Dust, pollen, smoke removal is how well a model cleared air of fine clay dust and cigarette smoke when operating at a low speed that was typically one setting above the lowest speed. Many models have multiple speeds and the lowest is not as effective at cleaning the air. A model that scores well for dust removal should perform comparably for pollen. Although its price comes in at the higher end of the mid-range market, you’ll struggle to find another purifier for under $450 that boasts 5 air changes per hour in an 800 sq. Ft room with a CADR rating of 245, along with the real-world performance to back it up. The smart features include App support and an accurate auto mode that switches on when it detects pollutants in the air.
When we switched on the Alen 45i at full power with the ionizer, it removed all particles in 33 minutes. When purchasing the Alen Breathsmart 45i, you are given a range of filters. Each filter offers a slightly different level of protection, mainly in relation to odors and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). With customizable designer panel colors, the BreatheSmart can be personalized to fit any room and compliment your decor for today or whenever your styles change.
Its intuitive design, whisper-quiet operation and a lights-off mode for sleeping make it a superb choice for large bedrooms as well as open concept rooms. Child-friendly features include a locking control panel and child-safe vent guard make it THE choice for homes with kids or grandchildren. The unit is whisper-quiet at its lowest speed, but in automatic mode I found the unit rather aggressive at ratcheting up the speed, even when particulate levels were low.
Ultimately, this means that this is an exceptional option for large rooms. I’m pleased to say it has lived up to the expectations of an Alen product. With four fan speeds to choose from, the noise of this purifier can easily be curtailed to suit the user while still vastly improving the air quality in your home. This lets you turn the machine to “auto” and will kick on if the room’s air quality dives below a certain measurement. This function works in tandem with an LED light ring that changes color as the air quality improves or worsens. It can be set to run in increments of two, four, and twelve hours and has five different speed options.
The next step was sealing up our 150-square-foot testing room and filling it with smoke by burning paper and other testing materials. We monitored the air with a Dylos air quality monitor; once the room reached our desired level of airborne particulate pollution, we kicked on the BreatheSmart 75i for an hour. After 30 minutes, there were only 16.62% of the original particulates left floating in the air, .003% after 45 minutes, and 0 detectable particulates after an hour. While the odor from the burnt paper wasn’t entirely eliminated, it was severely reduced.
Unique to the BreatheSmart line is the availability of six different color schemes for that massive front panel, ranging from a soothing graphite pattern to a brushed stainless steel look to a faux oak grain. SleepScore Validated products have been shown to improve sleep in SleepScore Labs’ extensive studies. This is your assurance that the product works as described for many people and has been evaluated at a higher level than the rest of the curated products. Upon opening the box to the purifier, you’re met with a simple one-sheet instruction manual, with the header “PREPARE TO CHANGE YOUR AIR” written across the top in large letters.
This is quite a long lifespan for a HEPA filter, with many other manufacturers suggesting replacing the filter after 6 months or a year if used infrequently. However, as the replacement filters cost up to $119, I hope it proves true. In reality, the power consumed will be much lower as the purifier operates on the lowest setting 99% of the time. Each of Alen’s True HEPA filters can capture 99.99% of airborne contaminants down to 0.1 microns, which are certainly impressive figures and was something we saw for real in our performance tests. However, these results reflect controlled lab testing, so I was keen to see how these figures translate in the real world. Once everything is unwrapped, open the front hatch via the air inlets on the side of the machine and slot in the HEPA filter, with the pre-filter facing towards you.
I went for the ‘Fresh’ model, which contains a medical-grade H13 True HEPA filter plus an activated carbon filter for added protection against VOCs and smoke. ? The replacement filters are expensive.? The cheapest filter option doesn’t have an activated alen breathesmart carbon filter.? Being provided with 3 different power cables for various regions is unnecessary and wasteful. Speed can be adjusted manually or using an automatic mode, and a countdown timer lets you shut the unit off after two, 4, or 12 hours.