Air purifiers promise clean indoor air by filtering particles such as aerosols, pollen, fine dust and odors. stiftung warentest examined how good the cleaning performance of the devices really is. We show the test results.
Overview
Air purifiers are designed to filter particles, odors, pollen and pollutants from indoor air, which is particularly beneficial for allergy sufferers. On top of that, they are also said to be effective against viruses transmitted by aerosols. The "stiftung warentest" foundation tested air purifiers for the "test"-issue 01/2022 examines how good the cleaning performance of various air purifiers really is. We present the results and test winners in detail and explain the functionality of the devices.
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Stiftung warentest: this is how it was tested
Seven air purifiers with filters were tested. According to the suppliers, they are suitable for rooms up to at least 40 square meters and filter between 300 and 500 cubic meters of air per hour. The greatest focus in the test was naturally on air purification, especially with regard to pollen, formaldehyde and aerosols. In addition, the handling, environmental properties, safety and data transmission behavior of the associated apps played a role in the overall score in the air purifier test.
Air purifiers in the test: the results at a glance
The result of the 2021 test is even more sobering than the test results of the previous year. While in march 2020, two air purifiers were awarded the overall rating "good", the other two were rated "good" only one of the models tested managed to achieve this result: the xiaomi mi air purifier pro receives the "test-quality rating "good (2,3)" and is thus the clear test winner. It is the only device that effectively filters all particles from the air. The air purifiers from medion , philips, ideal , levoit and co. All only achieve a "satisfactory" in the test.
Best air purifier in the test 2020 was the philips AC2889/10 . It received the "test"-quality rating "good (2.4)". According to stiftung warentest, it is comparable in quality to the new test winner. It only performs slightly worse when it comes to filtering formaldehyde.
The new test winner: air purifiers from xiaomi
Test result: the mi air purifier pro from xiaomi is the clear winner with an overall rating of "good (2.3)" the clear winner in the stiftung warentest air purifier test. It is the only device with a convincing cleaning performance for all particles, i.e. pollen, aerosols and formaldehyde. Less pleasing are the clear deficiencies in the data transmission behavior of the app.
Product details: the air purifier from xiaomi is suitable for rooms with an area of up to 60 square meters and frees the air from particles, hair, dirt and other pollutants. A three-layer filter consisting of a pre-filter, activated carbon filter and EPA filter is used for this purpose. The clean air delivery rate (CADR) is 500 cubic meters of air per hour, which is the maximum amount of air that can be cleaned in 60 minutes.
The air purifier can be operated with the help of the mi-home app, i.e. remotely using a smartphone. Voice control is also possible. in automatic mode, the device adjusts the fan power depending on the air quality. OLED display shows temperature, air quality and humidity. The display is dimmed in quiet mode and the model operates more quietly, so it is also suitable for nighttime use.
Manufacturer xiaomi recommends changing the filter every three to twelve months to ensure high cleaning performance at all times. Replacement filters can be purchased without any problems.
The second-place winner: air purifier from medion
The test result: with the "test-quality rating "satisfactory (2.6)" medion’s air purifier comes in second in the test. Its cleaning performance, especially with formaldehyde, is less convincing. On the other hand, it performs better than the test winner in terms of handling, environmental properties and the data transmission behavior of the app.
Product details: the medion air purifier is suitable for room sizes up to 72 square meters. A filter system consisting of a pre-filter, activated carbon filter and HEPA filter is used to remove pollen, odors, fine dust and other pollutants. The purification capacity is up to 345 cubic meters per hour (CADR).
The unit has three speed levels, a color air quality indicator, a convenient timer and a particularly quiet sleep mode. the medion air purifier is controlled via the touch control panel, the app or also with the voice assistants amazon alexa or google home.
The automatic reminder to change the filter is particularly useful in everyday use: depending on the quality of the room air, the model automatically reminds you to change it in order to ensure the best possible filter performance. Replacement filters can be easily reordered.
The best formaldehyde filter in third place: air purifier from ideal
Test result: with an overall rating of "satisfactory (2.9)" the AP30 pro from ideal comes in third place. In the case of this air purifier, the test engineers from stiftung warentest were particularly impressed by the filter performance for formaldehyde: here, the device from ideal was the best in the test. It is also quieter than the xiaomi and medion models.
Product details: with its filter system consisting of pre-filters, activated carbon filters and HEPA filters, the air purifier from ideal is effective against chemicals, odors, fine dust, pollen and aerosols, among other things. The compact device is suitable for room sizes up to 40 square meters and has a maximum cleaning capacity of 300 cubic meters of air per hour (CADR).
Three levels, one automatic and one turbo function are available for this model. A sleep mode is also available. The setting is made at the touch of a button or via app. The latter can also be used to control other features such as the timer or the child safety lock. In addition, the filter status can be viewed via it.
The manufacturer recommends changing the filter about every twelve months. Replacement filters can be easily purchased with this device as well.
The test winner of 2020: air purifier from philips
The test result: the philips AC2889/10 already received the "test" in march 2020-quality rating "good (2.4)" and proved effective against aerosols in the post-test from march 2021 as well. According to stiftung warentest, it can keep up with the new test winner from xiaomi on almost all levels, only formaldehyde is filtered out of the room air less effectively.
Product details: the philips air purifier has a filter system consisting of a pre-filter, an activated carbon filter and a HEPA filter. Its cleaning capacity (CADR) is 333 cubic meters per hour. How it cleans a 20-square-meter room in just nine minutes. The good performance makes it suitable for room sizes of up to 79 square meters.
It can be operated directly on the device or with the help of an app or Apple’s voice assistant siri. It has different power levels and a sleep mode. Practical for allergy sufferers: the app sends information on current air quality, pollen levels and allergens to your smartphone. A display shows the quality of the room air through a four-stage LED color ring also directly on the device.
The pre-filter is washable, HEPA and activated carbon filters can be purchased as spare parts. Both are also available in a practical filter set . According to the manufacturer, the activated carbon filter lasts one year, the HEPA filter even only needs to be changed every two years.
Our conclusion to the air purifier test
Rooms are often so polluted by odors, pollen, fine dust, allergens or pollutants that the air is no longer in order. even at normal times, a good air purifier or air washer can be a sensible purchase, especially for allergy sufferers. In the corona pandemic, the best devices can also assist in prevention by filtering aerosols from the indoor air.
The new test winner does it best xiaomi mi air purifier pro and the best air purifier from the 2020 test, the philips AC2889/10 . but beware: there is always a residual risk even with you. Although an air purifier can reduce the risk of infection, additional measures such as keeping your distance and wearing mouth and nose protection are still necessary indoors. In addition, shock ventilation should be carried out regularly.