For our latest review, we’ve turned to the Austin-based air purifier manufacturer Alen, to put the BreatheSmart 45i through its paces. Alen are widely regarded as one of the top innovators on the market, creating high-performing purifiers and long-lasting filters. If the circle is red, you have ‘dirty air’ or poor air quality.
That said, few people want them as the focal point in a room. If you’re getting one for a small room, you likely want a small purifier — or at least one that’s nondescript. Checkout Defeat Dust And Allergens With The Best Air Purifier for a detailed review of all the top air purifiers. This is a pre-test review, meaning we have not yet personally tested it. Our review is based off of manufacturer specs and other public information. Our scores are estimates based on our prior air purifier tests and research relative to the known specs about the Breathesmart line.
To get the purifier up and running is ridiculously simple. 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. Then once connected to mains, hit the power button and you’re good to go. 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.
It’s portable, so if you have a large area you can put it on one side of the room for a while and then the other side for period of time. The lasko pedestal fans i75 completes air exchanges of up to 1300 square feet approximately two times per hour, according to the manufacturer. The ionizer is excellent when you need to get rid of airborne particles. While this unit is CARB approved, you don’t want to run this all day and night.
When the light turns from green to yellow, it means it is time to order a new filter. Turn on the ionizer to activate ozone-free and eliminate airborne particles. The air intake vents are at the sides of the unit, allowing the airflow from bottom to top. The air filter is positioned behind the front panel allowing it to sit flat against the wall without blocking any airways.
Alen’s medical-grade filtration is highly effective thanks to powerful airflow, ensuring pure air for your entire room. In 2018, Alen BreatheSmart Classic was one of the best large room air purifiers. High CADR rating, aesthetic design, the addition of real-time indoor air quality sensors, and the advanced H13 medical-grade filter were great qualities back then. And in case you need air purifier for 1000 square feet room or so, I can recommend you may take a look at the Airdog X8. It costs over $1000, but way more powerful than the 75i. The Tracs company also produces air purifiers for large spaces (schools, hospitals, offices etc.).
That’s not exactly light, but still speaks to its level of durability. It ultimately helps store, move, and position this HEPA air purifier Alen has designed. This model is relatively quiet, but you should check out the Alen BreatheSmart if you want something that’s more silent.
Although your air purifier may still do some good in your entire apartment due to natural air circulation, air purifiers work best in the room they’re placed in. Air purifiers can’t work through walls or doorways, nor can they typically travel up stairs for loft-style apartments. It’s best, then, to get two smaller units and place one in each room.