Inside the fan is a catalytic filter that turns formaldehyde into water and CO2 this converter never needs to be replaced.Īlongside this, there are sensors for PM2.5 and PM10 dust, VOCs and NO2. This detects the dangerous gas, which can be released by old furniture, and ramps up the fan speed. New to this model is the formaldehyde sensor. Arguably, the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde is the most useful product of the lot: it’s a fan, it’s a heater for the colder months of the year, and it’s also a purifier. We also test the sound levels of purifiers, running at minimum and maximum speeds from a distance of 1 metre.Įvery time Dyson launches a new purifier, it seems to add more features to it. We also light a smoke pellet and time how long it takes until our Nest Protect tells us that the air is safe again. With the air purifier placed in a corner running at maximum, we time how long the air takes to return to normal, using a separate air-quality monitor. To test an air purifier’s performance, we use a three-second burst spray from a can of insecticide – a source of particulate matter and VOCs – directed into the middle of the room. These are harsh chemicals that can be found in everything from old furniture to cleaning sprays. Some – but not many – air purifiers are capable of removing Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from the air, too. However, not all manufacturers quote CADR ratings and, instead, quote the percentage of particles below a certain size: the higher the percentage and the lower the quoted particle size, the better.
And, the individual ratings help you choose the right purifier for your needs. The higher the score, the better the performance. To demonstrate the quality of cleaning, the majority of air purifiers come with Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) ratings for smoke, pollen and dust. Learn more about how we test air purifiers Purifiers with a greater range of sensors generally do better here, as they’re more reactive cheaper purifiers only monitor for dust, so you air may have other harmful particles in it. To do this, we use our air purifiers in a normal environment, and tell you how easy they are to set up and how reactive they are to a variety of harmful particles. While this is a useful test for purifier quality, we also believe that air purifiers should be easy to use and, where possible, automatic. The ability to clean the air is important, so we test how long it takes to remove test allergens and harmful particles from the air. Here, we’ve rounded up the best of the models that we’ve tested.
From reducing allergy incidents to making it easier to breathe and sleep, an air purifier can make a massive difference to your life. These devices are basically fans that suck in dirty air, clean it in a filter and pass out nice clean air on the otherside. From harsh cleaning chemicals to pet dander and pollen coming in, the air at home may not be as clean as you’d expect. While we all have an idea of how bad the air outside can be, particularly for those of us living in cities and dealing with pollution, the air inside can be just as toxic. The oft-overlooked aspect of health is the air that we breathe at home.