Remodeling 101: Smart Air Purifiers - Remodelista
Let’s say you or someone in your household is especially sensitive to air quality—perhaps because of respiratory issues (such as allergies or asthma), or because you live in an area with lots of pollutants in the air, such as near a highway. A pick from our post 10 Easy Pieces: Good-Looking (and Effective) Air Purifiers: The WiFi-enabled Molekule air purifier from a San Francisco startup has a leather handle for portability. What is a smart air purifier? Air purifiers clean the air by drawing it through a series of filters. A smart air purifier, like other smart devices, is controllable via WiFi and an app, so that you can turn it on and off remotely. The app-enabled Airmega 300S ($649, marked down from $749) has twin HEPA/carbon filters that can change the air twice an hour in a room as big as 1,250 square feet. Should I get a smart air purifier? There are a number of air purifiers on the market, and while the high-volume ones are expensive (and, as an added cost, you must replace the filters regularly), they do their job well. The Dyson Pure Cool Link ($499.99) weighs only 8.4 pounds and works as both an air purifier and an oscillating fan (also available on Amazon.) If you tell the app where you live, it will display the outside and inside temperature, humidity, and air quality. If you’re considering buying an air purifier, do your research by reading the latest reviews on reputable consumer sites such as The Sweethome and PCMag, as well as the user comments on retail sites. What should I consider before getting a smart air purifier? The Winix HR1000 Air Purifier ($379.99) cleans the air with a five-stage process, including “coated deodorization” on the carbon filter to help cut nasty odors. Not shown: The Honeywell Bluetooth Smart True HEPA Allergen Remover ($259.99) is designed for rooms up to 310 square feet, but since Bluetooth has limited range, the connection doesn’t work when you’re not at home. The Sweethome named the Coway AP-1512HH Mighty as “the best air purifier for most people.” Though it’s not smart (it operates the old-fashioned way, via a control panel on the device), it covers rooms up to 326 square feet—and costs only $279.99 from Coway (also available via Amazon for $209). On one hand, the reviewers at The Sweethome aren’t convinced that air purifiers need smart technology; their top pick (shown above) doesn’t connect wirelessly—and as far as the reviewers are concerned that’s just fine. Is a smart air purifier worth it? These devices already have the technology to be self-monitoring and to adjust performance (i.e., turn down or off temporarily) once the air is clean.