Air Purifier Reviews

Hi folks, welcome to my air purifier reviews blog. I’m Angela. With a family of 5 to care for, there are many issues that worry me and of it is what they are inhaling into their bodies. They are exposed to polluted air each day and when they come home I try to ensure that the house is clean and the air is clear. However, there is only so much I can do because pollen, fur from our pet, dust are constantly flying about, thus I need to have some assistance. This is where an air purifier comes in.

• Air Purifier – Introduction
• Best Air Purifier – Top Picks
• Air Purifier Reviews
• How To Select The Best Air Purifier?
• Air Purifier Reviews Blog

Air Purifier – Introduction

Usually air purifiers are used by people who have allergies or related health conditions but now families are more aware of how bad air affects the health and many are buying the machine for normal use. I resisted buying one because I believed that cleaning my house, keeping the doors and windows shut always would help keep the pollution out. The truth is the environment inside our home could be six times more polluted than the outdoors. If you, like me have an older model of a heating and cooling system, it is likely to not have a modern filter system and as this machine works, it actually brings in outdoor irritants and pollen into the air of the home. Our dog sheds fur continuously, and we also shed skin cells all the time. These dead skin cells are food for dust mites (we feed the enemy!), and dust mites can cause asthma, allergies and skin irritations.

While cleaning the home is a natural act, I found out that cleaning chemicals contain ammonia which is bad for the ozone. Ozone inside could be worse than the ozone layer in the sky. This is because the small area of your home increases the chances for inside ozone to affect your lungs, worsen asthma attacks and may trigger symptoms of lung problems.

After I discovered all these issues, I decided to get an air purifier for peace of mind. Next, I have the task of picking a suitable air purifier. In my write-up, I hope to break down in parts what I know from asking around and reading about different air-purifier and what to look for in getting a best air purifier.

Best Air Purifier

So, what Are The Best Air Purifiers In The Market?

• Whirlpool Whispure 450 Air Purifier – Very quiet, filters air effectively and gives you good air quality, although a little on the bulky side.
• Whirlpool Whispure 510 Air Purifier – Suitable for spaces within 510 sq feet space and equipped with a pre-filter that helps remove large particles and reduce odor from air.
• Sharp FPP60CX HEPA-Filter Air Purifier – Produces the least ozone compared to others and comes with three filters which are prefilter, HEPA and carbon.
• IQAir HealthPro Air Purifier – Large coverage area of 1000 sq feet, and does not produce ozone as a by-product.

Air Purifier Reviews – Overview

1) Whirlpool Whispure 450 Air Purifier
A basic model with higher capabilities in its range, Whispure 450 gives you three settings to interchange- low, medium or high speed. You will receive a carbon pre-filter which needs to be changed every 3 months and a HEPA filter that requires yearly change. It is not exactly portable with a 22″ height and an 11″ depth, and weighing about 20 pounds. This model cost an estimated USD 300 and can cover an area of up to 500 sq feet.

2) Whirlpool Whispure 510 Air Purifier
Upgraded version of the previous model of the same line, and retails at about USD 300, this is a true HEPA filtered purifier. It captures 99.97% of particles that are 0.3 microns or larger. HEPA filter also cleans the air that passes through it 4.8 times per hour more, determined by the unit and area space. There is a filter replacement indicator so that you know when the filters need to be changed. It has a 3- speed motor as well, and a special sleep mode that automatically lowers the fan speed for 8 hours and turns it back to its original setting after that.

3) Sharp FPP60CX HEPA-Filter Air Purifier
This elegant looking machine provides you efficiency that covers 330 sq ft coverage. It works really quietly so you won’t even remember its there. Weighing 19lbs and measuring 16.38″ in width, a 9.5″ depth and a 22.5″ in height, it will cost you approximately USD 390. The indicator will tell you when its time to replace the HEPA filters. Sharp combines passive air filtration with active air treatment to clean the air of pollen.

4) IQAir HealthPro Air Purifier
This model provides area coverage up to 900-1000 sq ft and has 6 speed options. It comes with a pre-filter that needs replacement in 6-18 months and the HEPA filter 2-4 years. It depends on how much you use it, in determining the frequency of filter replacement. This model has filter change indicators and remote control and the electronic LCD display helps you identify the settings easily even if you are in the dark. IQ Air is considered expensive with a price tag of an average USD 750. Well, to read more about air purifier, you can find more reviews in my blog.

How To Select The Best Air Purifier?

(a) Where will you use the machine? – Most models are pretty portable, which you can rotate usage in various parts of your house. You can even bring it on vacation, there are models that weigh as light as 4 pounds, although the quality may be a bit compromise, it does do the basic things an air purifier should. If you are looking to put it in a permanent place in your house (like the living room), you can get the regular sized type. Position the air purifier close to a socket outlet and make sure it is at least 3″ from the wall for air circulation.

(b) Unit’s capacity – This will depend on the size of the area where you will put your air purifier. Usually machines are rated for its efficiency based on certain room sizes, so you cannot expect a model built to circulate a 300 sq feet area to perform the same way in a 800 sq feet area. The number of times per hour that volume of air passes through the unit also determines its efficiency. Therefore, before shopping, you should measure you’re the area’s dimension and buy accordingly to the coverage area of the model (or higher). You may want special features like multiple settings, so look for a model that has it.

(c) Type of Filtration – The more filtration devices in a purifier makes it a better model. There is the pre-filter and the Hepa (known as carbon filters). The pre-filter will trap larger particles of dust, and then the Hepa will further remove about 98% of airborne particles. Each stage of filtration means more removal of the air irritants, hence the better air quality.

(d) Availability of Filters – It is advisable to buy from the makers that have most buyers for uncommon brand may give you difficulty in finding replacement filters. Although the manufacturer has a recommendation as to the timeframe a filter will last, it is good to have a rule of thumb that Hepa filters can last about 17-35 months and a pre-filter lasts about 7-14 months, depending on the size of your purifier. Do get a spare replacement set when you purchase your entire purifier.

(e) Certification and Standards – Air purifiers that come with multi or Hepa standard filters are very pricey. Therefore, be very alert when purchasing. Make sure you check the unit for certification by the authorized party, efficiency ratings and that it meets the standards of its line. You should also find out if there is a parts list because it could be of help when you need replacements later.

(f) Making the most out of it – Hepa filters, as you would have known by now, are more expensive. In order to protect it, change the pre-filter regularly. An air purifier will work more efficiently if the door is closed and getting a unit built for a larger circulation area can better clean a small room. Another tip is to set it to ‘quiet’ at night and ‘high’ for daytime if you put the unit in a bedroom. An air purifier should run throughout the day so that you get better quality air all the time.