Alen BreatheSmart 75i Pure Air Purifier Review

Even when set to the turbo, the BreatheSmart 75i produced very little noise. In this setting, it omits a pleasant low hum that our testers found to be noninvasive white noise. When running on medium, it was even quieter, and it was all but unnoticeable when set to low. While the Alen Breathesmart 45i proves to be highly efficient in energy use, filter replacement costs are considerably increased by average running costs.

alen breathesmart

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 Lasko Box Fan 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.

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 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.

Models that have the Energy Star rating will use less energy than comparable products. Despite being a powerful machine, it doesn’t take up too much space and as far as white goods go, sits comfortably in my living space, bedroom or office. Due to its relatively lightweight, it’s easy to maneuver from room to room and can slot nicely into the corner or a cupboard when not in use. The Alen BreatheSmart 45i performed excellently, cleaning our test room of all particle pollutants in 33 minutes.

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.

On Auto mode, a built-in dirt sensor or other inputs will allow the fan to run on a higher fan speed when the air is determined to be dirty and on a lower speed when clean. While the initial purchase price is hefty, the performance offered by the BreatheSmart 75i is outstanding. If you have a large space and need serious performance, this machine is up for the task. If you have a smaller space or are on a budget, other models will likely be better suited. Even if used continuously, running the purifier as recommended, Alen claims the filter will last 12 months.

The 75i gets quite loud when things start running at higher levels; I often ended up manually turning it down to quiet the room. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage Lasko Box Fan of the best air purifiers. Long-lasting True HEPA (H13) filters remove 99.99% of airborne contaminants down to 0.1 microns, including allergens and aerosolized viruses.