Improvements in construction techniques and materials have made our homes more comfortable and much better insulated, but this can cause indoor pollution, in the form of various allergens, odors and chemical compounds, is up to five times higher than that found outside.
We spend more time at home, and concern about home cleanliness has increased; surfaces must be kept clean (for example, with the comfort of the robots with self-emptying base, or with the versatility of the broom vacuum cleaners), but also The quality of the indoor air (IAC) we breathe is important, and this is where air purifiers come into play.
If there are people in your house who are allergic, asthmatic or have some type of respiratory problems; if you have small children or pets, or you just want to breathe better, you may be interested in an air purifier.
Below we tell you everything you need to know about these devices. If you are interested in a specific category, you can click on the buttons below; At the end, you will find all the purifiers that we have analyzed on this website.
Table of contents (click to show/hide)
How an air purifier works
There are different systems and technologies to purify the air:
Filtered out
It is the most common and the one used by the vast majority of devices. In essence, the operation is simple: it involves capturing the air from the room into the interior of the device, and put it through several layers of filtering and then release it again, already purified.
Depending on the type of filters and the degree of efficiency they achieve, greater effectiveness and a more or less wide range of elements to be eliminated will be achieved:
High-efficiency filtration is what we should look for if we want air free of allergenic microparticles, especially if we are allergic. The minimum we should look for would be a HEPA H13 (99,95% effective).
Other filtering technologies
In addition to high-efficiency filtration, most purifiers include a layer of active carbon, which traps fumes, odors and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). such as benzene, toluene and others, from combustion or chemical products such as varnishes, paints, glues, etc.
Active carbon filter
Another feature included by some models is formaldehyde capture., a highly volatile chemical compound, which is produced naturally by many living organisms, and which is widely used in industry as a bactericide or preservative, found almost everywhere: in clothing, mattresses, carpets, plastics, cosmetics, cleaners, paints, air fresheners, wood, etc.
Formaldehyde can cause irritation to the skin and mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and throat.; People with asthma may also be more susceptible to these effects.
In this section, highlights the Dyson Purifier Cool Formaldehydea permanent catalytic filter, which continuously traps and breaks down formaldehyde molecules into water and CO2 and does not need to be changed.
Ionization
In the case of ionization, it is charge dust particles with static electricity, to capture them more easily; When combined with a negative ion, they weigh more and fall to the ground, preventing us from inhaling them.
UV-C ultraviolet light
With the use of UV-C ultraviolet light, it is possible to destroy microorganisms such as viruses or bacteria; Ultraviolet light can be harmful to living beings, which is why it is a process that is carried out internally in the device and is not dangerous.
Ozone
Ozone is a powerful natural disinfectant, which eliminates contaminating particles and microorganisms in the air, surfaces and fluids. Disinfection using ozone is effective in indoor spaces, where there is a high number of people and the air is not renewed adequately.
Disinfection using ozone must be carried out in unoccupied spaces, that is, when there are no people or animals. Ozone (O3), which is generated by electrical activation of the oxygen molecule (O2).
Being an unstable molecule, it tends to return to its natural state in a few minutes; nevertheless, It is advisable to enter after allowing a reasonable amount of time to pass and ventilate the room after cleaning with ozone..
Is a purifier effective against bacteria and viruses? Capture COVID-19?
In some purifiers, you will see that refers to the ability to trap bacteria and viruses; The size of bacteria is usually between 10 and 0,2 microns, while viruses can move between 0,5 and 0,02 microns.
According to these sizes, in general the bacteria would be trapped, while Viruses could "escape" from the filtering system. However, this is not the case to a large extent, due to various factors.:
How to choose a purifier
There are various characteristics that should be looked at when choosing, such as:
filtering capacity
We are talking about the most important aspect of the device. The particle retention capacity will determine the quality of the air we obtain, so it is advisable to choose devices with high efficiency HEPA filtration (High Efficiency Particulate Air).
HEPA 13 captures 99,95% of 0,3 micron microparticles, a figure at which many purifiers operate, some reaching 99,97% or even more (if you want more information, you can visit our guide to HEPA filters).
CLASS | % retention | number of particles that pass |
|---|---|---|
EPA 10 | > 85% | 15.000 each 100.000 |
EPA 11 | > 95% | 5.000 each 100.000 |
EPA 12 | > 99,5% | 500 each 100.000 |
HEPA13 | > 99,95% | 50 each 100.000 |
HEPA14 | > 99,995% | 5 each 100.000 |
Some manufacturers specifically report the tests to which their purifiers have been subjected, and whether they are endorsed by independent laboratories or organizations., such as the Airmid laboratory, the European Center for Allergy Research Foundation (ECARF), the British Allergy Foundation (BAF), or the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, which adds a plus of trust and credibility.
Other purification systems
As we have previously reviewed, the inclusion of an active carbon filter to eliminate gases, smoke, odors and volatile organic compounds (practically widespread in this type of devices), or other systems that contribute to greater cleaning of the environment, such as ionization, the use of ultraviolet UV-C or the use of ozone They can make us opt for another model.
Power and purification capacity
Both data usually go hand in hand, and many brands offer both figures as a guide. It is not the same to purify a small room as a living room, or a home with high ceilings as one with a conventional height..
Normally, the purification capacity is expressed according to the CADR rate (Clean Air Delivery Rate), which indicates the amount of air it is capable of filtering, usually expressed in cubic meters per hour.
To calculate the cubic meters of a room you have to multiply the surface (width by height) by its height. If, for example, the living room is 20 m2 and a height of 2,4 meters, its volume is 48 m3. If the CADR of the device is 480 m3/h, it would take 6 minutes to purify the entire room.
For this reason, the British brand has created the POLAR test for its purifiers, with more realistic conditions.: a room of 81 m3 (27 m2 by 3 high), without additional fans and with nine sensors to measure the effectiveness in the different areas of the room, and its models include Air Multiplier technology, to capture and distribute air throughout the room.
Polar Test
Integrated
Some purifiers are aimed at more personal use, so they are smaller and can be placed anywhere (for example, on a table), while others are of greater capacity and size, an aspect that we must consider, since we will have to place it somewhere in the house.
There are models with a more traditional design and others with more futuristic aspects., highlighting the Dyson or devices like the Rowenta Eclipse, for its spectacular bladeless design.
Automatic operation
Most purifiers have sensors that allow them to operate automatically, monitoring air quality and adapting their operation depending on it., starting when necessary or increasing speed if the degree of contamination is higher.
Real-time information
Some devices offer real-time information, through a screen and/or a mobile application, about the state of air quality. (usually using colors, to view it quickly and easily) and other parameters, such as temperature or humidity.
Remote management
Some purifiers are operated only through a panel on the device itself, which (although they can operate automatically) is more inconvenient; thus, It is preferable that it includes a remote control, which is controllable through voice commands and/or especially control through a mobile application, which provides maximum versatility.
Usually, from the app on the mobile we can start it or turn it off wherever we are, know the indoor and outdoor air quality at a glance, program the device, see the useful life of the filters or change any other settings.
Noise level
Although in general, purifiers are fairly silent devices, another aspect to take into account when buying a machine is its noise level, since These are devices that in many cases are working for hours, and at the same time that we carry out other activities or sleep..
Some models have a specific night mode, which works with a very low noise level and dims the lighting so that it does not bother you at all.
Maintenance
The maintenance of purifiers is usually quite simple, and is detailed in the instructions for each device; It is usually advisable to clean them on the outside and the sensors must be cleaned, and the filter changed when notified. (in those that have a connection through an app, we can normally check their estimated useful life).
Therefore, In addition to the device itself, we must take into account the cost that replacement filters may have.. To do this, observe the indications offered by each manufacturer, since sometimes they can tell you the useful life based on different estimates. For example, it may be that one speaks of 8 hours a day and another of 16; To compare them, you should set everything to the same time period, for example:
Other functions
Some devices include other functionalities besides air purification, for example:
In some cases, they are not only 2 in 1, but they can even be 3 in 1, such as the Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link (purifies, cools and warms) or the Dyson Pure Humidify+ Cool (purifies, cools and humidifies).
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