control panel of this air purifier sits at the top. It is a touchscreen surrounded by the air quality indicator: a circular light that changes color depending on the current air quality (red = poor, amber = fair and blue = good).

Winix A231 Living room

In terms of buttons, you will see that there is a filter alert at the top (to let you know when itโ€™s time to change the filter) and then three buttons for enabling auto mode, sleep mode and switching PlasmaWave on and off. There are also two arrows to switch through the three fan speeds available (low, medium and high). Finally, you have a power button at the bottom of the screen.

Winix A231 Control panel

One minor issue I found with the control panel of the Winix A231 is that the arrow buttons donโ€™t light up, so it can be tricky to see them in the night or when using this unit in darker spaces.

This air purifier comes with an on-board air quality sensor, which powers the AQI light indicators and the possibility of running the unit on automatic. The sensor sits at the back of the device and you should always make sure that it is not blocked by anything.

Winix A231 AQI sensor

While this device comes with an auto-mode, it doesnโ€™t come with a smartphone app or smart speaker connectivity. This limits your ability to operate your A231 remotely. Not everyone cares about this but I always like to clarify for those who do.

H13 HEPA, carbon and an integrated pre-filter

The Winix A231 (Zero Compact) offers great CADR for less than $80!

Winix A231 Fire place

With the recent fiasco of Levoit falsely claiming their filters were HEPA-certified, we are paying close attention to other air purifier brands who might be overselling their features.

It’s reassuring that all Winix devices are third-party tested by Aham Verifide. These tests pit purifiers against the most common air pollutants, and we can see below the impressive results backing up Winixโ€™s performance claims for the A231.  

Winix A231 ENERGY STAR

Winix uses HEPA H13 for their Winix A231/Zero Compact. These filters are considered medical-grade, which means they can remove 99.99% of particles as small as 0.3 microns โ€” the equivalent of ultra-fine pet dander, dust mites and bacteria particles. 

Winix A231 HEPA filter

The Winix A231 also uses activated carbon, but itโ€™s the same impregnated fabric we saw we testing the 5300-2 rather than the pelleted carbon we saw in the latest 5500-2. As this is a small air purifier, the amount of carbon will still be tiny, so itโ€™s unlikely to make much of a difference in daily usage against gasses and odors.

Winix A231 Activated carbon filter

Tip

If you have a severe issue with VOCs or odors, you should look at specialist air purifiers that utilize high quantities of activated carbon.

Like the Levoit Core 300, you can remove the filter from the bottom of the device by twisting it in the direction of the arrows.

Winix A231 Bottom

One benefit of the A231/Zero Compact over the Levoit Core 300 is that it’s much harder to remove the base by accident when the device is standing on the floor. This is an issue that my wife uncovered: sometimes, when cleaning the floors, she will pick up the Core 300, and the filter falls out because the base of the device was unlocked. The Core 300โ€™s base can easily unlock when moving the air purifier around the floor. With the Winix A231, the base stays on unless you intentionally twist it with your hands, so it is a much better design.

Tip

Most HEPA filters will arrive in a sealed plastic bag, so be sure to remove them before you start your device, or you will fail to remove any particles from the air.

The Winix A231 cleared our test room in 40 minutes

For our performance test, we used the Purpleair Indoor Sensor with an additional BM680 gas filter that allows us to continually track the levels of PM1, PM2.5 PM10 and VOCs in our 728 cubic feet room.

At top speed and with PlasmaWave enabled, the Winix A231/Zero Compact cleared all traces of pollutants from our home test lab in 40 minutes. 

Without the PlasmaWave, the Winix A231 reached PM1 zero in 46 minutes, just one minute slower than the Levoit Core 300:

This is how it compares to other small air purifiers we have tested:

AIR PURIFIER MODELTIME TO CLEAN OUR TEST ROOMLIST PRICE
AirFanta 3Pro17 minutes$159.99
Levoit Vital 200S23 minutes$189.99
Coway Airmega AP-1512HH (with ionizer)26 minutes$229.99
Corsi-Rosenthal Box32 minutes$85.00
Levoit Vital 100S37 minutes$139.99
Winix A231 (with ionizer)40 minutes$99.99
Levoit Core 300S45 minutes$149.99
PuroAir 24051 minutes$199.00

Although the Winix A230/A231 is still only suitable for smaller rooms, I was very impressed by its air cleaning performance, considering its low price.

Noise levels

The final test is to see how much sound is generated at each of the three fan speeds.

Air cleaning performance is essential, but if you donโ€™t want to use the device due to the level of sound, then it wonโ€™t matter.

We recorded that the Winix A231 produced 57.9 dBA at the highest fan speed, similar to other Winix devices we reviewed. 57.9 dBA is not quiet enough to use during sleep or work, but it wasnโ€™t excessively high compared to other air purifiers we tested.

At the second fan speed, noise levels peaked at 48.3 dBA. And at the lowest speed, sound levels dropped to 35.2 dBA. This is very quiet, but we wouldn’t recommend using such a small device at its lowest speed as it just wouldnโ€™t be able to clean enough air, even in a tiny space.

We re-tested the particle removal speed of the A231 at this sub-45 dB speed and it reached PM1 zero in 86 minutes โ€• a whole 46 minutes slower than when running at its top speed:

The cost to run a Winix A231/Zero Compact: $119.54 per year

Low energy draw and affordable filters keep annual costs feasible. 

1. Electricity costs = $69.55 per year

Itโ€™s advisable to keep your air purifier running constantly to improve the number of air changes in your room. This means you must be aware of the energy costs because they can add up when running inefficient devices. 

Assuming that Winix A231 was on 24/7 every day of the year at its highest speed, it would add $69.55 to your electricity bill. This level of electricity usage aligns with other small air purifiers and is fair, considering how well it can clean the air. 

2. Filter costs = $49.99 per year

Winix states that you should change the filter every 12 months for the A231, but this will depend on how you use it and how bad the air is. Thankfully, it also includes an alert to tell you when to change the filter at the top of the device. 

Genuine filters are $20 cheaper than those from Levoit for similar-sized devices, so these filters are some of the best value on the market. 

If you want to keep costs even lower, you can also go for generic filters that bring the yearly filter costs down to just over $15 if you buy a 2-pack.

Sale
Winix Genuine Replacement Filter for A230 and A231
Winix Genuine Replacement Filter for A230 and A231
  • Compatible with Winix air cleaner models A230 and A231
  • Genuine up to 12 months of filtration! Longer lasting than generic compatible filters
$28.50
Buy on Amazon
Generic Replacement Filter for Winix A230 and A231 (2-Pack)
Generic Replacement Filter for Winix A230 and A231 (2-Pack)
  • Perfect Compatibility: Fits Winix A230 and A231 air purifiers; replaces part # 1712-0110-00.
  • 3-Stage Filtration: Combines a pre-filter, main filter, and carbon layer to trap particles.
$31.99
Buy on Amazon

Bottom line: Is the Winix A231 (A230 or Zero Compact) worth it?

The A231 is a great performing small air purifier for an equally small price.

I always recommend readers who email me asking for advice to oversize their air purifiers because larger devices can run at lower fan speeds without loss in performance, which means they are quieter but still pack some power for moments when you need it. 

That being said, there are times when you just need a small device or when space is limited, and those big units will be impossible to fit in. The Winix A230/A231 is a great unit for those cases โ€” for example, for a small bedroom or the top of a desk in a small home office.

Winix A231 Editorial

When it comes to competitor units, I have to compare the A231/Zero Compact to the Levoit Core 300 and the Core 300S. After our testing, itโ€™s clear that the A231 beats both of them:

  • The Winix A231 was quicker to clean our test room of PM1 than the $99 Levoit Core 300
  • It comes with an onboard air quality sensor and auto-mode, which are features you would get with the Levoit Core 300S after paying $50 extra

I recommend looking at bigger Winix devices like the 5500-2 for serious air cleaning performance, including odors and VOC-busting capabilities. However, if you are short on space or budget, the Winix A230/231 is one of the best small air purifiers I have tested.

SOURCES

We calculated yearly costs associated with running the Winix A230/231 for 24 hours a day, 365 days per year utilizing the latest average energy prices as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of $0.174/kWh as of April 2024.

Dyson Purifier Cool TP07 review

by
Dyson TP07 Editorial

Dyson is a major player in the air quality appliance space. With a revenue of over $8 billion, they are a goliath compared to other air purifier manufacturers. 

Most of Dysonโ€™s business is from its vacuum cleaner range, but in March 2015, the company entered the air purification space, releasing its first air purifier: the Dyson Pure Cool Link.

Over the years, Dyson has focused on developing multifunctional appliances, with the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07 being the latest iteration of their air purifier and fan combo. We have already reviewed the Dyson PH03 and Dyson HP04, which offer humidifier and heating features but failed to wow us with their pure air cleaning power ratio to the high unit price. 

At first glance, the Dyson Cool TP07 ticks a lot of boxes, providing a fan and air purifier feature with third-party lab-approved HEPA H13 filters, odor-adsorbing activated charcoal, app support and auto-mode. But question marks remain over Dysonโ€™s air cleaning power, so I will be super keen to see how it performs in our PM1 particle removal test. 

Dyson doesnโ€™t value CADR (clean air delivery rate), so they donโ€™t list it on their site, but based on my experience with Dyson vacuum cleaners, they have a habit of improving performance with each new model so Iโ€™m keen to see how the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07 performs in our tests.

how we test
How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

The lowdown on the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07

Danny Ashton HouseFresh

“Dyson does what Dyson does, and the TP07 shows major improvements in air cleaning performance and fan speed compared to earlier models. It is a high-priced device, considering its air cleaning capabilities when compared to other cheaper air cleaners.

But if you need a fan AND an air purifier with best-in-class smart features, then the Dyson TP07 is worth considering.”

โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer

Dyson TP07 Living Room

We cover a lot of detail in our review, so if you are short on time, these are the key takeaways that you need to know about the Dyson TP07.

What we really like

Great UX for the smart app that can be used with other Dyson appliances you already have. 
Auto-mode was super quick to respond to a vape pen โ€” switching into high mode very quickly.
The design is much more attractive than most other air purifier models you find.
Fan performance was improved over previous generations โ€” the TP07 was able to push a lot more air.
Remote control attaches magnetically to the top โ€” a small item but a great way of making it easier to use the device and not lose the remote.

What we think could be better

It needed 62 minutes to clear the air in our small 728 cubic feet test room โ€” this is longer than what we saw with the Levoit Core 300 (54 minutes), which is an air purifier that costs under $100.
As with Dyson, the initial unit cost is high at $649, but this does come with a two-year warranty, and you wonโ€™t find fan features on devices only used for air purification.
Genuine filter costs are high at $80, but plenty of lower-priced generic versions are available.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):โ€“ Top speed PM1 CADR: 94 cfm
โ€“ Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 58 cfm
โ€“ AHAM PM2.5 CADR: 89.8 cfm (dust)
Filter technology:HEPA H13 and activated carbon filter
Recommended room size:141 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:7.7 x 8 x 41 inches (19.56 x 20.32 x 104.14 cm)
Weight:11 lbs (4.99 kg)
Noise level from 3 ft. away:Speed 1: 38.9 dB
Speed 2: 44.9 dB
Speed 3: 50.2 dB
Speed 4: 56 dB
Electricity consumption in watts:Standby mode: 0.9 watts
Speed 1: 3.5 watts
Speed 2: 4.9 watts
Speed 3: 10 watts
Speed 4: 22.3 watts
Speed 5: 28.9 watts
Filter life:12 months
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:2-year parts and labor warranty
Country of origin:UK
Country of manufacture:Malaysia

Eye-catching Dyson design

A small footprint with a design style that looks as good as any other Dyson appliance

Dyson TP07 Front

The TP07 has a modern white and silver design that looks great. Plus, there is the option to get a nickel and black colored โ€” unit only if you buy directly from Dyson. The main body contains the filter units, while the tall top section is the bladeless fan. 

The main design feature I like is that the device can rotate up to 350 degrees to circulate clean air all around the room. 

Dyson TP07 Fireplace

Compared to previous generations and variants, you can see that the Dyson TP07 is the tallest Dyson model we have reviewed. Yet it has the smallest floor space due to its smaller base compared to the variants offering heating or humidification. 

Dyson TP07 VS Dyson Combo Units

Even though there is a simple power button on the front of the unit, you will use either the remote control or the app to operate the purifier and adjust its settings. 

Dyson TP07 Controls

The remote provides options to change fan speed, degree of rotation, auto mode, night mode, change air flow direction and even check air quality and filter life. 

Dyson TP07 Remote control

With all Dyson units, the remote control can attach magnetically to the top of your Dyson Cool TP07. This is super convenient as it gives you a clear (and handy) spot where to keep the remote, guaranteeing you wonโ€™t lose it around the house.

Dyson TP07 Remote control 2

The Dysol Cool TP07 comes with onboard air quality sensors, which make it possible for the air purifier to detect pollutants in the air and get to work automatically when set to Auto mode.

Dyson TP07 AQ Sensor

When on Auto mode, the TP07 will intelligently adjust the settings according to the air quality in the room, increasing airflow speed until the target air quality has been reached. At that point, the TP07 switches the fan to low speed, running in the background until the time comes to switch on to full speed again when the air quality levels drop.

The LCD display screen on the Dyson Cool TP07 shows information about air quality, temperature, humidity, function modes and filter levels:

Dyson TP07 Screen

Thereโ€™s a lot of info in there, so itโ€™s handy to see a simple and clear explainer as part of the manual of the TP07:

Dyson Cool TP07 Screen Symbols

When it comes to smartphone connectivity, the Dyson TP07 uses the same MyDyson app you get for managing all your Dyson devices.

The MyDyson app is super simple to set up and, after a minute or so, I could check my space’s air quality levels and adjust all the same features as the remote control.

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DOWNLOAD IPHONE APP ๏ฃฟ
DOWNLOAD ANDROID APP โ–ถ

Many apps from other air purifier brands are a little clunky to set up, and you can tell that Dyson invested a lot of thought into making the app user-friendly. 

Currently, the Dyson Link app is the best app we have used for any air-quality appliance we have reviewed. 

A medical grade and HEPA-certified air filter

The same H13 HEPA filter we have seen in other Dyson combo air purifiers

Dyson TP07 Filter top

I like that Dyson utilizes the same filter across its air purifier product range, unlike some brands that continually introduce new filters. When manufacturers continue to launch new filters, each new filter increases the probability that filters you need for your particular unit will become obsolete in the future.

Dyson calls its filter the 360 Combi Glass HEPA+Carbon Air, which uses a medical grade  HEPA H13 independently tested in a lab to confirm itโ€™s up to the required quality.

Itโ€™s reassuring that Dyson publishes their third-party lab test result, making it available for anyone to see. Especially as Dyson was behind the recent complaint against Levoit, forcing them to remove HEPA H13 in the marketing for several different models.

Dyson TP07 Filter front

Filter grade is just one element, but I appreciate that Dyson uses its power to improve the industry as a whole – no manufacturer should mislead consumers when it comes to harmful air quality.

Dysonโ€™s filter also contains activated charcoal designed to remove gas pollutants like chemical fumes or odor.  However, it contains a relatively small amount of carbon and will struggle to remove strong odors. If you have this issue, you should look at devices that list their carbon in lbs, such as the air purifiers we recommend for VOCs.

Dyson TP07 Filter back

Tip

Most HEPA filters come inside a plastic bag, so be sure to remove them, or you will just move particles around the room without removing them.

The Dyson TP07 has a button on each side of the device that you push down to release the filter case and filter. The filter is then removed from the casing with a push of a button and swapped out for a new one when needed. 

Dyson TP07 No filter

Iโ€™ve also given the unit design marks for encasing the filter in a rubber seal; this prevents air from escaping and increases cleaning efficiency. 

However, I donโ€™t like that so much plastic and rubber is thrown away with each filter replacement. It would be good to reduce the waste to only the filter material. Dyson seems aware of this issue and states that the material used on the filter is recycled. But for future versions, I hope Dyson could improve the design so that less waste is created when you replace the filter.

Press and hold the Night mode button (๐ŸŒ™) on the remote control. The display will countdown from five before resetting the filter life indicator.

The Dyson TP07 cleared our test room in 62 minutes

This is slower than devices that cost a fraction of its price, such as the $99 Core 300 (54 minutes) or the $150 AirFanta 3Pro (17 minutes).

As part of this review, I checked out the current ENERGY STAR certificate for the TP07 and the older generation the Dyson TP04, and I was surprised to see that both devices had the same CADR figures. 

CADR is a lab test that provides a figure for the removal of Smoke, Dust and Pollen and helps you to get the right-sized air purifier for your space. 

I was surprised that both devices had the same CADR, as my experience with Dyson is that they tend to improve with each new generation. 

Dyson TP04 EnergyStar
Dyson TP07 EnergyStar

Based on these CADR figures, we expect the Dyson TP07 to perform as well as the Dyson HP04 that we tested last year, which took 92 minutes to clear our test room of 728 cubic feet of particles sized 1 micron or more. 

Unlike most air purifier reviews you read, we test all our devices in the same room doing the same job. This means we can compare models, brands and even DIY options. 

We first fill our test room with incense smoke and then switch on the Dyson TP07 to its highest fan speed (10) and track the levels of PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 to see how long it takes the air purifier to remove these tiny pollutants from the air. 

The Dyson TP07 took 62 minutes to clean our test room, 30 minutes quicker than the previous generation Dyson HP04:

Itโ€™s worth noting that whilst the performance is much better than the previous generation, it still took eight minutes more than the Levoit 300 – a $99 device – so itโ€™s still not a purifier that I would recommend if you want the best bang for your buck. 

I am looking forward to finding out if Dyson can keep on improving performance with future generations as they have done with their other range of appliances, from vacuum cleaners to hair dryers. 

Noise levels test results

The reported sound levels for the Dyson TP07 at the lowest speed using air purification was 35.5 dB and went up to  54.4 dB at speed 10.  When compared with similarly powered air purifiers, this device runs considerably quiet, particularly considering its fan function. 

We know that sound levels can be personal, so we included a video of the Dyson TP07 running at its lowest and highest fan speed: 

Fan performance test results

As part of this review, we used the Testo 410i anemometer, and we compared it to one of our favorite air purifier fan combos from last year, the Blueair Pure Fan Auto.


Blueair Pure Fan Auto Dyson TP07
Overall average0.74 m/s3.03 m/s
Minimum total0.51 m/s2.90 m/s
Maximum total0.99 m/s3.16 m/s

In comparison, the Dyson Cool TP07 has a much more powerful fan function, moving more than 3 times the amount of air. 

Although it still performs worse at air cleaning, taking 49 minutes to clear our test lab compared to the 26 minutes it took for the Blueair Pure Fan Auto to do the same job.

The cost to run a Dyson Cool TP07: $124.07 per year

1. Electricity costs = $44.08 per year

When using an energy meter, we saw that the Dyson pulled a maximum of 28.9 watts on its top speed setting, which is low compared to other brands on the market. Assuming we left it running at high speed 24/7 every day of the year, it would add just under $50 to your annual electricity bill.

2. Filter costs = $79.99 per year

Dyson recommends changing the filters every 12 months, but this will depend on your particular air quality situation. The genuine filters are more expensive than other models, but we were pleased to see that Amazon now has many generic filters to choose from, bringing the price down. These generic filters may not be third-party lab tested, but as we saw with non-HEPA grade Levoit filters, they will likely still do a good job of removing particles from the air at a lower cost than going with genuine filters. 

Choosing non-genuine filters will bring the yearly filter cost down to $35-40.

Dyson TP07 Replacement Filter (2-Pack )
Dyson TP07 Replacement Filter (2-Pack )
  • ใ€COMPATIBIE MODELSใ€‘- This TP04 HP04 filter replacement are fully compatible with Dyson Air Purifier Fan TP04 HP04 DP04 TP05 and DP05 models, for Dyson Tower Fan Sealed Two Stage 360ยฐ Air Purifier and Pure Cool Air Purifier Fan. Compared to Part # 968707-04, 968708-04, 969048-01. Please double check your model is TP04 HP04 DP04 TP05 and DP05 before order.
  • ใ€HIGH EFFICIENCY TRUE HEPA FILTERใ€‘- Our TP04 DP04 filter replacements come with Dual-Layer Filtra-tion. This HEPA replacement filter helps for attaching 99.7% of the airborne particels as small as 0.3 microns, and the activated carbon filter helps you solve the problem of unpleasant odors and gases.
$59.99
Buy on Amazon

Bottom line: Is the Dyson TP07 worth it?

A big upgrade over previous generations of Dyson fan air purifiers but still lacking in air quality performance

Dyson has managed to upgrade the air cleaning performance over the previous generation, shaving off 30 minutes in our air cleaning performance test. Yet this device is still only as good at removing tiny particles as a $99 air purifier. 

Dyson TP07 Living Room

If you want a good-looking fan that can clean the air in a smaller space, this is likely the best option, but it comes with a high price tag. 

I am excited to see if Dyson can continue making big improvements with future generations of the air purifier to justify the costly purchase price. 

Unless youโ€™re only in the market for a combo unit, for the same price as the Dyson Cool TP07, you can get a much more powerful air purifier such as the Levoit EverestAir โ€” and you would still have $150 left over to spend on a separate fan. 

SOURCES

We calculated yearly costs associated with running the Dyson TP07 24 hours a day, 365 days per year utilizing the latest average energy prices as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of $0.174/kWh as of April 2024.

Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box review

by
CR

The Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box is the brainchild of Dr. Richard Corsi and Jim Rosenthal and it was developed to create an affordable and effective DIY air cleaner during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was designed to use common MERV-13 HVAC filters (that are easily available in the United States) in combination with a box fan. Unlike the other devices we have reviewed here at HouseFresh, it is an air purifier that you can build yourself.

After recent controversy around the use of the term ‘CR Box’ to refer to variations of the DIY filter and fan box, it is worth mentioning that the Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box was an improvement on the DIY box fan air purifiers that have been around for many years.

The Corsi-Rosenthal Box is sometimes referred to as the Comparetto Cube. The main difference between the two is that the CR-Box uses five MERV-13 filters, whereas the Comparetto Cube uses four filters with the bottom side covered by cardboard. Rosenthal devised a further improvement by adding a “fan shroud” made of cardboard to cover the corners of the box fan, improving its performance.

Most CR Boxes you will see these days doing the rounds on Reddit or X (formerly Twitter) are what could be called Corsi-Rosenthal Boxes with a Comparetto Cube configuration.

Several studies have supported the effectiveness of the Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box, including research by the EPA, which tested the device and showed it could be very effective at removing the tiniest particles of 0.01 ยตm โ€“ 0.6 ยตm. A study from researchers at Brown University also showed that a Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box can help reduce PFAS and phthalate levels, which are common indoor air pollutants. The Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box was also tested by researchers at UC Davis Energy and Efficiency Institute, who found that this DIY device performs similarly to residential portable air purifiers in terms of estimated clean air delivered, even though it costs about three times less.

As this concept aligns with our core mission of helping deliver clean air, affordable for all, we were keen to build our own Corsi-Rosenthal Box with a Comparetto Cube configuration.

But we didnโ€™t stop there. We also tested the Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box following the exact same process we followed with every other air purifier we have reviewed to date so we could compare its performance like-for-like.

how we test
How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

The lowdown on the Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
โ€œThe Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box with a Comparetto Cube configuration offers the best ratio of $ spent to air cleaning performance we have seen. A simple design that even children can build, which can be a massive help in removing tiny particles from indoor air.โ€
โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer

CR Box Living Room

BUY MERV 13 FILTERS
BUY BOX FAN

If you donโ€™t have time to read the full review, you can just read my top-line summary of the findings when testing the CR Box:

What we really like

It offers the best air cleaning performance per dollar spent of any air purifier we have tested.
It uses items you might already have in the house (four MERV 13 filters, a box fan and duct tape).
It is powerful enough to provide five air changes per hour for rooms as large as 411 sq. ft.
Outstanding performance โ€” cleaned our test room in 30 minutes! That is faster than the much more expensive Mila and the Austin Air HealthMate.
It is super easy to build your own CR Box with the help of online instructions.

What we think could be better

It has a fairly large footprint compared to similar powered traditional shop-bought air purifiers we have tested. The CR box is not ideal for small spaces.
Box fans can be loud when running at their top speeds.
It does require you to put it together, there is no way around it.

Considering you can build this air purifier yourself, the fact that our CR Box managed to clean the air as fast as pricey shop-bought devices is impressive.

Clean air delivery rateย (CADR):โ€“ Top speed PM1 CADR: 198 cfm
โ€“ Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: n/a
Filter technology:MERV 13
Recommended room size:297ย sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:20L x 20W x 20H inches (50L x 50W x 50H cm)
Weight:10 lbs (4.5 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:Speed 1: 49 dB
Speed 2: 55.1 dBย 
Speed 3: 60.7 dB
Electricity consumption in watts:Standby mode: 0 kWh
Speed 1: 40.5 kWh
Speed 2: 44.5 kWh
Speed 3: 46.7 kWh
Filter life:6-12 months
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:n/a

A bulkier design compared to shop-bought units

The final look will depend on how good you are at handling duct tape โ€” Iโ€™m not great.

CR

BUY MERV 13 FILTERS
BUY BOX FAN

There is no escaping that this is a box fan with a bunch of HVAC filters taped to it.

Compared to a shop-bought unit, the Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box is fairly utilitarian, and if you are not very crafty (like me), it can look a little messy.

CR Box Shroud front

Something to keep in mind as well is that, due to the design, the Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box takes up quite a bit of floor space โ€” you can get a better performance-to-size ratio from retail units.

Naturally, you wonโ€™t find a fancy control panel with a touchscreen display or hi-tech buttons. Personally, I love the simplicity of the controls in our CR Box. You will only need to focus on the dial of the box fanโ€”simply adjust the fan speed to match the air cleaning power you need.

Corsi Rosenthal

This is to say that if you are looking for a stylish unit, the Corsi Rosenthal Box might not be the right air purifier for you. You can see in the image below how it compares in size and in looks with other air purifiers we have around the house:

CR Box Comparison Other Units

However, many of these are devices you can buy at any retail store. So a better comparison could be looking at the CR box next to some of the trendy PC fan-powered DIY kits, such as the AirFanta 3Pro, the Nukit Tempest and the CleanAirKits Luggable XL:

DIY air purifiers Size comparison

While some of these devices use 20-inch MERV 13 filters, the fact that they are not cubes REALLY helps reduce the floorspace you will need to have one at home:

CR Box VS AirFanta 3Pro Top

A great example of why HEPA is not a requirement for clean air

The Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box uses four MERV 13 filters, and they work like a charm.

CR Box Top view

BUY MERV 13 FILTERS
BUY BOX FAN

HEPA H13 is regularly touted as an important aspect of an air purifier, but the Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box can clean even the tiniest of particles with MERV-13. This goes to show that HEPA grade is not an absolute requirement for clean air. 

Jim Rosenthal regularly discusses that itโ€™s all about filter, fit and flow. 

A Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box can move A LOT of air through each of the four MERV-13 filters. This means that this device can continue to remove even the tiniest of particles as the air passes through the filters multiple times.

Corsi Rosenthal

Another way to explain this is by sharing my experience when testing small air purifiers that use HEPA H13 filters, but that fail to clean the air in our test room โ€” hello, AROEVE MK01. The reason this happens is that these small air purifiers cannot push enough air through the filters quickly enough to make a meaningful difference to indoor air quality, no matter how high the grade of its HEPA filter.

When building your own CR Box, you need to make sure that you use at least MERV 13, as tests with lower-grade filters have shown to be less effective. Unlike a retail air purifier, you can use any MERV 13 HVAC filter brand.

CR Box Side view

Tip

When the time comes for you to replace the filters in your CR Box, you will need to remove the duct tape around the filters before you can replace them. The last step will be for you to re-tape the new filters. 

I am looking forward to the moment when I need to replace the filters in our CR Box so I can ask my wife to help me do a better job at re-retaping them โ€” V2 will look a lot tidier!

The Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box cleared our test room in 30 minutes

I am blown away by the performance of an air purifier you can put together in 10 minutes with materials that will cost you $85.

CR

We tested the Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box in the same test room where we tested all the air purifiers we reviewed. Our test room measures 728 cubic feet, and we use the PurpleAir Zen that can track PM1.0ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM10.0 ug/m3 and VOCs using the additional Bosch gas sensor.

We lit an incense stick to simulate indoor pollution and then tracked how long it took the Corsi-Rosenthal Box to clean the air to the point that the PurpleAir sensor showed zero PM1.0ug/m3. It is worth mentioning that we tested our CR box with and without a cardboard shroud at the top.

The CR box without the cardboard shroud cleared all PM1 pollutants from our test room in 30 minutes:

Adding a cardboard shroud at the top of our CR box, shaved off two full minutes at no extra cost:

The Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box compared very favorably to much costlier retail devices.

It cleaned the air nearly as fast as the $900 IQAir Healthpro Plus and was faster than the much more expensive (and super smart) Mila. However, we found it to be minutes slower than the latest budget-friendly purifier from Levoit, the Vital 200S.

Noise levels

Noise is a concern for any air cleaner as it must run consistently to be effective. If a device is too loud, then it will not be used as often. We used a sound level monitor to measure how much noise the Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box generated when running at different fan speed levels.

Creating 60.7dB at its highest speed, the Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box makes similar volumes to many commercially available devices but is MUCH louder than other DIY air purifiers such as the CleanAirKits Luggable XL or the AirFanta 3Pro.

Now, I know that noise can be very subjective, so after our performance test was complete, we recorded a video of our CR Box running at each fan speed.

The cost to run a Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box: $110.88 per year

1. Electricity costs = $50.56 per year

I plugged our Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box through an electricity usage monitor to record how many watts it pulled when running at different fan speeds. For the sake of this calculation, I am using the readings from the top speed.

When running at the highest fan speed, we saw that our CR Box pulled 46.7 watts, which adds $50.56 to your electricity bill if you use it 24 hours per day. 

2. Filter costs = $60.32 per year

Filter replacement will depend on how much use your CR Box and how dirty the air is in your specific location, but a good rule of thumb is to replace your filters every 6-12 months. 

Assuming the filter achieves a 12-month lifespan, you can get a new set of four filters every year for $60.32:

Aerostar Air Filter 20x20x1 MERV 13 AC Filter, HVAC, Furnace Filter, 6 Pack | ACTUAL SIZE (19.75 x 19.75 x 0.75) AC Filter, Furnace Filter, Allergies, Dust, Pet Dander & Smoke MERV 13 (MPR 1500)
Aerostar Air Filter 20x20x1 MERV 13 AC Filter, HVAC, Furnace Filter, 6 Pack | ACTUAL SIZE (19.75 x 19.75 x 0.75) AC Filter, Furnace Filter, Allergies, Dust, Pet Dander & Smoke MERV 13 (MPR 1500)
  • UNIVERSAL COMPATIBILITY: Fits most standard residential and commercial HVAC systems with a standard 1-inch filter slot. Including Carrier, Bryant, Payne & Honeywell. Actual size 19.75 x 19.75 x 0.75 Comparable to Filtrete MPR 1500-1900 and Honeywell FPR 10 filters.
  • ADVANCED MERV 13 (MPR 1500 - 1900 / FPR 10) PERFORMANCE: High-efficiency filter media captures up to 98% of airborne particles including dust, pollen, pet dander, bacteria, smoke, and microscopic allergens for cleaner, healthier indoor air.
  • ELECTROSTATICALLY CHARGED DESIGN: Premium synthetic pleated fibers attract and trap more particles without restricting airflowโ€”helping maintain optimal HVAC system performance and energy efficiency.
  • LONG-LASTING, DURABLE DESIGN: Heavy-duty beverage board frame with moisture-resistant backing and reinforced pleats provides up to 3 months of reliable filtrationโ€”outlasting traditional fiberglass filters.
  • PROUDLY MADE IN THE USA: Manufactured using high-quality materials in American facilities to ensure dependable performance, sustainable production, and cleaner indoor air you can trust.
$49.26 Amazon Prime
Buy on Amazon

Tip

If you spot visible dirt on the filters, donโ€™t panic, as it doesnโ€™t mean your MERV-13 filters need to be replaced. Tests have shown that a Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box will still clean the air even if the filters โ€œlookโ€ dirty.

You should wait till the soiling is noticeable or if you feel the CR box is not as effective following AQI sensor metrics.

Bottom line: Is the Corsi-Rosenthal box worth building?

The short answer: Yes! The long answer: The CR box offers powerful air cleaning performance for $85 and some duct tape!

Many air purifier brands like to overstate how complicated it is to clean the air, but the Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box is living proof that you just need a fan and filter โ€” literally. 

Thanks to the support and knowledge of the clean air community, we can now clean the air in our homes with easily available parts that wonโ€™t require much time or money. Who knows, you may even have the required components lying around your house already!

CR

BUY MERV 13 FILTERS
BUY BOX FAN

While I still think that a specially designed air purifier will make more sense to people who can invest in the right unit for the specific job they need, the Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box is perfect for those on a tight budget or who need to deal with an unexpected (and serious) indoor air quality problem like wildfire smoke or another pandemic from an airborne virus.

It might be hard for you to trust me when I tell you that a fan, a bunch of HVAC filters and some duct tape are all you need to clean the air in your home. In fact, this might be the first time you hear about the Corsi-Rosenthal Box.

Unfortunately, in the age of big newspapers and magazines recommending the best air purifiers to their readers, you wonโ€™t see many big media companies talking about the Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box.

Big publishers affiliate marketing

The reason none of these publications are recommending the Corsi-Rosenthal Box is that having you build your own air purifier wonโ€™t help them boost their bottom line. But here at HouseFresh, we think itโ€™s important to help you breathe clean air, even if that wonโ€™t make us rich. We wouldnโ€™t be serious about what we do if we hadnโ€™t taught you how to build a DIY air purifier or if we werenโ€™t spreading the word about how AWESOME the CR Box is.

If you have any questions about the Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box, shoot me an email at danny@housfresh.com, and Iโ€™ll try to help. In the meantime, here is a step-by-step guide on how to build your own CR Box:

There are many people from the COVID cautious and clean air communities who are constantly innovating in the search for cost-effective air cleaners that will perform as well as shop-bought devices. I will continue to test and review these devices under the same conditions in which we test branded units, so you can decide what is best for you.

Two excellent DIY air purifiers we have tested that are inspired by the design of the Corsi-Rosenthal box are the $149 AirFanta 3Pro and the $227 CleanAirKits Luggable XL-7. Both designs are powered by PC fans, which make the devices much quieter and less energy-hungry than the CR box. If budget is not an impediment, then check out those two options as they took everything that is right about the Corsi-Rosenthal box and made it even better.

SOURCES

We calculated yearly costs associated with running the Corsiโ€“Rosenthal Box for 24 hours a day, 365 days per year utilizing the latest average energy prices as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of $0.174/kWh as of January 2025.

At HouseFresh, we have been reviewing air quality products since 2010. In all these years, we learned not to rely on manufacturers’ claims and the ever-so-glowing marketing materials. That is why we buy products with our own money, so we can write unbiased reviews after we’ve had enough time to evaluate air quality products in our home lab. Every unit we recommend has been thoroughly tested to assess its performance, energy consumption, and noise levels emitted in real-life environments. If you have any questions about our testing process for different types of air quality products, just drop us an email at danny@housefresh.com.

Winix 5500-2 review

by
Winix 5500 2 TV Room

The Winix 5500-2 is an upgraded version of their super popular Winix 5300-2, which we reviewed in 2021. Itโ€™s a device that has many fans online, from the team from NYtimes Wirecutter to the Redditors over at r/AirPurifiers.

Winix is one of the OG air purifier manufacturers, producing air quality devices since 1973. They are a South Korean company known for creating budget-friendly products that still perform effectively. Itโ€™s worth also mentioning that all Winix devices are made in Korea rather than China (the usual manufacturing country of most air purifier brands).

Another highlight of Winix is that they send all their devices for independent testing with AHAM (Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers) Verifide, which means that a third party has confirmed the unitโ€™s CADR results. 

As always, let me clarify that we bought the 5500-2 with our own money and have no relationship with Winix. We do this because we want to be as unbiased as possible, letting our first-hand data guide us. That is why my review focuses on how this unit performed in our set of tests, including its air cleaning performance, long-term costs, energy usage and sound generation.

how we test
How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

A few weeks ago, we started hearing rumors about the 5500-2 being discontinued so we reached out to Winix America for confirmation.

Unfortunately, the rumors are true: both the Winix 5500-2 and the 5300-2 will be discontinued in the U.S. and in Canada once their inventory comes to an end.

The lowdown on the Winix 5500-2

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
โ€œI am pleased to see that Winix made some major improvements with the 5500-2, including a new type of activated carbon filter and a remote, but the best thing about it is its air cleaning performance: I ended up testing this device a few times as I didnโ€™t expect it to clean the PM1 pollutants as quickly as it did.
It was disappointing to learn that Winix has discontinued the 5500-2 in favor of the newer Winix 5510, but depending on where you live, you might still be able to find a 5500-2 and there are lots of OEM and generic filters still available.โ€
โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Lead Tester

What we really like

With PlasmaWave enabled, the 5500-2 cleaned our test room in 23 minutes โ€” without the ionizer, it still managed to clean the air in 24 minutes
A great price-to-CADR ratio, with 1 CADR cfm costing 74 cents!
Improved activated carbon filter that uses pelleted carbon instead of the impregnated fabric we saw in the older Winix 5300-2 
Affordable filter replacements, with genuine filters available for $50 and generic filters for $15 per year 
It comes with an auto-mode and timers, so you donโ€™t have to continually adjust the settings โ€” you also get a remote control for adjusting the settings from afar
AHAM Verifide, so it has been tested by a third party to confirm CADR scores and has an EnergyStar rating

What we think could be better

Energy usage is fairly high due to this being an older model
No memory setting, so if you lose power, you lose your current settings โ€” including the PlasmaWave function, which could generate ozone without you knowing if you donโ€™t switch it off

HouseFresh rating:โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…
Time to clean our 728 cubic feet test room (with the device running at top speed):23 minutes (with PlasmaWave)
Air purifier technology:PlasmaWave, removable pre-filter, washable activated carbon filter and True HEPA filter
Recommended room size (4.8 air changes per hour):360 sq. ft.
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):Dust:  243 CFM
Smoke: 232 CFM
Pollen: 246 CFM
Dimensions (in inches / cm):15W x 8.2D x 23.6H inches (38W x 21D x 60H cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):14.8 lbs (6.7kg)
Filter life:12 months
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):Speed 1: 38.8 dB
Speed 2: 42.5 dB 
Speed 3: 47.5 dB
Speed 4: 58.9 dB
Electricity consumption in watts (recorded with an electricity usage monitor):Standby mode: 0.34 watts
Speed 1: 6.5 watts
Speed 2: 9.11 watts
Speed 3: 14.80 watts
Speed 4: 53.46 watts
Estimated running cost (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):$161.53 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):$0.66
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:2 year
Country of manufacture:South Korea

The best feature: it comes with an ionizer that can be disabled

It may seem like a small thing, but unfortunately, there are many air purifiers on the market that come with hidden ionizers that cannot be turned off.

Winix 5500 2 Controls

The Winix 5500-2 uses a bipolar ionization technology called PlasmaWave, but you can switch it off and still use the air purifier without this ionizer function. This is great to see because not everyone wants to use this type of technology due to the potential risks associated with it, such as ozone generation and the potential for it to introduce VOCs into the air.

Now, this is the point where Winix would correct me and say that I shouldn’t use the word ‘ionizer’ because, unlike normal ionizers that generate negative ions, their PlasmaWave technology produces both negative AND positive ions. However, even bipolar ionization technology can potentially introduce unwanted chemicals into the air.

The good news is that the Winix 5500-2 has been certified by the California Air Resource Board, meaning that this unit meets the ozone emission concentration limit of 0.050 parts per million (50 ppb). That being said, some people report negative reactions to PlasmaWave, which is why it is great to have the option to disable it.

Timeless style that fits anywhere

The twin brother of the 5300-2 for those who prefer black over grey.

Winix 5500 2 Living Room

While the older 5300-2 is gray, the 5500-2 is black. I prefer this color as it doesnโ€™t stand out as much, but then again I have a black phone, black car and black laptop โ€” so I must really like black.

Iโ€™m a fan of the dark color but if you prefer lighter colors, the C545 could be worth a look as itโ€™s a very similar device but in white. 

Whilst itโ€™s not a small device, its design means that it doesnโ€™t take up too much floor space. 

But apart from the color, the 5500-2 looks very similar to its predecessor and has the same product dimensions and floor space requirements.

Winix 5500 2 VS Winix 5300

Like the 5300-2, the 5500-2 keeps the useful removable pre-filter, which makes it super easy to remove to clean as you can quickly vacuum it or rinse it under the tap. Winix recommends you do this every three months to remove particle build-up and keep the unit running smoothly. Data from CleanAirStars has shown that HEPA particle removal efficiency can drop up to 40% when you fail to keep the pre-filter clean.

Another thing worth mentioning about the pre-filter in the 5500-2 is that it is much better than the fitted pre-filters seen on the Levoit Core devices, which are part of the main filter.

Winix 5500 2 Pre filter

The control panel is similar to the 5300-2 with a button for auto mode and sleep mode, a button to switch on PlasmaWave, a button to cycle through the 4 fan speeds and a timer button to set 1 hour, 4 hours or 8 hours running time. There is a light underneath the buttons that adjust color depending on the current air quality levels.

Winix 5500 2 Controls

One annoying thing about the older unit was that when you lost power, it would default back to using the PlasmaWave even if you had switched it off before. Sadly, the 5500-2 still has this issue, so you must adjust the settings again whenever you lose power. We have seen that Alen has managed to build in a setting memory, so it would be great to see this in place for future Winix devices.

One little thing I think is cute is the sound it makes when you switch it on and off. It seems to be a thing with Korean devices as my LG washing machine also does the same thing.

One benefit over the Winix 5300-2 is that the Winix 5500-2 comes with remote control, so you have that as an option:

Winix 5500 2 Remote Control

Be aware if you have small children that the batteries used in these remotes can be deadly if ingested.

Three-stage air cleaning filter system

The 5500-2 comes with three separate filters, including a washable pre-filter, a washable pelleted activated carbon filter and a True HEPA filter.

Winix 5500 2 3 Stage Filtration

Following the big issue of Levoit removing HEPA from their marketing after Dyson complained to the BBB National Programs National Advertising Division (NAD), I am definitely wary of manufacturers’ claims of HEPA.

WInix 5500 2 AHAM Verifide

One reason to trust the Winix 5500-2’s performance is that itโ€™s been independently tested by AHAM as part of their Verifide process.

AHAM is the gold standard when it comes to air cleaning testing and I really like that  Winix always sends their devices for a CADR test and the results for the 5500-2 are impressive. 

  • Dust CADR of 243 cfm
  • Smoke CADR: 232 cfm
  • Pollen CADR 246 cfm

Based on these results this device will provide 4.8 air changes per hour in spaces up to 360 square feet. So if you have a large space you might need a larger device or need to use multiple units.

Winix states that their True HEPA filter can remove 99.99% of particles of 0.3 microns. This is a big claim, but Winix brought receipts: their True HEPA filter has been tested by a third-party lab, so I am not worried that they are not using the filters they say.

Winix 5500 2 HEPA filter

One of my biggest issues with the older Winix was the material they used for the activated carbon filter. Winix chose to use impregnated carbon fabric, which is much cheaper and fine for light-duty issues with odors and gasses. However, ASHRAE recommends that granular media filters are better for medium-duty issues, which most homeowners will face.

I am glad to report that the 5500-2 has removed the impregnated media-infused carbon filter in favor of the granular type with activated carbon pellets.

Winix 5500 2 Activated Carbon filter

I asked Teddy to take a close-up shot of the filter so you can clearly see the activated carbon pellets:

Winix 5500 2 Activated Carbon close up

Tip

Winix states that you can clean these new activated carbon filters every three months by running them under water and then making sure to let them dry completely before putting them back into the device.

You can see the difference between the carbon filters in the Winix 5300-2 compared to that of the Winix 5500-2 in the image below:

Comparing Carbon Filters Winix 5500 VS Winix 5300

As with many air purifiers, the filters for the Winix 5500-2 come inside plastic packaging that must be removed before use. If you donโ€™t remove the plastic bags, the air purifier will move dirty air around your room without cleaning it, potentially worsening allergies.

Removing filters for the Winix 5500-2 is super easy once you have removed the pre-filter from the tabs. Be sure to always put the activated carbon filter in first and then the True HEPA filter.

The Winix 5500-2 cleaned our test room in 23 minutes

The Winix 5500-2 has one the best bang for your buck when it comes to top speed air cleaning performance

Testing air cleaning performance at top speed

For our test, I used the PurpleAir Zen sensors with an additional BM680 gas filter, which allows us to track PM1, PM2.5, PM10 and VOC levels continually. 

I first filled our 728 cubic feet test room with smoke from burning an incense stick and then switched on the Winix 5500-2 in its highest mode with PlasmaWave enabled.

We tested the Winix 5500-2 in the same area where we tested 90 other air purifier models, all of which do the same job of removing particles from incense smoke. 

By testing every air purifier in the same room doing the same job we make it much easier to compare performance across different brands and models.

We have a program that connects to Purple Air air quality sensors and creates a graph showing the levels of PM1, PM2.5 and PM10.

One of the main questions we see online is how well the Winix 5500-2 can clean the air without using the PlasmaWave ionizer function.

We decided to test this ourselves and were pleased with the results as it was still able to clean our test room of PM1 particles in 24 minutes without the PlasmaWave, which is three minutes faster than Wirecutterโ€™s top recommended air purifier: the Coway AP-15122hh Mighty (with its ionizer enabled).

I created a table to compare how the Winix 5500-2 compares with other air purifier models we have benchmarked:

AIR PURIFIER MODELTIME TO REACH PM1 ZERO AT FULL SPEEDLIST PRICE
AirFanta 3Pro17 minutes$159.99
Levoit Vital 200S23 minutes$189.99
Winix 5500-2 (with ionizer)23 minutes$249.99
CleanAirKits Luggable XL-723 minutes$299.00
Smart Air SA60024 minutes$279.95
Coway Airmega AP-1512HH (with ionizer)26 minutes$229.99
PuroAir 40030 minutes$249.00
Corsi-Rosenthal Box32 minutes$85.00

Testing air cleaning performance at sub-45 dB

Since we first published this review, we have received many requests for information on air cleaning performance at low fan speeds. This makes sense, as the top speed is unlikely to be used regularly, as most people will find it too loud. We used the 45 dBA limit that CleanAirStars sets for noisy classrooms.

For the Winix 5500-2, fan speed 2 is under 45 dBa (42.5 dBA). When we tested the Winix 5500-2 using Plasmwave at clearing incense smoke from our 728 cubic feet test room at speed 2, it needed 45 minutes to achieve PM1 zero, according to our Purpleair Zen sensor.

If you were wondering the effect Plasmwave had on the air cleaning performance, we tested again at Speed 2 with Plasmwave disabled it managed to achieve PM1 zero in 46 minutes so only 1 minute slower.

Noise level test results 

The last test is to see how much sound is generated when using the purifier, especially at its highest and lowest fan speeds.  The quieter an air purifier, the more likely you will use it, which will mean cleaner air in your home. 

Here are the sound level results from 3ft away:

ModeSound Level
Speed 138.8 dBA
Speed 242.5 dBA
Speed 347.5 dBA
Speed 458.9 dBA

Check out how this compares to other air purifiers we tested in the table below:

AIR PURIFIER MODELSOUND LEVEL AT TOP SPEED (dB) TIME TO CLEAN OUR TEST ROOM
Smart Air Blast Mini MKII56.3 dB15 minutes
Levoit EverestAir57.8 dB16 minutes
Coway Airmega AP-1512hh Mighty60.1 dB25 minutes
IQAir Healthpro Plus61.2 dB28 minutes
Winix 5500-258.9 dB23 minutes
AirDoctor 300063.6 dB20 minutes

We know the sound is highly subjective, so be sure to listen to the sound test we produced after testing the Winix 5500-2:

The cost to run a Winix 5500-2: $137.81 per year

1. Electricity costs = $57.82 per year

At the lowest fan speed, the Winix 5500-2 only pulled 6.5 watts per our energy meter and reached a maximum of 53.46 watts on its turbo speed with Plasmawave enabled.

Assuming energy prices of $0.174/kWh, running the 5500-2 continuously 24 hours per day for every day of the year would add $57.82 to your annual electricity bill. Most people will find that they will use the unit for less time than in our scenario, but others with issues with allergies might need to keep it running continuously.

Fan speedEnergy consumed (ionizer enabled)
Standby0.34 watts
Sleep3.43 watts
166.5 (7.1) watts
29.11 (9.2) watts
314.80 (15.00) watts
453.46 (53.8) watts

2. Filter costs = $79.99 per year

The genuine True HEPA and activated charcoal filters will need replacing every 12 months and have an RRP of $79.99 but are regularly available for close to $50 with sales and discounts. When I wrote this review, you could buy filters from Winix for $49.99 and Amazon for $43.99.

There are plenty of generic filters that bring the price down even more, with a year’s worth of filters costing close to $15 per year if you buy in a pack of four or $19 for a pack of two.

In the table below, we compare running costs with other similar performing air purifiers we have tested:

AIR PURIFIER MODELESTIMATED ELECTRICITY COST (per year) FILTER REPLACEMENT COST (per year)YEARLY MAINTENANCE COST
CleanAirKits Luggable XL-7$12.22$45.94 $58.16
Levoit Vital 200S$46.83$49.99$96.82
Coway Airmega AP-1512hh Mighty$83.64$39.99$123.63
AirFanta 3Pro$46.56$78.67$125.23
Levoit Core 400S$27.44$99.98$127.42
Winix 5500-2$57.82$79.99$137.81
PuroAir 400$77.75$89.00$166.75
Smart Air SA600$56.55$141.47$198.02

Bottom line: Is the Winix 5500-2 worth it?

The 5500-2 impressed me with its improved performance and use of pelleted activated carbon instead of the fabric we saw in the 5300-2.

The 5500-2 comes with an ionizer via its PlasmaWave technology that helps deal with odors and gases. However, it still offers great air cleaning performance even without using this function, as it removed all PM1 in our test in under 23 minutes without PlasmaWave enabled.

Winix 5500 2 Close Up

Filter prices are fair, considering the use of activated carbon pellets. Due to the device’s popularity, there are many choices for generic filters if you want to save more money in the long term. I much prefer the 5500-2’s removable pre-filter, which makes it much easier to clean and vacuum, than Levoit Core devices like the 400S and the 600S, which have the pre-filter integrated into the main filter.

It is worth mentioning that this air purifier doesn’t have app support, but it does have auto-mode. Just remember to keep the sensor clean of dust to ensure it works effectively. 

For the price, the Winix 5500-2 is one of the top air purifiers – especially considering the amount of pelleted activated carbon it comes with. It offers excellent air cleaning performance, relatively low long-term costs and minimal noise generated. If you prefer different colors, you may be interested in the Winix C545, and if you donโ€™t care about the particle filters, you can save a little money with the grey Winix 5300-2, which is usually sold cheaper but has a less effective gas filter. 

It is unfortunate to learn that Winix has decided to discontinue this air purifier as it was one of my top recommendations due to the incredible value for money that it offers. If you like what the 5500-2 has to offer, make sure to check out the Winix 5510 (left).

Winix 5510 VS 5500 2 Front

This new model from Winix packs the same air cleaning power as the 5500-2 in a smaller and better-looking package, with app connectivity and an on-board air quality sensor. Read my full review of the 5510 to find out more.

If you have the Winix 5500-2 or have any other questions I haven’t covered, be sure to let me in the comments section below.

SOURCES

We calculated the yearly costs associated with running the Winix 5500-2 for 24 hours a day, 365 days per year, utilizing the latest average energy prices reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of $0.17/kWh as of November 2024.

PuroAir HEPA 14 240 review

by
PuroAir HEPA 14 240 Sofa

I had never heard of the PuroAir HEPA 14 air purifier until the last quarter of 2023.

None of the several experts in air quality I follow on X (formerly Twitter) had mentioned this device. Even the excellent Clean Air Stars database, which has comprehensive data on 680 devices, has no record of PuroAir models. Yet, when analyzing sales figures on Amazon product research tool AMZScout, I saw this device listed as the best-selling air purifier of 2023 on Amazon.

According to this data, the two-device set (with a retail price of $349.99) sold an estimated $34 million in a single year. while the one-device option pulled in an estimated $22 million. Between the two listings, the PuroAir HEPA 14 240 sold an estimated $56 million worth of air purifiers in one year!=, according to data from AMZScout.

These estimations might not mean much in isolation, so I compared them to another device that usually tops the best-seller lists: the popular Levoit Core 300. The Core 300 has been on the market since 2019, and AMZScout figures show it has only sold an estimated $33 million on Amazon.com in 2023 โ€” that is $23 million less than the estimations for PuroAir 240 devices.

This fact left me wondering, How could a new brand come out of nowhere and grow to become the hottest air purifier in the United States?

As we do for all our reviews, I conducted in-depth desk research into PuroAir (and the company behind it) before writing my review.

Typically, this is a fairly straightforward exercise where I read through company websites, check social media profiles (especially LinkedIn), and trawl public business databases. However, the job wasnโ€™t as straightforward when I sat down to learn more about the company behind this air purifier.

After researching PuroAir for over a week, I couldnโ€™t find any clear information about who owns the company, their background, their connection to air quality, or the location of factories and offices.

The one thing I did find was a collection of outstanding quotes from big media publishers highlighted on the homepage of PuroAirโ€™s website, so I followed that lead.

puroair quotes

Now, I couldnโ€™t find those exact quotes on the sites of those three publishers:

puroair big media quotes

Odd. 

But, when searching for PuroAir on Google.com, I found recommendation upon recommendation as part of โ€œbest air purifierโ€ lists published by some of the largest newspapers and magazines in the world.

puroair google news

This air purifier must be incredible to receive such praise from some of the worldโ€™s most well-renowned publishers. This could be the kind of advertising that led to the PuroAir 240 becoming the best-selling air purifier of 2023.

So, naturally, I was super excited to see how this unit performed in our collection of tests designed to assess air cleaning performance (removing PM1.0 particles), energy usage, noise levels at each fan speed, and long-term running costs.

how we test
How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

The PuroAir HEPA 14 240 retailed for $229.99 when it was first launched. At the time of writing this review, it has a retail price of $159 on Amazon.com.

The pros and cons of the Puroair 240

A summary of our top-level findings after testing this air purifier following our methodology.

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“Our hands-on tests show that the PuroAir 240 is too underpowered for the recommended room size and its air cleaning performance is worse than that of units sold for half its price.

I donโ€™t understand why journalists from big-name publishers have regularly recommended this air purifier to their readers. But thanks to this push from these trusted brands Google chooses to rank at the top of its search results, thousands of consumers have paid double for an air purifier that wonโ€™t be effective in most rooms.“

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
Danny Ashton
HouseFresh Founder
& Lead Tester

Due to many issues I encountered when testing this air purifier, this is a 4000-word review. I totally understand if you donโ€™t want to read it all. Below are the key things you need to know about the PuroAir HEPA 14 240:

CONS

It took 51 minutes to clean the air in our 728 cubic ft. test room. A Winix A230 offers better performance (40 minutes) for $80.
The build quality is poor. It feels like a cheap rip-off of the Levoit Core 300.
Marketing materials state that this unit can be used in a room of up to 1,115 sq. ft, but this would allow for only one (1) air change per hour.
Filter has a sticker stating that the HEPA 14 has been lab-tested, but I canโ€™t find any evidence. 
Claims the HEPA 14 performs 10x better than HEPA H13, but the PuroAir with a H13 filter actually performed quicker in our particle removal test.
Filter costs are much higher than Levoit and Winix for what seems like the exact same filter.

PROS

Rubber pads at the bottom of the unit prevent the bottom cover from accidentally opening up when moving the device around on the floor. This is an improvement on the Core 300โ€™s design.
The black finish. Of course, this is subjective as I really like black.

HouseFresh rating:โ˜…โ˜†โ˜†โ˜†โ˜†
Time to clean our 728 cubic feet test room (with the device running at top speed):48 minutes
Air purifier technology:H14 HEPA and activated carbon filter
Recommended room size (4.8 air changes per hour):284 sq. ft.
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):Dust: 183 CFMย 
Smoke: 181 CFM
Pollen: 204 CFM
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):8.5D x 8.5W x 14.25H inches (22 x 22 x 36cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):8 lbs. (3.6kg)
Filter life:12 months
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):Speed 1: 36.9 dB
Speed 2: 42.2 dB 
Speed 3: 52.2 dB
Electricity consumption in watts (recorded with an electricity usage monitor):Sleep mode: 11.6 kWh
Speed 1: 15 kWh
Speed 2: 22.3 kWh
Speed 3: 36.2 kWh
Estimated running cost (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):$135.53 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):$1.15
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:30-day home trial with 100% refund and 1-year warranty
Country of manufacture:China

The design

PuroAir HEPA 14 240 Top

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I like black, so I was instantly attracted to it when I opened the box. 

The branding is also quite sleek, which is something you donโ€™t always see when buying a new air purifier.

It didnโ€™t take long for me to start noticing all the little details that now remind me of the Levoit Core range.

PuroAir HEPA 14 240 Front

The design of the PuroAir HEPA 14 240 is reminiscent of the Levoit Core 300: there is a twist-off cover to remove the filter at the bottom of the device and the filter itself is a small tube with a handle, too.

This means that the PuroAir filter has some of the same design issues I didn’t like about the Core 300, such as an integrated pre-filter you canโ€™t easily clean. With the PuroAir 240, you must remove the filter whenever you want to clean the pre-filter, which you should do every few weeks, depending on usage.

At the top of the unit, youโ€™ll find the control panel. In the middle, thereโ€™s an on/off button. To the right is a timer button you can use to set a timer for two, four, six, and eight hours. On the left, you have an auto mode button to control the three fan speeds and switch on sleep mode. You also get a child lock and a filter replacement indicator.

PuroAir HEPA 14 240 Controls

The PuroAir HEPA 14 240 comes with an onboard air quality sensor. The red light you see in the photo above is the air quality indicator. This LED light changes color depending on the quality of your indoor air.

This air purifier has no other smart features besides auto-mode and sleep mode. It also doesnโ€™t come with app support for your phone.

Right, let me show you how much this unit looks like a Levoit Core 300โ€ฆ 

In the photo below, you can see how similar the design of the PuroAir device is to the Levoit Core 300 on the outside:

PuroAir 240 VS Levoit Core 300

When removing the filter, you can see how the chamber inside of the body looks pretty much identical for both units:

PuroAir HEPA 14 240 Fan
Levoit Core 300 Fan

I went as far as to open up both devices, but Iโ€™ll tell you more about it in the next section of my review.

The PuroAir HEPA 14 did improve one aspect of the Levoit Core 300 design. It has added rubber feet to the base of the unit.

PuroAir HEPA 14 240 Bottom

With the Levoit Core 300, if you move the device too much, you can accidentally open up the filter, which can be annoying. With the PuroAir HEPA 14, movement doesnโ€™t open up the case, so this never happens. 

Filtration technology

It is an all-in-one filter similar to those we see in devices such as the Levoit Core 300S or the Winix A230.

PuroAir 240 HEPA filter above

PuroAirโ€™s website and marketing materials state that this is the โ€œworldโ€™s first HEPA H14 air purifier.โ€ The company also says that its filters have been lab-tested to remove 99.99% of particles, but they donโ€™t state the particle size. If itโ€™s a H14 filter, I assume it must be particles measuring 0.3 microns. I couldnโ€™t find any reports or data confirming a third-party lab had tested PuroAirโ€™s HEPA filter or that it complied with the requirements to be classed as H14. However, the company mentioned it plenty of times in its marketing materials, and even on the filter itself.

PuroAir 240 HEPA filter side

The particle filter is covered by a layer of fabric that functions as a pre-filter to filter out large particles like pet hair.

PuroAir HEPA 14 240 Activated carbon filter

On the inside of the filter, you get a small amount of activated carbon to help remove odors from the air.

PuroAir 240 HEPA 14 filter

Dyson shares third-party lab reports, but in the case of PuroAir, we have to take them at their word. 

One of the main reasons other manufacturers have not used H14 filters in portable air purifiers is that they cost a lot more, restrict airflow, and take longer to clean the air. The team at Smart Air showed that choosing a lower grade HEPA can actually improve performance, and the fact that the Corsiโ€“Rosenthal box performs so well even though it uses non-HEPA grade filters (MERV 13) shows us that HEPA grade is not a requirement when it comes to household air cleaning performance.

Iโ€™m sure H14 sounds like a shiny upgrade compared to H13 for the average consumer, but for anyone who understands air filtration, H14 is seen as sub-optimal when the goal is to remove airborne particles as quickly as possible.

Thatโ€™s why itโ€™s strange to see claims like these on the PuroAir 240 product page like: 

puroair filter lab claims

If you didnโ€™t know how these classifications work, you would think that HEPA H14 is offering 10x the performance of HEPA H13. Yet when we tested the PuroAir HEPA 14 240 using HEPA 14 filters, it was three (3) minutes quicker to clean our test room when using the HEPA 13 filters vs. the OEM HEPA 14 filters.

I contacted Harvard University and MIT to enquire about the tests they performed on the PuroAir filters, considering the company features them as organizations that backed this project. I didnโ€™t hear back from either of them. But, I did notice that the Harvard and MIT logos have been removed from some sections of the PuroAir site (see before and after) since I started working on this review in November 2023.

Another strange thing I noticed when inspecting the PuroAir 240โ€™s filter was how similar it is to the Levoit Core 300โ€™s. Check them out for yourself:

PuroAir 240 VS Core 300 Filter top

Both filters have the same dimension, the same design on the handle to remove it from the device, and even the same type of soft foam at the bottom. 

PuroAir 240 VS Core 300 Filter side

While the dimensions are practically the same, the quality of materials in the PuroAir filter is much lower, with thinner plastic and sharper edges all around. It seems as if someone sent the filter of the Core 300 to a factory and asked them to create a cheaper clone.

This got me wondering. If the filter has the exact same dimensions as Levoit filters what about the main device?

While we donโ€™t usually open devices up as part of our review process, this is something that Iโ€™ve done in the past in cases where a deep dig felt essential (looking at you, Westinghouse 1804).

So, I went one step further (once again) and opened up both air purifiers to explore the PuroAir 240 further.

Opening PuroAir 240 and Core 300

After exploring the different layers of the PuroAir 240 and the Levoit Core 300, I could clearly see how similar their internals are.

Similar to the filter, I kept finding parts that looked like a rip-off of the Levoit design with a much cheaper build quality when looking at the different elements inside the device.

PuroAir vs Levoit Fan Inside

 

While looking through the internal components of the PuroAir 240, I was able to find the particulate matter sensor: a PM1006 V1.1 from Cubic. This is the same sensor used in the IKEA VINDRIKTNING air quality sensor that sells for $12. So, we can assume the sensor itself costs just under $3. Itโ€™s not as accurate as a laser counter, but itโ€™s good for the price. 

If you are interested to see how you can change the filter for the PuroAir 240, see below:

I was glad to see that PuroAir added a sticker at the top of the HEPA filter warning users to remove it from the plastic bag before using the device.

Air cleaning performance

The PuroAir 240 cleared our test room 11 minutes slower than the Winix A230, which costs half the price ($78 VS $159).

PuroAir sent the 240 to the AHAM VERIFIDE program, which puts the devices through an ANSI/AHAM AC 1 2020 CADR test, and its results are publicly available on the EnergyStar directory.

Puroair 240 CADR report from Energystar website

The first thing that struck me when I saw this CADR report is that they note the recommended room size as 284 sq. ft. This is a fraction of the 1,115 sq. ft. advertised on the Amazon listings and marketing materials for the PuroAir HEPA 14 240.

puroair 240 1115 sq ft

In my opinion, PuroAir is knowingly overstating the capabilities of this air purifier. 

The marketing materials mention that it โ€œcleans rooms up to 1,115 sq ft in just 67 minutes,โ€ meaning that the 240 can provide only one air change in an hour in such a large room. Considering that the EPA recommends at least 4.8 air changes in an hour, itโ€™s clear that this device is much more suited to small rooms, as per the CADR report.

To be clear, PuroAir isnโ€™t the only brand that overstates the recommended room size like this. However, while other brands also include room size recommendations based on one air change per hour, they make this clearer in their marketing materials. For example, this is how Coway does it:

Coway mighty air changes mairketing material

I imagine many of the consumers who have bought these devices based on this marketed room size recommendation are likely to be breathing in airborne pollutants, unaware that one air change per hour is not enough to keep the air in their large rooms clean.

The other thing that shocked me about the CADR scores of the PuroAir HEPA 14 240  is how low the CADR was considering the price:

  • At $159, the PuroAir HEPA 14 240 will provide one CADR cfm for $1.15 โ€” one of the highest costs per CADR CFM we have seen with a small air purifier.

I made a little table to compare against other small and/or budget units:

AIR PURIFIERAHAM CADR (dust)COST PER CADR CFM
Taotronics AP003 202 cfm$0.49
Winix A231154 cfm$0.64
Levoit Core 300141 cfm$0.68
PuroAir 240181 cfm$1.15

A month after this review went live, a new AHAM report was published for PuroAir 240 with higher CADR ratings (181 CFM for dust) and a larger room recommendation 284 sq. ft. (still much smaller than the advertised 1,115 sq. ft.).

Without even doing any performance testing, itโ€™s clear that this device isnโ€™t good value compared to other similar models. I donโ€™t understand why so many well-known publications and magazines recommend this as the โ€œbest air purifier.โ€

As usual, I tested the air cleaning performance of the PuroAir 240 inside our 728 cubic ft. test room by measuring how long it takes to clear the air of PM1.0, PM2.5, and PM10 particles from burning a powerful incense stick with the help of our PurpleAir Touch and PurpleAir Zen sensors.

I tested this device twice. On both occasions, it took 48 minutes to bring the PM1.0 level down to zero according to the PurpleAir Touch readings and 51 minutes based on the PurpleAir Zen sensor.

Looking at our test data, the PuroAir 240’s performance-to-price ratio was much higher than that of other devices we had tested. I will come back to this later in the review.

Itโ€™s worth noting that it was still quicker to clean our test room than the Molekule Air Mini+, which costs nearly twice as much.

However, Iโ€™m shocked at how often the PuroAir 240 is chosen as the โ€œbest air purifier,โ€ considering it costs twice as much as more powerful devices.

MODELTIME TO CLEAN OUR TEST ROOM (minutes)LIST PRICE
AirFanta 3Pro17$159.99
CleanAirKits Luggable XL23$299.00
Levoit Vital 200S23$189.99
Blueair 311i Max27 $229.99
Coway Airmega 15038$189.99
Winix A23140$99.99
Levoit Core 300S45$149.99
PuroAir 24051$199.00
Molekule Air Mini+61$359.99

It seems that referring to themselves as โ€œthe Tesla of air purifiers,โ€ proclaiming they invented HEPA 14 air cleaners, and name-dropping world-renowned universities has allowed PuroAir to sell a low powered device for $159.

Either the journalists who recommend this device donโ€™t test or evaluate the performance of the products they tell you to buy, or they have chosen to include the PuroAir HEPA 14 240 for reasons unknown.

Sound levels

In our testing, the sound levels of the PuroAir 240 ranged from 36.9 dBA at speed 1 to 52.2 dBA at top speed.

PuroAirโ€™s marketing materials only show the sound level at its lowest speed. This is another unethical marketing trick, as the CADR test would have been done at the highest speed, and using the lowest speed with a small device like this will be of no value, even for a tiny room.

We used our sound meter to measure the level of noise the unit generated from three feet away, and it registered 36.9 dB at the first fan speed, 42.2 dB at the second speed and 54 dB at its highest fan speed.

This sound level is very similar to what we saw with the Levoit Core 300, which doesnโ€™t surprise me considering how many other features are similar to the Core 300.

Be aware that our location for testing has a high degree of background noise, so the lower fan speeds are likely lower than our test results show.

All in all, the PuroAir 240 is a quiet air purifier, but it is also too expensive considering its air cleaning performance.

AIR PURIFIER MODELSOUND LEVEL AT TOP SPEEDTIME TO CLEAN OUR TEST ROOMPRICE
Levoit Vital 200S57.7 dBA23 minutes$189.99
AirFanta 3Pro56.3 dBA17 minutes$159.99
Coway Airmega 15055.6 dBA38 minutes$189.99
PuroAir 24052.2 dBA51 minutes$199.00
Smart Air Sqair58.2 dBA32 minutes$179.95
Winix A23157.9 dBA40 minutes$99.99
CleanAirKits Luggable XL-738.8 dBA23 minutes$299.00

We repeated our particle removal test with the PuroAir 240 running at speed 2, where it generates 42.2 dBA of noise, which is below the 45 dBA limit we set for our quiet performance tests.

We know sound levels can be personal, and some people can hear things others canโ€™t, so we included a video of the PuroAir 240 running at each fan speed.

Long-term running costs

Running a PuroAir HEPA 14 240 will cost you $231.99 per year, combining energy consumption costs and filter replacement prices.

As always, I calculated the long-term costs you can expect when running a PuroAir 240 for 12 months.

First, I used an energy meter to measure the amount of electricity the PuroAir 240 consumes when running at each fan speed.

Sleep mode11.6 watts
Fan speed 116 watts
Fan speed 223.2 watts
Fan speed 337.6  watts

Assuming you run this air purifier at its highest speed for 24 hours every day of the year, itโ€™ll add just $39.99 to your electricity bill, using average U.S. energy rates.

Considering you need to replace the filter every three months and that the replacement costs $48, you can expect to also spend $192 per year on filters.

At $48 per filter, this is $8 more than what Levoit charges, but we assume this must be due to the use of HEPA 14. A tip: youโ€™d be better off buying the 4-filter bundle as it costs $149.

This is how the long-term costs of running a PuroAir 240 compare to other units that can be found for a similar price:

AIR PURIFIER MODELANNUAL ENERGY COST (USD) ANNUAL FILTER COST (USD)ANNUAL MAINTENANCE COST (USD)
Levoit Vital 100S30.3279.98$110.30
Xiaomi 4 Compact28.8864.64$93.52
AirFanta 3Pro48.02118.00$166.02
Coway Airmega 10025.7737.52$63.29
Winix A23150.6549.99$100.64
PuroAir 24039.99192.00$231.99
Philips 800 Series22.2238.78$61.00
Smart Air Sqair43.7689.30$133.06

Compared to small devices that can be bought for a fraction of the price, the PuroAir 240 has higher running costs: 

I saw that generic filters were available, but interestingly, they state that theyโ€™re HEPA 13 grade and bring down the replacement cost to just under $40 per year. 

Bottom line: Is the PuroAir 240 worth it?

An underperforming air purifier that highlights how big media publishers are blindly recommending Amazon best-sellers without any first-hand testing

I assumed this air purifier was another TikTok sensation that used influencer marketing to push an overpriced product. Sadly, it was much worse than I feared. The PuroAir HEPA 14 240 is a device with worse performance than the $78 Winix A23 that is sold for $159. 

In order to sell this overpriced device, PuroAir has exaggerated room size recommendations, hinted at lab tests without making them available to the public, name-dropped universities without citing actual data from these collaborations, and stated that HEPA 14 has 10x better performance than HEPA H13 (which is untrue).

I only needed to take one look at their AHAM CADR results to know that this was an overpriced air purifier that would perform worse than units you can find for less than $100, such as the A230 or the Levoit Core 300.

PuroAir HEPA 14 240 Living room

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Sadly, at no point did any of the journalists from Money.com, LA Times, Popular Science or USA Today who raved about this air purifier seem to have conducted any level of basic research to compare CADR lab reports. This is especially surprising, considering these publishers go to great lengths to highlight their testing process and even include quotes from physicians and other experts in their articles. Sadly, right now, Google has no idea who is really testing products, and it gives these publishers a free pass to rank highly in their search engine on their name alone.

Our industry has seen its fair share of unethical manufacturers taking advantage of consumers with overpriced devices, such as the current class action lawsuit against Molekule for false advertising (in 2023) or the case of Sharper Image and their ionizer devices that worsened indoor air (going back more than 10 years).

Unlike vacuum cleaners or air fryers, an air purifierโ€™s work is hidden from the consumer. Brands can say that it works, and without lots of extra equipment, you wouldnโ€™t know better. Itโ€™s easy to think that you are breathing in clean air when it might still be full of particles too small to see with the naked eye.

That is why AHAM developed an air cleaning test with the latest update ANSI/AHAM AC 1 in 2006, allowing consumers to see exactly how well an air cleaner performed.

If you still like the idea of a small air purifier that is similar to the PuroAir 240, then youโ€™re much better off going with the Levoit Core 300S, which is cheaper (saves you $20), has better build quality and includes smart features like app support. Alternatively, you can save even more money and get the Core 300 or the Winix A230, both of which offer better air-cleaning performance for less than $100.

However, for most people, I recommend spending up to $180 and going for a larger device like the Vital 200S or Winix 5500 2, both of which provide significantly better air cleaning performance, more pelletized activated charcoal, and improvements like a removable pre-filter for easy cleaning.

Cases like the PuroAir 240 show how important it is for independent third parties like HouseFresh to thoroughly test and research products, going beyond the marketing materials and investigating the too-good-to-be-true claims from top-selling brands.

Coway Airmega 150 review

by
Coway Airmega 150 Living Room

Developing products since the late 80s, Coway has been at the forefront of performance and design. With their large range of products, they aim to challenge the boundaries of conventional air purifiers by adding innovation without compromising performance.

I was impressed with both the Airmega 300 and the Airmega AP-1512HH Mighty when we tested them in our home lab, and theyโ€™re both unique compared to the traditional looks of other boring air purifiers. (Iโ€™ve been pestering Danny to buy the Airmega IconS to review. Feel free to help me out and email him to request it.)

Another addition to the Airmega range is the 150, which Coway says is โ€œcompact, quiet, and powerful combined with unique design.โ€ This bold air purifier is available in three colors, has built-in air quality sensors, and features a color-coded AQI.

But is this a case of style over substance? In this review, I delve into the Airmega 150 to look at its design, features, filters, and, most importantly, how it performs compared to rival units on the market.

The lowdown on the Coway Airmega 150

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
โ€œItโ€™s not a bad device, and some might like its unique aesthetic, but at this price point, I much prefer the Winix 5500-2 as itโ€™s got more activated charcoal and was much faster in our test at removing particles.โ€
โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer

Coway Airmega 150 Fireplace

Donโ€™t want to read the full review? Check out what I like about the Airmega 150 and what Coway could have done better. 

What we really like

Comes in different colors to suit your tastes
Has an auto mode and air quality indicator (AQI)
Pre-filter is easy to remove to clean
Energy-efficient with low running costs

What we think could be better

The plastic casing feels a little thin.
Iโ€™d like to see app connectivity.

HouseFresh rating:โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†โ˜†
Time to clean our 728 cubic feet test room (with the device running at top speed):33 minutes
Air purifier technology:HyperCaptiveโ„ข GreenHEPAโ„ข filtration system
Recommended room size (4.8 air changes per hour):237 sq. ft.
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):Dust: 161.1 CFM
Smoke: 152.8 CFM
Pollen: 219.8 CFM
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):6.5 x 13.4 x 18.5in (16.5 x 34 x 46.9cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):12.1 lbs (5.5 kg)
Filter life:1 year
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):Speed 1: 35.2 dB
Speed 2: 39.5 dB
Speed 3: 55.6 dB
Electricity consumption in watts (recorded with an electricity usage monitor):Standby mode: 0 watts
Speed 1: 2.38 watts
Speed 2: 6.04 watts
Speed 3: 31.55 watts
Estimated running cost (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):$98.11 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):$1.18
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:3 months
Country of manufacture:South Korea

A new generation of air purifier design

Coway discards tradition for a look that suits a bold and modern home

Coway Airmega 150 Front

Forget bland white appliances. Get some color into your home. We at HouseFresh take our interior design quirks seriously, and it seems as if Coway caught onto that. The 150 comes in three colors: Sage Green, Peony Pink, and Dove White (I guess you canโ€™t completely dismiss the classics).

We went for Sage Green because it matched the color of my couch, and although I like pink, Peony is a little too bold for my taste.

Coway Airmega 150 Top

The unit overall is quite sparse. You could easily mistake it for a heater or a speaker from the front. 

Thereโ€™s no obnoxious branding plastered over the grill, just a tag on the top with the Coway name embossed. This tag isnโ€™t just ornamental. Pulling it upwards, youโ€™ll find itโ€™s actually attached to the pre-filter, making it especially easy to remove and clean. Nice feature, Coway.

Coway Airmega 150 Close Up

Looks are subjective, but for me, the 150 looks great. Itโ€™s modern, stylish and unassuming. My only gripe is that the whole unit feels a little thin and plasticky. I wish they had used thicker casing like most of the other air purifiers in the Airmega range.

Even then, when you compare it side-by-side with plain, white devices like the Levoit Core 300S, you can clearly see how much Coway has invested in the design stage of this unit:

Coway Airmega 150 Comparison Levoit

However, I will say that the Airmega 150โ€™s design doesnโ€™t look totally unique, as other models like the SA600 from Smart Air have similar designs. But it definitely stands out if you compare the 150 to other more traditional air purifiers.

HouseFresh Air Purifiers Reviews

Some brands pack their control panels with smart technology, touch screens, and settings on settings (check out the Mila, for example), but that wasnโ€™t what Coway wanted with the Airmega 150.

Theyโ€™ve kept it super simple with only three buttons. One controls your unitโ€™s power, another allows you to select fan speed or auto mode, and the last one allows you to configure the machineโ€™s display lights. There arenโ€™t any other notable smart features on the 150, so if you want a timer, display lock, or app connectivity, this isnโ€™t the air purifier for you.

Coway Airmega 150 Control Panel

If you look on the side of the Airmega 150, youโ€™ll notice two slots. This is where the air quality sensor lives.

Coway Airmega 150 AQ Sensor

The air quality sensor in the Airmega 150 monitors the number of pollutants present in your room in real-time. The data collected is then relayed to the unit’s auto mode, which adjusts the fan speed according to your present air quality.

Coway Airmega 150 AQI Red

When the quality of the air changes, the sensor sends this information to the color-coded AQI on top of the unit. 

๐Ÿ”ต Blue = Good air

๐ŸŸข Green = Moderate air

๐ŸŸก Yellow = Unhealthy air

๐Ÿ”ด Red = Very unhealthy air

3-stage HEPA filter that lasts

Coway covers the bases with their GreenHEPAโ„ข technology and a removable pre-filter.

Coway Airmega 150

When brands engineer their own filters, they like to give them catchy names… In the case of Coway, their team has developed the HyperCaptiveโ„ข Max2, which has three filtration stages: pre-filter, deodorization filter and

Pre-filter

The pre-filter is the first line of defense, capturing larger particles from the air, like dust and dander. Trapping these larger particles early on means the HEPA filter can focus on the microscopic particles.

Coway Airmega 150 Pre filter

I appreciate when brands let you remove the pre-filter so that you can clean it. By periodically cleaning this filter, you can prevent clogging and prolong the HEPA’s lifespan.

Coway Airmega 150 Pre filter 2

Deodorization filter

Coway’s Deodorization filter is basically the carbon layer that removes odors, gasses, and other VOCs from your room. The general rule is the more activated carbon it includes, the more effective it is. Unfortunately, in the case of the Airmega 150, Coway opted for an impregnated fabric that sticks to the front of the HEPA filter to add a layer of odor filtration.

Coway Airmega 150 Activated carbon filter

Impregnated carbon fabric is not as effective as activated carbon pellets. You can see in the photo below how flimsy the filter is:

Coway Airmega 150 See through carbon filter

Green True HEPAโ„ข Filter

HEPA filters use a tightly woven maze of tiny fibers that trap microscopic particles like flies in a spider web. HEPA filters are made in different grades. The higher the grade, the smaller the particles they can capture.

Coway states that its Green True HEPAโ„ข filter captures 99.97% of airborne pollutants, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and pollen. By applying an antimicrobial treatment to its HEPA filters, these pollutants are thwarted and unable to spread.

Coway Airmega 150 HEPA filter

Like all Coway devices, the Airmega 150 has been sent for third-party lab testing as part of the AHAM VERIFIDE program. You can see the lab report on the ENERGY STAR Certificate tool. Here are the CADR results:

Smoke CADR152.8 CFM
Dust CADR161.1 CFM
Pollen CADR219.8 CFM

Based on these CADR scores, it should clean our test room in around 34 minutes, give or take a couple minutes.

Tip

Find everything you need to know about HEPA filters here, including:

HEPA filters may be the most effective way of trapping pollutants in your air, but hereโ€™s the catch: they can get congested and become less effective after a while. This means you need to replace the filters in your air purifier periodically.

When itโ€™s time to replace your filters, a red light will appear on your control panel:

  • When the red light illuminates next to the PRE symbol, itโ€™s time to clean your pre-filter.
  • When it illuminates next to MAX2, itโ€™s time for a replacement HEPA filter.
Coway Airmega 250 Controls 1

Replacing the filter on the Airmega 150 takes less than a minute. Hereโ€™s how:

  1. Switch off and unplug the unit
  2. Pull the front panel open and reveal the filter
  3. Remove the old filter and replace it
  4. Click the front panel back into place

Tip

Before installing the replacement filter, make sure you remove all packaging. 

If you donโ€™t, the filter will not remove any contaminants from your air, and youโ€™ll probably notice a burning smell coming from your air purifier. Not cool.

The Coway Airmega 150 cleared our test room in 33 minutes

Worthy performance for a unit of this size

To make our reviews as fair and even as possible, we test all the units we review (no matter what size) in the same 728 cubic ft room.  

how we test
How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

We start by lighting an incense stick in our home lab until the room fills with thick smoke and turn on our air purifier to the highest speed. Next, we sat back to monitor and record how long it took for the Airmega 150 to clear all pollutants from the air using our PurpleAir indoor sensor.

Coway Airmega 150 Air Cleaning Test

The Coway Airmega 150 took 33 minutes to clear all generated PM1.0 ug/m3, PM2.5 ug/m3, and PM10.0 ug/m3 pollutants from our home lab. This is about what we expected for the size of the unit. However, we would have liked to have seen it perform a little faster for an air purifier thatโ€™ll set you back over $160 from a top brand like Coway.

Air cleaning performance test results

Iโ€™m not writing this Airmega off, but when you compare it to the Levoit Vital 200S or the Winix 5500-2, you can see why we expected more.

It may not look as good, but the Winix 5500-2 is cheaper and outperformed the Airmega 150 by a massive 13 minutes. So, if youโ€™re looking for performance over design, the 5500-2 might suit you better.

Noise levels test results

A big advantage of running a smaller air purifier is that the fan is usually a lot quieter as the fan and motors are smaller. The Airmega 150 is quiet at its lowest fan speed, notching out just 35 dB, which is the same level as someone whispering nearby. At its highest fan speed, the 150 hits a respectable 55.6 dB, which is the same as moderate rainfall.

When you compare it to other air purifiers of similar size and spec, you see that it falls nicely into its size category without deviating in any particular way.

Noise is subjective; whatโ€™s quiet to some is loud to others; thatโ€™s why we video air purifiers running at each fan speed so that you have an idea of sound levels for yourself.

Cost of running a Coway Airmega 150: $98.11 per year

Energy-efficient with affordable running costs in the long-term.

When buying an air purifier, itโ€™s not only the unit’s initial cost you need to consider. You also need to look at the unit’s long-term running costs.

1. Electricity costs: $48.12 per year

The first cost you need to look at is the amount of energy the air purifier uses, as some units are more energy-efficient than others. And with energy prices ever rising, itโ€™s an important factor to consider.

Coway knows this and engineers their air purifiers to make them as energy-efficient as possible.

The Airmega 150 is a testament to this, as our energy tests show. We calculated that it should cost around $48.12 to run at full speed, 24/7, 365. This is impressive for its size. Especially when you compare it with the Winix 5500-2, which we calculated to cost almost $35 more annually.

We calculated this cost using the average price of energy in the U.S., as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

2. Filter costs: $49.99 per year

Another additional expense you canโ€™t avoid is replacing the HEPA filters in the 150. HEPA filters are so effective at trapping particles that the pollutants have nowhere to go, filling the filter up until they become blocked.

How often you change them depends on how hard it works (the amount of pollutants the filter removes). Coway advises replacing the filter in the Airmega 150 every 12 months. But you donโ€™t have to keep an eye on the calendar. Youโ€™ll know when your HEPA is full when a red light pops up on the control panel.

You can purchase an official Coway replacement for $49.99.

Coway Airmega 150 Genuine Air Purifier Replacement Filter Set, HEPA Filter and Active Carbon Filter, AP-1019C-FP
Coway Airmega 150 Genuine Air Purifier Replacement Filter Set, HEPA Filter and Active Carbon Filter, AP-1019C-FP
  • Coway Airmega 150 Replacement Filter
  • Only fits Airmega 150 (AP-1019C)
  • Number of pieces: 3
  • Package Dimensions: 1.0 L x 14.5 H x 11.0 W (inches)
$49.99 Amazon Prime
Buy on Amazon

Unofficial replacement filters are cheaper, but I canโ€™t testify to their effectiveness.

Bottom line: Should you get the Coway Airmega 150?

The 150 looks like a thousand bucks, but is it worth it when compared to other units?

Coway is never one to shy away from designing their air purifiers with a little extraโ€ฆ flare. As soon as they released the Airmega 150, I loved that they were pushing boundaries again. And the fact that theyโ€™ve made it available in different colors makes it more appealing to those who care about the style of their home appliances.

Coway Airmega 150 Corner Room

Overall, the Coway 150 is a good-looking air purifier built for a small room that will clean the air as effectively as units like the Levoit Core 300.

I do have a few reservations about 150, though. My main complaint is the lack of pelleted activated carbon. It seems odd when the Amazon listing from the official Coway store includes an image like this one that will make consumers think the filter includes pelletized activated carbon when, in fact, you only get two sheets of impregnated fabric.

If you suffer from allergies or live in a highly polluted area, you will be better off with more powerful units such as the Smart Air Blast Mini or the more affordable Winix 5500-2. However, if youโ€™re just looking to generally improve your air quality without having an ugly white box in the corner, the Airmega 150 will suit your needs.

SOURCES

We calculated yearly costs associated with running the Coway Airmega 150 24 hours a day, 365 days per year utilizing the latest average energy prices as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of $0.174/kWh as of April 2024.

Smart Air SA600 review

by
Smart Air SA600 Fireplace

Smart Air is a social enterprise and certified B-Corp that puts 100% of its profits into helping more people breathe clean air. We have previously reviewed the Smart Air S, Smart Air Blast Mini and their portable QT3, and we are big fans of their ethos and the information that Smart Air shares with the world. 

Back in 2022, we accepted Smart Air’s offer to lend us an SA600 so we could review it and return it to them afterwards. Normally, we only review air purifiers that we bought with our own money to avoid biases, so when manufacturers ask us to review their products, I make it clear that we will be open and honest with our readers. Most companies ghost me when I say this, but Smart Air was happy to let us say exactly what we thought.

The problem with the arrangement was that we only had the SA600 at home for two weeks, which gave just us enough time to run our usual tests but didn’t allow us to perform long-term experiments. But in 2024, Smart Air released an updated version of the SA600 with five fan speeds (versus the three we saw in the first model we reviewed, so we decided to buy this new and updated SA600 so we could update our review.

Today, I’m sharing with you the result of months of testing the Smart Air SA600 in our home to see how it performs in the real world.

The pros and cons of the Smart Air SA600

A summary of our top-level findings after testing this air purifier following our methodology.

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โ€œOur tests show that the air cleaning performance of the Smart Air SA600 matches that of popular devices like the Winix 5500-2 and the Levoit Vital 200S when running at top speed. And thanks to its five fan speeds, the SA600 was actually able to outperform the 5500-2 and the Vital 200S when running at sub-45 dB levels of operation.

The SA600 offers solid air cleaning power but it also costs more to run than other similarly powered devices due to the fact that it uses a total of four filters (two HEPA filters and two carbon filters) at each side of the air purifier.โ€

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
Danny Ashton
HouseFresh Founder
& Lead Tester

CONS

If you want an air purifier with smartphone app connectivity, an on-board sensor or smart modes (like auto mode and sleep mode), this is not the device for you.
Retailing at $279.95, it comes at a high initial cost compared to units from AirFanta, Levoit or Winix.

PROS

With a dust CADR of 287 cfm, it offers excellent air cleaning performance โ€” even when running on lower fan speeds.
It uses a total of four filters (two H13 HEPA and two carbon) for filtering the air through both sides of the unit.
The two carbon filters use pelleted activated carbon, which we prefer to the impregnated fabric you get with other models like the Winix 5300-2 or the Coway AP-1512hh.
The control panel is intuitive and the lights switch off automatically, without the need to press any button or activate any special mode.
It restarts automatically following a power cut or after being unplugged, which is something other models don’t do.
You can use any brand of smart plug to connect it to your smart home hub, and set routines for it to come on and off automatically.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):โ€“ Top speed PM1 CADR: 249 cfm
โ€“ Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 128 cfm
โ€“ AHAM PM2.5 CADR: 287 cfm (dust)
Filter technology:H13 TrueHEPA filter with a removable pre-filter and pelleted activated charcoal filter (set of two)
Recommended room size:373 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:20 x 13.8 x 9 inches (51 x 35 x 23 cm)
Weight:15.5 lbs (7 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:Speed 1: 35.2 dBA
Speed 2: 37.2 dBA
Speed 3: 41.5 dBA
Speed 4: 46.1 dBA
Speed 5: 56.7 dBA
Electricity consumption in watts:Standby: 0.1 watts
Speed 1: 2.4 watts
Speed 2: 4.3 watts
Speed 3: 7.1 watts
Speed 4: 12.9 watts
Speed 5: 53.8 watts
Filter lifespan:18 months
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:1 year
Country of origin:China
Country of manufacture:China

The best feature: three out of its five fan speeds generate less than 45dB of noise

Not only that, but when running at these lower fan speeds, the SA600 offers excellent air cleaning performance.

Smart Air SA600 Close up

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In 2022, we reviewed the first version of the SA600 and tested its three fan speeds. The SA600 v1 offered good air cleaning performance when running at its top speed (56 db) but this power didn’t translate to its sub-45dB speeds. With the v2 of the SA600, Smart Air changed that.

The SA600 comes with five fan speeds, which range from 35 and 56 decibels:

SPEED 1SPEED 2SPEED 3SPEED 4SPEED 5
NOISE LEVEL (from 3ft away)35.2 dBA37.2 dBA41.5 dBA46.1 dBA56.7 dBA

I tested the SA600 running at speeds 3, 4 and 5 inside our 728-cubic-feet test room, using our PurpleAir Zen sensor to track how long it took for the air purifier to reach PM1 zero after we burnt an incense stick:

  • SPEED 5: 24 minutes. This is the same time it took for the Coway Airmega 250S, the RabbitAir A3 and the Winix 5510 to reach PM1 zero.
  • SPEED 4: 36 minutes. Faster than the Levoit Vital 100S (37 minutes), the Mila (38 minutes) and the Coway Airmega 150 (38 minutes) at top speed.
  • SPEED 3: 46 minutes. Faster than the Core 300S (45 minutes), the PuroAir 240 (51 minutes) and the Molekule Air Mini+ (61 minutes) at top speed.

This makes the SA600 an excellent choice for spaces that need quiet operation without sacrificing on air cleaning performance, such as offices, classrooms, bedrooms and TV rooms. However, if quiet is important to you, make sure to also research PC fan-powered air purifiers like the Luggable XL-7 from CleanAirKits.

Design, controls and features

The SA600 has two filters on each side of the unit to capture pollutants and VOCs from both sides of the device.

Smart Air SA600 Front

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I like the simplicity of the SA600’s design and Smart Air’s decision to use matte plastic, as it far less prone to smudges and fingerprints compared to the shiny plastic we see in so many other devices like the Coway AP-1512hh or the PuroAir 400.

This is a mid-sized air purifier, that has similar dimensions and will take up as much floor space as devices like the Levoit Vital 200S and the Coway Airmega 150.

Vital 200S SA600 Coway 150

However, unlike the Vital 200S or the Airmega 150, the SA600 pulls air from both sides of the device and has two sets of filters through itโ€™s dual inlets.

That means you get one H13 HEPA filter and one activated carbon filter on the left side of the unit, and then another H13 HEPA + carbon combo on the right side. The SA600 also comes with a removable pre-filter at each side:

Smart Air SA600 Open

Now, this use of additional filters means you will have two pre-filters to keep clean and you will need to replace double the number of HEPA and carbon filters each year. I will break down the annual running costs further down in the review, including calculations for filter replacement and energy costs.

Like with the other devices we have reviewed from Smart Air, the controls are straightforward with simple operation. You get just four buttons: one to cycle between the five fan speeds, a lock to prevent the settings from being changed, a filter replacement indicator, and a power on/off button.

Smart Air SA600 Controls

There are three lights to the left of the fan speed button where you will be able to see what speed the SA600 has been set to, with speeds over Speed 3 showing with two lights:

Like other Smart Air air purifiers, the SA600 doesnโ€™t offer smart modes (such as auto mode or sleep mode) and it doesn’t come with a smartphone app to control the unit from afar. That being said, you can use this device with any type of smart plug to set routines as part of your smart home hub.

Although fairly commonplace in today’s appliances, the child lock and the filter reset light make this the ‘smartest’ model from Smart Air. These are quality-of-life features that wonโ€™t necessarily impact the air cleaning performance of the air purifier as much as the four filters will, but that users will appreciate in their daily lives.

To wrap up this section, let me tell you about a unique feature of the SA600 that I haven’t seen in any other air purifiers I have tested: the ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode. Without the need of you pressing any button, the SA600 turns off all control lights automatically if you donโ€™t touch the buttons for three minutes. This makes the SA600 a great choice for nursery rooms, bedrooms and TV rooms, where LED lights can become an unwanted distraction.

Filtration technology

Two HEPA H13 filters and two activated carbon filters supercharge the SA600’s air cleaning performance, by cleaning air from both sides of the device.

Smart Air SA600 Filter Tag

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In 2023, Dyson made a complaint to the BBB National Programs National Advertising Division (NAD) about Levoit’s use of โ€˜HEPAโ€™ in their marketing. The complaint forced Levoit to refrain from saying their main filtration was powered by HEPA 13 filters because it wasnโ€™t true. 

With that in mind, we were glad to see that the HEPA filters for the SA600 have been third-party lab tested as per AHAM AC-1-2002, so we can be confident they are genuine H13 HEPA Filters

Smart Air SA600 HEPA Filter

The best thing is that the SA600 comes with two of these pelleted activated carbon filters, meaning that you will have A LOT more carbon to absorb unwanted odors, gasses and VOCs than the average air purifier.

Smart Air SA600 Activated Carbon Filter

As with other Smart Air air purifiers, the fan of the SA600 is a powerful little beast, which helped this unit clear the air from incense smoke in our test room in just 24 minutes.

Smart Air SA600 Fan

Tip
Smart Air SA600 Filter packaging

Remember that filters will come in plastic bags, so be sure to remove them from the bags before turning on your Smart Air SA600.

Otherwise, the air purifier wonโ€™t be able to clean the air. Plus, running the device with the filters inside the plastic bags is likely to generate burnt smells. 

When you change the filter in your Smart Air SA600, youโ€™ll find that the process is simple. Here is a video taking you step by step:

  1. The filter reset indicator will flash continuously when your filter needs replacing
  2. Pull out the front cover, then lift out the pre-filter, HEPA and activated carbon filter
  3. Remove your new HEPA filter from its bag
  4. Insert your new HEPA and activated carbon filter, making sure the arrow on the filter is in the correct direction outwards
  5. After inserting the front cover back into your purifier, hold the filter replacement indicator for 4s. This resets the filter replacement indicator and makes it stop flashing.

Air cleaning performance

The Smart Air SA600 cleared our test room in 24 minutes — the same result achieved by the Coway Airmega 250S, but a few minutes faster than the Winix 5510.

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The CADR report of the SA600 stated that this devices has a dust CADR of 287 cfm, so I expected it to take between 23-25 minutes to clean the air based on our data from every other air cleaner we’ve reviewed to date.

We tested the SA600 in the same 728-cubic-feet room where we tested nearly 100 different air purifier models since 2020. By testing every device in the same room doing the same job of removing incense smoke, we can confidently compare performance across devices.

The Smart Air SA600 cleared our test room of PM1 particles in 24 minutes, when running at its highest fan speed:

The Smart Air SA600 is much faster than the more expensive Mila (38 minutes) but slower than the Vital 200S (23 minutes). See how the performance of this device compared to other similarly-priced devices:

AIR PURIFIER MODELTIME TO REACH PM1 ZERO AT FULL SPEEDLIST PRICE
AirFanta 3Pro17 minutes$159.99
Levoit Vital 200S23 minutes$189.99
Winix 5500-2 (ionizer enabled)23 minutes$249.99
CleanAirKits Luggable XL-723 minutes$299.00
Smart Air SA60024 minutes$279.95
Coway Airmega AP-1512HH (ionizer enabled)26 minutes$229.99
PuroAir 40030 minutes$249.00
Mila38 minutes$327.99

So, the real-world performance of the Smart Air SA600 matched up to the lab-reported CADR scores. This was great to see, considering that this air purifier uses two activated carbon filters that are likely to reduce the airflow for particle removal.

Based on a CADR of 287 cfm, this device could provide five air changes per hour in rooms as large as 430 sq. ft. You can use our CADR calculator to see how many air changes it will offer in your space.

Noise levels test results

While air cleaning performance is very important when shopping for an air purifier, you also need to be mindful of how loud it is. The reality is that if an air purifier is too long, it will end up being turned off eventually. 

That is why we use a sound level monitor to gather comparable data on noise level generation by recording how much sound in decibels is generated by the air purifier from three (3) feet away in the same corner of our basement studio.

In the table below, we share how much noise is generated by the SmartAir SA600 at each of its five fan speeds:

FAN SPEEDSOUND LEVELS IN DECIBELS
Speed 135.2 dBA
Speed 237.2 dBA
Speed 341.5 dBA
Speed 446.1 dBA
Speed 556.7 dBA

Be aware our background noise is very similar to what we got for speed 1, so the actual result is likely to be much quieter.

When compared to other air purifiers with similar performance, the SA600 is a little quieter than many of the HEPA retail devices we have but louder than the PC fan powered devices. 

AIR PURIFIER MODELSOUND LEVEL AT TOP SPEED (dB) TIME TO CLEAN OUR TEST ROOM
CleanAirKits Luggable XL-738.8 dBA23 minutes
AirFanta 3Pro56.3 dBA17 minutes
Smart Air SA60056.7 dBA24 minutes
Levoit Vital 200S57.7 dBA23 minutes
Winix 5500-258.9 dBA23 minutes
Philips 3000i59.2 dBA20 minutes
Coway Airmega AP-1512hh Mighty60.1 dBA26 minutes

The benefit of high CADR air purifiers is that you can use them at lower, quieter fan speeds, while still benefitting from good air cleaning performance. That is why we always re-test the particle removal performance of our air purifiers when running at sub-45dB fan speeds, which is the limit set by Clean Air Stars for offices and classrooms.

So, we ran the same incense smoke test in the same 728 cubic feet space with the Smart Air SA600 sunning at both speed 3 (41.5 dBA) and speed 4 (46.1 dBA).

AIR PURIFIER MODELSUB-45 dB SOUND LEVELTIME TO REACH PM1 ZERO
CleanAirKits Luggable XL-738.8 dBA23 minutes
AirFanta 3Pro (6.45V)43.3 dBA28 minutes
Smart Air SA600 (Speed 4)46.1 dBA36 minutes
Philips 3000i (Speed 2)45.8 dBA38 minutes
Winix 5500-2 (Speed 3)47.5 dBA43 minutes
Smart Air SA600 (Speed 3)41.5 dBA46 minutes
Levoit Vital 200S (Speed 2)41.9 dBA46 minutes
Coway Airmega AP-1512hh Mighty (Speed 2)44.4 dBA51 minutes

Of course, when accounting for lower sound levels, the PC fan-powered devices offer a more powerful air cleaning performance at whisper quiet operation compared to the Smart Air SA600 and all the other HEPA retail air purifiers in the bunch.

But have a listen for yourself, as I know that sound can be subjective:

Long-term running costs

Running a Smart Air SA600 will cost you $131.08 per year, combining energy consumption costs and filter replacement prices.

Smart Air SA600 Fireplace

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As part of our reviews, we always calculate how much you can expect to spend on a yearly basis, assuming you are running the device 24/7 all year round utilizing our own energy consumption data and the manufacturer’s filter lifespan data.

1. Electricity costs = $59.98 per year

We used our power monitor to record the energy consumption of the SA600 at each fan speed and on standby mode:

FAN SPEEDENERGY CONSUMPTION IN WATTS
Standby0.1 watts
Speed 12.4 watts
Speed 24.3 watts
Speed 37.1 watts
Speed 412.9 watts
Speed 553.8 watts

If you had to leave the SA600 running 24/7 at full speed, it would cost $59.98 in energy costs for a year, and now we can compare the energy costs to other devices we have tested.

AIR PURIFIER MODELENERGY CONSUMPTION AT TOP SPEED (watts)TIME TO REACH PM1 ZEROYEARLY ENERGY COST (in USD)
Smart Air SA600 (Speed 3)7.1 watts46 minutes$7.89
Smart Air SA600 (Speed 4)12.9 watts36 minutes$14.44
CleanAirKits Luggable XL-710.5 watts23 minutes$11.66
AirFanta 3Pro43.23 watts17 minutes$48.02
Levoit Vital 200S44.55 watts23 minutes$49.48
Philips 3000i51.3 watts20 minutes$56.98
Winix 5500-253.8 watts23 minutes$59.76
Smart Air SA600 (Speed 5)53.8 watts24 minutes$59.76

Smart Air uses a very efficient fan with its SA600 to pull in a lot of air without requiring much electricity. As you can see from the table above, it benchmarks very well against the other devices, even when running at lower fan speeds.

2. Filter costs = $71.32 per year

On the U.S. website of Smart Air, they recommend replacing the four filters for the SA600 every 18 months:

image

As of January 2025, the OEM H13 HEPA filters cost $57.99 (2-pack) and the activated carbon filters cost $48.99 (2-pack). This leads to an estimated filter replacement cost of $71.32 per year, which together with the energy consumption costs, will lead to an estimated yearly running cost of $131.08.

The filter replacement cost skyrockets if you take the minimum lifespan recommendations from the official Smart Air website, which estimates the lifespan based on levels of air pollution experienced in Asia:

Price per 2-packMinimum lifespanEstimated yearly cost
H13 HEPA filters$57.99 8 months$86.99
Carbon filters$48.996 months$97.98

For those based in Asia or living in a highly polluted area, this leads to an estimated filter replacement cost of $184.97 per year, which, together with the energy consumption costs, will lead to an estimated yearly running cost of $244.73.

You can find generic filters for the SA600 on Amazon that will save you money, but they won’t offer the same performance as they will vary depending on the grade of HEPA or the amount of carbon. For example, when testing generic filters from PUREBURG, we found that they tend to pack more activated carbon than official filters, which restricts airflow and affects particle removal performance.

A benefit of choosing official Smart Air filters is that you know you’re buying third-party lab-tested H13 HEPA filters.

Filter
Genuine Smart Air SA600 H13 HEPA Filter Replacement
Genuine Smart Air SA600 Activated Carbon Filter Replacement
Smart Air (aka Smart Health) SA600 Genuine Replacement HEPA Filter (2 Pack) โ€“ 99.97% Particle Filtration, Compatible with Smart Air SA600 Air Purifier
Smart Air(aka Smart Health) SA600 Genuine Replacement Carbon Filter(2 Pack) โ€“Original VOC & Odor Removal Filters for SA600 Air Purifier, Reduces Smoke, Formaldehyde, Gases & Household Odors
Technology
2-Pack H13 HEPA Filter Replacements for Smart Air SA600
2-Pack Carbon Filter Replacements for Smart Air SA600
More information
Buy on Amazon
Buy on Amazon
Price
$57.99
$48.99
Filter
Genuine Smart Air SA600 H13 HEPA Filter Replacement
Smart Air (aka Smart Health) SA600 Genuine Replacement HEPA Filter (2 Pack) โ€“ 99.97% Particle Filtration, Compatible with Smart Air SA600 Air Purifier
Technology
2-Pack H13 HEPA Filter Replacements for Smart Air SA600
More information
Buy on Amazon
Price
$57.99
Filter
Genuine Smart Air SA600 Activated Carbon Filter Replacement
Smart Air(aka Smart Health) SA600 Genuine Replacement Carbon Filter(2 Pack) โ€“Original VOC & Odor Removal Filters for SA600 Air Purifier, Reduces Smoke, Formaldehyde, Gases & Household Odors
Technology
2-Pack Carbon Filter Replacements for Smart Air SA600
More information
Buy on Amazon
Price
$48.99

At this point of the review, we can calculate the long-term maintenance costs you need to budget for if you decide to get yourself a Smart Air SA600. See how they compare to other mid-tier air purifiers in the same price range:

AIR PURIFIER MODELESTIMATED ELECTRICITY COST (per year) FILTER REPLACEMENT COST (per year)YEARLY MAINTENANCE COST
Levoit Vital 200S$46.83$49.99$96.82
CleanAirKits Luggable XL-7$11.09$89.99$101.08
Philips 3000i$55.29$47.15$102.44
AirFanta 3Pro$46.56$78.67$125.23
Smart Air SA600$59.98$71.32$131.30
Winix 5500-2$59.98$79.99$139.97
Coway Airmega 250S$64.10$159.98$224.08
PuroAir 400$77.75$220.00$297.75
IQAir HealthPro Plus$152.83$244.53$397.36

As you can see from the table, the Smart Air SA600 will cost you more to run compared to other popular air purifiers, such as the AirFanta 3Pro or the Levoit Vital 200S. But overall, the costs are aligned with what is expected from a medium-sized air purifier โ€” quite an achievement considering the use of four filters!

Bottom line: Is the Smart Air SA600 worth it?

I’ve received many emails from people who prefer to avoid smart functionalities and phone connectivity. If that is you, then the Smart Air SA600 should be at the top of your list for consideration.

The SA600 has no ionizer function, Bluetooth or WIFI, so it is the perfect choice for those looking for a non-smart air purifier that will clean the air without chemical by-products or unnecessary (and costly) extras.

Now, if you’re set on using an app to control your air purifier, this is likely not the right device for you. However, it is worth considering that you can use a smart plug to connect the SA600 to your smart home hub.

Smart Air SA600 Bedroom

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I am a huge fan of features such as having the LED lights on the control panel switch off automatically, or the device’s ability to come back on after a power cut. At home, the SA600 found a spot in our TV room, where it runs 24/7 at speed 4 and cleans the air quietly without distracting lights or sounds.

The two inlets and two sets of filters will lead to higher filter replacement costs, but I appreciate that the filters are separated (compared to the bonded designs from Levoit) as it allows you to use the device without carbon filter, if you don’t need it.

Smart Air SA600 Sofa area

U.S. PRICE on SMART AIR UK PRICE on SMART AIR

Not feeling the Smart Air SA600? If you’re looking for the most powerful air purifier you can get for less than $200, then check out the AirFanta 3Pro or the Winix 5500-2. If smart functions are a must, have a look at the Coway Airmega 250S pr the the Levoit Vital 200S. Now, if you want a powerful yet whisper-quiet air purifier, then make sure to read my review of the PC fan-powered beast that is the Luggable XL-7.

If you have a space smaller than 190 sq. ft. but you like what Smart Air has to offer, then you should look into the Smart Air S instead. Lastly, if you have a space larger than 675 sq. ft., then read up on the Smart Air Blast Mini, as the SA600 will be too underpowered for a large room.

SOURCES

We calculated yearly costs associated with running the Smart Air SA600 24 hours a day, 365 days per year using the appliance calculator from the U.S. Department of Energy as of January 2025.

Midea Cube dehumidifier review

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Midea Cube Dehumidifier Basement

Midea is a large Chinese electronic appliance company that has existed since 1968. It has over 160,000 employees worldwide and has an extensive product range from refrigerators to large HVAC systems. 

In a recent survey from Consumer Reports, Midea was included as one of the most reliable based on a survey of their members, so I was very excited when the Cube arrived.

Most residential dehumidifiers have a similar design: a rectangular box with a small bucket at the bottom. With the Cube, Midea has chosen a completely different technique that, as you can guess from the name, uses a cube as a bucket, allowing for a much bigger water bucket than the traditional design. 

The Midea Cube was launched in 2019, which means it is a reasonably new dehumidifier design. Since then, it has been very popular with consumers, so we were keen to test and review it for ourselves.ย ย 

I am reviewing the 35-pint model with a built-in pump, which is usually found for just under $300.

STEP 1. Humidity reduction rate

housefresh dehumidifier test

We use our Levoit Classic 300S humidifier to raise humidity levels to 94% inside our Shorty Gorilla Grow Tent and leave the tent for 5 mins for the numbers to stabilize before setting the dehumidifier to top speed for 30 mins.

We then gather humidity data with our SensorPush wireless hygrometer and repeat the test a minimum of three times. We also test the natural decay inside our tent without any dehumidifier running.

STEP 2. Water extraction rate

2026 Water Extraction Test Dehumidifiers

We also run a water extraction test in which we measure how much water each model is capable of removing in the same room of our house at 20 degrees Celsius and 52% humidity during a set amount of time.

Once the time is up, we weigh the water bucket before and after the test to determine how much water was removed during the test.

STEP 3. Electricity consumption

dehumidifier energy test

Dehumidifiers an be power-hungry little beasts. That is why we measure how much electricity the dehumidifier pulls at different speeds.

To do this, we use a MECHEER power meter for UK devices and a Poniie PN2500 energy meter for U.S. devices.

We measure electricity consumption with each dehumidifier running at all its modes and fan speeds.

STEP 4. Sound generation

dehumidifiers sound test

Sound is also super important as nobody wants to have a leaf blower running inside their home 24/7.

That is why we use a BAFX Sound Level Meter to measure how much noise in decibels each dehumidifier generates.

We conduct this test from three feet away, the same way we measure noise levels of the air purifiers we test.

STEP 5. Everyday user experience

housefresh dehumidifier real life tests

In addition to all our tests, we also use each of the dehumidifiers in our own home to determine how well they perform at removing moisture from the air and how it feels to live with them in different rooms.

This is generally the most eye-opening stage in our testing as we experienced the same issue twice across different dehumidifiers: the internal pump of both the hOmeLabs 4000 sq. ft. and the Moiswell 145 pint (Defender XP70) broke within a couple of months of daily usage.

The pros and cons of the Midea Cube

A summary of our top-level findings after testing this dehumidifier, following our methodology.

Midea Cube Dehumidifier Basement

โ€œI’ve been using my Midea Cube in our basement with a gravity hose for a little over three years now without any issues, and this is a lot to say about a dehumidifier.

It offers a high level of efficiency and I really like the bucket design, which sits higher than the floor so it’s perfect for a gravity hose. That said, I wouldn’t want to empty this bucket manually as it gets REALLY heavy when it’s full.”

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
Danny Ashton
HouseFresh Founder
& Lead Tester

CONS

At the full 4.2 gallons, the water bucket could be too heavy for some consumers to empty easily
Smart features are not so useful for most situations and add additional cost
The warranty will cover you for just one year โ€“ in comparison, Honeywell offers five years for their dehumidifiers

PROS

Innovative cube design means the water bucket can hold up to 4.2 gallons of water, so you will spend less time emptying the bucket
ENERGY STAR certified with a great level of efficiency with 1.8L of water removal per kWh
The included pump allows you to use it without needing to empty the bucket at all if thatโ€™s your thing
App support means you can manage your Cube from any location on earth and can also use voice commands through a smart speaker

Water removal capacity (per day):– HouseFresh test data: 13.93 pints (7.92 liters)
– ENERGYSTAR test data: 36.4 pints (17.22 liters)
Humidity reductionย rate (in 30 minutes):54% drop in 30 minutes (from 95% to 41%)
Bucket capacity:34 pints (4.25 gallons)
Electricity consumption (top speed):378.83 watts
Integrated energy factor (top speed):– HouseFresh test data: 0.9 L/kWh
– ENERGYSTAR test data: 2.0 L/kWh
Noise level in from 3 ft. away (top speed):54.2 dBA
Airflow (top speed):185 cfm
Refrigerant type:R-410A
Recommended room size:600-800 sq. ft. (50-80% relative humidity)
Dimensions:14.8 x 14.4 x 14.5 in (37.5D x 36.7W x 37H cm)
Weight:45.2 lbs (20.5 kg)
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:1 year
Country of origin:China
Country of manufacture:China

Water bucket

A simple black cube that you can stack up and works well with a gravity hose.

One thing I really like about this dehumidifier design is that you can save a ton of space when not using it by putting it inside the water bucket.

Midea Cube Dehumidifier Open

This means that when storing, you will take up a lot less space than a traditional design. The entire box beneath can hold water, so you can really see how much extra water this device can hold compared to competing brands.ย 

Another great feature of the Midea Cube is the pump. As the bucket sits higher than the ground, the gravity hose works very well.

Midea Cube Gravity Hose

When the Cube is in pump mode, the water the dehumidifier is pulling from the air can be simply pumped from the device into a drain through a pump drain hose that is included in the box. This is the way I use my Cube at home.

Design, features and controls

Clearly labeled controls, app support and two filters.

It comes with a generous handle at the top and a control panel with buttons and a screen.

Midea Cube Dehumidifier Top

You get wheels at the bottom, which make it easy to move it around on hard floors and even carpets.

You get buttons to set your desired humidity level, fan speeds, modes and timers.

Midea Cube Dehumidifier Control

You can also set how high you want the bucket to fill up โ€” if the 4.2 gallons seem to heavy, you can limit this.

It has two filters, one on each side, that block small particles from entering the fan motor.

Midea Cube Dehumidifier Filter

There’s a light to alert you when itโ€™s time to clean these filters, usually every 2-3 weeks.

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It was not easy to set up the Midea Air app on my iPhone.ย 

  • You canโ€™t use it on a 5ghz WiFi. Even if your router can provide for both 2.4 and 5 GHz on the same network, you must create a WiFi connection that only has 2.4 GHz.

  • The Apple account login failed. I was able to set it up with a standard email address login. So don’t waste your time trying to use your Apple logins.

That said, once I could finally connect my phone to my Midea Cube, I was happy with the overall design and UX of the app.

  • It unlocks features that are unavailable on the control panel, such as the estimated time when you will need to empty the water bucket.

  • Setting the bucket level is also much easier with a simple visualization inside the app vs the numbers on the onboard control panel.

Dehumidification performance

We tested the Midea Cube in our grow test using a humidifier and our trusted hygrometer.

Midea Cube Dehumidification Test

We used our Levoit Classic 300S humidifier to raise the humidity inside our Shorty Gorilla Grow Tent to 95% and let the numbers stabilize for five minutes before setting our Midea Cube to top speed for 30 minutes. We used our SensorPush wireless hygrometer to gather humidity data during this test, and also tested the natural decay inside the tent without a dehumidifier running.

When running at full speed, this Midea Cube 35-Pint dehumidifier reduced humidity from 94.92% to 41.05% – a 53.87% drop in 30 minutes comparable to what was achieved by much larger units from Honeywell, Frigidaire and Moiswell.

And in out water extraction tests, this Midea Cube extracted 0.99 liters of water in three hours. This result is more in line with 50-80 pint dehumidifiers (like the Waykar 80-Pint) than with 20-30 pint units:

Midea Cube Water Extraction Test

This shows how powerful the Midea Cube is at reducing humidity levels and removing water from the air, even though it’s a 35-Pint unit.

Sound levels

The sound levels of the Midea Cube 35-Pint reached 54.2 dBA, making it the 7th quietest dehumidifier we have tested.

Midea Cube Sound Test

I used our BAFX sound meter to measure the sound level of the Midea Cube running at high and low speeds. At a distance of 3 ft., I recorded 54.2 dBA at top speed.

When we compare this to other dehumidifiers we tested, it becomes clear that the Cube is the quietest large dehumidifier of the bunch – models with comparable dehumidification power like the Honeywell 50-Pint can be nearly 15 decibels louder!

Midea Cube Sound Levels

Long-term running costs

Running your Midea Cube will cost you $289.20 per year, assuming you run it 12 hours per day.

We used our energy meter to record how much electricity this dehumidifier pulls when running at top speed.

We measured 374.1 watts at full power, which makes this Midea Cube dehumidifier sit right in the middle of our comparison – more power-hungry than the Waykar 80-Pint (which offers similar dehumidification performance) but more energy efficient than pretty much every other large dehumidifier we tested.

Midea Cube Energy Consumption

This is a good result, considering the Midea Cube can remove nearly as much water from the air as larger, more power-hungry units. As a result, its water-removal-per-watt efficiency is pretty good, being able to remove 0.9 liters/kWh.

Bottom line: Should you get a Midea Cube dehumidifier?

An innovative design that looks nothing like traditional models turned out to be one of the best home dehumidifiers on the market

Midea Cube Dehumidifier Storage

With a list price of $229.99, the Midea Cube 35-Pint is fairly priced, especially considering its performance.

You get an onboard sensor, the ability to use a gravity hose, a bucket design that takes up less space when not in use AND it comes from a brand that has been making appliances for a long time.ย 

While I experience some issues with the WiFi setup to connect it to my phone through the Midea Air app, once I could get the Cube connected to my iPhone, I found that smart features worked well without a hitch.

Midea Cube Dehumidifier Basement

Knowing how many issues dehumidifiers can have, I would like it if Midea were to offer a warranty beyond just one year. But I have been using my Cube for over three years without any problems (*touches wood*) so at least I can vouch for its build quality.

If you’re looking for a dehumidifier with a large water bucket that wonโ€™t need to be emptied all the time, then the Midea Cube might be just the thing – especially if you can use the gravity hose function.

If you decide to get yourself a Midea Cube, please use this link – we will receive a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you that we will reinvest into buying and testing new dehumidifiers. We don’t run any ads and have no partnerships with brands, so we rely on those commissions to continue the work we do.

If you have any questions about this Midea model or about dehumidifiers in general, please drop them in the comments below, and Iโ€™ll get back to you personally as soon as I can.

Levoit Core 300S review

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Levoit Core 300S Kitchen Counter

If youโ€™ve decided you need an air purifier and researched the units available, youโ€™re most likely to have come across the Levoit brand. Levoit changed the game when they started engineering units in 2017 and have grown to be one of the most popular air purifier manufacturers on the planet.

The 300S is an upgrade on Levoitโ€™s hugely successful 300 to fit in with their Core S (Smart) range. That means that the Core 300S comes with a built-in sensor that monitors the air quality in your home in real-time, making it possible for the air purifier to come on automatically when needed. You can see air quality levels in your room on the screen, or you can access the data on your phone through Levoitโ€™s VeSync app.

But it begs the question, is it worth paying the extra $50 for the Core 300S over the 300?

To find out, we bought the Levoit Core 300S with our own money and put it through its paces to assess its air cleaning performance, sound levels at each fan speed, energy consumption, day-to-day usability and long-term maintenance costs.

how we test
How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

With all this data, I will be able to compare the Levoit Core 300S to the more than 90 air purifiers we have tested to date. The result? A comprehensive review to help you decide if this is the right device for you.

The lowdown on the Levoit Core 300S

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
โ€œThe Levoit 300S improves on nearly every aspect of the successful Core 300 with its quicker air cleaning, lower energy usage and even new smart features. Whilst still only an air purifier for a small room, this is one of the best small room air purifiers out there.โ€
โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer
Levoit Core 300S Kitchen Floor

๐Ÿ’กexclusive code for HouseFresh for 10% off a single purchase on Levoit.com: HOUSE10

If you donโ€™t have time to read the full review, check out what I liked and what I think Levoit could have done better for the 300S.

What we really like

You can connect it to your smartphone through Levoitโ€™s VeSync app to operate it remotely, set routines and more.
It comes with an auto mode thanks to its onboard air quality sensor.
It shows the quality of the air in the room in real time via a bright LED wheel around the control panel.
There are lots of generic filters available, so you can rest assured you won’t find it difficult to find filters in stock when the time comes to replace them

What we think could be better

It doesn’t come with enough activated carbon to deal with serious odors or VOCs.
I wish you could remove the pre-filter to clean it, but it’s a bonded all-in-1 cylindrical filter.

HouseFresh rating:โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†
Time to clean our 728 cubic feet test room (with the device running at top speed):45 minutes
Air purifier technology:3-Stage Filtration (pre-filter, main particle filter, high-efficiency activated carbon filter)
Recommended room size (4.8 air changes per hour):219 sq. ft.
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):Dust: 134 CFM
Smoke: 126 CFM
Pollen: 154 CFM
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):8.7L x 8.7W x 14.2H inches (22L x 22W x 36H cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):5.95 lbs (2.7 kg)
Filter life:6 – 8 months
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):Speed 1: 38.9 dB
Speed 2: 45.7 dB
Speed 3: 54.5 dB
Electricity consumption in watts (recorded with an electricity usage monitor):Standby mode: 1.7 watts
Speed 1: 5.9 watts
Speed 2: 9.8 watts
Speed 3: 21.8 watts
Estimated running cost (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):$79.43 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):$1.12
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:2 years
Country of manufacture:China

Basic design, intuitive functionality

Levoit has engineered the Core 300S to be extremely user-friendly without compromising on design.

Levoit Core 300S Dining Room

Levoit isnโ€™t known for edgy designs, but that doesnโ€™t mean the 300S looks bad. Its white, cylindrical body is compact, light and easy to move between rooms. It doesnโ€™t take up much floor space and could also fit on a tabletop, desk or kitchen side.

Levoit Core 300S Kitchen Counter

๐Ÿ’กexclusive code for HouseFresh for 10% off a single purchase on Levoit.com: HOUSE10

The 300S sits firmly in the โ€œmid-sizeโ€ category when you put it next to some of the other Levoit units weโ€™ve tested. You can see in the image below how it compares to bigger Levoit devices such as the popular Vital 200S (left), the Core 600S (middle) and the EverestAir (right).

Levoit Air Purifiers Together

When comparing the 300S side-by-side with the 300, you will see that they look pretty much identical. The only visible differences can be found when looking at the control panel on top and when comparing the back of each devices.

Levoit Core 300S VS Core 300S Comparison 1

On the back of the Core 300S, you will find Levoitโ€™s AirSightโ„ข Plus air quality sensor. This feature scans the surroundings, detecting how many pollutants are in the air, in real time. You need to keep the air quality sensor unobstructed and free of dust for it to do its job effectively.

Levoit Core 300S Airsight

The 300S uses this air quality data to determine the most suitable fan speed when running in auto-mode, and it also stores it in the VeSync smartphone app.

But you won’t need to be looking at your phone all the time to find out how good the air quality is in your room because the 300S displays this information on the control panel on top of the device in the form of an LED color-coded ring around the power button:

Levoit Core 300S Controls

This brings me to the controls of the Core 300S and I’ve got to say, they are intuitive and easy-to-use at a glance, which is something I’ve come to expect from Levoit at this point.

There are minimal button descriptions, but the icons used are pretty self-explanatory. Here are which functions each button controls:

PowerPress once to turn the power on/off.
Press and hold to configure the air purifier and connect to the VeSync app.
Auto ModeWhen engaged, this allows the 300S to automatically adjust its fan speed to neutralize the amount of pollutants in the air (perfect for when my cat farts). 
Display LightsYou can turn off the display lights if you donโ€™t want them distracting you. Ideal for when Iโ€™m using auto mode at night.
Display LockPressing the button once locks the display so no settings can be altered. Press and hold for 3 seconds to unlock. Perfect if you have curious kids and/or pets.
TimerYou can set a timer to turn off your 300S for anything from 1-24 hours.
Night Mode/Filter ResetPressing the night mode button reduces the fan to its lowest speed and turns off the display lights for undisturbed sleep.
To reset the filter indicator light, press and hold for 3 seconds.
Fan SpeedCycle through three of the unit’s fan speeds.

There are a few more lights you will come across, all packed onto the control panel. On top are the fan speed indicators and the Wi-Fi signal to show that the unit is connected to your app. Below is the filter indicator light, which prompts you to replace the filter with a new one and an LED display to show the timer.

The smartphone app

As I mentioned briefly in the introduction, Levoit models in the โ€˜Sโ€™ (Smart) range include the ability to connect to their VeSync smartphone app. This allows you to have complete control of your 300S and the capacity to monitor the quality of the air in your home from anywhere in the world.

Connecting your device is a straightforward task and doesnโ€™t take long. All you need is to have the app downloaded, have a good wifi connection and be next to your air purifier. You can even connect multiple units to control and monitor the air quality in each room.

Levoit Core 300S App1

The app itself is very intuitive and easy to navigate. The air quality is displayed on the screen with buttons to control fan speeds, engage Auto or Sleep modes, and set a timer or schedule when you want the air purifier to power on and off.

Levoit Core 300S App2

If you have smart home devices at home already, you will be pleased to learn that you can connect the VeSync app to your Alexa or Google Home device in order to enable voice commands.

Levoit Core 300S App3

Hereโ€™s what happened when I subjected my 300S to a burst of airborne pollutants at close range.

3-stage air filtration with activated carbon

Years after its release, Levoit was forced to remove all mentions of HEPA filtration from their marketing.

Levoit prides itself on the quality of its filters, and so it should, as weโ€™ve never had any issues with them and found them to be extremely effective at removing harmful particles from the air. But a certain disruption has meant Levoit has had to make a few changes to their marketing materials.

Before I get into all that, letโ€™s talk about the filter itself.

Levoit Core 300S Filter

Inside the Core 300S, youโ€™ll find Levoitโ€™s trademark 3-stage filtration system:

  • Pre Filter – This is the first line of defense by trapping larger particles like dust and dander from the air by capturing them in its fabric material. By removing these contaminants here, it prolongs the life of the main filter. 

The pre-filter is the exterior layer of the Levoit Core 300S, so larger particles (such as pet hair and fluff) will get stuck to it. In order to extend the life of the other layers of the filter, you will need to vacuum the pre-filter regularly:

How to Vacuum Air Purifier Pre Filter

  • ARC Formulaโ„ข Activated Carbon Filter – This is made up of lots of small pieces of activated carbon that remove VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and odors from the air using a process called adsorption. When these harmful pollutants hit the activated carbon they become stuck to it, unable to pass through.
  • Main Filter – This is where the magic happens. The main filter comprises of a tightly woven maze of fibers that trap microscopic particles (I always think of a fly trapped in a spider’s web), removing them from the air.

On August 15, 2023, Dyson contacted the National Advertising Division, stating that the branding of Levoitโ€™s filters was misleading by classifying them as HEPA.

In response to this challenge, VeSync (Levoitโ€™s parent company) โ€œasserted its belief in the efficiency of its productsโ€ and promised to update its testing data. Months later, Levoit instead opted for removing all traces of the word HEPA from its branding, packaging and promotional material.

So, does this mean that Levoit particle filters are inherently bad? Not really.

HEPA is an efficiency standard for air filters, but that doesn’t mean that only filters certified as HEPA are good. For example, we have seen excellent air cleaning results with air purifiers like the CleanAirKits Luggable XL-7, which uses MERV 13 filters instead of HEPA.

As I mentioned, you can check the remaining lifespan of your filter in the VeSync app but donโ€™t worry if you donโ€™t have access to that, as a red warning light will appear on your control panel when the filter needs to be replaced.

When the time comes, itโ€™s extremely simple to replace the filter:

  1. Unplug your Core 300S
  1. Turn the unit upside down and twist off the cap anti-clockwise
  1. Pull out the filter and replace it with the new one
  1. Twist the cap back on clockwise

Check out the process in my instructional video.

Tip

Levoit filters will arrive wrapped in plastic packaging, so itโ€™s paramount that you remove all of this before inserting the new filter into your 300S. If you donโ€™t, the filter simply wonโ€™t work, and youโ€™ll probably start to notice an unpleasant burning smell coming from your air purifier.

The Levoit Core 300S cleared our 728-cubic-feet test room in 45 minutes

This is two minutes slower than the Philips 800 Series but six minutes faster than the PuroAir 240.

Levoit Core 300S Kitchen Smells

We test all the air purifiers in the same rooms following the same process to assess the performance of each unit individually, as well as to make it possible to compare the data against other air purifiers we review. In this section of the article, I will take you through our tests.

Particle removal test

For our particle removal test, we lit an incense stick to fill our 728-cubic-feet test room with simulated contaminants. We then turned on the Core 300S at its highest fan speed and used our PurpleAir Zen particle counter to monitor how long it took for the 300S to clear all PM1 pollutants from the air.

Here are the results:

The 300S cleared our room of contaminants in 45 minutes, making it fifteen minutes faster than the original Core 300 (54 minutes).

The Core 300S is a small air purifier, so I wasnโ€™t expecting results to match units like the Levoit EverestAir (16 minutes) or the Blast Mini from Smart Air (15 minutes).

Considering its size, the 300S offers good air cleaning performance but there are other small air purifiers available today that proved to be more effective and that offer better value for your money like the Winix A231 (40 minutes) or the Philips 800 Series (43 minutes).

AIR PURIFIER MODELTIME TO CLEAN OUR TEST ROOMLIST PRICE
AirFanta 3Pro17 minutes$159.99
Levoit Vital 200S23 minutes$189.99
Coway Airmega AP-1512HH (with ionizer)26 minutes$229.99
IKEA STARKVIND32 minutes$199.99
Levoit Vital 100S37 minutes$139.99
Winix A231 (with ionizer)40 minutes$99.99
Philips 800 Series43 minutes$139.99
Levoit Core 300S45 minutes$149.99
PuroAir 24051 minutes$199.00
Molekule Air Mini+61 minutes$359.99

Noise levels test

All air purifiers make noise; whether it be the fan spinning or the motor running it, the sound is unavoidable. The issue is that if your air purifier is too loud, the likelihood is that someone will switch it off eventually as nobody wants to have a noisy fan running while doing deep work or watching a movie.

That is why we used a sound level monitor to record how much noise the Core 300S generates at each fan speed:

  • Speed 1: 38.9 dBA
  • Speed 2: 45.7 dBA
  • Speed 3: 54.5 dBA


When comparing the performance you get when running at top speed with the noise generated (54.5 dB), the Core 300S doesn’t particularly stand out as neither quiet nor noisy:

AIR PURIFIER MODELSOUND LEVEL AT TOP SPEED (dBA)TIME TO REACH PM1 ZERO AT TOP SPEED
Levoit Core 30050.2 dB(A)54 minutes
Philips 800 Series51.3 dB(A)43 minutes
Levoit Vital 100S53.8 dB(A)37 minutes
Levoit Core 300S54.5 dB(A)45 minutes
IKEA STARKVIND57.4 dB(A)32 minutes
Winix A231 (Zero Compact)57.9 dB(A)40 minutes
Molekule Air Mini+67.4 dB(A)61 minutes

When you compare it to other small air purifiers, youโ€™ll see that the 300S is on par. As you can see in the table above, the Winix A231 is louder than the 300S so if you were considering going with the A231 based on our particle removal test, then this is something to keep in mind.

Noise is subjective, so we video each unit we test to give you a good idea of how much sound it makes. Hereโ€™s the noise the 300S makes at each fan speed.

The cost to run a Core 300S: $79.43 per year

1. Electricity costs = $24.44 per year

Air purifiers need electricity to run, so the amount of energy it uses should be high on your list of considerations when looking to buy one. As the cost of energy continues to rise, finding an energy-efficient air purifier is more important than ever, especially as itโ€™s recommended you run your unit 24 hours a day.

The Core 300S is more energy-efficient than its predecessor, pulling 21.8 watts at its highest fan speed. Assuming you would run your 300S all day, every day at its top speed, this will add $24.44 to your annual electricity bill. Unless youโ€™re living in a consistently highly polluted area, you won’t need to have it at this level all the time, so the cost will most likely be lower.

When we compare the energy consumption of the Core 300S to other similarly sized (and priced) air purifiers, you will find that the 300S is a lot more energy-efficient than most:

AIR PURIFIER MODELENERGY CONSUMPTION AT TOP SPEED (watts)TIME TO REACH PM1 ZERO AT TOP SPEED
Philips 800 Series20.0 watts43 minutes
Levoit Core 300S21.8 watts45 minutes
Levoit Vital 100S27.3 watts37 minutes
Levoit Core 30035.5 watts54 minutes
PuroAir 24036.2 watts51 minutes
IKEA STARKVIND38.4 watts32 minutes
Molekule Air Mini+39.7 watts61 minutes
Winix A231 (Zero Compact)45.6 watts40 minutes

2. Filter costs = $54.99 per year

As filters trap particles from the air, they become full over time because those particles have nowhere to go. Most air purifiers use filters that need replacing when full, so itโ€™s important to factor the cost of replacing them into your budget.

Genuine Levoit filter replacements cost around $25.99 for the original and $35.99 for the higher-spec filters (which we highly recommend over the original filter). As each filter lasts from 6-8 months (depending on usage), you should budget for two a year ($54.99):

Filter
Original Replacement Filter
Pet Care Replacement Filter
Toxin Absorber Replacement Filter
Smoke Remover Replacement Filter
Levoit Core 200S-P Air Purifier Replacement Filter,Genuine Air Filter,1Pack | AHAM VERIFIDE,HEPA Sleep Mode, High-Efficiency Activated Carbon, Removes Smoke, Odors, Allergens,Dust,Pet Hair, Core 200S-RF
Levoit Core 300-P Air Purifier Replacement Filter, Pet Allergy, 1 Pack | Genuine Core300S-P Filters, Supports HEPA Sleep Mode, High-Efficiency Activated Carbon, Core 300-RF-PA, Yellow
Levoit Core 300-P Air Purifier Toxin Absorber Replacement Filter, 1 Pack | Genuine Core300S-P Air Purifier Filters, Supports HEPA Sleep Mode, High-Efficiency Activated Carbon, Core 300-RF-TX, Green
Levoit Core 300-P Air Purifier Smoke Remover Replacement Filter, 1 Pack | Genuine Core300S-P Filters, Supports HEPA Sleep Mode, High-Efficiency Activated Carbon, Core 300-RF-SR, Blue
Technology
H13 (Medical) Grade HEPA and Activated Charcoal
3-in-1 HEPA, High-Efficiency Activated Carbon
3-in-1 HEPA, High-Efficiency Activated Carbon
4-in-1 HEPA, High-Efficiency Activated Carbon
More information
Buy on Amazon
Buy on Amazon
Buy on Amazon
Buy on Amazon
Price
$19.55
$35.99
$35.99
$39.99
Filter
Original Replacement Filter
Levoit Core 200S-P Air Purifier Replacement Filter,Genuine Air Filter,1Pack | AHAM VERIFIDE,HEPA Sleep Mode, High-Efficiency Activated Carbon, Removes Smoke, Odors, Allergens,Dust,Pet Hair, Core 200S-RF
Technology
H13 (Medical) Grade HEPA and Activated Charcoal
More information
Buy on Amazon
Price
$19.55
Filter
Pet Care Replacement Filter
Levoit Core 300-P Air Purifier Replacement Filter, Pet Allergy, 1 Pack | Genuine Core300S-P Filters, Supports HEPA Sleep Mode, High-Efficiency Activated Carbon, Core 300-RF-PA, Yellow
Technology
3-in-1 HEPA, High-Efficiency Activated Carbon
More information
Buy on Amazon
Price
$35.99
Filter
Toxin Absorber Replacement Filter
Levoit Core 300-P Air Purifier Toxin Absorber Replacement Filter, 1 Pack | Genuine Core300S-P Air Purifier Filters, Supports HEPA Sleep Mode, High-Efficiency Activated Carbon, Core 300-RF-TX, Green
Technology
3-in-1 HEPA, High-Efficiency Activated Carbon
More information
Buy on Amazon
Price
$35.99
Filter
Smoke Remover Replacement Filter
Levoit Core 300-P Air Purifier Smoke Remover Replacement Filter, 1 Pack | Genuine Core300S-P Filters, Supports HEPA Sleep Mode, High-Efficiency Activated Carbon, Core 300-RF-SR, Blue
Technology
4-in-1 HEPA, High-Efficiency Activated Carbon
More information
Buy on Amazon
Price
$39.99

When combining energy consumption costs with filter replacement prices, we found that the Core 300S has some of the cheapest yearly running costs, second only to what we calculated when reviewing the Philips 800 Series:

AIR PURIFIER MODELESTIMATED ELECTRICITY COST (per year) FILTER REPLACEMENT COST (per year)YEARLY MAINTENANCE COST
Philips 800 Series$22.22$29.99$52.21
Levoit Core 300S$24.44$54.99$79.43
IKEA STARKVIND$42.65$40.00$82.65
Levoit Vital 100S$30.32$53.28$83.60
Winix A231$50.65$49.99$100.64
PuroAir 240$40.21$75.00$115.21
Molekule Air Mini+$44.10$199.98$244.08

We tested the Pureburg generic filters that you can buy for $24 for two filters and found they slowed air cleaning performance a little but did use pelleted activated carbon like the genuine Levoit filters – a good alternative if you want to lower long-term costs a little:

Bottom Line: Is the Levoit Core 300S worth it?

The Core 300S is a worthwhile upgrade on the Core 300 and a good choise for a small bedroom, dorm or home office.

The Levoit Core 300S is small, smart and highly efficient at removing harmful pollutants from your home. Most importantly, it is affordable.

But is it dated?

Levoit Core 300S Kitchen

What was once one of the most affordable air purifiers on the market has been overtaken by one of the best air purifiers we tested in 2024: the AirFanta 3Pro. This model is part of a new generation of air purifiers powered by PC fans and designed to be built at home. So if the idea of a super silent but powerful small air purifier tickles your fancy, then check out our review of this awesome new device taking the air purification world by storm right now.

If you like the look of the Core 300S but have some more budget to play with or a large room to clean, then I recommend sizing up and going with the 400S instead. If you want to check out other newer models from Levoit, I suggest you take a look at the Vital 100S, which is priced in the same bracket as the 300S but outperformed it. 

Now, if you want something about the same size as the Core 300S with a cylindrical size and HEPA filtration, then you should check out the Winix A230/Zero Compact and the Philips 800 Series.

I still recommend the Core 300S to people with a small budget who want a reliable unit with smart functionalities and app support, but the market has changed, and there are other pretty great air purifiers available today that offer better value.

Retailer Lowest Ever Highest Ever

SOURCES

We calculated the yearly costs associated with running the Levoit Core 300S for 24 hours a day, 365 days per year, using the Appliance Energy Calculator from the U.S. Department of Energy as of December 2024.

Levoit Vital 200S review

by
Levoit Vital 200S Living Room

Levoit is probably the best-selling air purifier brand in the United States. That fact will not surprise you if you, like me, have used Levoit air purifiers in your home.

Their product range includes top-end devices like the Levoit EverestAir, which is one of the fastest air purifiers we have tested, reaching PM1 zero in a swift 16 minutes. Levoit also produces budget-friendly air purifiers like the trusted Core 300, which managed to clean our room in 54 minutes.

So, we were excited to finally get a chance to test and review the Levoit Vital 200S. It has a more traditional look than the EverestAir or the Core series, and is aimed at medium-sized rooms up to 400 square feet.

We bought the Vital 200S with our own money so we could test it following the same methodology we have used to test over 100 air purifiers since 2020. In this review, I will share the results of our tests and my experience after having this device at home for well over two years now.

The pros and cons of the Levoit Vital 200S

A summary of our top-level findings after testing this air purifier following our methodology.

๐Ÿ’กexclusive code for HouseFresh for 10% off a single purchase on Levoit.com: HOUSE10

“A super efficient fan combined with a high-quality particle and activated charcoal filter results in a powerful air purifier.

Retailing at $189.99, the Levoit Vital 200S gives you plenty of bang for your buck.”

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
Danny Ashton
HouseFresh Founder
& Lead Tester

CONS

It has a bonded filter, so once the carbon runs out (which usually happens within 6 months), youโ€™ll have to replace the whole thing, even if the particle filter still has life in it.
The air quality sensor is an optical sensor, so you need to keep it clean for it to report accurate readings.
I would like to see an independent test that could offer a filter grade after Levoit removed all mentions of HEPA from their marketing.

PROS

It offers a high level of air cleaning performance to $ ratio, completing our particle removal test as fast as units double its price.
You get smart features and smartphone connectivity through Levoit’s VeSync app.
It remembers settings and modes, so if you unplug it and plug it back in, the Vital 200S will still remember what it was last doing.
There are a ton of generic filters available that keep long-term costs low.

Clean air delivery rate (CADR):โ€“ Top speed PM1 CADR: 249 cfm
โ€“ Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 128 cfm
โ€“ AHAM PM2.5 CADR: 254 cfm (dust)
Filter technology:Bonded particle filter with a layer of pelleted activated carbon and a removable pre-filter
Recommended room size:373 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:15.6D x 8.5W x 19.8H inches (39.3D x 21.5W x 50.2H cm)
Weight:13.2 lbs (5.9 kg)
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:Speed 1: 38.3 dB
Speed 2: 41.9 dB 
Speed 3: 53.8 dB
Speed 4: 57.7 dB
Electricity consumption in watts:Standby mode: 0.97 watts
Speed 1: 5.71 watts
Speed 2: 8.01 watts
Speed 3: 31.96 watts
Speed 4: 44.55 watts
Filter lifespan:12 months
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:2 years
Country of origin:United States
Country of manufacture:China

In August of 2023, Dyson officially challenged Levoitโ€™s use of ‘True HEPA 13 filters’ in their marketing and advertising through the BBB National Programs National Advertising Division (NAD). As a result, Levoit removed all mentions of โ€œHEPA H13โ€ in their marketing materials for all their air purifiers (including the Vital 200S).

Now, itโ€™s worth mentioning that a higher grade HEPA is not required to clean the air of even the tiniest particles, as lower grade filters still pick up these small particles in multiple passes. Still, we donโ€™t appreciate manufacturers not being transparent about technical specifications.

Design and smart features

A rectangular design that houses a powerful fan, a bonded filter and an air quality sensor.

Levoit Vital 200S Living Room

๐Ÿ’กexclusive code for HouseFresh for 10% off a single purchase on Levoit.com: HOUSE10

Rather than use the cylindrical design we see with the Levoit Core series, the Vital 200S is a standard rectangle that pulls air from the front and pushes it out of the top. 

Levoit Vital 200S Close Up

Compared to the Levoit air purifier range, it shares a closer resemblance to the premium Levoit EverestAir, although I have to say I prefer the look of the pricier EverestAir โ€” do you blame me? Have a look at it:

Levoit EverestAir Fireplace
Levoit Vital 200S Sensor

You will need to clean the infrared sensor every two months to ensure it continues to be accurate when using the device on auto mode.

I would prefer a laser sensor, as it’d be more accurate and it wouldn’t need cleaning.

Levoit Vital 200S Top

From right to left you get an auto-mode button, a night mode button, the fan speed button, the power button, a timer button, a child lock button and lastly a button to turn the lights on and off. The power button is surrounded by an LED ring that changes color depending on indoor air quality. 

The Vital 200S comes with app connectivity through the VeSync app, which is the app used by a range of Levoit gadgets and is well-rated across Android and Apple ecosystems. 

Levoit Vesync App

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DOWNLOAD ANDROID APP โ–ถ

The app uses Vesync, which is the app used by a range of Levoit gadgets and is well-rated across Android and Apple ecosystems. 

I tested the Apple app, and it was easy to install and add the Vital 200S quickly. You can adjust the air purifierโ€™s settings via the app and also see what the current indoor air quality rating is in the room where itโ€™s set.

Levoit Vesync App
Levoit Vital 200 App Ad
Levoit Vital 200 App

The main app screen has internal ads for different Levoit products, which I would prefer it didnโ€™t, but once you go into the air purifier, there are no ads shown. 

One feature that I havenโ€™t seen in other Levoit air purifiers is a light detection mode that allows the device to switch off the display and run extra quiet when low light is detected. This is a great feature for those wanting to use it in a bedroom. 

Levoit Vital 200S Bedroom

Filtration technology

An all-in-one particle filter with pelleted activated carbon. You will need to replace both filters even if only one of them needs replacing.

Levoit Vital 200S Filter Side

Levoit initially stated that the Vital 200S uses HEPA H13, which is medical grade and can remove 99.97% of particles measuring 0.3 microns. But as you know, Dysonโ€™s challenges Levoit’s claims through the BBB National Programs National Advertising Division (NAD) and as a result, VeSync removed all mentions of ‘HEPA’ from their marketing materials.

Levoit Vital 200S HEPA Filter

It comes with a bonded particle and gas filter that performed very well in our particle removal test.

Levoit Vital 200S Activated Carbon Filter

The gas filter uses pelleted charcoal that is much better than the impregnated fabric we see with some manufacturers. 

How to Vacuum Air Purifier Pre Filter

It comes with a removable pre-filter which is much easier to clean than the pre-filter in the cylindrical Core 300/300S.

While you do get a good amount of activated carbon in the Vital 200S, if you have serious issues with VOCs and gasses, you should look for an air purifier with a much bigger filter with lbs of activated carbon such as the Alen BreatheSmart 75i, the IQAir HealthPro Plus and the Austin Air HealthMate.

Remember that most air purifier filters will arrive in a plastic bag, so be sure to remove the filter from the bag before you switch it on; otherwise, it will make your air quality worse!

Levoit Vital 200S Open

When the time comes to change the filter in your Levoit Vital 200S, youโ€™ll find that the process is simple and straightforward.

Air cleaning performance

The real-world performance of the Levoit Vital 200S matches reported CADR scores.

Running at full speed, the Vital 200S brought the levels of PM1ug/m3 to zero in 23 minutes. That makes the Levoit Vital 200S one of the fastest units we have tested under $200.

The Levoit Vital 200S was able to complete our particle removal test faster than the popular Winix 5510 but without using an ionizer function.

Levoit Vital 200S Particle Removal

As the table shows, the AirFanta 3Pro offered a higher clean air delivery rate for a cheaper price. This goes to show the power of PC fans compared to retail HEPA air purifiers.

Sound levels

In our testing, the sound levels of the Vital 200S ranged from 38.3 to 57.7 dBA

Levoit Vital 200S sound test

As I always say, air purifiers that are too loud, get turned off eventually. That is why we used a sound meter to measure how much sound the Levoit Vital 200S generates from three feet away. We did this across all four fan speeds:

FAN SPEEDSOUND LEVEL
Speed 138.3 dB
Speed 241.9 dB
Speed 353.8 dB
Speed 457.7 dB

We can now compare the air cleaning performance and sound level at top speed against data from other air purifiers in the same price range:

Levoit Vital 200S Sound Performance

As you can see from the table, the sound generated by the Vital 200S at top speed is quieter than that of most other air purifiers with a similar clean air delivery rate.

Running at the Vital 200S at speed 2 generates 42.5 dBA of sound, which is below the 45 dB(A) limit we have set for our quiet performance tests.

So I repeated the particle removal test with the 200S running at speed 2, and it managed to reach PM1 zero in 46 minutes.

Levoit Vital 200S Sub45 dB

As you can see from the table, the Vital 200S offers more powerful air cleaning performance at sub-45 dBA fan speeds than popular devices such as the Winix 5510 and the Coway Airmega 250S.

However, it is still no match to PC fan-powered air purifiers such as the Luggable XL-7 from CleanAirKits and the AirFanta 3Pro.

But sound can be very subjective, so we recorded a video of the air purifier running at different fan speeds:

Long-term running costs

Running a Levoit Vital 200S will cost you $99.47 per year, combining energy consumption costs and filter replacement prices.

As always, we used our energy meter, we recorded a maximum of 44.55 watts consumed by the Vital 200S when running at full speed. This equates to $49.48 per year if you were to keep it running 24 hours per day at its highest speed. 

Here are the full results for each fan speed:

MODEENERGY USAGE
Standby0.97 watts
Sleep mode3.21 watts
Speed 15.71 watts
Speed two8.01 watts
Speed 331.96 watts
Top Speed44.55 watts

This tells me that the Levoit Vital 200S has a very efficient fan that can move a lot of air without excessive energy usage. Itโ€™s great to see that newer models of air purifiers can perform well AND be energy efficient.

Considering you need to replace the filter every 12 months and that the replacement costs $49.99, you can expect to also spend $49.99 per year on filters.

When we combine the estimated electricity costs with the filter replacement costs, you can see that the Vital 200S offers great value in the long term as well:

Levoit Vital 200S Yearly costs

Regarding the filters themselves, you have other options in addition to the original filter: one aimed at those looking to deal with pet allergies, a smoke remover filter, and one that includes toxin absorbers. The price of these filters ranges from $49 to $65 dollars, so they are not cheap but they are also not super expensive.

If you want to reduce yearly running costs further, you will be happy to hear that there are many generic filters available for half the price of the genuine filters from Levoit – it’s worth mentioning that performance will vary:

Bottom line: Is the Levoit Vital 200S worth it?

With a list price of $189.99, it offers excellent value for the money, with air cleaning performance that matches units that cost twice the price.

Levoit Vital 200S Fireplace

If you want to get the best air cleaning for $ ratio and want to avoid ionizer technology, the Levoit Vital 200S is definitely worthy of consideration.

It includes many smart features that are normally only found on more expensive models but still manages to clean the air as effectively as we’ve seen from units like the iconic Winix 5500-2 but without the use of an ionizer.

Those with larger spaces will want to look at bigger units like the Levoit Core 600S ($299.99), but for those with a space between 400-500 square feet, the Vital 200S is a great choice as it will be able to keep your air clean for an affordable price. 

Noise levels associated to the Vital 200S are lower than the average and it comes with a sleep mode and the possibility of turning off the lights of the display (not to disturb your sleep), making it a very good option for a medium-sized bedroom.

Levoit Vital 200S Bedroom

๐Ÿ’กexclusive code for HouseFresh for 10% off a single purchase on Levoit.com: HOUSE10

Due to the lack of a True HEPA H13 filter, I don’t recommend this device for medical settings. However, as our in-house test showed, the Vital 200S can clean all tiny particles of 1 micron in 23 minutes. Air cleaning performance nearly three times as fast as the Levoit Core 300 ($99) and is only one minute slower than the larger Levoit Core 600S ($300).

For those who want to keep a medium-sized room clean of tiny particles and donโ€™t want to spend more than $190, then the Levoit Vital 200S is well worth checking out. And if money is tighter, do check out the PC fan-powered AirFanta 3Pro.

If you decide to buy a Vital 200S and want to support the work we do at HouseFresh, please use this link so we can earn a commission at no extra cost to you. And if you have any questions about this device or about Levoit air purifiers in general, please drop them in the comments below and I’ll reply as soon as I can.

IQAir Atem Car review

by
IQAir Atem Car 2

Founded in 1963, IQAir is one of the oldest air purifier brands around. Their high-end (and high-priced) units are manufactured in Germany, which makes them stand out at a time when most other brands have moved manufacturing to China.

I immediately became a big fan of the IQAir Healthpro Plus when I reviewed it in 2021, although itโ€™s not cheap to buy or run, with filters costing up to $200 per year.

The IQAir Atem was released in 2017. It is aimed at people looking to use an air purifier in the car or as a portable unit for their desk. 

At $399.99, it costs the same as some larger air purifiers we have reviewed, so itโ€™s not cheap, but we had high expectations and wanted to see how well it performed at keeping the air inside our car clean. 

There are two versions of the IQAir Atem, the Atem Desk and Atem Car, both priced at $399.99. The only difference is that the filter used in the Atem Desk canโ€™t deal with gasses but the unit can be plugged into a traditional outlet โ€” the car model uses the car DC power outlet. 

For $99 you can buy a desk accessory kit or car accessory kit to swap modes. 

  1. In our home lab of 728 cubic ft, we light an incense stick to generate particle pollution and VOCs.
  2. We set up our trusted Purpleair Indoor Sensor with the latest Bosch gas sensor to track levels of PM1ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM10ug/m3 and VOCs in the air.
    purpleair
  3. We switch the air purifier to its highest speed and measure how long it takes to get our room air quality down to PM1 level to 0.
  4. For portable air purifiers, we repeat this test inside our Tesla Model 3 to see how good the unit is at cleaning the air in a small enclosed space.
    Testing QT3 in Tesla
  5. We use an energy meter to measure precisely how much electricity is used when running the unit at the lowest and highest fan speed settings.
    enery meter
  6. We track sound levels emitted by the air purifier at different fan speeds with the help of a commercial sound meter.
    sound meter

TL;DR The lowdown on the IQAir Atem Car

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
โ€œThe best car air purifier on the market. It cleaned our Tesla model 3 in 37 minutes, but it comes with a hefty price tag. It has a high-quality HEPA filter, which can remove gasses and odors. Still, for those on a budget, there are better value devices for keeping your air clean.โ€
โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer
IQAir Atem Car 2

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If you donโ€™t want to read my full review, here are my key findings to help you figure out if the IQAir Atem Car is the right air purifier for you: 

What we really like

It cleaned our Tesla Model 3 in 37 minutes โ€” 10 minutes quicker than the Smart Air QT3 and Westinghouse 1804.
Its design stands out for the right reasons.
The build quality is excellent, as expected from IQAir.
The HEPA filter is large and of high quality.
The app works well, but itโ€™s a little slow to adjust to changes.
Itโ€™s quiet when running on low fan speeds.

What we think could be better

The price โ€” at nearly $400, this is not an affordable air purifier.
Seat attachment didnโ€™t work on our Tesla Model 3 as it has no adjustable headrests โ€” it might be an issue if you drive a similar vehicle.
Touch buttons are not very intuitive and it was often easier to adjust using the app.

The specifications

Cost per CADR is a hefty $22.66 in comparison the Levoit Core 300 is 68 cents!

On paper, the IQAir Atem is a low-powered unit compared to traditional air purifier designs. Still, itโ€™s entirely designed for vehicle use โ€” with seat attachment and 12-24V DC power cable.

You can see the full breakdown below:

HouseFresh rating:โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†
Time to clean our Tesla Model 3 (with the device running at top speed):37 minutes  
Time to clean our 728 cubic feet test room (with the device running at top speed):1 hour and 55 minutes
Air purifier technology:HyperHEPA Plus Filter
Recommended room size (4.8 air changes per hour):150 sq. ft. for car mode
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):Dust: 39 CFM
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):17.7H x 9W x 17.7D inches (29H cm x 29W x 10D cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):5.2 lbs (2.4 kg)
Filter life:1 year
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):Speed 1: 35.5 dB
Speed 2: 40.5 dB
Speed 3: 58.2 dB
Electricity consumption in watts (recorded with an electricity usage monitor):Standby mode: 0.4 watts
Speed 1: 1.7 watts
Speed 2: 3.8 watts
Speed 3: 10.81 watts
Estimated running cost (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):$106.46 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):$10.23
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:2 years
Country of manufacture:Switzerland and Germany

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Clean design that fits a modern car 

As you can see, IQAir has gone for a modern design that will fit well in most vehicles, moving away from the clunky beige design we see with their larger units (and in other portable air purifiers).

IQAir Atem Front

Most of the car air purifiers we recommend have to be placed somewhere inside the car, but the IQAir Atem offers a few different options for where to put it.

The first and top option is to use the straps to put it in place around the headrest of the driver or passenger seat. In this way, it doesnโ€™t take up any space and can be easily adjusted by passengers in the back.

IQAir Atem Car 1

Sadly, this way of securing the Atem is not as effective in a Tesla Model 3 because the headrests donโ€™t have the normal rails. This didnโ€™t deter me from strapping the Atem to my seat but, while it did fit, it wasnโ€™t fully secure.

IQAir Atem Back

IQAir also recommends strapping it in an empty seat in the back. This isnโ€™t perfect, as it uses up a full seat, but itโ€™s a good option for those with headrests that donโ€™t work with the IQAir Atem design.

When we compare the IQAir Atem to other portable units, you can see itโ€™s much bigger and far less portable than other car air purifiers:

Portable Air Purifiers Comparison

Similarly to some of the portable air purifiers, there is no screen on the Atem. Now, what I wasnโ€™t expecting is the lack of physical buttons: everything is done with one touch by pressing the Atem logo that sits in the center of the device.

IQAir Atem Car 3

You will hear a sound when pressing the logo, but I found it was hard to hear it when there was a lot going on or the kids were in the car with me. That is why I ended up using the app to adjust the fan speed a lot more often than the button.

IQAir Atem Car App

DOWNLOAD IPHONE APP ๏ฃฟ
DOWNLOAD ANDROID APP โ–ถ

Powerful HyperHEPA Plus filter

The car version of the IQAir Atem comes with IQAirโ€™s famous HyperHEPA Plus filter that can clean the air from pollutants as well as gasses and odors. This is essential when driving on highways or roads with high levels of traffic pollution.

IQAir Atem Open

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When you take the filter out of the IQAir Atem Car you can see where that $400 was spent. 

The sizeable filter takes up a lot of space in the unit.

IQAir Atem HEPA top

The HyperHEPA filter is clearly of high quality, similar to what is used in IQAirโ€™s larger models. I was surprised at first to see a small, cheap-looking carbon-like filter on one side, but I realized that this was just a filter to protect the fan and isnโ€™t used to clean the air.

IQAir Atem Fan filter

The Atem Carโ€™s HyperHEPA Plus is $10 more and includes gas filtration technology. The regular Atem Desk filter only includes HEPA without the ability to clean the air from odors and gasses.

IQAir Atem HEPA Side

The filters are easily removed once you click the button on the back of the device near the power cord.

IQAir Atem No Filter

Many air purifiers will ship their HEPA filters in plastic, so ensure you remove them before starting the unit, or it wonโ€™t work.

The Atem cleared our Tesla Model 3 in 37 minutes

Similarly to other portable air purifiers, I tested the IQAir Atem in two different environments: the interior of our Tesla Model 3 (around 97 cubic ft.) and inside our 728 cubic ft. test room.

In both cases, I first used an incense stick to fill the space with smoke pollutants. Then, I recorded how fast the IQAir Atem could clean the air while running at its top fan speed. As usual, I did this by measuring PM1.0ug/m levels in real time with the help of our industrial quality air quality sensor from PurpleAir, which uses the latest Bosch BME680/688 gas sensor.

Itโ€™s worth mentioning that before running this test inside my car, I ensured all internal fans in the Tesla Model 3 were switched off. The results of this test are based on running the IQAir at its highest possible fan speed while being plugged into the car: 

Air cleaning performance test results

I expected the IQAir Atem would be faster than other portable units that we have tested like the Smart Air QT3. Still, I was impressed with how fast it could clean our Tesla Model 3 of particle pollution. See the comparison below:

When comparing the performance of the IQAir Atem to small corded air purifiers AND portable air purifiers cleaning the air inside our home lab, I was actually quite pleased to see how well the Atem faired:

Noise levels test results 

The standard noise levels are very quiet on speeds 1 (35dB) and 2 (40dB) and you often forget that the air purifier is running. I changed the fan speed in the app to 100% and the noise is pretty noticeable at this speed (58dB), so I can understand why this is not the default.

Overall, the Atem runs a little louder than the Smart Air QT3 at both its lowest speed (35dB vs 32dB) and highest speed (58dB vs 49dB).

The cost to run an IQAir Atem: $106.46 per year

For a small air purifier, itโ€™s not a cheap unit to run โ€” it costs much more than other portable purifiers, due to the high price of its HyperHEPA plus filters.

1. Electricity costs = $16.47 per year

Like other small, portable air purifiers you can use inside your car or other vehicles, the IQAir Atem doesnโ€™t use much energy. Our meter reading test showed that it pulls just 10.8 watts when running at its highest fan speed. 

Assuming we run the IQAir Atem for 24 hours a day every day (365 days) non-stop, it would still only use $16.47 worth of energy.

IQAir Atem Power

2. Filter costs = $89.99 per year

Similar to the larger IQAir units, the filter costs associated to the IQAir Atem are much higher compared to other portable air purifiers. The HyperHEPA Plus Filter costs up to $89.99 per year and the HyperHEPA Plus costs $79.99, but it cannot deal with gasses and odors. 

At the point of writing this review, no generic filters are available for the IQAir Atem Car, so you will have to stick to genuine IQAir filters. The only problem is that IQAir filters seem to be unavailable on Amazon, so you will need to get them directly from IQAir.com. Not as convenient as I would like.

Bottom line

The IQAir Atem is the best car air purifier on the market right now. 

Yes, it isnโ€™t as affordable as other portable air purifiers. Yes, the filters are not available to buy on Amazon and are quite expensive too. But one cannot deny the sheer air cleaning power of this device.

IQAir Atem Room

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Those looking to save money would be better off with something like the Smart Air QT3 or the Westinghouse 1804.

But the IQAir Atem is my top pick for a car air purifier for those of you who drive through highly polluted highways and roads every day, and who have a good budget to spend. You wonโ€™t regret buying an air purifier from IQAir.

SOURCES

We calculated yearly costs associated with running the IQAir Atem Car 24 hours a day, 365 days per year utilizing the latest average energy prices as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of $0.174/kWh as of May 2024.

At HouseFresh, we have been reviewing air quality products since 2010. In all these years, we learned not to rely on manufacturers’ claims and the ever-so-glowing marketing materials. That is why we buy products with our own money, so we can write unbiased reviews after we’ve had enough time to evaluate air quality products in our home lab. Every unit we recommend has been thoroughly tested to assess its performance, energy consumption, and noise levels emitted in real-life environments. If you have any questions about our testing process for different types of air quality products, just drop us an email at danny@housefresh.com.

Westinghouse 1804 review

by
Westinghouse 1804 Car Panel

Westinghouse was founded in 1886 by inventor George Westinghouse. Over the years, it has been involved in many markets, from nuclear power to buying the TV broadcaster CBS.

Today, many consumer products are created by Westinghouse – from commercial pressure washers to air purifiers. The Westinghouse 1804 is designed to be a portable air purifier with an onboard lithium-ion battery. 

Itโ€™s relatively unique in the market as it combines a True HEPA filter with NCCO technology, a type of catalytic oxidation that, in lab tests, has been shown to reduce levels of VOCs.

The main competitors to the Westinghouse 1804 would be other portable air purifiers like the Smart Air QT3, Pure Zone Mini and the IQAir Atem. 

  1. In our home lab of 728 cubic ft, we light an incense stick to generate particle pollution and VOCs.
  2. We set up our trusted Purpleair Indoor Sensor with the latest Bosch gas sensor to track levels of PM1ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM10ug/m3 and VOCs in the air.
    purpleair
  3. We switch the air purifier to its highest speed and measure how long it takes to get our room air quality down to PM1 level to 0.
  4. For portable air purifiers, we repeat this test inside our Tesla Model 3 to see how good the unit is at cleaning the air in a small enclosed space.
    Testing QT3 in Tesla
  5. We use an energy meter to measure precisely how much electricity is used when running the unit at the lowest and highest fan speed settings.
    enery meter
  6. We track sound levels emitted by the air purifier at different fan speeds with the help of a commercial sound meter.
    sound meter

We take our air purifier tests seriously and never recommend any models until we thoroughly evaluate them in our home lab. 

Using our in-house test data means we can avoid the marketing jargon used by many air purifier brands and have a simple way to show consumers how well a device will perform in their home.

TL;DR The lowdown on the 1804

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
โ€œAn impressive 47 minutes at removing all pollutants from our Tesla Model 3, I was impressed with how well the unit could run on battery power alone. I am still not sure how comfortable I am with the NCCO reactor as itโ€™s still a new technology, but for its size, this unit is very efficient at removing particle pollution from the air.โ€
โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer
Westinghouse 1804 Car Hanging

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What we really like

Small design with a solid leather-like handle makes it easy to move around
Fast at removing pollutants from our test environment of the Tesla Model 3 in 47 minutes
Quiet operation, especially when compared to pure HEPA-based portable air purifiers
Powerful battery of 3000 mAH that lasts up to eight hours
HEPA filters are cheap at $8
The NCCO filter only needs replacing every 5 years

What we think could be better

NCCO technology could potentially create chemical byproducts, similar to ionizer air purifiers
No smart mode like app support or auto-mode
Only two fan speeds to choose from

The specifications

Cost per CADR of $8.60 is higher than the Smart Air QT3 ($2) but less than the IQAir Atem ($10.23)

As we expect with a portable air purifier, this has a much lower CADR than we see with traditional designs used in the home. We expected it to perform less than the Atem or QT3 due to its lower CADR score.

This is the full breakdown:

HouseFresh rating:โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†โ˜†
Time to clean our Tesla Model 3 (with the device running at top speed):47 minutes  
Time to clean our 728 cubic feet test room (with the device running at top speed):4 hours and 40 minutes
Air purifier technology:True HEPA and NCCO
Recommended room size (4.8 air changes per hour):23 sq. ft.
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):Estimated: 15 CFM
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):6.3L x 6.3W x 3.5H inches ( โ€Ž28.39 x 21.41 x 18.28 cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):2.12 lbs (0.96 kg)
Filter life:3-4 months
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):Speed 1: 36.7 dB
Speed 2: 39.8 dB
Estimated running cost (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):$27.81 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):$0.37
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:3 years
Country of manufacture:China

Easy to carry and simple design

The Westinghouse 1804 is a simple air purifier that is easy to carry around or keep in the car.

Westinghouse 1804 Front

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Weighing just one kilogram, the Westinghouse 1804 is light, small and easy to carryโ€”the perfect combination for a portable air purifier.

The combination of white and cream colors with accent details in brown leather might not be everyoneโ€™s cup of tea, but it wonโ€™t stand out like a sore thumb in most vehicles.

If youโ€™ve been browsing through portable air purifiers for a bit, you might recognize that the Smart Air QT3 shares the same color palette: 

Portable Air Purifiers Comparison

When comparing the Westinghouse 1804 with other car air purifiers we have tested, you will see that this unit blends into the group. Itโ€™s not as small as the PureZone Mini but it is definitely smaller than the QT3 and looks tiny compared to the IQAir Atem Car.

True HEPA and NCCO technology filtration

One of the standout features of the Westinghouse 1804 is that it uses a combination of True HEPA filtration with an NCCO reactor.

Westinghouse 1804 Unit filter

When you first receive the Westinghouse 1804, you will see that the True HEPA is wrapped in plastic, and the NCCO reactor is a foil wrapper.

Westinghouse 1804 Filter Packaging

Tip

Make sure to remove all the filter packaging; otherwise, the unit wonโ€™t work. 

The True HEPA filter is pretty large, considering how small the Westinghouse 1804 is:

Westinghouse 1804 HEPA

Upon closer inspection, I could see the True HEPA filter in the Westinghouse 1804 is of high quality, as one would expect from a big brand such as Westinghouse.

When it comes to replacing the filter, the process is pretty straightforward:

The one button on the right side makes removing the front case section easy. Once you open it, you can see the True HEPA first and then the NCCO zeolite filter behind it. 

Westinghouse 1804 Unit no filter

The Westinghouse 1804 is super easy to control as it only has one button that switches the unit on and then, with extra presses, changes the fan speed. It only has 2 fan speeds.

Westinghouse 1804 Controls

What is an NCCO reactor anyway?

Iโ€™ll be honest: when I first read the word โ€˜reactorโ€™ after NCCO, I got slightly worried as it doesnโ€™t sound safe at all.

Upon reading about it, I learned that NCCO stands for Nano Confined Catalytic Oxidation. NCCO technology uses โ€˜contained ozoneโ€™ in combination with zeolites (microporous, crystalline materials used as commercial adsorbents and catalysts) and other porous materials to decompose pollutants into water vapor and carbon dioxide. 

When you open the NCCO reactor, we can see the Zeolite balls used in the NCCO process. 

Westinghouse 1804 Filter

I didnโ€™t like the mention of ozone, so I did some more research and found a study that states that there is no secondary pollution or re-release of pollutants in the NCCO process. This means that even though ozone is involved, and unlike ionizing technology, the Westinghouse 1804 shouldnโ€™t be releasing ozone into the air.

This all sounds good, but I wanted to investigate further. 

I noticed that the Westinghouse 1804 used special triangle screws to secure the front panel of the unit. Thanks to the magic of Amazon.com, I could obtain a set of specialized screwdrivers that allowed me to open up the Westinghouse 1804 so I could have a closer look under its hood to see what was hiding behind the front panel.

Opening Up the Westinghouse 1804

As soon as I removed the front panel, I could see the main fan, which is connected to the motherboard, 3200 mAH battery and a strange black box that seems to be part of the NCCO system. 

Thanks to the magic of Google Lens, I identified this as a negative ion module, making me think that the Westinghouseโ€™s NCCO reactor is just a zeolite filter combined with an old-fashioned ionizer function. Ionizers used to be super popular ten years ago but were pulled from the market as many units were found to release dangerous ozone levels. 

This might explain why security bolts were used on the device, as this ionizer could generate high ozone levels if not enabled with the zeolite filter. 

I used my ozone detector while running the Westinghouse 1804 inside my car and it didnโ€™t take long for ozone levels to rise up to 0.3 ppb. This is a very low amount of ozone but it is not zero.

Ozone detector VS Westinghouse 1804

Of course, it is way lower than the 50 ppb threshold set in order to achieve a CARB certification, which the Westinghouse 1804 has.

I am disappointed to see the use of an ionizer and more so from their lack of openness about this with references to NCCO. 

The 1804 cleared our TeslaModel 3 in 47 minutes

As we have been doing portable air purifier tests, we have been using our Tesla Model 3, creating incense smoke and then measuring how long each air purifier takes to remove all PM1ug/m3 pollutants. 

Westinghouse 1804 Testing

The Tesla Model 3 has a reasonably small cabin with around 97 cubic feet of volume. Similar to our home lab tests, we used the industrial grade sensor in the Purpleair Indoor sensor to continuously track levels of  PM1.0ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM10.0 ug/m.

You can see our data below:

Air cleaning performance test results

With a CADR of 15 CFM, I was expecting it to perform to be a little better than the Pure Zone Mini, which has a CADR of 10 CFM, but I was surprised to see it perform as well as the QT3 and only 10 minutes slower than the $400 IQAir Atem. 

Combining the ionizer โ€œNCCOโ€ and true HEPA allows it to remove pollutants much quicker than we would assume, going off the reported CADR scores alone. 

While I was disappointed that the Westinghouse 1804 uses an ionizer, I canโ€™t disagree that it performed well at removing pollutants in the car.

Noise levels test results

One area of the Westinghouse 1804 that stands out is the low level of sound used, with a maximum of 39.8 dB. This is similar to what we see with other brands that use ionizers like Blueair, as they can run the fan lower but clean the air more efficiently due to the use of an ionizer.

The Westinghouse performed well when compared with other portable units.

Sound can be very subjective, so we created a video of the Westinghouse 1804 running at both its fan speeds.

The cost to run a 1804: $27.81 per year

1. Electricity costs = $3.81

As we expect with a portable air purifier, the Westinghouse 1804 doesnโ€™t use much energy, with 2.5 watts pulled at its highest speed.

2. Filter costs = $24

While the True HEPA filter replacements only cost $8 each, you need to change them every 4 months. You can even get the price down to $5 if you use generic filters.

This is much less than the IQAir Atem Car and just a little less than what we see with the Smart Air QT3.

Filter
Genuine Westinghouse 1804 FilterReplacement
PUREBURG 6-Pack Replacement Filters Compatible with Westinghouse 1804 Portable Air Purifier,H13 HEPA (not Fit Model : 1701 & 1702) Air Clean Dust
Technology
True HEPA and NCCO
More information
Buy on Amazon
Price
$17.34
Filter
Genuine Westinghouse 1804 FilterReplacement
PUREBURG 6-Pack Replacement Filters Compatible with Westinghouse 1804 Portable Air Purifier,H13 HEPA (not Fit Model : 1701 & 1702) Air Clean Dust
Technology
True HEPA and NCCO
More information
Buy on Amazon
Price
$17.34

When comparing the costs associated with running the Westinghouse 1804 with other portable air purifiers, it is clear that the 1804 is the most cost-efficient unit:

Bottom line

The Westinghouse 1804 is a powerful and cheap portable air purifier, but I do worry about the use of an ionizer.

Westinghouse 1804 Car Panel

PRICE on amazon PRICE on EBAY

At $129, the Westinghouse 1804 is cheap, especially compared to the $400 IQAir Atem Car. It performed well in our test to remove pollutants from our Tesla Model 3, but I am concerned about the use of an ionizer. 

If you donโ€™t worry too much about the ionizer and are happy to get better performance for a reasonable price, then the Westinghouse 1804 is worth a look. 

But for most people, we would recommend the Smart Air QT3 as itโ€™s cheaper to buy and has the same level of performance with zero risks of chemical by-products.

At HouseFresh, we have been reviewing air quality products since 2010. In all these years, we learned not to rely on manufacturers’ claims and the ever-so-glowing marketing materials. That is why we buy products with our own money, so we can write unbiased reviews after we’ve had enough time to evaluate air quality products in our home lab. Every unit we recommend has been thoroughly tested to assess its performance, energy consumption, and noise levels emitted in real-life environments. If you have any questions about our testing process for different types of air quality products, just drop us an email at danny@housefresh.com.

SOURCES

We calculated yearly costs associated with running the Westinghouse 1804  24 hours a day, 365 days per year utilizing the latest average energy prices as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of $0.174/kWh as of May 2024.

Alen BreatheSmart Flex review

by
Alen BreatheSmart

Alen is a well-known brand in the world of air purifiers and the Austin-based company has been building air purifiers since 1999. They currently have 72 employees and had a revenue of just under 30 million dollars last year. 

One of their stand-out features is a lifetime guarantee โ€” unique in the air purifier industry, but it does require you to sign up for their filter subscription. We have already reviewed the Alen 75i and 45i, which impressed us, although they are a little pricier than competitors with similar air cleaning performance. 

The Alen Breathsmart Flex is based on the 45i but lacks the ionizer and smart features. It still has a similar level of air-cleaning power and looks very similar. We were keen to test the performance of the Breathsmart Flex in our home and see if it matched the performance of the Alen 45i.

Most air purifier reviews are just pictures and overly optimistic write-ups. Journalists at these publications are biased to sell the unit without digging deeper than running the air purifier a few times.  We donโ€™t have deals with manufacturers or a big corporation watching what we say, and we have no problem saying if an air purifier is terrible.

We donโ€™t just take manufacturers at their word, either; we test all our units in our home lab to see how well they remove particles and share this data directly with you.

how we test
How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

On paper, the Alen BreatheSmart Flex is very similar to the Alen 45i, although it lacks many smart features and an ionizer function. Read on to find out what differentiates these two Alen air purifiers.

The lowdown on the Alen BreatheSmart Flex

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
โ€œA powerful and quiet air purifier without the bells and whistles you find with other models โ€” that reduces the initial cost and you still get Alenโ€™s lifetime warrantyโ€
โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer
Alen BreatheSmart

What we really like

Lower price for a similar CADR to the Alen 45i โ€” both units cleaned all PM1 pollutants from our test room in exactly 34 minutes.
Maximum of 50.7 dB at its highest speed, which compares favorably with other competing models with this CADR.
24.2 watts at its highest setting makes this one of the most efficient air purifiers we have tested and keeps long-term costs low.
Options to choose filters for specific needs such as those with higher levels of activated charcoal for more severe issues with VOCs, gasses and odors.
Lifetime warranty, which is something you only get with Alen air purifiers.

What we think could be better

No smart features such as App support or Auto mode โ€” you need to pay extra for the Alen 45i to get this.
Filter costs are higher with Alen, over $100 for the HeavySmoke filter that includes 2+ lbs of activated charcoal.

HouseFresh rating:โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†
Time to clean our 728 cubic feet test room (with the device running at top speed):34 minutes
Air purifier technology:H13 HEPA with an option for activated charcoal (Fresh, Odorcell and Heavy Smoke options available)
Recommended room size (4.8 air changes per hour):296 sq. ft.
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):Dust: 208.8 CFM
Smoke: 191 CFM
Pollen: 245.4 CFM
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):25H x 15W x 8.5D inches (63.5 x 38.1 x 21.59 cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):15 lbs (6.8 kg)
Filter life:9-12 months
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):Speed 1: 35.7 dB
Speed 2: 45.5 dB
Speed 3: 50.7 dB
Electricity consumption in watts (recorded with an electricity usage monitor):Standby mode: 0.8 watts
Speed 1: 2.9 watts
Speed 2: 6.3 watts
Speed 3: 14 watts
Speed 4: 24.2 watts
Estimated running cost (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):$105.91 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):$1.21
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:Lifetime (with product registration & active filter subscription)
Country of manufacture:China

A fairly standard “Alen-looking” air purifier

The Alen Flex has a simple design and a small footprint considering its power.

You get a fairly standard Alen design with the Alen Flex, with a shiny white cover and a control panel on top. This is the same design you will see across other Alen devices in the BreatheSmart series such as the 45i and the 75i.

Alen BreatheSmart

It doesnโ€™t particularly stand out, but itโ€™s also unlikely to be something to start a conversation for the wrong reasons.

The control panel is simple and straightforward, in line with other air purifiers by Alen.

Alen BreatheSmart Flex Controls Alen BreatheSmart Flex VS Alen BeatheSmart

From left to right:

  • Filter indicator with three lights (green, yellow, red) to warn you when the filter needs to be replaced
  • Timer button to set the air purifier so it runs for 2, 4 or 12 hours before turning off automatically
  • Power button in the center to turn the unit on and off
  • Speed button to switch between fan speeds (with the highest being Turbo speed)
  • Lock button which allows you to lock the control panel after pressing and holding it for three seconds

Comparing the Alen Flex with the Alen 45i

If you have been researching Alen air purifiers for a while, you are likely to have run into another unit that looks A LOT like the Flex: the Alen BreatheSmart 45i.

When comparing the Flex to the 45i side by side, you will see that they both look as if they were to have been built from the same mold, with nearly identical design:

Alen BreatheSmart Flex VS Alen BeatheSmart 45i

Both the Alen 45i and the Alen Flex have many of the same features, such as the child safety guard and a removable front cover that can be swapped out for five different colors.

The biggest difference comes when you compare the control panel of both units side by side:

Comparing the Alen Flex VS Alen 45i

The control panel of the Alen Flex lacks buttons for the ionizer, auto mode and options for adjusting the light. 

That means that unlike the 45i, the Flex doesnโ€™t come in an in-built ionizer function (yay for those who prefer mechanical filtration only!) or with an auto mode (it does however come with a timer function, which is not the same but itโ€™s good to have).

Something worth noting: The Flex does not offer app support.

That said, you can connect your Alen Flex with the Alen air quality monitor, enabling you to understand your air quality and enable intelligent air purifier features. However, the monitor costs $129. 

Tip

If smart functions are important to you, you should consider going for the Alen BreatheSmart 45i instead as it will offer more bang for your buck.

High quality customizable filters 

As default you will get medical-grade H13 HEPA filtration, but you can choose different levels of carbon filtration as well.

Alen BreatheSmart Flex Pre Filter

As with all the Alen air purifiers, you will get to pick from four different options when buying your Flex:

B4-Pure FilterCaptures allergens, dust, mold, and germs
B4-Fresh FilterAll of the above + carbon to absorb common household odors 
B4-Odor FilterAll of the above + odor neutralizer to absorb pet odors and other unwanted smells 
FL40-H Heavy Smoke FilterAll of the above + 2.3 lbs of active carbon to absorb chemicals, VOCs and smoke

Every single Alen filter includes medical-grade H13 HEPA filtration that captures 99.9% of particles as small as 0.1 micron (e.g. dust, allergens, and harmful fine pollutants).

Alen BreatheSmart Flex HEPA Filter

That said, my recommendation would be to get at least the FL40 Filter, as it comes with 2.3 lbs of activated carbon that can help remove unwanted smells and dangerous gases from the air.

The additional cost on top of the basic B4-Pure Filter is not a lot, and you will get an activated carbon filter in addition to the H13 HEPA filter:

Alen BreatheSmart Flex Activated Carbon Filter CloseUp

But if you just want an air purifier for allergies and do not need gas or odor removal, you can save a little money with the B4-Pure Filter filter option.

Tip

As with many HEPA-based air purifiers, the filters for the Alen Flex arrive inside a plastic bag, so be sure to remove them from the wrapping before you use them. 

I was pleased to report that the Alen Flex filter had an ample red warning to remove the plastic, so I canโ€™t imagine anyone ignoring this. I wish more air purifier manufacturers would do this.

Alen Flex Filter Bag

Changing the filter in the Alen BreatheSmart Flex is pretty straightforward. You just need to remove the back panel and you will be able to access the filters. Check out the video below for a step-by-step guide:

The Alen Flex cleared our test room in 34 minutes

Thatโ€™s the exact same time it took the more expensive Alen 45i, which uses an ionizer!

As with all the reviews we produce at HouseFresh, we tested the Alen Breathsmart Flex in our test room, which measures 728 cubic feet. We burned an incense stick to simulate indoor pollution and used two Purpleair laser particle counter sensors to record how long it took for the Alen Flex to remove PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 particles from the air.

You can see the test results in the chart below:

As you can see, the Alen Flex cleaned our test room at the exact same speed as the upgraded Alen BreatheSmart 45i. It will be effective for small to medium-sized rooms. For those with large rooms, you will want to look at the much larger Alen 75i.

Noise levels test results, compared

As with the Alen 45i, the Flex is one of the quietest air purifiers we have tested here at HouseFresh. At its highest level, it hits a maximum of 50.7 dB(A), less than the sound generated by a standard refrigerator.

In comparison, many air purifiers with similar power levels can reach beyond 55 dB and the Mila and IQAir Healthpro Plus go up to 59.2 dB and 61.2 dB, respectively. One feature of Alen air purifiers is that they also utilize pink noise, which is meant to be even more sleep-friendly white noise. 

We know noise can be subjective, so here’s a video to allow you to hear the different noise levels associated with running the Alen Flex across each of the available fan speeds:

The cost to run an Alen Flex: $83,23 per year

This calculation assumes you will stick to OEM filter replacements from Alen.

1. Electricity costs = $25.23 per year

Even at the highest speed, the Breathsmart Flex only pulled 24.2 watts, which is MUCH LESS than many competing air purifiers with this level of air cleaning performance. This means you can leave this unit on without worrying about large energy bills. 

2. Filter costs = $58.00 per year

The Breathsmart Flex uses the same filter choices we see with the Alen 45i, and on average, they are a little higher than we see from budget brands like Levoit or Taotronics. For those looking for large amounts of activated carbon, you will also have to pay a little more as these filters cost more than the Pure version. 

If you donโ€™t mind choosing non-Alen filters, you can get generic filters that cost $45.99 instead of $58 to reduce this cost a little.

Filter
Genuine Alen BreatheSmart Flex Replacement
Generic Unofficial Alen BreatheSmart Flex Filter Replacement
Alen Air Filter B4-Pure Replacement H13 True HEPA Filter for BreatheSmart 45i & Flex Air Purifier - Captures Allergens, Dust, & Mold (1 Filter)
Flintar B4-Fresh Replacement Filter, Compatible with Alen BreatheSmart Flex and 45i Air Purifier, H13 Grade High Efficiency Air Filtration with 12 oz. Activated Carbon Pellets, 1-Pack
Technology
Alen FLEX Pure Filter Replacement (H13 Grade True HEPA)
H13 Grade True HEPA + 3 Pre-Filters
More information
Buy on Amazon
Buy on Amazon
Price
Price not available
$34.99
Filter
Genuine Alen BreatheSmart Flex Replacement
Alen Air Filter B4-Pure Replacement H13 True HEPA Filter for BreatheSmart 45i & Flex Air Purifier - Captures Allergens, Dust, & Mold (1 Filter)
Technology
Alen FLEX Pure Filter Replacement (H13 Grade True HEPA)
More information
Buy on Amazon
Price
Price not available
Filter
Generic Unofficial Alen BreatheSmart Flex Filter Replacement
Flintar B4-Fresh Replacement Filter, Compatible with Alen BreatheSmart Flex and 45i Air Purifier, H13 Grade High Efficiency Air Filtration with 12 oz. Activated Carbon Pellets, 1-Pack
Technology
H13 Grade True HEPA + 3 Pre-Filters
More information
Buy on Amazon
Price
$34.99

Bottom line: Should you get an Alen Flex?

The perfect option for Alen fans who don’t want ionization technology and who don’t care about smart features.

The Alen Flex is the cheapest Alen air purifier sold. They can sell it at a lower cost than the Alen 45i as it lacks the ionizer and smart features. The Flex still benefits from the high level of air cleaning performance, filter options and lifetime warranty that all Alen brand air purifiers benefit from.

Alen BreatheSmart Flex Living Room

If you donโ€™t mind giving up the smart and auto mode for timers, then the Alen Breathsmart Flex is an air purifier that will do an excellent job keeping small-medium-sized rooms clean. It doesnโ€™t create too much noise and has very low energy consumption.

Shark HP102 review

by
Shark HP102 Kitchen Counter

Youโ€™ve most likely heard of the other SharkNinja products โ€” the parent company for this air purifier. Theyโ€™ve had $3.7 billion in sales across their products, including vacuum cleaners, air fryers and blenders. 

Shark HP102 Kitchen Counter

Their air purifier range is relatively new, first hitting the market in June 2021 but, as a company, they have been making other electronic products since 1994. 

The main focus of the Shark air purifier range is the Nanoseal HEPA that blocks 99.98% of particles as small as 0.1-0.2 microns, which is similar to the U.S. standard HEPA H13 filter (99.5% of 0.3 microns). 

The onboard sensor shows you the current level of air quality and can be switched into auto mode, which adjusts the fan speed based on current indoor air quality issues. 

Its main competitor is the smart Levoit Core 300S, also suitable for a similar-sized room. The 300S has a little more CADR but doesnโ€™t have the high-end screen you get with the Shark HP102. 

how we test
How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

TL;DR The lowdown on the HP102

Danny Ashton HouseFresh

โ€œSharkNinja has entered the air purifier market with the HP102, clearly targeting the same segment as the Levoit Core 300S.

With comparable CADR, auto-mode and just a 10-gram difference in weight from the Core 300S, we expected less performance due to lower CADR. Despite its low CADR, its air-cleaning performance was impressive and completed our smoke removal test quicker than the Core 300S.

The Shark HP102 screen offers a clear, constant view of indoor air quality, which I prefer over the Core 300S. If you’re seeking a compact room air purifier, the HP102 deserves your consideration.โ€

โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer
Shark HP102 Side Table

PRice AT amazon
PRice AT SHARK

If you’re on a rush or just like to read the summary more than the whole thing, then this section is for you.

What we really like

Two minutes faster than the Levoit Core 300 to clear our test room.
High-quality screens for both the display and the control panel.
The air quality sensor adjusts very quickly to detect pollutants.
High-end build quality โ€” similar to other products by the company.
Lots of cheaper generic filters available.
It would provide a good level of air changes per hour for spaces less than 219 sq. ft.
Very impressed with their manual โ€” itโ€™s packed with lots of great tips to get the best out of your HP102.

What we think could be better

The advertising of 500 sq. ft. is too big a space, at least half this.
No Android or Apple App support.

HouseFresh rating:โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†
Time to clean our 728 cubic feet test room (with the device running at top speed):38 minutes
Air purifier technology:NanoSealโ„ข Filter (True HEPA Multi-Filter with Microbanยฎ antimicrobial coating)
Recommended room size (4.8 air changes per hour):124 sq. ft.
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):Dust: 91 CFM
Smoke: 80 CFM
Pollen: 94 CFM
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):8.66D x 8.66W x 14.56H inches (22D x 22W x 27H cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):5.85 lbs (2.65 kg)
Filter life:6-12 months
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):Speed 1: 36.1 dB
Speed 2: 37.2 dB
Speed 3: 44.6 dB
Speed 4: 52.2 dB
Electricity consumption in watts (recorded with an electricity usage monitor):Standby mode: 0.02 watts
Speed 1: 4.3 watts
Speed 2: 5.6 watts
Speed 3: 10.8 watts
Speed 4: 20.42 watts
Estimated running cost (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):$61.15 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):$1.65
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:2 year limited warranty
Country of manufacture:China

Compact design with simple touchscreen control

I love the look of the Shark HP102. That said, it is still not as good-looking as the $500+ Dyson air purifiers.

Shark HP102 Living Room

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One of my favorite things about this air purifier is how small it is, considering its air cleaning power. It weighs under 3 kg (5.85 lbs), making it easy to carry from room to room.

Shark HP102 Coffee Table

I prefer the overall look of the Shark HP102 to its main competitor, the Levoit Core 300S, mainly because of the excellent display screen:

Shark HP102 Display Screen

I will go into it in more detail further down the review but in the photo below you can see how the two units look when compared side to side: 

Shark HP102 VS Levoit Core 300S

You can see the difference the display screen makes to the overall look when you place it next to the Core 300S. The HP102 looks a lot more modern, making it a better fit for those with smart appliances around the home. 

Between the display screen and the touchscreen in the control panel at the top, the Shark HP102 is a great air purifier for techy households:

Shark HP102 Display screen Control panel

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Letโ€™s move on to the top control panel, which you can see in the photo below right on the edge of the air output vents:

Shark HP102 Control panel

The buttons are pretty straightforward – from right to left:

1. Child Lock: Press and hold for two seconds to lock (and unlock) the top control panel buttons. 

2. Filter Life: Press to show the remaining filter life. This button will flash to indicate when the filter needs changing.

3. Shut-Off Timer: Press to set the number of hours for the HP102 to run before it automatically shuts off.

4. Brightness: Press to dim the brightness of both the top control panel and the front display screen.

5. Air Info: Press to switch between air quality display options:

Shark HP102 Air Info Display Options

6. Auto Mode: When you press Auto Mode, the fan speed will automatically increase or decrease based on real time air quality readings.

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
โ€œAuto Mode is easy to engage and you can control the fans via the screen. The timer is a one-time choice. You can adjust the lights to be on or off, which is excellent for those wanting to keep it running at night, which I highly recommend.โ€ 
โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer

7. Fan Speed: Press to adjust the speed of the fan, moving from 1 Low, 2 Medium, 3 High and 4 Maximum. Keep in mind that once you press the Fan Speed button, you will deactivate Auto Mode.

Understanding the air quality rings 

The circular air quality indicator on the display screen is the main highlight of the Shark HP102. 

When you turn on the HP102, its sensor will automatically analyze the air quality in the room. Once it’s done, you will be able to see the current air quality with a colored ring on the display:

๐Ÿ”ต
GOOD		A blue ring means your air quality has a low level of particle concentration (0-25 particles per cubic meter)
๐ŸŸ 
FAIR		An amber ring means your air quality shows a moderate level of particle concentration (26-80 particles per cubic meter)
๐Ÿ”ด
POOR		A red ring means there is a high level of particle concentration in the air (81-430+ particles per cubic meter)

The screen is easily understood and adjusted quickly when we conducted the incense smoke test in our test room:

Shark HP102 Air Quality Sensor

An unexpected great: The air quality sensor on board the HP102 measures PM1, PM2.5 and PM10. All the figures matched what we saw with our PurpleAir Indoor sensor, which uses laboratory-quality air sensors. 

๐ŸŒฟ Once your HP102 reaches the 100% clean air status (when running on Auto Mode), the air purifier will enter Eco Mode to optimize the filter’s life.

NanoSealโ„ข technology that supercharges the HEPA filter

The filters are tested to IEST-RP-CC007.3, 0.1-0.2 microns, which makes them unique. But they do seem very similar to the popular HEPA H13, which we see used by Levoit and other brands. 

Shark HP102 Filter Top View

When you pick up the filter, you can tell itโ€™s well-made โ€” it feels like it will last longer than the cheaper feeling filters from Blueair (below a photo of the filter inside the Blue Pure 411+ to make my point better:

Blueair Blue Pure 411 HEPA Filter

Now, the photo I used at the top is a bit misleading as when you look at the filter in the HP102 from above, it looks like any other cylindrical air filter. But everything changes when you look at the filter from the front:

Shark HP102 Unit Next to Filter

This is not your typical HEPA filter. The Shark HP102 comes with a unique type of air filtration technology: the Shark NanoSealโ„ข filter. 

Shark HP102 Filter

Upon reading about this filter, I learned that it is a True HEPA multi-filter with a Microbanยฎ coating that inhibits the growth of bacteria on the surface of the filter.

The activated charcoal space is more significant than what you get with the Levoit Core 300S and it looks like pelletized activated carbon VS integrated charcoal fabric. For severe odors, though, you should look at air purifiers that use more activated charcoal, like the ones on our list of the best air purifiers for VOCs.

Tip

The filter in the HP102 is not washable, so keep it away from water. Something you can clean is the exterior and the interior of the unit itself. SharkNinja recommends that you do so every two months, using a microfiber cloth or a vacuum cleaner to remove dust and debris.

Replacing the filter in the Shark HP102 is a simple process. Something to remember is that as soon as you have installed the new filter, you need to press and hold the Filter Life button for 3 seconds in order to reset the filter life percentage.

I found a great tip inside the HP102 manual that I think is worth sharing:

Shark Logo

โ€œTo maximize the life of the filter, reorient it every three months: remove the filter, turn it upside down, then reinsert it, making sure that the side that was previously on top is now on the bottom.

This will help equalize the distribution of captured particles throughout the filter, helping to extend its useful life.โ€

– SharkNinja team

Remember that all new HEPA-based air purifiers will come with filters in plastic bags, so make sure to remove them before you turn on the air purifier. 

The Shark HP102 cleared our test room in 38 minutes

Based on the stated CADR, we expected less but were very happy to see this air purifier perform well in our home lab test.

Shark HP102 Testing

As part of this review, we filled a 728 cubic ft office with tiny particle pollutants caused by burning incense and tracked how fast our air purifier can clean the air. Our tests mean we can look beyond manufacturer data and identify which air purifiers are worth your consideration.

Air cleaning performance test results

It took the Shark HP102 38 minutes until our air quality sensor showed 0PM1. This is just above the Levoit Core 300 but longer than the Levoit Core 300S and the Alen BreatheSmart Flex.

This is a good level of cleaning power for the price โ€” the fact it also includes an air quality sensor provides additional value.

Noise levels test results

It has slightly lower sound levels than the Core 300S both at the lowest (63.1 dB VS 38.9 dB) and top (52.2 dB VS 54.5 dB). Overall, it compares favorably compared to several units. 

But you can listen for yourself to the different sound levels in our YouTube video below: 

The cost to run a Shark HP102: $61.15 per year

1. Electricity costs = $31.15

This unit only showed 20.42 watts at the highest speed, so it wonโ€™t hurt the energy bill too much โ€” it would only cost $31.15 to use all the time, 24/7, for a year.

2. Filter costs = $30.00

SharkNinja says you can go up to 12 months without replacing the filter, but genuine filters are currently hard to find on Amazon. 

Luckily, there are many generic filters for sale, so you can run this air purifier for less than $30 per year for new filters. The Levoit Core 300S has similar generic filters that cost $34 yearly for two filters every six months.

Overall, energy and filter costs are lower than other budget air purifier brands.

Sale
2 Pack HP102 Replacement Filter for Shark HP102, HP102PET Air Prurifier | HP102 Air Purifier Filter Fits HP152, HP153, HP132,HC452,HC450,HC451,HC455 Air Prurifier, Part #HE1FKPET, HE1FKBAS
2 Pack HP102 Replacement Filter for Shark HP102, HP102PET Air Prurifier | HP102 Air Purifier Filter Fits HP152, HP153, HP132,HC452,HC450,HC451,HC455 Air Prurifier, Part #HE1FKPET, HE1FKBAS
  • ใ€COMPATIBILITYใ€‘The premium HP102 replacement filter is specially designed for Shark HP100, HP100C, HP102, HP102C, HP105, HP102PET, HP152, HP153,HC450, HC450C, HC451, HC452, HC452C, HC455, HP130, HP132, UA205, UA455, UA505. Compare Part #HE1FKBAS, #HE1FKPET, #HE1FKBASMB.๏ผˆNote: Not fit for HP502,HP200 Series๏ผ‰
  • ใ€HIGH-EFFICIENCY FILTERใ€‘The Pre-Filter,Carbon Filter and Main Filter work together for 99.97% of airborne part-icles(based on IEST-RP-CC007.3, 0.3 microns) and unwanted odors in your living space for improved air quality.
  • ใ€VALUABLE PACKSใ€‘Package includes 2 Pack high-efficiency HP102 Replacement Filter. Our HP102 replacement filter has been tested before sale, please don't worry to buy.
  • ใ€EASY TO INSTALLใ€‘HP102 filter size: 7.5"(Diameter) x 7.2"(Height), fully compatible with shark HP102&HC452 Purifier. Easy to replace, no tools required. Simply remove the older and dirty filter and replace the new in your air clean. To ensure your HP102 Air Purifier running at high performance, recommend replacing the HP102 filter every 6-12 months, also depending on your frequency of use.
  • ใ€BUY WITH CONFIDENCEใ€‘iSingo has been committed to providing all customers with high-quality and cost-effective air purifier filters, and helping customers build a better living environment. If you have any questions about the HP102 replacement filter, please feel free to contact us, and our after-sales team will provide each customer with satisfactory service.
$24.99
Buy on Amazon

Bottom line

This is a great smart air purifier that is perfect for kitchens, bedrooms or other small rooms.

SharkNinja shows us they can make more than blenders and air fryers with this high-quality air purifier for small spaces. The build quality is higher than the Levoit Core 300S, so we expect the Shark HP102 to be long-lasting. 

Shark HP102 Kitchen Top

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The stand-out feature is the air quality sensor and screen, which helps you see your current indoor air quality.  Overall, I  am impressed with this air purifier and look forward to testing and reviewing the rest of the range. 

SOURCES

We calculated yearly costs associated with running the Shark HP102 24 hours a day, 365 days per year utilizing the latest average energy prices as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of $0.174/kWh as of May 2024.

Retailer Lowest Ever Highest Ever
At HouseFresh, we have been reviewing air quality products since 2010. In all these years, we learned not to rely on manufacturers’ claims and the ever-so-glowing marketing materials. That is why we buy products with our own money, so we can write unbiased reviews after we’ve had enough time to evaluate air quality products in our home lab. Every unit we recommend has been thoroughly tested to assess its performance, energy consumption, and noise levels emitted in real-life environments. If you have any questions about our testing process for different types of air quality products, just drop us an email at danny@housefresh.com.

Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro review

by
Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro Living Room

Okaysou has been around since 2018 and, according to Linkedin, only has eight employees, mostly based in China. I became aware of their air purifiers when they started ranking among the most popular units sold on Amazon. 

They have also been marketing heavily, with TikTok posts showing how their air purifiers catch pollutants in the home.  

TikTok Okaysou

The AirMax 10L (available since December 2020) is a larger update to their popular AirMax 8L. It has a 5-in-1 filter system that combines different filters, including a rare ionic silver filter and two H13 filters. 

Since 2022, the team at Okaysou has sent our team no less than eight messages asking us to join their affiliate scheme and receive a free air purifier. We never accept free air purifiers, though. We bought the AirMax 10L with our own money, so you can be sure this review will be honest and unbiased.  

We also donโ€™t rely on what manufacturers say; we test all the units we review by analyzing how quickly they remove the smallest particles from the air. We can compare performance across brands and models by testing all our air purifiers in the same-sized space.

how we test
How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

UPDATE 2024: Okaysou Corporation has declared bankruptcy

For those who own one of their units, some generic filters are still available on Amazon, but we don’t know for how long.

In 2022, Arovast Corporation and Etekcity Corporation (owners of the trademark Levoit) presented a patent lawsuit against Okaysou. They argued a design patent infringement on Okaysouโ€™s Cayman 608 (which looks A LOT like the Levoit Core 400S) and Apollo 718 (a copy of Levoit Vital 100).

Levoit Vs Okaysou

Almost a year later, Okaysu Corporation declared bankruptcy by filing a Chapter 11 voluntary petition. This is known as a “reorganization” bankruptcy because the company is allowed to continue its operations while it develops a plan to repay its creditors. 

The case then took a turn when Amazon joined forces in a Conversion Motion, which is a request to convert the reorganization bankruptcy into a โ€œliquidationโ€ bankruptcy. Liquidation, Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code, means selling the companyโ€™s assets to pay off its debts. 

In December 2023, they achieved it: the court decided to convert the case to Chapter 7. Okaysouโ€™s website is currently down, and thereโ€™s no official Okaysou store on Amazon, either. The company’s prospects donโ€™t look good at all. 

Tip

If you own an Okaysou air purifier, I recommend buying filter replacements in bulk if you find them to ensure you can still use your device for a little longer.

The lowdown on the Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
โ€œThe Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro fails to meet the hype of its marketing and didnโ€™t impress us in our real world air cleaning test and electricity usage.โ€
โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer
Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro Close Up

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What we really like

Air quality sensor is not something you usually see at this price point for air purifiers
Simple button controls that are easy to use
Size is easy to live with and wouldnโ€™t stand out in a bedroom or small room
At $149.99, itโ€™s as affordable as other units with similar CADR scores
Auto-mode is another feature rarely found with cheaper air purifiers

What we think could be better

5-in-1 filter feels cheap and failed to show effectiveness in our particle removal test
High energy usage, especially when considering its low level of cleaning power
Filter costs are a little higher than other budget brands like Blueair Pure and Levoit

HouseFresh rating:โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†โ˜†
Time to clean our 728 cubic feet test room (with the device running at top speed):42 minutes
Air purifier technology:Pre-filter, H13 dual HEPA filters, Advanced Blue Nano Ionic Silver Filter, Honeycomb Activated Carbon Filter
Recommended room size (4.8 air changes per hour):300 to 1000 sq. ft. 
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):Dust: 147 CFM
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):13.2L x 7.2W x 19H inches (33.5L x 18.3W x 48.2H cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):18.84 lbs (8.55 kg)
Filter life:6 months
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):Speed 1: 38.8 dB
Speed 2: 45.3 dB 
Speed 3: 55.6 dB
Electricity consumption in watts (recorded with an electricity usage monitor):Standby mode: 0 watts
Speed 1: 33.32 watts
Speed 2: 39.92 watts
Speed 3: 58.22 watts
Speed 4: 58.05 watts
Estimated running cost (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):$188.44 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):$1.02
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:5 years
Country of manufacture:China

Looks like a Levoit and Alen had a baby

This unit resembles the Levoit Vital 100 and takes many design features from other units like the Alen 45i. It also looks very similar to the Coway Airmega AP-1512HH. 

Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro Front

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Itโ€™s fair to say that the designers at Okaysou took inspiration from the best-selling units made by major air purifier brands in designing the AirMax 10L.

In the photo below, you can see the AirMax 10L Pro side by side with the Levoit Vital 100:

Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro Levoit Vital 100 Comparison

The design is not a total rip off but the front panel of the Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro does bear some resemblance to the front panel of the Levoit Vital 100.

Things change when looking at both units side by side:

Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro Levoit Design Comparison

When looking at the Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro profile, you can see that itโ€™s reminiscent of the air purifiers designed by Alen:

Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro Alen 45i Comparison

As you can see, itโ€™s much smaller than the Alen 45i but it does feel like a little sibling. Even the air quality sensor is on the same side of the unit:

Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro Sensor

The air quality sensor is the main smart feature available on the Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro. The sensor changes color depending on the current level of indoor air quality. This feature allows you to enable auto-mode, a fan mode where the air purifier will automatically adjust fan speed levels based on the level of pollutants detected in the air. 

In addition to the auto-mode, the AirMax 10L Pro includes four timer settings, a child lock, three fan speeds, and a filter rest light.

Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro Controls

You donโ€™t get fancy touchscreens with the Okaysou AirMax 10L. Instead, you have four buttons that do everything. 

โ€œ5-in-1 Purification Systemโ€ that doesnโ€™t match our expectations

Most air purifiers use a combination of HEPA and activated charcoal to remove gasses and particles from the air. 
According to marketing materials, the Okaysou Airmax 10L Pro is โ€œequipped with 5-in-1 purification system, washable dual-filter, nanois-Fflter, and honeycomb activated carbon filterโ€.

Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro Marketing

Based on the image and the description above, I was expecting a sizeable pre-filter, two HEPE Filters, one โ€˜blue nanois filterโ€™, and an activated carbon filter. I kept looking inside the box because all I received was the following:

Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro All Filters

That said, I was pleased to see a honeycomb filter with active carbon pellets instead of the impregnated fabric you sometimes get in other budget air purifiers.

However, I believe this is misleading advertising. The H13 HEPA filter they show in their marketing materials in between the โ€˜Advanced Blue Nanois Filterโ€™ and the activated carbon filter is not, in fact, two separate filters but just one that is blue on one side and white on the other:

Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro All Filters 2

A simple fix to the marketing materials would be to use a similar visualization as Okaysou uses in the user manual of the AirMal 10L Pro:

Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro Manual

The diagram above makes it clear that the nanois filter and the โ€˜premium filterโ€™ are one thing, not two.

One thing I noticed when I first got the filters out was how thin they were โ€” the activated carbon filter was less than 1 cm wide. 

Just to put this into perspective, here is a comparison shot showing the filter of the Alen BreatheSmart Flex side by side with the filter of the Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro:

Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro Filter Comparison with Alen Flex

Another issue I found is the low quality of the pre-filter. 

The pre-filter is attached to the HEPA using velcro, but when I tried to detach it for the first time, the glue became unstuck, leaving it to flap:

Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro Pre Filter Break

When it comes to the filtration technology in the Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro, the unit comes with a unique filter called โ€œAdvanced Blue Nanois Filterโ€. It is a HEPA filter treated with silver ions, which are bioactive agents that can kill bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms.

Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro Blue Nano Ionic Silver Filter

While there has been evidence that using a filter coated with silver ions can help reduce bacteria levels, there is also evidence of the toxic effect of silver ions and silver nanoparticles towards human cells. 

Compared with other similarly designed air purifiers, there is a little gap on each side of the filters when they are sitting inside of the unit. I prefer a tighter fit to avoid air bypassing the filter.

Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro Open

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Accessing the filters is not difficult at all. Here is a video showing you what to do:

Tip

As with all brand-new air purifiers, the filters for the Okaysou AirMax 10L will come in plastic bags. Make sure to remove them before you switch it on, or they wonโ€™t be able to do anything to remove pollutants from your air. 

After testing the unit and going through the filter’s performance, I would have liked Okaysou to include one large H13 HEPA filter and a more robust activated carbon filter. 

I disagree entirely with their marketing message that their 5-in-1 system is 40% better by using multiple filters. But more on that in the next section of my review, where I review our performance test results.

The Okaysou AirMax 10L cleared our test room in 42 minutes

Like all the reviews we publish here at HouseFresh, we put the Okaysou 10L through our performance test: The results were disappointing. 

Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro Test

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In our 728 cubic ft home lab, we simulate particle pollution and VOCs with an incense stick and use a Purpleair Indoor Sensor to monitor particulate levels. We then activate the air purifier at its maximum speed and measure the duration required to reduce the room’s air quality to a PM1 level of zero.

This is what happened when we performed this air cleaning test on the Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro:

Air cleaning speed, compared

With a CADR of 147 CFM, we expected it to clean our room quicker than the Levoit Core 300, but it took four more minutes.

Compared to the Blueair Blue Pure 411+, the difference between CADR and real-world performance is even starker; the Blueair 411+ has a CADR of 121 CFM yet managed to clean our room in one minute less. 

I fail to see how Okaysou can give this air purifier a recommended room size of up to 1000 sq ft. This unit is way too underpowered for such a large space, so it is likely to be unable to clean the air once an hour.

Noise levels, compared

At 55.6 dB at its highest speed, this aligns with other units at this price point and air cleaning power, such as the Levoit Vital 100 at 55.3 dB and the Medify 25 at the same level of 52 dB. 

As usual, we have also recorded a video so you can hear the sound with your own ears as noise levels can be a subjective thing:

The cost to run an Okaysou AirMax 10L: $188.44 per year

1. Electricity costs = $88.54 per year

Rising energy costs are unlikely to go away soon. So these costs must be considered when looking at a device that you want to run continuously, like an air purifier

We saw 58.05 watts at its highest fan speed โ€” much higher than we expected for this cleaning performance. I imagine including the extra filters means the fan must work harder to push air through them effectively. 

In comparison, the Blueair 411+ cleaned our room one minute quicker and only pulled 10.4 watts. 

So, from an energy usage standpoint, the Okaysou AirMax 10L is much poorer when compared to other similar air purifiers. 

2. Filter costs = $99.90 per year

Mechanical filter technology uses HEPA and activated carbon to capture particles and gases that, over time, are held in the filter material. After some time, the filter will become so full of pollutants that you have to replace them to sustain cleaning performance. 

Okaysou recommends changing the filters every six months for the AirMax 10L and genuine filters are available for $49.95, equating to nearly $100 per year

This cost is less than the Dyson range of air purifiers and high-end units like the IQAir Healthpro Plus. But it is higher than the genuine filters for the Levoit Core 300 ($39.99.)

As with Levoit, Amazon does have several non-genuine filter options for less than that, which bring the yearly cost down by half, with two filter sets available for $52.99.

Filter
Genuine Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro Filter Replacement
Generic Unofficial Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro 2-Pack Filter Replacement
Okaysou Air Purifier AirMax 10L Plus Replacement Filter, High-Efficiency H13 True HEPA Filtration System with Activited Carbon Pre Filter Set, 5-Stage Air Purifier Filter for Smoke Dander
Airmax 10L Pro HEPA Filter Replacement Set Compatible with Okaysou Airmax 10L Pro and Aiibot-A300 Air Cleaner Purifiers, High-Efficiency True HEPA Filtration System, 2 Set
Technology
5-Stage H13 True HEPA Filtration System with Activated Carbon Pre Filter
2-Pack Replacement True HEPA and Activated Carbon
More information
Buy on Amazon
Buy on Amazon
Price
Price not available
$32.99
Filter
Genuine Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro Filter Replacement
Okaysou Air Purifier AirMax 10L Plus Replacement Filter, High-Efficiency H13 True HEPA Filtration System with Activited Carbon Pre Filter Set, 5-Stage Air Purifier Filter for Smoke Dander
Technology
5-Stage H13 True HEPA Filtration System with Activated Carbon Pre Filter
More information
Buy on Amazon
Price
Price not available
Filter
Generic Unofficial Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro 2-Pack Filter Replacement
Airmax 10L Pro HEPA Filter Replacement Set Compatible with Okaysou Airmax 10L Pro and Aiibot-A300 Air Cleaner Purifiers, High-Efficiency True HEPA Filtration System, 2 Set
Technology
2-Pack Replacement True HEPA and Activated Carbon
More information
Buy on Amazon
Price
$32.99

Bottom line: Should you buy an Airmax 10L Pro?

The Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro is an overly-marketed product that doesnโ€™t live up to the hype

In my opinion, Okaysou contacted us many times because they wanted us to write an overly optimistic review. Itโ€™s clear that they are experts in marketing, but the AirMax 10L is not an air purifier I would recommend. 

While itโ€™s pretty cheap, $199.99-$149.99, you still get better air cleaning performance with the $99 Levoit Core 300. 

I donโ€™t like how they present their filter process as 40% better than standard methods. If anything, our tests showed that it has less air-cleaning power than standard HEPA and activated charcoal.  

I have been around the world of air purifiers for 20+ years, and itโ€™s a regular occurrence that a new brand comes to market with many promises and a price that is easy to digest. 

Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro Fireplace

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Sadly, the Okaysou, while not the worst air purifier we have tested, fails to match its marketing promises and for that alone, I would not recommend it. 

Instead, I would recommend the Levoit Core 300 and Blueair 411+ as they clean the air quicker for less money. They cost less initially and in the long term and come from a brand that doesnโ€™t bend the truth to sell more units. 

SOURCES

We calculated yearly costs associated with running the Okaysou AirMax 10L Pro 24 hours a day, 365 days per year utilizing the latest average energy prices as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of $0.174/kWh as of May 2024.

At HouseFresh, we have been reviewing air quality products since 2010. In all these years, we learned not to rely on manufacturers’ claims and the ever-so-glowing marketing materials. That is why we buy products with our own money, so we can write unbiased reviews after we’ve had enough time to evaluate air quality products in our home lab. Every unit we recommend has been thoroughly tested to assess its performance, energy consumption, and noise levels emitted in real-life environments. If you have any questions about our testing process for different types of air quality products, just drop us an email at danny@housefresh.com.

Moiswell Defender MP70 145 pint dehumidifier review

by
Moiswell 145 Pint Dehumidifier Side

Moiswell is a specialist dehumidifier brand that produces large crawl space and commercial dehumidifiers, from 145 pints to 320 pints per day.

According to their website, the Moiswell brand belongs to Hongkong lnofia Technology Co. Limited, a company registered in Hong Kong in 2022.

As with all the dehumidifier reviews we produce here at HouseFresh, we bought the Moiswell 145 pint with our own money and tested its water removal ability and performance over time. We often will update our reviews if things change, such as when our pump died on our hOmeLabs 4000 dehumidifier last month.

  1. We set up the dehumidifier inside our very humid basement of 2,000 sq. ft.
  2. We set up our trusted SensorPush wireless hygrometer to track humidity levels in the air every minute while the dehumidifier is running.
    how we test dehumidifiers Performance
  3. We switch the dehumidifier on to its highest speed and record how long it takes to lower the humidity levels in our basement.
  4. We use an energy meter to measure precisely how much electricity is used when running the dehumidifier.
    How we test dehumidifiers Sound
  5. We track sound levels emitted by the dehumidifier with the help of our sound meter.
    Honeywell TP70WKN Sound Test

The lowdown on the Moiswell 145 pint dehumidifier

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
โ€œCommercial grade dehumidification without the professional price tag. The Moiswell 145 Pint dehumidifier is a great option for those who want to look beyond standard big box style residential dehumidifiers.โ€
โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer

Moiswell 145 Pint Dehumidifier Basement

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What we really like

145 pints of water removal in 24 hours is impressive, considering itโ€™s less than $700
The pump allows you to move water 16.5ft vertically to reach a drain
Size is perfect for crawl space with a much lower height than you see with other commercial dehumidifiers
Size is perfect for crawl space with a much lower height than you see with other commercial dehumidifiers
The screen is easy to use and see even in the dark

What we think could be better

It is a new brand, so I have concerns about long-term usage and whether they will be around to honor the 5-year warranty
Hefty โ€” not something they can change, but something to be aware of when moving
Remote is available but at an extra cost

Water it can remove in a day:145 pints (
Recommended room size:6,000 sq. ft. (557 mแถŸ)
Water tank capacity:No tank.
Dimensions:19.2 x 12.2 x 13.3 in (48.7 x 30.9 x 33.7 cm)
Weight:70 lbs (โ€Ž31.75 kg)
Noise level at top speed:56.8 dBA
Other features:Gravity drain hose, internal pump and external pump option.
Warranty:2 years

Designed with crawl spaces in mind

Its height is 13.3 inches, which is small enough for even the tightest crawl spaces.

Moiswell 145 Pint Dehumidifier Front

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I am currently using it on my basement floor as I havenโ€™t got around to mounting it on my floor joists. It weighs 70 lbs (or nearly 32 kg), so I will need help from someone else to mount it.

That being said, I was glad to see Moiswell added handles at the top of the dehumidifier, making it easier to move around – yes, it is still heavy but the handle bars make picking it up A LOT less challenging.

Moiswell 145 Pint Dehumidifier Top

When I first unboxed the Moiswell 145 Pint dehumidifier, I immediately noticed how much smaller it is compared to the other residential dehumidifiers we tested here at HouseFresh. 

Just to show you one example, check out the hOmeLabs 4000 – a residential air purifier that is super popular right now:

hOmeLabs 4000 sq ft Living Room

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It looks nice but the honest truth is that the hOmeLabs 4000 would be way too big for any crawl space, so if youโ€™re looking for a dehumidifier for a tight space, then the Moiswell is your best bet:

Moiswell 145 Pint Dehumidifier Close up

The control panel is really straightforward. It has four buttons, one for switching on/off, two for adjusting the humidity target and a timer function, so you can set it up to work for a specific amount of time.

Moiswell 145 Pint Dehumidifier Controls

I have connected the Moiswell to a Philips Hue Smart Plug, which means I can treat it like another smart home gadget. This allows me to fit the Moiswell into my existing automated routines for the house, plus it means that I can turn the dehumidifier on/off from anywhere as long as I can access the internet.ย 

Tip

If you are into building a smart home, the Philips Hue system is a cheap way of turning any gadget into a smart appliance.

Washable filter with a pump and drain

All dehumidifiers need to keep dirt from entering the unit, as it can cause damage and lead to failure in the future. 

The Moiswell Defender MP70 avoids this by making the washable filter slide out easily for cleaning.

Moiswell 145 Pint Dehumidifier Side

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After using this dehumidifier in my basement for two months, I have to say that the Moiswell has a good-quality filter. It is much better than what you get with most of the residential dehumidifiers we have reviewed. 

I look forward to using the internal pump. You can use the gravity drain to connect a hose that will flow if you donโ€™t go against gravity. 

Moiswell 145 Pint Dehumidifier Hose

With the pump option, you also have an internal pump that can move the water vertically up to 16.5ft, which is excellent for use in basements where the drain is often higher than the basement floor. 

The Moiswell 145 Pint dehumidifier also offers you the option of using an external pump, allowing you to move water anywhere, depending on the pump’s power. 

Itโ€™s worth noting that these commercial-style dehumidifiers save space by not having a water bucket, so you will need a hose to remove the water. There is no option just to have the unit collect internally.

I am excited to see how well the pump performs over the long term, as after less than 12 months, our hOmeLabs dehumidifier pump failed, and I saw that this happens quite a bit with residential-style units. 

๐Ÿค“ I have noticed that many of the more prominent brands (Honeywell and Frigidaire) donโ€™t have as many residential-style dehumidifier units with pumps, which might be due to returns. 

I hope this dehumidifier has a higher-quality pump and wonโ€™t fail me, but I will update this review if it does.

The Moiswell Defender MP70 lowered humidity levels in my basement within 24 hours

I tested the Moiswell Defender MP70 in my very damp basement built in the 1890s. This space regularly gets very damp, reaching up to 74.1% humidity. Since the hOmeLabs pump failed, my basement had accumulated a lot of humidity, so it REALLY needed drying out. This set the perfect conditions for a test.

I used the internal pump to move water to an external drain outside my basement and was glad there was no water bucket to change. It would likely need changing multiple times a day. 

To measure the humidity levels over time, I used my Govee WIFI humidity sensor that tracks current humidity every minute. Using this data, I can share below how the Moiswell 145-pint dehumidifier helped to reduce humidity levels to a comfortable level:

Noise levels test results

When running, the Moiswell 145 Pint dehumidifier generated up to 58dB, so you canโ€™t hear it on the ground floor. I liked that the sound was continuous as it helped to blend into the other sounds around. 

But sound levels are a personal thing, so feel free to check out the video of the Moiswell Defender MP70 running in my basement: 

The cost to run a Moiswell 145 Pint dehumidifier: $541.37 per year

Dehumidifiers use a process similar to air conditioners and can use much more electricity than expected. Itโ€™s a little tricky to measure the exact amount of electricity a dehumidifier will use, depending on the current humidity conditions and settings you set up. 

The dehumidifier must run harder to reduce the humidity if it’s very humid. When it reaches the target level, it will stop until the humidity levels increase again. 

When we tested the Moiswell 145 pint when it was in humid conditions, it pulled 514.96 watts, which, if we assume it will run for 24 hours per day every day of the year, will be $541.37 which I think is likely much higher than will be your usage but worth keeping in mind as these large commercial units do use a lot of energy.

Bottom line

I am impressed with how well the Moiswell Defender MP70 dehumidifier reduced the humidity in my 2000 sqft damp basement. The product looks well made, and while it doesnโ€™t have any smart features, I could make it smart by connecting it to my Philips Hue system. 

Moiswell 145 Pint Dehumidifier Basement

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If you have a sizeable damp basement, this commercial unit would be a better investment in the long term, especially considering how many residential-style units with pumps fail. 

If any issues arise, I will continue to update this update, but as of now, this is a powerful, well-built unit for a price that makes it much more affordable than better, well-known brands.

SOURCES

We calculated the monthly energy consumption costs with the help of the Department of Energyโ€™s appliance energy calculator. We calculated yearly costs associated with running Moiswell Defender MP70 for 24hs a day for 365 days. We ran this calculation utilizing the U.S. average utility rate of $0.12/kWh as of September 2023.

At HouseFresh, we have been reviewing air quality products since 2010. In all these years, we learned not to rely on manufacturers’ claims and the ever-so-glowing marketing materials. That is why we buy products with our own money, so we can write unbiased reviews after we’ve had enough time to evaluate air quality products in our home lab. Every unit we recommend has been thoroughly tested to assess its performance, energy consumption, and noise levels emitted in real-life environments. If you have any questions about our testing process for different types of air quality products, just drop us an email at danny@housefresh.com.

Atmotube PRO Review

by
ATMO Tube Pro Car

Created by Atmo, a startup based in San Francisco, California, the Atmotube PRO is designed to send air quality metrics to your smartphone. The guys at Atmo reached out and asked us to test the device.ย 

We usually don’t accept products for review as we prefer to buy everything ourselves, but we decided to accept the offer from Atmo as were reassured that we could be 100% unbiased without the need to “soften the blow” if there was anything about the Atmotube PRO that we didn’t particularly like.

The Atmotube PRO is listed for $189.99 but can often be found for around $150. Most air quality monitors we have reviewed here at HouseFresh have a screen showing you the latest reading, but the Atmotube PRO sends all this information directly to your phone. 

The high-end sensor has been tested by the AQ-Spec, so I was eager to put the Atmotube PRO to the test.

TL;DR The Low Down on the Atmotube PRO

danny

“A unique product that enables your smartphone to tell you the air quality right now with data on PM1, PM2.5, PM10 and VOCs. Itโ€™s currently the only device on the market with a lab-level air quality sensor connecting directly to your phone. I would like to see improvements in the battery and app in future versions, but for those in high-risk areas, the Atmotube PRO is worth a look.”

โ€” Danny Ashton, Founder & Senior Writer

ATMO Tube Pro Front

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If you donโ€™t want to read my full review, these are the key things you need to know about the Atmotube PRO:

What We Really Like:

๐Ÿ‘ It can provide readings every minute, so you can see if air quality is high risk in real time
๐Ÿ‘ The app can trigger alerts with different air quality scores
๐Ÿ‘ It is a small device that is easy to keep attached to your trousers or backpack
๐Ÿ‘ The Android app is intuitive and easy-to-use for first time users
๐Ÿ‘ The air quality sensor is highly accurate

What We Think Could Be Better:

๐Ÿ‘Ž The battery runs out quickly, especially when you enable updates every minute

The Specifications

The lab-level air quality sensor on this device gives you insight into VOCs. When you realize that this sensor doesn’t have a screen, it can seem expensive compared to the QingPing Lite, which is available for less than $100. 

However, the Atmotube PROโ€™s VOC sensor is a significant advantage over the QP Lite.

HouseFresh rating:โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†
Air quality factors detected:PM 1, PM2.5, PM10, VOCs, temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure
Battery type:Rechargeable Lithium Battery (USB-C cable supplied)
Battery life:Depends on usage
Mounting type:Tabletop (10 days on 15-min mode)
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):3.4H x 2W x 1D inches (8.6H x 5W x 2.D cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):0.23lbs (105g)
Warranty:1 year

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Small Device You Can Hang From Your Bag

The Atmotube PRO is a simple, elegant-looking black box. It weighs close to nothing so it wouldn’t be painful to hang it from your belt or a strap on your backpack.

Personally, I decided to hang it from one of the hooks in my car as I didn’t have an air quality monitor on the car yet:

ATMO Tube Pro Car

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This is a very simple air quality monitor, so you should theoretically be able to get it to work right out of the box. That said, you’re likely to have to charge the device before you get to use it properly.

To fully charge your Atmotube PRO, you have to plug the USB Type-C cable to a power supply for a minimum of 2 hours. You will notice that the LED light on the device will change color from orange to green, this means that the Atmotube is charged and ready to go.

When it comes to controls, the Atmotube PRO device doesnโ€™t have much going on – just one button:

Atomotube PRO Controls

That’s right. This little device features just one button that you can press to see the current air quality score, which is indicated by the color of the LED light above the button:

Atomotube PRO AQI Colors

๐Ÿ’ก Pro Tip: The moment you switch on the Atmotube PRO, the device will immediately begin to measure air quality, but Atmo clarifies on the accompanying Quick Start Guide that their measurements become more accurate after the first 12 hours of use as this gives the Atmotube PRO enough time for a thorough calibration.

Simple and Straightforward Mobile App

As I mentioned in the introduction to this review, the Atmotube PRO sends detailed air quality information directly to your phone. The device doesn’t have a screen, so if you want to learn more about the air quality metrics other than what you can guess through the LED light colour, then you need to get the app.

Atmotube Pro Phone App

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Two cool things about the app:

  1. It will immediate alert you when the air you’re breathing is not safe enough
  2. It saves historical data on the different air quality factors

Inside the Atmotube app, you can click on the different types of pollutants/factors to see historical data from hourly, daily, weekly, monthly and even over the year. This is possible thanks to the fact that the Atmotube PRO takes readings every few seconds while it’s ON. This is great but it really takes a toll on its battery.

In order to extend your Atmotubeสผs battery life, you can open the app and go to Settings. Once there, you can select one of the different Modes depending on how often you’d like the PM sensor to take its readings. I seriously suggest you do this.

Export Your Air Quality Data

You can export all the data you collect with the Atmotube PRO, including even the latitude and longitude of your location. 

I tested the Atmotube PRO during a visit to a BBQ restaurant. I assumed there might be a higher level of particulates in the air but was shocked to see how high the readings reached to. By seeing the alerts on my phone as soon as we stepped into the restaurant, I chose to sit further away from the kitchen near an open window.

Having the data reported every minute was very useful for reducing exposure quickly:

Bottom Line: High Price for a Unique Air Quality Monitor

If you are on the hunt for a cheap but accurate air quality monitor, you should consider the QP Lite. That being said, the Atmotube PRO has some exciting features that might be useful for some people. 

I liked that you can evaluate current air quality every minute. The app alerts give you a heads up when you’re in a situation where air quality has turned bad so you can do something about it. If you were biking or hiking in areas affected by wildfires, then the Atmotube PRO would quickly alert you that the air is polluted, allowing you to make a quick decision to get out of the area.

This pro, however, comes with a con: taking air quality readings every minute seriously reduces battery life. If you were to do this, the Atmotube PRO’s battery would last for about a day, meaning that the device could be out-of-battery by the time you really need it. 

ATMO Tube Pro Front

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I am interested in future iterations of this device, especially if they come with a more powerful battery.

While we wait for smartphones to come with integrated air quality monitors (wouldn’t that be great?), the Atmotube PRO is the only way to access air quality readings in real time on your phone. 

Levoit EverestAir review

by
Levoit EverestAir Hallway

Levoit is one of the leading names in the air purifier space due to the popularity of its Core Series of air purifiers (like the 400S and 600S). I have tested all the models in this series and have found that they offer very good air cleaning performance, especially considering the low price.

Now, unlike the cylindrical and cheap Core series, the EverestAir is a rectangular air purifier with high-end features and a fairly expensive price tag.

But does the $499.99 mean that you’re getting much better air cleaning power compared to cheaper Levoit air purifiers? To find out, I bought an EverestAir with my own money to test everything about it.

The overall score for the Levoit EverestAir 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 split of categories.

Search for the EverestAir (or any other model you are researching) to see where it ranks:

The pros and cons of the Levoit EverestAir

A summary of our top-level findings after testing this air purifier, following our methodology.

Levoit EverestAir Hallway

Use the discount code HOUSE10 for 10% off when buying directly from Levoit.

โ€œI love the look of the Levoit EverestAir and was pleasantly surprised at how well it did in our performance tests.

I have been using it at home since 2023 without any issues. In 2025, I re-tested everything about it and found that it still is an excellent option for those who want an air purifier with smart features and excellent raw air cleaning power even at quiet fan speeds.โ€

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
Danny Ashton
HouseFresh Founder
& Lead Tester

CONS

Selling for $499.99, the initial price is higher than the Core 600S ($289), which offers similar air cleaning performance.
Levoit initially promoted the filters as being HEPA 13 but these claims were removed from marketing materials later on.
The little wheels at the bottom of the device only go in one direction, making it difficult to maneuver the device.

PROS

It looks like an air purifier designed by Apple, which rivals the Dyson units.
Amazing performance โ€” it cleaned our test room in 16 minutes, placing it in the top 10 of the most powerful air purifiers we’ve tested.
You get a laser dust sensor that is more accurate than the infrared sensor you get in the popular Levoit Vital 200S.
At speed 2, it generates just 43.2 decibels and will still provide a PM1 CADR of 205 cfm which is powerful enough to clean the air 5 times per hour in rooms up to 307 sq. ft. (or 28m2).
You can adjust the angle of the vents at the top of the device.
It connects to Levoit’s VeSync app, which is my favorite air purifier app.

Clean air delivery rateย (CADR):โ€“ Top speed PM1 CADR: 375 cfm
โ€“ Sub-45 dBA PM1 CADR: 205 cfm
โ€“ AHAM PM2.5 CADR: 365 cfm (dust)
Filtration technology:Removable pre-filter, particle filter and 400g of pelleted activated carbon.
Recommended room size:562 sq. ft. (5 air changes per hour)
Dimensions:18.9L x 8.5W x 23.2H inches (48L x 21.6W x 58.9H cm)
Weight:20.7 lbs (9.39 kg)
Filter lifespan:12-15 months
Noise level in decibels from 3 ft. away:Speed 1: 39.1 dB
Speed 2: 43.2 dB
Speed 3: 48.6 dB
Turbo: 57.8 dB
Electricity consumption in watts:Standby mode: 1.26 watts
Speed 1: 9.85 watts
Speed 2: 15.59 watts
Speed 3: 26.6 watts
Turbo: 69.8 watts
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:2 years
Country of origin:United States
Country of manufacture:China

Filtration technology

The EverestAir comes with bonded filter that captures particles and odors.

It comes with a washable, removable pre-filter that will trap larger particles like pet hair and fluff.

Levoit EverestAir UnitFilter

The main filter has a pleated particle filter on one side that will capture the tiniest of particles.

Levoit EverestAir HEPA Filter

While the other side is packed with 400g of activated carbon pellets that trap odors.

Levoit EverestAir Activated Carbon Filter

Changing the filters on the Levoit Everest is easy as they are accessible from the front. You can see how easy it is in our video below:

Design, controls and app features

A large rectangular air purifier with smart features, adjustable air vents and an onboard air quality sensor.

This is Levoit’s largest air purifier. See how it compares to the mid-sized Vital 200S to get an idea of size.

Levoit EverestAir VS Vital 200S

As you can imagine, it is heavier than most Levoit models too. The good news is that it comes with a deep handle at the back and wheels at the bottom, so it’s easy to move it around.

At the top, you can see real time air quality readings from the onboard sensor.

Levoit EverestAir Controls

You can switch between displaying filter information (filter life % so you know when itโ€™s time to replace it) and air quality info (PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 particles in the air).

One of my favorite features is having the ability to adjust the angle of the air vents at the top.

Levoit EverestAir Vents

This is an innovative feature that will come in handy when you want to change the direction of the clean, filtered air coming out of your EverestAir.

everest smartphone screens

If you’ve read any of my other reviews for Levoit models, you will have seen me say that the VeSync app is my favorite air purifier app.

I use the Apple app and have had no issues since I first installed it a few yeard ago. From the app, you can adjust the purifierโ€™s fan speeds, track indoor air quality data in the room and also set timers.

Levoit also give you options to customize the device’s auto mode (offering choices for Default, Quiet, Eco and Efficient) and to set routines with simple smart home automations.

My biggest gripe about the app is that you usually get hit with ads for other Levoit products – this isn’t something I’ve seen in other air purifier apps.

Air cleaning performance

We tested the EverestAir in our 728 cubic ft. test room, tracking how fast it removed all PM1 particles from the air after we filled the space with incense smoke.

Levoit EverestAir CADR Test

When running at top speed, our PurpleAir Zen sensor shows that the EverestAir needed 16 minutes to reach PM1 zero. Based on the natural ventilation of our test room, we estimate a PM1 CADR of 375 cfm.

This makes it powerful enough to provide five air changes per hour in large rooms up to 562 sq. ft when running at its top fan speed.

When we compare this against other air purifiers with similar performance, you can see that it outperforms more expensive air purifiers like the Jaspr:

Levoit EverestAir Particle Removal Speed

And when it comes to VOC removal, I was surprised to see the EverestAir among the top 5 air purifiers with the best results, matching the performance of the pricier Dyson Big+Quiet.

VOC Removal Performance AC Infinity scaled

BUT air cleaning performance alone wonโ€™t tell us the full storyโ€ฆ

Sound levels

The sound levels of the EverestAir range from 39.1 to 57.8 dBA โ€” considerably quieter other large air purifiers like the Winix 9800 or the Levoit 600S.

Levoit EverestAir Sound Test

As I always say, if your air purifier is too loud, sooner or later you will end up turning it off. That is why we use a sound meter to measure how much noise in decibels the EverestAir generates at each fan speed from 3 ft. away:

Levoit EverestAir Sound Levels

The EverestAir is very quiet considering it’s power, hitting 57.8 dBA at top speed.

Nearly every other model I benchmarked it against is louder than this, with the exception of the commercial Blast Mini and the less powerful Winix 9800.

Levoit EverestAir Top performance HouseFresh

I repeated the particle removal test at speed 2 (43.2 dBA) and it needed 29 minutes.

Based on the natural ventilation of our test room, we estimate a PM1 CADR of 205 cfm at speed 2 – powerful enough to provide 5 ACH in rooms up to 307 sq. ft.

Levoit EverestAir Quiet performance HouseFresh

When we compare this to other devices with similar air cleaning power, you can see that the EverestAir offers excellent performance at quiet operation.

Long-term running costs

Running a Levoit EverestAir will cost you $215.13 per year, combining energy and filter replacement costs.

We used our energy meter to record how much electricity the EverestAir pulls at each fan speed and also while on standby.

Levoit EverestAir Energy Consumption

At top speed, the EverestAir pulls 69.8 watts, so if you were to leave it running 24/7, it will add $115.14 to your yearly energy bill, based on the average U.S. electricity price as of July 2026.

But letโ€™s look at the other main factor affecting yearly running costs: filter replacements.

According to Levoit, you need to change the filter in your EverestAir every 12-15 months. As always, I will take the lowest estimate for my calculations here. The original standard filter is available for $99.99. That means that you can expect to spend $99.99 each year on filter replacements alone.

We can add this to energy costs to work out the total yearly cost and compare it with the other devices Iโ€™m benchmarking the EverestAir against:

Levoit EverestAir Total Annual Running Costs

The Levoit EverestAir sits in the middle of the comparison here — it isnโ€™t the most expensive, but itโ€™s also not the cheapest to run in the long term.

Bottom line: Should you get a Levoit EverestAir?

The EverestAir comes with a premium price tag that will be too expensive for most, but you can usually find it on deal during Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday.

Levoit EverestAir Front Design

Use the discount code HOUSE10 for 10% off when buying directly from Levoit.

On paper, the EverestAir is a high-performing air purifier, so I expected it to perform well in our particle removal tests. What surprised me the most was how it performed in our VOC removal test, where it outperformed larger and more expensive models like the Coway ProX.

With a list price of $499.99, this is Levoit’s most expensive air purifier model and after using it all day, every day in our TV room, I can say that it’s also the most high-end design in their range. I always say that it looks like an air purifier designed by Apple.

Levoit EverestAir TV Room

If you are not bothered by the fancy features, then I recommend the Levoit Core 600S instead.

You’ll get similar air cleaning performance, app connectivity, an on-board sensor and smart modes for just $289. Just now that it runs louder than the EverestAir.

READ MY FULL REVIEW โžœ

WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW โžœ

Levoit Core 600S Room 5

And if you’d like to save some $ and don’t want another app, check out the Coway 350.

For $339 you’ll get performance comparable to the EverestAir, an onboard sensor and smart modes. The biggest downside is that its louder than the EverestAir.

READ MY FULL REVIEW โžœ

WATCH MY VIDEO REVIEW โžœ

Coway Airmega 350 Living Room scaled

But if the $500 price tag of the EverestAir doesn’t put you off, then know that you will be getting an excellent air purifier that not only offers outstanding air cleaning power but it’s also incredibly quiet considering how hard its fan works.

Are you still unsure about which one would be best for you? Try using our air purifier comparison tool to see how the EverestAir stacks up against other models:

If you decide you like this model and want to support the work we do at HouseFresh, be sure to use this affiliate link or the buttons I included throughout this article. We will get a small commission at no extra cost to you that will allow us to continue to buy, test and review air purifiers in the future without having to rely on sponsorship from brands.

Do you have any questions about the EverestAir or about Levoit air purifiers in general? Please drop them in the comments below and I’ll reply as soon as I can.

Levoit Vital 100 review

by
Levoit Vital 100 Kitchen

Levoit has earned quite a reputation in the air purifier space. Launched in 2016 by Vesync Co. โ€” a publicly traded Smart appliance company, Levoit has changed people’s perception of “cheap air purifiers,” offering features you’d expect in premium models at a fraction of the price. 

At only $96, the Vital 100 is an excellent choice for those looking to clean small-medium-sized rooms, with a unit that packs powerful filters. 

It is designed for rooms of up to 300 ftยฒ and based on its reported CADR and our tests, it is more suited to smaller spaces. 

Its main competitors for your dollars are the Levoit Core 300 and PUR 131, which we reviewed last year.

how we test
How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

TL;DR The lowdown on the Levoit Vital 100

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
โ€œThe Vital 100 is a good choice for those looking to clean small to medium-sized rooms. However, we still recommend choosing the Levoit Core 300 as it can clean more air for the same price.โ€
โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer

Levoit Vital 100 Utility Room logo

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Short on time? Here’s our summary of the Levoit Vital 100. 

What we really like

It costs less than $100, sitting in the budget category
3-stage filtration that has a pre-filter, activated carbon pellets and a main filter
No use of ionizer, so zero byproducts created, such as ozone
Modern-looking design that wonโ€™t look out of place in a modern home
Easy to use with handy features like preset timers and filter replacement indicator

What we think could be better

Lacks a smart air quality sensor to support autonomous mode
Filters must be changed every 6-8 months and cost the same as those of more powerful air purifiers
No app support or ability to turn on the unit when not in the room

The specifications

The Levoit Vital 100 is a high-performance air purifier ideal for rooms with a maximum size of 300 sq. ft. 

At only $96, the unit competes with budget-friendly air purifiers like Levoit Core 300, Taotronics AP003 and IKEA Fร–RNUFTIG. All these units also feature HEPA and Activated Carbon filters and are ideal for small to medium-sized rooms. 

Here are the complete product specs:

HouseFresh rating:โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†โ˜†
Time to clean our 728 cubic feet test room (with the device running at top speed):49 minutes
Air purifier technology:3-Stage Filtration (Pre-filter for large particles, main filter for airborne particles, high-efficiency activated carbon filter for odors and gasses)
Recommended room size (4.8 air changes per hour):300 sq. ft.
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):130 CFM (221 mยณ/h)
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):12.8 x 6.4 x 16.1 inches (32.4 x 16.2 x 41 cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):9.3 lbs (4.2 kg)
Filter life:6 – 8 months
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):Speed 1: 35.5 dB
Speed 2: 43.9 dB 
Speed 3: 55.3 dB
Electricity consumption in watts (recorded with an electricity usage monitor):Standby mode: 0 watts
Speed 1: 21.32 watts
Speed 2: 30.05 watts
Speed 3: 45.99 watts
Estimated running cost (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):$134.13 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):$0.77
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:2 years
Country of manufacture:China

A good looking unit with simple controls

The Vital 100 feels premium with a stylish look that complements home dรฉcor.

Its design is closer to that of the Levoit LV-PUR131 than the Levoit Core series, but I kind of like that โ€“ weโ€™ve got enough cylindrical air purifiers at home.

Levoit Vital 100 Front

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The Levoit Vital 100 is a good-looking air purifier and is an easy unit to live with. It is compact, with a simple, glossy shell and rounded corners. Levoit offers this unit in two finishes โ€” white and gray. 

The Vital 100 only weighs 9.8 pounds, so you can easily carry it from room to room as needed. Even though the Vital 100 has a small footprint, it is less compact than the Levoit Core 300:

The control panel is at the top of the unit, similar to every other Levoit air purifier, so that is where you will find the different touch-LED buttons and indicators. 

Levoit Vital 100 Top

Levoit has included the following controls with this unit.

  • Power ON / OFF
  • Speed (for adjusting the fan speed)
  • Display (for adjusting the display light)
  • Timer (2, 4, or 8 hours)
  • Filter (for filter change notifications)

Each control comes with an icon and text label, making it even easier for a first-timer to operate the device. Blue LED lights are above the “Timer” and “Speed” buttons, so you can easily see your current setting.

Levoit Vital 100 Controls

The Levoit Vital 100 can’t be controlled via a smartphone. If these features are important to you, check the newer model, the Levoit LV 100S, which offers advanced features like Wi-Fi connectivity and smartphone support.

Tip

Keep in mind that smart functions will come at a higher price premium of $139.99 for the same level of cleaning power.

Powerful Levoit filters

Before purchasing any air purifier, it’s essential to know what filters the unit uses and how effective they are in cleaning specific contaminants in your home. 

The Levoit Vital 100 has a three-stage filtration system that tackles particulate at all levels. 

Fine washable pre-filter โ€” a washable filter that traps hair, pet fur and lint

Levoit Vital 100 Pre Filter

Main filter โ€” filters particles down to 0.3 microns, like dust, mold, pollen, dander and airborne germs but also does a great job of removing smaller particles than 0.3 microns, like viruses.

Levoit Vital 100 HEPA

Activated Carbon filter that uses pellets โ€” Absorbs VOCs and odors. I was pleased to see Levoit use pellet carbon versus the impregnated fabric you see with other brands use in activated carbon filters.

Levoit Vital 100 Activated Carbon Filter

The three-stage filtration system ensures that the system traps virtually all particles. You can quickly clean the pre-filter using a brush to remove any particle build-up, which helps increase the filter’s performance and lifespan. 

Levoit Vital 100 Filter details

Levoit has now removed the use of the term True HEPA or H13 for their filters when Dyson made a complaint to the BBB. Our test still showed that the level of filter they used was able to clean all pollutants of particles sized 1 micron or less. But until Levoit updates us, we won’t know the exact filter grade used.

Levoit recommends you replace the filters on the Vital 100 every 6 – 8 months. You don’t have to watch the calendar; the filter icon will illuminate when it’s time for a replacement.

Replacing the filter is simple. Just follow these easy steps:

  1. Unplug the unit 
  2. Remove the front panel by pulling it (it’s magnetized, so you don’t need to unclip anything) 
  3. Pull out the old filter using the tabs and remove the pre-filter, which is attached by velcro (this is the perfect time to give that a clean)
  4. Attach the pre-filter to the new filter and insert it the same way you removed it.
  5. Re-attach the front panel.

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When you first receive your new air purifier, the filter will be in a plastic bag that needs to be removed before you start the machine. Otherwise, the air purifier will move air around the room, potentially worsening the air.

The Vital 100 cleared our test room in 49 minutes

At HouseFresh, we research CADR ratings and other metrics the manufacturer provides but don’t leave it at that. We perform our own thorough tests to see whether the unit performs as advertised. 

To test air purifiers in the real world, we utilize our home office, which measures 728 cubic feetโ€”roughly the size of a medium-sized bedroom. We burn incense sticks to fill the room with pollutants and use our indoor air sensor from Purpleair to see how quickly each unit can eliminate PM1.0ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM10.0 ug/m3 particles from the indoor air. 

We keep these conditions constant for all tests, allowing us to compare different air purifiers and see which performs best in removing indoor pollutants. 

So, how did the Levoit Vital 100 perform?

We were impressed by the performance of this unit, considering its price tag. It took the Levoit Vital 100 just 49 minutes to clean the air in our test room.

Air cleaning performance compared to other air purifiers

To put the test into context, check out how the performance of the Levoit Vital 100 compares to other units weโ€™ve tested:

Additionally, the Levoit Vital 100 is an incredibly quiet device. 

Noise levels test results

In our test, the unit produced 50 decibels of noise at maximum fan speed โ€” considered ultra-quiet by industry standards. The IQAir Healthpro Plus hits 69dB at its highest speed.

The cost to run a Levoit Vital 100: $134.13 per year

1. Electricity costs = $70.15 per year

The long-term costs of using an air purifier are essential, especially with the rising cost of electricity worldwide. The Levoit Vital 100 is not the most power-efficient unit we’ve tested, but it’s pretty efficient by industry standards. 

At the maximum speed, the unit pulled 45.99 watts, equating to $70.15 per year at 24/7 daily usage.

In comparison, the newer Levoit Core 300S cleaned quicker at 21.8 watts, and even the older Core 300 was 35.5 watts at its highest speed.

2. Filter costs = $63.98 per year

Another important factor to consider when buying an air purifier is filter costs. HEPA filters are the most effective at trapping indoor pollutants. Generally, replaceable HEPA filters should be replaced every six to twelve months. 

Levoit Vital 100 filters cost $31.99 for genuine filters, which is $63.98 per year in filter costs and you can find generic filters for $35.80 per year with two changes, which is a much better choice for most people. In comparison, genuine filters for core 300 are $79.98 per year and $39.99 for generic filters. 

Bottom line

The Levoit Vital 100 is an affordable, high-performing air purifier that cleaned our test room of all pollutants in just 49 minutes. Its filter costs are reasonable due to the availability of generic filters, and it’s certainly not worth upgrading if you have this air purifier, as it performed well in our particulate test. 

Levoit Vital 100 Kitchen

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The Levoit Vital 100 is getting a bit old in air purifiers. While it delivered good results in our test, you will get better performance for your spend with something like the Levoit Core 300 for the same price or the upgraded Levoit Core 300S (for a little extra cost initially.)

SOURCES

We calculated yearly costs associated with running the Levoit Vital 100 for 24 hours a day, 365 days per year utilizing the latest average energy prices as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of $0.174/kWh as of April 2024.

At HouseFresh, we have been reviewing air quality products since 2010. In all these years, we learned not to rely on manufacturers’ claims and the ever-so-glowing marketing materials. That is why we buy products with our own money, so we can write unbiased reviews after we’ve had enough time to evaluate air quality products in our home lab. Every unit we recommend has been thoroughly tested to assess its performance, energy consumption, and noise levels emitted in real-life environments. If you have any questions about our testing process for different types of air quality products, just drop us an email at danny@housefresh.com.

De’Longhi DEX214F dehumidifier review

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DeLonghi DEX214F Living Room

The main use case for this dehumidifier was to keep my growing tent free of excess humidity – I didnโ€™t want to have something that took a lot of space but I also needed a unit that I could trust to deal with a large amount of humidifier as it would be located in our basement.

I will be honest, DeLonghi is not a brand I expected to run into in regards to dehumidifiers, as they are normally known for their coffee machines. But I read about the company and learned that they have significant history manufacturing heaters and air conditioners, so it makes total sense that they would move into the world of dehumidification.

As with all our hands-on reviews here at HouseFresh, I bought this unit with my own money, so I have no biases to give a better review than I would under normal circumstances. I also completed a series of tests in my own basement to assess the performance of the De’Longhi DEX214F in real-life conditions.

  1. We set up the dehumidifier inside our very humid basement of 2,000 sq. ft.
  2. We set up our trusted SensorPush wireless hygrometer to track humidity levels in the air every minute while the dehumidifier is running.
    how we test dehumidifiers Performance
  3. We switch the dehumidifier on to its highest speed and record how long it takes to lower the humidity levels in our basement.
  4. We use an energy meter to measure precisely how much electricity is used when running the dehumidifier.
    How we test dehumidifiers Sound
  5. We track sound levels emitted by the dehumidifier with the help of our sound meter.
    Honeywell TP70WKN Sound Test


Right, let’s break down my first-hand experience using the De’Longhi DEX214F dehumidifier. I have been using this unit since September 2021, so I feel confident to give both a short-term and medium-term review of my experience.

The lowdown on the De’Longhi DEX214F

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
โ€œThe De’Longhi DEX214F is a mid-priced dehumidifier and can deal with 14 liters of water in a 24-hour period. If you are looking for a premium dehumidifier for a small to medium-sized room and are based in Europe, you should consider getting a De’Longhi DEX214F.โ€
โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer
delonghi dehumidifier header

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What we really like

Super simple control panel which makes it impossible to get wrong – this is not something you see very often in the world of dehumidifiers
The design is sleek and would pass the partner test for a unit that had to be used in a living room or hallway
High-performance, quickly removes humidity and the on-board sensors kick in quickly once humidity increases, so less power usage vs 24-hour full power
Good size for smaller rooms

What we think could be better

It felt cheap to use such a small amount of space for the โ€œallergen filterโ€
No option to get a model with a on-board pump

The specifications

HouseFresh Rating:โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†
Water it can remove in a day:14 liters (you can also get a 12-liter and a 16-liter option)
Recommended room size:247 sq. ft. (23 mแถŸ)
Water tank capacity:2.1 liters
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):8.6D x 13.1W x 19.6H inches (22D x 33.4W x 50H cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):24.9 lbs (โ€Ž11.3 kg)
Noise levels:40 dB max
Other features:All three sizes come with a continuous hose. Recommended for those looking to keep their humidifier running all the time.
Warranty:2 years

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Clean design lines in a compact size

I know that looks are not the main focus for most people but it is something we like to assess when we know that a unit is going to be in a room all the time.

DeLonghi DEX214F Living Room

The Italian heritage is clear with this dehumidifier. The design of the De’Longhi DEX214F is a lot more aesthetically pleasing than most dehumidifiers we have tested. 

With its pearly white color and curves, the DEX214F breaks the mold used by other manufacturers who tend to release boxy dehumidifiers that are heavy and difficult to maneuver.

The handle is built into the main part of the unit, making it easy to move the dehumidifier from room to room if you need to do it. This is made even easier thanks to the low weight of this dehumidifier (only 24.9 lbs/11.3 kg when the tank is empty).

Unlike bigger units, it does not include a wall mount, so you can only use your De’Longhi DEX214F in cases where you have space to place it on the floor.

I doubt anyone is going to buy this dehumidifier for looks alone, but it is great to see the care De’Longhi took to make this unit look good when compared to the competition.

Another aspect of design that I always like to review is the control panel. After using the DEX214F at home for over six months, I am happy to report that this is one of the simplest units I have come across in terms of menu options.

DeLonghi DEX214F Control Panel

๐Ÿ’ง๐Ÿ’ง๐Ÿ’ง Approximately 40% environment humidity

๐Ÿ’ง๐Ÿ’ง Approximately 50% environment humidity

๐Ÿ’ง Approximately 60% environment humidity

The DEX214F also comes with a DRY mode ๐Ÿ‘•, which is very handy for speeding up the drying of laundry as it sets the dehumidifier to run at its top speed for a short period of time.

You will also get two indicator lights: one to let you know when the tank is full and another one to indicate that the room temperature is too low so the unit is operating at low-temp to ensure the dehumidifier doesn’t ice up.

If you’ve never used a dehumidifier before, these controls will be simple enough to ensure you can just switch on your unit and forget about it – until it’s time to empty the water tank at least!

Underwhelming double filtration technology

I would never recommend you use a dehumidifier to clean the air in the room as an air purifier will always be a better appliance for that specific job. That said, I was happy when I read that the De’Longhi DEX214F came with a double filter system as air filtration technology should keep out particulate matter that might damage the parts inside the unit.

The double filter in the DEX214F is comprised of a dust filter and a replaceable allergen filter for picking up smaller particles.

DeLonghi DEX214F Dust Filter

The dust filter is fine and covers the entire air intake but I wasnโ€™t impressed with the allergen filter.

The problem is that the โ€œallergen filterโ€ is very very small and only protects the air coming from one section of the air intake, so it is basically useless. 

Delonghi dehumidifier filter

Overall this was one of the weakest areas for this particular dehumidifier. I hope that De’Longhi looks at a more effective allergen filter for future models, such as the large filters used in British-made Ebac dehumidifiers.

The De’Longhi DEX214F lowered humidity levels in our test tent within 10 minutes

As I briefly explained earlier in this review, I ran three tests on the De’Longhi DEX214F in my basement to assess its performance in real-life conditions.

The first test was the dehumidification performance test, where I ran the DEX214F inside a Gorilla Grow Shorty Grow tent (3ft x 3ft) placed in the most humid area of my basement.

In the graphic below, you can see how quickly the humidity was reduced after switching on the dehumidifier:

Relative Humidity Test DEX214F 1

It took less than 10 minutes to reduce from 71% to under 30% relative humidity, which is to be expected in a small space but still impressive to see. By the way, I used a Govee Wifi hygrometer to measure the temperature and humidity levels. What I like about this device is that you set it and then easily pull data in one-minute intervals.

In the graph above, you can see how effective the onboard humidity detector is. You will see that the sensor detected rising humidity levels, and once they hit a high level (60%), the DEX214F automatically switched on to full power till humidity levels dropped.

Every time humidity levels exceeded the average, the onboard humidity detector picked up those levels and switched on the unit until the desired humidity was reached.

It’s worth mentioning that this is a test we have designed to test humidifiers in a controlled space (our grow tent). It is a small space, and most people wouldn’t even consider using a dehumidifier inside a tent, but in terms of our testing, I was pleasantly surprised by the dehumidification performance of the DEX214F.

The only downside was remembering to remove the water, as the 1.2L bucket gets filled pretty quickly in very humid conditions, and my basement is ridiculously humid.

Noise levels test results

When running at its top mode, the De’Longhi DEX214F hit a maximum of 40 dB. This is equivalent to a refrigerator humming in the background.

We’ve recorded a video where we take the dehumidifier from mode to mode so you can listen to the associated noise levels with your own ears, as I understand that noise levels are a personal thing.

The cost to run a De’Longhi DEX214F: $206.04 per year

As part of my testing, I used a power meter to see how much power was used when the dehumidifier was on standby mode (not actively removing water) and found that it used 1.5W (left), which is around $2.1 per year, assuming the average utility rate in the U.S. of $0.12/kWh.

DeLonghi DEX214F Electricity Consumption

Once the dehumidifier detects an increase in humidity, it will go into full power mode, and as you can see in the image to the right, it increased to 195.6W, which is $206.04 per year (U.S. average utility rate of $0.12/kWh).

The reality is that most people wonโ€™t need to run their dehumidifier non-stop for 24 hours a day every single day of the year. But by looking at these figures, you can clearly see the financial benefit of an automatic system that reduces usage when the humidity target is reached.

Bottom line

If you are looking for a premium dehumidifier for a small to medium-sized room and you are based in the European region, you can’t wrong with the De’Longhi DEX214F.

Itโ€™s not without its faults, such as the tiny โ€œallergen filterโ€ but these cons are minor when weighed in the context of this unit’s performance. The power of this dehumidifier more than makes up for these minor issues.

DeLonghi DEX214F Living Room

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De’Longhi is not a company name I would have connected to powerful dehumidifiers, but now that I have tested one of their units firsthand, I am impressed. I would be interested in future models from this company, and I have high expectations for its long-term usage. I do hope they make these dehumidifiers available in America soon.

SOURCES

We calculated the monthly energy consumption costs with the help of the Department of Energyโ€™s appliance energy calculator. We calculated yearly costs associated with running the De’Longhi DEX214F. for 24hs a day for 365 days. We ran this calculation utilizing the U.S. average utility rate of $0.12/kWh as of August 8th, 2023.

At HouseFresh, we have been reviewing air quality products since 2010. In all these years, we learned not to rely on manufacturers’ claims and the ever-so-glowing marketing materials. That is why we buy products with our own money, so we can write unbiased reviews after we’ve had enough time to evaluate air quality products in our home lab. Every unit we recommend has been thoroughly tested to assess its performance, energy consumption, and noise levels emitted in real-life environments. If you have any questions about our testing process for different types of air quality products, just drop us an email at danny@housefresh.com.

Rainbow RainMate review

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Rainbow RainMate Side Table

The Rainbow RainMate air purifier was invented as part of a patent developed by Rexair in 1988. That patent expired in 2006, so the market is now full of these โ€œwater air purifiersโ€ that allegedly afilter air through water to remove pollutants.

While the primary market for this invention was a new type of vacuum cleaner, Rexair decided to use this technology on a smaller scale as part of an air cleaner. However, the Rainbow RainMate air purifier is not sold directly to the consumer. Instead, it’s used as part of a home sales presentation where a salesperson would try to sell a $3000-$4000 cleaning vacuum system while gifting or heavily discounting the price of the Rainbow RainMate along the way.

Iโ€™m not a fan of direct selling, as it naturally disadvantages the consumer, who will feel pressured to purchase something with someone in their home. Thankfully, I didnโ€™t have to sit through a presentation for my Rainbow RainMate.

We bought the Rainbow RainMate with our own money and tested it to assess its air cleaning performance, energy efficiency and sound generation. You can read more about our air purifier testing process, but in short, we gather comparable data to help consumers compare and contrast the minefield of air purifiers on the market.

how we test
How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

We donโ€™t run ads on our site and are independent, so we are free to say exactly what we think about the air purifier we review. Unlike most sites that review air purifiers, we regularly share devices that fail to live up to the hype or those that should be avoided.

The lowdown on the Rainbow Rainmate

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
โ€œThe first thing that made me wary of this device’s effectiveness was the lack of data about its cleaning power. The manufacturer doesnโ€™t share clean air delivery rate (CADR) figures or third-party tests, which is the first indicator of a potentially bad investment.

The Rainbow RainMate has not associated filter costs, but it failed to complete our particle removal test.

After testing this device, it is my opinion that this is a pretty-looking fragrance diffuser, but it shouldn’t be considered an air purifier.โ€
โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer

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If you donโ€™t want to read my 2000-word review on this air purifier, then you can see my key points below:

What we really like

Itโ€™s not a massive investment. I paid $54 for my device, but there are also plenty of generic versions on Amazon.com for around $40.
Water is a sustainable filter. It doesnโ€™t create any harmful byproducts that you find with ionizers.
The LED lights look pretty good. This is especially true when you turn on this device in the dark.
Good diffuser. It’s a small and fairly easy way to deliver fragrances to your room.

What we think could be better

It doesn’t clean the air. It failed to remove particulate pollutants from the air in our particle removal tests.
It is sold door-to-door. I don’t like that the unit is sold directly via salespeople as it puts the consumer at a disadvantage and pressures them to buy.
It shouldnโ€™t be sold as an air purifier. This is a water-based fragrance diffuser.

HouseFresh rating:โ˜†โ˜†โ˜†โ˜†โ˜† (if we could give it negative stars, we would)
Time to clean our 728 cubic feet test room (with the device running at top speed):It was unable to clean our air in our test
Air filtration technology:Water
Recommended room size (4.8 air changes per hour):The manufacturer states 1200 sq. ft., but it will not be able to clean the air in even the smallest of rooms.
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):Not available
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):9H x 8W x 9D inches (22 x 20 x 22 cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):2.8 lbs (1.2 kg)
Filter life:No filter, but the water needs to be changed
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):53.3 dB
Electricity consumption in watts (recorded with an electricity usage monitor):10.8 watts
Estimated running cost (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):$11.35 per year
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:4 years
Country of manufacture:United States

At HouseFresh, we have tested over 105 air purifiers and recently put together our list of the best cheap but great air purifiers. We also have small air purifiers for those who want something that doesn’t take up too much space and would make a great alternative to the Rainbow Rainmate.

Looks more like a coffee machine

The Rainbow RainMate looks more like a coffee maker than a standard air purifier.

Rainbow RainMate Living Room

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Itโ€™s small and easy to use, and you can easily keep it on top of furniture. The design is pretty minimalist with a blue bowl for the water and a top you can unscrew to replace the water. On the top, you will also find one button with two modes: one to turn on the RainMate (one line) and another to turn on the LEDs (two lines).

Rainbow RainMate Top

This simple control panel makes the Rainbow RainMate incredibly easy to use.

You just need to switch it on when itโ€™s full of water by pressing the button with one line ( – ), and the RainMate will start pulling air from outside into the main tank, causing the water to start bubbling. If you want to add some color to the experience, you can turn on the LED light by pressing the button with two lines ( = ).

Rainbow RainMate Controls

The main tank needs to be filled with water before you can use your Rainbow RainMate, and this is also easy. Make sure to unplug the device before you unscrew the top cover, using the handle clockwise to reveal the opening of the water bowl.

Rainbow RainMate Open Bowl

As I mentioned earlier on in the review, I think the Rainbow RainMate is a nice air freshener. You can actually add fragrances to the water for aromatizing or deodorizing the air. The manual of the device clearly states that one should only use Rainbow brand fragrances in the RainMate as other oils and liquids could cause damage โ€” I haven’t tested this, so I can’t confirm whether this will be the case.

Before you plug and turn on the RainMate, you need to make sure the top is fully closed and that it doesn’t tilt or move when sitting on top of the water bowl.

Water filtration technology

No need to replace particle or gas filters with the Rainbow RainMate โ€” too good to be true?

Rainbow RainMate Bowl above

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Unlike the standard air purifiers we review here at HouseFresh, the Rainbow RainMate uses water as the filter. The water will need changing when running the unit for a long time, but this will not incur additional long-term running costs compared to normal air purifiers with activated carbon and HEPA-like filters.

Rainbow RainMate Front

I have read many academic studies that support the excellent performance of HEPA filtration at removing particle pollutants. I’ve also read papers and studies supporting the performance of activated charcoal at clearing gasses from the air. However, I have never seen any studies supporting the technology used in the Rainbow RainMate or proving the power of water to remove particles and VOCs from the air.

The reality is that no one likes having to purchase new filters every six months, so water-based air filtration sounds like the perfect solution. That said, at this stage (and considering the performance of the Rainbow RainMate and similar units in our tests), I think this just sounds too good to be true.

The Rainbow RainMate was unable to clean the air in our test room

The RainMate took so long that the phone I use to record the particle removal test ran out of battery.

Rainbow RainMate Test

We started our test in the same 728-cubic-feet room where we tested all of our air purifiers, filling up the room with incense smoke at 2:11 p.m.

We switched the Rainbow RainMate on at 2:42 p.m. and then tracked the levels of PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 particles in the air with our air quality sensors from PurpleAir. We also filmed the test so our readers could see how well the device removes particles from the air in real time. 

You can view the video below:

Most particle removal tests are completed within 60 minutes, although some smaller devices can take double the amount of time. For example, the like the Levoit Core Mini took 113 minutes.

In the case of the Rainbow RainMate, the results were even worse.

For starters, at 5:25 p.m. my iPhone ran out of battery, so the test continued without being filmed. This was 163 minutes after 2:42 p.m., which was the time when I switched on the device.

However, the experiment continued until 6:03 p.m. At that time, I made an executive decision to end the test. At that point, the level of PM1 particles was still at 20.14 and any further reductions would just be down to the natural ventilation in the room.

Even after 3 hours and 35 minutes, our test room was still polluted with tiny particles.

Based on the 70+ air purifier performance tests we have completed so far, the Rainbow RainMate sits at the bottom of our leaderboard as it was unable to clean the air in our test room. The only other device we tested that was unable to remove all PM particles was the infamous Sharper Image Ionizer Breeze from 10+ years ago. 

Air cleaning performance, compared

You can see here how the terrible performance of the Rainbow RainMate Water Air Purifier compares to other low-budget units on the market:

We even compared it to devices like the IQair Atem Car, which is designed to work inside a car cabin, and the Rainbow RainMate still trailed far behind them.

The fact that this unit is touted as suitable for asthmatics and allergy sufferers is not true. This device will not be able to remove pollen and dander quickly enough to avoid triggering allergy/asthma symptoms.

Considering that Rainbow RainMate was unable to remove incense smoke pollutants, I know it will be useless against real-world issues such as wildfires or cigarette smoke, both of which create many more pollutants. 

Noise levels, compared

We recorded the noise levels generated by the Rainbow RainMate using a sound monitor from three feet away. While the sound is less intrusive than a standard fan, it still hits 53.3 dB, far from the silence touted in its marketing material.

This is how this compares to other small devices and some of the loudest we’ve tested:

The cost to run a Rainbow RainMate: $11.35 per year

1. Electricity costs = $11.35 per year

As with all the air purifiers we have reviewed here at HouseFresh, I used an energy meter to measure how much electricity the Rainbow RainMate pulls when running.

Rainbow RainMate ElectricityTest

The Rainbow Rainmate pulled 10.7 watts without the lights running and 10.8 watts with the lights running. 

Electricity consumption with light offElectricity consumption with light on
10.7 watts10.8 watts

2. Filter costs = $0 per year

As this air purifier uses water to filter the air, there are no extra filter costs to consider, as you just change the water every few weeks. 

Bottom line: Is the Rainbow RainMate worth it?

You often hear the phrase, โ€œIt sounds too good to be true,โ€ and for the Rainbow RainMate, this might be the case. 

After testing the Rainbow RainMate, it is my opinion that this is a pretty-looking fragrance diffuser, but it shouldn’t be used as an air purifier โ€” especially not one to be used to help ease asthma and allergy symptoms. Our particle removal test showed the Rainbow Rainmate will not be able to clear the air of pollutants that trigger allergic symptoms.

Some of our YouTube viewers who have the Rainbow RainMate reported they enjoy the relaxing sound of the water twirling around inside the bowl and that they like the mood set by the LED lights. I agree with them that this is a cute water whirilpool thingy, but please don’t get confused to think this is an air purifier.

If you are trying to buy a small air purifier, I would suggest you look at the Winix A230 instead or the even smaller Smart Air QT3. You will have to accept that you will need filter replacements every few months, but in exchange, you will be confident that it is cleaning the air in your home.

Rainbow RainMate Lights

PRICE on amazon PRICE on EBAY

But if you want a water fragrance diffuser like the RainMate, you will be able to find one on eBay and you can also get a generic version on Amazon. I would suggest you don’t accept salespeople in your home as I have read that the RainMate is often offered free or as a โ€œprizeโ€ if you agree to a salesperson visiting your home with the goal of hosting a presentation to sell you a higher-priced vacuum cleaner ($4,000).

Now, I have written quite a few negative reviews of air purifiers over the last few years, but I have never received as many irate emails as I did when my video review of the Rainbow RainMate went live.

Most consumers will just feel a little embarrassed that they bought a sub-par product and will email me to ask for a recommendation that will not break the bank after they have already invested in a bad device. But in the case of the comments and emails i received about the RainMate, I wonder if these are not customers but people using the RainMate as part of their sales pitch for other products.

So I went over to Reddit to dig a little deeper and was shocked at the number of people talking about the Rainbow โ€œFresh Air Machine.โ€  From reading many threads, itโ€™s clear that the RainMate is being used as a hook to get salespeople though the door as part of a high-pressure in-person sale opportunity.

reddit rainbow rainmate

I would have hoped that the invention of the Internet would make this type of in-person sales technique obsolete, but unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case. I hope this review will provide more insights to people who are feeling the pressure to get this product.

If you found it helpful, be sure to share it with your friends and on social media. 

SOURCES

We used the Department of Energyโ€™s appliance energy calculator to calculate the yearly electricity costs associated with running the Rainbow RainMate for 24hs a day for 365 days. We ran this calculation utilizing the U.S. average utility rate of $0.12/kWh as of May 31st, 2024.

Smart Air QT3 review

by
Smart Air QT3 Small Room

Smart Air isnโ€™t one of the big-name air purifier brands yet. But it has been making waves in the industry recently with its low-cost yet powerful air purifiers. 

Born out of a desire to solve the air pollution problem, Smart Airโ€™s founder, Thomas Talhelm, entered the arena with a mission; to create easy-to-use, high-performing air purifiers at a fraction of the price of the top-tier models. 

By strapping a HEPA filter to a fan, Thomas successfully created a simple air purifier that created a buzz online and laid the foundation for Smart Air. Since its inception in 2013, Smart Air has been shipping affordable, no-nonsense air purifiers worldwide and providing free education on air pollution. 

Today, the company has a wide range of air purifiers, including the Smart Air QT3, the popular Sqair Air Purifier and the high-performance Blast MK 11 Air Purifier. The Smart Air QT3 is a compact air purifier designed to provide clean air on the go. 

At HouseFresh, we take pride in our review process, aiming to bring clarity to the world of air purifiers. We purchase every product we review out of our own pockets, allowing us to poke holes and bring to light what manufacturers will not tell you about the product. 

Hereโ€™s how we tested the Smart Air QT3:

  1. In our home lab of 728 cubic ft, we light an incense stick to generate particle pollution and VOCs.
  2. We set up our trusted Purpleair Indoor Sensor with the latest Bosch gas sensor to track levels of PM1ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM10ug/m3 and VOCs in the air.
    purpleair
  3. We switch the air purifier to its highest speed and measure how long it takes to get our room air quality down to PM1 level to 0.
  4. For portable air purifiers, we repeat this test inside our Tesla Model 3 to see how good the unit is at cleaning the air in a small enclosed space.
    Testing QT3 in Tesla
  5. We use an energy meter to measure precisely how much electricity is used when running the unit at the lowest and highest fan speed settings.
    How Much Energy Does an Air Purifier Use
  6. We track sound levels emitted by the air purifier at different fan speeds with the help of a commercial sound meter.
    sound meter

In this review, I will walk you through what we found when testing the QT3. But let’s start with a tl;dr for those of you who just can’t sit through a full in-depth review (no judging!)

The lowdown on the Smart Air QT3

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
โ€œThe QT3 is a solid portable air purifier from the team at Smart Air that is not yet perfect but is one of the more capable air purifiers you can use on the go.โ€
โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer

Smart Air QT3 Car

U.S. PRICE UK PRICE

What we really like

It is portable and lightweight at only 610g
Perfectly safe, ozone-free technology as only uses HEPA technology
It’s a quiet air purifier (as low as 36 dB)
Can make clean air accessible no matter where you go, thanks to the 2,000mAh battery
Movable louvers that allow you to adjust the direction of the airflow

What we think could be better

No activated carbon to deal with VOCs and odors
It is not yet available on Amazon
Only ideal for small spaces. It is not to be used as a replacement for a full-size air purifier like the Smart Air S or the SA600.

The specs

This model is the only portable that Smart Air makes and has become a significant favorite with travelers looking to reduce the risk of Covid-19. It costs $44 with a CADR of 24 CFM and has a recommended room size of up to 54 ftยฒ. 

Below are the full product specs:

HouseFresh rating:โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†
Time to clean our Tesla Model 3 (with the device running at top speed):47 minutes
Time to clean our 728 cubic feet test room (with the device running at top speed):4 hours and 27 minutes
Air purifier technology:HEPA filter made with polypropylene (PP) and polyester (PET) with an 800-hour lifespan 
Recommended room size (4.8 air changes per hour):12.9 sq. ft.
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):Dust: 21 CFM
Smoke: 21 CFM
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):5.9L x 5.7W x 7.1H inches (15cm L x 14.5cm W x 18cm H)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):1.375 lbs (0.624 kg)
Filter life:6 months
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):Speed 1: 36.3 dB
Estimated running cost (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):$39.72 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):$0.41
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:1 year
Country of manufacture:China

The QT3 looks great

This portable air purifier features a super-sleek design, as expected from a company like Smart Air. 

Smart Air QT3 Front

U.S. PRICE UK PRICE

The Smart Air QT3 is a lightweight, aesthetically pleasing air purifier ideal for cleaning the air in a small room. It is made from high-grade plastic in fresh white and summer pink finishes. A cable tray at the top lets you keep your USB-C cable.

At the front of the device are fins that you can adjust manually. Unlike other air purifiers weโ€™ve tested, the QT3 has a plastic handle that makes it easier to carry around. 

Smart Air QT3 Top Down

Two versions are available for the Smart Air QT3: The Home Edition, which has no battery and the travel edition we received for this review. It comes with a 2,000mAh battery that lasts four hours, making it ideal for use when driving or on public transport.

Measuring 150 x 145 x 180mm, the QT3 has a small form factor compared to other air purifiers weโ€™ve tested. In comparison, itโ€™s much bigger than the Levoit Core 300 but similar in size to Levoit Core Mini. 

Below is a photo comparing it with another contender in the portable air purifier space: the Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini. The QT3 is much bigger in comparison, but they both stay true to their portable nature.

Smart Air QT3 VS PureZone Mini

At 1.3 lbs, the QT3 is very portable. While it’s a tad more prominent than the other mobile units available, it’s still very light for an air purifier.

Like other Smart Air units, the QT3 is simple to use with just two buttons.

Smart Air QT3 Controls 3

One is for powering the device, and the other is for adjusting the fan speed. Alongside the buttons are four LED lights, three for indicating the speed and the fourth one for the filter. The filter indicator will light up when the HEPA filter needs a replacement. 

It will not filter unwanted smells

The QT3 comes with a high-density H11 HEPA filter but it doesn’t include activated carbon

Smart Air QT3 Filter change 1

U.S. PRICE UK PRICE

The Smart Air QT3 comes with high-density H11 HEPA filters, which can remove 95% of pollutants, like PM2.5, allergens, pollen, fur and bacteria.

Smart Air QT3 HEPA

The QT3 purifier contains no ionizers and doesnโ€™t emit dangerous chemicals like ozone. However, it lacks an activated carbon filter, so it cannot remove odors and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from indoor air.

I understand this would likely have to be such a small charcoal filter that it’s unlikely to perform well, but I would love to see it in version two.

Smart Air QT3 HEPA top

In comparison, Levoit Core 300 and Levoit Core Mini are equipped with HEPA and Activated Carbon filters, effectively removing odors, VOCs and particles. However, they both need a plug to operate.

Smart Air QT3 Filter change 2

The other portable unit we like is the Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini. The PureZone Mini has activated charcoal, but itโ€™s so tiny that we didnโ€™t see any difference in odor when we tested it.

Changing the filter in your Smart Air QT3 is not difficult at all. One slight issue was that the filter would often slip if I knocked on the device, so I had to remove and reseat the case. It would be good to see a more secure filter in the next design.

Tip

When you first open the Smart Air QT3, the filter will be in a plastic wrapping, so be sure to remove this before you switch the unit on, or it will not be able to remove particles from your air.

Smart Air QT3 Filter bag

The Smart Air QT3 cleared our Tesla Model 3 in 43 minutes

We conducted two tests on the Smart Air QT3: one inside our Tesla Model 3 and one inside the same 728 cubic ft test room, where we test the air cleaning performance of all our air purifiers.

In both cases, we simulated indoor particle pollution by burning an incense stick and tracking how long it took the QT3 to reduce the levels of PM1.0ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM10.0 ug/m3 in the air with the help of our trusted PurpleAir sensor.

It took the QT3 just 43 minutes to clear the air inside the cabin of our Tesla Model 3:

When it came to cleaning the air of our 728 cubic ft home lab, the QT3 understandably needed a lot more time:

Air cleaning performance, compared

I was impressed by the performance of the Smart Air QT3 when comparing its air cleaning speed with other portable air purifiers.

Things changed, however, when I compared the performance of the QT3 against non-portable air purifiers. Yes, the results look poor, but this is to be expected as portable air purifiers have a far lower air cleaning power (CADR).

That said, the QT3 performed better than its small portable competitors. Just to give you an idea, it took the Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini 5 hours and 39 minutes to clean the air in our test room – that’s one whole hour longer than the QT3.

Noise levels test results

Best Quiet Air Purifiers QT3

The Smart Air QT3 produced 40 dB at the highest fan speed, ideal for home or office use. The unit can go as low as 36.3 dB at the lowest speed, putting it on par with the best ultra-quiet air purifiers weโ€™ve tested.

As you can hear from the video, the noise generated by the QT3 is very quiet:

The cost to run a Smart Air QT3: $39.72 per year

1. Electricity costs = $13.73 per year

Many consumers think about the initial cost of an air purifier but often forget to think about its costs. The Smart Air QT3 isnโ€™t a cleaner that will cost a lot in bills as itโ€™s a small unit with a low power draw of only 9 watts at full power.

While the electricity costs associated with a unit like the Core Mini are a little cheaper ($6.31 per year), the QT3 will cost way less in terms of power consumption than a standard home air purifier like the Levoit Core 300, which costs $37.84 annually.

2. Filter costs = $25.99 per year

As HEPA works by trapping pollutants, these filters become full of particles and eventually restrict airflow to reduce performance. Smart Air has manufactured filters that cost less and last longer. The Smart AIR QT3 has filters available for just $25.99.

In comparison, filters for Core Mini will set you back $49.98, while Pure Enrichment Pure Zone Mini is slightly cheaper at only $20 for one set of filters.

Smart Air (AKA Smart Health) QT3 Genuine Replacement HEPA Filters -2-Pack
Smart Air (AKA Smart Health) QT3 Genuine Replacement HEPA Filters -2-Pack
  • BREATHE CLEAN AIR: Take a breath of fresh air! Our HEPA filters 0.3-micron as well as 0.07-micron airborne particles
  • LIFE SPAN: Each filter has an 800 hour life span
  • HIGH-QUALITY: Our high-quality HEPA filter pairs with the Smart Air QT3 Portable Air Purifier and Fan
$25.99
Buy on Amazon

Bottom line

The QT3 is a solid portable air purifier that cleaned the air in our Tesla Model 3 in under an hour

The Smart Air QT3 is not a great air purifier when compared to those you can plug in, as it can only clean a tiny area. It had issues cleaning in our small test room, but it did remove particles from the air when left for long enough.

Its stand-out feature is the ability to be used for travel with its battery, so itโ€™s one of the top portable air purifiers on the market.

Smart Air QT3 Kitchen

U.S. PRICE UK PRICE

Filter prices are fair, as is the cost of the unit. If you have concerns with flying, the Smart Air QT3 is a great option. If you’re looking for an air purifier for your car or an RV, then you should also look at the IQAir Atem.

The QT3 is an air purifier designed explicitly for one type of job, so it is not the most versatile of units.

But you can rest assured that if portability is at the core of what you’re looking for, then the QT3 is one of the best options on the market.

SOURCES

We calculated yearly costs associated with running the Smart Air QT3 24 hours a day, 365 days per year utilizing the latest average energy prices as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of $0.174/kWh as of May 2024.

QP Pro (Qingping CGS1) Review

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Qingping Pro Close Up

Yes, itโ€™s probably the strangest brand name youโ€™ve ever seen, but Qingping has been busy making excellent high-end quality sensors with attractive price tags. 

Earlier this year, Smart Air reached out to us, and we got to test and review the smaller Qingping Lite. Its high-end sensor and screen impressed us, costing less than $100. Itโ€™s essentially a cheap air quality monitor that is as good as premium models that cost $250+ 

The Qingping Pro is a little more expensive at $139.99 but can track VOCs and includes a more prominent color screen. It also provides app support with the ability to download your data for analysis. 

TL;DR The Lowdown on the QP Pro

danny

โ€œAn improvement over the QP Lite with the same sensor accuracy and with the additional support for VOCs. It would still be good to have more particle sizes such as PM10 that is included with  the QP Lite, but for the price, this is still one of the best budget air quality monitors on the market.โ€ โ€” Danny Ashton, Founder & Senior Writer

Qingping Pro Living Room Close Up

U.S. PRICE UK PRICE

If you donโ€™t want to read my full review, these are the key things you need to know about the QP Pro air quality monitor. 

What We Really Like:

๐Ÿ‘ The ability to track VOC and PM2.5 accurately without spending more than $150
๐Ÿ‘ The color screen shows PM2.5, temp, tVOC, CO2 and humidifier at one time
๐Ÿ‘ Battery mode allows you to use the sensor without having access to power
๐Ÿ‘ You can easily pull data from the device using the QingPing+ app
๐Ÿ‘ Size is perfect for use on a desk 
๐Ÿ‘ Screen design allows you to understand your current air quality quickly

What We Think Could Be Better:

๐Ÿ‘Ž Lack of PM10 and PM1 particle sensors which would be good to have in future versions
๐Ÿ‘Ž VOC sensor only shows all VOCs and is not able to provide insight on specific problematic VOCs like formaldehyde

The Specifications

Budget air quality monitor with the ability to track VOCs

Like the QP Lite, this is a cheap monitor, but it doesnโ€™t use cheap sensors. It uses the Sensor S8 for PM2.5, an SGP30 for VOC and the same temperature and humidifier sensors used in Teslas [Sensirion].

HouseFresh Rating:โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…
Air quality factors detected:PM2.5, CO2, temperature and humidity and VOCs
Battery type:Rechargeable Lithium Battery (USB-C cable supplied)
Battery life:4 hours
Mounting type:Tabletop
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):4.33 x 4.21 x 3.62 inches
Weight (in pounds / in kg):14.39 Ounces

Perfect Desk Screen

As you can see, itโ€™s a good-looking device.

Qingping Pro Fireplace

The QP Pro has an attractive screen that shows all the information in an intuitive way, allowing you to keep all the different air quality readings in one place.

Qingping Pro Side

Looking at the unit from the side and the back, you can clearly see that itโ€™s bigger than the QP Lite:

Qingping Pro Back

In comparison, the QP Lite is better for travel โ€” I could see the screen getting damaged if you threw the QP Pro in your bag. Whereas the QP Lite is designed to be carried around.

Qingping lite Living Room

Simple System

While you use the top bar to change menus with the QP Lite, you just use the screen with the QP Pro. Itโ€™s similar to a smartphone, so there is no learning curve to use it. 

Qingping Pro Close Up

One significant benefit of the QP Pro over the Lite is having one screen that shows everything. With the QP Lite, you keep moving screens to see different sensor readings.

But that doesnโ€™t mean that the QP Pro doesnโ€™t allow you to go deeperโ€ฆ You will also be able to swipe the screen to move across different air quality factors.

You will have a dedicated screen for CO2 measurements:

Qingping Pro CO2

Another screen where to track TVOC (Total Volatile Organic Compounds) levels over time:

Qingping Pro tVOC History

AND a separate screen for PM2.5 particulate levels in the air:

Qingping Pro PM2.5

I had no issues connecting the Qingping+ app to the QP Pro; it connected to my 5GHZ WIFI with no issues. The air quality monitor will save the latest data on PM2.5, CO2, VOC and temperature and humidifier, allowing you to export this data to see changes over time.

Qingping QP Pro App 1

Like the QP Lite, data is provided every 15 minutes, which is fine for looking at historical data. However, I prefer having data every three minutes, which is the case with the Purpleair Indoor Sensor ($200 with no portable mode).

Qingping QP Pro App 2

Export Your Air Quality Data

I exported the data from my QP pro and then used Flourish to create this simple line graph:

If you use specific smart appliances like those from Xiaomi, you can enable your devices to switch on based on data from your air quality sensor. 

QP has also promised that a new update will allow for your data to be used with Google and Alexa, although this hasnโ€™t been rolled out yet, so I havenโ€™t had a chance to test it. 

Bottom Line: Good Price, High-End Sensors Desk Air Quality Monitor

The QP Pro can accurately measure VOCs, PM2.5, CO2, temperature and humidity โ€” features usually only available for $250+. 

Qingping Pro Living Room Close Up

U.S. PRICE UK PRICE

Itโ€™s always a challenge to understand VOCs, as sensors can only measure all VOCs, including those that are not harmful. I would have preferred to see PM10 and PM1 rather than VOC, so I would still recommend the QP Lite over the QP Pro, as itโ€™s cheaper and gives more insight into particulate pollution. 

If you are a big fan of having a clear screen to see your air quality on your desk, then the QP Pro might be something to look at. 

AROEVE MK01 review

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AROEVEMK01

AROEVE doesn’t make it easy to find out much about the company: their website is empty of information and there arenโ€™t many details on their Amazon profile page. When I tried to find out more information about the https://aroeve.com/ website through a WHOIS query that pulls out domain registration data, I learned that their site is hosted on Alibaba and the domain is registered in China. So, we assume that this is a Chinese company that sells primarily on Amazon.com.

The MK01 is the most popular air purifier sold by AROEVE, but they also have the MK02 ($55) and MK04 ($99) which are designed for larger rooms. The AROEVE MK01 is targeted towards smaller rooms (up to 215 sq. ft.) and includes an aroma pad. 

If you do a quick search on YouTube, you will see plenty of reviews for the MK01:

AROEVE MK01 YouTube Reviews

However, they are all very positive, making me think that many of these โ€œreviewersโ€ were provided this unit for free in return for a review.

Here at HouseFresh, we never accept free products in exchange for reviews, as we want to stay as unbiased as possible to provide our readers with the truth (positive or negative), so you can find the right air purifier for you. We ran a number of performance tests on the AROEVE MK01 before I wrote this review.

how we test
How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

The lowdown on the AROEVE MK01

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
โ€œNo filter costs but it failed to deliver when it came to cleaning the air in my home..โ€
โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer
AROEVE MK01 Living room

PRICE on amazon PRICE on EBAY

If you just want to know whether this air purifier is good or not then I can save you time and tell you to avoid this purifier and go for something else like the Taotronics AP-033.

What we really like

Itโ€™s a small unit, making it easy to put on a desk or in a location where a larger air purifier would be too big
The lights are cool, although I donโ€™t think they help with the air cleaning!

What we think could be better

AROEVE doesnโ€™t share the CADR score for this air purifier and thatโ€™s likely because itโ€™s very poor 
It took 2 hours and 43 minutes to get our home lab down to a breathable level 
It failed to remove all pollutants in 5 hours, something we usually only see with very small air purifiers
Filters are $19.99, which seems cheap but considering the lack of cleaning power is a total waste of money

HouseFresh rating:โ˜†โ˜†โ˜†โ˜†โ˜† (zero)
Time to clean our 728 cubic feet test room (with the device running at top speed):2 hours and 43 minutes (but was unable to clean the air 100% in less than 5 hours)
Air purifier technology:Pre-filter, H13 True HEPA filter and Activated Carbon filter
Recommended room size (4.8 air changes per hour):39 sq. ft.
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):Estimated: 25 CFM
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):6.1L x 6.1W x 9.7H inches (15.5 x 15.5 x 24.6 cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):1.57 lbs (0.71 kg)
Filter life:3 โ€“ 6 months
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):Speed 1: 39.8 dB
Speed 2: 48.1 dB
Electricity consumption in watts (recorded with an electricity usage monitor):Standby mode: 0 watts
Speed 1: 13.4 watts
Speed 2: 16.3 watts
Estimated running cost (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):$44.85 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):$0.20
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:AROEVE MK01 does not come with a warranty
Country of manufacture:China

Small and cheap with simple controls

From a design point of view, the AROEVE looks cheap but is certainly not the worst air purifier I have seen. The size is great and would be perfect if it was able to also achieve great cleaning power. 

AROEVE MK01 Close Up

The MK01 has simple controls with no app or auto mode. You can choose a timer of 6, 12, and 24 hours.

AROEVE MK01 Controls

When you compare it with the Levoit Core 300, the MK01 is much smaller. However, this means that the unit will find it hard to clean as much air in comparison, as mechanical filters such as HEPA require a large surface area and a powerful fan to effectively clean the air in a room.

AROEVE MK01 Comparison

Pointless medical grade filters

The MK01 uses HEPA H13 which is the medical grade of HEPA – a strange choice considering that the unit is so small. Higher grade HEPA like H13 need more airflow to work efficiently, so many manufacturers will often use lower grade filters.

AROEVE MK01 HEPA

These filters can move more air in a compact space, meaning a quicker clean. I assume that AROEVE uses H13 as a marketing tactic, as they make a big show of it on their Amazon page.

In addition to HEPA filter, the AROEVE MK01 also comes with a fine pre-filter and an activated carbon filter:

AROEVE MK01 Carbon Filter

Tip

Be sure to remove the filter from the plastic bag, as the unit will not work unless air can flow freely into the filter.

Watch our video if you are wondering how easy it will be to replace the filters in an AROEVE MK01:

The AROEVE MK01 cleared our test room in 2 hours and 43 minutes

When writing this review, I was surprised to see all the reviews for this unit that stated it cleaned their air well, although not one had tested this for real. 

At HouseFresh, we test all our units to confirm manufacturer data is correct. This allows us to uncover the performance of units without lab data, such as the AROEVE MK01. 

We conduct our tests in the same 728 cubic ft home office, which allows us to compare the performance across all the air purifiers weโ€™ve tested. The test has three parts:

  1. We introduce particulate pollutants into the room by using an incense stick
  2. We track the time it takes for the air purifier to remove all pollutants using an indoor sensor from Purpleair, that provides us with data on PM1.0ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3, and PM10.0ug/m3
  3. Throughout it all, we gather energy consumption data with the help of a power meter and noise levels in decibels.

When it comes to the performance of the AROEVE MK01, we encountered the same issue we had with the Molekule Air Mini: the unit was unable to get the number of pollutants down to zero.

That being said, the MK01 managed to get air down to a breathable level (per World Health Organization guidelines) but had problems getting this level down further. This makes me think that this air purifier was too small for even our small office.

You can see the results of our air cleaning performance test in the interactive chart below:

To achieve the WHO breathable level it took 163 minutes (or 2 hours and 43 minutes), which is very poor compared to other units weโ€™ve tested – including the ULTTY CR021, a fan and air purifier unit that took 131 minutes to clean the air in the room.

Air cleaning test results

Overall, itโ€™s safe to say that this is one of the worst air purifiers we have tested here at HouseFresh.

Noise levels test results

At its lowest speed, the MK01 generated 39.8 dB of sound but you would not use this speed in reality as it is truly useless. The noise level doesn’t go up that much at the highest speed, reaching 48.1 dB. However, this is less than 1 dB higher than the Levoit Core 200S at top speed.

Have a listen for yourself:

The cost to run an AROEVE MK01: $44.85 per year

1. Electricity costs = $24.86 per year

With electricity costs expected to increase, this is a figure worth knowing before investing in an air purifier – a gadget that you will likely use 24/7, especially if you have issues with outdoor pollution.

Based on the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics average energy prices, this unit will cost you $24.86 a year to run constantly at top speed if you live in America.

2. Filter costs = $19.99 per year

AROEVE MK01 Filter unit

An area that customers new to air purifiers often forget about is that HEPA filters will need to be replaced every 6 months for smaller units. The filters from AROEVE are $19.99, and while this seems cheap when you compare it with its cleaning power, itโ€™s far too high to recommend to most people.

AROEVE MK01A(MK01)&MK06A(MK06) Filter Replacement-Standard Version(1 Pack) | For Smoke Pollen Dander Hair Smell, 4 Layers of Defense, Official Filter, 3-6 Months Filter Lifespan, Easy to Install
AROEVE MK01A(MK01)&MK06A(MK06) Filter Replacement-Standard Version(1 Pack) | For Smoke Pollen Dander Hair Smell, 4 Layers of Defense, Official Filter, 3-6 Months Filter Lifespan, Easy to Install
  • Keep Your Money: Our filter uses uniquely adsorption reaction filtration technology, unlike the off-brand filter that imitates us on the market, we use environmentally friendly and healthy materials.
  • Prevent Clogging: When hairs, dander, and other large particles meet the pre-filter layer, they will be blocked outside to prevent the air purifier from clogging.
  • Special Reaction Filter Layer: Reaction filter layer can react with harmful particles entering the filter and produce harmless substances. We use a unique production process that is unmatched by the rest of the filters.
  • Impressive Filtration: Impressive filter layer is used, which It can filter airborne such as smoke pollen dander hair smell. Improving air quality and promoting better health and well-being for you.
  • Removes Unpleasant Odors: The premium reaction filter layer physically absorbs unwanted odors and fumes such as smoke, cooking odors, and pet odors, as well as VOCs, which makes it a good choice for homes with pets, cooking, and smokers.
$16.99
Buy on Amazon
 

Bottom line: Should you get an AROEVE MK01?

On paper, the AROEVE MK01 seems perfect, as it is priced cheaply at $59.99 and has 4.5 stars on Amazon.

AROEVE MK01 Living room

PRICE on amazon PRICE on EBAY

The reality becomes apparent when we use Fakespot and see that the MK01โ€™s adjusted score is 3 stars, due to the evidence of review manipulation.

MK01 Fakespot Amazon Reviews

Personally, I would recommend paying $20 extra and going for the Taotronics AP-033, which operates much better across all areas and has been proven to clean the air effectively in rooms larger than the recommended size for the MK01. 

SOURCES

We calculated yearly costs associated with running the AROEVE MK01 24 hours a day, 365 days per year utilizing the latest average energy prices as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of $0.174/kWh as of April 2024.

At HouseFresh, we have been reviewing air quality products since 2010. In all these years, we learned not to rely on manufacturers’ claims and the ever-so-glowing marketing materials. That is why we buy products with our own money, so we can write unbiased reviews after we’ve had enough time to evaluate air quality products in our home lab. Every unit we recommend has been thoroughly tested to assess its performance, energy consumption, and noise levels emitted in real-life environments. If you have any questions about our testing process for different types of air quality products, just drop us an email at danny@housefresh.com.

Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto review

by
Blueair Blue 311 Kids Bedroom

Blueair is well known in the world of air purifiers as theyโ€™ve been selling them since 1996. Originally from Sweden, the company became part of the multinational Unilever in 2006. They create many different air purifier ranges, and Blue Pure is their budget performance range. This range doesnโ€™t have the features and extras you get in their premium ranges. 

The cheapest Blue Pure air purifier (Blue Pure 411+) is available for just $119.99, and the 311 Auto we are reviewing here costs $229.99.

As I always like to clarify, we donโ€™t accept free units in exchange for reviews. We buy all the air purifiers with our money, so we can share in detail how they perform with no biases. The core part of our review process is our performance test. This is where we put all units through the same test inside the same space so that we can compare their performance like for like.

how we test
How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

This review will walk you through the findings of our performance test. Whenever possible, I will compare this unit with other similarly priced air purifiers on the market so you can decide which of them is better for your individual needs. I will also share my impressions when using this air purifier regarding the design, portability, user experience of its control panel, and more.

Okay, let’s get to it.

The lowdown on the Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto

Danny Ashton HouseFresh
โ€œIf you donโ€™t want to use a bigger air purifier and have a room around 400 sqft, this is the perfect unit. I still think the Blue Pure 211+ is a better deal with an extra 100 CFM CADR for $100, but if this is too big/pricey, then make sure you check out the Blue Pure 311i Max as this has the same cleaning performance, price and also comes with smart app support.โ€
โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer
Blueair Blue 311 Living Room

What we really like

Took 21 minutes to clean our test room compared with 43 minutes for the smaller Blue Pure 411+
53 dB at max fan speed was less than the Blue Pure 211+, which hit 56 dB
34.5 watts at full speed, which makes it one of the most efficient at this level of performance
Ability to customize the design with different choices of pre-filters
HEPASilent brings high CADR without the usual size and cost you see with pure HEPA and activated charcoal

What we think could be better

You need to pay more to get the auto mode which feels like it should be standard
Smart features are only available on the latest generation โ€” I wish this were rolled out to all models 
The ionizer function cannot be disabled

The specifications

250 CFM CADR for less than $240 is a strong proposition considering you would need $500+ for a similar performance from other air purifiers. 

HouseFresh rating:โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†
Time to clean our 728 cubic feet test room (with the device running at top speed):21 minutes
Air purifier technology:True HEPASilent filter with activated charcoal
Recommended room size (4.8 air changes per hour):388 sq. ft.
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):Dust: 250 CFM
Smoke: 250 CFM
Pollen: 244 CFM
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):20.5H x 10.2W x 10.2D inches (52.1H x 25.9W x 25.9D cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):6.8 lbs (3.08 kg)
Filter life:6 months
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):Speed 1: 35.8 dB
Speed 2: 40.2 dB
Speed 3: 59.4 dB
Electricity consumption in watts (recorded with an electricity usage monitor):Standby mode: 0 watts
Speed 1: 2.61 watts
Speed 2: 5.74 watts
Speed 3: 32.01 watts
Estimated running cost (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):$128.79 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):$0.96
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:1 year (can be extended to 2 years by creating a Blueair account and registering the unit within 60 days of purchase)
Country of manufacture:Designed and engineered in Sweden, assembled in China

Customizable design and simple control panel

The Blue Pure range of air purifiers all have the same simple look, with one button to control everything. You also can change the pre-filter to fit your interior design scheme.

Blueair Blue 311 Top

Simple is the name of the game with the Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto. The control panel canโ€™t get much simpler with a device like an air purifier. One-click switches into auto-mode, and you can then leave the unit to change speed automatically as it senses new pollutants.

Blueair Blue 311 Info

Pressing the button again, you can adjust the speed with three options. Press the same button again and it switches off. Itโ€™s that simple! 

On the front of the unit is a small LED that acts as an air quality indicator and a filter replacement warning light. When in auto mode, this light will report the air quality in your room with three different colors. Your air quality is measured in real-time using the sensors on the back of the unit.

Blueair Blue 311 Air Quality Sensor


A cool feature that Blueair has used previously is to customize your unit using the different color pre-filters. Keep the gray one it comes with, or spice it up a little by swapping it out for Arctic Trail, Night Waves, Archipelago Sand, Winter Reed or Aurora Light:

Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto Fabric Options

The 311 Auto is the middle-sized unit in Blueairโ€™s Blue Pure range, between the smallest 411+ and the second largest 211+.

When comparing the Blue Pure 311 Auto (right) with the 411+ (left), you can see the difference in size is not as stark. The fact that the 311 Auto manages to drive 250 CFM with such a small unit is impressive:

Blueair Blue 411 VS 311 Auto Comparison

The size difference is more noticeable when comparing the 311 Auto (right) against the larger 211+ (left). The 211+ weighs 12.5 lbs (5.67 kg), nearly double the 311 Auto (6.8 lbs or 3.08 kg).

Blueair Blue 311 VS 211 Comparison

The Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto is a good-looking air purifier that will fit small to medium-sized rooms without taking up too much space.

HEPASilent filtration technology for rooms sized 400 sq. ft.

As with all the Blueair range, the Blue Pure 311 Auto has a filter powered by HEPASilent technology, combining electrostatic and mechanical filtration technologies.

Blueair Blue 311 Filter Tag

Wondering how HEPASilent technology works? The fan draws air into the Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto, where airborne particles receive an electrical charge causing them to adhere to the filters.

Larger particles get stuck in the washable pre-filter before the air moves through the HEPA filter, which removes pollen, dust, pet dander, viruses and bacteria:

Blueair Blue 311 HEPA Filter

From that point, the air moves through the activated carbon layer, which removes odors from pets, cooking and smoking.

Blueair Blue 311 Activated Carbon Filter

The HEPA filter will need replacing around every six months (the filter replacement indicator will let you know when), but donโ€™t worry; itโ€™s super easy to do so. 

Follow these step-by-step instructions:

  1. Unplug your 311 from the outlet
  2. Twist the top of the unit (the white bit) until you feel it unattached from the body, and remove
  3. Peel the velcro from the pre-filter and pull it from the HEPA filter
  4. Pull the pre-filter over the new HEPA filter and reattach the top
Tip

This is the perfect time to wash the pre-filter and clean the rest of the air purifier so it works to its maximum efficiency.

As with the 411 and 211 range, the Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto brings excellent performance for $ spent, dB created and energy usage. The HEPASilent matches its expectations, and this unit has the best air cleaning performance value for rooms sized 400 sq. ft.

Be aware that when receiving a new unit or buying a replacement, the filters will be in a sealed bag and must be removed before they can be used.

The Blue Pure 311 Auto cleared our test room in 21 minutes

The main job of an air purifier is to remove tiny particles from the air, as we know how damaging they can be. We test every unit we review with the same methodology to determine its effectiveness in this area. 

We burn an incense stick in our 705 cubic ft test room, and using air quality sensors, we track how long it takes a specific air purifier to remove PM1.0ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM10.0 ug/m3. 

We track this data and compare the performance to all the other units we have tested.

</

Air cleaning performance test results

The Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto took 21 minutes to achieve a level of 0 PM1. This is 22 minutes better than the smaller 411+ and only three minutes less than the larger and higher-priced 211+.

The 311 Auto provides excellent cleaning performance on a budget. It took the Alen 75i three more minutes to clean our test room. The Dyson HP04 combo unit, which costs over $700, took 63 more minutes to remove all the pollutants. 

Noise levels test results

The Blue Pure range is hard to beat for pure power to sound. We had high hopes for the HEPASilent technology and were impressed with the maximum level of 53 dB, which is in range with much smaller units with less performance like the Levoit Core 300, which took 40 minutes to clean and had a maximum sound level of 50dB. 

Cost to run the Blue Pure 311 Auto: $116.77 per year

1. Electricity costs = $36.79 per year

At its maximum fan speed, the Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto only recorded 34.5 watts, the same as the highest-power LED bulbs on the market. Compared to competitors, it pulls much less power; the Levoit Core 300, for example, recorded 45 watts for less air-cleaning power. 

2. Filter costs = $79.98 per year

The filter costs are fair for this level of air cleaning performance and the all-in-one filter only needs replacing twice in 12 months. Some generic filters are available, which brings the cost per year down to $43.99 for two filters, one of the cheapest we have seen for this level of air cleaning.

Filter
LEVOIT EverestAir Air Purifier Replacement Filter
2 Pack EverestAir-RF Replacement Filter, 3-in-1 H13 Grade True HEPA Filter
Levoit EverestAir-P Air Purifier Genuine Replacement Filter,1 Pack | AHAM VERIFIDE,Lasts for 12โ€“15 Months, HEPA Sleep Mode,Efficient 2-in-1 Filter,for Smoke,Odors, Allergens, EverestAir-RF,Black
EverestAir Filter Replacement for LEVOIT EverestAir & EverestAir-P, 2 Pack | Compatible with LEVOIT EverestAir and EverestAir-P air purifiers. Replacement for EverestAir-RF and LRF-E551-WUS filters
Technology
3-Stage Filtration (Pre-filter, H13 HEPA and activated carbon)
2-Pack Replacement True HEPA and Activated Carbon Filter
More information
Buy on Amazon
Buy on Amazon
Price
$99.99
$64.59
Filter
LEVOIT EverestAir Air Purifier Replacement Filter
Levoit EverestAir-P Air Purifier Genuine Replacement Filter,1 Pack | AHAM VERIFIDE,Lasts for 12โ€“15 Months, HEPA Sleep Mode,Efficient 2-in-1 Filter,for Smoke,Odors, Allergens, EverestAir-RF,Black
Technology
3-Stage Filtration (Pre-filter, H13 HEPA and activated carbon)
More information
Buy on Amazon
Price
$99.99
Filter
2 Pack EverestAir-RF Replacement Filter, 3-in-1 H13 Grade True HEPA Filter
EverestAir Filter Replacement for LEVOIT EverestAir & EverestAir-P, 2 Pack | Compatible with LEVOIT EverestAir and EverestAir-P air purifiers. Replacement for EverestAir-RF and LRF-E551-WUS filters
Technology
2-Pack Replacement True HEPA and Activated Carbon Filter
More information
Buy on Amazon
Price
$64.59

Bottom line

The Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto gives you a great performance ratio to sound, price and energy usage. This is the perfect air purifier for those who love the Blueair Blue Pure range and have rooms that are too big for a Blueair 411+ but not big enough to warrant a Blueair 211+.

Blueair Blue 311 Kids Bedroom

If you want an air purifier that with a customizable design that is lightweight and offers solid air cleaning performance for a medium-sized room (like a living room or a bedroom), then the Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto is a good option to keep your room free of pollutants without noise disturbance or bulky aesthetics.

SOURCES

We calculated the monthly energy consumption costs with the help of the Department of Energyโ€™s appliance energy calculator. We calculated yearly costs associated with running Blueair Blue Pure 311 Auto for 24hs a day for 365 days. We chose to run this calculation utilizing the U.S. average utility rate of $0.12/kWh as of the 1st of May, 2023.

At HouseFresh, we have been reviewing air quality products since 2010. In all these years, we learned not to rely on manufacturers’ claims and the ever-so-glowing marketing materials. That is why we buy products with our own money, so we can write unbiased reviews after we’ve had enough time to evaluate air quality products in our home lab. Every unit we recommend has been thoroughly tested to assess its performance, energy consumption, and noise levels emitted in real-life environments. If you have any questions about our testing process for different types of air quality products, just drop us an email at danny@housefresh.com.

Blueair Blue Pure 411+ review

by
Blueair Blue Pure 411 Living Room

Originally from Sweden, Blueair has been in the air purifier industry since 1996. The company was bought by the mega-corporation Unilever in 2016.

Their Blue Pure series of air purifiers offer simple units that do an excellent job of cleaning the air. Their trademarked HEPAsilentโ„ข process combines a mechanical HEPA with an electrostatic charge to clean more air for less power, lower price and less noise. 

We already found the original OK to be a solid performer, and the Blue Pure 211+ is an easy purifier to recommend for those looking to clean larger spaces. 

The Blueair Blue Pure 411+ is the upgraded version that hopes to build on the success of the Blue Pure 411 with higher air cleaning power for less energy usage.

Weโ€™re here to tell you if it meets those high expectations.

My review will cover all our findings from the performance test outlined above. If you have any questions about this unit by the time you reach the end, please email me as I have tons of data.

The lowdown on the Blueair Blue Pure 411+

danny

โ€œA clear upgrade on the decent Blue Pure 411, the Blueair Blue Pure 411+ is an easy budget air purifier for those looking to clean a small space like a bedroom and who donโ€™t want something that will create a lot of noise.โ€

โ€” Danny Ashton, Founder & Senior Writer

Blueair Blue Pure 411 Kitchen

What we really like

Great cleaning performance to price โ€” cleaned our test room in 43 minutes for less than $140.
Max sound is one of the lowest we have tested at 52.3 dB.
Has a higher cleaning power but uses less energy than the 411.
Improved Pollen CADR over the older 411 with 131 CFM VS. 120 CFM.
Small footprint and easy to live with thanks to the alternative color pre-filters.

What we think could be better

Not pelleted activated carbon, so expect not to last as long for removing odors.
Not auto-mode unless you pay for the upgrade.
HEPASilent is non-optional.

The specifications

Check out the full specs of the Pure 411+ below:

HouseFresh Rating:โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†
Time to clean our test room:43 minutes
Air purifier technology:3-stage True HEPASilent filter with activated charcoal
Recommended room size:184 sq. ft.
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):– Smoke: 119 CFM
– Dust: 121 CFM
– Pollen: 131CFM
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):17H x 7.8W x 7.8D inches (43.18H x 19.812W x 19.812D cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):3.4 lbs (1.54 kg)
Filter life:6 months
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):Speed 1: 35.8 dB
Speed 2: 41.9 dB
Speed 3: 52.3 dB
Electricity consumption in watts (recorded with an electricity usage monitor):Standby: 0 watts
Speed 1: 0.4 watts
Speed 2: 2.42watts
Speed 3: 7.65 watts
Estimated running costs (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):$34.59 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):$0.59
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:1 year
Country of manufacture:Designed and engineered in Sweden, assembled in China

Swedish design that is easy to live with

Blueair Blue Pure 411 Unit

I have been a big fan of Blue Air designs for a while. You can customize the overall look by changing the filter to a different color, but itโ€™s still a good-looking machine, even without the pre-filter.

Blueair Blue Pure 411 No Pre Filter

Simplicity is the name of the game with Blueair purifiers and the 411+ is no different. It has no fancy features like timers and auto-mode with app support, although upgraded models do offer these features for a higher price. 

Blueair Blue Pure 411 Top

I particularly liked the magnetic cord straightener as itโ€™s a convenient way to ensure the cable remains tidy and in place.

Blueair Blue Pure 411 Magnetic Cord

One of my favorite things about the Blueair Blue Pure 411+ is how compact it is compared to other units. Just to give you an idea of size, check out the photo below, where you can see how small it is compared to the Blue Pure 211+ (left) and the Blue Pure 311 Auto (right):

Comparison Photo Blueair Blue Pure 211 VS 411 VS 311

The Blue Pure range allows you to change the pre-filter to match your interior design, which feels like a nice Swedish touch.

Uniquetrademarked filter system 

Blueair combines HEPA, activated charcoal and electrostatic charge to create a combination filter that can achieve 120 CFM on less than 10 watts of electricity.

Blueair Blue Pure 411 Genuine Filter

Comparing cleaning performance and energy usage, itโ€™s clear that the HEPASilent filter fulfills its promise of cleaning the air quietly.

Blueair Blue Pure 411 HEPA Filter

A slight minor issue: the filter of the Blue Pure 411+ includes activated charcoal as an impregnated fabric โ€” they perform worse in general for VOC and gas removal than the pellets you see in some brands of air purifiers like the Alen BreatheSmart 45i and Levoit Core 300.

Blueair Blue Pure 411 Carbon Filter

As with all HEPA filters, they need replacing periodically when the fibers become complete with trapped particles. You wonโ€™t have to mark it on your calendar though; the 411+ will tell you when itโ€™s time with a glowing red light.

When the time comes, follow these simple steps:

  1. Unplug your 411+ and turn it upside down
  2. Twist the cap off to reveal the filter inside
  3. Use the tabs to pull the filter out of the unit
  4. Insert the new filter, replace the cap and plug your 411+ in
๐Ÿ’ก Pro Tip: When youโ€™re ready to replace the filter, this is the perfect opportunity to maintain your air purifier, like giving it a good clean inside and out.

Like many air purifiers, the Blueair 411+ will come with filters in a plastic bag, so be sure to remove them before you switch the unit on for the first time.

The Blueair 411+ cleared our test room in 43 minutes

We think itโ€™s super important to get a clear idea of how well an air purifier will do its primary job of removing particles from your home. 

We simulate pollution by burning an incense stick in our 728 cubic ft test room and track how quickly an air purifier can remove PM1.0ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM10.0 ug/m3 using the PurpleAir Indoor sensor.

Air cleaning performance test results

It took the Blue Air Pure 411+ 43 minutes to bring particulate pollutants down to zero in our test room. This compares favorably with its older brother, the Blueair 411, which did it in 68 minutes with similar power usage and price.

It compares very well to the Dyson PH03, a humidifier and air purifier combo that costs over $700 but needed 72 minutes to clean the same room. 

Noise levels test results

The stand-out feature of the Blueair 411+ is its maximum sound levels of 52.3 dB, much lower than many of the air purifiers we test when running at their top speed.

Best Quiet Air Purifiers 411

The Levoit Core 300 creates 50 dB, and the smarter Mila air purifier goes up to 59dB at its highest speed. The HEPASilent technology lives up to its name of cleaning the air without bringing sound pollution to your home. 

The cost to run a 411+: $34.69 per year

1. Electricity costs = $11.59

With maximum energy usage of 7.65 watts, the Blueair 411+ sips electricity at a meager rate. It compares well with the Levoit Core 300, which pulls 35.5 watts at maximum and even when compared to the lower cleaning performance of the Core 200S, which draws 28.4 watts. 

Blueair has managed to find a way to turn less than 10 watts into the ability to clean our room in 43 minutes. 

2. Filter costs = $23

Mechanical filters like HEPA and activated charcoal have a limited life as they become impregnated with particles from the air, restricting airflow and eventually reducing performance. 

Most small air purifiers need filter replacements every six months and the 411+ is the same. Genuine filters are a little cheaper than competitors at $23 compared to $39.99 for Levoit Core 300 and if you donโ€™t mind going for generic filters, you can find them for $10 per filter. 

BLUEAIR Genuine 411 Series Air Purifier Replacement Filter, Everyday | Authentic 411 Series Filter, The Everyday Carbon & Particle Filter for Blue Pure 411 Series Only. HEPASilent Technology
BLUEAIR Genuine 411 Series Air Purifier Replacement Filter, Everyday | Authentic 411 Series Filter, The Everyday Carbon & Particle Filter for Blue Pure 411 Series Only. HEPASilent Technology
  • Genuine Blueair replacement filter designed for Blue Pure 411 Auto, 411, and 411+
  • Particle + activated carbon filtration helps reduce allergens, dust, and odors
  • Easy to replace for maintaining cleaner indoor air and purifier performance
$23.99 Amazon Prime
Buy on Amazon

Bottom line

A great upgrade to the previous Blueair Blue Pure 411, the 411+ has improved cleaning power while maintaining low filters and energy usage costs. The primary benefit of this air purifier over others is the lower level of sound generation. 

Blueair Blue Pure 411 Entertainment Room

If you have a small room and donโ€™t want to generate too much noise, the Blueair 411+ is well worth considering.

๐Ÿ’กPro Tip: If you experience any issues with your Blueair air purifiers, check out our guide of 10 Common Blueair Air Purifier Problems (And How to Fix Them).

SOURCES

We calculated yearly costs associated with running the Blueair Blue Pure 411+ 24 hours a day, 365 days per year utilizing the latest average energy prices as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of $0.174/kWh as of April 2024.

Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini review

by
Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini Car

The PureZone air purifier is made by Pure Enrichment, a brand from A Bear Down Brands, LLC, based in California. The company produces various home air quality products, from humidifiers to heat therapy. According to Linkedin, they were founded in 2010 and currently have 55 people working for them. 

They make products with a budget in mind, with many lower-priced products that are big sellers on Amazon. PureZone is their design for a portable air purifier and they also sell several standard air purifiers.

how we test
How we test air purifiers

Read our full testing methodology.

I didn’t sit down to write this review until AFTER we conducted all these tests. You can rest assured I will tell you if this is not a unit you should buy.

The lowdown on the Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini

danny

“The PureZone Mini is an affordable and portable air purifier โ€” great for traveling or for your car, but not a good option for using in your home.”

โ€” Danny Ashton, HouseFresh Founder & Senior Writer

Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini Bathroom

CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON

If you donโ€™t want to read my extensive review, here are my key points about the PureZone Mini air purifier:

What we really like

Portable design both in weight and size โ€” super easy to throw in a bag or take on the plane.
Simple to use with one button that does everything.
No ionizer or ion-generating technology that can make air quality worse.
USB-C charging with the ability to charge the battery quickly.
Battery lasts a decent amount of time with 12 hours on low, or 2.5 hours on the highest speed.

What we think could be better

Air cleaning performance is not enough for even the smallest rooms in your house.
Filter costs soon add up and could become a high cost if you use the unit often.
Activated charcoal is used in such small amounts itโ€™s not useful.

You Get What You Pay For

At less than $50 this is one the cheapest portable air purifiers on the market. But its air cleaning power wonโ€™t blow you away, with a CADR score of only 10 CFM.

HouseFresh Rating:โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†โ˜†
Time to clean our test room:5 hours and 39 minutes
Air purifier technology:True HEPA with activated carbon pre-filter
Recommended room size:Up to 54 sq. ft.
Clean air delivery rate (CADR):Dust: 10 CFM
Dimensions (in inches / in cm):2.7H x 3.5W x 8.5D inches (6.8H x 8.8W x 21.5D cm)
Weight (in pounds / in kg):0.58 lbs (โ€Ž263g)
Filter life:6 months
Noise level in decibels (measured from 3 ft. away with a sound level meter):Speed 1: 35.7 dB
Speed 2: 37.5 dB
Speed 3: 43 dB
Electricity consumption in watts (recorded with an electricity usage monitor):Speed 1: 12.1 watts
Speed 2: 7.5 watts
Estimated running costs (electricity consumption + official filter replacement):$31.42 per year
Cost per CADR cfm (based on dust CFM as reported by AHAM):$1.03
Manufacturerโ€™s warranty:5 year
Country of manufacture:Designed the U.S., assembled in China

CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON

Itโ€™s tiny!

I love how small the PureZone Mini is. It weighs just under 0.6 lbs, so it is also light enough to use for traveling. 

Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini Front and Back

The size of the PureZone Mini guarantees portability, especially considering the handle at the top of the unit. However, I think there are improvements to be made.

Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini Portable Air Purifier

โš ๏ธ Unfortunately, the handle came off a few times, leading to the unit falling to the floor. Luckily, the air purifier didnโ€™t suffer any damage and I could put the handle in place again.

You will be able to access the filters when turning the air purifier upside down.

Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini Top and Bottom

In terms of comparing the PureZone Mini with other similar portable air purifiers, the number one option would be the Smart Air QT3. Both these units are portable and have similar performance and specifications. In terms of design, the PureZone Mini is much smaller.

Smart Air QT3 VS PureZone Mini

Personally, I like the look of the QT3 but thatโ€™s my preference, for sure. I can see why other people would prefer the PureZone Mini – especially if the idea is to have the unit in their car, as it fits the cupholder like a glove.

Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini Car

CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON

Simple 3-speed control

The PureZone Mini portable air purifier is very simple, with just one button that switches it on and three selectable speed modes. 

Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini Controls

I suggest keeping it at the highest speed to clean the air effectively as this is a very small unit. You need to assess if youโ€™re comfortable with the noise level output at that speed, though! Keep reading to learn more about noise levels.

I read about some people hanging the Pure Enrichment Pure Zone around their necks. While I am not sure how effective this would be, it would be straightforward to do, considering how light and small this unit is.

Letโ€™s talk filters: True HEPA with activated charcoal

The PureZone Mini comes with a solid HEPA filter and a small amount of activated carbon. Itโ€™s not bad for filtering the air from particle pollution but it would be useless against VOCs.

Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini HEPA filter

CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON

The filters are defined as True HEPA โ€” similar to the H11 and H12 filters that will stop 99.97% of particles smaller than 0.3 microns. It makes sense they would choose to use a lower grade HEPA than the medical grade H13, as this would reduce airflow too much for such a small fan. 

Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini TrueHEPA Filter

There is also meant to be activated charcoal in the pre-filter, but it looks like a minimal amount and I doubt it would do much for odors. I bet it is just included to make it look good in marketing. You need significant amounts of carbon for it to be effective, and in such small amounts, this air purifier is nearly useless for gases and VOCs. 

PureZone Mini HEPA With Activated Charcoal

I liked exploring the interior of the PureZone Mini. Upon inspecting the fan, I would say it reminds me of those small fans used to cool computers. 

Replacing the filter is as straightforward as you could probably imagine. Turn the unit upside down, open the cover and extract the filter:

โš ๏ธ When you first open the Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini, remove the filter from the bag; otherwise, it will do nothing to remove pollutants in your air. 

The PureZone Mini cleared our test room in 5 hours and 39 minutes

No one wants to read an air purifier review that just looks at the design and aesthetics; we want to know how well the unit removes pollutants from your home air. 

As with all the air purifier reviews we conduct here at HouseFresh, we tested the PureZone Mini in our testing room of 728 cubic ft and tracked the removal of incense smoke using our indoor purple air sensor. 

The PurpleAir indoor sensor lets us see how quickly PM1ug/m3, PM2.5ug/m3 and PM10ug/m3 particles are removed from the air. We test all our air purifiers in the same space, allowing us to compare performance across different devices. 

The PureZone Mini is a portable air purifier, so we had problems removing all the pollutants from our test room. 

In 5 hours and 39 minutes, it made the room breathable. Considering the small size of this air purifier, it makes sense that it would not be able to clean the air as it is designed for much smaller rooms. 

Air cleaning performance test results

It didn’t compare favorably with the Smart Air QT3, another portable design that took 267 minutes (roughly one hour less) to achieve a similar level of โ€œclean air.โ€ 

When compared to a non-portable unit like the Levoit Core 300, which managed to clear all pollutants in 40 minutes, you can see the potential downsides of portable air purifiers for use in the home.

Noise levels test results

We also tested noise levels emitted from the PureZone Mini with the help of our sound level monitor. Check out the chart below to find out how sound levels compare to other units:

Of course, noise levels can be a subjective thing as something you find noisy might be totally acceptable to me. Thatโ€™s why I recorded a video so you can hear the sound:

The cost to run a PureZone Mini: $31.42 per year

1. Electricity costs = $11.44

As this is a portable device, the electricity costs will be minimal and related to how much you use it. I was pleased to see a USB-C charging port, as we have many chargers in the house.

Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini Charging point

2. Filter costs = $19.98

$9.99 might seem cheap for a filter replacement, but considering how little air it can clean, the costs could soon start to add up if you use it regularly. In the long term, you would be better off with a large air purifier that would cost far less in filter replacements for any serious issues requiring long-term usage.

We saw that you could purchase generic versions of the filter, bringing costs down to $4.25 if you buy four.

Filter
Genuine Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini Replacement Filter
Generic Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini Replacement Filter
Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini 2-in-1 True HEPA Replacement Filter | Activated Carbon Pre-Filter + True HEPA Filter Captures 99.97% of Particles; Replace Every 6 Months
4 Pack Filters for Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini Portable Air Purifier | Portable Air Purifier PEPERSAP, 2-in-1 HEPA Replacement
Technology
True HEPA filter with activated carbon
True HEPA filter with activated carbon - 4-pack
More information
Buy on Amazon
Buy on Amazon
Price
$10.99
$15.99
Filter
Genuine Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini Replacement Filter
Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini 2-in-1 True HEPA Replacement Filter | Activated Carbon Pre-Filter + True HEPA Filter Captures 99.97% of Particles; Replace Every 6 Months
Technology
True HEPA filter with activated carbon
More information
Buy on Amazon
Price
$10.99
Filter
Generic Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini Replacement Filter
4 Pack Filters for Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini Portable Air Purifier | Portable Air Purifier PEPERSAP, 2-in-1 HEPA Replacement
Technology
True HEPA filter with activated carbon - 4-pack
More information
Buy on Amazon
Price
$15.99

Bottom line 

There are not many portable air purifiers on the market, and this is one of the better ones we have seen. It comes with all the downsides of portable air purifier designs, with a low level of air cleaning performance when used in most rooms in the house, but it could be helpful for travel during flights or driving. 

Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini Bathroom

CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON

I like the ability to be able to remove pollutants while I am driving, and for now, this is the primary use I would recommend. If that’s the type of air purification you’re looking for, you should also look at the Smart Air QT3.

Just be aware that you will be disappointed if you plan to use the Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini to replace a standard non-portable air purifier, such as the Levoit Core 300 or the Taotronics AP003.

SOURCES

We calculated yearly costs associated with running the Pure Enrichment PureZone Mini 24 hours a day, 365 days per year utilizing the latest average energy prices as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of $0.174/kWh as of May 2024.